Next morning, Nils overslept. He wasn’t used to set his alarm before sleep, he was always waking up by himself very early, but after playing WKO late in the night, made his internal clock fail.
While skipping his morning workout session, Nils ate breakfast took fast shower and headed out to school. Walking with fast pace, he wasn’t worried about his prosthetics, it was really high end gear and even running wasn’t much problem for him.
When Nils arrived on his classroom it was 5 minutes before first lesson, without saying hi to anyone he took a sit on his place and took out his e-book reader.
The day was about to be as boring as day before when women unexpected happened while he was eating his meal in school cafeteria.
Nils was sitting alone at the table, eating spaghetti which was surprisingly tasty, when some on sat next to him.
Nils surprised looked at that person and recognized one of his classmates, unfortunately he didn’t remember her name. With shoulder length blond hair, blue eyes and round face she looked quite pretty, or at least would thought that if she wasn’t so short.
He noticed earlier in class room that this girl couldn’t have more than 1,55m in height, it wasn’t that small but next to Nil's 2 meters she looked like hobbit. She also was well curved, not plump but you couldn’t call her fit. All of that make Nils think that she looked like a cute little bunny.
Nils didn’t wanted to be jerk, so he managed to say an awkward greeting.
“Hello?”
Apparently bunny girl was waiting for this, because she immediately started to speak.
“Hi, you probably still don’t get all names, so let me remind you, I am Alice, class president.”
Ok, Nils decided that class president name was worth to remember. Nils focused on his spaghetti again, but after few seconds he felt that someone was staring at him. When he looked at Alice again, he could see her blue eyes directed at him.
“You are not really sociable guy, are you?”
Once again Nils didn’t know how he should answer. After few seconds of silence Nils decided that he should say something.
“How can I help you?”
Alice, who was staring at him without a break, brightened while wide smile appeared on her face.
“I am glad you asked! You see, school director thinks that we are still in elementary school and events like sport festivals are so much fun for us. Unfortunately, student council wasn’t able to change his decision and such a bothersome event will be taking place next week.”
Nils was little confused, he had exemption from PE lessons so why this bunny girl was bothering him? He wanted to say something but Alice was continuing her monologue.
“So, every student is obligated to take part in competition and that is exactly why I am here. What kind of competition you want take part in?”
The truth is that Nils could play some sports, he got special pair of prosthetics and was even encouraged by hi doctor to try, but he got his own reasons to not to.
“Alice you know that I have exemption from PE classes?”
Alice made angry face.
“I know but I thought it was because you didn’t want to bother with it.”
“And why you may think that?”
Nils was rather oblivious to how he looked like, while working out almost every day for a year, saying that his body looked good, was huge understatement.
Hearing his question, Alice became little red on her face, but still she answered without hesitation.
“Don’t tell me that someone who looks like you can't do sports.”
She said that a little louder than she wanted and few faces of other people sitting in cafeteria turned around to look at them.
Nils was about to explain to her that he has good medical reason to not take part in that stupid sport event, when someone else came to their table. Nils was surprised when he recognized another girl from his class, it was strange girl from supermarket.
Without any introduction she moved closer to Alice and said:
“Give it a rest prez, you have to be blind to not see that he got prosthetics in place of his legs.”
Nils was like struck by thunder, how did she know? It wasn’t that obvious like she said, to be honest it wasn’t obvious at all. But Nils wasn’t wondering how she recognized that he was a cripple, he felt that he needed to leave this place immediately.
“Sorry, I have to go.”
With quick excuse, Nils left his unfinished spaghetti and school cafeteria. Nils walked in to his class just to grab his bag and headed back to home. While walking through school entrance he was stopped by that strange girl.
“Why are you running?”
Nils wasn’t in the mood to talk in that moment, all he needed was to think about what happened in his apartment. He tried to pass next to girl but she stood in his way.
“Could you just let me go?”
He asked a girl standing in front of him, but she didn't move at all.
“No until you tell me, why are you running.”
Nils started to be angry, why that girl was doing this to him, he couldn't understand at all.
“Why are you running?”
She asked again. He tried to force his way a little, but she raised her arms and hold his shoulders with them.
“Why are you running?”
Nils couldn’t stand it anymore, with face full of pain he said.
“Because I don’t need anyone's pity”
After he said that, girl just left him go.
Nils came back to his apartment, 15 minute walk calmed him down enough for him to understand, what he did. He was so ashamed of himself, he couldn't understand why he immediately run away when someone found about his legs.
