20***Some Alone Time (Filler)

Rea

In the Beginners Area, there is a massive tree in the center that shone with a mystic wonder that practically screamed fantasy. And with it being ridiculously tall, its artistically mangled branches spreading wide and giving ample shade, laced with vines that swayed gently in the wind, and small birds and squirrels darting in and out through the spaces in the leaves and holes in the tree, its only to be expected! A short cobblestone wall surrounds the base of the giant completing the look.

On this wall sat a red haired beauty, looking to be in her mid 20's, with her hair flowing in the wind such that it almost looked like the wind itself was gently playing with it! She wore a simple leather shoulder guard and arm guard, along with a leather vest and skirt over her beginners gear. Around her waist was a belt that held a sack, a bag of coins, and a scabbard holding a knife. Leather gloves and iron heeled and tipped boots finished the look.

Her eyes were closed and her lips were slightly pursed as if in deep thought, giving her this air of a "beauty by the lake" that made many a player's head turn as they walked pass. One of the players walked towards her instead of stealing a glance and waling along or outright star at her, and waved his hand in her face.

At that I opened my eyes to see the familiar smiling face of my party member.

"Had fun admiring yourself in fifth person view again?" He asked with a playful chuckle as my face went tomato! It took every strain of effort I had to not cover my face in shame, and just settled on adverting my gaze.

"You know that I only do that I when I need to think Grow." I muttered out in protest as he sits down beside me and continues to giggle in that way that says he knows and is just joking, which makes me want to bury my head in sand even more.

In all truth though, ever since I found out about fifth person view, I had also found out something new about myself. That even though it felt like I was having an out-of-body experience, and even though in felt terrifying at first (and still does), I found that my head gets clearer while I'm in this state.

I figure I might have to do some serious soul searching later on in life and look into this, but not right know. As of right now, I'm playing this game to have fun for my son's sake, and fun I shall have! Easier said than done at this point though...

"Alright, spill it. What did you need to think about this time?" Grow asked, snapping me back to reality. I take this moment to admire his character. Looking at around his late 20's, he was wearing a copper shoulder guard, with leather arm guards and a leather tunic, leather pants and iron sole leather boots. He had finger-less gloves and a chain across his chest holding a great sword. In his belt were the standard satchel and sack of coins, along with some throwing daggers and a few potions of varying colours. It was a simple set up, ideal for a beginner, but with that and the way he carried himself, he looked like anything but one!

I stop myself from staring just in time and quickly gave him an answer to hide the impending awkwardness. "I.... uh.... well you see.... it's... uhm... well... thing is...." I failed....

He stifles a giggle at my behaviour and I push him away at that, my face that was just returning to normal flaring to even redder than before!

"W-why would you care to know anyway?! We are in a game! Real world matters should stay in the real world!" I said with a harrumph as he fights the giggles threatening to escape his throat!

"As that..." he takes a moment to properly compose himself before trying again, "As that may be the case, it doesn't hurt to share your troubles with other people, game or no." He said with with such a straight face, all I could do was blink at him. What am I even supposed to do with this man?!

When I got here, I got this.... achievement, I think they where called..... named Beauty of the Village, which apparently is given to the most head turning (for lack of a better term) female characters in the game. I came here with Nynn, my son, and sent him off as soon as we got her, so I was pretty defenseless walking in and found myself in quite the bind when some shady looking players started hitting on me mere minutes upon entering!!!

I tried to turn them down, first subtly, then steadily changing to more direct methods, but they were pretty persistent and quite insistent! Things were getting quite dangerous when Grow came and saw what was going on! He scared them of and took one look at me before dragging me off to a training hall. I've been stuck with him ever since. Or is it that he is now stuck with me?

I shook my head for a bit to clear my thoughts, then gave him a stern gaze.

"That may be so, but that is know reason to tell your life to a stranger!" I only knew him for little over a day and yet he already wants to hear my problems?! If it were anyone else, I would have flagged him instantly!

"..... Fair enough." He gave one look to my displeased face like some injured puppy and proceeded to stare out into the open. He kind of reminds me of our puppy at home...!

"Then would you like to go monster hunting?" He tries again to lighten my atmosphere, but to no avail. Just imagining killing anything would remind me of seeing my boys on there respective ER beds!

"Um, no thanks, I'm good here. Hmm?" I look at Grow, only seeing him stare at me so intensely, I almost perspired! I don't know if you can do that in game, but I haven't seen it before, so its a shock that I almost started to sweat like this!

"Come. To the training area." He said, getting up up and brushing of his tight b... bad Rea, very bad Rea!

"I-I'm sorry what?!" I started, but he just took my hand, looked into my eyes causing my heart to flutter, whispered into my ear "come with me"..... and then dragged me off to the training grounds!

***

Training Area

"Keep your toes pointing towards the direction your blade is pointing!" Grow's voice sounded to me as I felt my feet shift out of position for the up-tenth time. With a huff, I stepped back into position and continued to assault the training post before me.

