Young Writers Society

Freedom from the oppression of feminine garments!

Pants are true freedom.

Shortly after leaving the store, I rushed back to the inn with Curse and Crux, claiming that I didn’t want to go trying out weapons in a dress. I quickly changed into a tunic and leather pants before dragging the two back out of the inn, under the lamination of Cruse, who muttered. “Oh dear, she’s a tomboy.”

The guilds blacksmith building was vastly different from the white and browns of the local structures, a solid red brick foundation with brown hardened clay wrapped around three different chimneys. I wouldn’t call the building elegant, but I couldn’t help but appreciate just how solid the whole structure was.

Next to that building was an equally solid looking log cabin, a sign, marked with simple text saying ‘Guild Armaments’ hang above. As soon as I saw the building, I charged in, welcomed to the sight of piles of swords, staves, armor sets, and all sorts of other metal and wood gear.

Thanks to the clothing shop, I have a basic idea of money now.

Fifty Black silver = One Green Silver

Fifty Green silver = One True Silver

There probably is way more going on with the economy, but the most expensive thing in that clothing store was three true silver. Simple clothes were in the black silver range, anything that went over forty-nine switched to green silver in prices, and anything over forty-nine green silver was marked as true silver. Black silver is like a dollar bill, green silver is like a fifty dollar bill, and true silver has no equivalent, enough that I can’t quite guess how much it’s worth. Since the whole fifty to fifty conversion rate might just be my imagination, I’ll leave that last one to figure out later, and just accept it as having a scary high value.

So just looking around, I immediately gave up on getting a weapon. In my own world, the price for most swords was actually quite expensive. Well into the thousands for anything worth actually using. It looks like the prices for even the most basic swords were in the thirty green silver range, with most well into the true silver range.

Gah, even if they would buy something for me, I can’t accept it.

I’m already far too in debt to Curse, Lore, and Crux.

“Don’t mind the prices, those are just for non-guild members.” Crux said, noticing my dejected face.

Even if that’s true, I doubt the discounts could be that low.

“Could a girl that tiny even pick up anything in here?” A gruff old voice said.

Oh right, this is a store.

Lounging across a counter at the side of the store was an incredibly short, yet stocky woman. I could hardly tell she was a woman under all of the hair and ash on her skin, even her voice would have tricked me. The only thing outlining her as a woman was the dress and curve of her chest.

A Calvus, the dwarf equivalent.

Maybe.

I might be a bit racist, and am mislabeling.

“I’m plenty strong.” I argue.

“With arms like those?” She asked, slowly standing up.

“I-I...” Ugh, I never exercised before. “I chopped down a tree before. A swords nothing!” Dad thought I was weak too, so in order to push me to be more active he made me chop wood. Of course I only did it once.

Wait! That was my other body. Dang it.

Not only the Calvus, but even Curse and Crux gave me a surprised look. After a few seconds of silence, the Calvus woman started laughing.

“Pffff, I’d love to see that. Tell you what. My husband has some logs out back that he needs split, if you can cut even one, then I’ll let you take whatever weapon you want out of this store for free.”

“Deal!”

Grrr. She’s mocking me! I know the motions, even if this body is weaker, I should at least be able to swing an axe.

Beside the brick blacksmiths building was a large pile of unchopped wood, and a solid metal axe. The Calvus woman just smiled and sat one of the smaller logs on a lifted platform, pointing at the axe I spotted.

“Well, go on.” She said, clearly amused that I agreed.

Grrr.

I grabbed at the axe, and...was forced to drag it over after just barely lifting it.

The Calvus woman suppressed a giggle.

Calm down. I psyche myself up, lifting the axe with all of my strength, able to raise it all the way above my head. Ha! I can even hear the gasp of amazement. I’m not that weak! Then, following the motions I remember from my other body, I swing down.

Clunk.

Half a inch.

“Pffff, hahahahaha!” The Calvus woman couldn’t suppress her laughter. I think the half inch was all gravities job. I didn’t do anything. I suddenly hear another voice join into the laugher.

Hey Crux! You’re not supposed to laugh too.

