(Nudity warning! This chapter is rated R for brief bad moments. Enjoy!)
Nightfall came swiftly as the setting sun disappeared behind the giant forge known as the Metalworks. Its shadow enveloped the town in darkness within minutes, causing a clamor outside as citizens ran around with candles to light the streetlamps that dotted the town.
Vince started for the fountain in the center of the markets wearing his new bronze armor that was kindly provided to him for free. At his side was the ugly bronze sword that was dull and looked like a double sided oversized butter knife. The subliger was by far the worst fashion statement you could possibly wear. It was metallic underwear that was unbearably cold when you first put it on, offered very little protection that could be desired for such priceless valuables stored inside. Protecting the butt was nothing more then a thick piece of leather and the family jewels were accented by a single triangular piece of worked bronze. Everything about the armor shouted sadomasochist, with the exposed chest and the leather straps.
Nevertheless Vince pressed on and as he arrived at the fountain the little Tarutaru was waiting for him. Bluebell gasped and stared at him with her mouth hanging wide open.
“I knew I should have wore my regular clothes, but they were dirty. This was all I had in my mog house.” Vince sighed, feeling like an idiot.
“No need to apologize! I like a man who has enough confidence to wear a subliger, but perhaps I should go change, seeing as our date will be a beautiful moonlight killing spree!” giggled Bluebell as she took off at full sprint towards the mog house.
It didn’t take more then a minute before Bluebell tapped Vince’s exposed leg and smirked, “How do you like it on me?”
Bluebell moved back and posed for Vince wearing a miniature version of his bronze armor. The bronze cap and harness were indeed cute on her, but one pressing thing was the lack of breasts on a Tarutaru. Flat as a pancake heading down toward the bloated round belly. Surprisingly, Bluebell also wore the subliger which was rather interesting on a woman, but still offered very little protection. Clad in tiny little boots Bluebell seemed to be a pint-sized sadomasochist as well. One slight difference was the lack of a sword sheath and two bronze knuckles hanging from her waist.
“Like it Vince?” she giggled as she posed.
“Its interesting, but I didn’t think you were--”
“You Humes and your breasts. Don’t think you can lie to me, your eyes sure did rest on my chest for awhile!”
“Why you always scold me and interrupt me?” Vince asked.
“I’ve lived longer then you have, I know everything that runs through your perverted thick skull.” she pointed at his head and grinned, “Doesn’t mean I don’t like you though. Shall we head to the hill?”
Vince nodded softly and started to follow Bluebell as she walked slowly down Ore Street past the empty stalls and shops.
“So just how old are you?”
“That’s not something a lady reveals, but let’s just say I’m not much older then you. Maybe a decade or two more, possibly three.”
“You are old enough to be my mother…”
“Watch it.”
“I didn’t mean that! I just lost my parents. I’m sorry, but I already miss them deeply.”
“I lost my parents in the war. I know what its like…for many nights I cried myself to sleep. How long ago was it…”
“Last night…”
“I’m sorry! You just became an adventurer to get revenge?”
“Yes.”
Bluebell stopped at the entrance of the tunnel connecting Bastok to Gustaberg, “If I take you out there it will be on one condition.”
Vince looked down at Bluebell, “What is it?”
Bluebell reached into her pocket and pulled out a small pearl and tossed it up at Vince, “Put this in your ear and I’ll tell you.”
Vince put the pearl up to his ear and it fit in surprisingly, but then suddenly to his ear. The sound of voices of various people could be heard, but then a clear shout from Bluebell came across, “Everyone. Welcome Vince.”
“Heya, Vince. This is Felix. Pleasurrre to meet you.” said a young Mithra.
“Welcome aboard, Vince. This is the big man, Furious Fists.” a deep voice roared, obviously a Galka.
“Kiss my ass and call me Hiko! Red squad leader here!” squeaked out a soft Tarutaru.
“Be nice, Hiko! Hi Vince! I’m Chammy.” said a soft sexy Mithra voice.
As Bluebell tapped the pearl and spoke the sound picked up in the pearl again, “I’m taking Vince to the hill, or if we get bogged down, maybe the camps.”
Hiko laughed through the pearl and called out, “Virgin killer! Cherry popper! Pa--”
Bluebell’s voice interrupted Hiko, “Hiko’s pearl has turned to dust.”
Intense laughter roared through the pearl and then a weak voice came in which was none other then Hiko’s, “I still got me a bunch more in this sack. Though Vince, you are going to have a hell of a night!”
Chammy sighed through the pearl and said, “Vince don’t worry, she isn’t like that, but you’ll know how to fight and kill by morning. Though if you DO get lucky, your in better shape then Hiko! No girl would touch him with a ten foot pole.”