He came through the many different scenarios of this situation earlier and he was sure that he could handle it like a normal person. But instead of facing the truth, he just run away.
When Nils decided to return to high school, he knew that finally everybody will know about him being a cripple and he thought that he was alright with it. Apparently he was wrong.
The thing that Nils was afraid of was that after people will know, they will start to feel pity for him. Nils couldn't stand that, it was making him fell weak and useless. He couldn’t stand other people, looking at him like at the broken thing.
Everything started when he woke up in hospital, the way that his aunt and doctors were looking at him was stronger than words. He wouldn’t feel so bad if they didn’t pity for him.
He was feeling worse and worse when something happened on one of the rehabilitation sessions. That day Kate found some time to see how his rehabilitation was going and she was watching him exercise.
The way she was looking and him working hard, there was no pity in it anymore, it was filled with pride and that gave him strength to work even harder.
His aunt really save him that time, but unfortunately for other people who didn’t know him, he was still pitiful cripple. That's why it took him so much time to leave apartment.
And that day everything happened to fast, he wasn’t ready to handle all his new classmates, looking at him like at something broken. He didn’t think that they will find out that fast.
But there was that weird girl too, she wasn't looking at him with pity, her chocolate eyes were looking at him with curiosity and some unknown fire in them. Nils never experienced something like this before.
Anastasia POV
Once again I had to buy some groceries because fridge was empty, my parents were working late like always. Fortunately supermarket is really close to our place.
Moving slowly along shelves filled with food, and tossing what I need into a cart, I don't pay much attention what I buy, just safe minimum to not end up with cornflakes for a dinner.
What absorbs my attention is my hobby or rather addiction. I watch people, not just to look at them, but I watch people in the way that lets me reveal something about them.
As far as I can remember I was strange girl, other kids didn’t like what I was talking about, even thought it was all truth. Even adults looked at me with anger when I told them, what I saw in them.
With years I understood that people don’t like truth about themselves and I needed to stop speak it out loud or I would end up in trouble.
When way I acted changed, people were nicer, but it doesn’t mean that it was easier for me. Why should I be nice to neighbor in next apartment, when its obvious for me, that he is cheating on his wife? Why should I play with other kid when I know that they laughing at me behind my back?
It wasn’t fair, when only I was feeling bad, when it was others fault. So I decided on telling truth to other people again. At the beginning it was hard, people were angry, other kids were bulling me, but with time, they understood that I won't stop and it will only be worse.
So, I became that “weird girl who knows stuff about people and you should not fuck with her”. I should be feeling rather sad about it, but I am not. At least people are not trying to lie to anymore.
So, while doing my shopping, I watch people in supermarket. There is one guy who is clearly an alcoholic, he is pushing his cart back and forth in alley with snacks which is next to alcohol stand. I can see that he is fighting with himself, I hope that he I strong enough… Never mind, he filled his cart with cheap beer.
I can't really see anything interesting, just simple people, with their boring secrets. While going to cashiers, my eyes finally find something interesting.
Oh my, he is tall, he has to be at least 2 meters in height. He is wearing just simple black T-shirt and jeans but it suits him so well. With messy rather dark hair and blue eyes he is totally my type.
I know, that I am that weird girl but it doesn't mean that I have no interest in boys and this one in front of me is totally hot.
But hot or not, back to business. I look at him and it is obvious that something is wrong with him, he often glares around like he was afraid of something, maybe he is stealing? No, his cart I full, and his phone looks very expensive.
He is intriguing me, I look at him a little longer and I notice that there is something wrong with the way he walks. His every step looks normal, but there is that one moment, when his feet is about to meet the ground, it is just fraction of second. It looks like he is hesitating to connect his feet with ground.
I think about it for a second, when I suddenly realize why it looks so familiar. He is like Uncle Jamie. Brother of my father, Uncle Jamie was a soldier and he lost his legs by stepping on land mine. Thanks to army help and high insurance, he was able to obtain really high tech prosthetics, which made him walk like a normal person again.
This boy walks just like him.
I am wondering what to do with such knowledge, there is also that thought try hit on him, but something unfortunate happens. The main rule of watching people is to not get caught, and in that moment our eyes meets.
At least he is about my age, maybe he will think that I am trying to hit on him? It wouldn’t be so bad, but he immediately turns around his cart and runs to cashiers.
Yes, something is definitely wrong with him.
