Callie's Heroes

PART I - THE RECRUITS’ NEW CLOTHES

The little Gnome squeezed herself into the tightest ball she could, while trying to ride out the chaos. She felt like she was in a sadistic amusement park, riding a combination of bumper cars, tilt-a-whirl, and loop-the-loop roller coaster, all mixed into one chaotic ride. One super-awful ride. A ride that seemed to drag on, never coming to an end. The world bucked and spun, and finally seemed to throw Callie out of the proverbial door without stopping, leaving her a battered heap.

As she started to regain a sense of the world, Callie felt something cool and wet on her forehead, and reached up to feel a water-soaked cloth, presumably placed there by Lena. Before opening her eyes, she decided to take a quick moment and check out what she had received.

Tell me about Wilderness Tracking

CLASS PERK: WILDERNESS TRACKING (IRON TIER)

MANA USAGE: SPECIAL (LOW)

DESCRIPTION: Knowledge of the tracking of people and creatures in wilderness settings. Tracking may be enhanced by channeling a small amount of mana during use. Mana enhanced tracking is only effective in woodland, marsh and swamp environments. Higher tiers of this perk will enable enhanced tracking in additional biomes and reduce likelihood of quarry being able to evade the tracker.

In a flood, all the knowledge of how to track things through the forests and swamps hit Callie. It was as if the whole thing was so simple. Simple enough she couldn’t understand how she hadn’t known it before. She knew how to follow game trails, follow crushed grasses and sticks, broken tree limbs, imperfections in a swamp’s water. It was such a strange and fascinating feeling. And she simply just … knew it.

Callie didn’t bother looking up the two Earth perks. Neither was important right now and were also fairly self-explanatory. She did wonder if mana could be used in some fashion to enhance either, though. If so, what would a mana-enhanced carpentry perk look like?

“How long was I out?” Callie asked the room, coming out of her perk review.

“Only a couple minutes,” Lena said, coming to her side. “Not too bad considering you received three things at once. The good news, they just dropped off our clothes, so we can get out of these awkward and occasionally revealing robes. I’m looking at you, Tazrok.”

“Sorry,” the Ogre said with a shrug.

Xin had already brought one basket in, which she had handed to Vanis, since it contained Elf-size clothing with a more-masculine cut to it. He was mercifully happy to get pants rather than a warlock robe, and he set to work sorting and stowing everything in his footlocker, save one set.

Bringing in another basket, Xin passed it to Lena. The contents appeared similar: three pairs of light-colored female-shaped Elf-sized cloth tunics and pants combination and various other accessories.

Xin continued to bring in baskets. The first she set on her bunk, and then she retrieved a smaller one. “I believe this is for you, Little One. There is not a gap in the back for wings, as well as a strange hat.”

“Thanks,” Callie said as Xin set the ensemble on her bunk. Callie took to unpacking the contents, which began with a wide brimmed, floppy cloth hat. It was a familiar style, but she couldn’t place where she had seen it before. It would definitely work to keep the sun out of her eyes, though.

The rest of the contents appeared to be mini-versions of what Lena was wearing, sized down appropriately for a Gnome. Five light, button-up tunics, five pairs of pants. and five pairs of very unsexy underwear. There was no bra or any kind of support clothing, which seemed an oversight. Meanwhile, Lena’s basket contained five strips of long, wide cloth with tiny hooks on one end. Callie quickly realized they functioned as a chest binder, which she guessed was this world’s approximation of a sports bra. Maybe she’d have a talk with the Quartermaster about something a little more like home.

While Callie had been unpacking, Xin wrestled in a larger basket for Tazrok, and then a second smaller one which went to Pixyl. Everyone set to work taking inventory and packing things away. Still remaining in Callie’s basket were five pairs of lightweight, yet very durable, calf-high socks, and two pairs of leather footwear. One was a pair of knee-high boots of hard leather. The second were calf-high light-leather moccasins, or what was a close approximation for this world. The leather was soft, but also seemed as if it would support one's feet and ankles. Both were impeccably made, apparently with Brownie magic or some such to achieve such quality in only one night. Finally, the basket contained a hard leather belt with various pockets and loops along its length. On one side was a small empty knife sheath, as well as a hook attached to a smaller, Gnome sized waterskin.

Hopping down off the bunk to start stowing everything, Callie noticed that Pixyl’s accouterments including a set of chest binders like Lena’s, only naturally smaller for her frame.

“Hey, how do you rate a chest binder?” Callie said. “Your boobs are smaller than mine.” Remembering Lena had never heard the word before yesterday, she held her hands out in a cupping position.

Pixyl instinctively looked down at her own chest and shrugged. “N-n-n-no idea. W-w-we can share, if you’d like.”

“Nah, I’ll see how it goes,” Callie said. “I’ll talk to the Quartermaster if I have an issue.” Maybe she would see about getting a sports bra made. If only she could draw decently, she’d be able to show the Quartermaster exactly what she was looking for. Callie suddenly wondered if this world had elastic of some kind.

“Ok, you two boys. Get out so we can change,” Lena said in a commanding tone. “Take a walk and then we’ll switch.”