“Only because they need an eleven foot pole to touch my body, the rest is pure Tarutaru grade meat! Come on Chammy, you know you want a piece of my jui--” Hiko once more was interrupted and the entire pearl was filled with laughter.
Bluebell shook her head and relayed one last message, “Pearl off…see you all in the morning.”
Vince followed Bluebell’s lead and took the pearl off his ear and stashed it in his pocket.
“The condition is…you…have…to…” a little blush streaked across her face, “Hold me in your arms again when this is over.”
Vince smiled, “Bluebell…any time.”
The two exchanged red faced looks at each other before heading into the tunnel lined with torches burning brightly in the night. As they walked through the tunnel a sharp breeze chilled them, but they pressed on knowing the other side was drawing ever closer with each step. Then at last the mountains in the distance and the large hills in front of them appeared at the end of the tunnel.
The moon shone brightly in the sky on the dry wasteland that was Gustaberg. Gigantic bees, worms and other wildlife roamed the immediate area around Bastok. Though far in the distance upon the hills stood the goblins with their masks reflecting the moonlight like mirrors.
“Goblins.” whispered Bluebell.
Vince nodded, “Should we fight them?”
Bluebell shook her head, “They won’t come down here, first we need to get you practicing you swordsmanship. There is nothing better then a live target for that.”
A giant bee floated in front of Vince and he quickly unsheathed his sword and thrust it out at the bee and missed. Suddenly the bee which was as large as a soccer ball with a gigantic stinger the size of a knife turned to attack Vince.
Vince took another swing and barely clipped its wing, but the bee exchanged the wound with a sharp sting to his exposed chest. With a stroke of great luck Vince cut the bee in half with the sword and it fell to the ground.
“That hurt, but I think I’ll live.” Vince said, pulling the stinger from his chest with a small trickle of blood coming from it.
“Good. Now go kill nine more.”
Vince growled, “Nine more…I think I’ll be dead!”
“NINE MORE!” yelled Bluebell in a high-pitched scream.
Vince growled as he ran off after another bee that was hovering over a barrel of supplies left unguarded by some careless merchants. Once more Vince attacked and got lucky, cutting down the bee in a single strike. Bluebell followed in pursuit, carefully watching Vince’s progress.
“Raise the sword higher on you down swing.”
“No! Swing across and strike the abdomen.”
“That is not a piercing sword! Don’t stab!”
“Good! Cleave it in two!”
Vince killed the last of the bees and sighed, “Done!
Bluebell smiled picking up all the fragments of the severed bee, “Wings, honey, giant stinger. Check! Check! Check!”
“What are you doing?”
Bluebell looked up from stashing items into her pockets and grinned, “Spoils of war, my dear! My training isn’t free. Keep fighting!”
As the moon started to sink lower and lower on the horizon Vince had exterminated all the giant bees and had moved onto killing easy worms that tried desperately to fling themselves into his body or take a chunk out of him. However a quick slice with the sword finished them with ease every time. Then with the final extermination of everything within nearly half a mile of Bastok, Vince fell to the ground sweating and panting, propping himself up by his sword.
“You have potential.” said Bluebell. “A natural Red Mage if I ever saw one, but you don’t know magic yet.”
“Hey…you haven’t done anything…you are one to talk!” panted Vince in between breaths.
Bluebell scooped up a small pebble from the ground and pointed at a bee that was floating past, “Behold.”
Winding her arm like a pitcher Bluebell pulled back and threw the pebble at the bee, light shot forth from her hand as the rock became a fireball and hit the bee. An inferno erupted and covered the bee, it fell to the ground smoldering and charred badly.
“I know more then you. I’m better with a mere pebble then you are with a blade.” she gloated.
Vince smirked, “Show off.”
“Drop your loot and you won’t die!” cried a raspy voice of a goblin.
Three goblin thugs had came down from the hill to pick off Vince and the supposedly weak Tarutaru Bluebell.
“What was that?” growled Bluebell as she grabbed a hold of her bronze knuckles.
“Uh-oh.” “We’re fucked. “Bluebell!” the goblins cried together before bravely pulling knives on the Tarutaru in an effort to kill her as a combined effort.
It was over in a flash, Bluebell struck the ground with her fist and the goblins gulped in fear as she leapt into the air at them. All it took was a single strike to the head of each to instantly kill the goblins, their skulls and brains pulverized by the force of Bluebell’s fist.
“Thugs. Some of the worse amongst all goblins.” Bluebell scoffed.
Bluebell grinned as she started to loot the goblin’s packs, pulling three hulking onions and grinning, “Jackpot!”
“Bluebell…what are you?” asked Vince.