“I take it back, if there is even a weapon in there you can lift up and use, I’ll give it to you for free.” The Calvus woman said after she finally caught her breath. Lead back in, I discovered just how weak I actually am. I realized I set myself as a glass cannon, but I didn’t realize just how weak that really was. In a video game, even if you’re weak, you can still pick things up just fine. Even if you can’t use them. But other then that achievement thing, nothing’s really been like a game. In the end I had to pick a weapon that resembled a well polished walking stick. Ugh...isn't there a rule where the most useless thing in a weapons shop turns out to be a legendary object in most stores?

“Is there anything special about this by chance?” I ask, hopeful.

“Not that I can see.” The Calvus said.

“Did you happen to get this from a old man who told you that he wanted you to hold onto it until a worthy person shows up?”

“A friend of mine carved it out of a dead tree.”

“Was the tree magic?”

“Nope.”

“...”

It’s only been half a day since we entered this village, yet it felt like days had passed. Half a day without eating, my stomach growling to fill the void of silence left by my dejection.

Even Curse laughed.

When we left the log cabin weapons shop, it was already dark, the twilight scene beautifully outlining the impossibly well off village. If only I had a camera.

Hungry, and pressed on by Curse, we ran back to the inn, Lore, and Quill invited in for a meal. Finally I can see how this world's food looks. White bread with ham, scrambled eggs, pecan pie, grilled beef, bqq chicken. How would a small village even have these sorts of things. In medieval times, white bread was a status symbol, eggs and meat were for the wealthy, and things like pecan pie was a fantasy.

“Could I have the bbq chicken please?” I place an order anyway.

What’s going on with this world?

“Can you even eat that Mist?” Lore asked.

“I ate plenty of that monkey thing before didn’t I?” I say, almost proudly. Yes, even with this tiny body, my apate was not stolen from me!

Oh, since everyone's gathered, I wonder if I could get away with asking some questions, get more of a feel for the world. Lets thank them first, butter them up. “I never really expected to experience so much in the two days we’ve been together. Thank you all for being so nice to me.” It’s only been two days since I’ve been here, yet it feels like it’s been so long. I don’t know how to really express my thanks, so I try to look them all in the eye, but my eyes fall short and I end up staring at the table. Three out of the four dismissed it as nothing, while Quill just laughed at how he hasn't really done anything.

“I hope it’s not too much to ask but,” Okay, buttering up complete, now to encourage them to brag. “Could you tell me a few stories of your adventures?”

From there, they talked about their job. Like any fantasy game, they were classified as adventurers. A job that just about anyone could have as long as they were strong enough that a guild accepts them. They can take on request, bounties, extermination missions, hunts. The term seems to depend more on the place then the contents, with the name bounty around this village meaning the same as a hunt in another village. Other than stories of various magical beast though. I didn’t get much of a idea on how this world works culturally. I don’t know how to best ask. Maybe since I have the backstory of being isolated I can ask about the odd technology a bit.

“Um, where I was, I thought buildings were made out of mud, and mirrors were just polished metal.”

“Dear, wherever you were trapped, probably isn’t anything like the real world. I promise you, the world is a lot brighter than where you were.” Lore said, seemingly bothered by my statement.

Dang it, I didn’t get a answer. “But, how do they make the buildings so sturdy?”

“I’m not sure, I heard something about concrete and plaster before.” Crux muttered, drinking from a mug of ale that he had ordered when I was not paying attention. Right, it’s not like everyone’s going to know how to build a building. Even if the technology is common.

“I heard it was thought up by one of those heroes.” Quill offered.

“Heroes?” Oh, did other people get pulled over too?

“Occasionally, there will be people out there, who seem to retain some of their memories of their past lives in some other world,” Quill shrugged. “So when they are born, they already have a head start over everyone else, they either become an inventor with all of the technology they remember from their original world, or they become incredibly powerful because they can basically start training from birth on how to fight.”

So we’re going the resurrection route? Then what about me?

Thinking about this, a waitress comes over, handing me and everyone else our meals. Mystery of the random technology boost explained, but mystery of how I got here unknown. I'll worry about that after my well deserved meal.

....

I was only able to eat a few bites before I was full. I couldn’t stuff any more in. 

Most of the meal was still sitting there, taunting me.

Sob.