Jane
Side-by-side, Jane and Quill stood under the arch of Stormstadt’s main gate, flanked by thick gray stone, with the spikes of the portcullis hanging over their heads like some wicked sword of Damocles. They stood in silence, filled with both trepidation and excitement.
Before them stretched the outside world. Fluffy white clouds idly drifted through a cerulean blue sky. Most of the land was comprised of gently rolling hills feathered in bright green grass. Stands of deciduous trees dotted the scene and a couple of thick forests could be seen on the horizon. From the height and thickness of the forest trees, many were likely ancient, and the places were no doubt home to many fantastic creatures.
They’d finally acquired clothes. Both were dressed in the simplest of white, cotton shirts and plain, light-brown pants. One set had been granted as a quest reward; the other had taken all their meagre funds to purchase. But at least they were clothed now and things had normalized in that fashion. Though Jane had mixed feelings about that.
It was much more practical to be dressed this way, but as they and everyone else had become more attired, that feeling of physical honesty and beach-like atmosphere had gone from the city. It kind of felt like people were back to wearing masks. Maybe Jane just didn’t trust people all that much. Or maybe she was just being pessimistic.
She carried their only weapon, a basic long sword with a fairly dull blade and some rust on it. It wasn’t much but it was all they had.
Quill’s head tracked a red-and-black bird as it flew by. “What’s this zone called?”
She wasn’t sure. As they had yet to step foot in it, her mini-map was still grayed out. She she walked forward a short ways. Pulling out her map, she read the name and chuckled. “Green Hills Zone.”
Quill’s head turned her way. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope. Seriously.”
“Ok, that’s kind of cool.”
They strode down the road, a bit of eagerness in their steps. While the road was paved with heavy stone for the first two-dozen meters after leaving the gate, it soon transitioned into packed dirt with a scattering of old gravel. Wagon and cart wheel tracks occasionally marred the surface.
Passing by a clump of thick bushes, Jane saw a small animal poke its head out from under the dark-green leaves and peer up at them with tiny, beady eyes. “A hedgehog!” she exclaimed. “So cute!”
Startled by her voice, it recoiled in fright, then curled up into a ball and rolled backwards into safety. They heard the sound of coins clinking as it moved.
The two looked at each other, both biting their lip or cheek to keep themselves from grinning.
Quill snorted. “I just… Oh my gosh.”
Jane bounced up and down with excitement. “I have the perfect name for him!”
“No! Let’s go.” Quill strode off, leaving her to catch up. After a moment he said, “Well, at least it wasn’t blue.”
They both laughed. Because easter eggs were fun.
Jane checked her map. “The quest is that way.” She pointed off the road to a place close to the city walls. “We’ll have to cross country to get there.”
It was their last city quest. Or the last for their level, anyway. They’d done the rest, including the dailies. That had surprised her. On waking up, she’d found three new quests marked on her mini-map. They were all boring, laborious fetch and delivery quests, and the rewards were pitiful, but they couldn’t afford to skip them. They needed every copper and XP they could get their hands on. And after those were done, they’d embarked on the last story quest in their queue, which would take them outside the gates for the first time.
Of course, the dailies weren’t the only event that had occurred this morning.
She threw a glance her new partner. Unable to resist, she teased him, as she had been all morning long. Because it was so hilarious. She used a mock-concerned tone of voice. “So, are you sure you’re ok?”
He gave her a flat, sideways look. “I’m fine.”
“Really? I mean, that was some fall. And right on your head.”
He frowned. “I’m fine!”
She giggled. “I don’t know… Maybe you should have your head checked. Do you have a concussion? How’s your vision? Oh, right, you can see just fine.”
This time he flushed under the frown. “I said I’m — bah!”
She couldn’t help herself. She burst out laughing.
Quill grumbled and strode faster through the green grass.
After waking up that morning, Jane had started climbing down from her sleeping spot. Quill, already awake and sitting on his branch below her, had glanced up — and seen right up her sarong while her legs were spread. Completely on instinct, his eyes had widened and he’d leaned forward just slightly as if to get a better look. And then he’d slipped right off the branch. He’d scrambled to grab hold of it but been unable to. Then he’d tumbled upside down and landed on his head, snapping his neck with a crack that had been audible even up in the tree.
Jane had rushed to the Grove of Life, a circle of ancient, permanently flowering fruit trees in a park in the city. This was where people revived. One look at how utterly embarrassed he was as he gotten off of the stone altar and she couldn’t help but snicker.