"Remember to flick your wrist as you slash, and step forward a bit with each slash." He continued to coach me in a gentle, even voice, not a single strand of irritation or impatience behind his words. That only made me slightly peeved however, and it was getting worse with each failed attempt!

"Ahhh, darn it!!! I can't do this!!!" I said while pouting and throwing down may dagger. Was I being childish? Yes. But at this point I could neither help it nor care about it!

Grow took up my discarded weapon for probably the twentieth time in past hour, and brushed it off a bit before handing it to me while reaching out a hand to help be up. The floor was looking quite interesting right now, so I looked there while gingerly letting him take my right hand and pull me off of my behind.

"Maybe I should show you the skill again?" He asked more than said and I only looked at him. He probably took my silence as an okay, as he went and positioned himself in front of my training partner

"Why are you doing this?" I asked as I watched him fall fluidly into the proper stance, dagger at the ready.

"Doing what?" He asked, taking a slow, deep breath and raising the blade to his face with his other hand jutting out front.

"You know.... this! Training me this move! You said it yourself that I'm no good with a dagger, or any blade for that matter!!!" I replied, getting upset for being so upset, thus making me even more upset, add infinity.

At this, he stopped what he was doing and straightened up into standing position.

"Yes, that is what I said." he said after a while. "In fact, a wand or spell book would be better for you."

"Then why?!" I asked, half exasperate. It would have been better if he was more fed up with my progress (or lack thereof) but he was just as patient as when we started this yesterday! As a matter of fact, he's probably even more patient that then!!!

At that statement he looked at me with the most serious expression on his face for about a second, but that gaze held such weight, it might has well have lasted a year! Then he flicked his dagger in to the air, letting it twirl a bit while saying, "What happens when your magic isn't able to help you?" before it fell out of the air and into his hand and he executed the attack.

*CHAIN CUT!!!!* He did about twenty cuts within a few seconds, turning the post to a pile of ruble before they turned into data dust an dissipated! I new post shortly took its place soon after, but the shock was still present in the air! It's just as amazing as the other times he had shown me!

"If your essence was to run dry, or e-blockers and/or e-reducers where in place, you would be absolutely defenseless." he continued as he dropped his blade back into it's scabbard. "Should that happen, you'd be a sitting duck." His words were still gentle and soft, but they had a weight that begged - no, demanded - to be acknowledged.

He paused as if to think for a bit before he snapped his fingers, his features lighting up.

"Why don't I do this for you?" He placed me back before the post and waited for me to drop back into stance. Then he asked me to relax a bit, so I did.

Then he started to feel me up!

"W-w-w-w-w-what are you doing?!!!!!" I screamed as I jumped into the air in surprise!

"Hey relax, I'm just doing some micro adjustments." He said in surprise at my reaction. Really?! He's surprised?!!! What about me then?!!!!!!

"You don't do things like that without asking first you little perv!" Honestly, he reminds me of a small child sometimes!!!

"Okay okay, my bad. I'm sorry. I didn't know." he said back, his hands up in the air in surrender!

Seeing him like that, I con't stay mad at him for long, and soon caved in. Man he's hard to read! Could he really be that innocent?!

"Alright, I'll trust you on this one, but watch yourself buster!" I said as I try to get my face back to its regular colour!

"You have my word." Grow said back, then resumed the micro adjustments.

I could feel every careful move his fingers made in positioning my hands, arms, legs, feet, and torso, among other things, and all I can say is, I was feeling strange....

I crushed any thought of 'that' before they got out hand, and started paying attention to him getting in position behind me.

"Wait, what are you..."

"Stay calm, and follow my lead." He said softly into my ears!!! I let him guide me, and I felt my frontal foot get nudged a little forward and my wrist flicked with the help of his finger, and the post got sliced in half!

Not that I knew though, as my nerves were still buzzing form being so tense for so long, only to allow myself to be guided like that with no friction! Almost like it was meant to occur like that....

I put the mental boot to that though as well, 'Easy now girl, this is just a game. He could practically be your child by shear age!' Repeating that in my head, I calmed down. Or I tried to, but a notification was bugging me!

You Have Learned a Skill

".... Wow.... I did it.... I ACTUALLY DID IT!!!!" it took me hours upon hours of trying before I got anything, and now that I did, I want to celebrate! In fact, now that I've done it once, I feel like I could do it a thousand times more!!!

"Congratulations!" Grow said with a goofy grin on his face that made me blush before I could stop myself.

"Well, I had a good teacher." I said back, trying to redirect the embarrassment I was feeling.

"No, I had a good student." he replied so smoothly, I somehow got even more embarrassed!

Two Parties Have Acknowledged Each Other As Master And Student.

A Master-Student Pact Has Now Been Formed.

Master and student, eh? Somehow, the thought of him being my teacher sent a strange shiver I hadn't felt in years down my spine!

Quieting down that side of me yet again, I spent the rest of the day practicing that attack. Though, if you ask me, it looked like Grow was avoiding eye contact with me for the rest of the time.

Hmm, must have imagined it.