We get a new update on our stats? Isn't that a bit early? I mean, I must profess to not knowing much, but that truly does seem a bit early, does it not? I look over at Kay to see if he is feeling the same way that I am. He looks up at me and smiles then looks back down. What is he doing? Is he taking notes?
I glance over at his seat and instead of notes I see a drawing of different kinds of slimes with X’s for eyes, and different elemental attacks hitting them. They also have little notes next to the slimes saying things such as "Don't freeze me or I'll shatter!" and "ahhh I'm melting, MELTING!". It was... A unique way of taking notes. However, he clearly was noting the different ways to kill different elemental slimes.
I waited patiently until the end of class to ask Kay if it was a little early to get updated stat pages. It had only been a week. Do we change so remarkably in a week that it is worth seeing our status changes? I did my best to listen and take notes, although mine were sadly not as creative as Kay's. Though in my defense I did not already know the material and as such was better served by more traditional notes.
"That's all. Don't forget what I said! At the end of your last lecture class you will get your updated stat sheets. Note I said lecture class!" he said loudly, for the benefit of those students who had already moved away from the lecture area.
"Does Survival 101 count as a lecture class?" I ask Cat.
"The course without books, where you aren’t allowed to take notes, with a professor who thinks paper is only good for burning. I am going to go with no, so you will be getting your print outs from me after your next class."
"Oh how wonderful. Pray tell, did you do this intentionally? As a way to keep on eye on me and Kay, and to be the only instructor to see our stats?" I inquire of him.
"Did I? That's a great question. One I will not be answering. Now then, go walk around a bit. There have been new shops popping up near classes for adventurers to browse between classes. Go get yourself and more importantly me a snack. I slipped some money in Amaya's pocket." Cat says and makes his way to the podium.
I reach into my pocket and indeed, there are coins there. How did Cat manage that? It was rather impressive I must say.
"Come along now Kay, let us go find something tasty. Oh, could it possibly be something on..." I was about to say ‘a stick’ but the branch that Rex hit me with pops into my mind and I recoil from the thought. His temper and personality is similar to a man who hurt me once. He was of the type that takes pleasure in hurting others.
"On? On? A stick, a plate, a leaf?" Kay says, and it was obvious that he was trying to be helpful, which is very sweet. Was I putting off a strange aura? Well then best not let my mind wander down dark paths.
"I was going to say on a stick, but I do believe that I have had enough of sticks for one day, so how about some that can easily be held and eaten?"
“What, enough sticks for one day? Okay, I am definitely missing out on something. As your self-appointed best-friend I am going to have to insist you tell me this thing that I am unaware of.”
I quickly tell Kay what transpired earlier this morning not wanting to dwell on it further at the moment. “Now I do believe we were on a quest involving sustenance.”
"Oh, how about a crepe? I think a crepe sounds tasty. I will get one flavor and you will get a different one and part way through eating ours we will offer each other a bite and if we like the other person's more than we trade. That sounds like such fun. I would like to do that, it seems like something that good friends would do. And we are after all the best of friends Ami!" Kay says, mouth going a mile a minute. It was nice to listen to him talk, his words were always uplifting to my spirit.
"Kay, I do believe that that is a wonderful idea. Do you know where we could get a crepe? Is it in one of those locations between classes that we can easily make our way over to?" I inquire of him.
"I would say so as I am looking at it right now." Kay says rather matter of factly. I appreciated that about Kay. He was so wonderfully kind and honest. It made my heart feel warm.
"Haha I must seem utterly silly for having missed it." I say as he leads me across the way over to some of the stalls that have popped up. I do not see a sign that says crepes.
"Kay, how did you know that they were selling crepes here?"
"I saw some kids walking by us after they came from this area and they were holding crepes. I looked at them and though, oh that looks yummy. Too bad I have almost no money as we haven't gotten paid yet, and even if we did I want to save up my money to get some weapons and gear. That is obviously more important than ever so tasty looking and smelling food." Kay says.
"I do not understand why we cannot allow ourselves to get something sweet and tasty every so often. We are growing to be adventurers after all. We must make sure to stay well fed."
