Yeah, I didn’t make it far. Probably had something to do with the people around me. They were able to watch me and the speaker. “And where do you think you're going?” A voice said from right behind me as the people in front of me closed ranks. Their bodies moved to block any means of escape that I could have used. I sighed in resignation before I turned to look at the speaker.
Ginny stood behind me, watching me. Seeing her, my heart lifted for a second before falling again when I noticed her expression. Her lips were flat and hard-set in an expression I wish was pointed at someone else. Hands on hips, her eye tried to cut through me. It was like I was a butterfly pinned to a wall. Unable to move, I muttered, “nowhere.” There was no way for me to get out and we both knew it.
She gave a swift nod before turning to face to her left. The wolf whose tail I had grabbed stood there. Claws were visible as he slowly opened and closed his hands. “As both parties are a part of the guild the rules of the guild are to be followed. Lance, as the aggrieved party, what punishment are you looking for?”
How was it he got to decide what my punishment was? While I felt bad for pulling on his tail, it wasn’t like I meant to trip. Grabbing his tail had been entirely accidental. Shouldn’t I get a say in this? As I opened my mouth to say so, Ginny shot me a look. My mouth snapped shut with a click as her gaze returned to the wolf. He stood there for a minute, not saying anything. The silence built as everyone waited to hear what he wanted.
For me, the silence had my mind flying through various possibilities. From him demanding money to my expulsion or even a duel to the death. Whatever he decided, it was likely to shape my future in the guild. Not that I had much of a future after this. I was too embarrassed. It wasn’t even a day since I had needed saving from my attempt at playing at becoming a human popsicle. As my mind wandered back, a glimmer of hope appeared.
My eyes shot around as I looked for Barti or the girls in hopes that they would be able to help me. They were standing on the other side of the circle, eyes locked onto me. My eyes caught the elf’s as he shook his head. At the back of my mind, a voice chittered away in panic as a fist clenched around my heart. Panic crept into my mind as I raced to figure out what he was thinking. Was he disappointed? Would they kill me for this? Or was he telling me that it would be fine and to let events play out? What was he saying?
My eyes started to flick from person to person as my breathing sped up. I felt it as people in the crowd started to look in my direction. Their eyes bore into me. Judged me. Others looked at the wolf in anticipation. My breath caught in my lungs as the wolf finally spoke. “I want her to serve me for a day.” Wait, what? He couldn’t ask for such a thing, could he? Wouldn’t that be like asking a genie for extra wishes?
Unlike me, Ginny and the crowd didn’t seem phased by his demand. Nodding, she responded. “That’s fine, but there will be the normal restrictions.” I wanted to scream at her. What kind of restrictions? Just what was going on? Why was she agreeing with this ridiculous demand? I know my face reflected my emotions, but Ginny didn’t seem to care. “He will be your responsibility for the entirety of tomorrow.”
Something about what she had said had the wolf blubbering. “Wait, no, I take it back, stop.”
Ginny pretended not to hear him. She smiled as she continued, “In fact, I think I think your entire party should be included in this.”
“Wait!”
“Hold Up!”
“Lance!”
Three people all called out from behind where the wolf was standing. A larger man pushed his chair back and waved at Ginny. His deep baritone voice practically shook the floor as he called over the group. “I don’t see a problem with that.” His face turned slightly to look at me. In those eyes, I saw a glint of mischief as he spoke. “Come find us tomorrow morning. We can figure out something for us to do then.”
I didn’t know what to say. From how everything was going at the start, I thought I would have been made to do something demeaning or similar but now, I didn’t know. The crowd dispersed as Ginny and the larger guy nodded at each other. Conversations, dinner, and drinking resumed throughout the place. The only person left standing near me was Ginny.
“Seems you found yourself in a bit of a pickle tonight.” She said as she held her hand out to help me up.
Taking it, I stood as I answered. “Yes, but, if you don’t mind me asking, what just happened?”
She eyed me before setting off in the direction of the counters. I followed her, interested in her answer as well as getting a room and directions. “That, my dear, was a horny teen wolf trying to find someone that would be able to keep up with him. Too bad for him. Now he has to…”
I didn’t hear a word she said as my body locked up. My vision turned red as the world slowed down around me. It wasn’t the first time that someone had tried to have their way with me, it wasn’t even the worst attempt. The memory of such an event forced its way forward.
“Bye,” I wave at the guard leaning against the wall as he sucks on his vape. He waves back, not bothering to say anything. The sky above is dark, and the only visible lights are in the building behind him. Everyone else has been gone for hours. All except for Xander and me. Our machine broke down around lunch, and while it only took an hour to repair, that hour had resulted in four hours of work for various reasons.
