His struggles against the Barbed Roots had taken their toll. His legs were all scratched up and oozing blood pretty badly, but he looked more furious than in pain. Unlike when we were fighting little monsters, I couldn’t see his health bar to know how damaged he really was, but I was assuming the answer was “not very.”

After all, the main purpose of the spell was to hold a target immobile. The damage effect was minor, even compared to Bramble Shield -- I was a healer, not a mage.

“You were saying something earlier about three against one?” Ace asked mildly.

“[Beep]! [Beep]! [Beeeeeep]!” he yelled and spat in Ace’s direction. Some of those beeps were long enough to filter out whole phrases instead of words.

“Someone should wash your mouth out with soap,” I remarked. “Unfortunately, we don’t have any soap with us, so I guess you’ll just have to take the same pummeling as your lackeys did. You should know better than to try and take what doesn’t belong to you.”

Or, at least, to focus on the NPCs and not other players.

“Justice and Teamwork prevail!” exclaimed the green-skinned woman. “Let’s finish off the outlaw and then grab a celebratory snack.”

Ace nodded, and gestured, and their five golems charged the man. Unfortunately, he was prepared for that, and though temporarily immobilized by the Barbed Roots, his arms and mighty club were still free. He took a giant swing and hit one of the golems squarely. It shattered and splinters of wood flew everywhere before the golem disappeared. He caught another with the backswing, sending it tumbling into a third and nearly neutralized all of Ace’s attacks.

But while he was doing that, Daybreak Gleaming had been circling around at my direction, and charged from behind. This time, the unicorn didn’t use her shoulders to try and bowl him over … she used her horn, impaling deep into the bulging muscles of his upper arm.

He [Beep]ed again, very loudly, and dropped his club. Then it was all over but the shoutin’.

* * *

“Thank you for your help,” Ace said, bowing to the green-skinned woman. Their two surviving golems mimicked the gesture.

“Yes, thank you,” I said. “I think Ace and I might have had some trouble on our own. It was their first battle, I think, and neither of us are really fighters. You really turned the tide for us.”

“Eh-heh-heh.” It was almost more spoken than a laugh, nervous or not. “Ah, don’t mention it. Injustice and bullies bother me. I just was in the right place at the right time to do something about it. And don’t those idiots know we’re supposed to be working together as a community? Jeez!”

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I hadn’t really been able to get a good close look at her during the battle -- she had been moving around too much and, well, in the middle of a fight isn’t the best time to eyeball an ally, unexpected or not, anyway. But the blue-and-gold outfit she was wearing was, at its base, a short, pleated skirt and a cropped halter top. It just needed a logo or initials across the chest to suggest cheerleader.

Green-skin, tall, muscular, dressed like a cheerleader, and fighting with powerful kicks. Of all the people to meet at random in DVI …. “Monica?” I asked in disbelief.

“Ka’Moni,” she corrected. “I Orcified it. Wait, do I know you …? I know you’re not on the squad. Maybe the junior high squad …? Rachelle? Raelyn?”

Ace turned a giggle into a cough before I had a chance to glare at them. “Rachelle and Raelyn both took the Path of Self,” they said. “I heard them talking about it this morning. They’re starting a guild for sorceresses. You should recognize them if you see them.”

Ka’Moni nodded. “I guess so. I think I should know you both, but I’m drawing blanks. Wait,” she looked back at me. Then she shook her head, “No, probably not.”

“Probably not what?” I asked.

Ka’Moni shrugged. “You’re the one that cast those crazy healing spells, right?”

“They’re not crazy!” I protested.

“Intangible vines wrapping around someone’s arms and body aren’t crazy?”

“Well, when you put it that way ….”

“Rie’s the healer, yes. I’m the Golemancer,” Ace put in.

“There’s only one person I can remember speaking to that told me he’s a healer, and who else besides someone I spoke to could guess who I was? James? Is that you?” Ka’Moni asked.

“In the virtual flesh,” I executed another mid-air bow.

“You’re much shorter than I remember you being,” Ka’Moni teased. Mercifully, she didn’t comment further on my figure and not at all on my attire.

“Well, and you’re taller, too,” I pointed out.

She laughed, “That I am. So, where’s Mika? It’s a little hard to imagine you as a little pixie--”

“Fairy,” I interrupted.

“--as a little fairy, but it’s impossible for me to believe that’s Mika over there. Meaning no offense,” she smiled at Ace, “but your style and manner really aren’t compatible with being her.”

“None taken,” Ace replied. They looked like they were going to say a bit more, but shook their head, so I took over.

“Ace is my younger sibling,” I said. “My parents called a family meeting earlier, so our group is split and doing their own things today. Mika and Naomi are looking around for quests in town. I was going to help Ace with their quest. We were on our way to a plaza a bit west and south of here still when those PK-ers showed up.”

“Well, I’ll escort you to the plaza then,” Ka’Moni said with a grin. “Let’s grab a snack to celebrate our victory, then I can help you with your quest, too, if you want.”

I looked to Ace, who shrugged and said. “Thank you for your help, Ka’Moni. Right now, it’s ‘look for a library,’ so I don’t know if it will be an interesting quest to help with …?”

“Oh, pshaw. It’s no trouble. I’m not doing anything anyway, and I’d feel bad if more people jumped you when I wasn’t around.”