"Okay, but not too well fed. I like the clothes that I was given and they are ever so comfortable and it would be such a shame if I weren't able to wear them anymore because I ate too much. Kay the devourer they would call me. And it wouldn't be for any good reason. It would be because I loved the taste of food more than the blood of my enemies. I mean, have you seen the blood of our enemies? I haven't but I highly doubt that it would be all that appetizing, don't you think?"
"Kay, it is our turn. Do you know what flavor you were wanting?"
"Chocolate banana! And then worst of all in my rotund stature I would be incapable of fleeing. Do you know what happens to mages that can’t flee? They wind up like this crepe is soon to be, eaten!" Kay answers, but also continues his tirade with nary a pause.
I suppose that does sound rather tasty, does it not. Oh, but I believe that I must go with, "and I would like a strawberries n’ cream one please. And..." I look over the menu, looking to see if there was anything that our beloved guild leader would find appetizing.
"Ah I have seen you around with Cat. I know what he likes." the person taking our order says.
How convenient. Cat really is well known isn't he, I figure there must be a reason for this and am curious as to what it is. Sadly, though he has made it clear that he won’t be divulging his secrets any time soon, though it seems that he is rather well liked as well so I suppose I can wait. They don't always go hand in hand, or rather paw in paw in Cat's case. "He likes the meat and cheese melt."
"Any particular meat?"
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"That is what it is called as you never know what meat we are going to have in stock. It makes it a surprise of sorts that both delights and disturbs. This time it happens to be steak and two kinds of melted cheese." he says.
"Oh I see. I do believe that Cat would enjoy that."
I turn to see Kay shaking his head in unabashed horror. I do suppose it was a dish not attuned to just anyone’s palette.
He tells me the cost and I count out the coins and pass them over to him. We were a bit short, but luckily I had a few extra coins. I always keep a few as you never know when you shall be needing them.
"Thanks kids. Wait one moment."
We look around to see if there was an area where we were supposed to wait and we see a bench over in the shade. That looks like a fine place to sit and wait whilst our food is being made.
"Have you ever had a crepe before Ami? I haven't but I hear that they are tasty."
"I have had them a time or two I believe, when I was younger. And they were ever so delightful. I do believe that you shall like them. And look at that, as we are becoming the best of all best friends you will get to taste some of mine, so you get to try two different crepes today." I tell him and give him a bright smile.
"You have a pretty smile, Ami. Did you know that? You just seem too nice and you smile and it makes me think wow that is a pretty smile, can you teach me how to smile so prettily?"
I am saved from having to come up with a response by the food being brought to us.
"Here you are you two. You should get back over to class. You don't want to be late, especially during your first week."
We thank him and make our way back over to our seats.
"Here you are Cat. The crepe maker said that this was the kind that you like. It is steak and cheese today."
“And I will have you know it is an abomination and you should be ashamed for liking it… sir.” Kay seemed to remember at the last moment that right now Cat is playing the role of our instructor.
"Oh yes, that makes me happy. Come and put it on my podium." he instructs me, so I do so. As soon as I set it down Cat has most of his face stuffed inside of it. I laugh a little and take a bite of my own.
"Oh my!" That was a rather wonderful flavor. So rich and sweet. The pain in my stomach is very much a thing of the past. All that is in my present is good friends and a tasty snack.
"Oh my? Is it that good?" Kay asks and then takes a bite of his. His eyes go wide. He takes one bite, two bites, pause. "Did you want to swap bites really quick before we scarf these down? It's so good I want to keep eating and eating and..."
I distract Kay by leaning over and taking a bite of his. It was at a bit of an awkward angle, but I was able to get a good bite.
"My turn!" Kay says and without pause leans over me in turn and takes a bite of mine. We laugh and dig in. However, I make sure to save just a bit of mine.
"Here you are Cat. Thank you for treating us." I tell him, hoping that he would not have figured out that I had to chip in a few coins.
Cat looks at the food, looks at me, then the food before biting into it and quickly devouring the bite that I had saved him.
"Thank you. You shall make a great guild member." he says, then begins licking sauce and cheese off of his fur.
Not very dignified but that was one of the reasons that I appreciated Cat so much. He didn't care about being dignified he was just fully himself.
'Zayne, cease. I don't know what you are blathering on about but I do believe that I am being myself. Am I not?' I question, conflicted. I do believe that being prim and proper was a bit uncomfortable at times. But I do not know who I would be if I wasn't fully proper. Best not think on such things as I do believe the answers will come with time.