Both of us ended up staying for overtime, not that we were given a choice. The manager has a policy that you either finish your entire day’s orders before leaving or you’re fired. Since it was my machine that caused the issue, I offered to stay and clean so Xander could go home. It wasn’t because I felt guilty or anything. The guy simply looked dead on his feet. I was worried that if he didn’t head home first, he might fall asleep and get mugged — or worse.
Besides, the sky at this time was beautiful. With most of the city asleep, the majority of the lights and systems are turned down or completely off, conserving what little battery they have for the early risers. I remember a time when gas-powered energy was still profitable, when the lights of the city never turned off. Not just here but everywhere. So many lights that even images from high up showed clusters all over the world. But that’s all in the past.
Glancing up, I wait for my eyes to adjust to the darkness as I take in the sights. Without the moon hogging the spotlight, the stars blanket the sky. The sight is enough to take my breath away.
A sudden yawn stretches my jaw, letting me know that I needed to get a move on. The last train will be at the station at any moment and it would wait for no one. Focusing on the other dimly lit station entrance, I jog over. Speeding up as I heard the squealing breaks of the train pulling in.
As soon as my feet hit the stairs, I use gravity to help me speed up. My focus solely on not tripping as I race down at breakneck speed. The train doors are just starting to close as I dash across the platform. Only just missing the edge of the door as I made it inside the nearest car.
Warm, moist air fills my lungs as my breath comes in ragged gasps. The stale air is filled with the smell of mold as the train fans fail to circulate it properly. Once I manage to catch my breath, I pull out my phone. Choosing to ignore the world around me in favor of a book as I wait for the slow train to reach my station. A man staggering into the car was enough to catch my attention.
Even in the unmoving air, the smell of alcohol quickly fills the cabin, overwhelming everything else. Not that it bothers me. I would probably be drinking myself crazy if I found something I liked and had the money to spend on it. Finding him otherwise boring, I return my focus to my book. That was probably why I didn’t notice his movements until a hand slaps mine hard enough to sting.
My phone flew across the cab. Clattering against the cracked rubber and exposed aluminum sheeting until it comes to a stop against the far wall. Before I could react with a ‘What the fuck!’ or something similar, the guy is in my face, spittle flying as he starts to scream. “Bitch, you listen when someone is talking to you! You should be grateful when anyone is willing to give you the time, let alone make some conversation.”
I try to push him away, but my tiny frame doesn’t mean shit against his hulking body. Not even with the amount of beer I can smell on him. “Maybe you just need someone to teach you your place in this world?” One of his hands lands on my shoulder. Holding me in place as the other grips my hip. His crazy eyes roam up and down my body as he licks his lips. “Yeah, I think I should be the one to teach you. After all, it was me that you ignored in the first place. But don’t worry, I’ll make it feel good for you.”
The hand on my shoulder drops a little, trying to grope my chest as a leg presses between mine, forcing my legs apart. His other hand fumbles with the clasp of my pants, causing him to look down as his drunken dexterity fails him. Heart beating fast and hard in my chest, I seize the chance to smash my head against his.
The move hurts like hell — likely doing more damage to me than to him — but it’s enough to cause him to stumble back a step. With the extra room, I kick out with all my might. Aiming for his family jewels and connecting with a satisfying thud.
Suddenly in horrific pain, the guy freezes in place. His face scrunched up as he squeaks out a simple, “Bitch.” I scramble away from him, grabbing my phone from where it lies. Standing by the door, I wait for the next stop. Not even ten seconds later, the overworked and undermaintained braking system causes the train to shudder as it enters the next station. Unable to keep his balance, my assailant falls to the ground.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Not that I care. The moment the doors start to open, I race out of the car and look around. My mind racing as I think about my options. I can either get into one of the other cars or risk the roads above ground. Neither is a good option until I see just what station the train has stopped at.
Seeing the sign, I sprint out of the station and toward my apartment. Hoping to reach the security door before the guy can get up and come after me. A moment after I shove the door closed, someone slams into the other side. I don’t even have to look up to see who it is, the answer is obvious. His over-dilated brown eyes lock with mine as he spews demands that I cannot hear over the sound of my heart and breathing. They follow me as I back away. Even now, they follow me into my nightmares.
My mind returned to the present as a shiver rippled down my spine. Fight or flight reflexes dumped adrenaline into my bloodstream as I made up my mind. While I wasn’t the top dog around here, not by a long shot, I also would come back from death. I doubted he would. So I would give it my all to kill that wolf. He deserved it for thinking he could even think about forcing someone to do something like that.
