“I got these for me,” she said, holding up two wide spools of grosgrain ribbon -- one in navy blue and the other in a goldenrod. Both were almost exactly a match to the colours of her outfit and just as almost exactly a match for our school colors of blue and gold. “My hair’s too short for a proper cheer bow, but I figure I can maybe make a bow for my wrists or use some of the ribbon as a headband, like a movie martial artist since my attacks are mostly kicks.”
“You said you got those for you. Did you get something for someone else, too?” Ace asked.
Ka’Moni smiled and held up a smaller, maybe three-quarters inch spool of ribbon. “Sure did. I got this one and another for Rie.”
“Me?”
“Yep!” She beamed a wide smile. “You have such long, pretty, dark hair and that little scrunchie is doing it no justice at all. I’m going to make you a nice, big, bright cheer bow of your own.”
“Hey …. I may be doll-sized, but that doesn’t mean you get to play dress-up with me!” I protested.
It … didn’t go well. Ace was on Ka’Moni’s side, and twenty minutes later, my hair was up in a high, voluminous ponytail with an oversized, golden cheerbow atop my head, holding the ponytail in place.
My character sheet also got two changes. The first change was that the Floral Scrunchie equipped to the head spot was replaced by, well, the cheer bow.
> Hand-crafted Oversized Cheer Bow (Ribbon)
>
> A large bow crafted from ¾ inch grosgrain ribbon. Stylish, cute, and displays your team and community spirit. The large bow makes you seem less threatening: -1% threat generation. Crafted by Ka’Moni, Cheerleader Trainer and Squad Captain.
So much for the old trope of ribbons providing status resistance. However, it was now my only piece of equipment that provided an actual bonus rather than just cosmetic appeal (other than the ring, but that’s a different story). Moreover, it was a good bonus, too. Sure, a one percent reduction in threat was pretty minor in the grand scheme of things, but it was a start. And if there’s one thing a healer never wants to do, that’s pulling threat off the shieldwall.
Consequently, I was going to be stuck with the cheer bow for quite a while, at least until drops or other crafted items supplanted it with better bonuses.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
The other addition to my character sheet was a new line under statuses. Right below my three geases, there was another entry for “Cheerleader Aspirant.”
> Cheerleader Aspirant
>
> You have taken the very first step on the path to a new class, Cheerleader. Reach level ten, and you may begin the process to multi-class, cross-class, or sub-class to Cheerleader. Class Mentor: Ka’Moni, Cheerleader Trainer and Squad Captain.
Well, that didn’t need to be mentioned to anyone just now.
As for the bow, though …. “Ka’Moni, the description for the cheer bow says it was ‘Crafted by Ka’Moni, Cheerleader Trainer and Squad Captain.’ You’re a class trainer?”
“Huh? Well, I’m possibly the only Cheerleader on the entire server, so that makes me the only one in the squad, and therefore squad captain. Which is kind of weird. And I do have a quest to train new cheerleaders, but I have to be level ten before I can start it. I guess that makes me a cheerleader trainer, too?” she replied.
“How did you get that class to begin with?” Ace asked.
Ka’Moni laughed. “Path of Action. I didn’t think it was possible, but I wanted to try. If I had got that little ‘Errrrgh’” -- she made an ‘x’ symbol with her arms -- “as a rejection, I was going to take Bard and then just call myself a Cheerleader, anyway. But here I am,” she twirled, “an official Cheerleader.”
“It is a little bit different than high school, though,” I said. “I don’t recall seeing you ever kick anyone at a game or pep rally.”
“Only ‘cuz I haven’t needed to,” she replied. “Jeez, those people. I hope there aren’t too many more like them.”
“There probably are,” I shrugged. “Games can bring out the worst in people. Anonymity and lack of consequences can be powerful draws.”
“There were consequences, though,” Ace put in. “They got beat and they got marked as outlaws. And they lost some money as drops to us.”
“I guess. Anyway, besides kicking, what other skills does an official cheerleader class have? You said this morning you had some cheer routines to provide buffs?”
Ka’Moni nodded. “My abilities are Fighting Footwork, for the fancy kicks. I don’t need a skill to kick someone normally any more than you do to swing a sword or staff, though I bet practice and training helps there. Um, also Team Spirit gives me a couple different long-duration buffs, and Incite Inspiration for short-duration buffs. Also, I have two passives for Acrobatics and Squad Choreography.”
I raised an eyebrow, “Choreography?”
“Yep! It’s not really a combat skill. Actually, it’s not super-useful right now at all. Um, it boosts the effects of all cheerleader active skills when performed by two or more cheerleaders. Since it’s just me right now, it doesn’t do anything. But I guess if there were more of us, having a group chant ‘Defense! Defense!’” -- she mimed shaking pom-poms -- “would boost everyone’s defense more than just me doing it by myself.”
I was impressed, and let my expression show it. “That sounds potentially very powerful,” I said. “Maybe not a good starting ability, but definitely something you’d want at higher levels.”
Ka’Moni nodded.
And Ace changed the subject, “Well, if there’s no library to find right now. Do you want to go out and fight some monsters? We should all try to level up, right?”