As they’d gone about their dailies that morning, with Quill barely talking, they’d seen a number of stray cats about the city.
Jane had pointed each and every one out. “Oh Quill! See that pussy? How ‘bout that one? What a pretty pussy. What do you think, Quill? Do you like pussies?”
He’d gone silent and red and practically stomped through the streets.
It had been so much fun!
She dared do it again now as they walked through the Green Hills zone. “Hmm,” she pretended to wonder as they entered a lightly forested area, “I wonder if we’ll see a pussy out here too.”
He came to a stop. When she caught up to him, blinking at him with faux innocence, he was obviously fighting an embarrassed smile. Finally, it broke out, unable to be contained, and he turned to her. “I swear…” he lunged for her.
She screeched and jumped away, laughing.
He chased her around a bit but caught her all-too-easily. Because she had no stamina.
She stood under a tree, gasping for air. “Ok. First thing. No going up. Against any monsters. That we have to run away from.” Her lungs felt like they were full of daggers. She hadn’t felt like this in years. Since before she’d started working out. It was quite annoying. After years of blood and sweat and tears trying to improve her fitness, it was like she’d gone back to square one and all that effort had been wasted. It wasn’t fair!
“Actually,” he grinned, hands on his hips, “this is perfect!”
“What?” She looked up at him.
He looked quite satisfied with himself. “I’ll just be sure to stay ahead of you and let the monsters get you first. Then make my escape while they’re chewing on you.”
She stuck her tongue out at him.
They arrived shortly thereafter at their destination. Thick trees were spaced out here and there, branches heavily full of leaves and casting wide shadows. In the grass grew the white-bell herbs that they needed. Unfortunately, there were also wolves here. They were common wolves, with reddish-brown fur. A number of them walked about the area, as if guarding the herbs. They padded along, looking agile and fast.
Quill rubbed his chin. “I really wish I had a weapon.”
Jane scanned the area. She pointed. “Maybe a branch would work?”
He shrugged and walked over to it, keeping a wary eye on the nearby wolves. Picking up the branch, he hefted it like a club. Then he checked his stat screen. “Yes, it’s equipped as a weapon. But it barely does any more damage than my fists would.”
She held up her rusty sword. “Not like this is going to be much better.”
“At least you don’t have a Strength of 1.” He sighed. “Whatever. Let’s try this.”
“Remember, we need six herbs and three wolf pelts.”
“Doesn’t look like we’ll be able to get to any of the herbs without taking the wolves out first.”
She agreed. “I’ll lead. We’ll make sure we only take one on at a time. After I’ve attacked, you come in from the side.”
“Got it.”
She glanced at him, trying to evaluate his true feelings. He seemed at ease, but Quill was very much a guy. He may not be the cruder, rowdy, stereotypical type, but he was very much male and she wasn’t entirely sure just how ok he really was with her taking the lead in combat. She knew his attributes were a sore spot, regardless of his determination to make the best of the situation. But this was the first time they were going into a fight.
Would he really back her up? Would he resent her for dealing more damage?
She was starting to like him. She wanted to be friends. Part of her was worried that the disparity between them would become a bone of contention and tear them apart.
He noticed her hesitation and raised his brows. “Well? Ladies first and all that.” He waved her forward.
Pushing her worries aside, she focused on the task at hand: fighting wolves.
She approached the nearest one. And as she grew closer, she couldn’t help but grow nervous. It was instinctual. She’d played full-dive games before, of course. She’d fought in plenty of battles. But this was still a wolf. Maybe not a huge one, but it was still a dangerous animal. And she was walking up to it, in flimsy clothes and carrying a pathetic weapon and she had hardly any stats. It felt real. And stupid.
They got close enough to trigger the animal’s awareness. It turned and snarled with a mouth full of sharp canines. The wolf charged. Teeth and claws hurtled towards her.
Jane almost panicked as her fight-or-flight reflexes kicked in. She had to forcefully override them to keep herself in place, feet planted.
The wolf’s jaws opened wide and it leaped at her.
She stepped sideways and bashed it with the sword.
The wolf barely seemed to notice. It landed and whipped back around to face her.
Except that Quill was actually standing right next to it. Because he’d been waiting behind her like he was supposed to and she’d let the wolf go right past her.
Oops.
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