Suddenly a pair of steel bands wrap themselves around both of my wrists. They were strong enough to keep me in place. A growl rips through my lips as I glare at my captor. Ginny’s eyes are hard as they stare into mine. Her mouth looked like she was talking but I couldn’t make out anything she said. Not over the roar of my raging blood and the haze of anger clouding my mind.
We stood like that for over a minute before she finally sighed. A moment later, a soft blue glow surrounded us. Where it touches, cold numbness blossoms. Even my skin doesn’t seem to stop it. The cold seeps its way into my mind. Cooling the anger residing there. The more it touches and invades, the more the fire dies.
“Are you back with me?” She asks. Likely not for the first time. Just the first time I was able to hear her. My nod is stiff. I could feel my anger, coiled up at the back of my mind, but whatever she was doing keeping it at bay. “Good. Now as I was saying. I don’t know what he wanted you for, I just had an inkling. That’s why I made it clear that you were a guy and that anything that happens to you is his, and his parties, responsibility.”
Her eyes stare deep into mine. As if willing me to understand what she was saying. My tired and worn-out mind took a couple of minutes to churn through her words. Slowly, I realized that the way everything went down made what I was worried about practically impossible. The party itself would deal with him if he tried something because, if they didn’t, they would have to deal with her and the rest of the guild. I wouldn’t be surprised if one or two people tailed the party to keep an eye on us just in case.
Seeing my comprehension, she slowly lifted the spell as she continued. “It will not matter much anyway. You don’t have the gear to go out into this weather and they won't fork out the coin to equip you. So, likely as not, you will just be training with them tomorrow. That means that Barti and his party can keep an eye on them. Ok?”
I numbly nodded as the adrenalin flowing through me vanished. “Speaking of equipment, I think you should stop by the Guild Quartermaster before going to bed tonight.”
“Yeah.” I managed to mumble as she released one of my hands. Using the other to drag me over to the counter. Standing on her tiptoes, she reached over the counter with her free hand. As soon as she had a hold of something on the other side, she yanked it toward us. The paper tore a bit as it was ripped off whatever had been holding it. She ignored the tear as she read over the printed information.
“Room 342 seems to be free. It is a single room and has most of the building and a floor between it and a number of animals.” Her hand released mine as she gestured toward a hallway to the side and the only visible set of stairs. Thankfully the hall is at the end of the counters and the stairs are along the back wall. Both are easy to reach without getting too close to anyone.
“Following the hall here will bring you to the quartermaster. After you get done there, go up two flights and to the right.”
“How much for the room?” I managed to ask through the encroaching numbness.
“The first night is free for all new adventurers, after that it is a silver per night.” As I started to reach into my inventory to pull out a couple of silver, she stopped me. Her hand held mine still as she continued, “The system automatically deducts it from your account.” As soon as I nodded my understanding, she released me.
Slowly I made my way around the counter and into the hall, I focused on staying awake and moving. The hall turned left and right a few times. Doors were scattered up and down the hall but none of them had a sign on them, nor were any of them open. I was debating turning around and coming back in the morning if the next turn didn’t have some sort of signage.
Thankfully, as I turned the corner, I found that the hall had come to an end. The only door open sat at the end of the hall. As I approached, I noticed more and more equipment piled up along the walls and on shelves. All of which were behind a counter. Sitting amongst them was a rather bored-looking mage who was playing with water and fire. The elements were shaped into various creatures as they flew around his head and hands. His focus was entirely on them which was probably why he ignored me.
A soft cough broke through his concentration. His entire body dropped by a foot. His arms whirled around as the sound of things smacking against wood filled the space. As he fell, multiple elemental creatures vanished while others smashed together. The steam generated from the fire and water creature surrounded the guy.
“Facking hell!” He called out in what sounded like an Irish accent. While I couldn’t see him through the steam cloud, I could hear him move as he got up. The steam suddenly vanished to reveal him waving his hand back and forth.
The accent and his gruffness caught me off guard. One would think that the person running a quartermaster area would be a bit nicer. Plus, instead of doing his job, he had been playing with magic of some sort. It wasn’t like any magic I had seen so far. It looked more alive. More flexible. It was the kind of magic I wanted to use.
The sound of his voice pulls me back as he demands. “What is it ye want?” He sounded like he blamed me for his magic exploding on him. Mentally I wanted to berate him but I knew it would do me no good. If anything, it would probably result in me getting the worst gear they had if he let me get anything at all.
Taking a quick, calming breath, I pushed my annoyance down as I spoke, “I was told to come here to get some starter equipment.”
