《The Misfits meet System-san》 [0.01] Introducing the Misfits Alice: Four eighteen-year-old school students, two boys and two girls, were sitting on two decrepit sofas facing each other in a tiny garden shed. The silence was deafening. One of those students was Alice. Come on, somebody say something! Or we¡¯ll never lose our virginities. She fidgeted around as she tried to think of a conversational starter. Since she was using her hands to hold her short skirt close to her legs, this drew even more attention from the two boys sitting opposite her. She turned to the girl sitting to the right of her. ¡°Well, the boys are certainly enthralled by our legs, aren¡¯t they?¡± she said. Cassy giggled. ¡°Yep, they sure are!¡± And then, there was even more silence. Oh, bloody hell. What if I force the issue? So she deliberately positioned her body to point between the two boys and moved her legs apart ever so slightly. ¡°Hey bro, you can just see her panties¡­¡± said Drayden. ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± said Bronsen. Oh, now you say something? thought Alice. Cassy, with another giggle, had copied Alice¡¯s example. Well, at least we have the boys¡¯ attention. But we already had the boys¡¯ attention! We need to get to the talking-things-over part now! How on Earth do couples in a physical relationship do this? Alice clamped her knees together, and Cassy, seeing this, did the same. ¡°Don¡¯t get too far ahead of yourselves, boys. Remember, we first need to decide who goes with whom,¡± she said. "Ohh," said the two boys. "Yes!" said Cassy, "If we can decide that, then we can, maybe, possibly, get onto the interesting parts. Maybe not straight away, but, you know..." ¡°And it¡¯s very private here!¡± said Alice. "Well, OK, I''m happy with that. So, who would like to express their first preference?" said Bronsen. Alice sat there in silence. I just can¡¯t decide between the two. Can¡¯t someone else please choose for me? "Oh, come on! The guy is supposed to be the first to ask the girl, so which of you two would like me?" she said. The two boys looked dismayed. "That''s the problem; I like both of you equally," said Drayden. "Yeah, that is the problem. I like both of you equally, also," said Bronsen. This is hopeless. "OK, the boy makes the first move. But the girl is always the one to accept or reject, right?" said Drayden. "Maybe," said Alice. "So, let''s just skip directly to where the girl says yes or no," he said. "Yeah, Cassy. Or Alice. Just pick one of us and be done with it." said Bronsen. There was another extended silence. Alice kept on fidgeting around without saying anything, as did Cassy. "I guess I have to say that I like both of you equally," said Alice. A sigh from Cassy. "It''s so stupid, but yeah, me too." "This could get frustrating for us boys," said Bronsen. Stolen novel; please report. "Hey, boy! This girl is also getting frustrated, you know!" said Cassy. She slapped the handrest of the sofa to emphasise the point, raising a small cloud of dust. "And don''t leave me out!" said Alice, "Girls have sex drives too, don''t forget." It looks like neither boy is willing to make a choice. "Just make a move, dickheads!" said Alice, "Oops, I didn''t mean to use that word... but anyway!" "Yeah! Bloody hell!" said Cassy at last, "You boys are hopeless!" "Well, so are you!" said Drayden. "Don''t blame us when you''re equally to blame!" said Bronsen. Another intense and awkward silence. Alice finally broke it. "If none of us can make the first move, then let''s just go home, OK? We can all come here tomorrow and try again. That good with all of you?" So they all left for their homes. How pathetic; we can¡¯t even take the first step. What a tremendous letdown. Drayden: The next day: Drayden looked at the marked test paper the teacher had just handed him. The subject was mathematics. Smirk - I got 97%. I bet that''s the highest. Now, where did I lose that 3% - Oh shit! I made a stupid error! Baka! Sigh. It being the end of the school day, he gathered his stuff, jammed it all into his schoolbag, and left the classroom. Still, I beat all of the others. Especially the class stud; he''s always surrounded by at least two, if not more, of the pretty girls from our class. Well, I got something that you don''t! Greater intelligence! In the long run, I''m sure girls will prefer that. Hmm - especially Cassy. Or Alice. Shame it can''t be both. Now, what was I doing - that''s right. His classroom was on the third floor. Looking outwards, he could see the sports ovals and the gardening and maintenance sheds. The little shed that contained the clubroom was out of sight, hidden by the more prominent buildings in front of it. Drayden''s classroom was at the end of the line on the balcony. The one where the highest-ranking students were. The school elite. So, as Drayden looked down the length of the balcony, he simultaneously looked down from his pinnacle of intelligence to the lowest. Everybody was coming out of their classrooms, so Drayden saw many teenagers milling around. He made his way down the line, avoiding everybody''s personal space while pretending not to see them - except for one boy waiting outside the third classroom. "Hi, Bronsen!" said Drayden, finally making eye contact with someone. "Hi there!" Bronsen was taller than Drayden, and his body looked more athletic. His skin colour was slightly brown, contrasting with Drayden''s pure white. They walked down to the fifth classroom to find that the students were still inside. Their teacher must have forcibly delayed them and had only released them from that unwanted state just then. So Drayden and Bronsen waited just outside the door. Ah! There''s Alice! Sitting at her desk and looking down, trying her hardest not to attract any attention. She''s even worse than I. Oh-oh. Drayden had just seen the classroom bully approach Alice from behind. He put one hand on her back. Is he trying to snap Alice''s bra strap? Alice twitched her body when he touched her, stymying his endeavour. So he pulled at her short, black and very curly hair, stepped to the front, thumped his hands on her desk, and leered at her. Alice shrank further into herself and also put one of her hands on her chest just above her breasts to block his view down her blouse. Bronsen and Drayden exchanged glances. I''m glad I got help. And, despite the embarrassment of entering someone else''s classroom, Drayden did so, closely followed by Bronsen. They went to Alice''s desk. "If you mind?" said Bronsen. Bronsen''s attitude indicated that he did mind. The bully just left without saying a word. A couple of passing girls grinned and gave the thumbs-up sign to the two boys, then rapidly set their faces back to neutral and hurried by. Alice gave the boys a look of thanks. Then she put her head down again, picked up her bag, and followed them while still looking down and trying to make herself invisible. Fortunately, this didn''t last all that long. By the time they had gotten to the end of the corridor, to the classroom with the lowest of the low academic ability kids, she was beginning to hold her head up and even say a few words to the boys. This classroom was where Cassy spent most of her time. Finding her on this particular afternoon was more straightforward than usual. They just had to listen to the shouting coming out of the room. This time, it was three to invade the foreign classroom. Cassy was immediately noticeable. She was swearing at the top of her voice and frantically jumping around, trying to catch her school bag. The school bag, however, played hard to get, mainly because it was being tossed back and forth across the room by half a dozen boys. "I order you to give me my bag!" The boys just laughed. "We don''t take orders from a woman." said one of them. "You bunch of arseholes! You shits! I''ll get the teachers onto you!" These were the more polite phrases she was using. Cassy sure knows how to swear. "You''re the one that''s been suspended, not us! The teachers will never believe you!" they said, plus other things that were a lot less polite. We had better act before Cassy does something drastic. Cassy, her long red hair sticking out all over the place and red in the face from anger, tried to catch her bag, only to have a boy grab it. She tried to capture the boy, but he casually avoided her. Getting worked up, she was about to hoist up a desk and throw it at someone when Drayden walked up to her and stood by her side. "Oh. Hello, Drayden," said Cassy. She stopped moving and looked a bit embarrassed. She then greeted Alice, who was now standing on her other side. Bronsen had moved to the boy who currently had the schoolbag and stood in front of him, arms crossed, looking thoroughly pissed off. "Hey, you! Hand over the bag." "Sure, sure, here." The bag was handed over, and then Bronsen gave it to Cassy. "What was all of that about?" said Bronsen. "These dumbos kept on harrassing me!" "Because you kept on insulting us!" "Well, you shouldn''t be so thin-skinned about it all!" "Well, you shouldn''t be so bitchy in the first place." At this point, Alice stepped into the fray. "Cassy, let''s just go now; you surely don''t want to suffer their company any further, do you?" Since Cassy was taller, Alice now definitely had her head up. Cassy agreed, and a couple of minutes later, they were walking across the oval, heading for their clubroom. [0.02] Second meeting in clubroom Bronsen: So, that''s both Alice and Cassy being bullied in one way or another today. Although, I''m sure that Cassy was partly the cause of her own bullying. And now she''s all embarrassed about it. I had better break the ice and get it over with. "Say, Cassy, you looked quite impressive there, with your red hair flaring all over the place and you madly jumping around. And that swearing! Almost an education in itself." "Oh, bullshit, Mr Bronsen. Are you trying to get a rise out of me also?" "Yep, sure am. And I''m succeeding!" "Look! Those boys are just utter pricks; it is not my fault that I''m always in the middle of some fight." "No, no, I''m sure you''re not at fault," said Alice, waving her hands around. "Of course not!" said Drayden. He spoiled it by giggling at the end. He got a death glare back from Cassy. So Bronsen tried to pat her hair, only to have her jerk her head away. "Ah, sorry, I don''t like that - nothing against you, but!" she said. "Oh, well, anyway, we all know you have a slight temper problem." A sigh from Cassy. "I guess so. I''m so embarrassed at you lot seeing me at my worst." "Never mind. After all, what we take notice of is you at your best. Or at least your legs..." said Drayden. "I see. So you''re just after my body. And, of course, Alice''s." "Ooh yes!" said both boys. "Hmm," said Cassy. Riiight, Alice and Cassy are exchanging significant glances here. Maybe we can make some progress this time... "Well, now, shall we get to the clubroom and continue with yesterday''s meeting agenda?" said Bronsen. After getting comfortable in those sofas, three pairs of eyes turned to Bronsen. "So, as club president of the prestigious club The Misfits -" "Cut the bullshit," said Cassy. "OK, OK. Has anyone made a firm commitment yet?" Silence. A drawn-out sigh from Bronsen. Oh bloody hell, still no progress. "I''m sure we are all getting frustrated here," he said. "Yep, sure are. I bet you boys went home and masturbated like crazy last night!" said Cassy. "You bet I did," said Bronsen. "Ha, ha, well, I did also!" said Drayden. Bronsen looked at Cassy and Alice and waited. Come on, admit it. Admit it, girls. Pretty please. Big grin from Cassy. "Well, so did I! More than once!" Oh, wow! And Drayden thinks so as well. "Do you lot want me to say if I masturbated last night, ah, and this morning, also?" said Alice, "Isn''t that asking a bit too much?" Oh-oh, I''m getting a little excited here. This could get embarrassing. But I can''t resist. "Did you say this morning, also?" said Bronsen. "Ah, well, actually, yes!" said Alice. There was a snort of amusement from Cassy. "Alice, I think the boys are starting to react to us if you understand my meaning." "Ooh, so they are." Bronsen was hunched over slightly and holding his knees up just a little. Uh oh, this is getting intense. Drayden is reacting the same way, too. "Say, Alice, do you use a vibrator?" said Cassy. She¡¯s going to talk about vibrators? Oh wow. This is going to get very intense. And both Alice and Cassy are looking at each other and pretending to ignore us. Bronsen was aware of his breathing getting deeper and faster, and his face going red. Cassy¡¯s face is also turning red. Of course, with her almost black skin, nobody can tell if Alice¡¯s face is turning red or not. Alice hesitated, breathed, and said, "Of course I do. Also, of course, this is the first time I''ve told anyone. And I certainly hide it from my parents." "Well, so do I. Mine is called an ''Easy Rider''. What is the brand name of yours?" said Cassy. "Oh, it''s known as a ''Pink Flufficator''." Both girls started laughing. Bronsen¡¯s face went beetroot red. He hunched right over and moved his knees up. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Drayden was doing the same. Shit! The girls can see that I have a massive colossal erection. And so does Drayden. I hope they stop this line of talk before anything happens. "So, how long is the business end of yours?" said Cassy. "Oh, about this much," said Alice, spreading her finger and thumb to indicate approximately ten centimetres. "Well, mine''s about fifteen centimetres long. Although I can''t fit it all the way in." Giggling nervously, Alice replied, "Mine does go all the way in. But generally, I prefer it to be only about half inserted." Bronsen gulped nervously. Oh crap, this is getting too exciting. I hope I don¡¯t... Cassy and Alice simultaneously looked up to check on the boys. "Hmm," said Alice. "Yeah," said Cassy. ¡°Say, Cassy, I swear there is steam coming out of their ears!¡± said Alice. "Yes. While we could continue, I don''t think we really ought to," said Cassy. "Yeah, I agree. It would be extreme cruelty to dumb animals, wouldn''t it," said Alice. "So we had better change the topic. It''s up to us; I don''t think they can generate all that much coherent speech at the moment," said Cassy. "In that case, I have been thinking that we could talk about what each of us thinks is special about the others. Maybe it will help us to make a decision. After all, we have to decide sometime soon, or else someone is going to die from sexual frustration-induced heart attack." "Fine. I''ll start - Drayden first. I was totally amazed to learn that you spend Sunday mornings volunteering at the local hospice. That you go around and give the patients their breakfasts, talk to them, and act as a guide for the visitors. I mean, I''m scared of the very idea of dealing with someone close to death, and you do it every weekend!" said Cassy. Drayden took a few deep breaths and started to relax. "Ah, that. It started when I was visiting Granny as she came to her end. And, well, it just went on from there." said Drayden. "I was thinking that you were a complete and utter nerd, doing nothing but school study, building electronic circuits, and playing those computer games; what are they called again?" said Cassy. "Role Playing Games," said Drayden. "Yeah, those games. And, since I''m right at the bottom of the academic pile, I thought you would never even give me the time of day," said Cassy. "Well, I never had any friends, either." Cassy looked at the Bronsen. "So, would you agree that he is amazing? You can nod your head if you still can''t talk yet." Bronsen nodded his head. Let¡¯s stick to safer topics for the time being. "Isn''t it great," said Cassy to Alice, "How much power we can exert over the boys?" "Yeah, it''s fantastic. Sometimes. Generally, it''s a real pain, but like this, I think it''s incredible," said Alice. "You''re right about it being a pain, like when some gross slob of a bloke leers at our skirts as we walk through the shopping centre." "That is so ucky. But, right now, wow. I wish we could retain this sort of power all the time over them," said Alice. "How so?" "Well, if we could flick a switch and the boy''s desires disappear. And he doesn''t get it back until we decide to flick the switch the other way," said Alice. "Now that would be awesome! Having a sex life purely at our convenience. Shame, it''s never going to happen." said Cassy. "Yeah. Don''t you boys think it''s a shame that we cannot control you like that?" said Alice, putting on her most innocent look. Having my libido entirely controlled by the girl? Wouldn''t that be terrible? Although, these two girls pretty much control it anyway. "Ah, I''m not quite sure, one way or the other," said Bronsen. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. "I guess, in the general case, if the man is in an exclusive relationship with a woman, and the woman doesn''t want to have sex at some point in time, well, the man might as well have his sex drive turned off. But, on the other hand, he could still masturbate, so, I dunno," said Drayden. Alice grinned. "I think the boys, particularly Drayden, have their speech centres operating normally again. All that blood must be back to their brains and not elsewhere!" Yeah, it¡¯s a relief to back off from what could have been a very embarrassing disaster. "But they still have erections!" said Cassy. Ah, careful, Cassy, don''t start us off again. Please! I know; I''ll continue discussing why we like each other. Bronsen cleared his throat. "Anyway. I decided I liked Cassy when the three of us found her in the park after school one day, and she was running her informal little playgroup session with her younger sister Veronica and her sister''s five friends. I mean, normally at school, we see you either sulking at the back of your class or in some fight with someone. And yet, there you were, calming down a little six-year-old girl who had just fallen over, and then you continued playing with them." "That''s right, it contrasted with your usual behaviour, seeing you with your sister. That''s when I decided that your body and personality were lovely," said Drayden. "Oh, my body still comes first, does it?" said Cassy. Bronsen produced a big cheesy grin. ¡°Oh, you bet!¡± "Not with me! It''s strictly your personality I admire," said Alice. "But I can''t say the same about Bronsen!" she continued. "Of course, the personality comes first. Well, at least for us girls. And when we visited your house that time and found out that you were practically bringing up your mentally disabled younger brother all by yourself, I was so impressed." said Alice. "Not all by myself; my parents provide all of the finance, drive Timothy around, and take him to his special needs school, and, you know, all that sort of stuff. All I do is, basically, the emotional bonding stuff. Cause my parents couldn''t care less," said Bronsen. He looked sad, so Drayden gently patted his back a few times. "Anyway," said Alice, "To see you hugging him, escorting him to the toilet, and getting him to bed and reading him a story, well, my mind was blown." "Same here." said Cassy, "All of that side of you is just not visible at school." "So it must be my turn now," said Drayden. He turned his head to Alice. "What I think is great about you is your work in that indoor rock climbing club. And, the time we visited, there you were, encouraging these old but fit fogies to climb up and down the wall. You looked confident and relaxed, and you spoke clearly and with conviction. It was such a change from your usual don''t-look-at-me look as you walk around the school, head bent down, eyes on the ground, never saying anything to anyone." "Ah, yes. I suppose at the rock climbing club, since they don''t know me, I can try out new ways of interacting with them, and if it doesn''t work out, well, there''s always next week and a new lot of clients," said Alice. By now, Bronsen was fully relaxed and feeling normal. There was a contemplative silence for a while. Faintly, they could hear the soccer club having a trial match in the background. Drayden: Now, if we can get back to the main agenda item? "So, I guess that there''s still nobody able to make a decision?" said Drayden. There were mumbled noes from the other three. "Bloody hell! I could be having my very own girlfriend for the first time - and I get a choice of two! And nobody wants to make a choice as to which one!" said Bronsen. He waved his arms out and shouted out, "This sucks!" I fully agree! But I hope nobody outside heard that. Everybody became quiet. He listened, but the noises outside remained faint, and nobody appeared to be coming closer. "Nevertheless, it is the pits," said Alice, "I''m sure that none of the other students have this problem." "Admit it, we''re stupid beyond belief when it comes to sex and relationships," said Cassy, "I''m sure at least half of the other students in our year are happily fucking each other like bunnies, and we are stuck at the can''t decide stage." Fucking like bunnies? Isn¡¯t that a bit crude? Never mind, it¡¯s just Cassy. "Yeah, I''m sure the class stud in my classroom is making out like that bunny with at least two of the girls. In fact, two of the most attractive girls in our year... oops," said Drayden. He then stopped. I think I might have made a grave tactical mistake. He saw two girls looking at him with killing intent. Cassy made a scissor-cutting motion with her hand. "I''m sure boys have had their you-know-what cut off for crimes less severe than that." Oh shit, that was extra stupid. I had better act it up and make a grand apology. Drayden clamped his hands over his groin. "Don''t cut me! I, well, I mean to be in a sincere and loving relationship with one of you soon, so, of course, we must strive to attain honesty in our communications, and, well, in all truthfulness, you two are not at the level of Miss Universe Beauty competition entrants - but that doesn''t matter! I mean, I want a union of our hearts and souls, not to mention our personalities, and once we become deep in love, your inner beauty will combine with your physical outer beauty and to me, you will outshine all other women! Truly!" Cassy looked at Drayden. Then looked at Alice. Alice and Cassy nodded their heads. "Not bad. A bit on the flowery side and over the top, but I''ll give that a pass," said Cassy, smiling happily. "But, getting back to the main topic... Why don''t we just each have two girlfriends? Or boyfriends, as the case may be." said Bronsen. Drayden gave a big grin; Oooh yeah, wouldn¡¯t that be nice! "You want to make love to me, then hop out of my bed and hop into Cassy''s bed and make love to her?" said Alice, "Like bloody hell!" Drayden lost his grin. "I bet you probably want both of us in bed with you at once, don''t you?" said Cassy. Another grin from Drayden, but not as big as the first one. Wow, just think of it, Cassy''s pure white skin alongside Alice''s almost black skin... I had better stop thinking about this. After all, I know perfectly well where this is leading. And Bronsen does also. "There will be no group sex!" said both girls, displaying amazing unrehearsed synchronisation. Their eyes glowed red, and Drayden pushed as far back on his sofa as he could. "Never!" said Alice. "Ever!" said Cassy. But Drayden still had a bit of grit left. "So, it''s all right if we have two girlfriends each, but we keep the sex part separate?" "I may be a stupid sex-crazed teenage virgin, but even I know that such an arrangement will end in lots of tears!" said Cassy. "I''ll have to agree with that," said Alice. Unfortunately, so do I. Let¡¯s ham this up. Drayden pulled out his calculator. "Let''s not rely on our ignorant estimates; let''s work it out scientifically..." He began mashing the keys on the calculator. "There''s four people, and each person has two others they like, so that makes it a total of four different couples, plus another two platonic relationships, plus..." "And I get that such a love square with us will last about seven..." "What, seven years?" said Bronsen. "No, about seven days," said Drayden. "Bullshit. I would give it seven hours before it all gets too nasty to handle," said Cassy. "That feels about right. Seven hours for us to have sex in all possible combinations, and then the jealousy would hit like a falling bus," said Alice. "It''s a bit sad, actually," said Drayden. "It is. It would certainly solve our problems, at least for the time being," said Bronsen. There was a depressed silence for a while. During this time, Bronsen noticed that the calculator that Drayden was still holding did not look like a conventional calculator. It was bigger and fatter than normal and had a clear plastic case showing off the circuitry inside. "Funny-looking calculator," he said. "Ah, this. It''s not a calculator as such; it is a developmental electronics board into which you can sort of program your digital electronic design. So I designed it to act like a calculator." "That''s clever... I think," said Cassy. Oops, I didn¡¯t mean to show off my hobby like this. He hurriedly put it back into his bag. "But, anyway, Alice, when you said ''in all possible combinations'', were you by chance thinking about Drayden and Bronsen together?" said Cassy. Drayden reacted instantly. "No bloody way!" Bronsen said the exact same thing at the exact same time. "Ohh, you mean there is not going to be any hot BL action for me to watch?" said Cassy. "Huh?" said Bronsen. "BL means Boy Love," said Cassy, "It''s a whole subgenre of young adult literature. They all looked at her. "So, does that mean you - read it?" said Drayden. "Ah, well, I didn''t mean to tell you about that, but yes, I do. Any problems?" said Cassy. "And, do these boys get up to, you know, actual sex and everything?" said Alice. "Y-yes?" said Cassy. "Say, can I borrow some of your BL literature - purely for scientific research, of course," said Alice. "Certainly!" Wow, another exciting facet of her personality. And Bronsen looks as if he had never even heard about BL literature. And now Alice wants to read some. Of course, that segues directly to something else! "What about some hot girl-on-girl action?¡± said Drayden. "No bloody way!" said two girls in perfect timing. How disappointing! "Not that I have anything against lesbians, you mind. Nor, for that matter, against male homosexuals. It''s just that I''m strictly heterosexual." said Alice. "Well, for what it''s worth, that''s good that you don''t mind homosexuals. Since my older sister is one," said Drayden. "She is? How did your parents take it?" said Alice. "It took them hardly any effort before they fully accepted," said Drayden. "Amazing. If it were my parents, they would have gone ballistic." said Alice, "I''ve had some robust conversations with them on that subject. I have just given up even mentioning such things." What were we originally talking about? That¡¯s right, girl-on-girl action. Fortunately, Cassy went right back to this. "Poor boys, since we won''t be supplying any girl x girl action, it looks like they will just have to stick to their pornographic websites, doesn''t it," said Cassy. "Yep, they sure do. But wait a minute, they have us! Should we let them look at all of those pictures of naked girls?" said Alice. "Well, now, in the strictly hypothetical case where each boy does have both of us, then, of course, one of the absolute conditions is that they don''t look at pictures of naked girls at all," said Cassy. "Sounds reasonable, in that strictly hypothetical case, of course. I would go further and make it so that they can''t look at any other girl, either on a computer screen or in real life, with sexual intent ever again. Do you think that is fair, Cassy?" "Of course. And do you think it is fair, boys?" "Hmm, in that strictly hypothetical case, sure. I''m happy to make that sacrifice,¡± said Bronsen. "Oh, yes, I''m happy with that, too," said Drayden. "Hey, wait a minute, that also means that you two can''t take notice of any handsome boys, either," said Bronsen. "What, I would have to give up my BL?" said Cassy, "Well, since this is all strictly hypothetical, then I guess I would have to." "So, OK, I would too," said Alice. By now, they were all laughing. "This is all so much bullshit!" said Cassy, "Remember, we are still complete virgins and still can''t commit ourselves to anything." "But it is also so romantic. I mean, there is true love between all four of us - well, it''s platonic between the two girls and the two boys - and we are all so devoted to the group that we are not willing to lose our love by breaking up into couples," said Alice. "Oh, rubbish. I think we are just sex-crazed teenagers high on hormones and just want to have sex with each other," said Bronsen. "Oh, you have so destroyed my mood of romance by mentioning such a sordid thing as sex!" said Alice. Did she really mean that? Well, maybe not, she is laughing after all. I think. Anyway... "Well, I think that we are just scared shitless about the whole taking-the-next-step-to-being-adults thing, and we are just procrastinating madly and putting off making any commitment," said Drayden. "Bullshit! I''m not scared of starting a sexual relationship!" said Cassy. "Oh yeah? Then make a choice, and you can!" said Bronsen. "Huh..." said Cassy. Alice grabbed her school bag, rummaged around, and produced a large sheet of paper (only slightly crinkled) and a marker. She scratched away at it and created this diagram.
Bullshit Scared
True love Sex
Which she showed to the group. Yep, that¡¯s all true. "I can do better than that," said Cassy. She took the paper and marker, added her annotations, and showed the group the result.
Total Bullshit All the way Scared Shitless and totally ignorant
True love and friendship - we hope Sex-crazed hormone-charged teenage lust
And that just about sums it all up. Drayden nodded his head in agreement and saw that the others were also. Cassy grabbed a beat-up chair that was currently crammed into a corner and put the sheet of paper on it, where it was visible to all. "So, what do we do about it?" she said. "Let''s call it a night since it is getting late. I need to go home now," said Drayden. "Sure. I bet you want to fantasise about two girls talking about vibrators!" said Cassy. "My my, how did you ever guess?" said Drayden. Alice and Bronsen giggled. They got their bags, went to the door, and then halted. "Hmm, since we are all such good friends, can''t we at least share a hug..." said Drayden. I hope that Cassy and Alice are not too sceptical. "Are you going to get an erection from merely touching a girl?" said Cassy, "After all, you are a total virgin." "Ah, certainly not! I mean, I won''t get an erection even if I am a total virgin. Err, as long as the hug doesn''t last too long." said Drayden. Bronsen agreed. Cassy smiled evilly, "Then, in which case, prove it by first hugging Drayden! And then, whatever sort of hug it is, you can share it with me. And, I suppose, with Alice." Eek! You want me to hug Bronsen? Then it was Bronsen''s turn to smile evilly. "Sure, we''ll do it if you and Alice also share a hug. Agreed, Drayden?" "Oh, ahh, sure!" Alice and Cassy shared another glance. "OK, boys first," said Alice. Drayden faced Bronsen and, very gingery, opened his arms. Bronsen followed suit; they stepped in towards each other and gave each other a full-body hug. This is weird or something. I can feel his body against mine. It''s not quite uck, but not entirely comfortable, either. Let¡¯s separate as soon as possible. But not so fast that Bronsen will be offended. They stepped apart. "Ooh wow, a bit of BL after all!" said Cassy. "It is not BL!" said Drayden. "OK, now the boys and girls can hug. We need to leave the two girls'' hug to the very end; otherwise, the boys will get too excited," said Cassy. So Alice and Cassy gave a brief hug to Bronsen and Drayden, and then they swapped over. And, at last, the event the boys had been waiting for was when Alice and Cassy hugged each other. This is the best hug of all! Now that¡¯s something to, err, think about tonight. Narrator: Finally, the Misfits turned off the light, locked the door, and went home and did whatever was necessary to relieve their frustrations - more than once. Sadly, the relief didn''t last for very long. The forgotten piece of paper was left behind, sitting on the chair. [0.03] Another meeting, then the amusement park Cassy: The following afternoon, they again formed a single group as they approached the clubroom. This time, they found an oldish man dressed in workman''s overalls and carrying three bags of fertiliser with casual strength. He nodded to them amiably as he pushed open the door, ready to step in. Who¡¯s this bloke? "Oh, hi, you must be the members of the Misfits club." Ahh, he¡¯s the chief gardener who allowed us to use this little shed. "Yes, that''s us. Sorry, are we too early?" said Cassy. "Nah, it''s fine. I had a late delivery of a ton of fertiliser. Just wait a moment." He disappeared inside. There was the sound of three heavy bags thumping down. Then he reappeared. "Right, that''s it for me. Us gardeners start early and finish at 3:00 pm, which I guess is very convenient for your usage, isn''t it?" "It sure is, Mr Gardener," said Alice. "So polite... Anyway, sorry, but you have slightly less room than yesterday, but you can still fit in, no problem." He brushed some dust off his shirt, then hesitated before speaking again. "Say, you don''t have to say anything if you don''t want to, but you left behind your piece of paper last night..." Shit! ¡°That is unfortunate; did anyone else see it?" said Cassy. "Nah, I was in first, and when I saw it, I folded it up and put it under one of the sofa cushions." "Thanks." said Bronsen. A chuckle from the man. "No problems. I don''t want to be too intrusive here, but I hope you are not worrying too much about things. Being a teenager is meant to be a difficult time, you know. What with all the working out what you are going to do in the future about jobs and future education and money, let alone all of the sex stuff. So, there''s no need to panic or feel overwhelmed. You will eventually work things out. Well, probably, there were some unfortunate kids back then when I was a youngster - ah, never mind. But, anyway, you lot look sensible; you might have a bullshit time now, but you will grow past all of this. Just about everyone has to go through similar turmoils; I know that my past wife and I certainly did!" What did he and his wife get up to, I wonder? "Oh, right. Thanks for your support," said Alice. "Say, none of my business, of course, but if you don''t mind, which of you are in which couples?" Cassy rolled her eyes and shrugged, "That''s our big problem now; we can''t decide! And it''s a bloody pain!" "Yeah, we are in a perfect love square at the moment," said Drayden. The gardener blinked his eyes in surprise. "Oh, well, that''s a new one. But I''m sure you''ll cope. If you excuse me, I must be off; I gotta get ready for my part-time bus driving job. See ya." He waved to them and left the scene. The teenagers went inside, with Alice carefully closing and locking the door. As promised, the wall of fertiliser bags on one side and the stack of hay bales on the other were closer than before. But this didn''t concern the teenagers. They had more important things to be worried about. Just before Alice sat down, she realised she was next to the last three bags the gardener had carried in. She made a brief attempt to lift them, only to utterly fail. Drayden laughed. "Don''t worry, it''s not for your strength that we love you." Alice gave him a look of disdain and then flopped onto her place on the sofa. They were now sitting in their accustomed places on the two sofas, which were a bit closer. So their knees were almost touching. I bet the boys don''t mind this at all! Hmm, I don''t either. Cassy was holding the piece of paper she had retrieved from under the cushion. She had also made a show of putting her knees together and spreading her skirt as far down as possible, as did Alice. "That man was quite nice, wasn''t he?" said Alice. "Yeah, the school teacher who let us have this room said it was mostly because the chief gardener was so amicable and laid back about the whole idea that she saw no reason to refuse," said Bronsen. "I wonder what turmoils he and his wife went through when they were teenagers?" said Cassy. "If we are anything to go by, it would probably be illegal for him to tell us since we are students at the school he works in," said Alice. "Ooh, yeah, it certainly is interesting here, sometimes!" said Drayden. "Like just barely seeing your panties!" said Bronsen. Oh, please don¡¯t remind me of that! Cassy''s face went red. "I never knew I could get so carried away with things; just thinking about it causes me to meltdown in embarrassment," she said. "You too? I thought you were so confident then. Unlike me. So, please, boys, never tell anyone else about that!" said Alice. Don¡¯t the boys look so disappointed! Well, tough luck. "You mean, can''t we have such a display again? Like, right now?" said Bronsen, voice filled with dismay, ¡°I mean, it wasn¡¯t really all that much, was it?¡± Both girls simultaneously said, "NO!" "After all, it is almost an infraction of the ''no group sex'' rule, isn''t it?" said Cassy. "Oh, definitely," said Alice, "But look on the bright side; you have something to look forward to when we decide who we will be dating." "But, when you think about it, it''s no different to being on the beach and you wearing bikinis, is it?" said Drayden. Raised eyebrows from Cassy. "Sure, but right now, we aren''t on the beach, are we?" "And, besides which, while I own a bikini, I haven''t ever worn it in public," said Alice. "Hey, that''s the same as me!" said Cassy. "Hmm, I think we could arrange a beach visit when the weather is warmer," said Brosen. "Oh, I wouldn''t be against it, but it''s too cold now," said Cassy. "OK, I know, how about tomorrow, Saturday, we go to the local amusement park?" said Alice. "Although it has to be the afternoon since I work in the mornings." "Sounds like a good idea. And if we split up into different combinations of twos for the various rides, then maybe something will ''happen'', and we will finally collapse into two couples." said Drayden. "Collapse?" said Cassy. "Whatever," said Drayden. Having made this critical decision, the group was silent. Nobody wants to go home, but they are too scared to ask for more. We''re hopeless. "I bet you boys want a little bit extra before we go home, don''t you?" said Cassy. "You bet we do. But, ah, will you suggest something?" said Bronsen. "Yeah, like what?" said Alice. Cassy sighed. "I don''t know. Anything too, you know, explicit, is totally against the rules. Perhaps we can hug each other again?" "But slightly longer, this time!" said Alice, "Err, not that I want to go against the rules, mind you... Well, not too much..." So, Cassy had a hug with Bronsen and then with Drayden. As did Alice, but in the reverse order. Cassy had to suppress a giggle. My my, we somehow have forgotten all about the same-sex hugs, which is all right by me. And both boys have erections! It''s time to tease them a bit. "Are you two boys going to walk home with such visible, err, you know whats?" A giggle from Alice, "At least us girls don''t have that problem!" "Ah, no, never mind us; once we leave your company, I''m sure we''ll deflate," said Bronsen. Drayden nervously giggled. So, being careful to take their piece of paper, they left, locking the door behind them. Alice: The local amusement park was quite a hike from their homes, so they caught a bus. Right now, they were standing just outside the park''s entrance. We''re all a bit reluctant to go inside, aren''t we? I bet I know why, too. "Say, how about we stroll up the walking trail for a bit?" said Alice. The park was on high ground, overlooking the city they lived in. And the walking trail skirted a sudden drop in elevation. For safety reasons, there was a vehicle arrestor fence, with thick cables, on the side of the trail that was away from the drop, while between the path and the steep drop was a chain link fence. So, as they strolled along, gradually gaining elevation, they could see out across the city they lived in, and in the distance, a glint of blue that was the ocean. To the other side was a grassed sloping area and then the fence that was the boundary for the amusement park. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. A bit further above them was a bus parking area. They could see a single bus and a small mob of children milling around. They must have been playing ball games since two tennis balls were now rolling down the slope. Bronsen, the most athletic of the four, easily intercepted and scooped them up. He amused himself by juggling them a bit as they continued walking upwards. "Ah, everyone, we did plan on going in and trying various rides in all possible pairs..." said Alice. Bronsen stopped juggling the balls. "Yeah, we did, but I don''t know..." "Face it, we are scared of taking the next step, aren''t we?" said Cassy. "That''s right. It just seems safer to stick to our foursome for now," said Drayden. They stopped and lined up close to the chain link fence, looking out over the city. At this point, the ground dropped off in an almost vertical cliff. "Do you think the other students have the same fears as us?" said Cassy. "Well, watching the stud in my class, plus some of the others, they don''t appear to do so." said Drayden, "The stud seems pretty much relaxed and confident in himself, and his girls don''t appear to be particularly anxious, either." "By the way, how do you know he is intimate with at least two of the girls?" said Bronsen. "Well, he''s always patting their bottoms and generally carrying on, and they give out squeals of laughter but otherwise don''t seem to complain, so, I mean, what else could it be?" "Hmm, I certainly wouldn''t allow any other boy to pat my bottom, and I haven''t gotten around to allowing you two to do so, so I suppose that''s a pretty good indicator," said Cassy. "Yeah, letting you boys pat my bottom is a step or two further along in our relationship," said Alice. "And, in my classroom, I''m always overhearing fragments of conversations, which suggest there must be a lot of screwing around. But, no one seems to express any doubts or fears," said Bronsen. "How annoying! It''s just us that can''t get our act together," said Alice. "I wish we could make more progress than we already have!" "Well, we have made quite a bit of progress, haven''t we?" said Drayden. "After all, we have become good friends; we have our own private space to be together, and we are having this conversation. I certainly have never talked like this with anyone else before." "Yes, but! Our relationship progress has been as a perfectly balanced love square!" said Alice. She stamped her foot in exasperation. "I suppose we all agree that having a four-way group sexual relationship is just not practical?" said Drayden. Of course it isn¡¯t! And you know it. "Of course! Everything I have read about sex and relationships suggests that it is difficult in the best of circumstances, with only two people. To try to keep it all together with four is just a recipe for disaster." said Alice. She grabbed the two tennis balls from Bronsen''s hands and balanced one ball on top of the other. "It''s like trying to keep this ball on top of the other. It''s just not going to work very well, is it?" As if in agreement, she lost her balance, and the top ball fell off. To be caught deftly by Bronsen. "I agree. It would probably require some external forces to keep the balls balanced. Like someone''s hand, continually pushing the top ball back into place," said Bronsen. "I wonder how the stud manages to keep his threesome going, then?" said Drayden. "Dunno. Maybe it won''t last much longer, perhaps?" said Cassy. "Or, maybe they are better at it than we are?" said Bronsen. "Yeah, probably," said Alice. So why can¡¯t we be like that? Instead, we are stuck in this miserable, indecisive state. They set off strolling again, slowly making their way up the trail. As they did, they passed a maintenance worker disconnecting the cables on the arrestor fence and laying them out on the grass, which meant an easy-to-cross gap. Accordingly, Cassy suggested, "Shall we walk over to the bus parking area and return these balls?" In silence, they did so. As they neared, they could see about thirty or so little children, most of them about seven years old, running around with great energy. Four old ladies appeared to be in charge of them. The old ladies did minimal running; instead, they managed to keep the kids under control through a continued stream of suggestions and outright commands. "Hey! I recognise some of those girls! This must be the outing that my sister was going to go on." said Cassy. "Oh, so she''s not here?" said Drayden. "Nyah, Dad put his foot down and decreed that this morning was the time for Mum to take her shopping for new school uniforms. My sister was disappointed, but Dad''s always a pain like that." At this point, two of the kids, a boy aged about 7 holding the hand of a girl aged about 5, saw the teenagers and shouted out in great excitement- "Granddad, they found the missing tennis balls!" Granddad must have been just to the other side of the bus as he came out and had a look. He had on overalls with ''Bus Driver'' stencilled on in front. And he looked familiar. "Oh, we know you, you''re Mr Gardner from our school!" said Cassy. He looked at the four and recognised them. "Ah, the Misfits. Oh, and my name is Jenkins." "Right. Mr Jenkins," said Cassy. He laughed. Then he pointed at the two kids, still holding hands. "And these two adorable kids are my grandchildren!" Alice barely managed to stop herself from patting their heads. Aww, they are sooooo cute. Cassy thinks so, too. Oooh, wow, the boys also think so. That''s wonderful. Jenkins took the two tennis balls and put them inside the bus. Then he had to answer his mobile. "Huh? Why do I need to - OK, I''ll deal with it now." He shouted to the four ladies, "I got to deal with something. Can you get the kids onto the bus and pack the picnic stuff?" The ladies agreed, and Jenkins, muttering to himself, rapidly walked off towards the entrance to the amusement park. Due to the surrounding trees, he was soon out of sight. Perhaps we can play with the kids just a little bit? But before Alice could say anything, Bronsen spoke up. "How about we hide in that thicket of trees and have a little club meeting?" Cassy raised her eyebrows. "Hide ourselves? What might you be trying to do?" "Who knows? He might have designs upon our ever so innocent bodies!" said Alice. "In which case, the faster we move there, the faster we can find out!" said Cassy. The Misfits A little while later, they were in a compact little group, sitting on the ground, the two girls facing the two boys, their knees almost touching. By looking to the side, they could see the bus and the kids being slowly herded into it by the four ladies, but because of the hedge in front of them and the overhanging tree branches, the teenagers were not all that visible. The girls sat cross-legged, just like the boys. "Well, bro, we can''t see their panties, but still, don''t they have absolutely gorgeous legs!" said Drayden. "Yes, don''t they!" Alice and Cassy exchanged looks. "They''re quite predictable, aren''t they?" said Alice. "Yeah, they are," said Cassy. "But we''re still all frustrated," said Alice. "I don''t like saying this, but I think we will just have to put up with being stuck at this stage for some time," said Drayden. "I agree. Unlike all of those other students who are ever so happily fucking each other like bunnies, we don''t have a clue about such things," said Bronsen. "It''s all so much bullshit; we can''t even do a simple thing like make a choice. So, yes, let''s continue as we have been for the time being," said Cassy. "In that case, why don''t we pretend to be in that hypothetical state of a perfectly stable love square with sex? But, of course, without the actual sex." said Alice, "After all, if we don''t have the sex stuff, then we should be able to keep it stable, right?" "Sure. But, still, we do some sexy stuff, right?" said Drayden. "Yeah, like we can build upon the stuff we have already done," said Bronsen. "Well, maybe..." said Cassy. "We need some rules!" said Alice. "Let''s see, we should..." said Bronsen, only he was cut off by Cassy. "Hey, us females will make the rules, right, boys?" "Oh, yes, I guess so," said Drayden. "Isn''t that a bit unfair?" said Bronsen. "It is quite fair. After all, the girls are the most concerned about their boundaries, and if they don''t lay down some firm rules, us boys might get a bit carried away. We gotta make sure we have their full consent for anything we do." said Drayden. "How does a virgin boy get to be so responsible and knowledgeable about such matters?" said Cassy. ¡°Yeah, how does he?¡± said Alice. "Oh, well, don''t tell anyone, but, you see... My older sister, Deborah, was - raped - last year. By a boy she knew and thought she could trust. And, well, he just kept on making moves on her and disregarded her noes. She was freaked out for a month or so afterwards. The police didn''t bother doing anything because - quote - she knew him and willingly entered his house - unquote - and, well, since then, I have done quite a bit of serious thinking about getting consent when it comes to girls and their bodies, and, well, that''s the way it is." said Drayden. In the subsequent silence, they all looked sideways. The four little old ladies were slowly marshalling the children into the bus, with much excitement and enjoyment on the part of the children. "Is she better now?" said Bronsen. "I think so? Sometimes, I wonder, but I think she is back to normal. Except maybe not. I don''t know." said Drayden. "Then, in which case, I have no objection if the girls make all the rules. And I will do my best to abide by them," said Bronsen. "You damned well better do so! And I feel for Drayden''s sister. I''m terrified of being raped. I think I would rather die." said Cassy. "Ah, please don''t!" said Alice as she put her arms around Cassy. Bronsen and Drayden showed concern by holding one of her hands. Cassy very rapidly perked up and looked brighter. "Of course, consensual activities are a different matter!" she said. "Good, good. Now, getting back to the rules. That is, the rules for our strictly hypothetical group, err, marriage?" said Alice. "Well, since this is all high fantasy, then, sure, let''s call it a group marriage," said Cassy. "Of course, the number one rule is -" said Alice. "No group sex!" said both girls. They both giggled like crazy. "Yeah, it''s too gross!" said Alice. "Sex is private!" said Cassy. The boys nodded their heads. "Considering that all of my sex up to now has been extremely private, all by myself, then that shouldn''t be all that difficult a constraint," said Bronsen. "Remember, this is all ridiculous fantasy; we won''t be having sex!" said Alice. Both boys nodded their heads. Again. "That''s right. And that leads to rule number two, which is, ''It''s all bullshit!''." said Cassy. "Of course!" said Drayden. "And rule number three is that the girls have the final say in what happens with our sexuality," said Alice. "I guess if we have both of you, then we certainly need to make some concessions..." said Bronsen. "Yeah, I''ve no problems with that one," said Drayden. "And rule number four is, ''You boys don''t take any notice of any other girls in any sexual way at all! Nor look at any pornographic images! When it comes to sex and romance, you are devoted to us to the exclusion of all others!" said Alice. "That rule is a bit longer than the previous rules, isn''t it?" said Bronsen. "Yes, however, the concept is straightforward, so I agree. But in return, that also has to apply to you girls," said Drayden. "Ah, yes, OK, I somewhat reluctantly agree," said Cassy. "Hmm, yeah," said Alice. "Hey, how about a rule that says there is to be no expectation of any BL, OK?" said Bronsen. "Are you sure you don''t have the slightest bit of inclination..." said Cassy, very hopefully. "No!" said both boys. "Yeah, then fine. Of course, no girl-on-girl love is expected, right?" said Alice. "I suppose so," said Drayden. Bronsen nodded his head in reluctant agreement. "Now, if us girls can return to making the important rules?" said Cassy. She didn''t get any disagreements from the boys, so she continued. "Let''s see, if we are to be a stable group marriage - say, does anyone else find it a bit weird to use that phrase?" said Cassy. "I guess so, but it''s all fantasy, so why not?" said Bronsen. "OK, then, to be stable, we need to; how can I say this, we need to have a shared destiny? Or something? We need to have our lives entwined so much that one person''s self-interest is the same as the self-interests of the other three. Err, or something like that." said Cassy. "Sort of like we are soul-bound somehow?" said Alice. "Whatever that might mean. Let''s go to the extreme and say that our destinies are entwined so much that when one of us dies, the rest die soon after?" said Drayden. "Wow, that''s doing the shared destiny thing to the max, isn''t it?" said Bronsen. "But if we want a stable group marriage, then it''s going to require some potent forces to keep us together," said Alice. "So, rule number six is that we have a shared destiny, and we die together!" said Cassy. "And, of course, rule number seven is that we four are exactly equal to each other, as far as the relationship goes," said Cassy. "That''s fine by me," said Bronsen. "Yep, sounds good," said Drayden. All four exchanged looks. "We''re bullshitting like crazy here," said Cassy. "Yes, but you realise, in the two months that I have known you all, it''s been so much fun!" said Alice. "Yeah, my school life has become so much brighter and enjoyable," said Cassy. "I agree; you are all wonderful company!" said Drayden. "So let''s try very hard to make it continue for as long as possible," said Bronsen. "Course, once we split into two couples, who knows what might happen," said Cassy. "Then, that leads to rule number eight, ''We face our fears and do our best, anyway!''" said Drayden. "That sounds good! Everyone agrees?" said Alice. Everyone nodded their heads. "Yep! We''re in!" said Bronsen. "Right! Let''s hold hands, ensure everyone holds everyone else''s hands, and vow to keep these rules for eternity!" said Alice. "Or until we split up into couples," said Drayden. "Fine, fine, whichever one comes first," said Cassy. They shuffled around slightly so that they were sitting in a square. Then they put out their right hands and made a four-sided handshake, which meant that the people straight across from each other weren''t touching. So, everyone put out their left hand and held the opposite person''s left hand. By this stage, they were all on the verge of giggling or outright laughter. "Hey, this is serious!" said Cassy. "Yes, everyone! This isn''t funny bullshit; it is serious bullshit!" said Bronsen. "Say after me, ''The Misfits vow to commit themselves to each other for eternity!''" said Alice. They did so, producing a very ragged chorus. Then they all burst out laughing. As they did so, there was a faint glow of light, presumably from the sun filtered through the tree branches, on their hands, and a ding sound. After they managed to calm down, Drayden said "Say, did somebody''s mobile make a sound?" They all shook their heads as it appeared that nobody''s phone had a ringtone that was a ding. Drayden shrugged his shoulders. "Never mind, it can''t be important." They sat back and relaxed. "Say, what do we do now?" said Bronsen. "I know what you two want to do, but it''s far too public here," said Cassy. "Not to mention, we don''t know what the next step should be... Cassy and I will have to have a little talk about it," said Alice. "Well, anyway, if we go into the amusement park, at least we agree that there won''t be any splitting into pairs? At least not yet," said Cassy. "For sure." said both boys. [0.04] As the bus falls Misfits: Alice looked to the side where the bus was to see that it was still full of little kids having a great time while the four old ladies were packing the last of the picnic stuff into boxes. They were behind the bus, closer to the amusement park, but they could still monitor the kids on the bus. Just then, a man walked in from the opposite direction, wearing overalls with ''Bus Driver'' on them. "That must be Jenkins," said Alice. Then she took a double take. "Actually, it''s not. That''s strange..." "Actually, actually, that''s the maintenance man who was removing the arrestor cables!" said Drayden, "Why is he now dressed as Jenkins?" With puzzled expressions, they watched as the man opened the front door of the bus - which happened to be facing away from the ladies - and then climbed in. "Maybe there are two bus drivers?" said Bronsen. The man started the bus, but he slowly went forward instead of going in reverse to back out of the parking area. Over the kerb, onto the grassy slope, and slowly down the slope. Aiming for the gap in the arrestor fence which he had just made. Towards the chain link fence overlooking a long savage drop. Four teenagers, all matters about their rules of engagement for their group relationship forgotten, watched this with blank faces. The bus driver hopped out of the slowly moving bus, slammed the door behind him, and rapidly strode into the trees. The bus kept on chugging slowly down the slope. "What..." said Bronsen. Drayden and Cassy just sat there, stupified expressions on their faces. Alice did also, but after a second or so, she slapped the side of her head with her hand as if to wake herself up. "Argh! We have to stop the bus. Get up, everybody!" Snapping out of their paralysis, they sprang up and raced to the bus. "Someone needs to get inside and put on the brakes!" said Alice. "But I can''t drive!" said Drayden. "Me neither," said Bronsen. "I can!" said Cassy. She put on a sprint and reached the bus door. She got a grip on the door handle, but it didn''t open. "Shit! He must have locked it!" she said. Just in case it was merely stuck, she put her total weight onto it, lifted her body, and put both feet onto the bus side just outside of the door frame. But even with this leverage, the door handle didn''t budge. Instead, for her efforts, her feet slipped, and she fell off the side and landed in a highly unladylike arrangement of arms and legs sprawled all over the place. The other three got a good look at her panties. ¡°Cassy, this isn''t the time for that... Shit!¡± said Alice. The shit was because the bus''s rear tyres were coming dangerously close to Cassy''s head. Fortunately, Bronsen was able to move fast and drag her body away. The bus kept on trundling along. Fortunately, the grassed area was moist after recent rains, and so the bus''s tyres were making deep tracks. Thus, it wasn''t picking up speed, but it wasn''t slowing down, either. "We gotta stop it!" screamed Drayden. At this point, Alice saw a boulder, about 40cm in diameter and 60cm long, sitting to the side and a little to the front of the bus, not doing anything in particular. "Wedge that rock under the back wheels!" she shouted. Drayden, Alice and Bronsen dashed over to the rock, bent down and picked it up. No, they tried to pick it up. "Oh damn, this is heavy, lift you stupid men!" said Alice. The stupid men and one girl re-exerted themselves and, with much effort, managed to get the rock up just above the ground. By now, Cassy was up and moving, although there was dirt all down the side of her clothes, and blood was dripping here and there. Nevertheless, she joined in the effort. Staggering, they moved sideways towards the bus while the bus inexorably moved down. Thus, the rear wheels were almost up to them by the time they got the rock to the bus. The next problem was - how to get the rock in front of the wheels? The gap between the bus and the ground wasn''t enough to allow them to place the rock easily. "Shit, lean the rock on the bus side and push it backwards and force it into the wheel bay!" said Bronsen. The rock, titled at an angle and touching the bus''s side, made a scraping sound as it scratched a line of paint. As it came to the wheel bay, all four teenagers pushed it hard so that it fell against the tyre. The tyre gripped it, pushed down and thus flicking up the other end, and then the tyre just slowly rolled up and over and down the other side. There was a grinding, squealing sound as the bottom of the bus scraped over the rock, and then the bus kept going. Drayden was hopping on one foot. "Shit! Shit! It hit my leg!" His trousers were torn, and there was blood dripping down. Alice looked ahead, searching for something to use. "Everyone! He only disconnected the cables at one end; the other he left attached!" she said. That was enough for the others to get the idea. They all sprinted ahead and picked up the nearest cable end. It had a solid plate with a ten-centimetre hole in it. But now the problem was - how to attach it to the bus? This problem was even more difficult because the bus''s front tyres were almost at the cable as it lay across the bus''s track. "Try to get it looped over the front axis - shit, the tyres are already over the cable," shouted Bronsen. "Hold up the end and hope the back wheels snag it!" said Cassy. Bronsen held up the end and pulled it as tightly as he could. The cable was running under the bus, scraping along its bottom and out to the side where Bronsen was. Unfortunately, the back wheels just went over it. In so doing, the cable was snatched from Bronsen''s hands. "Shit, that hurt!" Now Bronsen had scrapes on his arm and hands and his own offering of blood. "I know, hook the end of the cable onto the tow hitch!" said Cassy. Drayden, currently the closest to the cable end, picked it up and struggled to drag it after the moving bus. Alice and Cassy joined him, and they were barely able to drop the hole in the cable end plate over the tow hitch. Alice screamed in pain. "ShitShitShit! I''ve mashed my finger!" The tip of her index finger looked frayed, and yet more blood was flowing out, fortunately not too much at this stage. Once the initial burst of pain was over, she managed to ignore it. She and the other three watched with morbid fascination as the bus rolled forward, over the walking trail, and hit the chain link fence. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. It held. For a few seconds. There was a series of screeching sounds; the poles bent over, and the front wheels went over the fence. The front of the bus slithered across the fence before jerking to a very abrupt halt. The arrestor cable stretched from the tow hitch, around one of the arrestor fence poles, and out along the fence to its point of attachment, a hundred metres away. There was a creaking sound as the cable stretched and the pole leant over slightly, but everything held. "Oh shit," said Cassy. The bus¡¯s front wheels were over the drop, its back end up in the air, and its middle pressed on the edge of the cliff face. It swayed a bit, and every time it moved, the cliff edge under the bus crumbled, with dirt falling off and dropping away. Now that the teenagers had time to notice other things, they could hear a lot of yelling and screaming from the bus interior. Alice looked back. The four old ladies were converging as rapidly as they could. She looked further afield. A couple of adults were running along the inside of the amusement park''s chainlink fence ¡ªpresumably, they were running to an exit. Another couple of figures were sprinting up along the trail, but they were far away. "Where are the adults when you need them?" she said, "Now what?" Cassy had spotted a small, double fist-sized rock. So she grabbed it and moved to the back of the bus. She put her other hand onto the bumper bar, now above her head. Bronsen, seeing this, added his muscle and, gripping her legs, shoved her entire body up. He didn''t even notice that his head was next to her short skirt. She put one foot onto the tow hitch and hoisted herself up using the handgrips next to the back window. Being made from safety glass, it shattered into a thousand tiny pieces when Cassy attacked it. The sounds of children screaming and shouting doubled in intensity. Cassy brushed the rock along the bottom of the now vacant window, dislodging most of the remaining small pieces of glass sticking up from the seal, and then propelled herself into the bus interior. Since she landed on a few, this caused even more shouting and crying from kids. "Sorry! I''m so sorry!" she said, but this didn''t slow her down in grabbing the nearest kid and shoving her out of the window. Bronsen took the kid, put her on the grass, and looked around. The four little old ladies, gasping for breath, had managed to get down to them. The two teenagers that had been running towards them also arrived. "Oh, you''re the two girls from Alice''s class... Just catch the kids as we throw them out of the window!" said Bronsen. "Yes, and the old ladies can look after them, but keep them away from the cable!" said Alice. Without waiting for a reply, Alice reached up to grab the bumper bar, and Bronsen threw her up. Balancing precariously, she took the next kid handed to her by Cassy and hoisted her to the two teenagers. Then she clambered into the bus. Drayden closely followed, who also got a boost from Bronsen. Alice and Drayden tossed two more kids out of the window, who were caught by the teenagers. Finally, by swinging on the bumper bar and hooking his feet over the cable, Bronsen managed to get up and inside all by himself. Inside, of course, was chaos. Cassy was making her way down the steep slope that was now the bus interior and was still apologising, but since she was grabbing every kid within reach and tossing them up the hill to Alice, the children weren''t calming down. In fact, the noise level of the kids'' screaming was increasing. Most of the children were still in their original seats, jammed up against the backs of the seats in front. Cassy methodically worked her way down, using the seat legs as ladder rungs. She would grab a child and shove them up to Alice, who then passed the parcel to Drayden. Drayden treated the child like a hot potato and got rid of them as quickly as possible by handing them to Bronsen. Since the bus was making continual jerking motions as it slowly slithered further over the cliff''s edge, Bronsen was brutally tossing the kids out of the window with all the force he could muster. Those two teenagers who had run up to the bus were getting quite the workout, catching flying children and pushing them in the direction of the closest old lady. The older ladies were also getting an extreme workout of a different sort, attempting to calm down a whole collection of mostly hysterical children. Every time Alice held a kid, her mashed-up finger screamed at her in pain. In fact, by now, she was starting to scream out loud. But she kept on working. ¡°Bloody hell, how many children are there?¡± said Alice. The bus corridor became steeper, and the height difference from Cassy up to Bronsen became higher. The Misfits had to work harder for each child. But, at least the number of children was going down. Finally, there were only three children left. By chance, they had fallen off their seats and were down at the front of the bus. They were, in fact, Jenkins''s grandchildren, plus an extra boy in a red T-shirt. Cassy frantically climbed down, grabbed all three, and struggled upwards. Alice took them, screamed a little bit, and then managed to climb up a few seats, allowing Drayden to get them. Being a bit stronger, he climbed back up three seats, thus allowing Bronsen to take over. Bronsen, the strongest and most agile, scrambled madly up the remaining seats and tossed the three kids outside. The bus gave another violent jerk, and the interior went even more vertical. Alice grabbed a seat hold to stabilise herself but managed to catch her finger. "Argh!" She involuntarily let go and fell. She had a soft landing - she landed on Cassy. Who involuntarily let go of her grip, and both girls tumbled down the steeply sloping corridor to the bus''s front windows. "Argh! That hurt Alice!" "Sorry!" The girls looked upwards to see Bronsen and Drayden near the rear exit window, looking back with looks of horror. "Shit! Just save yourselves, and we''ll climb up ourselves," screamed Cassy. But the two boys started to scramble down to help the girls. At the same time, the bus moved even more on its temporary fulcrum. "Bloody stupid macho boys, just get out, and we will follow!" shouted Alice. In the typical male behaviour of not paying attention to the female, the boys ignored this and kept going down. The two girls managed to climb up, although Alice screamed every time she had to power-grip a bus seat to hoist herself higher. Cassy was doing her best to help her, so the two girls weren''t going as fast as they would have liked. The boys got down to their location, grabbed a girl each, and climbed up again. The bus finally slipped over the edge and became vertical. The tow hitch, now supporting the entire weight of the bus, decided it wasn''t built for this load and sheared right off. The bus, pointing almost straight down on a steep, but not vertical, slope, started to fall. The front scrapped along the steep slope as it fell, producing enough friction to rotate the bus. So, by the time the four inside realised that things were not going all that well, they were already weightless in a bus that was upside down and still falling and rotating. Four teenagers held onto each other like there was no tomorrow. Faces right up to each other, there was a shocked silence for a moment. The sun must have been at exactly the right angle since the light around them brightened. Ding! They ignored the irrelevant sound. Time seemed to slow down; they had plenty of time to exchange looks. "Well, eternity didn''t last very long, did it?" said Alice. "No, about fifteen minutes, I think," said Drayden. "Damn, and I''m still a virgin," said Bronsen. "Now, now, at least we saved the kids," said Cassy. There was a momentary silence as they watched the ground, currently above their heads but still rotating, getting closer. "Strange how long it seems to be taking, isn''t it?" said Drayden. "Ah, everyone, this is embarrassing, but I would like to say I love you all," said Alice. The other three, also looking embarrassed, said the same. "Hmm, the ground is still getting closer, even if it is taking a long time," said Bronsen. "Well, then, you all know what I think of this, so on the count of three, let''s say it!" said Cassy. She counted up, "One, Two, Three", and at the three, they all said "Bullshit!" The light faded out to black. Alice: Ding! You have died! Fuck. Bronsen: Ding! You have died! Fuck. Drayden: Ding! You have died! Fuck. Cassy: Ding! You have died! Wait, we still haven''t gotten to the ground yet! Sorry, it had to be made a bit sooner due to circumstances. Well - Fuck. Narrator: Somewhere in the infinite depths of the galaxy, there was System-san. Overseeing millions of planets and trillions upon trillions of beings, it had just been given a new assignment. Actually, a whole new planet. Its task was to introduce ''The System'' to its inhabitants. However, this wasn''t a System that stepped in and created wholesale change and destruction to its targets. No, fortunately for the inhabitants of planet Earth, it had a gentler directive. Introduce the system to a small number of people and slowly build up the numbers over time as everybody gets used to it. System-san had its preferences in how its gifts were to be used; however, its programming rigidly constrained it. It had to let the users make their own destinies and choices in using their powers. But, sometimes, System-san was allowed to create some heroes. If some being did something noteworthy enough and said being had a destiny that System-san approved of, then System-san was authorised to grant extra powers, hopefully, so that the being would use them in ways that System-san thought were admirable. It was only through this indirect method that System-san was allowed to act on its own desires to make the world a better place. Just now, System-san had been observing four teenagers with extreme interest. They were displaying some fascinating and eminently worthwhile traits. Ding! The first on their planet to be inducted into the System! Ding! Courage in the face of extreme danger! Ding! Defiance in the face of imminent death! Ding! The vast accumulation of karma by risking their lives and saving 35 children! Ding! Displaying true love and friendship with each other! Ding! Devotion to each other to the exclusion of all others! Ding! Entwining their destinies! Yea, unto death itself! Ding! Total innocence, in all meanings of the word! Ding! Facing down their fears to do their best! Ding! Plenty of hormone-induced sex-crazed energy! Ding! Lots of bullshit! Yes! System-san could work with these four teenagers. Definitely! And, as for the bullshit? Well, the teenagers are in luck; System-san will be delivering loads of it! [1.01] Alice and Bronsen run around in the snow Alice and Bronsen: Ding! Hey, you two. You might like to wake up and deal with those hungry wargs about to attack you. ¡°What? What?¡± said Bronsen. He opened his eyes and twitched his ears. Alice did the same. ¡°Where the hell are we?¡± said Alice. Bronsen groggily sat up, looked to his side, and saw Alice sitting up and carefully brushing her skirt forward. She didn''t look all that steady either. Then he looked forward. ¡°Shiiiiit!¡± There was a warg, looking like a giant wolf, with its mouth wide open and showing a lot of very sharp fangs, moving fast and aiming right for his throat. He screamed, and with reflexes he never knew he had, he pushed himself sideways, avoiding the razor-sharp fangs by millimetres, then punched the warg on its neck. It abruptly changed direction, bouncing to the side and slamming into a tree ten metres away. Alice also screamed. She appeared to be holding a warg in a close embrace. She wasn¡¯t trying to pet it; it was more like she was trying to strangle it. Unfortunately, neither had time to think about these strange events, as yet another colossal warg was leaping towards them. It aimed at Bronsen, who dodged it and managed to kick it as it passed. The animal skidded across the ground, and Bronsen promptly forgot about it. There were too many other wargs to worry about. Five minutes of absolutely furious activity later, there was a lull. Dazedly, Bronsen took stock. Two wargs were lying down without moving in front of him. Alice was still holding that first warg, which was now completely limp. She had been using it as a bludgeon to hit any other nearby warg. And the rest of the wargs had retreated to a compact group five metres away. Alice, still cuddling her warg, moved closer to Bronsen. The two of them, panting heavily, looked at the remaining live wargs. The wargs looked back; they were apparently communicating with each other, mainly by glances but also by the occasional growl. They came to a decision. They turned around and, without a backward glance, walked off. With his tail still lashing around due to his agitation, Bronsen attempted to take stock of the situation. ¡°Alice? You OK?¡± he said. "Y-Y-Yes. But - what happened?" said Alice. Alice¡¯s teeth were chattering from stress - and also from the cold. Bronsen was beginning to shiver from the cold as well. "We were in the bus, and it fell, and, and..." said Bronsen. "That''s right, something said we died!" said Alice. Ding! That''s right. You have died and reincarnated! Lucky you. Good work with the wargs, but you can''t stop yet. You can see your initial status allocations if you think ''status''. May I suggest one of you allocate your free points to [Cold Resistance]? This wasn¡¯t an external voice but an internal voice. It was speaking directly to the minds of both of them. Bronsen and Alice moved right up to each other. In doing so, Bronsen discovered that the dead warg in Alice''s arms had a warm coat on. ¡°So that¡¯s why you are still hugging it!¡± he said. He joined in the hug. Apart from that, he couldn''t do anything else since his brain was short-circuiting. Alice managed to say ¡®Status¡¯ out loud. ¡°Eek! Bronsen, I have a status pane in my mind! With points for [Strength] and [Speed] and [Toughness] and [Combat] ability! And, what''s this, [Cold Resistance] and [Heat Resistance]? Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Is this like a Role Playing Game? Do you mean I have been isekaied into a fantasy world with an actual system?¡± Ding! You sure have! ¡°Oh, bloody hell! It''s so cold. Right. Allocate the free points - wait, there are locked points and two more free points - which ones do I use?¡± said Alice. Ding! The 21 points are at the bottom, next to your names. ¡°Thanks. Right, I shall allocate 21 points to [Cold Resistance].¡± They both felt the difference immediately. It was still cold; it didn''t affect them so much. It became moderately bearable. ¡°How about I allocate some more points? Oh, it isn¡¯t working,¡± she said. She looked at her status screen to see that her [Cold Resistance] had increased to 21 points, while the free points next to her name were now zero. But her [Heat Resistance] had also increased, this time by 18 points. ¡°Say, where did those 18 points come from?¡± she said. "Bronsen, we are possibly going crazy, but do you also have a status screen?" "Ah-ah-ah Status screen?" "Yeah, you know, that blue screen with yellow writing?" "Ah, yes?" "Didn''t it initially have a [Heat Resistance] of 0 points?" "I think so?" "Well, I just allocated points to [Cold Resistance] but didn''t touch the [Heat Resistance]." "-" "Say, Bronsen?" "Are you OK?" "No, I am not OK!" "Oh" They spent the next five minutes holding each other and having hysterics. Alice had finally dropped her cuddle toy; it was a bit on the big side for her. They wrapped their arms around each other and just about screamed their emotions out, and their tails lashed around in agitation. They would have gone on much longer, but they obviously had extremely urgent matters to attend to, so they managed to stabilise their emotions. They both took a deep breath. "Bronsen, let''s concentrate on what to do in the next few minutes... Argh!" Alice had just noticed that Bronsen had a tail. A metre and a half long, covered in fur the same colour as his hair (brownish black) and about five centimetres thick at the base and tapering off at the tip. Of course, she immediately checked herself. ¡°Arghhhhhhhhh!" They spent the next five minutes wrapping their minds around the fact that they now had tails. "Wait!" said Bronsen, "You have cat ears!" "Shiiiiiiiiiit! So do you!" Their tails were now erratically swishing from side to side and shaking, and their ears were twitching madly in all directions. Eventually, Alice took a few deep breaths. They looked at each other in wonder. Then they realised they were half naked. Regular clothes don''t last very long when attacked by many vicious wargs with sharp teeth and claws flailing away. Scratches, cuts and blood also covered their bodies. "Oh, crap. Right, you can now see my panties," said Alice. "Somehow, I''m not bothered by that," said Bronsen. "Yeah, strange that." ¡°Pink with red hearts?¡± said Bronsen. ¡°Never mind!