Third person
Nils wanted to play WKO badly, but it was still early for him to enter the game, there was middle of the night in Kingsport and he didn’t have much to do on the nighttime. Nils decided to take a little nap, he was still little bit sleepy and he needed as much rest as he could, if he wanted to play two, full, in game days.
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Woken up by his alarm clock, Nils ate quick meal from microwave and logged in to the game.
That time, Nils couldn’t watch sun, rising over a city, because he logged directly inside Oliver's workshop. Looking around familiar interior, Nils heard voice from behind.
“You are here, good.”
Old man Oliver, greeted Nils with little grin on his face.
“Let's get to work. I will teach u some real skill today, so you can help me with proper work.”
Nils was slightly excited about gaining new skills, so started to work full of energy.
I took half a day of standard cleaning and carrying stuff before Oliver called Nils to him.
“It's time to start your proper education, young lad. Tell me, what do you know about engraving?”
Nils searched his memory for any information about engraving.
“Not much, I know general idea of making symbols and writings on metal items and I think I heard something about using some chemical substances to do that.”
Oliver got rather disappointed look on his face, after hearing Nils answer.
“Ok, listen carefully. I don’t want repeat myself…
For the rest of a day Nils learned about different metals, tools and methods used in engraving. Earlier Nils noticed enormous number of hammers, chisels and many different tool in Oliver's workshop, but he would never thought that every one of them had its own way to use.
At the end of a day, Nils got his chance to put all this knowledge in to use. Oliver gave him simple bronze plate with simple sketch of rose on it.
“Here, take this plate, I have drowned a simple pattern on it so it will be easier to engrave it. In addition I got this simple set of basic tools for you.”
Compact set of jewelcrafter's tools.
Set of basic tools used in jewelcrafting, it was made especially for you by old man Oliver.
All items made or improved with use of this item will have 5% boost to its quality.
“What are you looking at lad? Get your ass back to work, you will have to make 100 of this plates perfectly before I will teach you other jewelcrafting skills.”
Nils took out hammer and one of special chisels from his tool set and started to engrave bronze plate.
After few seconds Nils found out that it was much easier than he thought. Apparently there was some crafting support system implemented in game. Nils was glad that such a solution was used in game, thanks to it, with swing of his hammer simple rose was slowly appearing on metal surface.
When Nils was done, message window popped out in front of him.
New skill obtained!
Engraving
Ability to decorate items. Depending on type of item and items can obtain various permanent bonus effects.
Beginner lvl. 1 (0%)
When Nils showed his work to Oliver, old man got somehow confused look on his face.
“It's surprisingly well made, I guess adventurers are indeed gifted people.”
Nils wasn't surprised by Oliver's reaction, he understood that without system assistance he wouldn't be able to do it even halfway done.
“Good, good, it seems I will have a little more help in you than I thought, but it's enough for today and don’t even think about doing anything at night. This old man needs his dose of healthy sleep and sound of your hammer isn't exactly a lullaby”
After logging out, Nils noticed how good he felt. Of course he was a little tired, he spend full 12 hours day of work in game, but all his worries about his classmates from before disappeared.
Having a lot of free time before he could log back to WKO, Nils decided that he will cook a decent meal foe himself. He couldn't live on frozen food forever.
Unfortunately Nils wasn't very talented cook, his attempt to make spaghetti with meatballs, he felt somehow unhappy about living his meal unfinished in cafeteria, it tasted really good, ended up really badly.
After making enormous mess in his kitchen and turning on smoke detector twice, he was left alone, against his monstrous creation.
Nils couldn’t understand why, but his pasta ended up as a one huge blob, which could be cut with a knife. Meatballs and sauce wasn’t looking much better, meatballs were a little crispy and sauce was definitely too salty.
Nils made true manly decision and with help of large amount of ketchup he ate, everything he prepared. Feeling not exactly sure, if his meal won't be having some bad effects on his health in future, Nils spend rest of time, before logging in on reading a book.
His next ingame day was lacking in any interesting events, Oliver did like he said earlier, crates filled with bronze plates were waiting for him outside the workshop.
When day ended Nils was sure about one thing, he want be able to look at roses in any of forms for the next few months.
But hard work paid off, his Engraving level raised to Beginner lvl.3(57%) and gave additional 4,5% to boost to quality of engraved items.
Additionally, after fifteenth plate engraved, message window appeared.
New statistic obtained.
Art
Gained by looking or creating work of art, art stat, boosts quality of crafted or improved items. If equipped by its crafter, bonus to item quality will be doubled.