His eyes scanned me once before rolling as he turned around. He walked toward a section filled with various pieces of leather and fur items. “Got ya, some basic winter gear and regular armor.” With a simple toss, the items he picked up flew over to the counter next to me. It looked too casual and slow to be him throwing everything. He had to be using some sort of spell to direct and propel the items across the space. He moved to a shelving area that was empty except for one small section. “I hope skirts and leggings are to your liking, for they’re about all we’ve got left.”
God damn it. I wasn’t a woman. Why did I have to deal with these issues everywhere I went? I clenched my fists, biting back a sharp retort. Choosing to close my eyes and count to three as I tried to regain my composure. It helped a little, enough that I was able to speak without clenching my teeth. “Are you sure there is nothing more appropriate for a man to wear in this weather or when fighting monsters?”
My eyes were still closed as I tried to control my emotions but, based on his voice, I was fairly sure he was looking in my direction. “Sure, but we’re fresh out, I’m afraid. The last bunch of new arrivals cleaned us out. There’s a quest up on the board for more, but it'll be a few days before the orders ready. Feel free to learn how to make some if you need them sooner. Course, you will have to hunt your materials as they be in short supply as well.”
Again, I counted to three, slowly breathing in on one, holding it for two before slowly releasing it on three. The guy was just doing his job. Like every other employee out there, it wasn’t his fault that the place was short on something. Plus I was fairly sure he could kill me in an instant if I did try anything. Maybe I could wear the skirt for a little while? Just until I could get some pants. It wouldn’t be my first time wearing one.
Hell, even my mother had insisted on me trying one on. She had said it was out of curiosity but we both knew she had always wished I had been a girl. At some point when I wasn’t looking, she even managed to take a couple of photos. Even years after her death, I was still finding the damn things all over the place. Every time I found one, I burned the damn thing. Something told me that it was my cousin copying and placing the photos but I had no proof. Hopefully I didn’t run into her in-game until after I got pants.
Then again, maybe I could wear it like a kilt or something? How would one fold the skirt differently to do such a thing? As I thought over the issue, the guy finished his job and returned to the counter. “We have a skirt, a thin shirt, a jacket, some boots, a set of undergarments, and a pair of leggings. Anything else I can get you?
“A backpack, please. Maybe a knife as well?” I asked while sorting through the various pieces of cloth. Each was made of something like wool. To my delight, the skirt was more like a long piece of cloth with a belt built in. Looking over the stats of each, I found that they all came with Cold-Weather Resistance Up (Minor) boost. The sight of it caused something in my heart to loosen. With that, I wouldn’t freeze as fast outside. Maybe I could go to the Guard Quartermaster for my free weapon or maybe try a quest or two.
The only issue I had with the guy's choices was related to one of the undergarments. The underwear was something soft and would work, but why in the hell had he included a fucking bra. I didn’t even have breasts so even if I was female there was no need for them to be added to the fucking pile.
“Here you go. The clothing will be two gold while the bag and knife will be an additional five.” He said as he placed the two items next to me.
I tossed the bra at him. His hands shot out and caught the article without issue or hesitation. “I don’t need that. Now, how do I know if all of this fits?”
He tossed the bra into the air, not paying it any attention as it flew over to one of the shelves. Likely returning to whatever pile it had come from. “Everything resizes to their user as soon as they go to put it on.” He said before waggling his hand a little. “Mostly. These will be fine.”
Given that this was a game, I accepted his words at face value. It made sense given that the devs wouldn’t want people to have issues with making clothing for each race. Also, what happened when someone gains muscle mass from their stats? Was that even an issue? Would your stats change your character's body or would it only affect how the character interacted with the world? Maybe I could look it up on the forums later.
Then again, why look it up myself? “Hey, AI,” I muttered. Either the guy didn’t hear me or didn’t care as he didn’t react.
“Yes, Alex?”
“Please find out what happens to a character when their stat goes up. Is the changes physical or does it only affect how they interact with the game?” The purchase left me with eighteen gold. Hopefully, it was enough to buy some stuff. Stuff like pants. With a single swift motion, I swept all the items into my inventory. One of the slots vanished as another row of ten slots appeared next to a bag icon. “Also see about limits with bags,” I said as I started to flip through the various screens associated with each piece of clothing.
Unlike every other MMO I have played, there was no way to auto-equip anything. I went to ask but the guy beat me to it. “There is a bathroom down the hall. Feel free to change there or back at your room.” It was a clear dismissal. As if to emphasize this, he returned to his chair. Various elements swirled around him as various creatures took shape again.
The reminder of my room caused me to yawn. I needed to get there and sleep. Trying everything on and figuring out how to get the skirt to look like a kilt would have to wait until I woke up.