“Oh me? I’m a monk. A trained martial artist, my fists are my weapon.”
“And you couldn’t get rid of that guy on your own?”
“I wish! He locked away part of his memories to train in a new style, that’s how you learn quickest after all. Though he is one of the top rangers, a master of tracking and hunting.”
“What weapon does he use?”
“Oh? He uses guns. That’s his specialty.”
“I’m so dead…”
Bluebell laughed, “Not even a guy like him would dare attack in the cities, but perhaps out on the field. It’ll take him quite awhile to even figure out who you are with his brain.”
The setting moon meant the coming dawn and Vince yawned, “Bluebell. I’m sleepy.”
“Remember your promise, Vince?”
Vince smiled and picked up Bluebell in his arms, holding her close to his body. Bluebell smiled and hugged him, “You smell so good. Should we just sleep out here?”
Vince nodded, “Sure. Though I doubt it will be comfortable.”
Moaning softly Bluebell shook her head, “Fine, I’ll take you home.”
Wrapped in the arms of Vince, Bluebell gave tired directions to Vince. Leading him through the streets of Bastok and towards the residential district. It was dawn before Vince had arrived at the correct door and lead Bluebell in.
Her room was filled with dressers, potted plants on stands, a large elegant bed befitting a noble, seven different aquariums filled with fish, two life-like mannequins wearing full sets of armor. Beautiful works of art hung from the walls as well as a Bastokan and Windurst flag. Beautiful bronze flowers and models decorated the tops of her dresser.
“Amazing!” Vince gasped.
Bluebell smiled and pointed to the large bed that was way too big for a small Tarutaru, “Come on in with me. Your place is probably bare right?”
Vince nodded as he put Bluebell down and blushed, “I forgot my other clothes…”
“Don’t worry, I forbid dirty clothes from being in my bed anyways.” said Bluebell as she started to remove her bronze mitts.
“Really?”
“Strip, Vince. Or you sleep on the floor.” Bluebell commanded, now slipping off her bronze leggings.
Vince blushed and quickly threw off his hat and boots before casting off his mitts without so much as a care, but stopped as Bluebell watched with a soft smirk.
“Take it off.”
Vince nodded as he undid the leather straps and took off the harness exposing his bare muscular chest. Though as Bluebell looked lower she grinned with evil as a bulge in the subliger struggled to get out.
“Vince, its okay. I don’t mind.” she said as with two quick flips the bronze harness fell off of he chest and exposed her flat chest and round belly. And without pausing to even gauge his reaction she pulled off her subliger and cast it aside.
She stood in front of him completely naked and smiled, “Your turn, Vince.”
Nervously, Vince grabbed a hold of the leather and pulled it down, his throbbing erection popped free from its confines and stood proud in front of Bluebell giving her more then just a good view.
“See nothing to be worried about!” she smiled as she stared up at him.
“Says you! I can’t see anything from up here!” Vince whined.
Bluebell smiled and jumped up on the bed and spread out giving him a wonderful view of her completely shaved sex. Making Vince turn completely red and asked “Good view?”
Vince nodded weakly as Bluebell slipped underneath the blankets, motioning for him to join her. Vince quickly climbed into the bed and got under the blankets with Bluebell.
“Why did you do that?”
“You are now a member of my linkshell. We are brothers and sisters in arms. Trusting each other means life or death in battle. Being comfortable with each other and their bodies only means that we will be less likely to hesitate should an emergency arise.”
“You are that kind of leader, even though you are a woman?”
“It does not matter what race or sex you are, a comrade is a comrade. Far too many times have I watched countless women die slow and agonizing deaths because the people who could help were too afraid to glimpse at their bodies. Some would rather bleed to death then reveal themselves to those who knew how to help. Should the time come I am injured and you are the only one who could save me; do it at any cost.”
“You have no shame?”
“None, should it save my life or the life of my comrades. Though I felt your eyes, you lust for me…I can sense it.” Bluebell moved closer to Vince and rested her head against his chest, “Your heart is quick…and you were aroused.”
“I’m sorry, it was my first time seeing a woman or revealing myself to one.”
“Don’t be ashamed. Do not hide your feelings. Just remember this was a lesson that I personally do for each and every one of my comrades.”
“Even Hiko?”
Bluebell laughed, “He thought he’d get lucky, but he quickly realized the meaning after I told him of this lesson.”
“Do any of them see you as a woman anymore?”
“No. It is the cost for my tactics. I will never find love with my comrades and I will never cease to fighting until I fall in battle. Women like me are not meant for such things.”
“Bluebell…”
“Don’t Vince. You’ll find a nice girl after your war is over, settle down and forget all about us. This is how things are and how they have always been. Nothing will change that.”
