Chapter 1.13 – The Third Party Member
Fiona had taken a moment to collect herself after Liddy - with far too much vigor and mirth - pierced her nipple. A moment later, a shimmering portal appeared in the middle of the island.
"Come on" Liddy pulled Fiona up to her feet, both women having wiped down and in a reasonable state of dress. Well. Technically covered.
"Let's go find our third." Liddy pulled Fiona along, the wording making Fiona blush again.
The two stepped through the portal and suddenly stood on a white platform similar to the bridge she had started on. In front of them, another shimmering portal. The black stone of the tower surrounding it, reached up into the sky further than imagination could reach. Fiona looked over the edge and could see the first floor - already far below, at least a hundred feet.
The fifty-seventh floor would be at least five thousand seven hundred feet above. If not more - and there were many, many more floors. She thought.
How did people breathe?
"Are you ready?" Liddy broke her concentration again.
"Yes - is it the same? Just touch it?" Fiona walked towards the shimmering mirror. Looking at herself, standing next to her new friend.
"Yep - Let's do it together" The gnome took Fiona's hand, and they both touched the reflective surface.
**SYSTEM MESSAGE[Multiple Simultaneous Entry Detected - Do you wish to stay in a party?]
Fiona looked at her short new friend, feeling... The warmth of friendship. Companionship. She'd never been comfortable around another person, not in the flesh.
"Yes." Fiona said, probably a bit louder than intended. Liddy grasped Fiona's hand softly.
"Yes" Liddy affirmed. A weight lifted off Fiona's shoulders - she was worried.
[Please assign a party leader] |
"Li-" Fiona was about to say when her friend suddenly spoke.
"Fiona" The gnome cut her off quickly. She looked up apologetically. "Sorry... I. I led my last party, and we didn't get past the third level so..."
Fiona nodded. Leadership was not something she appreciated, wanted, or considered. Mostly she actively avoided it. She didn't want her friend to be uncomfortable though, so she would deal with it.
[Party Leader Assigned - Fiona Ragehammer] [PARTY OF THREE OR MORE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY FOR FLOOR TWO] [SCANNING PARTY COMPOSITION TO CONFIRM IDEAL PARTY MEMBER OPTION] [CONFIRMED - VIABLE OPTIONS AS FOLLOWS: TANK, HEALER, SUPPORT, RANGED DAMAGE] [PLEASE CONFIRMED PREFERRED OPTION TO ENTER QUE] |
Fiona answered immediately, their decision having been made.
"Tank, please."
[CONFIRMED] [ADVENTURERS PREFERENCE DETECTED - WOMEN] |
Liddy raised an eyebrow.
"That's weird. Never seen that before." She sounded curious more than anything else.
"Yeah, how strange... I definitely didn't see that either" Fiona blushed again. Stupid System.
[SEARCHING FOR FEMALE TANK FOR FLOOR TWO] [YOUR PARTY IS SECOND IN THE QUEUE, EXPECTED TIME FIFTEEN MINUTES OR LESS] |
"It only took a minute last time." Fiona said, surprised.
"More people on floor one." She shrugged. "Gives us a minute to talk." She sat down in front of the portal, and indicated Fiona do the same.
"I don't think we need to talk." Fiona said, searching for anything to distract her. In the worst possible environment to do so - entirely featureless apart from the black stone of the tower.
"We do... you said something. That was your first kiss? Everything?" Liddy almost stuttered. "I took... I did. Fiona I didn't mean to do that."
Fiona's face matched her hair in pinkness - and other parts for that matter.
"It's ok, I'm... I'm glad it was you. It should be a friend." She bunched her knees up in front of her, and rested her chin on them. Intently studied her own toes wiggling. "I... This body is new. Not just the, you know. My... I wasn't like this" She looked at Liddy, dressed somehow even sluttier than Fiona. "Not that I don't like it - I always have, I've been... Interested in stuff."
"What stuff?" Liddy said, suddenly curious. She had heard about people's bodies changing with their class - not from her sphere, but it wasn't unheard of. The cock was... Rare. In fact, she'd never heard of it before. Not unwelcome though.
"You know...Pleasurable stuff. I was passionate about it I guess" She giggled. "But until... Until this dungeon I'd never even held someone's hand. Well, not since childhood." She looked at her friend then, braving eye-contact.
"I'm happy though. I lik- It was nice, and my class demanded it. I'm happy you guided me through it. You're a good friend."
Liddy seemed relieved at that. "I just thought... I know I shouldn't. I thought you had more experience, even if you were shy."