"Alright class, take your seats. Raise your hand if this is your last lecture class of the day." A few people raised their hands, Kay and I included. "Great. You all stay after class. You will be getting your weekly status update. I know that it won't take into account any little points you get in your other classes the rest of the day, but that's just how this goes. The machine is kept here, in the lecture hall."
And with that Cat launched into his lecture. It seems that it amused him to be a cat throughout the entirety of his course. I appreciated it though I was starting to wonder if he did have a humanoid form. It made it difficult to get distracted by anything else because, well, Cat is such a cute cat. Look at those little ears and paws of his. Simply adorable. Oh dear, what was he saying?
"And that class, is why you never have a healer at the front or back of your party. Now be off with you, except for those of you getting a status update, it is not voluntary."
Kay and I got in the line at the back and waited patiently for our turn to come. I wonder, did my scores raise any, even by the smallest number? How much are they supposed to go up? Certainly, they could not have gone down? Was such a thing possible, great another thing for me to worry over for the next few moments.
"Alright Ami, give me luck. I want to see a difference. Alright now. Come on wisdom and intelligence!" Kay says and pricks his finger. Vip, vip, viiiiippp went the sound of the machine while it did its processing. Ding! It spat out the sheet into Kay's open, waiting hands.
"Shall we look at them together again?" I ask him. He would know what any changes would mean much better than I would.
"Alright!" he says and stands next to me as I prick my finger and wait. Vip, vip, vip, vip, vip, viip. viiiiiipp. Ding!
"Kay, is it just me or did that take longer than yours to process?"
"Yeah. Weird, maybe the device is getting tired? Now let's look before we part ways."
Cat hops over to us so he could see the print outs as well.
"Alright you two. It is normal for there to be almost no change. It has only been a week. But if nothing changed, we need to know why. Also, if it stays unchanged for more than two weeks it means you shouldn't be an adventurer. No pressure it is just your hopes, dreams and future on the line. Now then, let's take a look."
Kay's sheet looked like:
Strength: 8 | Dexterity: 8 | Wisdom: 23 (+2) | Intelligence: 23 (+3) | Cunning:10
Stamina: 14 | Endurance: 9 | Agility: 17 (+3) | Charisma: 9 (+2) | Health: 100 (+10) | Mana: 220 (+20)
Talents: Speed Reading(F), Fleet Retreat(F), Grimoire Mind(F)
Traits: Bonus to lightning, bonus to armor class
My sheet looked like:
Strength: 17 (+1) | Dexterity: 27 (+5) | Wisdom: 21 (+2) | Intelligence: 18 (+2) | Cunning: 29 (+5)
Stamina: 25 (+3) | Endurance: 21 (+2) | Agility: 27 (+7) | Charisma: 22(+2) | Health: 165 (+15) | Mana: 165 (+15)
Talents: Fox Fire (E), Pinpoint Accuracy (F), Elemental Weapons(F)
Traits: Bonus to stealth, talent for rhythmic kinesthetics
Kay stares at his sheet first, “look at that! I knew I was awesome” he looks over at mine and “what the heck!”
We stare at the sheets for a bit, and my eyes go very wide. How... How had my stats increased so dramatically? Is it because this is the first time that I have ever done anything like this, while the rest of the people grew up around this lifestyle and level of activity. Even Kay had been practicing his magic before we began.
Before anyone else could react, I hear Zayne's voice in my mind.
‘A moment?’
It was strange as Zayne’s voice was serious, almost god like, as it resounded practically echoing in my head.
I look at the other two and it seems that they heard him. They look over at me and it seems they are a bit apprehensive.
"Are you two quite alright?" I ask.
"No! I just heard..." I clamp my hand over Kay's mouth before he could say anything else. It doesn’t stop him from attempting as he continues making muffled noises under my hand.
"This is a secret. We are family now. I can't believe you heard him. What a nosy being he is. Ugh, honestly. I wouldn't be surprised if you woke in the morning and could not remember this. But as it is, a rather strange and powerful, I think, being just blessed our guild. Now then, I believe we have more to learn." I say, rolling up my scroll and keeping it within my cloak.
“Well things are starting to make sense” Cat says in a surprisingly calm voice.