Vanis looked at Tazrok. “It’s outside or she’ll lock us in the latrines, my friend. I’m voting for outside. Callie continues to say favorable things about the garden. Shall we take a better look?”

Tazrok grunted an assent, and the two left the bunkhouse, closing the oversized door behind them.

“I am not sure why I have long pants and underwear,” Xin said, looking at her clothing with an almost disgusted expression. “We do not wear clothing, except for armor in training and battle, or decorative items for ceremonies. On the way here, the wagon master insisted I put on something, but that is so uncomfortable”. Xin gestured down to her body. “Unlike you, the Lizardkin have no bits protruding for everyone to see, so it should not matter.”

“There are b-b-buttons on the legs,” Pixyl pointed out, holding up a pair of her pants. Each pair of the dark brown pants had a series of buttons that would allow most of the leg to be disconnected, effectively turning them into thigh-length shorts.

“You non-scaled get so upset by nudity,” Xin said, continuing her rant. “We are in the army and at war. Does it really matter? Do we not have more important things to worry about?”

“Everyone has a different comfort level with nudity, Xin. We can be respectful,” Lena said as she slipped her underwear on.

“I know. Clothing is just very inconvenient.”

Xin set to work deftly removing the legs before grudgingly slipping the now-shorts on, completely skipping the underwear with a scowl. The rear area of her pants was cut to allow her tail to fit through, closed and held in place with wood buttons above it, similar to how Xera’s tunic had been cut for her wings. Callie assumed Pixyl’s tunic would be similar, just smaller. Finally, the pants sported a piece of rope sewn into the waist that could be tied to serve as a belt.

Meanwhile, Callie had dropped her robe and was reaching for her own undershorts, when Pixyl let out a muffled giggle.

“What?” Callie said, looking around in alarm.

“S-s-sorry,” Pixyl said, getting slightly red-faced. “The p-p-pink surprised me.”

Callie tugged on her hair and then realized what Pixyl actually meant. ”Oh, yea. Gnomes are just full of surprises, I guess. Callie’s got the hot-pink crotch.” Callie quickly pulled the underwear on before wondering, “Hey, why would that be weird? Don’t you have blue down there, Pixyl?”

“No. Pixies have no hair below our head,” Pixyl said, touching her blue hair. “Really just head hair and eyebrows. I k-k-keep my hair short though, so it doesn’t g-get in my face when I’m flying.”

“Man, you got it lucky,” Callie said grumpily as she put her button-up tunic over her shoulders. It fit remarkably well, perfectly forming to her body, without bunching or being too tight when she bent over. Curious, she picked up the hat and walked over to the mirror to look at herself. It actually looked really good on her. It was flattering, yet simple. She felt a little like she was wearing the top part of a game warden outfit. Some kind of Steve Irwin-esque wildlife … Ranger. She finally placed where she had seen the hat before. “Huh, this actually fits me really nice.”

“You look p-p-perfect,” Pixyl said.

“Aww, thanks Pixyl.”

Callie returned to put the pants on, which were similar to Xin’s, just sized down. They fit just as perfectly as the tunic, and completed the game warden motif. She debated whether to convert them to shorts, but decided not to for now. She could always make the change later if it got hot or was what everyone else was doing.

“How do I look?” Lena said, bouncing a bit and shaking everything out.

She looked much like Callie had in the mirror, but without the hat. Her outfit fit just as perfectly as Callie’s, and pushed in and pushed up in a very noticeable, and flattering, way. Otherwise, the look was a larger twin for what Callie wore.

Xin had likewise donned a button-up tunic she had received, and while she grumbled, the Brownies had outdone themselves with the custom order and it fitted and looked great. “I’m not wearing those, though,” Xin said, pointing towards the oversized hard-leather boots that were made for her clawed feet. “Those are just wrong.”

“Those tall boots are probably part of your armor set, Xin,” Lena said.

“Really? That is just cruel, then.”

All eyes turned to Pixyl, the last one still working on getting dressed. She was struggling to finish putting on her tunic, the buttons above her wings proving hard to use. Every time she reached back to connect them, she grimaced in pain, occasionally shouting out a yelp.

“Do you need a hand?” Callie asked.

“No!” Pixyl snapped. She tried again to reach the buttons, and again hit a wall of pain. She snarled bitterly, mumbling what had to be a curse under her breath, before finally hanging her head low. Sadly, Pixyl muttered, “Yes, I do.”

“Sure, let me get those for you,” Callie said, but Lena stepped in her way.

“Oh no you don’t. You’ve been around enough Fae wings today. You don’t need to be getting into any more trouble.”

“Really, it’s fine,” Pixyl said, shrugging.

“No Callie mischief,” Lena said, wagging a lecturing finger towards the Gnome. She turned and dropped to one knee so she was at the right height and closed the two buttons above Pixyl’s wings. The Pixie turned, sporting the perfectly-fitting tunic and pants. Where before her robe was completely unflattering, the new clothes hugged in all the right places, giving Pixyl a much more feminine, yet still slightly-tomboy, look.

“You really look great, too, Pixyl,” Callie said. “Absolutely great.”