¡± "Wait! Wait! Your panties have a hole, especially for your tail!" said Bronsen. He looked closer. "Yep, it''s sewn around, with the same style stitching as the rest." He looked up to see her glaring at him. "Oops, sorry, I didn''t mean to be that intrusive," he said as he backed off. "Ah, I suppose I don''t mind. Also, your pants have the same arrangement," she said. "More importantly, what the hell is going on?" said Bronsen. "Well, look at your status screen! We have been reincarnated! Into a fantasy world! And, and, shit, did we fight off a whole pack of wolves. No, not wolves, wargs. Whatever they are." "Whatever they are, they''re a lot bigger than wolves. And I still don''t understand this! What is this status screen thingy?" "Ah, you''ve never played a Role Playing Game, have you?" said Alice. "No. And previously, I have never felt the lack of such a thing." So Alice spent a few minutes explaining how they worked, especially the facts about status screens and their endless lists of numbers to describe the player''s state. She then stopped. "Bronsen! Get your act together; you¡¯re beginning to zone out!" "Argh, urk, OK, OK. So does that explain how we are ridiculously overpowered now - after all, we were easily throwing around 100 kg wargs?" "Huh, I guess so. But let''s not talk any more now. We need to get shelter and, I suppose, food?" At that, they both looked at the three dead wargs. "Ah, no, no, we''re not going to eat those, are we?" said Alice. "Do you have any other ideas? Since I think my wallet must have gotten lost in the whole reincarnation business, not to mention there doesn''t appear to be any hamburger franchises nearby." He got a dirty look from Alice for his efforts at levity. They looked around and realised nothing but bare trees, large rocks, and an awful lot of snow surrounded them. To one side, a hundred metres or so away was a vertical rock face a few tens of metres high stretching off in both directions. On the other side, the ground continued into the murky distance. The sky was overcast, with dark clouds stretching to the horizon, and there was nothing else of any interest to note. It appeared it was about to snow since a few snowflakes were falling. "Hell, we need to get somewhere warm and dry. And, exactly how do we eat a warg? Stick it with a knife and fork?" said Alice. "Ah! I''ve got us covered! My farmer uncle taught me how to skin and butcher a sheep! So that should carry over to these animals. I think. Assuming I had a sharp knife." "You can butcher an animal?" said Alice. "Sure can... Well, at a beginner level. And, hopefully, I won''t throw up my lunch this time." "I''m sure all that is building up my confidence - but where''s this sharp knife going to come from?" At this point, Alice spotted something of interest. "Look! There appears to be a cave in that cliff." "So there is - a metre above the ground and two metres diameter. If there is a sizable cavity behind it, then we''ve got our shelter!" said Bronsen, "OK, I''ll go and check it out!" he continued. He rushed over towards the cave entrance. "Bronsen! Don''t charge off without me!" said Alice. She jumped over the dead warg in front of her and madly dashed after him. When they got to the entrance, they had a look in. "It appears to be big inside!" said Bronsen, getting even more excited. "Say, what was that motion?" said Alice. [1.02] Alice and Bronsen meet another exciting creature Alice and Bronsen: "Say, what was that motion?" said Alice. Something moved inside. Then it came outside. Four metres long, two metres high, covered in sandy yellow fur, forward-pointing horns on its head, and a large mouth lined with teeth ten centimetres long. A lot of teeth. All razor-sharp. Ding! [Strength], [Speed] and [Toughness] all increased by 10 from Locked Points. It isn''t a good idea to blithely go near any old cave in the wilderness, you know. On second thoughts, let''s increase [Toughness] by another 20 points. This status screen appeared, then rapidly disappeared. Meanwhile, both Alice and Bronsen were screaming. So was the horned cougar, except its scream was from anger, not scared shitless fear. As the cougar leapt out of the cave entrance, it rotated its head so that its teeth were nicely aligned with Alice''s midriff, then took a huge bite. Alice screamed even more, but weirdly enough, the bite didn¡¯t go through. There wasn¡¯t even any blood. She was merely clamped into place by all of those teeth and bruised as hell. Not liking her refusal to be bitten in half, the cougar landed with its two front paws on the ground, twisted and turned and rammed Alice against the cliff wall. The air was knocked clear out of her lungs, thus cutting off her screaming. It also pushed her arms and head to the animal''s neck. She wrapped her arms around its neck, locked her hands together, and pulled. The cougar got angry at this. It opened its mouth and roared out in fury. This action released Alice''s body, but she still held on to its neck. The cougar vigorously shook its head side to side, thus whiplashing Alice''s body side to side, hitting the cliff face and the ground at the end of each swing. Alice hung on for dear life and kept on squeezing its neck. Meanwhile, Bronsen had tried to kick and punch the cougar''s side. But the cougar swiped him away, its long claws raking across Bronsen''s body and incidentally removing even more of his remaining clothes. Eventually, Bronsen copied Alice''s manoeuvre and wrapped his arms around the cougar''s front leg. Bronsen''s legs were free, so he kicked as hard as possible whenever they got near the cougar''s body. The cougar escalated its attempts to get free of the two hangers-on by convulsively jerking its body around, slamming the humans against the ground or cliff, crashing its entire weight against them and trying to crush them, and continually raking them with its free paws. All that Alice and Bronsen were aware of was a blur of motion as the ground and sky and the cougar''s body thrashed all over the place. They just hung on and kept on doing their thing. Then things got a lot worse; the cougar''s body was leaping up off the ground, so energetic was its motions. Shortly after, it slowed down and came to a complete stop. In the sudden silence, Alice kept on squeezing. Until Bronsen, on the other side of the animal from her, crawled over it and up to Alice. ¡°Alice..." "What?" "I think you can let go now." "Oh, right." She let go. The dead weight of the animal''s neck was trapping her left arm. She pulled it out. She sat back on her bum, right up close to Bronsen. They wrapped their arms and tails around each other and wailed their eyes out. Ding! You have been rewarded 55 points for killing a Horned Cougar. You have demonstrated admirable courage, not to mention recklessness, in tackling a mid-rank predator bare-handed barely an hour after arriving in a completely new world! Perhaps next time, don''t be so hasty? This communication pushed Alice over the edge. She opened her mouth and screamed out her rage. "This is all bullshit! Why couldn''t you have warned us!" She held onto Bronsen as tightly as she could manage. Considering the sheer strength she had just displayed, it was just as well that Bronsen had exactly the same strength and toughness that she did. Otherwise, Alice would have crushed him to death. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Just take us back home! This place is horrible!" Snow kept falling; little snow heaps were on their heads and shoulders. The dead cougar was also slowly getting covered in a thin layer of pure white. The sky continued being a dirty, dull grey with no signs of clearing. Fortunately, there were also no signs of the sky darkening, so it must still be daytime. And Alice kept on freaking out. "Please! Let me go! I want my mother!" She sobbed, her head on Bronsen''s shoulder. Bronsen hugged her back and also cried. Sigh. Don''t expect to be mollycoddled. There are high expectations for you two, and you need to shape up. "I don''t want to shape up! I want to go home and get Mum to hug me! All of this is just so much bullshit!" Of course, it''s bullshit. It''s the Misfits rule number 2, remember? It''s part of the contractually obligated agreement between the Misfits and System-san. You''re going to get a lot of it! Alice: Alice''s emotions were completely out of control. A hurricane of feelings roared through her consciousness; a searing firestorm swept through her, every nightmare creature she had ever imagined, every terror that lurked deep down in her subconscious; they all came out of the darkness, bared their teeth, and started drooling all over her mind. Ding! [Emotional Control] was added, with an automatic allocation of 12 points. And the storm within Alice died away. The intrusive memories and feelings, the nightmare creatures and terrors, all shrank and crept out as if they were embarrassed for kicking up such a fuss. Alice''s rational mind took over. "Well, that''s something," said Alice in a perfectly normal voice. Amazing. The worries and fears are still there; even the desire to hug Mum is still there. But I''m no longer overwhelmed by them. And Bronsen also looks sane and under control. Alice and Bronsen: "Bronsen? Did you get [Emotional Control]" said Alice. "Yes? I mean, yes, so I''m OK. Now,¡± said Bronsen. "Good. We need to get shelter, food, clothes, and, well, with all of this snow, getting water shouldn''t be much of a problem, and, and..." "We also need protection from other animals; after all, this Horned Cougar is apparently only a mid-rank predator," said Bronsen. "Oh, and do you realise that we are now both naked? And covered in blood from countless cuts," said Alice. Bronsen gave a brief look at his body. And at Alice''s body. And also the surrounding area. "Yeah. You can see the scraps of our original clothes everywhere." "You realised I spent half of my savings buying that outfit just for our expedition to the amusement park?" "No? I just wore my usual casual clothes." "Stupid male..." "And, pink panties with red hearts?" Alice invisibly blushed and looked away. "Well, you never know when some particular boys might see them..." Big sigh from Bronsen, "A shame we never got to that stage, and right now..." Alice decided to get in first, " But let''s defer any discussion about such things until we are safe, shall we?" "Yes, let''s," said Bronsen, ¡° Also, we have lots of cuts, but they don¡¯t seem serious, so let¡¯s also ignore them for the time being.¡± Bronsen looked around again. It was still the same dreary scene of bare trees, snow-covered boulders, a dead cougar, and a cave entrance. "First step, shall we investigate the cave?" Very cautious of the fact that there might be more savage animals inside, they carefully crept in. "Hey, it''s spacious!" said Bronsen. Inside was a flat, sand-filled floor, a rock ceiling three metres above, and ragged, rough-hewn walls around. The area was roughly circular and about four metres in diameter. "It''s also surprisingly clean," said Alice. There was a metre-high pile of bones to one side, all picked clean of any flesh. The sand in the rest of the cave was uneven and churned up from the cougar''s paws but otherwise free from rubbish. "I see that cougar was a bit of a hunter," said Bronsen. "And he has been here for some time," said Alice. "Eeek! That skull towards the bottom of the heap is human!" said Bronsen. "Shit! It is! Well, I suppose it''s not all the surprising; after all, it tried to eat me." said Alice. "Let''s not dwell on that, OK?" said Bronsen. "That''s interesting. There are no clothes or stuff, but there is what looks like a - collar?" said Alice. Near the skull, a soft-looking black cord about a third of a metre long was on the ground. It had clips on both ends. So, of course, Bronsen, without a moment''s thought, poked it. Ding! Slave Collar. Compels the wearer to do whatever the slave master tells them. Once the slave collar is around someone''s neck, it can only come off with the death of the slave. If destroyed while a slave is wearing it, the slave dies immediately. They both jumped back with alacrity and hugged each other. There was swearing from both of them. After a while: "What - what do we do with that?" said Alice. "Argh - we certainly can''t leave it here!" "OK. Come to think of it, we aren''t leaving any of those bones here. How about we snag the collar on the end of a loose bone and take it outside?" In half an hour, it was done. The collar was safely deposited in a crevice between a large bolder and the cliff face, a hundred metres from the cave entrance. As for the bones, Alice and Bronsen indiscriminately tossed them around on the ground near the boulder. Except for the skull. It was buried in a small hole. As for the rest of the skull''s skeleton? Out of the pile of bones, they couldn''t tell which were human and which weren''t. So they gave up on that one. [1.03] Alice and Bronsens dining experience Bronsen: They went back to the cave and stepped into their new accommodation. The air smelt clean, crisp, and cold - after all, a two-metre-wide hole led outside. "That entrance hole is a bit of a danger; any passing hungry creature could stroll right in," said Alice. "Hmm, there are plenty of boulders outside, if we picked one of the right shape and pushed it into the entrance to act as a plug..." "But how do we then get inside?" "Ahh, how about we push it all the way in? Then get in ourselves and push it out just enough to block the entrance?" said Bronsen. "Wow, this Emotional Control ability is amazing." "Yeah. Next thing, we need food and clothes. And we have three wargs and one horned cougar lying outside." said Bronsen. "But no knife, remember?" Ding! [Bonded Dagger] added. How about you allocate 10 points to it? "What is a [Bonded Dagger]?" said Bronsen. Nevertheless, let''s allocate 10 points to it. Alice must have done the same thing since- Beeeeeeeep! You haven''t noticed yet, have you? You have a ''shared'' system status. Only one of you needs to allocate anything! "Oh. I see," said Alice. "OK, I''ll allocate the points..." said Bronsen. Let''s see, I think status and presto, I have a status screen. It is strange how it is in my visual field, but it does not seem to interfere with my normal vision. OK, allocate ten points from our accumulated points into [Bonded Dagger]. Bronsen was interested to see that he now had 33 points in his free points number. Plus, a new entry for the [Bonded Dagger]. So we started with 55 points for killing the cougar, the system used 12 points for [Emotional Control], and I just allocated 10 points to the dagger option. So that explains the remaining 33 points. But what about all of these locked points? There are over twelve thousand! How about I allocate some of them? Ding! They are called Locked Points for a reason, you know. Bronsen gave Alice a sheepish grin. "It was worth the effort." "So, how does this [Bonded Dagger] work?" said Alice, "Wait a minute, the [Heat Resistance] has gone up again. And now there''s 13 more points in the other free points number." "Shit!" said Bronsen, "Look at that! - Drayden''s and Cassy''s names are also there!" "Oh. I must have been too busy before to notice," said Alice. "So they are in this word, also? Somewhere, somehow. Only not here, since there is no need for heat resistance where we are." said Bronsen. They hugged each other again, arms and tails around each other. But only for a moment. After all, their [Emotional Control] didn''t let them off the hook; they had more important things to get to first. "Sigh. So, now, how does this [Bonded Dagger] thingy work?" said Bronsen. As he said so, he had held out his empty hand. "Hmm," said Alice, looking at his hand, now not so empty. "That''s a neat trick," said Bronsen. He held the dagger up close. "Yep, your basic dagger, black handle, polished black steel blade, hmm, it looks razor sharp, but... it can''t cut my skin." "Of course it can''t. If our skin can come out of that battle with the cougar still intact, then it will take more than a little knife to damage it," said Alice. "Pretty obvious when you say it like that." They spent a few minutes in the fun pastime of materialising and then dematerialising their daggers. Alice tried the experiment of tossing hers away. It vanished once it got more than four or five metres from her. But she was able to rematerialise it again. "Oh, wow. This is amazing!" said Bronsen. "Yeah, it can never get lost, can never be taken away from us, always on hand but always out of sight if not in actual use," said Alice. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. The next step was trying out their new toys. "Let''s go and get the warg bodies and bring them to the mouth of the cave," said Bronsen. He immediately set off. Alice: Alice watched as Bronsen, with considerable speed, raced back to their first location, feet pounding over the snow, tail flicking back and forth to maintain balance. Can''t he wait just a moment to get me on board with his plans? But she kept her mouth closed. This time. She chased after him. He looks handsome. Broad shoulders, trim waistline. Shit, what am I thinking of, I don''t have time for that. [Emotional Control] working overtime, she concentrated on immediate concerns. "OK, now that we have the three wargs back here, how about I do this one, and you watch and then do the same for that one?" said Bronsen. "Right," said Alice. "OK, lie the carcass belly up. Now get out the dagger; we now cut off their you-know-what. Then split the hide from tail to throat, then insert your knife under the skin - ah." said Bronsen. He stopped and waited while Alice went green in the face, turned around, and puked up a bit of stomach fluid. He gently patted her back. This is cute; I''m patting her back with my hand and tail. And her tail is wrapping around my leg. "It''s all right, Alice. I did the same thing the first time, err, only time, I butchered a sheep." I feel a touch squeamish right now. Fortunately, the Emotional Control ability kicked in. Feeling much more settled, they continued and ended up with a lot of messed up pelt and flesh, but they were now the proud owners of two warg pelts, with numerous holes and cuts in them, plus several large chunks of what looked like cookable muscle flesh. "Never mind the wastage; I''m sure we''ll get better," said Bronsen. Ding! Basic [Butchering] skill added-initial 5 points allocated by the system. Note: such skills can not have their points increased by the user. They can only be developed by appropriate experience. Alice skimmed through her status screen. And found that, yes, she now had the skill basic [Butchering]. She also had the skill, basic [Fishing]. "Cool." said Alice, "Wait a minute, we also now have basic [Fishing] plus [Swimming]. And [Emotional Control] has gone up to 15!" "That confirms it! Drayden and Cassy are somewhere out there; it looks like they are in a hot place on a lake or ocean shore," said Bronsen. Alice concentrated on the [Fishing] ability. She had the momentary urge to dive into the water, dagger in hand, and lunge at a passing fish. There''s no water here, so ignore that! Getting back to business, Bronsen took the hides and the usable slabs of meat and put them inside the cave in one corner. He used one of the hides to wrap the meat in, thus keeping it off the sand. Then they, working together, returned outside, butchered the third warg, and stored it inside the cave. This is incredible; it feels more manageable, and we are much more efficient than before. Now for the big one. Bronsen indicated the cougar. "If we get the skin of this one, we can use it as a blanket," he said. He then coughed and added: "Err, naturally, a shared blanket? Purely to combine our body warmth, of course..." Alice stared at him, and he started to wilt. That is, his tail slowly sank. Hmm, actually, why not? Although, shouldn''t my body react a bit more to this situation? After all, we are both naked. In fact, why isn''t his body reacting at all? Never mind, wait until we are safe and sound in our new home to worry about such things. "Sure! Purely for the shared body warmth, of course," she said. Bronsen''s tail sprang up and actually wagged a few times. Alice couldn''t help herself. She burst out laughing. Bronsen, looking at his tail, went red in the face. Eventually, Alice decided they had better get back to business. Half an hour later, they now owned one big pelt and some larger slabs of meat. There was still a lot of waste, but their results greatly improved upon their first attempt. Bronsen decided also to save the horns. Ding! Basic [Butchery]: 3 more points added. Still, mind you, there is a long way to go before you get a good fur coat. Ding! [Fireball] ability added. Alice hastily looked at her status screen. Yes! [Fireball] with 3 points. "I don''t know what a [Fireball] is, but it sounds awesome. What if I put in ten more points?" She tried, only to get a message: Ding! Nope, this is a skill the user can''t allocate points to. Bullshit system. "Anyway, how do we use this?" said Bronsen. Standing naked in the snow, feeling the cold but not shivering, they looked perplexed at each other. "What about an instruction manual?" said Alice. System san didn''t bother replying. By just concentrating on the [Fishing] skill, I had a momentary desire to stab a fish. So, what about I think about wanting to produce a Basic Fireball? There was a slight ''whoosh'' sound, and a glowing ball of light appeared a metre in front of her. It sat in the air, a sphere a couple of centimetres wide, a pale blue colour. Not blindingly bright, just bright enough to be seen in the currently gloomy cloud-covered weather conditions. Alice carefully and cautiously looked at her creation. I don''t feel any heat - I probably need to get right up close to it. She slowly moved her hand towards it and began to feel the heat at a fifteen-centimetre distance. Now I feel the heat. Encouraged by this, Bronsen was also able to create a Basic Fireball. His was precisely the same size and colouring as Alice''s. "We''ve got our nighttime lighting! And, how hot is it?" he said. Without further fuss, he reached out to grab it - "Ouch! That hurt!" Course it hurt, you stupid twit. How about taking a bit of care next time? But Alice didn''t say this out loud. Bronsen''s [Fireball] had disappeared when he hurt himself. He furiously waved his hand around, then eventually stopped. "It''s already stopped hurting - I suppose that must be one of the results of our tough bodies." Half an hour later, they had a campfire burning brightly. Alice had made sure to get in first and proposed that Bronsen go around harvesting firewood by breaking branches of the closest trees while Alice watched for predators. Lighting the fire was easy; Bronsen created a [Fireball] right next to some of the finer branches in the fireplace, and eventually, they caught alight. Sitting next to each other, lumps of cooked meat dangling from their daggers, they ate their fill. "It''s a bit tough," said Alice. "It could do with some seasoning," said Bronsen. "Not to mention some vegetables." "And a glass of orange juice." "I''m sure my mother could cook up something scrumptious with this," said Alice. They both stopped eating for a while. Their arms were around each other. And their tails. "This [Emotional Control] is incredible. I think I would be going insane from stress about now without it," said Alice. "Yeah." [1.04] Alice and Bronsen settle in for the night Alice: Alice noticed that the horizon was going noticeably darker in all visible directions. "I think we had better cook as much of this meat as possible and store it inside. Then we need to find a rock or two to plug the entrance hole," she said. "We also need to melt some ice and take a drink," said Bronsen. "Oh, and right now, I need to go to the toilet," said Alice, not looking at Bronsen when she said this. "This gets a bit awkward. What say I zip out that way and go behind a rock while you go the other way..." said Bronsen. He hopped onto his feet and was about to dash off when Alice flicked out her tail and caught his hand. "What?" "Would you stop charging off and doing your own thing all the time? Please!" said Alice. "But..." "We''re in a dangerous environment of which we know absolutely nothing! We need to plan things together before doing anything! After all, some other vicious predator could hide behind one of those rocks." "Oh, right, ahh, sorry." Bronsen looked so upset Alice relented. "I''m sorry, too. Ahh, this is so awkward." They came to an arrangement. A particular rock, ten metres away, was chosen. It was a metre high and close to the cliff face. So they, with all due precaution, checked the other side. Not finding anything of interest, they dug a hole, and while Alice returned to the campfire, Bronsen did his business. Both could see each other and the surroundings, but the metre-high rock acted as a vanity screen. Then, it was Alice''s turn. She approved that he had shoved some dirt into the hole to cover up his actions. He''s got some sense, then. She squatted down. Her body reacted by lifting her tail right up and to one side. I''ve got a whole new set of reflexes, haven''t I? She discovered that using a small flat piece of rock, available in abundance along the edge of the cliff, was not the best way to wipe one''s bum. But there didn''t appear to be any toilet paper dispensers nearby. Yuck. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. She plopped the rock into the hole and put some more dirt in. She looked back at Bronsen. Oh my God, I went to the toilet while a man could see my upper body. And my breasts. At least he has the decency only to look sometimes. She could see that he was doing his watch duty by diligently looking in all directions. And here is my chance to find out something. Waiting until Bronsen looked away, she felt between her legs with her other hand, the clean one. Nope, nothing. Normal tactile sense, but absolutely no sexual feelings whatsoever. So, our libidos have been turned off? Bloody hell. She checked Bronsen. He was just about to turn in her direction. So she looked down and pretended to fill in some more dirt. Then she got up from her squat, brushed sand and snow off her hands, and returned to the campfire. Bronsen: Here she comes back. He remembered his little investigatory experiment when he took his toilet break. So, I''m totally impotent? He could feel his [Emotional Control] exerting itself, calming himself down. No wonder I don''t react to Alice''s beautiful body. And by golly, she sure looks lovely as she walks back here. Crap, she''s looking at me as if to say she knows what I''m thinking. Quick, do something else! "Er, hi! Did you work out how to wash your hands?" She also looks a little bit embarrassed. Hmm, I wonder. "Ah, no?" Bronsen demonstrated how to pile the snow into a compact heap and then put a [Fireball] on the top, thus melting the snow. The water would flow outwards, then freeze. By continuing the process, Bronsen ended up with a bowl of ice with some water in the middle. "Hey, clever!" She washed her hands while Bronsen made another ice bowl. "And here''s our drinking water!" He looked at the horizon yet again. "It''s getting even darker. We had better find some rocks to plug our doorway. And, upon consideration, I don''t think a single rock will do it. For a start, even with our newfound strength, it is probably too awkward to manoeuvre." By the time they had gathered enough rocks of sufficient size, the exterior light had dimmed until they could barely see each other. Fortunately, a [Fireball] helped provide light. Finally, they were inside their cave, the entrance blocked with a pile of almost fitting rocks. There were small gaps between the rocks, but that was OK; they needed a bit of a draft to provide breathing air. Bronsen and Alice stretched out the fur pelt from the cougar onto the sand, then folded it in half, the fur on the inside. "Well, I claim the side next to the fold. It''ll be warmer, and I am a delicate female after all," said Alice. Bronsent snorted in derision. "According to our status screens, we are precisely equal in our abilities." He could see her face and body in the low light from a hovering [Fireball]. She smiled innocently back at him. "Surely you''re not objecting to trapping me in our sleeping bag?" "Oh, certainly not!" They were wrapped up in their brand-new fur blanket a few minutes later. It was just big enough to hold both Alice and Bronsen and for Bronsen, on the outside edge from Alice, to be covered completely. Provided he didn''t wiggle around too much. He made an effort of will, and the [Fireball], which was his, winked out. Pressed against Alice''s body, soft fur surrounding them, he felt warm and cosy. "What on Earth is that slave collar about?" said Alice. "Who knows? Since there doesn''t appear to be anybody around us now, let''s not worry about it. It''s probably not important, anyway. And, also, you realise that this fur will start to stink in a day or two if we don''t do something about it?" said Bronsen. But the only reply he got was the sounds of Alice''s slow, deep breathing. She was already sleeping. Soon after, so was Bronsen. They slept on, holding hands - and tails wrapped around each other. [1.05] Cassy and Drayden walk along the seashore Narrator: Cassy''s and Drayden''s first day was eerily similar to Alice''s and Bronsen''s, due to System-san''s careful design. So, let''s look at their second day. Cassy: Cassy sighed silently. I''ve only reincarnated into this cursed place for barely a day, and I''m already about to lose my temper. The rain was still coming down, although it wasn''t near the continuous downpour it was yesterday. When the raindrops hit the ground, they went straight back up¡ªas water vapour. So bloody hot! Both she and Drayden were stark naked. I spent good money on that ensemble! And some random, viscious crocigator abrades it off like a wire brush removing a potato skin! I only managed to wear it for that one time! And, come to think of it, I felt like that nude potato for a while. Thank goodness all of the cuts and abrasions have already healed. Right now, they were standing at the location where they had left most of the carcass of the crocigator last night. All that was left were a few scattered bones and traces of blood on the shore. It was just as well we climbed up a tree to make a shelter for the night. I don''t want to meet any predators when we are sound asleep. Wait a bit; maybe there are horrible monsters that can climb trees? Oh fucking hell. However, it wasn''t those matters, vital though they were, that was pushing her to the edge. No, it was the person right behind her. "Cassy! We must act together to survive in this crazy place!" said Drayden. "I am acting together with you! It''s just that your idea of acting together is for you to make all the decisions and boss me around! I can also think, you know!" "I am the man around here! I am also the most intelligent one around here! It is my right as a man to lead us!" "Oh, bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit, Mr Genius!" Her voice was rising, and she was emphatically jerking her arms around. And her tail copied her arms, moving in the opposite direction to them. "Well, I am a genius compared to you. You were in the bottom class!" "That''s merely because I never felt settled enough to study, what with my family. I''m as intelligent as the rest of the Misfits!" Drayden took a deep breath. "Look, we should search around this area to find out dangers and opportunities there might be. Then we must find a permanent shelter and catch something more to eat." "Yeah, that''s right. I know! But, can we discuss it and mutually decide what to do without you ordering me around?" "OK, OK. Well, at least you agree we should do something about that blood otter coming our way?" said Drayden. A blood otter was three times the size but only half the intelligence of an Earth otter. Also, it had ten-centimetre-long claws and an array of sharp teeth. It was an obligate carnivore and hunted down prey much larger than themselves and could hunt on land and in water. Cassy and Drayden had already been introduced to the lovely critters yesterday. Unlike wargs, which will walk away if they decide an opponent is too strong, blood otters were too stupid to do that. Fortunately, in general, they were solitary hunters. Hopefully, yesterday¡¯s group attack was an exception. After a minute of furious motion, there was a dead blood otter with multiple puncture wounds. Both Cassy and Drayden were getting quite proficient at using their [Bonded Daggers]. Drayden checked his status screen, "Yep, we have a further 6 points, making 19 points in all. Let''s allocate it all to the bonded dagger, thus getting a much better weapon. Presumably." You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. "Drayden!" shouted Cassy. But she could see he was already starting to allocate the points. So she allocated 9 points herself to general combat. Beeeeeeeeeeeep! Your allocations clash! And, kids, you do need to talk things over. "Look! Even System-san agrees!" shouted Cassy. "Well, shit this, I going off!" said Drayden. He turned and stomped off. Cassy watched until there was about ten ten-metre separation. Despite the [Emotional Control] ability, she felt her panic and fear rising. Something inside her mind snapped, and she screamed and leapt after him. Only, she forgot how much stronger she was now. She flew over the ground in a shallow arc and slammed into Drayden''s back. They tumbled and hit the ground with a loud thump, arms, legs and tails all over the place. There might have been some swearing by both parties. Cassy ended on top; she gripped his shoulders and, almost crying, said, "Don''t leave me! Please! And don''t even make a joke about leaving me! OK?" Drayden: Drayden, startled by the flying tackle but not in the slightest bit hurt by it, saw how distressed Cassy was. Oh hell, she''s going to start crying soon. "OK! Look, I''m sorry for that, ah, OK?" Cassy nodded her head. Then, they both realised that Cassy was straddling Drayden''s body in a way that would not usually be acceptable in polite company. "Shit!" said Cassy as she jumped up. Again, she misjudged her strength and somersaulted two metres into the air. It was not elegant, especially when she slammed into the ground head-first a few metres from Drayden. "Ouch," she said. Drayden crawled to where she sprawled out on the ground and sat down. They were silent for a while. She is so damn emotional and irrational. Is she going to be a liability to our safety? As the only man here, naturally, I should lead. Why the hell must she get so upset about it? Cassy sat up and faced him. She''s got such a lovely body. And, shit, I can''t react to it. Not the slightest. Cassy raised her eyebrows, "Yeah, I know I look gorgeous, don''t I?" Drayden turned his face away, trying to hide his blush. "Just because I''m impotent doesn''t mean you have to make fun of me!" Sigh. "Drayden, I''m not making fun of you. Remember, I''m just as asexual as you at the moment." There was another awkward silence. "And why are you so insistent on always being the alpha male? Remember, according to our status screens, I am precisely the same strength as you. And precisely the same numbers in all other abilities," said Cassy. Because, in contrast to my classroom, I¡¯m the alpha male this time! "I don''t know. How can you possibly be as strong as me? What does it even mean? I mean, I''ve got more muscle mass than you." Actually, Drayden, not being particularly athletic, didn''t have all that much more muscle mass than Cassy. But Cassy refrained from pointing that out. Instead, she said, "Let''s have a strength competition. Let''s lie on the ground, facing each other, and have an arm wrestle!" Right! I can easily beat her. Ten minutes later, they were both panting. From exertion, that is. No matter how hard they tried, neither one could move their damn hands more than a centimetre from one side or another. Finally, by mutual agreement, they gave up. What do I do now? Perhaps I will discuss things with Cassy. However, first, there was some more business to deal with: Slash, slash, stab. "These things just don''t know when to stop, do they?" said Cassy as she kicked away the latest blood otter, now very dead. They both released their bonded daggers. "Well, I guess this one can be dinner," said Drayden. They continued their discussion. "OK, I''ll allocate 10 points to the [Bonded Dagger] option," said Drayden. "Ooh, look, it''s now called [Bonded Sword]!" he said. "Yes... Right, then I''ll allocate 9 points to [Combat]," said Cassy. "Hey, this is neat; I can now materialise either a dagger or a short sword!" said Drayden. They spent a happy hour (well, happier) practising their slashing skills on the local trees and on another blood otter, which was far too stupid to realise that two people flicking swords around fast enough to make cracking sounds were probably two people it was best to avoid antagonising. As they returned to their temporary campsite, with Cassy and Drayden carrying one blood otter each, Drayden kept thinking. She has such a lovely body. And I like her a lot. But she is so emotional! And she doesn''t want to accept me as her leader. Is this going to work out? How can it possibly work out if she keeps on like that? How can I rely on her? Cassy: "Hey, Drayden, it looks like those two have added more points to [Speed] and [Toughness]," said Cassy. "So they have. But they''re still keeping some in reserve, just like we are." "Yeah, never know when we might need a few more to allocate somewhere." This is so annoying. I like him a lot. And, while he isn''t as athletic as Bronsen, he still has a handsome body. Sigh. I quite like the idea of him lying on top of me. Stop it; now is not the time to think about that. Obviously, that''s not happening. But his alpha male obsession is driving me up the wall. Why is he so stuck up on it? How can we possibly continue like this? How can I rely on him? "Say, Drayden, how come this alpha male stuff wasn''t visible back on Earth at the school?" "Well, obviously, because Bronsen was the alpha male." "Really? Frankly, I don''t think he thinks along those lines." "Of course he does. Just witness that he went off on his own accord and arranged that clubroom for us!" "No, it''s not ¡®of course¡¯ at all. He merely charges off on his own accord whenever he thinks up a great idea. Or at least an idea he thinks is great." "But getting the clubroom was a great idea!" "Yes, it was, but he still charged off without discussing it with us beforehand." They called it a day with the contentious topics and lapsed into silence. They went back to their treehouse and did some more work on it, and in the late afternoon, they skinned and cooked one of the otters and had a meal. And that evening, they added another 2 points to [Basic Fireball], while the other two Misfits added extra points to [Bonded Sword]. [1.06] Cassy and Drayden realise their new world is weird Drayden: Drayden groggily opened his eyes the following day to greet his first dawn on this new world. Cassy''s red hair was up close to his face, sticking out in all directions, a few strands tickling his nose. This part is nice, waking up to being next to a lovely naked lady. And I have a clear view of her breasts, and one of her legs is pressing against mine. But, shit, why are our sexual feelings turned off? Sigh. And her tail is looped around my leg. And my tail is lying across her midriff and touching her breast! He flicked the end of it across her nipple. The touch sensation I get from my tail can''t distinguish any detail; it''s an overall impression of touching something and knowing it is warm. They were lying on a collection of sticks and small logs crudely bundled with vines and lashed to the forking branches of a tree. This tree went up ten metres, then spread its branches outwards - idea for constructing a tree house. They had been worried that such an uneven surface would be unpleasant to sleep on. But, no, it wasn''t uncomfortable at all. It was their total situation that was uncomfortable. It must be because we are so strong and tough; if we can survive being whipped backwards and forwards and bashed against the ground by an extremely angry crocigator, I suppose lying on uneven branches won¡¯t upset us much. That is very fortunate since it doesn''t appear we will be getting a comfy double bed with an innerspring mattress any time soon. Cassy mumbled and opened her eyes. "Urk. Hi Drayden. Say, were you flicking your tail on me just then?" "I might have accidentally twitched the end - just to practice my motor control, nothing more..." She raised both eyebrows. Then she rolled towards him and hugged him. "Not that I mind." Big sigh from Drayden. "Yes, I know, we can''t do anything interesting," said Cassy. Feeling irritated, Drayden sat up and looked around. "Did you keep waking up during the night?" he asked. "Yeah. Hearing all those growls, croaks, yelps, and thumping sounds throughout the night is rather unsettling. Especially when it''s right under our tree." Drayden nodded his head in agreement, then looked around. "Hey, it''s fined up! There isn''t any rain, nor does there appear to be any clouds." Cassy looked upwards, only to see the canopy of large leaves and branches they had used to make a roof. It hadn''t worked, and they had gotten wet during the night. Wet but not cold. "Oh shit, it''s going to be getting even hotter. Maybe we should allocate some more points to Heat resistance?" she said. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "Yeah, it''s already hot - let''s put all the extra points into it." "Don''t do it yet! We should still save some points," said Cassy, getting in fast before Drayden could act. OK, OK, I suppose she is right. They eventually agreed to transfer 6 points across. "Ah, that''s better already," said Drayden. "Say, Drayden, when I look over the edge and down at the ground, the shadows indicate that the sun is already high in the sky. Have we slept all morning?" "Don''t think so." This was a bit of a puzzle. Since the branches of their tree were too thick to see through, they hopped down to the ground. As in, literally jumping over the edge and falling to the ground. Their bodies were so strong they were still surprised at the consequences. The closest place they knew of, with a clear view in most directions, was the shore. So, they went there, keeping an eye out for nasty little predators. Feet in the shallow water at the edge, they looked up. And side to side. "Oh my," said Cassy. "Bloody hell," said Drayden. The sun was vertically above them, but that wasn''t the most surprising part. Out from the shore, the ground stretched out to the horizon, mostly flat. Apart from the fact that it seemed to go much further than a horizon on Earth, it wasn''t all that remarkable. Behind them, partly obscured by the trees, appeared a wall. A very tall wall, a long way away. Atmospheric haze rendered it bluish. It looked a looooong distance away; thus, it must have been extremely tall. This was surprising. But not half as surprising as what they saw by looking from one side to the other. The ground stretched out. And out, and out. It then began to climb up and up and also to narrow. A ribbon of ground, with vast lakes, forests, and clouds, rose up, narrowing as it went. It gracefully arched up and over, and even at its furthermost extent, still had a noticeable width, about ten or fifteen times the moon''s width as seen from Earth. Vertically overhead, it was obscured by the brightness of the sun. And then the arch continued across, down, and merged back with the ground on the other side. "Ah, Drayden, what the fuck is that?" "Oh. It''s a ringworld. We''re on a ringworld." "That''s not telling me much at all!" "We''re on the inside surface of a ring. A massive ring. And the sun is in the middle." "A whole world on the inside of a ring? I''m not getting this at all," said Cassy. Ding! The ability [Inspect] has been added, with an initial allocation of 4 points. "Now, this is one cool ability," said Drayden. He looked to the side as the ringworld climbed into the sky. [Inspect] ringworld. He got back a system message: Ding! Ringworld. Circumference: About 100,000 kilometres. Width: About 5000 kilometres. Weight: very heavy. Huh? Weight as very heavy? Ding! [Inspect] is only at level 4, you know. Oh, right, I keep forgetting the obligatory bullshit. Cassy: Cassy had also seen the same information. "So, we are on the inside of a ring that is 5000km wide and 100,000km around. And that wall must be..." Ding! Rim wall. Height about 50km. About 100km from you. "So the wall prevents the atmosphere from spilling out, and the ring rotates to provide gravity from the centrifugal effect. And the sun - Wait a bit, the ring is nowhere near big enough to hold a normal-sized sun!" said Drayden. He sounded indignant. "And the walls are nowhere high enough to prevent a slow atmosphere leakage, either!" Ding! Magic. Magic allows all sorts of bullshittery to occur. "Yeah, doesn''t it ever," said Cassy. Just then, a blood otter leapt at her and bit and latched onto her arm with its teeth and tried to gouge her stomach with the claws on its front feet. She stabbed it with her short sword, then distastefully wiped the drool from her arm. She looked at the fading red marks on her arm where it had tried to bite her. "Yeah, all sorts of bullshittery." They were back under their tree house an hour later, eating cooked otter. "This food could get boring after a while," said Drayden. "Say, Drayden, how did you know about ringworlds?" said Cassy. "Oh, because I''ve read a lot of science fiction. And some of them, by Larry Niven, are about a ringworld. Only his world was about a billion kilometres around and two million kilometres wide, and the rim walls were a thousand kilometres high." "OK, so what we are on is a very small ringworld. Ah, hasn''t it got roughly the land area of Earth?" "Yeah, I guess so." "So, it''s still pretty large." "Yes, and unlike Niven''s ringworld, this one appears to be held together by magic." "Magic. Bloody hell. It''s just as well we have that [Emotional Control] ability. Otherwise, I don''t think I could cope with all of this." said Cassy. "Yeah. Which reminds me, perhaps we can use our new Inspect ability to run around and try to identify any edible vegetables or fruit?" "Now, that is an idea I completely agree with!" [1.07] Alice and Bronsen meet an animal which is a little bit dangerous Alice: It was morning, five days after they had arrived. Bronsen and Alice had chickened out of doing any exploration and spent most, but not all, of the time inside. They were in their cave accommodation, with the rock door still closed. Bronsen was checking the contents of the refrigerator - err, the pile of crudely hacked lumps of meat, wrapped up in a fur coat, shoved to one side of their cave. "We''re running out of food," he said. "At least, since it is so cold, even here, it hasn''t gone off yet," said Alice. "That reminds me..." said Bronsen. He picked up their sleeping bag fur and sniffed its outside, the side containing many traces of meat. "Yeah, I thought so. It''s beginning to go off. Our body heat is warming it up, so it''s spoiling faster than the food." "Also, we should use the warg pelts to make some fur coats," said Alice. Bronsen''s face and tail fell. "You mean I can''t admire your body any longer?" Alice rolled her eyes. "Of course you can when we''re in here. But, even with cold resistance, it can get a bit chilly outside." "Ah, OK." A little later, they were outside. Bronsen had taken the sleeping bag fur and laid it out on a reasonably flat rock. It was cold, snow covered the ground, and they were naked. "The cold is bearable, but perhaps I should allocate our spare twenty-three points to [Cold Resistance]?" said Bronsen. "Wait! Wait! We should have some in reserve. Perhaps make it twenty points?" said Alice. "Ah, OK." Ding! [Cold Resistance] is now 41 Since the day was fine and the sky was clear, they spent some time admiring the view. They had already discovered they were on a ringworld. "It''s beautiful, isn''t it?" said Alice. "Yeah. And, no matter where you are on this ringworld, you can always see where you are going," said Bronsen. "Well, only if the place you are going to is more than a few thousand kilometres away. You can''t see the local area since we are looking at it from such a low height," said Alice. "Yeah, yeah, spoil my little saying." "But anyway!" said Alice. "Ah, right, cleaning this hide. First, we have to scrap off as much of the flesh as possible with our knives." Bronsen said. An hour later. "Then wash it to the best of our abilities." Half an hour later. "Then, well, the method that my uncle explained to me was to take the animal''s brain, boil it in water until it was mushy, then slather it all over the hide.¡± Alice''s expression, as she looked at him while slowly backing off, suggested that she was on the verge of calling for the medical staff to tranquilise him and drag him away. Or maybe she wanted the police to arrest him before he could get to her. Suiting her actions, she tucked her tail between her legs, laid her ears back and flattened them against her head. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Sadly, due to no medical or police people nearby, Alice had to cope with the madman alone. "Excuse me?" "No, really! The brain contains a lot of oil, which makes leather pliable." "Oh, I see. But, we didn''t keep the brains, sadly." "Let''s put this back into the cave to keep it safe, block the doorway, and go on another hunt?" An hour later, they were ready. "Well, the last two days, we haven''t found anything of interest." said Alice, "Not even any edible vegetables using our new [Inspect] ability." Bronsen looked upwards at the twenty-metre cliff face. "But we haven''t checked up there yet! Let''s say I climb up and have a look!" Suiting his actions to his words, he scrambled up. This was easy since the rock face was not quite vertical and had many cracks and rough edges. His newfound strength also helped a vast amount. Shit! Bronsen! Stop charging off like that. This is so annoying! We don''t know what''s up there! But Bronsen, with fantastic speed, was already at the top and hoisting himself over the edge. I''m alone in a hostile fantasy wilderness, and my only companion has disappeared. Damn this! Not having any choice, she scrambled to get up there, too. Think of this as being the climbing wall back at my part-time job. Yeah, that''s right, I''m just climbing the wall, nice and safe and sound. Shit, who am I kidding. By the time she reached the top and flipped herself over the edge and onto the ground, Bronsen had already skipped ahead. "I''ll hop up on top of that rock mound and have a look!" Bloody hell, he is still racing ahead. "Slow down, will you!" she shouted out to him. But he didn''t. Alice moved towards the rock mound, then slowed down and stopped. That rock - it looks a little strange - doesn''t it? Bronsen had no doubts; he ran at it and used his momentum to spring up on a conveniently placed side rock and then jump to the top. At this point, the ''rock'' opened its eyes. Oh shit. Alice stared at those eyes. And it''s head. Yep, that end of the so-called rock was the head, which had been lying on the ground. The creature must have been at least eight metres long. And that long low ridge from the other end could only be its tail. It flicked its head around a bit, sending off a snow spray, allowing Alice a clear view of its facial expression. It didn''t seem all that impressed with being disturbed from its slumber. Bronsen, now standing on top, was beginning to realise that his rock mound was showing some unexpected attitude. The creature looked back and upwards and had a brief glaring contest with Bronsen. Bronsen decisively lost and decided to jump back off, but with explosive power, the creature jerked its body upwards. Bronsen cartwheeled through the sky and landed with a thump behind Alice. "Ouch!" In normal times, Alice might have patted his head and possibly offered him a bandaid - but she decided to delay all of that. Her sword appeared in her hands, and she ducked and lunged forward - but the animal was even faster. How can such a big bugger move so fast? Was a thought that briefly flickered through her mind as it opened its jaws wide, showing a line of gleaming white triangular teeth. They snapped over her arms with precision interlocking as the triangles of sharpness from the top of its jaw neatly joined up with the triangles from the lower jaw. Her arms were securely caught between two separate sets of scissoring teeth. From an engineering point of view, it was a genuinely awesome piece of work, ideal for grabbing and tearing flesh. Sadly, Alice wasn''t in a position to appreciate the finer details of the odontology right in front of her. Instead, she screamed as the pain flared throughout her body. Ding! [Strength], [Speed], [Toughness], [General Combat], [Emotional Control] have all been increased. The pain lessened and became tolerable. She managed to get her emotions under control and to stop screaming. Since her arms were trapped and immobile, she kicked her feet as hard as possible. The only target she could reach was its throat, so she aimed her system-strengthened kicks at that. The predator was not pleased and tried to open its mouth to attack Alice again. Only its teeth were locked together. ShitShitShit - my arms, no, my arm bones, are jammed between its teeth, and it can''t cut them or release them! The pain increased again. Alice started screaming again. The animal collapsed on its side, facing away from the cliff, and tried to use its front paws to wipe off Alice, but her toughened body resisted. The animal got pissed off. It started to bash Alice''s body against the ground while grinding its teeth with all its might. Ahh - it succeeded. With an almost visible sigh of relief, it managed to snap the arms off at the point where they met the teeth. It took a brief moment of relaxation, possibly enjoying itself watching Alice scream even louder. The teeth had sliced off one arm just below the elbow and the other just above. Alice''s world dissolved into a blood and pain-filled haze. [1.08] Alice is just a little bit upset Bronsen: FuckFuckFuckFuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck Bronsen sprung up, only to see Alice''s arms jammed between those enormous scissor teeth. He tried to attack, but the animal managed to swipe him with one of its paws before it went back to attacking Alice. Bronsen skidded back towards the cliff drop-off and barely managed to stop himself from plunging over the edge. Leaving gouge marks in the dirt where his hands had convulsively gripped to bring him to a halt, he jumped up, brought out his sword, and streaked over the ground towards the back of the animal. By now, Alice''s screams had doubled again. But, at least, the animal appeared to have temporarily forgotten about him. Using his increased strength, speed and combat ability, he lunged and rammed the sword right through the animal''s neck. He was in luck; he hit and severed the spinal column, so the animal promptly stopped moving. Now what? Oh. Alice was still screaming. He jumped right over the dead body, hit the ground and skidded before ending right in front of Alice. She was kneeling, looking at the two stumps where her arms used to be, and wailing and screaming her head off. Both stumps were bleeding copious amounts of blood, so Bronsen, primarily acting on autopilot, gripped each stump with his hands and gently squeezed. The bleeding stopped. Oh shit, oh shit. He almost puked from the dreadful sight. Alice saw his horror and revulsion and tried to scream louder, but she was already at her maximum. Ding! [Emotional Control] is now maxed out! Ding! [Regeneration] added with an initial 50 points. Ding! Remind Alice that her arms will grow back after a month. You also gained 150 points from killing that Lesser Grass-Eating Hippoxilla. There was abrupt silence from Alice. "Lesser. Grass. Eating. Hippo?" she said, pronouncing each word separately. "Fucking Bullshit! What the fuck hell is Lesser about that monstrosity? Grass Eating? It has huge fucking teeth!" Still held by Bronsen, Alice seemed to have regained her sanity, only to start losing it all over again. Ding! It has separate teeth at the front of its mouth for biting off and eating leaves. The ''huge fucking teeth'' are just part of its defensive armaments. Snow was lightly falling, bare trees and scattered rocks surrounded them, and the Hippoxilla''s (Lesser) body was still cooling off before her. Also in front of her, holding the stumps of her arms, was Bronsen. "Bronsen. You fuckwit!" She dropped the discussion about the Hippoxilla and concentrated on the more important subject¡ªwho was to blame for this terror? "Bronsen. You ran off and left me! You charged ahead without the slightest caution! And now I''ve lost my arms! What the fuck hell are you going to do about that!" ShitShitShit. It is my fault. I didn''t mean to cause this pain! But I did anyway. Shit, now Alice hates me. Freaking out, even with his maximum emotional control ability, he let go of her arms and stepped back. At least the bleeding has stopped. Only Alice started screaming again. "Goddamn it! Don''t let me go! Please, never again leave me alone! I''m utterly hopeless. Hold me, you jerk! Protect me!" She lunged forward at him and wrapped her arms around him. Or, she tried to. This wasn''t possible with two stumps roughly cut off at the elbows. But at least she could also wrap her tail around him. "OK! OK! I won''t leave you! Also, remember, System-chan says your arms will regrow again." Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "Ahh" With that, she regained some degree of control and replied in a much more normal voice. "Right. OK." There was silence, each hugging the other. Bronsen also managed to get his feelings under control. What do we do now? Hint: Alice will need to eat about five times more than usual. It''s up to me to do something. "Alice, we must get you back to the cave for protection. And, and, this carcass, we, I mean I, will have to get it down, and skin it, and hack off as much meat as possible, and save it in the cave, and cook a lot, and, well, also I need to get a pile of snow and store it in the cave for water, and, well, I''m sure we can manage. I hope." Ignore the fear and terror I''m feeling. She must have it a lot worse. "Yes. Do it! Just don''t leave me alone!" Sadly, the first thing he had to do was leave her alone, sitting in the snow. But only for a short period. And he only went a few metres away. He shoved his arms under the back of the hippo, straightened his back and knees, and boldly heaved the body forward a metre or so. After repeating this a few times, he launched it over the edge. "That''s a lot of meat." Then he picked up Alice and tucked her under one arm like a parcel. He called upon his sword and stabbed it into the ground a half metre in from the edge, held it with his other hand, and carefully leveraged himself over and down. Since the cliff wasn''t vertical, he could slowly descend. It was, however, much more difficult than going up. Dismissing his sword, then recalling it to jam it into a crack for stability during his descent, was a great help. At the bottom, they both looked around. "Bronsen," said Alice, her voice shaking, "The wargs are looking at me..." Gulp, went Bronsen. The wargs had returned. And they were looking at Alice. Or, instead, at her stumps. An undeniable sign of wounded prey, ripe for the picking. They were also casting their eyes over the hippo. Some were even licking their chops in anticipation. But they were also keeping their distance. There was a ring of a dozen wargs about ten metres out from the cave entrance and the hippo body. Bronsen put Alice down just outside the blocked-off entrance to their cave. The wargs leaned forward, perhaps wondering if dinner would be served soon. Bronsen materialised his sword and flicked it around, producing cracking sounds from air pressure shockwaves. The wargs settled back, sat down, and waited. "Bronsen, open the entrance and put me just inside. Please," said Alice. She sat cross-legged, her drastically shortened arms by her side. Every so often, she would look at them and shudder. But, mostly, she looked around, looking for anything dangerous. For example, to ensure that no wargs snuck up behind Bronsen''s back as he laboured at skinning the hippo and cutting out as much meat as possible. Eventually, the cave was half filled with the hippo''s roughly hacked-off skin, wrapped around about a tenth of a cubic metre of crudely butchered meat. Ding! [Butchery] has 12 more points allocated to it. "Bronsen, can you hurry up and cook a dozen steaks or so? I''m starving." The trouble was, they hadn''t stockpiled any wood. Bronsen looked at the wargs and Alice and decided there was no way he could go out and collect any more, especially since the closest unharvested firewood was a couple of hundred metres away. Ding! [Fireball] has 15 more points allocated to it. After some experimentation - "Hey, I can cook the meat directly with my [Fireballs]!" Bronsen was happy - well, happier than he had been. And Alice wondered if she could now shoot her [Fireballs]. She concentrated. Ding! Sorry, no high-speed guided missiles are allowed. That''s too much of a cheat. Damn! How about I merely float it to where I want it to go? Her [Fireball] popped into existence, then drifted into the sky a few metres. Still concentrating, she mentally ordered it to move away from her, aiming for a particular warg. She didn''t like that one; it was the one sitting the closest, and it kept licking its lips as it stared at her. The wargs took no notice of the [Fireball], maybe because, to them, it was an irrelevant moving light not in their way. Once in position, Alice dropped it onto the warg''s head. It yelped, sprang up, rolled around in the snow to cool down the burn, and then ran away. "Got you, you bastard!" The other wargs looked at each other. Maybe floating lights in the sky weren''t irrelevant after all? They all got up and carefully walked backwards twenty or so metres. Then - they sat down again and resumed waiting. For the next hour, Bronsen cooked meat. Then he fed half of it to Alice and stored the other half inside. Occasionally, he also practised dropping a [Fireball] onto some warg that was getting a bit too presumptuous. Unfortunately, the wargs had wised up to the dangers of floating lights and would merely avoid the [Fireball]. But, at least, they also kept their distance. Eventually, the light dimmed, and the wargs began to get a bit restless. It was time to move in for the night, but the dogs were definitely staying outside. "Ah, Bronsen, err, I need to do a poo..." Oh hell. I forgot about that. "Well, I suppose I will have to help you." He screwed up his nose as he said this, but, of course, Alice noticed. "Don''t act like that! Do you think I like this?" "No, no, I mean, it''s all right." It is not alright! I suppose we have no choice. By now, there was a massive pile of scraps of hide, large chunks of bones and meat, and lots of spilt guts and other delightful innards, all from the hippo. This was all a few metres to one side of the cave entrance. So, Bronsen, eyeing off the wargs, decided to dig a hole just in from the remains of the hippo on the cave entrance side. Oh, yuck, this stinks. He kept his gaze off Alice''s body as she did her business. "Ah, Bronsen, if you can wipe my bum now?" They were still using flat, smooth hand-size rocks for that role since they hadn''t found anything more suitable. This is so embarrassing. And it''s all my fault. It''s also a bit like toileting my younger brother a couple of years ago before he finally learned how to do it himself. He made a conscious effort to get into that frame of mind. He dropped the rock into the hold, put a handful of dirt and snow over it, then carefully held Alice and gently kissed her head. "Huh?" "It''s all right, I''m sure we can manage." "Oh." While Alice sat in the cave entrance and kept a lookout, Bronsen did his own business. He covered up the hole, washed his hands, gave one last look at the surroundings - "Those damn wargs are creeping closer." And then they retreated into their cave. Five minutes later, he packed the entrance as tightly as possible with rocks. He and Alice lit up the interior with hovering glowing [Fireballs]. [1.09] Alice is a little bit hungry Alice: Alice sat on one side of the sleeping rug. She looked up at Bronsen, hovering around uncertainly. "Sit down and hug me!" "Yes!" The hug might have looked awkward since they were both sitting down and leaning towards each other, but due to their strength, they could hold such an uncomfortable position indefinitely. Bronsen embraced Alice''s body, including her arms. She put her head on his shoulder and turned it away from him. There was silence for some minutes before Alice started talking. "If it weren''t for the effects of the [Emotional Control] ability and the knowledge that I will regrow my arms, I would probably be in total shock by now." "Ah, yes." "Instead, I''m absolutely pissed off with you." Gulp. "Y-yes" "We need to rely on each other; even with our amazingly overpowered strengths and abilities, this is still an extremely hostile environment. So, what happens? You rush off, leaving me behind, and don''t even bother taking the slightest precautionary actions. And, then, using the folded leg of that hippo as a launching point, you jump up on the back of an eight-metre-long monster!" Her voice was rising, and so was her anger. "And I get both arms cut off! Do you have any idea how terrifying it is to face a new world as a useless cripple? I am relying on you! But you just fucked off, and I almost got killed! And I can''t get away from you!" By now, Alice was shouting at the top of her voice. She was also crying. Bronsen was also losing his cool. "Look, I''ve already said I''m sorry!" "Saying sorry doesn''t cut it! What are you going to do about this debacle in the future?" He separated slightly from Alice to avoid her anger, but she promptly pushed her body forward. "And don''t ever let me go! I need you, don''t you understand!" "Ah, yes." This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. There was silence for some more minutes. Various growls and sounds of altercations drifted in from outside; the wargs and other animals were helping themselves to the leftovers. Alice became even more insecure and wrapped her tail tighter around Bronsen. "I, well, I suppose I will have to make sure that I always discuss my plans, I mean our plans, with you before acting on them," he said. This is horrible. Can I rely on him? But I have to. I suppose what he just said is good enough for now. She looked at her stumps yet again. Think about something else! Oh - that''s right. She said more normally, "Say, remember that bit where you kissed me on the head?" "Sure." "Do you realise that up to now, neither you nor Drayden have kissed me? Nor kissed Cassy, of course." "Ah, yeah. I suppose we never got that far back on Earth." "Kiss me again, please? And tell me things will be all right. Please?" So he kissed her on the lips, patted her back, and said, "Things will be all right. Remember, System-san said that you will regrow your arms. You will need a lot of food, which we have. And I promise to look after you, OK?" That''s good enough for the time being. Alice nodded her head. "Now, tuck me in and let''s get some sleep." Within ten minutes, they were both sound asleep, with the fireball lights off. Not even the muffled sounds of scavengers outside feasting on the remains disturbed them. Unfortunately, after only two hours, Alice woke up. "Bronsen!" "Urk..." "I''m hungry! In fact, I''m starving!" Bronsen got up and fed her. "Oh, and also with all of that food, I need to, you know, do another poo." They listened to the sounds outside. "Right. Let''s see how deep this sand is," said Bronsen. He dug holes in the sand lining the floor of their cave and discovered that the rock floor under it was at varying depths. The deepest was about half a metre. "Well, I suppose you will have to do it here." Fortunately, there were plenty of small smooth rocks available. And there was enough snow to wash his hands. After a while, they were back in their sleeping bag. "Say, Bronsen, if we are going to be doing this for a month or so, that toilet hole will get rather full. And it already stinks." "Well, I suppose I will have to dig it out." He trailed off here as his imagination produced the image of him digging up shit with his bare hands. Ding! Hint: Allocate 27 more points to [Bonded Sword] So he did. The name of the ability changed to [Bonded Implements]. "Hey, cool! I can now materialise a dagger, a short sword, a long sword, an axe and a shovel!" "Well, lucky you. I can''t materialise anything," said Alice. "Oh. If you don''t have hands, you can''t use anything, can you." An extremely sour look from Alice, "In that case, you will have to do it all for me." They went back to bed, but Alice had a question before returning to sleep. "Why do you think some of our abilities are system allocated, and some aren''t? And, for that matter, what''s with the locked 12 thousand points?" "Goodness knows. I think that System-san is just playing with us and making things up as it goes." "Yeah, probably. After all, it has to satisfy the Misfits rule number two, doesn''t it?" said Alice. "And, while we''re at it, shall we max out our [Cold Resistance]? After all, we have enough points." Alice couldn''t be bothered resisting, so that is what Bronsen did. Ding! [Cold Resistance] is maxed out at 100. "And, Bronsen, we eventually will need to use some of these pelts to make clothing. We can''t always run around naked outside; it''s still cold, and we might meet someone." "Ah, OK." [1.10] Cassy and Drayden also have an exciting encounter Drayden: The morning after Alice''s misadventure found Cassy and Drayden deep in a conversation. "I mean, look at it. There is suddenly a brand new ability called [Regeneration]. If that doesn''t sound ominous, I don''t know what does!" said Cassy. "Well, of course, it is ominous. But what does that have to do with my plans for the day?" "It means this place is dangerous, and we should be more careful. I don''t want to go charging off inland. We should take it slowly." "We will be taking it carefully! And, note that we now have much higher strength, speed and toughness stats!" said Drayden, "So I still say today we should hike for a few hours away from the sea and see what''s there." Bloody hell. She might look good, but she has been entirely unreliable so far. How long before she learns that she must defer to my lead? "Right, let''s go, Cassy." He set off, travelling inland. Cassy followed, muttering to herself. Cassy: At least this [Emotional Control] stuff means I can keep my temper much easier than before. As she trudged along just behind Drayden, something occurred to her. Isn''t sex supposed to be all about losing one''s control? At least for a little while. But then, we have no sexual feelings anyway, so I guess that is irrelevant. They were walking towards the distant wall, the ground gradually rising. It was surprisingly clear of thick undergrowth for a location that was so hot and had so much rainfall. But there were a lot of trees, main trunks going straight up then branching out with leafy tops. At least it''s shady under the trees. It is still stinking hot; hooray for [Heat Resistance]! Also, why are there so many blood otters around? Aren''t the numbers increasing? The characteristic tracks of otters were scattered all over the sand as they walked. And every so often, they would see an actual otter. Sometimes, the otter would also see them. One such decided to charge them immediately. Drayden''s body blurred, and there was one dead, punctured otter at his feet. "You have to admit our combat abilities are phenomenal!" he said. "They certainly are." "Let''s stop here and have breakfast." Drayden and Cassy surveyed the local vegetation at their picnic spot, using lots of [Inspects]. "Just grass. And more grass. And some poisonous mushrooms; sure is handy knowing what''s edible and what isn''t. And this is a caterpillar-infested shrub." Drayden gave up and set to butchering the otter and cooking the meat using his Fireball ability. Cassy kept on checking out any interesting plants. "Hey, this plant has got edible tubers! They''re called Spudnips," she said. She excitedly materialised her shovel and rapidly excavated the roots, sending sand and dirt flying in all directions. Gardening was never this easy back on Earth! They had flame-singed otter with flame-singed spudnips. They had to sit back to back while they ate, all the better to keep a lookout for otters. "They''re everywhere; surely they can''t be like this all the time?" said Cassy as she dispatched yet another one. Drayden grabbed its body and tossed it away with a casual overhand throw. It landed twenty metres out, and another passing otter immediately attacked it. "Uck. They''re not too particular about what they eat, are they?" said Cassy. They relaxed for a bit. This bit is nice. Feeling his back against mine. "Hmm, Cassy..." "Yes?" "Ahh, even without the slightest bit of sexual feeling, it is still nice to be with you." "I agree. It is nice." She wiggled her back against his. "Isn''t it amazing that we can just accept having tails as a completely natural thing?" she said. Since both of their tails had pointed to the same side, she waved hers and patted it against his. He responded by curling the end of his and holding the end of hers. A giggle from Cassy. "This is like holding hands! We should try this while walking along!" "I know what, what happens if I twist my entire tail around yours?" said Drayden. He started to do this, and Cassy also started twisting hers around his - then they both grimaced and flicked their tails away. "Err, what?" said Drayden. "That felt kind of inappropriate or something?" said Cassy. "That''s weird." Feeling slightly out of sorts, they stood up and decided to continue. That is, Drayden was the one to choose to continue, and Cassy went along with it. "But let''s try holding the tips of our tails together and holding hands," said Cassy. "At least this feels good. Strange but good," said Drayden. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. They moved through the light undergrowth, walking around trees and checking the occasional interesting plant with [Inspect]. "Seriously, Cassy, our abilities are way overpowered! It''s like in all of the Isekai stories: the reincarnated hero is granted what can only be described as cheat abilities. I''m sure we''ll be all right." Cassy tried to remember as much of her literary theory as she could. Not that it was much; she hadn''t paid much attention to any of her classes. "Yes, but, in those novels, isn''t the whole purpose of being given overpowered powers because the protagonists fight against overpowered enemies?" Drayden shrugged off this irritating little fact and kept charging ahead. He went over a small crest and discovered a lake, perhaps a hundred metres in diameter, straight ahead. The trees thinned out, leaving an open space along the lake''s edge. Cassy noticed some details that Drayden hadn''t. "Say, why are there no otter tracks along the shore? I mean, the bloody stupid things leave their tracks everywhere." Drayden stopped and considered this, then shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno, maybe they don''t like the place?" But why don''t they like the place? "But, anyway, let''s walk along the shore; there doesn''t appear to be anything exciting here. Maybe further out, there might be something. Perhaps some more plants that we can eat." Narrator: The Kraken was hungry. It was always hungry. However, it hadn''t eaten anything for several months, so now it was starving. Since it was the hot season and just before the Blood Otter breeding frenzy, it looked forward to a feast soon. Buried in the sand in the lake''s shallow water, it waited patiently, listening carefully for the footprints of something, anything, to come by. Cassy: She was currently a step behind Drayden, on the side away from the lake, still holding hands and tails. I don''t know; it isn''t as if I dislike him leading or anything. It''s just that he doesn''t seem to want to accept any input from me at all. We didn''t know each other very well back on Earth, did we? Sigh. We never got the chance. A blur of motion and something streaked out from the lake shore and slammed into Drayden''s head. Before he could even yell, it had latched onto his entire face. Cassy received a confused impression of something stretched out from Drayden back to the shore. A something that contracted and started pulling Drayden with it. It was so fast that he was partially lifted off his feet as his head was jerked forward. Ding! [Strength] increased to 60, [Speed] to 70, [Toughness] to 60, [General Combat] to 50. Combat reflexes kicking in, Cassy managed to materialise her sword and cleave the tentacle a metre away from Drayden''s head. There was a scream from somewhere, but not from Drayden. He couldn''t open his mouth to produce any sound. Instead, two more tentacles erupted from approximately the same spot, one each for Drayden and herself. Feet skidding across the sand as she adjusted her position, she lashed out with her sword twice more and cut the ends off both. Bloody hell, they are fast. This time, three tentacles appeared. Plus more screaming. She hacked off the ends of two, but the third evaded her slashes. She blocked it with her other arm - Arrrrgh! That hurts! Then she cut off the end. However, she still had a nasty set of spring-loaded jaws clamped around her arm. Ignore that! Where is the body of this terror? She looked towards the water and saw a patch of sand just under the shallow water at the lakeside. All six amputated arms were frenetically waving around, and something a metre across with a nasty jagged beak was thrashing through the sand and water. Is that oversized ugly octopus trying to escape? Like bloody hell! She raced forward and hacked at the tentacles, reducing their lengths considerably. She kept slashing and hacking at the body, producing a lot of blood, until the animal became still and silent. Got him! Except there still wasn''t silence. Something was making a lot of thrashing sounds behind her. Oh shit. She remembered she had to check up on Drayden. She dismissed her sword and jumped around and to Drayden. He was rolling on the ground, hands on the jaws that were locked on his face, trying to get them off. She wasted no time in helping. No eyes, ears, or nostrils were present, just the end of the tentacle and two hinged jaws big enough to clamp around Drayden''s entire face. Cassy saw, to her horror, that one set of teeth was aligned precisely across his eyes. Both eyes were punctured, blood and fluid dripping out. Cassy''s [Emotional Control] turned fully on. The other side of the jaw had its teeth across the back of Drayden''s head. He was using both hands to prise the jaw off his face but wasn''t succeeding. So Cassy gripped the jaws, one hand on either side, and exerted her full strength to help him. Just how strong are these jaws, anyway? Finally, something snapped in the jaw hinges. The two jaws flew apart, pulling apart the remains of the tentacle with them. At last, Drayden could breathe. He took in a huge breath and then screamed in pain. Cassy looked around in fear. Were there any more of these horrors? So she boldly lifted Drayden and ran like hell away from the lake, heading back to their treehouse. After several hundred metres, covered in a speed that would shame an Olympic sprinter, she decided to stop and see to Drayden''s condition. Oh shit. She cradled him in her arms and thus had an excellent close-up view of his face. It''s an absolute mess. There was a band of slashed skin across his face, and his eyes were destroyed. The back of his head was bleeding all over her supporting arm. One ear was still sticking up by its usual ten centimetres, but the other was cut off; it was now only two centimetres high. Oh. She finally remembered that the jaws of one of the tentacles were still clamped firmly onto her arm. And it hurt. But at least she wasn''t bleeding much, so she ignored it. Drayden was still screaming in pain and fear and threshing around. She was about to try to calm him again, only to see another bloody otter charging at her. She kicked it. It went flying through the air and thumped into the trunk of a tree thirty metres away. Bastard! "Drayden! It''s all right! I''m taking you back to the tree house right now! There''s too many otters around to stop here." He must have tried to control his emotions, as he did calm down. Cassy started sprinting. She returned to the treehouse in a considerably shorter time compared to their walkout. "Drayden? I''m going to climb the tree. Can you hang off my back?" "Ah, but don''t hold my neck so tight I can''t breathe." Next problem: to get that blasted jaw off her arm. "Shit, I can''t move it just by myself... Drayden, if you can put your hands here and here and pull." Snap. The jaws broke apart. She tossed the remains out from their platform as far as she could manage. There were some nasty-looking gouges on her arm, but the bleeding had already stopped, and she could bear the pain, so she concentrated on the crucial part. "Drayden?" "Cassy! Where are we? And why can''t I see?" "Ah, well, we''re back at our little house, and those tentacle jaws made a right mess of your face." Drayden: Drayden was on the verge of panicking. He would have started to panic if not for the effects of his [Emotional Control] and also because Cassy wrapped her arms around him and her tail. "Drayden, it''s all right. It''s all right. Remember, we have [Regeneration] now, so your eyes will grow back. Ding! [Regeneration] set to max! Your eyes and ear will be back to normal in about nine days. Ding! You have earned 57 points for killing a junior Lakeside Kraken. They are nasty little creatures. In future, you should be more careful when around them. Oh, yeah. A junior Lakeside Kraken? Shit, a full-grown adult would have probably killed me. He was in the dark. On an alien, hostile planet - well, Ringworld. But he had Cassy. He tightened his arms around her back. He could feel her breasts pressing against his side. "Cassy. Please don''t leave me. Just don''t leave me!" Right next to his face, her voice replied in a comforting, soothing tone. "Course I won''t leave you. I need you as much as you need me. There''s no way I''m going to abandon you." Nine days of blindness. "How are we going to cope? What about food? And water?" "Well, there appears to be plenty of blood otters scampering around, and it still rains quite often, so I don''t think there will be any problems." "But, but, I''m blind. I can''t do anything!" "My dear, I can do it for you. I''m sure. I''m quite capable, you know." "Ah, well..." "After all, I managed to kill that bastard Kraken. I cut off all of its tentacles, then slashed and stabbed its body. It certainly looked hideous, you know." Drayden decided that he had no choice but to let himself be looked after by Cassy. "Just keep holding me, OK? Also, now that we have enough points, can we allocate more to [Heat Resistance]? It is still bloody hot." Cassy did the honours - Ding! [Heat Resistance] is now 77. "That''s better," said Drayden. [1.11] A long, tedious and boring wait for recovery Alice: That evening, Alice and Bronsen were highly interested in seeing the increase in their [Regeneration] and other stats. "Look at that! They must also have had a nasty accident with some horrible creature!" said Alice. Ding! Due to the increased [Regeneration] ability, your arms will be whole again in about nine days. "Well, thank you for that, System-san!" Ding! It is System-san''s pleasure. It will be amusing to see what further disasters you will blunder into. "Maybe I''ll take that thanks back again," said Alice. She watched as Bronsen made the entrance secure for the night and tidied up inside. Then he picked her up, gently laid her in the middle of the sleeping rug, and folded it over. He snuggled up to her as he tucked in the hide on the other side of him. I''m perfectly capable of getting into bed all by myself, even if I don''t have hands. But I''m going to make him work! Keep on reminding him of his stupid mistake. Besides, it is so wonderful to be held by him. Tails around each other, his arms around her, she drifted off to sleep. Bronsen: It was now two days after the big disaster. They were sitting just out from the cave entrance. "Not much left of the carcass now, is there?" said Alice. Only a lot of large bones were scattered around, plus small scraps of hide. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "No, there isn''t. And, let''s see how much of your arms have regrown now." Alice held out her arms. The regrown bits looked weird. The missing elbow was restored, and two skinny extensions of her arms went from the elbows to where her wrists should be. "I guess the radius and the ulna forearm bones have to grow out to the wrist first to provide the scaffolding for the forearm muscles to regrow," said Bronsen. "I suppose." I had better hug her again. It certainly helps to keep her calm. Besides which, I like it. Cassy: Four days afterwards, Cassy was at the base of their tree. She shouted up to the treehouse. "OK, there are none of those swarming vermin otters around now!" So Dryaden, currently hanging by his arms from a branch close to their platform, let go. He landed with a thump and went to his knees to stabilise himself. Cassy took his hand and led him to the current toilet hole. While waiting for him to finish, she almost absently mindedly skewered a couple of otters. "Uck, I''m sure those two were getting ready to mate." "Well, if we can''t mate, then I see no need to make any effort to let them do so," said Drayden. He sounds bitter. Yeah, being blind and sexless can sour a person''s mood. Cassy let Dryaden climb up first, just in case of any accidents. She rapidly climbed up after him. Within an hour, Cassy reduced the two otters to a substantial meal of flame-singed steaks plus a big pile of bloody scraps. She tossed the scraps as far as possible from the tree and then added some roasted spudnips to their meal. Cassy piled up on a flattish rock she had found, and they ate their fill. Drayden ate most of it. "Well, that food didn''t last very long. Say, Drayden, would you like another massage..." While it''s not quite the same, the practice from all those massages I gave my little sister is becoming very handy. And he never says anything about being the alpha male leader. What a relief. Drayden: Seven days later, Drayden asked Cassy how his eyes were going. "Hmm," she said, gently running her fingers across his face, "It now looks as if you just have your eyes closed. So, you can''t open them yet?" "No, they''re stuck closed." His head was on her lap, and he could feel the breeze gently wafting across them. The rain had eased, and they were reasonably dry due to the much-improved roof that Cassy had constructed. But it was still hot. "Ah, Cassy?" "Hmm?" He flicked his tail so that the tip was stroking her back. Then, reaching up with his closest hand, he stroked the ears on her head. "This isn''t so bad, after all. I guess it was my fault, wasn''t it?" "Well, it was also my fault. I might have seen that attack earlier if I hadn''t been so engrossed in my angry thoughts." "Cassy, you''re kind-hearted, aren''t you? Trying to make my ego feel better by shouldering the blame for my mistake." "Ahh, well..." "And, in the last seven days, you have also clearly demonstrated that you can deal with things alone. So, when I''m better, I will have to try and not be so hung up on the alpha male business." Cassy held his hands and flicked her tail down his body. Did she deliberately caress me right between my legs? Maybe dumping the alpha male stuff won''t be much of a hardship, after all. [1.12] At last! Alice and Bronsen: It was the evening of the ninth day, just before bedtime. Alice held her arms out towards Bronsen and wiggled her fingers. "Look! I''ve now got full dexterity back!" She did a celebratory dance, jumping around a few times, taking care not to hit her head on the ceiling. It wouldn''t hurt her, but the last time she had done that, Bronsen had laughed out loud. Then she lay on the sleeping rug, face up. She looked at Bronsen expectantly, then looked away. Fortunately, Bronsen was able to interpret her body language. "Hmm, Alice, can I lie on top of you again?" They had already tried this a few times. It never generated the slightest amount of sexual feeling, but it still felt nice. Alice was happy to oblige. She ran her hands up and down his back, then stroked his tail. He kissed her neck and cheeks. "Hmm, why couldn''t we have done this sort of stuff back on Earth?" said Bronsen. A snort from Alice. "Because our overcharged sex drives would have rapidly changed it from a friendly hug to something quite a bit different." "Pity." "And, also, we didn''t have tails then." "Ah, of course. Why didn''t I think of that?" Alice giggled. "But still, this is much more intimate than anything we achieved back then!" They enjoyed themselves for a few minutes more. Suddenly, simultaneously, they each gasped. "Err, Bronsen?" Alice looked embarrassed. "Ahh, Alice?" Bronsen went red in the face. "Is there something hard coming up down there?" "Yeah, there is..." He lifted his body, and they both looked. "So, that''s what it looks like when erect," said Alice. They were both having slight difficulty breathing normally. Their tails flicked around, and then, by chance, they lined up. So they both decided to twist their tails together. Two minutes and thirteen seconds later, Bronsen was most definitely no longer a virgin. Forty-three seconds after that, neither was Alice. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. They held each other and panted as they recovered their breath. "Oh, wow, that was fantastic!" said Alice. Bronsen was happy to agree. They held each other for five or ten minutes. Until - "Um, Bronsen, it looks like it''s getting hard again. Perhaps if we do it again? Please?" Bronsen agreed to this chore. After an hour or so: "OK, I think I''m finished for the night," said Bronsen. "Yeah, the last few times were a bit of an effort, weren''t they?" said Alice. Ding! [Sexual Technique] added! Initial allocation of 0.5 points. This is system allocated, with a max of 100. "What!" said Bronsen, "Only 0.5 points out of 100!" Ding! Hey, kids, you didn''t invent sex, you know. And there''s a lot more to sex than just the physics. "What more could there possibly be?" said Alice. Cassy And Drayden: By strange coincidence - not. Actually, by the deliberate contrivance of System-san, Cassy and Drayden ended up doing the exact same thing at the exact same time. They even had the exact same two system messages. "Well, whatever," said Drayden, "I still think that was fantastic. And you were fantastic." "Yes, dear." Cassy squeezed Drayden tightly. "And, now that I can see you, you look fantastic. All of you," said Drayden. He thought through a few things for a moment. "Hey, we now know why we reacted so strangely when we tried to twist our tails together before," he said. "Yes. Isn''t it amazing just how strongly arousing it is? It''s like getting an electric current, starting from my tail tip and then all the way up to my spine. Not a painful electric current, but a sexual one." said Cassy. "Although, once I''m inside you, it doesn''t appear that we have to keep our tails twisted together." "No, but we can if we want to." After a while, Drayden rolled off Cassy, and they lay side by side, holding hands and tails. "Bloody hell, now I''m slopping wet with sweat all over me!" said Drayden. "So am I! Oh, I''m also kind of wet between my legs..." said Cassy. "Yeah. I didn''t realise just how wet the girl could get. Not having had any experience beforehand." "I could do with a small towel right now," said Cassy. "We''ll have to have a bath tomorrow in the ocean. Just as long as we keep a lookout for crocigators." It is a truth generally acknowledged that when studying any skill, it is best if it¡¯s at least once a day, although more often is preferable. Those who have the most talent, not only for the skill itself but for diligently studying that skill, are those who rise the highest. System-san might not have all that high of an opinion about their sexual technique skills, but these teenagers were determined to increase their skills; they practised enthusiastically, making sure to get at least two lots of practice per day. Or more. Generally more; after all, they didn''t have much else to do, did they? So by the end of the fortnight, Drayden was moderately pleased to get the message: Ding! [Sexual Technique] is now 0.9. There is still a long way to go, kids! But only moderately pleased. "Say, Alice?" "Hmm?" "Do you think we can ever get System-san''s address?" "Sady, no." "Pity, I wouldn''t mind going to his place and bopping him on the nose or something." "Hey, good idea! I can help by holding him down." "Say, is System-san a boy or a girl?" said Cassy. They waited, but there was no message forthcoming. Drayden shrugged his shoulders, "Probably a meaningless question, anyway." Ding! The girl controls your sexuality, as per the Misfits agreement. Along with this, there appeared a new option in Drayden''s status menu: [Sexuality]: Drayden and Cassy: On; Bronsen and Alice: -- It had also appeared in Cassy''s, as she said, "Ahh, so, if I mentally click on it..." Drayden saw his indicator switch over to Off. He reached down and stroked himself. "Yep, I don''t feel anything special, just like we were before." He then looked up to see Cassy watching him with a big grin. He realised what he had just been doing. "Ahh, I don''t normally do that in company." She laughed her head off. "Considering what we were doing just this morning, I don''t think you need to be in any way embarrassed. And, I suppose you can''t switch it on yourself?" Drayden concentrated. "Nope, it looks like I don''t have any say in it at all." "Hmm. Well, now, should I turn it on...?" Drayden thought fast, but it didn''t take very long. "Well, if you turn it on, then you also get to have an orgasm, you know." The indicator immediately switched over to On. They got in some more practice. [1.13] Alice and Bronsen settle in for the winter Bronsen: So, my libido is totally controlled by Alice? He was currently doing a wide half-circle around the entrance of their cave home while Alice stood on a three-metre-high rock conveniently located near one side of their home. Bronsen had taken particular care in initiating a discussion with Alice about this. So Alice''s role was to look out for nasty predators, while Bronsen''s was to survey the land and maybe find some useful edible plants. They were beginning to realise that a diet of nothing but meat can be a tad boring. Furthermore, they were dressed in very crudely made clothes. Or, more like, capes with a belt to keep them closed. Because of their extreme [Cold Resistance], they didn''t need them for warmth, but you never knew when visitors might appear. [Inspect]. [Inspect]. [Inspect]. Nyah, just various bushes, a dead warg skull, and lots of bare trees. Ding! [Inspect] has been increased to 8. Hey, great! Maybe we''ll get some more information. Just then, he noticed something else of interest. Hello, our [Sexuality] is switched off? Why did Alice do that? He waited until he returned to her, then asked why. "I noticed that myself. I didn''t do anything. It seemed to happen as you walked away from me." "So, does that mean - it switches off automatically if we get too far apart?" said Bronsen. They experimented. "Yep, it does," said Alice, summarising their findings, "Which means - we never get to masturbate, at least by ourselves, ever again!" "Now, that''s a hard concept to wrap my mind around; I mean, it used to be such an enormous part of my life back when I was a high school student," said Bronsen. "But now you have me! And I have you! So there''s no need for solo masturbation!" said Alice. "Well, now, I guess that is a more than adequate trade-off." Bronsen remembered something. Should I mention this? I suppose so. "Which brings up another point. Back when I was masturbating by myself like crazy - you know, at least twice a day - I used to fantasise about lots of different girls. Not just you two. In particular, the three girls sitting in my class''s front row. Their skirts were so short, as they sat down, I could sometimes see a flash of their panties - and I could watch for it without appearing to be perving at them." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He looked at Alice. Oops, she doesn''t appear to appreciate my little revelation. "And..." she said, looking just slightly menacing. "Ah, well, anyway, you see, when I think of those girls now, that is when you have turned on our sexuality; I don''t feel anything. At all. Nothing. I can''t quite remember why I found them so sexy in the first place. You, well, you have ample evidence on how I regard you." Her menacing frown faded, and a cat-given-a-bowl-of-cream look replaced it. Her dark skin nicely contrasted her gleaming white teeth - such a delighted smile. Yes, definitely, that was a smile. She relaxed her smile as she thought things over a bit. "That''s nice. Hmm, I should perhaps say here that I was thinking the same. There was a boy in my class that I once admired from afar. Not that I wanted him or anything! But he sat diagonally in front of me, where I could always see him, and he had a nice smile. And a nice body. Sadly, he never took any notice of me whatsoever. Of course, I certainly don''t want him now! But, even if I try thinking about him, I don¡¯t get the slightest bit excited." I don''t mind her telling me about the men she has lusted over. But she seems out of sorts about it, so never mind. They thought about this for a while. "So, even with our [Sexuality] turned on, we can never feel anything sexual for anybody else?" said Alice. There was no reply from System-san. "I guess so. But, there''s no objection to that, is there?" said Bronsen. "Certainly not!" Wait a minute - I still think Cassy is really, really hot. Let''s not say anything about that. Alice: Wait a minute - I still think Drayden is really, really hot. Let''s not say anything about that. "Bronsen, shall we temporarily retire to our cave mansion and - practice some more?" Bronsen was very happy to do so. Who she, and for that matter Bronsen, fantasised about was not mentioned by either of them. When they got tired of that particular activity, they cuddled each other for a while, then Bronsen said, "Now that we have sort of settled down, at least a little, perhaps we should be thinking about what to do from now on?" "Yeah" "And, well, for a start, there is the little matter that having sex can sometimes have certain results..." "I have been thinking about that, too." "Having a baby in this wilderness is probably not a good idea. Especially when we don''t know anything about this world." "You bet it isn''t. And it''s been almost four weeks since we arrived here, and I haven''t had a period yet." A long, drawn-out silence. Ding! At last, you think about the consequences. It''s a bit late, but you are immature, impatient teenagers. Nope, you can''t get pregnant for the time being. Furthermore, native female Feleixians have conscious control over their own fertility. They can choose when to have a baby. Oh, and also, the male has no choice in this matter. "Bronsen, do you ever think this System-san is a bit too sassy for their own good?" "You bet I do. But at least that answers the question," he said. "But I like that it''s only up to the female regarding reproduction. I''m sure you have no complaint against that, eh?" "No, no, none at all!" said Bronsen. "The next question I can think of is, do we settle in here for the time being, or do we try moving somewhere else?" said Alice. This was a problematic question hampered by their abject lack of knowledge. Staying put had the advantage of having a secure residence, and they could always go on day excursions to hunt. On the other hand, if they stayed here forever, they would probably never meet anybody else, and what was the point of being in a fantasy world if they didn''t meet the residents? Not to mention that Cassy and Drayden were out there somewhere. They argued that one back and forth for several days before finally deciding they might as well stay where they were, at least until spring. "Are you sure this freezing place has a spring season?" asked Alice. "Of course. Just look at the trees! They are all dormant and bare, but they must have leaves at some point, so there must be a spring for them to have those leaves." Alice admitted that his logic appeared to be sound. [1.14] Cassy and Drayden also make a decision Drayden: At roughly the same time, Drayden and Cassy were also thinking about such matters. "That''s a relief that we won''t get pregnant," said Drayden. "We?" "You know what I mean." Now that I can see again, her face and figure are lovely. However, her hair is all over the place. He reached out and gently tried straightening some of her messy hair. Only Cassy looked irritated and flicked her head to dislodge his hand. "Huh?" "Sorry, I don''t like anyone trying to fix my hair." Why not? Never mind, I''ll ask her about that later. However, when it came to deciding on whether or not to stay or move, they came to a different conclusion from Alice''s and Bronsen''s. "There''s nothing all that special about where we are now, and we were able to make our accommodation in a few hours, so I suggest we make a move," said Drayden. Make sure I suggest things, not order them! "I''ll have to agree to that," said Cassy. She was sitting cross-legged in front of him in their little tree house. She looks so amazing! He allowed his gaze to linger on various parts of her body. "Drayden, we''re supposed to be discussing our future, not ogling my body." "OK, OK. In that case, in what direction should we move if we move?" "Towards the wall, of course. The ground rises in that direction, and we might be able to see further." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Drayden thought this over. "Well, in the other direction is the ocean, and unless we acquire a boat, there is no way we can cross it." "Remember, there are crocigators out there. And, probably, marine animals that eat crocigators," said Cassy. "Right, let''s avoid the ocean. Course, there is the option of going clockwise or anti-clockwise around the ring." "But, if we get a bit higher, we might have a better idea of what lies in one or the other of those directions." "Fine, fine. Let''s go to the wall," he said. "But first, we must make some clothes!" Sigh. "I was afraid that was going to be coming up." A big grin from Cassy. "Just think, you will have the excitement of watching me take off my clothes!" "Ooh, suddenly, I''m all fired up to make some. But how?" The following week, they were busy for once, answering that very question, mainly by slaughtering a lot of otters and doing their best to cure the hides. They gained an extra thirty free points from this. "Say, Cassy, notice that the more otters we kill, the less we get for each one?" "Yeah, a nuisance, that." And their [Butchery] ability was modified. Ding! [Butchery] and [Tanning] increased to 36. A few days later: "What do you think, Cassy!" Drayden held up the fruits of his labour: a metre of partly cured hide about half a centimetre wide. "It''s pretty crude, but it certainly can be used as thread," said Cassy. They used their daggers to cut and trim the hides and the daggers again to punch holes in the edges, thus allowing the thread through. Finally, after much work and swearing, they had their travel clothes ready. "Hell, you realise that we are wearing furs in this tropical heat trap of a country!" said Cassy. "Just as well we have [Heat Resistance], then! Let''s give it thirteen more points," said Drayden. Cassy didn''t object since she was feeling a little warmish, also. Drayden admired Cassy''s attire. She was wearing shorts that reached just above her knees and a jacket that covered her front and back, and barely managed to reach down to the top of her shorts. The jacket had short sleeves and was closed at the front by lacing up a thread through larger-than-normal holes. Drayden was wearing exactly the same outfit, although his was bigger to fit his bigger frame. "What a pain. We don''t have underwear; the hides feel uncomfortable, and the stitching sticks everywhere. And they look ghastly." This was because they had the outside of the hides against their skin, and the roughly scraped insides were facing outward. Drayden could do nothing but shrug his shoulders. "Unless you want to parade around naked in front of anybody we happen to meet, then this is the best that we can do." Cassy agreed that she didn''t want to go naked in front of anybody apart from him, so she had no choice but to stop grumbling. Drayden also had a straggly beard. It had been slowly growing ever since they had arrived. He wiped his hand over it. "This is a nuisance. Should I try cutting it off with my dagger?" He tried and ended up with an uneven layer of stubble. "It looks worse," said Cassy, "But never mind. At least you can''t now cut yourself shaving!" They looked up at the wall, visible above the tree line. "OK, hold my tail with yours, and let''s go!" said Drayden. They went. They didn''t even bother to glance backwards at their first home on the Ringworld. [1.15] Cassy and Drayden start hiking Drayden: His ears twitching and his tail flicking around in nervousness, Drayden and Cassy surveyed, from a safe distance, the shore of that small lake. "As expected, there are no signs of that Kraken - probably the Blood Otters ate the remains," said Cassy. I''m getting frightened, and my stomach is churning; keep putting on an act of bravado; don''t let her know. Wait. Maybe I should let her know? After all, we''re supposed to be an equal partnership, aren''t we? Well. "Ah, Cassy..." "Yes?" "Ah, well, you know, I''m, err, kind of a bit anxious." Cassy wrapped her arms around him. And her tail. "Of course, you are anxious. You were attacked here, after all." "Ah. Thanks. I wasn''t sure I should be admitting that." Cassy laughed. "You stupid male, I can see it just by looking at your tail!" "Oh, right. I didn''t even notice." His tail was tucked right in between his legs, pointing down. The end, about thirty centimetres, was being held at an angle so it didn''t drag along the ground. Amazing, it''s all by reflex. "You might try for a poker face, but it looks like there is no such thing as a poker tail!" They backed off some more, then sat under a tree. "Say, the number of otters seems to have decreased," said Drayden. "They certainly have. I suspect they must have gathered in this area for their breeding season or something. And now they are all drifting apart, back to where they usually spend their time." "Another good reason to move. And I suggest we get the otter wandering around over there," said Drayden. "OK. How about you race after it while I run behind you in case of problems?" One otter barbecue later and another two points added to their free points, they were back to watching the lake shore. "Our physical abilities are phenomenal, aren''t they!" said Drayden. "Yeah, I''m sure we could win the Olympics in any track and field event, not to mention any fighting event and weightlifting event." "But how do we compare to the normal inhabitants of this world?" "I suppose we will just have to wait until we find someone," said Cassy. "And, have you noticed the tracks on the shore? There''s plenty here, where that first Karken was, but if you look further to the left, there''s an area with very little," said Drayden. "So... Another Karken waiting by the lakeside for some tasty prey?" "Yes." "You want to terminate it with extreme prejudice, don''t you?" said Cassy. "You bet I do. But, well, I''m just a little frightened." "Remember, it was you who said, ''Face our fears and do our best!¡¯¡±, wasn''t it?" "That''s right. I so want to slaughter that horrible little thing. And prove that I''m the alpha male around here! Err, along with the alpha woman, that is." "That''s the spirit." They discussed strategy. "First, I suggest we split up our remaining free points and boost some of our stats," said Cassy. Drayden was agreeable. They ended up with: [Strength]: 75, [Speed]: 75, [Toughness]: 58, [General Combat]: 54 "Remember, I defeated that junior kraken all by myself. So between us, we can do it!" said Cassy. Then, they worked out how they were going to approach it. A little later, Drayden started walking down the beach at a carefully adjusted three-metre distance from the shoreline. Cassy followed a metre and a half behind and a metre further out. They both had their long swords drawn and ready, and they were both on high alert, adrenaline flooding their systems. Their eyes continually flicked along the shoreline, their ears up and forward, and their tails were upright and tucked behind their backs. There was a flicker of motion; a tentacle whipped out of the water straight for Drayden''s head. His combat instincts fired up, and he slashed with his sword, cutting off the jaws at the end. The Karken wasted no time and sent another three tentacles out, two for Drayden and one for Cassy. Drayden barely managed to cut off one, while Cassy quickly cut off another. The third set of jaws tried to clamp on Drayden''s left hand - only to be promptly cut off by another swing from Cassy''s sword. At this, the Karken changed tactics and tried to knock them down by sweeping its final tentacle across the ground, aiming for their legs. They both jumped over it and as the tentacle tried to lunge upwards and grab one of them, Cassy''s sword blurred again. All of its arms cut off, the Karken started threshing around, waving its arm stumps in every direction and churning the water and sand where it hid. "Now get the bastard!" said Cassy. They both lunged forward and hacked its body into bloody strips. Ding! Adult Lakeside Karken was killed, awarded 30 points. "Only thirty? I got fifty-seven points for killing a smaller one!" said Cassy. Ding! Yes, but that was by yourself, without warning. "OK, OK. But, hell, this one is still much bigger than the first one!" said Cassy. "Just as well I didn''t blindly walk into it," said Drayden. "Oops, we can''t just stand here looking at it; we must watch out for anything else." They looked around. There didn''t appear to be anything else about to attack them. Drayden yanked off the jaws that had tried to clamp themselves to his hand. "Only some scratches and small bruising," he said after checking. "Say, do you think these tentacles might be edible?" said Cassy. They both invoked their [Inspect] ability. "Yep!" Having worked up an appetite, they had a meal of calamari rings. They also cooked enough to take some for the road. "It''s a shame that meat doesn''t last very long in these temperatures," said Drayden. Cassy didn''t bother to reply as she was busy threading some of their leftover thread through the remaining cooked calamari rings, then tying it around her waist. "I know. Let''s take the pelt of that otter we have just caught, and when we make camp tonight, we can process it and make a backpack!" said Drayden. "Oh, and I think we should allocate some more points, build up our [Toughness] and [General Combat]. OK?" said Drayden. "OK. So, how about 13 to [Toughness] and 17 to [General Combat]?" said Cassy. It was agreed. After assigning the points, they kept on walking towards the distant wall. Alice and Bronsen: In their cave accommodation, Bronsen and Alice were finishing off another meal of thawed and heated hippo. Alice loudly burped. Bronsen blinked at this unladylike display. "Oh, come off it, Bronsen! Considering what we have been up to, can''t a woman drop the lady-like behaviour for once?" "Ah, yes, of course." Then Alice farted. "Argh!" went Bronsen. Alice laughed. A little later, Alice noticed something. "Look at this. They have increased their fighting abilities! They''re right down to zero free points." "Hmm, so they are. So - does that mean they need it?" "I suppose so." After thinking about the implications of this, Bronsen said, "How about we allocate some ourselves? After all, we have a few points to spare." "So, how about we leave thirteen points over and evenly spread the remaining sixty points?" said Alice. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "Sounds good to me. How about you do the honours this time?" So Alice started by allocating fifteen points to [Strength], then continued with the rest. Cassy: They had made another temporary tree house and were getting ready for the night. "So, they have increased our status points. Hmm." They had some fun, and then they settled down to a night of sleep. The following day, they rapidly cleaned the otter''s skin and made it into a backpack. Drayden put it on, and Cassy looked at it. "I would be so embarrassed to be seen with that on at school!" "Just as well they can''t see us, then!" They hopped down and started moving, only to find a whole patch of spudnips very close by. So that''s what they cooked and ate. "Oh dear, I think I overate," said Cassy, holding her tummy. "Yeah, it''s such a change from otter." "Well, nothing for it; we''ll have to walk it off." Only after cresting the next hill they found another patch of spudnips. And what appeared to be a deer, busily rooting out the spudnip tubers and eating them. They stopped and watched. "A dear?" said Cassy. "Wait, it''s got antlers. So does that make it a stag?" "This is a foreign world, so who knows what it makes. However - I suggest that long thing hanging between its back legs is a pretty big clue." "Oh. Right. Didn''t see that. Hmm, it is rather long, isn''t it?" Cassy couldn''t control herself any more and started giggling. The stag looked up and realised it had an audience. It didn''t appreciate this, as it skipped around and trotted off. "Well, that''s a change," said Cassy, "It didn''t immediately attack us." She looked sideways at Drayden. Say, does he look just a touch embarrassed? "Heehee, are you comparing yourself with him and feeling inadequate?" she said. She expected him to continue with the humour, only he didn''t. Instead, he glared at her, then turned and stepped away. "Err, Drayden?" "Yes?" he said. Short and sharp and still not looking at her. Oh, right, it''s the famous male insecurity. Sigh. How do I fix this? "Drayden, I wasn''t implying that your erect penis was too short, you know." Silence. "I have no problem with it at all." "Then why did you have to make such an insensitive remark!" "Well, because I don''t have any problem with how long it is. So, of course, it never occurred to me that you might be sensitive about it." "Really?" Sigh. "Yes, really. Remember when Alice and I were discussing the lengths of our vibrators?" Ah! That got a reaction from him. "I wouldn''t want you to be any longer; after all, my vagina is only so long and it would get uncomfortable. I think your length is just right, and it gives me maximum pleasure without any discomfort." "Oh. Ahh, really?" "Yes! Really! I mean, where did you get the idea that you were too short in the first place?" Drayden fidgeted and eventually said, "I suppose from watching porn movies." Cassy snorted. "Surely you must know that the male porn stars are selected to be unnaturally long? Even I know that!" "I suppose so." "My dear, how about we return to last night''s tree platform, and I will demonstrate how ''adequate'' you are..." A little later, they were ten metres up the tree, sitting in front of each other, with their clothes off. Cassy leant forward and gently stroked him. "See, nothing short about that!" Drayden appeared to have trouble talking but grunted a ''yes''. "Say, I''ve just realised this is the first time I''ve touched your penis with my hands. Hmm, like it?" Drayden nodded his head. He was going red in the face but did not attempt to stop her. So she continued. A few minutes later, Cassy decided that there was now no longer any need to continue. "Now that was interesting!" she said, "Is that the way you normally masturbate yourself?" Drayden, having gotten back his ability to talk, happily said, "Yes, more or less. And, now, how about I do the same for you?" Some more minutes later, they relaxed. "My, that was actually kind of embarrassing!" said Cassy, "Even if we have had sex, it''s still embarrassing to do it like that." "Hmm, yes. But it''s also very nice. Seeing you like that." "Yes. I felt more vulnerable and, well, naked while you were stimulating me than when we were doing it the conventional way." Drayden leant forward and hugged her. Their tails wrapped around each other. Drayden: They kissed each other. He could feel her messy hair tickling his chin and shoulder. He couldn''t resist himself and began stroking her hair. Only to have her flinch and move her head away from his hand. Huh? Again? Why that reaction? "Say, Cassy, why are you so touchy when I try to stroke your hair?" "I''m not!" She tried to pull back, but Drayden held her. "Sorry, but you are. And, if I can talk about my little complex, how about you do the same?" "Oh, this is a pain. Yeah, OK." She took a breath. "You see, it''s my father. He combed my hair. Every night. When I was younger. And, well, I mean, nothing happened or anything. But a few years ago. I stopped it. I felt, ah, it was inappropriate. Or something. I mean, nothing, err, wrong, occurred! But nonetheless. So, now, I''m not too fond of it when you try combing my hair. But it''s nothing to do with you! And, well, also, I don¡¯t even like combing my own hair or anything. Ah, can we stop talking about this now?" "Oh, right. OK." I guess I will have to settle for hugging her and stroking her tail. "How about I stroke your tail instead?" A big grin from Cassy. "Sure!" So they had a mutual tail-grooming session, and then they relaxed. Ding! [Sexual Technique] increased by 0.1. Because of your new ''technique''. Ding! [Sexual Technique] increased by 3. Because you shared some of your emotional vulnerabilities. Good on ya, kids! Ding! New Ability, [Hairstyle], added, fully maxed out! Because System-san is feeling generous today. Ding! [Hairstyle]:10 (system allocated, max 10) "Great! Sexual technique is now four! Gee, a miserly little four out of a hundred, what does it take to get to the maximum, I wonder." said Drayden. "Never mind, it''s still great. And we need to do more of this emotional sharing stuff!" said Cassy. "And, [Hairstyle]?" "Well, let''s see, if I concentrate on that ability - So, it can result in my hair styling itself automatically, to whatever I want?" said Cassy. "Not exactly an earth-shattering ability, but no need to turn our noses up at it." After some concentration, Cassy said. "Well, I think I got it worked out. Over the next few days, my hair should become slightly redder, and it should be perfectly straight and combed and nice and smooth and silky and trimmed evenly at the bottom." "And, mine should be the same as now, only it is always neatly combed and cut. And this stupid half-grown beard will be gone. I''m going to settle for the clean-shaven look." said Drayden. Not having anything more to do, they hopped down and continued on their way. "Say, Cassy, since we are so fit, how about we try running?" "Sure. But we must watch out for predators and other nasty surprises." And away they went. Alice and Bronsen: "Ooh, look, Cassy and Drayden must be enjoying themselves!" They both started laughing. "Yeah, what have they been up to!" said Bronsen. They both concentrated. "Oh my. Can we try that? Please?" said Bronsen. "Hmm. You want to do some mutual masturbation?" said Alice. "Yes! After