Not only new spells made Nils into good mood, old man said that he will teach him rest of jewelcrafting skills next time, what means that he will be able to make some serious money soon.
Napping in the middle of a day definitely helped, Nils woke up normally, just before 5am, but good mood from last night, has disappeared completely, when he realized that he need to get to school and take care of that awkward mess he did day before.
After finishing his morning routine, he got a little bit spare time, before he needed to head out to school. Nils decided that it was worth to check some more WKO guides.
After 20 minutes of research he found out terrible truth, Kingsport was one of the worst spots to start the game. As a one of biggest ports on the eastern coast of continent and important trade point, made it truly craftsman city. It may sound like a good opportunity for new players but truth I quite opposite.
Apparently strict craftsmen guild's rules and high taxes made almost impossible for new players to sell items they made. In addition starting gear prizes were also much higher than in more remote regions.
Nils was scolding himself in his mind, if he would only search more carefully for information last time, he would avoid all that trouble with making money.
Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, Nils hadn't much time to cry over his stupidity, because there was more bothersome matter waiting for him in his school.
When he arrived in classroom, all of his fellow students were already there. While walking to his desk, Nils realized that at least one thing he was worried about became truth, most of students were glaring in his direction or rather in direction of his legs. Curious looks on their faces and whispers made him feel real bad.
Trying to ignore a panic growing in his chest, Nils focused on his daily dose of fantasy novels, stored on his reader.
Fortunately his classmates weren't tactless enough to straightforwardly ask about it, of course with one exception, but weird girl was absent that day.
Nils managed to find out that the girls name while teacher was checking attendance list. Anastasia Joly, it sound a little cold, but it fitted her straightforward attitude.
When it was lunch time, Nils hastily headed out to cafeteria, memories from his last attempt to cook made him crave for decent food.
When hot slice of pizza entered his mouth, he felt its blissful taste. After devouring his first serving he immediately rushed for a repeat. When he returned to his table his pure joy of eating tasty food disappeared. There was class tonight resident siting at his table, feeling that he should avoid it he sat on his place.
Just like once before, Nils focused on eating, when he heard, bunny girls say:
“I am sorry…”
Nils looked at Alice to see that she was actually sulking.
“Don’t be it's not your fault.”
Going trough different scenarios of this talk in his mind, while walking to school earlier in the morning, paid off.
“B-but you obviously wanted to keep this for you, and I was so pushy…”
“Like I said, it's not your fault. I already knew that people will find out about my circumstances, the only reason I acted like yesterday, was that I didn’t thought that it will be so fast.”
Nils was little surprised how smooth this talk was going, when he realized one thing.
“But how, the rest of class found out?”
Alice, who was once, relieved after Nils assurance that she wasn’t guilty anything, made sulking face again.
“I-it may be my fault too..”
Nils started wondering how someone like her became class president.
“Don't tell me, that you were babbling about my legs on right and left.”
“No! It was a coincidence! I was really worried that I might hurt you or make you seriously angry and Julia is my best friend, but I forget that she is such a blabbermouth… I am so sorry!”
Nils sighed with resignation.
“Like I said, don’t be.”
“You are not angry at me?”
To be honest Nils was a little angry at her or at least annoyed, but swing that out loud won't help with anything, so:
“Not at all.”
Immediately, wide grin appeared on her face.
“So about that, sport festival…”
Nils was flabbergasted, he thought that it was pretty obvious that he didn't want to take part in such a thing, but he couldn’t say anything, because already familiar voice could be heard from behind him.
“You should participate.”
It was her, that weird girl named Anastasia. Once again without even simple greeting, she started to talk with them with stoic look on her face.
“Why should I do this? And hello Anastasia nice to see you too.”
Now look on her face became annoyed.
“I don’t know, maybe because avoiding fucking sport festival will make you look like there is seriously something wrong with you? After what you said yesterday I thought that, it is exactly opposite what you want.”
Nils was surprised how aggressive she was and her reasons were right, if he could show people that he could do anything they could, wouldn’t it changed how people will look at him?
“If would participate, what kind of competition I would had to take part in?”
Nils once again turned to Alice, who was watching their talk with wide opened mouths.
“Eee… there are open spots in tennis and some running competitions.”
Without any hesitation Nils just said:
“So, tennis it is.”
Alice just nodded, still not exactly knowing what just happened.
“Are you happy?”
This time question was directed to Anastasia.
“ I am delighted”
She said, with wide grin and sparkling eyes.