"It makes sense - my class, this body. It's okay though Liddy. Truly." She smiled.
"I like y-." She caught herself, her heart fluttering in her chest. She couldn't say that. Not quite yet. The gnome seemed a bit flustered as well.
"I have... experience. Just with myself" She looked away again, the insinuation just too much.
"Right." Liddy smacked her lips. "As long as you are comfortable - and we don't have to do it again."
Fiona was worried then, she... Her class probably needed it.
"Oh." She said, not able to get anything else out.
"Well unless you want to" Liddy continued.
"It would be good for [Shared in Passion]" Fiona said, not quite getting to tell herself she wanted it. "And... The help is nice."
Liddy was quiet for a moment.
"Yeah, as long as you are ok." It was the gnome's turn to look away now, idly playing with her tail.
"I am." She thought for a moment. "How do we... What do we tell the next party member? About the buff... And my mornings?"
Liddy's eyes went wide.
"Oh. Fuck"
*BING*
[SUITABLE PARTY MEMBER FOUND] [YOU MAY ENTER THE TOWER FLOOR] |
The system quickly ended the girls' conversation, the portal shimmered, ripples flashing through before revealing their new dungeons. Liddy's smile lit up looking at the scene in front of her, and she nearly leapt through.
"It's the OCEAN!" The gnome squealed.
Fiona followed, suddenly finding herself standing on a sandy beach, tropical trees around her and a soft breeze. Crystal clear water, waves lapping at her bare feet as she entered. Liddy was already splashing in the waves, leaping back and forth in the shallow - Timmy out, enjoying it as much as she did.
The girl must have really missed this, she couldn't have enjoyed the cave they'd been stuck in. Fiona felt sad for the girl, she hadn't even considered that the environment might be difficult for her.
"What manner of imbeciles have I been stuck with this time." A stern, monotone voice said from behind her. Liddy spun around, looking at their newest party member.
She was tall. Fiona was six foot, and this woman was... Taller. A lot taller. Six foot five? Slender, sleek and stern. Wearing plate armour engraved with strange runic symbols, a longsword sheathed on her back, and a large tower shield, the only part of her body Fiona could see was her face.
Fiona nearly melted under those piercing, steel blue eyes boring into her soul. She felt weak like she had to obey this woman's every command. Her hair was a midnight blue, held back by an iron circlet, shiny and reflective in the light. Her ears were pointy - and Fiona would have assumed an elf, if not for the last detail.
A pair of curved, vicious-looking horns curled back from her forehead, jagged as they spun back around and framed her sharp face before ending in two sharp spikes on either side pointing outwards.
Liddy had splashed her way over to meet their new party member, and with an impressive lack of tact exclaimed.
"Oh, fuck. You're a dragon."
Fiona agreed. There was nothing else this newcomer could be - every story variation of a dragon in human form this woman embodied. She looked at them not even like lesser beings, but like they were dust. Entirely unworthy of her attention.
"Indeed." She nearly snarled. "And what are you two supposed to be?" Something about the absolute disdain in her voice did something to Fiona she didn't want to admit, however, Liddy seemed entirely unaffected.
"I'm supposed to be Liddy" She said "Sea-gnome, [Spirit Monk]!" She struck a pose, flexing, before reaching out to grasp the newcomer's hand.
The dragon lady gave a curt nod, before reluctantly shaking Liddy's hand with her armoured fist, now dripping after touching the wet gnome. "Sea-gnome. That seems advantageous in this dungeon."
"I know! I'm so excited, it's the oceaaan!" Liddy was basically singing.
"And you?" That gaze turned back on Fiona.
"Uhm. Fiona. Fiona Ragehammer. [Berserker]" She also reached out a muscular hand, which the woman reluctantly took.
"By Chronos and all the continuum. I have been stuck with a pair of meatheads." The stern-faced woman let out an exasperated sigh.
"Fine. We deal with what we must." Somehow she straightened herself even more, before announcing in a booming voice. "I am Qaerlyz Mazayl Franath of the Blue Clade, [Paladin, Protectorate of the Continuum*]"
[Paladin] [A strength and mana-based, heavily armoured being. They can take the roles of healer, damage, or tank. Various paladin orders will be specialized in one aspect of their class, and be lackluster in others. Their order dictates their role, their powers, and their fighting style.] [Protectorate of the Continuum of Chronos*] *The user has restricted information regarding their subclass, no specific skill details will be shown. [An order of paladins dedicated to the god of time. Specializing in tanking and protection, their abilities are focused more on the arcane than the holy and are capable of immense magic, and holding firm against all enemies] |