all, those two have obviously just done it. And we could get more points for our [Sexual Technique]!" said Bronsen. He was definitely enthusiastic. "I''m not sure I want any of your white stuff all over me..." "Well, we just need to ensure it doesn''t touch you. OK?" said Bronsen. "OK, OK, let''s try it. Purely to gain some extra points, mind you!" A little while later, they changed roles. Then, a little while after that - "I suppose that was nice - although I still prefer you lying on top of me. Say, if we are experimenting, how about we try me lying on top of you for a change?" said Alice. "Sure, sure, no problems!" "And we still have to do the deep and meaningful heart-to-heart stuff," said Alice. "Heart to heart? Or maybe it''s something else to something else?" said Bronsen. "Whatever. Ahh, you start, OK?" "So, I have to say something that makes me feel vulnerable? This is sort of difficult..." He continued after a moment''s reflection. "I''ve never told anyone this - but when I was younger and just starting to be aware of all of this sexual stuff, I was on a train. You know, one where there is a row of bench seats facing each other? And the seats were full, but there weren''t too many people standing. So when this gorgeous lady with a wonderfully short skirt and bare midriff sat right opposite me, I couldn''t help noticing that I had a clear view of her panties. Bright red, they were, to match her bright red skirt. So, you know, being a young teenage boy, I might have been just a little fixated on that sight..." "Yeah, I bet you were! And did you get an erection?" "I certainly did. So I was sitting there, trying to hunch over slightly and hide it while not making it obvious. And at that point, the train stopped at a station, and the lady got up. I belatedly realised that I hadn''t even looked at her face. And, with incredible embarrassment, our gazes met each other. I think I must have blushed. And she just smiled very slightly, walked to the door, and left." Alice was smiling a lot more than slightly. "Tell me, when you got back to your bedroom, did you fantasise about her?" "Well, of course. For the next month at the very least." "So, it must be my turn now." said Alice, "Actually, I have had a similar sort of experience, just with the roles reversed." "I was also on a partially full train when I was younger. I was standing, I was wearing my school uniform, and I noticed that the man sitting right in front of me was looking at my body. So I kept staring ahead and pretended that I didn''t even know he existed. And, well, it was the first time I realised just how powerful sexual attraction could be. By doing nothing but stand there, I could get men to notice me; I could get them all excited. All by myself. It was simultaneously really sexy but also terrifying. After that, I would often fantasise about how I could get men to fall widely in love with me merely by using my body. But, after that, I also became conscious of taking care when moving around in public, just in case some man would attack me." Bronsen considered this. "So, you are always conscious of the need to guard against unwanted attention, if not outright attacks?" "Every woman is. Practically all the time when we are in the public gaze." "Well, I guess I never had to worry about that. Hmm, I feel a little guilty now when I think of all of the times I have looked at women''s bodies." "I suppose we don''t mind too much as long as you aren''t obnoxious about it. And, most importantly, as long as we don''t feel in danger." They sat there, knees to knees, in the light of a glowing fireball, thinking about what had been said. As they did so, they moved their tails around so that the ends were together. "These tails are great for playing around!" said Alice, stroking her tail across Bronsen''s. "Also great for starting sex!" said Bronsen. Alice flicked her tail and gently hit him in the face. So he defended himself by blocking her tail with his. After a certain amount of tussling, Alice ended up lying on top of him. He twisted his tail around hers - A suitable amount of time later, they finally relaxed and lay there contentedly. Ding! Here''s your reward! An extra 4 points to [Sexual Technique]. Keep up the sharing! "That reminds me, what about our new ability called [Hairstyle]? Now that''s a weird one," said Alice. After a while. "OK, this is good. I''ve never liked my fizzy curly hair; I''m now aiming for straight black hair, all the way round, cut in a bang above my eyes, and just above shoulder length. And it will never need cutting or combing!" Bronsen, just like Drayden, was unimaginative. He picked his current style, but always neat and combed. And he also decided to go for the permanent clean-shaven look. "Bronsen, exactly how do these points work, anyway?" "I guess we kill some ferocious animal, and System-san rewards us with some points. Sadly, the number of points rewarded each time decreases as we get more expertise. And then, we allocate our points to our abilities. Except that for some abilities, only System-san can allocate them. And, where did the locked twelve thousand points come from, anyway?" "Oh, that. Obviously, that is for us saving those children," said Alice. "Ah, of course. So, we also get points for meritorious deeds and for killing animals. And I''m sure we got a few points for butchering our first animals." said Bronsen. "But that''s inconsistent. Sometimes we get new points, and sometimes it''s allocated from the locked points!" said Alice. After further discussion, they eventually concluded that, as always, System-san was making things up as it went along. All to keep up its bullshit quota. That night, Alice had an idea. "Bronsen! Do you realise we have never looked at the night sky, especially when there are no clouds?" she said. "Yes... You''re right. And today is one of those rare days when there are no clouds. Are you expecting to see anything?" "Maybe some lights? Of cities, or villages, or even particularly large bonfires," she said. "OK. Let''s crack open our door, carefully observe the local wildlife, and poke our heads out and look!" Ten minutes later, they were looking upwards in silence. Eventually... "Wow, it is pretty, isn''t it?" said Alice. The ring was indistinct but just visible as a grey band arcing from one side to the other, with the sun, now in its moonlight mode, still blocking the top of the arc. "Look! You can just make out some of the oceans; they are glowing slightly," said Bronsen. "Yeah. It''s called, ah, bioluminescence?" "Something like that, but don''t quote me. And there are many land areas with faint light glows; maybe they are towns? Probably not large cities; they don''t seem big enough." said Bronsen. "And, if I remember correctly from those satellite photos of the night side of Earth, those glows are not bright enough to be electric." "So, no advanced industrial civilisation. But, in that case, who built the Ringworld?" said Bronsen. They asked System-san, but no reply was forthcoming. "Say, Bronsen? What are all of those twinkling lights? They are all over the place, mainly the land areas but some in the ocean areas. They are brighter than normal stars from Earth, but not by all that much." "Wouldn''t have a clue. Actually, I would say many of them are blinking, not twinkling." They looked at each other. "In other words, semaphores!" said Alice. "Yeah. There''s a whole planetary - I mean Ringworld - global civilisation, chatting to itself out there." "Eventually, we will need to meet them!" said Alice. "Hmm, yes, we will, but maybe not quite yet?" [1.16] Drayden gives Cassy a bouquet Cassy and Drayden: The following day, they had their usual fun, then ate the remaining calamari rings and a serving of roasted spudnips. They cleaned up and walked back to the crest of the hill. "Well, I suppose we should start running towards the wall now. May I suggest we slow down when going up to the top of each hill so we can take a cautious look at what might be on the other side?" said Cassy. "OK" They discovered holding hands or tails while running was impossible since they needed both to maintain balance. But that was all right; they considered the need to travel fast more important. The undergrowth was partly open, with the tree canopy blocking out most of the sun, so the lighting was subdued and gloomy. Sometimes, they passed a fallen tree, which had opened up a hole in the canopy. A profusion of shrubs, flowers, and many small trees grew in these clearings. Each such tree was a spindly trunk crowned with a top hat of leaves. They stopped to look around one such clearing. "Look, these trees must be desperately trying to grow up and be the boss of this area!" said Cassy. Drayden was intently examining the many small flowers growing in every place where there was enough sunlight. "Yeah, and look at this! See how the flowers grow in clearly defined areas? And each such area is precisely outlined by a patch of sunlight. And, in the shadows, the flowers are considerably reduced." "Yes?" "Think! The sun remains fixed in the sky. The trees and their branches around this clearing remain fixed, apart from when the wind blows. Which means the pattern of sunlight and shadow remains fixed. So that determines where the flowers grow." "Ah, I see. Back on Earth, the sun is always moving, so the delineation of sun and shadow is nowhere near as definite, so the density of flowers will change in a much more gradual fashion." The beauty of the colourful flowers must have overcome Drayden as he picked a bunch of flowers, wrapped some stalks around them and knelt on the ground to present the bouquet to the beauty that was Cassy. "Will you be my girlfriend?" he said hopefully. Cassy graciously accepted the bouquet. "Hmm, isn''t it a bit early in our friendship to make such a commitment?" "But, but, I''m sure we are compatible!" At this, they started laughing. Eventually, Cassy carefully put the bouquet down on the tree trunk. They sat next to it, looking up at the wall. "How far away do you think it is?" said Bronsen. Cassy said, ¡°Inspect¡±. Rim Wall: 52 kilometres high, 84 kilometres away. "Hey, this must be an effect of getting more points allocated to Inspect!" said Cassy. "Yeah, we now get distances! What if I look at the Ringworld itself and..." This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Ringworld, Felixerra. Circumference: About 98,300 kilometres. Width: About 4980 kilometres. Weight: About 2x10^17 tonnes. Population (Felixian) about 1 billion. "Yeah, I guess 2 with seventeen zeros after it is very heavy. So, we''re on Felixerra," said Drayden. "Wait a minute, Felix as in cat, erra as from Terra, so - Cat World? And Felixian - Cat Person?" said Cassy. They looked at each other. "Somebody''s got a pathetic sense for naming things!" said Drayden. Cassy stared at the wall. "Say, are there marks on the wall? It doesn''t appear to be uniformly plain and flat." Ding! [Perception Boost] added, with an initial allocation of 20 points. "Incredible!" said Drayden. He and Cassy could now easily see that those marks on the distant wall were tall recesses. "And, is that a zigzag line climbing up each recess?" said Cassy. "Stairs? Sadly, even with our improved sight, we can''t make out the details." They had fun in the next half hour, looking all around. "I can see little insects on branches twenty metres away!" said Cassy. "Look, there are small birds right up there; I don''t think I noticed them before," said Drayden. They both became silent and concentrated. "Yep! I can hear some birdsong. It''s not very musical, is it?" said Cassy. "No, looks like Earth birds have an edge there." They listened some more. "Oh," said Drayden. They could now clearly hear growling and scruffling noises. There was an unmistakable roar of some injured animal. "A fight? Considering how capable we are when it comes to fighting, shall we take a look?" said Drayden. After walking steadily and as silently as possible for half a kilometre, they approached another hill and looked over the top. There, sprawled on the ground, was that stag or another one that looked the same. And, starting to feast on it, were seven enormous wolves. [Inspect] thought Cassy. Wargs. Powerful pack hunting animals. But you can take them on, no problem! "Well, that''s nice to know..." said Cassy. At this point, two more wargs popped out from behind a tree, snarled, and leapt straight at them. Cassy skewered one with a frontal thrust of her sword while Drayden stabbed another from the side. As they stopped in their extended lunge poises, this meant that a hundred kilos of dead warg was suspended on their swords. A few drops of blood dripped down onto some flowers. "Hmm, perhaps we can have a bit of this for lunch?" said Drayden. They lowered the bodies to the ground, then recalled the other wargs, currently having their own lunch. Those wargs stared at them intently. Cassy and Drayden picked up one of the dead wargs and stepped back. The wargs stayed where they were. So the teenagers walked away to one side, keeping careful watch. "There now, puppy dogs, just go back to your lunch," said Cassy. The puppy dogs did go back to their lunch, and the teenagers started jogging, carrying the body between them. Cassy looked at her status. "We only got ten points for that! Five points per warg." "It''s called exponential decay. The number of points we get decreases with each animal we kill. Presumably, it¡¯s because each kill becomes easier as we increase our expertise." "But, still, only five points each! And they are huge wolves!" "Maybe Bronsen and Alice have killed a few?" "Maybe." A couple of hours later, they stopped at the edge of a small creek tumbling down a low rock face. The ground they had been covering wasn''t rough, but it undulated all over the place. Drayden looked at the rim wall, which was now taller, and invoked Inspect. "Amazing, we''ve already covered twenty km, despite carrying a dead warg and having to navigate around these hills and trees." "So, let''s have lunch and keep going! We should be able to get there by nighttime," said Cassy. They butchered the warg, cooked some meat and had their lunch. They also saved some cooked meat for later use, cut out a piece of the pelt, cleaned it, and made another backpack. This took some hours of work, so after they resumed running, they only managed to get within ten kilometres of the wall before the light started fading. Tonight¡¯s five-star accommodation was twelve metres high, in the gap between two close-together trees. As usual, their hotel room consisted of several long branches going from one crook in a tree across to the other tree. Laid sideways were shorter branches. The amenities might have been a bit on the basic side, but the view of the rim wall on one side and the interior of the Ringworld on the other made up for it. They made love a few times, then contentedly cuddled up to each other. "Just remember, Drayden, the only reason I can survive and feel halfway sane in this crazy world is because you are right next to me." "Well, the same for me!" Cassy became sad. "But, I do miss my little sister. And I keep worrying about who will look after her." "Err, won''t your parents look after her?" "Dad is hopeless, and Mum is, well, she kind of spends all her time catering to Dad, and, well, I''m not quite sure what the situation is, but it leaves me very worried about Veronica." "Nothing we can do about that now." They went to sleep. [1.17] Alice and Bronsen try out some stone masonary. Alice and Bronsen: Three mornings later, Alice shook Bronsen awake. "Bronsen, my hair! It''s finally straight and down to my shoulders!" "Urk, what, ah, so it is." He sat beside her, put one hand around her back, and stroked her hair with the other. "There, there, kitty cat, you happy now?" Alice nodded her head, put it against his chest, and began purring. Bronsen kept patting her head, but after a while, he couldn''t resist saying: "Say, Alice, do you realise you are purring?" "What! Shit! So I was. We really are cats. Well, cat people. But that''s no excuse to stop patting me!" She went back to purring. After a while, they swapped over, and with some gentle patting, Alice also got Bronsen purring. They surveyed their food stores. "Getting a bit low, and it could be getting a bit off. I suppose we will have to go out and do a bit of hunting. Oh, and did you realise we have a new ability?" said Bronsen. "Yes, let''s try out our improved perception." By the end of the day, they came home with a couple of Snow Rabbits. They looked like rabbits, only five times bigger, with sharper claws and wickedly curving razor-sharp horns. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Why are even the herbivores armed to the teeth?" said Bronsen. "Must be the nature of this place. And, Bronsen, we''ve got oodles of meat. And we''ve got a landscape full of snow and ice, but if we try to store our excess meat in it, it will be gobbled up by the local scavengers." said Alice. "And if we store it inside our cave, the temperature rise caused by our bodies will thaw it out; it will never remain frozen," said Bronsen. "We need an external fridge, built up with rocks and sealed at the top with more rocks." Ding! [Stone Masonry] added with an initial 17 points. And [Fireball] increased to 30. You can work it out from here. "More bullshit abilities," said Alice. "But... That could be very useful..." said Bronsen. Three days later, they were well into constructing an entry hall for their cave. By applying their [Fireball] technique, they obtained a thermal lance capable of melting through rock. So, producing large stone masonry blocks kept them busy for a few days. "It''s so amazing how we automatically acquire the skills to know how to shape and lay blocks, isn''t it?" said Cassy. They were currently admiring their efforts. They had smoothed the surface of the cliff face around the entrance and then constructed an archway. This went up on one side, curved over, and down the other. It created a sheltered hallway, with the cave entrance at one end and the opening to the outside at the other. At the moment, it was about three metres long. The next job was to construct stone doorways for the ends of the hallway. One doorway led into the original cave entrance, and the other led to the outside end of the archway. Thus, to enter the cave proper, they went through the external doorway, travelled along the passage, and entered the doorway to the cave itself. "Now, how do we make doors?" said Cassy. They shaped a couple of large boulders into two solid stone blocks, using them as very large, substantial doorway plugs. Getting the ''doors'' open and closed was a hassle, but with their strength, it was doable. So, the next time they went hunting, they stored their excess meat and hides in the passageway, where the temperature was the same as the outside. "So, now, what do we do to pass the time?" asked Bronsen. "I''ve been thinking about that hippo; I think that if it wanted to, it could easily smash down this hallway..." said Cassy. Bronsen walked around the outside and thought about it. "Since we have nothing else to do, let''s reinforce it. And extend it at the same time." Having mapped out their leisure time for the next month or so, they got stuck into their self-imposed task with gutso. Of course, they also went hunting occasionally. And they made love quite a bit more than just occasionally. [1.18] Cassy and Drayden explore the wall Cassy and Drayden: During the first week that Alice and Bronsen were renovating and extending their house - without the slightest regard for getting the appropriate council building approvals - Cassy and Drayden explored the wall. By midday after the day they killed the warg, they were near to the wall¡¯s base. The trees thinned out, and the ground level went up at a thirty-degree slope before getting to the wall. "According to [Inspect], the wall is a kilometre and a half away, so I guess this steep talus slope goes up about a kilometre before reaching the wall," said Drayden. Cassy looked back. The light forest receded and blurred into the distance, with a hint of blue to mark the ocean shore. And, as always, the land across the width of the ring stretched into a hazy, blurred line before curving up slightly on the other side to meet the opposite ring wall. And, in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions, the ground blurred into both distances before gradually climbing up and up and narrowing and, thirty thousand kilometres above their heads, meeting each other. "Notice how there appear to be bands across the ring floor, from side to side? They''re, maybe, roughly about a thousand kilometres wide, " said Drayden. He pointed to an example far enough away to be visible but close enough to get some idea of what the ground was like. "See, that band looks greenish, plus lots of water, while the one next to it looks whitish." "Maybe temperature bands? As in, each band has a different temperature and climate?" said Cassy. "Possibly. We want to see the local geography, which we can''t see from here. Let''s get higher! Much higher!" "Um, there''s just one little problem, Drayden." "What? Oh, yeah, food. And water." They turned their attention back to the wall. The nearest recessed alcove was about a kilometre away. And it started a kilometre above ground. Inside the recessed area was a staircase, zigzagging its way up the vertical wall. There was a landing at each location where the stairs went from a zig to a zag. And on each landing was a messy arrangement of bird nests, lots of discarded sticks and rubbish, and many large birds. Birds were everywhere, roosting on their nests, running up and down the steps, fighting each other, and flying in and out. They might have been more than a kilometre away, but due to their enhanced perception, they could make out all sorts of details. For example: "Hey, Cassy, those birds are pretty big. And plump. They might make good eating." "Roast chicken?" said Cassy. "I wish we had some gravy," said Drayden. The next problem was water. Perhaps that wasn''t so bad, as there was another downpour. Cassy and Drayden, slopping wet, decided to walk along the base until they found some way of getting up. Because of the continued heat, most of the water turned into steam. So, they were in a sauna for the duration of the rainfall. They discussed what they knew up to now. "There are recesses, maybe ten metres wide and a kilometre high, with a staircase up the middle. And each recess is separated from the next one above or below by about a kilometre," said Cassy. "Yes. And, what does that mean?" "How would I know? More importantly, is there anything connecting each recess with the next?" said Cassy. They kept on walking until they were more or less under the first recess. They stopped. They had found a doorway entrance, two metres high and two metres wide, set into the base of the wall and extending into the darkness inside the wall. "Wouldn''t that be an ideal place for some nasty animal to live?" said Drayden. ¡°Maybe? It certainly would be silly to charge in. I¡¯m sure Alice and Bronsen would never make that mistake!¡± said Cassy. "Then we shall be extra cautious,¡± said Drayden. ¡°Feel the fear, but do it anyway?" said Cassy. So, with swords drawn, enhanced eyesight and hearing working overtime, they cautiously crept up to the entrance and walked a few metres inside. They sniffed the air, "Fresh, nothing to indicate any animals nearby," said Cassy. They listened. "Silent and still," said Drayden. Cassy cast a little fireball, hovering before them, and they looked. "A straight passageway, ending ten metres away in a staircase going up," said Cassy. "This is all so very convenient," said Drayden. They started up the stairs, which zigged and zagged every ten metres. After a couple hundred metres, they found something lying on one of the landings. "Oh, a body?" said Cassy. It looked dry and desiccated. It had on a simple tunic with many holes and stains. It also had two arms, two legs, and a tail. "A person! One of us!" said Drayden. He used [Inspect]. Ding! Dead body, Felixian. That''s what you are, just in case you haven''t worked it out yet. The body was just there, on the floor of the landing. On three sides were the walls, and the stairs went up and down from the fourth side. They carefully walked around the body as if trying not to wake them. "The body is a bit small, isn''t it?" said Cassy. "Yeah, they''re probably a child or young teenager." "How horrible. How did they come to die here?" said Cassy. "They''re not wearing much; look, it''s just a tunic; there doesn''t even appear to be any underwear." Because of all of the gashes and tears, this wasn''t too hard to work out. The body lay face down, arms and legs and tail sprawled out. "I don''t want to turn over the body to work out its gender," said Drayden. Cassy suppressed a shudder, "No, don''t. Leave them in peace." Amongst all the other remarkable things, one more surprising observation was the dead person''s skin colour. "Look! They have a mottled two-tone colour!" said Drayden. One arm was dark brown, and the other was light red. One leg was dark brown from the knee down and light red above, and the other was all dark brown. The back, as seen through the various holes in the tunic, also appeared to have two tones. ¡°This is like cats on Earth! But then, we are some sort of cat, after all," said Cassy. "Is everyone like this?" said Drayden. There was a gap in the conversation as they kept examining the body. "Oh, look, they were wearing a necklace. But it appears to have fallen off," said Drayden. He was pointing to the person''s neck. Under it was a length of black rope or something, about a centimetre thick and thirty long. At the ends were connectors. Drayden gently prodded it with his finger. Ding! Slave Collar. Compels the wearer to do whatever the slave master tells them. Once the slave collar is put around someone''s neck, it can only come off with the death of the slave. If destroyed while a slave is wearing it, the slave dies immediately. This message was delivered to Cassy and Drayden simultaneously; they didn''t even have to use Inspect. Drayden jerked his hand away as if he had been electrocuted. Ding! There is a standard reward of a hundred points for the destruction of each slave collar (as long as it doesn''t result in the death of the slave). This reward is not subject to exponential decay as the number of slave collars you destroy increases. "Oh, it looks like System-san doesn''t like slave collars. And there''s no exponential decay," said Cassy. "Right. I think that means we destroy every slave collar that isn''t attached to a live slave." You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. So Drayden summoned his long sword and used its tip to drag the collar into the open. Then, glancing around to ensure he didn''t hit Cassy or a wall, he hit it with all his might. There was an almighty clang and a large spark. A huge notch broke off his sword, bounced off the wall, and clattered to a halt on the floor. The slave collar lay there, seemingly unaffected. "Oh, it''s tougher than it looks." He dismissed his sword, and they were both interested to see that the broken-off piece also vanished. He summoned it again; the sword was brand new and razor-sharp as usual. He made another attempt on the collar. Fifteen attempts later, with Cassy contributing, it finally gave up the ghost. It disintegrated into a pile of coarse sand. Ding! You have gained a hundred points by destroying a slave collar. Keep up the good work! "Yep, [System-san] really, really hates slave collars," said Cassy. "Shall we bring up our [Strength], [Speed] and [Toughness] to 95 and save the rest?" said Drayden. "Yep, let''s do it." "And, perhaps we should put more into [Perception]?" said Cassy. "Oh well, just put the rest into [Perception]." "OK." "So, if someone tries to put a slave collar onto us, we fight like death itself, OK?" said Cassy. "Agreed. They sound like they are absolutely shitty things," said Drayden. "In that case, why doesn''t System-san eliminate the things itself? After all, it must easily be powerful enough," said Cassy. "I''ve been thinking about that sort of thing. Maybe it''s a matter of allowing the people here to make their own choices. Like allowing everyone free will? Although it is only the slave masters that get the free will. Maybe System-san is prevented from directly intervening in the affairs of mortals?" "But, wait a minute, it is always interfering with our actions!" said Cassy. "Yeah, it is. But, it doesn''t directly make us do things; it is always in a somewhat roundabout manner. It sets up the situation so the most sensible choice for us is the one it wants. Or something like that." "I suppose so. And, maybe, the rules for reincarnated ones like us are a little different?" said Cassy. "Probably. After all, that''s what happens in most of the Isekai novels." They kept on walking up the stairs. Their vastly improved strength made this easy; they galloped up the stairs three or four steps at a time - until Cassy took a sniff. "Oh, uck, what is that smell?" "Ahh. I think that must be from those birds. We must be getting up to the bottom of the first recess." They certainly were. First, there was the smell. Then, the distant sounds of bird squawks rapidly became louder. Then debris started appearing on the steps. Then, they found the first complete but abandoned nest. A couple more flights, and they came to an occupied nest. A very indignant bird hissed at them and flapped its wings. Those wings were long, a metre and a half for each side. And, at the elbow of the wing were sharp talons. The bird also had sharp teeth in its jaws. And long sharp talons at the end of its feet, also. Cassy sighed. "Why is every animal we meet armed to the teeth?" "They must have to fight off a lot of dangerous predators, I suppose. After all, that is what we are," said Drayden. He proved this statement by skewering the bird. They took the body and moved back down to ground level, then lit a fire and cooked some roast bird meat. "I can hardly believe how blase I''ve become about slaughtering all of these innocent animals and then eating them," said Cassy. "I would hardly count that Karken as innocent. Nor that Crocigator." "Hmm, OK. Pass me a bit more of that leg, will you?" After having their fill, they decided to reclimb the stairs. A little later. "Say, Cassy, the floor of this landing is pretty clean..." "OK, OK. We can do it once or twice. After all, it is still some time until evening." And, not all that long after that, while they were relaxing, they made some plans. "I think, because of our high toughness, we should be able to go without water or food for a few days without suffering too much. So let''s race to the top, have a look, then go back down," said Cassy. "OK. There is a complication - how low does the air pressure get? Back on Earth, if you go more than three kilometres high, the air starts to get thin enough to cause problems. And if you go up to fifty kilometres, it''s not quite a vacuum, but it is close." Cassy thought about this. "I know!" She said, ¡°Inspect air pressure!¡±. "Well, what do you know, it worked." So Drayden tried it also - Ding! Air pressure where you are is 0.95 standard atmospheres. The air pressure at the top of Rimwall is 0.8. It''s all due to magic. "Fine, fine," said Drayden, "Let''s go." They had to fight their way through a lot of enraged birds. They weren''t sure if the birds were enraged because they were traipsing all over their nests and frightening their little chicks or because they killed another two birds for their evening meal. Possibly both. But, eventually, they got to the top of the recess. The stairway became enclosed again, and they kept on going. The second recess, three or so kilometres above the datum, had no birds. Presumably because it was now too high. There were some puddles of clean water on several of the landings, so they had a drink. They kept on going as fast as possible. They passed numerous recesses, all empty of any bird life. And there was something different at about the midway point, roughly twenty-five kilometres high. The stairs continued, ever upwards, through the solid rock. Right now, they were between recesses, so it was perpetually dark. And right at the halfway point between the two open-to-the-air recesses, the other side wasn''t the usual solid rock. Instead, it opened out into a large internal area. It was circular, had a flat floor, and a four-metre-high flat ceiling. Naturally, they had to light it up with one of their fireballs to view it. "Oh my, it''s a ballroom!" said Cassy. They rushed inside the room and walked around the perimeter. "It''s about fifteen metres in diameter. What on the Ringworld is this used for?" said Drayden. "Maybe it''s to be used as a halfway point for camping?" said Drayden. "Who knows? Maybe someone decided on a whim to design this in?" "Someone? Hey, System-san, who designed and built the Ringworld, anyway?" said Cassy. Ding! The original Felixians built it in orbit around their original planet in the closest galaxy. They had extremely pressing reasons to get off their planet permanently, and extremely fortunately, they had System-san, which was willing to grant them the necessary skills to do so. "Is that so? What, if we may ask, were the extremely pressing reasons?" said Drayden. Ding! They discovered their sun would go Super Nova within a few thousand years. "That is indeed a good reason to get well away. I suppose it is also a good amount of time to start preparing," said Drayden. "So, going by what you just said, that means that the original Felixians did not make the System?" said Cassy. Ding! That''s right. They may have been powerful enough (then) to construct the Ringworld, but they have never been anywhere near powerful enough to make System-san. They walked to the middle of the room - and, of course, made love, just for the sake of it. After that, they sat back to back. Drayden looked at the circular room and had an idea. "Hey, Cassy, I bet I can run around the room!" "Well, of course." "No, I mean, I can run around the room on the walls!" "Huh?" So Drayden took off. He started running right next to the wall, and as he built up speed, he leant further inward. Then, he transitioned to running on the wall. He was distinctly wobbly until he had built up sufficient speed, but eventually, at full speed, he was not too far off horizontal and was running around the room close to the ceiling. Every time he came to the doorway, he jumped across and kept going. "Yee-haw!" as he passed Cassy. Cassy, not to be outdone, joined him. However, Drayden had to take quick action to avert collision when Cassy tried to move up the wall before getting up to the same speed as him. After ten minutes, they decelerated and staggered to a stop, standing on the floor like a normal sane person would. "Well, that was fun," said Cassy, "But I think it is time to get moving again. They kept on going, still as fast as possible. It took them two days to reach the top, which is not bad for a vertical height of fifty or so kilometres. No matter how fit and strong they were, an unmodified human would have found this task completely and utterly impossible. "Well, isn''t this view drop-dead gorgeous!" said Cassy. There was a slight breeze, just enough to swish her beautifully coiffured hair, groomed to perfection and softly glowing in the sunlight from side to side. "Yeah, especially when it outlines your lovely figure and much more improved hairstyle." Cassy didn''t refuse this compliment; she allowed herself to bask in its glow momentarily as they both looked around. The first detail they noticed was that the top of the Rimwall had the most convenient handrail on both sides. "Isn''t this more bullshit? Handrails at just the right height for a human. Err, I mean, a cat person." said Drayden. She slapped him with her tail, "Don''t fuss about it! And, anyway, they designed it to be like this. And, wow, we can look over the outside edge!" The top of the Rimwall was about a hundred metres across. She grabbed his hand, dragged him over, and leaned on the exterior handrail. They gazed into the abyss. It didn''t seem that anything was looking back. However, they did notice something new. "My God, It''s full of stars!" said Drayden. Cassy completely missed the reference to that famous science-fiction story. She merely agreed. "Yes, we never got a good look at the sky during nighttime, and in the daytime, it is normally drowned out by the sun." They could see the stars only because they were right at the outside edge, looking out and away from the sun. Make that an entire galaxy. It tilted at such an angle that it was ten times longer than it was wide, but the spiral arms were still visible. Drayden went quiet for a few minutes before telling Cassy the result of his thinking. "If I remember correctly, when a sun goes supernova, it generates an enormous amount of energy. Which blasts out, destroying the solar system and sterilising planets within hundreds of lightyears. So, when they finally got their Ringworld built, they had to accelerate it to some fraction of the speed of light so they could get far enough away to avoid the lethal effects of the neutrino wave and the photon wave and the blast wave." "Hmm, I suppose that sounds reasonable. So that means they were zipping along pretty fast. And they never slowed down?" said Cassy. "Yep, that''s right. They never slowed down - maybe the original acceleration was a once-off event, probably provided by System-san - and they no longer could deaccelerate. Which is why we are now right out here, away from their home galaxy and getting further away all the time." System-san didn''t add anything to this. Drayden spent a little time visualising what the galaxy would look like from inside the ring if it were nighttime with clear skies. "It looks like a clock-hour hand, forever sweeping around and around. If we wait long enough, we can get an idea of its period." It was now Cassy''s turn to think. "So, a spiral galaxy - you mean that''s our galaxy? I mean, Earth''s galaxy? So, doesn''t that mean we are a long way out in empty space from the normal stars in the galaxy?" Drayden was surprised. "Hey, you were at the bottom of the academic heap; how do you know anything about astronomy?" He got back a glare. "Because, dummy, I was at the bottom because I never studied due to, you know, my home situation. Not because I''m dumb. I think I''m about as intelligent as the rest of us Misfits." "Huh, right. So, your father was unreasonable?" he said. "There was nothing I can complain about; it''s just that when I became a teenager, I started thinking my dad was a bit off. I mean, nothing happened or anything! But I didn''t feel comfortable around him. So, of course, I got worried about Veronica, my sister. And, since I was expected to look after her a lot already, I looked after her even more." She stopped and scratched her head. "It''s difficult explaining this since I can''t say anything is wrong with my parents. There was no neglect, and we had plenty of food, a nice house to live in, you know, all of that. Aww, this is difficult." Drayden knew what he had to do. He stepped to her side, put his arm around her waist, and wrapped his tail around her leg. She put her head onto his shoulder. "By the way, what was your father''s job?" he said. "I don''t know, some sort of managerial position, I think." "You don''t know?" "Yep, that''s right. He never talked much about it, and I got into the habit of never asking." "Well, then, what about your mother?" "She was the housewife; she kept the house nice and tidy and looked after Dad. Of course, I looked after Veronica." "Well, then..." said Drayden, leaning on the railing and looking down and out at the spiral galaxy, "It makes me appreciate my parents. They are perfectly normal, loving parents. I never had anything to complain about them. Err, I mean, in their overall parenting and all of that. We''ve had plenty of arguments and disputes, of course." They ran out of desire to continue that topic and fell silent as they stared into the universe. [1.19] With the Universe on one side and the Ringworld on the other Cassy: Right. Here it comes. Any moment now... "Say, Cassy, since we''re not in a tearing hurry right now, how about we..." She rolled her eyes. "We have sex? Out here in the open? With the universe on one side and the Ringworld on the other?" "Yes!" Got him! "Sure, sure, why not? But only if this time I get to be on top." This slightly took Drayden aback. "But, aren''t you satisfied with me being on top?" "Of course, I''m satisfied. But, you know, having a bit of variety is nice." Amazing, a beautiful girl is offering to have sex with him, and he''s quibbling about the position. I thought men ignored everything else if sex was in the offering. "But, it''s the man''s prerogative to be on top!" Oh, the stupid alpha male stuff. But, not to worry, it will never withstand the full might of my body. She took off her clothes. He he, he''s already forgetting his objections. "But, surely, an alpha male would be big enough to allow the woman to show off her own moves once in a while?" she said. Yep, he''s totally lost it. After a little while. Yep, that was fun. I wonder if he''ll suggest other positions in future or if it will be up to me. Ding! [Sexual Technique] increased to 10, mainly due to your previous emotional sharing. "Cassy, what will it take to convince System-san to give us full points for our physical techniques?" "Well, let''s think about that at a slightly later date, shall we?" Cassy and Drayden: After a while, "You do realise that it must be magic that is stopping the air around us from escaping out into space?" said Drayden, "I mean, standing here looking out into space, it should be a hard vacuum." "Of course. I''m still not stupid! So, does that mean we can''t escape to space, either?" Drayden was bold enough to lean on the rail and stretch his arm outwards. "Yep, it feels like a wall." Cassy did the same, "You''re right, an invisible wall. So, even without the handrail, there''s no danger of falling off the outside edge." "And, also, notice that the galaxy has rotated slightly?" "So it has," said Drayden. After much discussion and comparing of where they remembered the galaxy''s position was when they first arrived as against where it was now, and taking an estimation of the amount of time that had elapsed, they eventually concluded that the Ringworld must rotate about once every two hours. Drayden attempted to calculate, using his knowledge of physics, how that fitted in with the Ringworld sizes given to them. But Cassy got impatient with his mumbling of numbers and merely said- "[Inspect] Ringworld rotation times." Ding! The Ringworld rotates exactly twelve times per day-night period. "Oh." said Drayden, "That makes it easy. In which case, System-san, is that our home galaxy?" Ding! It sure is. And this is where your home solar system is. A graticule appeared overlaid on their visual fields. It outlined a small galaxy area, with nothing much visible but a faint smear of white. Both Drayden and Cassy were a tiny bit gloomy about that. It appeared that that faint smear of white was not one star but many stars. They were so far away their own sun wasn''t visible. They were a long, loooooong way from home. Turning, they walked to the other side, leant on the handrails and looked out onto the Ringworld land surface. They could feel the breeze as the air flowed past them. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "This must mean that nothing is preventing us from jumping over this rail and getting back to the ground the fast way," said Drayden. "Please don''t," said Cassy as she wrapped her tail around his waist. They were silent as they contemplated the view. After a while, Cassy commented. "If the original Felixians made this whole world and put in staircases and handrails, then why couldn''t they also put in an automatic elevator system?" Ding! They did put in an elevator system. The internal ''ballroom'' is a part of it. What¡¯s more, there is an entire Ringworld-spanning transport system. But it is all inactive at the moment. "I see. Or maybe I don''t. Anyway, why is it currently inactive?" Ding! Reasons. "Oh, right. OK." At this, Drayden must have decided to change the topic. He pointed out: "That''s where we came from." They could see the green of the forest and then the blue of the sea. Looking further, they could now see the shore on the other side. "[Inspect]" Ding! The Jaserra Ocean is 600km wide and 2200km long, and its deepest part is 1.2km. They looked anticlockwise and could see the ocean extending up the inside of the ring before being obscured by clouds. In the other direction, they noted the water coming up to the wall for maybe a hundred kilometres. Fading into the distance and atmospheric haze, they could barely see that the shore on the far side was mountainous. The ocean itself stretched out further and upwards and also disappeared under clouds. As ever, looking out and up, the floor of the Ringworld was visible, green forests and fields and clouds, climbing up and over their heads before coming down on the other side. But, this time, they were more interested in the fact that it appeared to be winter weather in the clockwise direction. "It''s difficult to see because of the perspective, but that certainly looks like it could be snow fields reflecting the light. And there''s plenty of clouds and not much green," said Drayden. "In other words, it is the best bet for finding Bronsen and Alice," said Cassy. "Hey, System-san, where are they?" said Drayden. But, as usual, there was no reply to this question. Cassy muttered a few swear words under her breath, which Drayden decided to ignore. "So, if we have to go in that direction, how do we get past the ocean where it reaches right to the wall?" said Cassy. "I suppose we will just have to carry water and food enough to climb up and run a hundred kilometres along the top. Remember, we are now capable of it." "But we don''t know for sure that they are over there. And even if we do, we don''t know how to find them. And System-san ain''t telling us." "Yeah, I get the message. For now, we might as well remain in this general area." They decided to get moving. They made good time by jumping down each flight of steps in a single bound and emerged from the bottom doorway the following day. "I think we should make some semi-permanent tree houses." said Drayden, "We can rotate around them as we cover the ground when hunting." Cassy couldn''t think of anything better to do. Alice and Bronsen: Alice checked their shared status and started gigging. "He, Bronsen, those two have managed to increase [Sexual Technique] by two more points!" "My, I wonder what they have been up to?" They both concentrated on the ability and got back a vague idea of what might have been going on. "So, we need to have some more deep and meaningfuls, and then I need to be on top of you?" said Alice. "Well, now, I don''t seem to have any objection to that." They were in their cave, with the doors fully closed, so they didn''t have to be on the watch for any dangers. "So, Bronsen, you have implied that your parents aren''t the best when looking after your little brother?" "Yeah, they''re a bit slack. Especially in the last few years. They seem to have gotten distracted by their work and foisted all of the childcare onto me." "What do they work at?" "Oh, I''m a bit vague about the details, but it''s some sort of Import/Export business. Apparently, the paperwork for such a thing gets extremely complicated. So, in the last few years, I''ve been so busy studying and babysitting that I ended up without any social friends." "Hmm, so that''s why you ended up being a loner. Well, in my case, I have parents that are perfectly fine. I can''t complain. Well, apart from the fact that they are extremely religious. I have learnt not to argue about such things at all since my religious beliefs sort of just fizzled out by the time I got to be a teenager. Unfortunately, my parents always disapproved of the students at school since they didn''t believe in the same stuff as they did, so I was always discouraged from making friends." "We noticed." "And, ahh, that fact that I''m almost black did play a part. Yeah, as soon as the class bullies worked out that I didn''t have any support groups, they got stuck into the racial insults. Like, well, like, err, calling me - shit coloured..." She screwed up her hands, looked down, and started to withdraw into herself, only to be brought back by being hugged by Bronsen. He kissed her. "Well, I think you have a beautiful skin colour. After all, my skin is slightly brown." "Thanks." Alice sighed. "It was painful while it was happening. And, in this world, I''m nervous about what will happen when we meet with the natives. Will they be all white and treat my colour with contempt and revulsion?" "Rubbish! I''m sure they will be much more tolerant. Shit, how would I know?" Bronsen, in turn, looked despondent. "We will just have to take it as it comes. And this is very embarrassing, but I actually fancied one of the bullies before he started bullying me. Indeed, I was thinking that I wouldn''t mind losing my virginity to him." "And?" said Bronsen, his tail raising and twitching a little. "While I was trying to work out how to say hello to him, he made a crude pass at me and tried to peer down the front of my shirt. Bloody hell, what a letdown, the stupid git. After that, I just retreated fully into my shell and didn''t come out until I met with you three by chance." Bronsen laughed out loud. His tail relaxed back down to the floor. "You mean, if he had just acted a bit nicely to you, he could have gotten a whole lot more than just a glimpse of your breasts?" "That''s right! That stupid macho shit missed out there. Not that he was anywhere near as good as you, of course." They were silent for a while, then Alice said. "Do you think that''s enough emotional sharing for now?" "Yes?" "Well, how about you lie down on your back, and I lie down on top of you?" "Ahh, sure..." After some time: Ding! [Sexual Technique] increased by 1 point. There is still a way to go, kids! "Is System-san laughing at us?" said Bronsen. "I think it is." "And, with all of these points added to [Sexual Technique], shouldn''t they result in us getting better at sex?" "Maybe we have? After all, it is fantastic as it is, even if System-san isn''t giving us many points," said Cassy. "Also, perhaps we need to try - ahh - some more different positions in the future?" "Oooh, I see no reason not to..." Drayden: A few days later: "Hello, they have managed to raise [Sexual Technique] by three more points, as well as that one point from before!" said Drayden. He concentrated on the ability. "Oh, right..." Cassy was laughing her head off. "Right, Drayden, we''re also going to try those positions. And don''t complain." What''s wrong with the basics? But, I suppose if Cassy gets all excited about them, then, well, that''s nice in its own way. By dint of their efforts, they managed to raise that ability by another point. [1.20] Settling in for the winter. Or summer, as the case may be. Alice and Bronsen: They spent an hour hunting and had already killed something called a Plains Buffalo. Of course, as usual, it was armed with impressive weaponry. Horns. Two razor-sharp ones on its head, half a dozen along its back, and another two on its front elbows. "Say, how do they avoid being stabbed to death when they mate?" said Bronsen. "By being very, very careful?" "And, also, isn''t there rather a lot of animals roaming about? How many can the local ecology support?" said Bronsen. They carried it back to their cave residence. By now, the front porch passageway was longer and heavily reinforced with extra stone blocks. They butchered the animal, storing a large piece of its hide and as much meat as they could hack off into their fridge area. This left a pile of bloody debris outside. "Just as well we have a local garbage pickup service, isn''t it?" said Alice. Bronsen responded by picking her up and tossing her inside, closely followed by himself. Then he dragged the door stone into the door frame, sealing themselves in. "What?" There was a muffled roar from outside, not to mention thumps and thuds. "Shit!" said Bronsen, "Half a dozen gigantic monsters were coming. And they were moving fast and amazingly silently!" "Oh." In their renovation activities, they had put a few small holes into the passageway walls to act as windows. Of course, they had also made stone plugs to block them off as needed. Bronsen carefully opened one such window, and they took turns looking outside. It had a narrow field of view but was enough to see a mob of gigantic monsters. Ten metres long, four or five metres high. Huge mouths with lots of sharp teeth. Covered in horns and armour. And every single one was different! They were currently fighting over the scraps left behind by Bronsen and Alice. The monsters didn''t appear to be in a good mood, as one of them took a swipe at another. The situation promptly devolved into a full-out fight between two terrors. Ten seconds later, it ended with one of the animal''s body on the ground, with great big chunks sliced off it. The other monsters immediately started cooperating - in eating the dead one. It didn''t take all that long, either. Alice and Bronsen were considerably impressed by this show. "Fuck, I don''t think we can fight one of those," said Bronsen. "Fucking hell no. And we certainly can''t fight a mob of them." "How the hell can we go hunting if these things are roaming everywhere?" "How the hell do I know?" said Alice. "This is just a suggestion, mind you, but what if we wait until they have all gone before going back outside?" said Bronsen. "I think that is an excellent idea!" They waited an hour or so. The monsters left. They waited another hour just to be sure. Then they cautiously pushed open their door and looked around. There didn''t appear to be anything nearby, so they crept out, vigilantly looking around all the time. "Well, those leftovers didn''t last very long," said Alice. The only signs of the two dead animals were blood-soaked snow, a lot of scruffed-up ground, and a few discarded bones. "Can''t see anything in the immediate vicinity," said Alice. They retired for the day behind securely closed thick stone walls and doors and did some planning. "With those creatures out there, I think it is wise to stay as close as possible to our home," said Alice. "Yeah. And, for the time being, we give up on travelling." "And, when we go hunting, we take meticulous care to always operate as a two-person team, with one person on the lookout at all times. Agreed, Bronsen?" "Agreed! Agreed! I promise not to go charging off by myself!¡± With plenty of daytime left, they had a meal and then tried to raise their [Sexual Technique] by another point. After some time: "Nope, still no increase. What does it take?" said Brosen. "Never mind, it''s still lots of fun. Now, how about we try to make some proper clothes?" Cassy and Drayden: Cassy and Drayden also encountered some monsters. They had been sitting in their latest tree house, which was only a couple of kilometres from the wall; they hadn''t seen any reason to move further away. They were eating the last of the birds they had killed as they had made their way down from the Rimwall top. "Say, Drayden?" "Hmm?" "You know how we are so strong; we can hang from a branch with one hand without the slightest difficulty?" "Yes?" "And, even if we fell off and hit the ground head first, it would only give us a mild bruise or scratch to our heads?" "Yeees?" "In fact, we can easily hang upside down from a branch by our legs, couldn''t we?" "Ah, where is this leading to?" Giggle from Cassy. "Well, how about we try having sex while hanging upside down from a branch? We might manage to get another point or two!" "Err, what? You want to do that!" "Yes!" Cassy cajoled a somewhat unwilling Drayden to climb outwards along a suitable horizontal branch and then hang down with his legs bent at the knees to hold him. She gingerly climbed out next to him and hooked her knees to hold onto the branch so that her legs were straddling his, and they faced each other. "Hey, this is fun in its own right!" she said, swinging their bodies to and fro. Getting into the mood, Drayden got playful himself and started to tickle Cassy. Fortunately, they were locked securely into their branch, so they didn''t fall off. "OK, we¡¯re here. How about turning us on? Then we can twist our tails together," said Drayden. And half an hour later, slightly dizzy from being upside down for so long, they decided to stop. Ding! OK, OK, let''s give you another point. It looks like the Misfits are bullshitting the System now. "Yay!" said Cassy. At this point, a small mob of giant monsters stampeded through the forest. One of them swiped with its huge horns at their tree. The tree leant over, and its trunk snapped off, meaning Cassy and Drayden were tossed onto the ground, mere metres from the rampaging animals. "Roarrrrrrrrr" went several of the monsters. "Argh!" went Cassy and Drayden. They ran like hell. By good chance, their initial direction was straight for the wall. The monsters were initially confused by their presence and didn''t immediately give chase. Sadly, that happy situation didn''t last very long. The two teenagers scrambled up the talus slope with a dozen monsters in full pursuit. "Shit, we¡¯re not worth it!" said Cassy. Ding! May I remind you of your [Fireball] ability? "Yes!" said Drayden. As he ran, he ignited a [Fireball] - one as hot as possible. Taking brief looks behind him for guidance, he let it drift backwards and upwards until it was slightly behind and above the leading monster''s head. The monster, not demonstrating any intelligence, ignored it. So, in a decisive move, Drayden dropped the ball into the face of the monster. It took out its eye, and the monster screamed and shuddered in pain. This wasn''t a good way to act before the other, voraciously hungry monsters since they immediately attacked it. Very soon after, there was a dead body on the ground. The remaining monsters decided that two tiny teenagers were not worth it, at least compared to a giant dead beast. They immediately stopped and began to tear the body apart. Cassy and Drayden resumed sprinting, aiming for the entrance to the inside of the Rimwall. Once they arrived, they watched for a while as the monsters finished their meal of fellow monster. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. "Not very reverent for their own dead, are they?" said Cassy. At last, the monsters wandered off and disappeared back into the forest. "Say, Cassy, would you like to make this stairway our new residence? It''s just an idea, mind you," said Drayden. "Considering everything, I think that would be a good idea!" "And we can always live off roast chicken," said Drayden. "And, if we need water and it''s not raining, we can always go up to the second recess and drink from the puddles again." "And, I vote for giving up on any travelling for the time being." "Agreed." They both remembered the dead body only a hundred metres above them. "We are going to have to pass him or her quite often if we are going to live here for a while," said Cassy. Sigh, "I guess we will have to move them and give them a proper funeral. I guess we can lift some rocks a hundred metres away from the wall, and the shovel we now have in our [Bonded Implements] is pretty useful." said Bronsen. "But first, let''s go back and grab our backpacks." said Cassy, "But very cautiously!" Backpacks on their backs, they were now back in the wall, at the landing where the dead body was. "Uck. I don''t want to touch it," said Cassy. They were currently standing over the body. ¡°Same here. But, nonetheless...¡± Drayden had a closer look. "I think the body has been here for some time; it''s all dried out and mummified." "I still don''t want to touch it." "OK, how about we each summon our shovels and carefully lift and carry the body outside?" Standing one on each side, they produced their shovels and pushed the blades under the body, then cautiously lifted it. In so doing, they found it had been lying on some bag or other. "Let''s come back to that." said Drayden, "I want to get the burial over and done with first." Awkwardly, they manoeuvred themselves and the body down the stairs and outside. Their heads swivelling every which way, like a weather vane in gusty conditions, they kept a watch out for monsters that might eat them and an eye out for rocks that might trip them. A hundred metres down the slope, they halted at a huge rock, easily as high as they were. After gently placing the body on the ground, they stood on either side of the rock, lifted it, moved it sideways away from the body, and put it down on a bare patch of dirt. "I want to go back to Earth and enter a weightlifting competition!" said Cassy, "I''ll beat everyone!" "That''s cheating! And, besides which, it will end up in a four-way tie with all of the other Misfits." "Damn, that''s right." While bantering away with each other, they were also digging a hole. It didn''t take long. They kept on looking around them for any danger. Finally, they couldn''t put it off any longer; they had to bury the body. "I want to see if this is a boy or girl," said Cassy. "Oh, I suppose so..." He hesitantly used his shovel to try to roll the body over, but he miscalculated and merely tore the person''s tunic off. It was rotten and crumbled easily. They could now see the back of the body. There was a long silence. "Ah, Drayden, those lines across the back..." "Yeah, I know..." "They''re whip marks, aren''t they?" said Cassy. "Yeah. I once saw a photo of the back of a negro slave in a school textbook back on Earth; it looked just like them." "Well, this person was wearing a slave collar," said Cassy. With that, Cassy carefully applied her shovel and rolled the body over. "A girl. Perhaps a young teenage girl?" said Drayden. "Oh, you bet. I know what a young girl''s body looks like." Another silence. "We had better get going. Never know when the monsters will return," said Drayden, eventually. Using their shovels, they picked up the body and lowered it as reverently as possible into the hole. However, the body slipped off the shovels and fell the last half metre. "Sorry," said Cassy. "We will never know her name or anything." They filled the hole, put the rock back over it, and then used their [Fireball] and [Stone Masonry] skills to carve an epitaph. ''Unknown Girl'' "There''s nothing else we can say, is there?" said Drayden. "I''m certainly not going to tell everyone that she died a slave," said Cassy. Feeling depressed and down, they hurried back to the stairwell. Not having anything else to do, they went up and looked at the bag which had been under the body. Drayden held it in one hand and looked inside. "Empty. It appears to be a leather outer bag with some coating on the inside. And a drawstring to seal the top. Hmm, you know, I think this is a water bag." "Now, that could be handy. But only after we thoroughly wash it, of course." Later on, after their evening meal. "I''ve been thinking, we can certainly live here, but anybody can come along and intrude into our little idyllic residence at any time. And, maybe some small monsters might also be interested in us," said Drayden. "How about we use our [Stone Masonry] skills, given to us courtesy of Alice and Bronsen, and evacuate a little room for ourselves? Maybe at a stairway landing just below where the body was." "But won''t System-san complain if we desecrate the holy Rimwall?" said Drayden. "Let''s ask it." They did. All they got back was the sounds of silence. "Sure, let''s do it, then," said Drayden. Drayden attempted to chip out the first piece of wall, unfortunately: Ding! You''re not allowed to desecrate the holy Rimwall! "Damn. It''s even echoing back your phrasing!" said Cassy. Ding! Rimwall evacuation allowed ability granted for a cost of 10 points! "Oh, OK, that was a fast turn-around," said Drayden. Error! Granting illegal abilities is not allowed! "Err, what!" said Cassy. Override! Rimwall evacuation ability granted! "Hey, System-san has gone crazy!" said Cassy. Error! Granting illegal abilities is not allowed! "Uh-oh, System-san is in a never-ending error loop. Do you think we broke it?" said Drayden. "I hope we don''t have to pay for a new one..." said Cassy. Override! Rimwall evac... System-san stopped, and after a small interval, there was a new voice. Hello there - I''m the Gh - wait, I know you two; you''re part of the Misfits, right? "Ah, yes?" said Drayden. OK, I''m the System Administrator, and there seems to be a bit of a problem here. Hmm, what exactly is The Voice of... I mean, System-san, trying to do here... Yeeeees, I see. Well, all right, just for the Misfits, I''ll make an exception. Of course, as soon as you leave this location for good, the wall will be automatically repaired, and your ability will be rescinded. Also, 10 points is far too cheap. Ding! Rimwall evacuation ability is temporarily granted for a cost of 500 points! "Ah, thanks?" said Cassy. There was no further reply. They looked at each other. They shrugged their shoulders. Then, Drayden attempted again to chip out the first piece of wall. It worked with no intervention. Cassy looked at her status. "Yep, 500 points have disappeared from our combined accumulated points." Two weeks later: Cassy had the brilliant idea of tunnelling from the landing straight out to the outer face of the wall. So, as they further evacuated the tunnel by carefully applying their [Fireball] ability, they could throw the rubble straight out the window. Drayden also had a clever idea: he proposed that the window not be a perfect rectangular shape but a narrow diagonal shape and artfully placed to line up with some existing cracks and irregularities on the wall face. So, when looking from the outside, it wasn''t all that obvious. "Let''s make two doors, one after the other, OK? I want to feel more secure in case some people come around. If we can easily cut through rock, surely some of them can also." said Cassy. "Fine. And, while we''re at it, we can also make a stone plug for the window." A few days later, they retreated for the night. It was a snug little retreat when both doors and the window were closed. They had decided to store their leftover food in the area between the two doors. Sadly, their food did not last more than half a day because of the continued high temperatures. "Now what?" said Cassy. "I guess we continue to survive and wait to see what happens," said Drayden. "Oh, and also, we need to move all the rock debris below our window and hide it somewhere. Otherwise, any passing person will immediately know that somebody is here." They had some fun. After a while, Drayden sat up and appeared to be somewhat puzzled. "What''s up, dear?" "Well, you see, we have completely sealed off our little retreat, and we have been energetically exercising for the last hour, but the air is still fresh and clean," said Drayden. "So, maybe there''s a soft draft between the cracks of the window plug and the door plugs?" Drayden licked his finger, then carefully traced around the gap between the window plug and the wall. "I can''t detect any air movement whatsoever," he said. "Come to think about it, how is the air inside the staircase kept so fresh and clear?" said Cassy. Drayden shrugged his shoulders. "Presumably, System-san arranges something." Alice and Bronsen: They noticed that 500 points had mysteriously disappeared from the combined accumulated points. But Bronsen also noticed an extra point allocated to [Sexual Technique]. So he ignored the 500 points and concentrated on the crucial matter. He laughed his head off. "Just what have they been up to?" said Alice. ¡°My, don¡¯t you look embarrassed!¡± said Bronsen. ¡°Shut up!¡± "So, having sex upside down is what! Although that''s all I can discern from my impressions," said Bronsen. "I think they were hanging from a tree branch?" "You mean, like a sloth or gibbon?" "Maybe?" "Well, I want to do that too! This is a great opportunity to increase the points by another one," said Bronsen. "Ahh, really? And, you realise, we don''t have a tree branch inside here. And I am not going outside to have sex. Not with this infestation of monsters." "Fine, fine. If we do the same as they did, we probably won''t get any extra points. So... how about we do handstands while having sex?" Alice gave him a look, the sort of look that suggests one is doubting the other''s sanity and thinking maybe the other should be restained. "You want to have sex while standing on our hands upside down? How the hell is that supposed to work?" "But, Alice, remember, we are immensely strong now. And have the increased ability to control our bodies. Doing handstands should be a piece of cake!" He demonstrated and found that, indeed, handstands were now easy. "I suppose so," said Alice. " However, let''s do it where the cave roof is lower, so we can plant our feet on it for stability." After half an hour: Ding! OK, another point: but only because the other two got a point for the same ridiculous reason. They collapsed onto the ground and scuttled over to their sleeping mat. Alice, accidentally on purpose, stroked her hands over Bronsen''s body. ¡°Oh, I see. You want to do it again?¡± said Bronsen. ¡°Hmm, well, if you say so...¡± And then they got the somewhat delayed notification about the [Rimwall Evacuation] ability. This generated considerable discussion before they finally concluded that they didn''t know what it was all about. "Obviously, it¡¯s got something to do with the 500 points. I guess we can ask them when we see them," said Alice. They settled into their newly extended accommodations, filling out their days enjoying each other''s company, and waited for something to happen. Narrator: They, as in both couples, kept a close watch on the wildlife. Initially, they were like: "Where the hell did all of these monsters come from?" said Cassy. "Yeah, they''re all over the place. Not to mention, there''s also a lot of normal animals running around in mobs and individually," said Drayden. But, after a month or so, they were like: "Say, does it seem like the number of animals is decreasing?" said Bronsen. "It does. It''s not surprising since they attack and eat each other so much," said Alice. "And the remaining monsters are getting quite fat, aren''t they?" After a couple of more weeks: "Oh, yuck, that mob of monsters is having a group orgy," said Cassy. Drayden laughed, "Yeah, obviously they don''t have a ''No group sex'' condition." Cassy whacked his back with her tail. And a few more weeks: "The normal animals have been thinned out, which I suppose makes sense; otherwise, the environment couldn''t support them," said Alice. "But where did all the remaining monsters go to?" said Bronsen. Finally, both couples concluded that the monsters had definitely disappeared, so it was safe to go out and about again¡ªwell, reasonably safe. Still not having any better idea of what they might do, both couples decided to stay put. Time passed. Their relationships settled down, and they became genuine couples, not just two pairs of sex-crazed teenagers having sex with each other. They explored their respective environments, talked a lot about themselves and their past lives, and they would now and then wonder what the other couple was up to. After some time, they started to get just a little bit restless. They wondered if it was time to try to find some of the residents of this Ringworld. And maybe try to find the other two Misfits? [1.21] Alice and Bronsen start moving Alice and Bronsen: They were currently walking along the top of the cliff face, a kilometre from home. The cliff merged gradually into a series of hills and fizzled out just as it reached a small gorge. They stopped and admired the water flowing down, making its way towards the middle of the ringworld floor. The weather was slowly warming up. Traces of greenery could be seen, either grasses and weeds poking their heads up above the ground or leaves beginning to sprout on the trees. "Say, dear, where are all of the people?" said Alice. "I know, it still doesn''t make any sense. This world has a billion or so people, so why is this little corner of it completely unoccupied?" "Perhaps it''s something to do with the monster infestation?" "I guess it has to be, but we just don''t know." Bronsen sat down on a convenient rock and watched the waterfall. Not wanting to pass up the opportunity, Alice sat on his lap. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Pat my head, please." So he did, and soon, she was purring away like any domesticated cat on Earth would do. "Say, how long have we been in this place?" said Bronsen. When they first arrived, they did not give a single thought to counting the days. Consequently, they didn''t have a clue as to how long ago that was. Ding! It has been just over half an Earth year, which is slightly longer in days than a Felixerra year. Ding! You have a new ability, [Calendar]. Note the Felixerra year is 360 days long, with eight months of exactly 45 days each. They both looked at their status screens. Calendar - 3657/7/31 "Hello, System-san has finally deigned to tell us the time. I wonder what that means?" said Alice. "Well, maybe it means it is time to move out?" said Bronsen. "System-san? Going to say anything more?" said Alice. ... "Apparently not," said Alice. "In that case, my suggestion still stands. Since it appears that the bad weather generally comes from the clockwise direction, let''s go anticlockwise." "Why not? After all, we know that Cassy and Drayden are in some hotter region somewhere," said Alice. "And, since it''s a convenient marker, let''s head diagonally towards the Rimwall and follow it along," said Bronsen. It was agreed. They returned to their home, packed their backpacks with a change of clothes and some extra hides, carefully sealed off the entrances, and set off with nary a backward glance. [1.22] Drayden and Cassy start moving Cassy and Drayden: They had just received the same notifications and were busy thinking about it. "So, we have been here half an Earth year," said Cassy. "Time sure does pass when you¡¯re having fun," said Drayden. "Ah, I don''t think it was all fun," said Cassy. "Let''s not think about that, OK." "So, what does this mean?" said Cassy. "I think it means we should start planning to move. We should go clockwise, as that''s where the cold weather appears." "Which means we need to go up and along the Rimwall to avoid the stretch of water that comes right up to the wall." "OK. We have the water container for drinking water, courtesy of some poor slave girl. And for food, we fill our backpacks with as much fruit and spudnips as possible." The following two days, they gathered the vegetable food, slaughtered a few more birds, and filled the waterbag. Then, in the afternoon of the next day, they looked out from their window. "I''m feeling nostalgic," said Drayden. They cuddled, patted each other''s heads, and started purring. Drayden then progressed to stroking Cassy''s hair. ¡°So, I have tamed you enough to be able to stroke your hair!¡± said Drayden. ¡°Tame me? That is maybe going a bit far,¡± said Cassy. Then she jerked upright. ¡°What?¡± said Drayden. "Look! There are some people!" "Oh, shit, so there are. What do we do now..." They were in the distance; it was only because of [Perception Boost] that they could barely see them. There were fourteen people, all with tails, so all, presumably, Felixians. Cassy and Drayden cautiously withdrew from their window. "I feel a little nervous about meeting them after all this time. Let''s observe them for a while," said Cassy. The strangers approached their location diagonally, from the anticlockwise direction. As they grew closer, Drayden and Cassy became increasingly uneasy, progressing to full-on horror. Twelve people were on foot, four carrying huge backpacks, while the other eight carried two sedan chairs, four per chair. The sedan chairs were open, showing two more men sitting in them. Drayden wasn''t very impressed, watching intently as the carriers of one chair staggered and almost collapsed. "What lazy buggers, why don''t they get out and walk?" "Shit!" said Cassy, "Did you see that?" The man in the chair that almost fell over had gotten out and slapped one of the carriers. They collapsed onto the ground, staggered upright and retook their station. "That''s a girl," said Drayden. "I don''t want to meet them at all!" The man who had done the violence didn''t get back into the chair. Instead, he hoisted himself into the nearest tree and rapidly climbed. Fortunately for our two teenagers, he wasn''t interested in looking forward but in looking back. "If he''s looking back, does that mean he is afraid of being chased by someone or something?" said Drayden. "Dunno, but they''re now approaching us again. At least that man is now walking on his own two legs." "Look, that other man in the chair is injured!" So he was. There were visible red streaks of blood on his clothes, and he appeared to have a lot of bandages on. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. They got closer. Drayden and Cassy became as still as possible, trying to avoid attention. Since their accommodation was without internal lighting, and their window was in perpetual shade, there was a good chance that anyone outside wouldn''t notice them. "Oh. Right," said Cassy. It was now apparent the ones doing the carrying all had slave collars on. They were all younger than the two men and wore much less fancy clothes than the men. Drayden slowly sank out of sight, then scuttled rapidly to the outermost door. They had already prepared for this; the outer door was only a metre high, and the inside was shaped to take four wooden poles, which acted to lock the door. Drayden put the poles into place, then closed the innermost door and also locked it. At least this makes us a little safer. Cassy hissed, "Drayden, look at that!" Drayden slowly moved back into the line of sight to view the oncoming people. "What the fuck!?" Both men also had slave collars. Although the ones on the actual slaves were grey, the ones the men were wearing were blue. "What does that mean?" said Cassy. "Goodness knows." It was also plain to see that everyone had mottled two- or three-tone skin. The colours ranged from black to white, plus red, yellow, and brown, and every possible shade in between. "It''s quite colourful, isn''t it?" said Cassy. The group disappeared from their viewpoint as they got up to the rimwall. "Cassy, let''s fight like hell if they manage to get through our doors, OK?" "Y-yes. Shit. If these are slaves, then that means rape." Drayden shuddered with horror, his tail flicked from side to side. He held onto Cassy, whose tail was trembling. They waited. Finally, to their [Preception Boosted] hearing, they started to hear the steps and other noises as the party made their way up the stairs. Hopefully, they would miss the doorway... No such luck. Faintly but, coming through the small gaps between the stone doors and the surrounding walls, they could hear the voices from the party. "Hey, there''s a door here!" said voice A. "So there is. Has someone evacuated a side room? But, how can that possibly be, since the Voice of the World should have forbidden it?" said voice B. "Maybe it''s part of the original stairway?" said voice A. "Bullshit. It''s rough around the edges, and the stone differs from the walls." The footsteps stopped, and there were various thuds and scraps as the sedan chairs were put down. "Well, get it open so we can look!" said voice A. Noises of thuds and bangs and scraping sounds echoed in their little residence. Drayden and Cassy hugged each other and tried to keep as still and silent as possible. "Shit, it''s not moving." said voice A. "Yeah, yeah, because none of these pathetic slaves you brought have any worthwhile skills. Somebody with a good [Stone Masonry] skill could be through that in ten minutes flat." said voice B. "Because we didn''t have enough money, you dumbass! And we weren''t planning such an extended diversion, anyway!" said voice A. "Aww, just shut up already, you fat slob." "Well, it was your fault for trying to go through that shortcut! I told you that was the first place they would try to look for us!" "Shut up!" "And now we must divert hundreds of kilometres just to save our lives!" "Just shut up!" He finally shut himself up, at least for a while. "Just forget it. We have more than a couple of hundred kilometres to go. Remember, we have to get well past the Manfestorian staircase - if we come down any near that, they will skewer your fat arse as soon as they see your blue collar." said voice B. "How the hell are these miserable slaves going to manage to get us that far?" said voice A. "Hey, maybe there are some ferrals that we can claim? Somebody with maxed-out strength abilities would be nice. Or, maybe some vermin we can put our collars on!" "Dream on, fat slug. Meanwhile, I''m going to have to walk myself up these blasted stairs while you get a ride, you shit!" "I didn''t ask to be hit by a [Fireball], shit face!" "Oh, just shut up. Again. It''s all your fault. Only an idiot would be caught by a slow-moving [Fireball] in an ambush. And, slaves, get moving, or you''ll get another beating! It will take at least four days to get to the top and another three weeks to get well past Manfestoria. So get moving!" They got moving. Drayden and Cassy, reflecting that they did have maxed-out strength abilities, sat there in the silence left behind by the slaves, arms and tails wrapped around each other, and didn''t dare move or say anything for the next hour. "D-D-Drayden... I don''t want to be enslaved. They''ll probably rape me, and I won''t be able to do anything! Just promise to kill me if it comes to that, OK?" "Ahh, right. Yes, err, let''s hope it doesn''t come to that, OK? "Voice of the World? Perhaps that is what the locals call System-san," said Cassy. "Hey! Remember when the system administrator started to say Voice of the Word and then changed it to System?" "Anyway, the man said that the Voice of the World would normally prohibit such a thing as digging into the wall," said Drayden. "That''s right. So, just like the status says, our ability to dig into the Rimwall is unique." "What, exactly, does that mean?" "Who knows," said Cassy. They decided to stay in for the evening. This was no problem since they already had enough food and water for the next couple of weeks¡ªexcept they had to sneak out to go to the toilet. Two weeks later. "According to their talk, they should be getting past this Manifestoria place, whatever that is, by now," said Drayden. "Yeah, OK. After all, if we stay here, the people pursuing them might arrive. And, by the sounds of it, they are a lot stronger. We don''t want to get caught here like rats in a trap." said Cassy. "Bloody hell, I guess so. Let''s restock and go." So, three weeks after the slave party had passed by, fully stocked with water, edible vegetables, and fruit and stuffed to the gills with a farewell roast dinner, they started climbing the steps. "Bye-bye, fat roasting birds, thanks for all of the meals!" said Cassy as they stood on the top stair landing of the recess that contained the nesting birds. ¡°Is my girlfriend getting scary?¡± said Drayden. ¡°Oh, only slightly.¡± They kept climbing, and two days later, they cautiously and slowly, looking in all directions, emerged from the top staircase onto the top of the Rimwall. [1.23] Drayden and Cassy meet some people. However, they are all dead. Cassy and Drayden: ¡°Thank God, no one around - Oh shit, what is that?" said Cassy. That, was the dead body of one of the slaves. She had been stripped of everything, including her tunic, and sprawled on the ground. They could see her back. "I hate those slave collars," said Cassy. "Yeah, more whip scars. Surely it would make more sense to treat your slaves decently? They would then be able to do so much more for their owners." said Drayden. "I don''t know. Wait a minute, there''s no slave collar," said Cassy. "You''re right. They must have taken it." said Drayden, "Anyway, we had better go. And we need to keep a close watch ahead. And, I suppose, behind, also. Remember, their pursuers may or may not be on our trail." With their backpacks bouncing around, they started jogging. Due to their system-enhanced strength and endurance, it was easy for them to cover a hundred kilometres a day, especially considering the way was dead flat, open, and without obstructions. Actually, not quite. "Hey, Drayden, isn''t this place supposed to be completely free of everything?" "Well, I would have thought so; after all, we are fifty kilometres above ground, but if you think about it, those staircases provide easy access. At least, it''s easy if you have enhanced strength. So, I suppose it''s not all that surprising to find litter all over the place." Every kilometre or so was another pile of junk. Not having anything better to do, they briefly checked out some of these piles. "Ug, another dead body. It looks like it has been here for years if not decades. Fully dressed and no slave collar, but," said Cassy. "And this is another mummified pile of faeces. In fact, why isn''t the whole surface covered in shit," said Drayden, "Since, according to our calendar, there are at least 3000 years of history. And probably a whole lot more." "I suppose everything will decay if given enough time. And there is always a light breeze up here, so it will eventually be blown off." They kept jogging. By the end of the first day, they reached the location where the ocean lake came right up to the wall. A little before the sun faded, they leant on the rail and looked at the scenery. "Yep, maybe a hundred kilometres of water, right up to the wall. And, looking further out, the shore on the other side appears to be quite a cliff face," said Cassy. "So, even if we had a boat, we couldn''t get on the far shore. Say, look, another hundred meters on, there''s a hole in the Rimwall top!" said Drayden. He jogged over. "Sure is; it''s another stairwell." He looked around. "Which explains where there is more than the usual amount of rubbish around." To be on the safe side, they moved another couple of kilometres and settled for the night. "Umm, Drayden, are we just going to leave our shit lying around, also?" "Ukk. I know, let''s, err, shit onto our shovels, then toss it over the side. Actually, toss the shovel itself over. Since it will disappear when it gets more than four or so metres from us." Feeling virtuous for not adding even more litter to the top, they moved to the outside of the Rimwall top, cuddled up and slept. Of course, they also had sex, but that goes without saying. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Midday the next day. They were halfway across the ocean span when they came across a discarded item bigger than usual. One of the sedan chairs. Next to it, collapsed onto the ground, were the bodies of two of the slaves, a boy and a girl. "Notice that all three slaves have been youngish teenagers?" said Cassy. Drayden, holding his lips in a thin line, agreed. But this time, they left behind a lot of junk. The slaves were still clothed but without slave collars, and the sedan chair had a whole collection of junk stuff. "Hey, look, there is a cooking pot! And, another water container, except this one is made of copper?" said Drayden. "Are we going to ransack through somebody''s discarded property?" said Cassy. "We certainly are!" They ended up with one medium-sized cooking pot, one ten-litre copper water container, and a jackpot: a nicely wrapped parcel of some sort of thick bread. They found this hiding under the sedan chair. "It''s not bad. It''s a bit chewy, but considering it''s a long time since we last tasted bread, it''s real good!" said Cassy. "You realise we are enjoying ourselves, and a hundred metres away are two dead bodies?" said Drayden. "I know. But we have to adapt." They kept going. But only for another five kilometres. "Two more of the young slaves from that party, left for dead," said Cassy. They were standing close, but not too close, to the dead bodies. The bodies were clothed, although the quality of the cloth and the stitching was crude. There were also two backpacks plus an assortment of stuff. "One comb, which we don''t need. A change of clothes - say, should we take them? The slave''s clothes may be cheap, but it''s streets ahead compared to ours." said Drayden. "No, definitely not. Wearing someone else''s clothes without washing them is just too creepy. Besides which, maybe these are standard slave''s apparel?" "That would be a bit of a bother, then. Hello, there''s a hand mirror," said Drayden. "Gimme!" Cassy snatched it from his hands and set to admiring herself, particularly her hair, in the mirror. "Yes! My hair does look wonderful! And it doesn''t appear my face has suffered from living without makeup." She put it into her backpack, then looked at the slaves and became sad again. Drayden finished his inspection, "There doesn''t appear to be any more food, nor anything of interest to us." ¡°They died a long way from any home they might have had, unknown, unloved, just discarded like rubbish when they could no longer be of any use,¡± said Cassy. "Err, Drayden." "Yes?" "I think we should examine their faces and maybe their bodies to try and work out exactly what they died from." "Do we have to?" "I think so. Trying to understand their last days is the least we can do for them. We are probably the only people on this Ringworld who feel the least bit sorry for them." "I guess so." They started with the young teenage boy lying on his back, sightless eyes forever gazing upwards without blinking. Cassy slowly extended her hand and touched the boy''s forehead. Ding! [Forensic Pathology] added with an initial 25 points. "Bloody hell, this is incredible; it''s as if someone had flicked a switch inside my memory, and suddenly, all sorts of information that I would have ignored beforehand becomes significant,¡± said Cassy. Drayden knelt on the other side. "Look at the crease lines on his brow. And around his mouth and cheeks. He spent a lot of time suffering, both emotionally and physically." said Drayden. "And see how his cheeks are hollow?" said Cassy, "Not to mention, his teeth are terrible." She was bold enough to tear the tunic, exposing his stomach. "Yeah, definitely malnourished. Both acute and chronic," she said. Drayden looked at the boy''s hands, "Callouses, poorly healed tears and bruises, both old and recent. He spent much of his time picking up and carrying objects too heavy for him." They carefully rolled the body over. And they spent some time thinking about what was now visible. "Scars from whippings. And, that must be bruising, and that indicates a broken rib, probably not properly set nor healed," said Drayden. The body was not wearing shoes. "Yeah, he spent most of his time barefoot. There''s quite a bit of damage," said Cassy. They sat back and tried to work out what the boy''s story might have been. "He was physically abused, regularly worked to exhaustion, didn''t have enough food, and never felt comfortable or at ease," said Cassy. "Also, he didn''t have any high strength or regeneration abilities; otherwise, he wouldn''t look so damaged and worn out." "This is interesting; note how there are no signs of any callouses or marks around his neck. I would have thought that wearing that horrible thing would have left some evidence, just like my mum wearing her wedding ring had left a clearly defined reddish mark around her finger." Ding! A slave collar continually and automatically adjusts its length to suit the slave. Since, after all, they can be put on at age three. So, it is never tight enough to leave a mark. But, also, it is never loose enough to allow it to be removed. And, remember, if a collar is removed from a living slave, the slave will promptly die. "This is depressing," said Drayden, "Also, the body¡¯s overall state indicates that it has been here for about a week or so." Cassy had an idea. ''[Inspect]'' Ding! You already have the right idea. Sadly, your security access level will be exceeded if you obtain any more information from Inspect. "It was worth a try." "We keep going?" said Cassy. "Yes. But we need to be extra careful. There is probably a full-scale disaster somewhere up ahead." [1.24] More dead bodies Cassy and Drayden: After five kilometres, they came across three bodies. "Those two hugging each other, do you think that might have been siblings?" said Cassy. Drayden didn''t say anything; he looked away and stared into the universe. So Cassy hugged him. "It''s all right; we are both allowed to cry, you know." After a while, they resumed moving. "There are two horrible slave masters and four slaves remaining," said Drayden. After another ten kilometres. "So, that''s only two slaves left now," said Cassy. Both slaves carried backpacks, but neither teenager had the heart to rifle through them. So they kept on going. After a few more kilometres, it became clear that another sedan chair was ahead, plus two more bodies - one who had been a grey-collared slave and one who had been a blue-collar. They approached very warily, but nothing moved. They circled the remains, then looked further ahead. There wasn''t anything visible. "Well, that injured slave master and the grey slave must be ahead," said Drayden. Cassy felt extreme reluctance to examine the slave master, so she first checked out the body of the slave. He slumped over one of the handrails of the sedan, with blood soaking the front of his tunic and splattered on the ground below him. Consciously exerting her [Emotional Control], she used a bit of [Foresnic Pathology]. "He died from extreme exhaustion, compounded by starvation and dehydration. Furthermore, all that blood is from coughing up his lungs; maybe he was also ill from something? And everything conspired together to kill him." she said. They moved to examine the middle-aged man who used to have a blue-collar. After much discussion, they reached their conclusion. "So, he was in relatively good health but with recent malnutrition. He must have had some strength and regeneration abilities. Also, there are still no signs of any collars." said Cassy. "Yeah, why do they keep taking them?" said Drayden. "To reuse, perhaps?" "Anyway, it appears he met his end while sorting through the pile of stuff to make up a single backpack. He got stabbed in the back, but there are no signs of any weapon, so perhaps it was a [Bonded Sword] or something?" said Drayden. "So the injured master must have cowardly attacked and killed him. Possibly because they didn''t have enough food to last for all three of them?" said Cassy. "Well, there''s no food left behind now. So that blue-collared master, plus his remaining slave, is ahead and aims to live off the food until he gets back down to ground level." "It''s going to get dark soon. Let''s go to the edge and camp out for the night?" said Cassy. After discussion, they decided they wouldn''t take the man''s clothes. They were of good quality compared to the slaves'' and even better compared to their own crudely made costumes, but no, they couldn''t bear the idea. They ate some more bread and slept. The following day, after waking, they briefly searched through the contents of the sedan and the backpack the master had been making up before he met his end. "No slave collars. The injured one must be planning to use them at some stage," said Cassy. "So, if we meet him when he''s still alive, we keep well away from him," said Drayden. "And we have our swords out and ready," said Cassy. "But I still don''t think I could kill him..." said Drayden, "Unless he attacks you." Cassy kissed Drayden, and they resumed. Another ten kilometres into the morning, they caught up with the remaining two. The slave master was staggering along, leaning heavily on the shoulder of the remaining slave. The slave was a teenage girl and was obviously on her last legs. She was weaving side to side and kept on sagging. Every time she was about to collapse, the man harshly ordered her to keep going. ¡°What do we do now? Do we try to rescue the slave? But, if we do, he will merely order her to attack us, then try to put a collar on us,¡± said Cassy in a whisper. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. She clenched her fists. ¡°That despicable little shit!¡± She took a brief sideways glance at Drayden, who was currently grinding his teeth in rage. Drayden, noticing her looking at him, said, "If we stay a hundred metres back, we should be safe enough. I suppose. But I can''t think of any way to save the girl without risking our lives. Remember, he killed that other slave master, so he''s got some fighting skills." The man was suffering so much that he didn''t even notice the two teenagers following him at a very leisurely rate. The status quo came to a miserable end. The girl coughed, her body shuddered, and then she collapsed onto the ground, not to move again. The man was furious. He kicked the girl and hurled abuses at her, but she still didn''t move. "What a worthless piece of shit!" he said, "Why couldn''t we have had more money to buy something more decent?" The slave''s collar, formerly grey, faded to black and then disconnected and fell off her neck. The man sank to his knees, grabbed the collar and put it into his own very light backpack. He struggled to get up again but couldn''t make it. At this point, he noticed Cassy and Drayden standing there, shocked looks on their faces. "Hey, slaves! Come here, you feral bastards and help me along!" Inexplicably, Cassy and Drayden didn''t move one little bit. "You shits, as soon as I touch you and claim you, I''m going to make you suffer... Hey, the female is pretty!" His lewd face left no room for doubt about what he was thinking. Cassy promptly put herself behind Drayden and tucked her tail down her legs. Drayden snarled but otherwise didn''t say anything. "What, they''re unclaimed vermin! And if they got up to here, they probably have strength abilities!" He fumbled at his backpack and took out two slave collars. "They''re mine!" cough, cough, "With those two, I can get down from here. I can recover!" cough, hack, cough, "I can grab some more vermin and start my own colony!" cough, cough, hack, cough, "By the time the slaver invasion comes to this forsaken corner in a couple of years I can register my own territory! Maybe even be promoted to green!" At this point, he began coughing in earnest. "Get here, you shits!" "Hey, Drayden, he''s not very nice, is he?" "No, and a bit monotonous with his swearing, too." This enraged the man, "I''ll have you whip each other for that insolence, you shits." He stood and dropped his backpack but kept hold of the two slave collars. "Get here!" Two teenagers refused. He leapt up and sprinted for them. They jumped and raced backwards a lot faster. Thus increasing the separation. Then the man stopped, collapsed, and was still. Casy and Drayden looked at the man, then looked at each other. "Is he faking it? Trying to ambush us?" said Cassy. "Let''s just wait, shall we?" They waited. Ten minutes passed. The man didn''t move. But his collar, originally blue, faded to black and fell off his neck. "I suppose that means he really is dead?" said Cassy. ''[Inspect]'' went Drayden. Ding! Felixian, a middle-aged man and formerly a Blue-ranked slave. And, yes, he is dead. "I guess we should be grateful that it was this easy," said Cassy. "What do we do with two more bodies?" "I don''t know. I guess we might as well leave them," said Cassy. "Wait, those slave collars!" "Right." They searched the slave''s backpack and didn''t find much of use - not even any food. But in the man''s backpack were nineteen slave collars, which, with the two he had dropped and the one on him, made twenty-two. They carefully, using the tips of their swords to drag them, arranged them in a single straight line on the ground. "Let''s try using our [Fireball] ability stone-cutting thermal lances this. Maybe it will be quicker," said Drayden. It was. It only took a minute of heating each one to get them to self-destruct. In the end, there were twenty-two small piles of what looked like sand, each next to a black burn mark. Ding! 2200 points were awarded for 22 slave collars destroyed. Keep up the good work, kids! "That''s a pretty generous reward for half an hour''s easy, not to mention safe work!" said Cassy. "Yep. Let''s allocate some of them." They ended up maxing out everything they could. "Yay! An unexpected gift for Alice and Bronsen!" said Cassy. "Ooh, wow, our maxed out [Perception Boost] is fantastic!" said Cassy. They were now leaning on the inside handrail, looking toward the shoreline. "Yeah, we can see the individual trees along the top of that cliff face! And the waves, breaking on the base of the cliff." "And now we have a whole collection of [Bonded Implements]!" said Cassy. They had a dagger, a short sword, a long sword, an axe, a shovel, and a hook-like thing with a handle. "We''re overpowered!" shouted Drayden. They spent an enjoyable hour summoning various combinations of weapons and having mock battles with each other. "Nobody can beat us!" said Cassy. Then, they switched to athletics. Cassy did a forward flip, landing perfectly. "Oh wow!" she said. So Drayden did a backflip, landing almost perfectly. Cassy snickered. "You need a bit more practice?" She got a glare. He tried again, and this time, he got it spot on. "If we were on Earth, we could win every Olympic event ever!" he said. "Nyah, that would be cheating. They would never allow us," said Cassy. Eventually, they calmed down and remembered two bodies were kind of watching them. "Ah, sorry, unknown slave girl," said Cassy. "And, no sorries at all to the unknown shit," said Drayden. "By the way, since this man didn''t have any food left, why did he leave that bread behind for us to find?" said Drayden. "I suppose we can only assume the other slave master hid it. After all, it was under the seat." "Certainly no love lost between those two." They resumed jogging and walked another ten kilometres before quitting for the day. The next day, they finally reached the Manifestorian stairwell. "This is handy," said Drayden. They were standing next to the stairway, in front of a sign. On it was written ''Manifestoria''. Going by its state of repair, it had been constructed at some stage, then knocked down, then crudely repaired and stood up again. And, all the way around, there were heaps of rubbish. Like, every few metres. None of it was of any worth to them, however. They moved to the inside rail and looked over and down. "Look, there''s a couple of buildings! And some people!" said Cassy. "Oops, it appears that some of those people also have enhanced perception as they are pointing back at us." "Oh. Well, according to those slave master shits, the Manifestorians hate slavers, so I guess we go down?" "Might as well. Otherwise, they might come up here and chase after us," said Drayden. They started their descent. [1.25] Alice and Bronsen also meet some people Alice and Bronsen: Several weeks before Cassy and Drayden started down the Manifestorian stairwell: ¡°Bronsen! This enhanced body still feels fantastic, even after half a year or so of living in it!¡± said Alice. They were running across the landscape, heading diagonally towards the wall, moving at speeds that would have been impossible for an average human. Using [Inspect], they knew that the part of the wall they were heading towards was 150km away. ¡°We should be there in just a couple of days!¡± said Bronsen. Towards the end of the first day, "Bronsen? Isn''t there a lot of animal tracks appearing compared to what we have seen before?" "Yeah, there is. The tracks are converging; it''s almost a highway!" They stopped. "Does that mean that at the end of this highway, we might come across all the animals that made the tracks?" said Alice. "That''s... slightly alarming." At this point, they heard some noises behind them - the noise of hooves galloping across the ground. "Oh dear," said Bronsen. They turned ninety degrees away from the tracks, towards the wall. And also towards one of the occasional hills they had been passing. They ran like all hell was after them. This was an exaggeration; only three or four giant, almost fat, monsters after them. Nowhere as bad as all hell. "Alice, we need to run faster!" Breaking all Earth-side running records for distances up to ten kilometres, they streaked across the landscape, heading for high ground. The monsters pursued them for a while, and then they slowed down. Alice and Bronsen, panting like mad, also took the opportunity to slow down. "What are they doing?" Bronsen. It appeared the monsters were either deciding that two small Felixians weren''t worth the effort, or they were too impatient to return to their overriding goal. Eventually, they veered and started to gallop towards their original direction. "This hill is higher than most around here; what say we go to the top of it and have a look?" said Bronsen. A little while later, they enjoyed the scenic view from the crown of a hundred-and-fifty-metre-high hill. It was the usual snow-covered expanse with trees, hills, and rocks everywhere. Most interestingly, the ground in the anticlockwise direction was flat and dipped into a vast depression, perhaps ten kilometres across. There were many tracks converging to the centre, and here and there were little clusters of monsters, all moving inwards. "Wait a minute, something is screwy here," said Bronsen. "Yeah, if all the tracks converge to the centre, and all the monsters are moving towards the centre, what happens to them at the centre?" said Alice. They watched one of the mobs that was closest to the centre. Their enhanced perception made it easy to see the five animals, even if they were no more than five dots at their distance. When the monsters got to the centre, they disappeared from view. "There must be a cave entrance there," said Bronsen. Alice started laughing. "No! It''s the entrance to a dungeon!" "Sorry?" Alice spent a few minutes filling him in on dungeons in Isekai''s. "So, they are the spawning point for lots of nasty animals, and adventurers go into them to have fun hunting them and perhaps getting killed by them?" "Hmm, putting it that way does make it sound a bit peculiar. Ah, but every Alternative World''s dungeon system differs depending on the author''s aims." "Well, I can see one difference here - the monsters are going back into their dungeon," said Bronsen. Alice donned a big shit-eating grin, shrugged her shoulders, and said, "Well, whatever. Obviously, this isn''t a typical Isekai world. And, presumably, there is nothing to gain by entering a dungeon." ''Inspect'', went Bronsen. Ding! Yep, it''s a dungeon entrance. And, yep, dungeons in this world are not your typical Isekai dungeon. "Oh, thanks, System-san. You have merely told us what we have just worked out," said Alice. Not getting any reply, they looked at the wall. "Hey, the wall isn''t perfectly uniform. There appear to be rectangular marks up its side, but only in one location," said Alice. "Well, that direction is opposite the dungeon entrance, so let''s go for it." They went for it. They only had to run like crazy to avoid monsters two or three times. It was good exercise, for sure. Like Drayden and Cassy, they rapidly made their way up, snacking on a few fat birds in the first recess. They expressed amazement at the ballroom halfway up. "What on Earth is it for? I mean, on Ringworld," said Bronsen. "Perhaps... Felixian orgies?" said Alice. Bronsen spluttered a bit. "Since when did you start making such lewd suggestions?" "Well, since I started a relationship with you?" "Anyway, I think it is completely impractical for orgies. I mean, travelling hundreds of kilometres across the surface, then up twenty-five kilometres, that''s a lot of energy spent. And how could a small collection of ballrooms service a billion people?" "OK, I admit, it was a facetious answer. And, sadly, even if they did have orgies here, we can never join in," said Alice. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "All in all, I think that is probably just as well." "Of course, the simplest explanation is that it''s a rest spot. Climb twenty-five kilometres, camp out in relaxation on a wide flat surface, then resume climbing," said Bronsen. "Ahh, that''s such a boring explanation. I much prefer my orgy explanation," said Alice. "Say, if only two people do it, is it still an orgy?" "Hmm, let''s try it and find out!" They continued the climb after allocating enough time to investigate that urgent question. Once at the top, they admired the view. The dungeon entrance and the tracks radiating out from it were visible. The cliff face containing their cave residence was barely visible in the distance. "One day, some adventurers are going to come across our original home and wonder who the hell made it," said Bronsen. "It will lighten up their day, I''m sure. And, more to the point, let''s do some planning." "If we run anticlockwise from here, and if there are other staircases not too far apart, then we can stop at each one, descend, get more water and a few birds for roasting, then climb back up and keep going," said Bronsen. "But, that means climbing down and up fifty kilometres each time," said Alice. Bronsen nodded his head to acknowledge this. "It also means we avoid any chances of meeting any more monsters. Or, for matter, normal animals like that Lesser Grass Eating Hippoxilla." "Count me it! I love climbing a fifty-kilometre-high staircase!" said Alice. Bronsen smiled at this. The staircases were about a hundred (Earth) kilometres apart. Allowing for time to run from one to the other, to go down, slaughter a few innocent birds, and get back up, they took between a week and a week and a half to do each section. They weren''t hurrying and often took time to admire the view. And, of course, to make love. The weather progressively got warmer, and the floor of the Ringworld got greener. "About time we got out of that perpetual cold," said Bronsen. Four weeks in, they realised there were some changes to their stats. "[Forensic Pathology]?" said Alice, "What''s that for?" "Who knows." And a few days after that. "Hey, all of our allocatable stats have been maxed out! Wow! And they still have more than three hundred points left over. Just what have they been doing?" said Bronsen. "I don''t know. But they seem to be having a much more exciting time than we are." They spent half a day playing around with their new weapons. "We must be the strongest warriors on the planet! Err, I mean the Ringworld," said Alice. "We''re the overpowered protagonists!" said Bronsen. "Onwards and upwards!" said Alice. "Roundwards?" said Bronsen. "Whatever." By that afternoon, they had almost reached the next staircase when they found some people. Three people in all. They were all lying on the ground. One of them, a man, was quite dead. He had a broken-off spear jutting out of his shoulder blade. The other two were a woman and a young teenager. They weren''t dead, but they seemed strangely immobile. They also had grey collars around their necks. And their skin colour was two-tone, with the woman having three tones. But Alice and Bronsen decided to ignore that for the time being. "Oh shit, what can we do about this?" said Alice. They gave a glance at the man, and their [Frosenic Pathology] ability presented them with the information that he was dead, probably due to the trauma of having a spear through him. It also gave them enough clues to deduce that the spear had been there for a month or more. "How is that possible? Unless he had some form of regeneration, but not as much as we do," said Bronsen. They turned to the still-living, took a few steps towards them, and then gagged at the stench. "Oh," said Bronsen. It was evident that both the woman and the young teenage girl had soiled themselves; there were ugly brown stains around their slacks, and they were lying in a puddle of urine. Alice gulped hard, turned up her [Emotional Control], and made herself walk over the mostly dried urine, squatted down, and looked at the two. Bronsen did the same, although he didn''t get quite as close. Alice looked at the woman first. "Her lips are cracked. She''s highly stressed, has trouble breathing, and is too weak to sit up," said Alice. "Bronsen, they''re both dehydrated; I suggest that is the first thing we tackle." The teenagers didn''t have any water with them (that''s why they had to go down each staircase to get some). But fortunately, the group had their own supplies in a lightweight cart. Stepping around the dead man, Bronsen was only too happy to get away from the stink. He rummaged through the meagre belongings. "There''s not much here besides some packets of food, utensils, clothes, and, yes!" He came back with a water canteen, about half full, holding about five litres. He poured a small amount into a cup. "Why aren''t they moving?" he said. The young girl was barely conscious, but the woman was fully aware of them. Her eyes tracked Alice and then Bronsen, but she made no further efforts at interaction. So, while Alice propped up the woman - getting her knees dirty - Bronsen carefully poured a small amount of water into the woman''s mouth. She swallowed after some struggle. "My... daughter..." she said. Or, more correctly, croaked, with much panting and struggling. Bronsen had no choice but to kneel on the ground next to the girl, prop her up and gently give her a small teaspoon of water. The girl, probably barely conscious, managed to swallow some. She then started coughing. Bronsen put the cup down, put his arms around her and leant her forward. He then very lightly thumped her back. Bronsen also got dried shit on his feet and knees but didn¡¯t complain about it. They kept on giving them water at a slow rate. At a similarly slow rate, the mother and daughter began to show some signs of energy. Alice was trying to communicate with the mother. "Hello, can you hear us?" But she didn''t get any reply. "Bronsen, they must be sick or something. We''ll have to look after them." "Of course." "And, we''re going to have to clean them up - wait, how are we going to do that? We don''t have any cleaning rags, nor much water, nor, ah, pads; oh, the mother has had a period." ¡°Ah, that''s what those red stains are from,¡± said Bronsen. Fighting to keep their composure because the two patients were perfectly aware of their surroundings even if they weren''t communicating; Alice and Bronsen spent an unpleasant hour cleaning them up. Naturally, Alice was the one to change their clothes, which meant that Bronsen had to be the one to get rid of the shit (by picking it up with his shovel and tossing it over the inner side rail); he also managed to find enough cloth in the cart to make improvised nappies for them. Two hours later, the two patients were reasonably clean, rehydrated, and fed a small amount of dried food. They were not sleeping, but the teenagers had made them comfortable. Bronsen and Alice sat down and caught their breaths. "I''ve got shit on my hands but no way of cleaning it off," whispered Bronsen. "Yeah." "Those grey collars must be slave collars, right?" "I suppose so. Inspect," said Alice. Ding! That''s right. Grey means they were the lowest in the hierarchy. The man was a blue-collar, which is much higher. "So, System-san, why are they unresponsive?" No reply. "OK. Then the object under the man''s neck must have been his blue-collar, only it is now black, and it appears to have fallen off," said Bronsen. "Hey, remember, there''s a hundred points for each collar we destroy, as long as it''s not in use," said Alice. "That''s right. In that case - " Bronsen went to the cart and used a folded-over piece of clothing to pick up three more inert slave collars. He put them on the ground next to the first collar. "Do you think touching them with your hands is dangerous?" said Alice. "Wouldn''t have a clue. But it''s better to be safe rather than sorry. Now, how do we destroy them?" "Thermal lance, of course." Five minutes later, four scorch marks and four piles of sand-like material were on the ground. "Bloody hell, those things are tough!" said Bronsen. Ding! Four hundred points were awarded for destroying four slave collars. Good work, kids! "Cassy and Drayden are still beating us - argh!" said Alice. Alice and Bronsen jumped up when they saw another man, definitely alive and well, standing ten metres away from them and watching them. Almost by reflex, they leapt over their two patients and stood between them and the strange man. In return, the man just scratched his head, smiled at them, and said, "Hello. Sorry I didn''t introduce myself immediately, but I needed to see what you did with the slave collars first." "You did?" said Bronsen. "Why?" said Alice. At this, the man looked puzzled, "You don''t know?" "No?" Looking as if he didn''t quite believe this, he said, "Because a slave, no matter what rank, will never destroy a collar, nor leave one behind. It''s always one of their initial commands." "Ah, so when we destroyed the collars..." said Alice. "I was greatly relieved. Of course, I already knew you weren''t slaves since you didn''t have collars on." "Ah, I''m sure we have lots more questions, but I''m Bronsen, and this is Alice." "Hello! I''m Aragon." [1.26] The locals meet Cassy and Drayden. Cassy and Drayden: At the same time that Alice and Bronsen were meeting Aragon, Cassy and Drayden were jumping down an endless number of stair flights. They stopped to get some water at the second last recess and grabbed a bird from the first recess for lunch. "Do you notice that the birds are much more aggressive here than the ones at our home staircase?" said Drayden. "Maybe there''s a lot more traffic here, so presumably they know that us humans - I mean Felixians - are bad news?" said Cassy. "Probably." They came to the last flight and faced the final ten-metre passage way out. "Drayden, let''s hold hands?" "OK." Jane: She carefully positioned herself ten metres before the entrance and glanced over her shoulders. "Hey, you two, move closer to the wall... Yeah, that''s good. Now, everybody, assume a neutral stance; we don¡¯t know what this group is about." She looked further to where the two sword expert guards were hidden. Even further back was a teenage girl with high [Endurance]. If things went pear-shaped, her orders were to run like hell to Manfestoria, carrying the bad news. It will probably be no good by that stage, but we can only do our best. They had seen two people going down the last recess. Jane noted they were moving quickly, so they had some excellent abilities. Now we wait. Half an hour later, before dusk, her moderately enhanced perceptions picked up the sound of two thumps and footfalls. They must have jumped down the final stairs and are now walking out. She lifted her hand to warn the others, breathed, and prepared herself for the worst. Two older teenagers, a boy and a girl, stepped out, hand in hand and tails pointing down their legs. They blinked in the sunlight and looked distinctly uncomfortable. Every single pair of eyes within sight focused on their necks. Thank The Voice, they don''t have slave collars. She relaxed her shoulders and put on a smile. "Hello, welcome to Manifestoria. I''m Captain Jane, in charge of this border post." "Ah, Hi! I''m Drayden." "And I''m Cassy." They''re unusual. They''re both monotone. They are both monotone with the same white colour! And what''s with their clothes? Jane casually moved closer, doing her best to look calm and friendly. Do you mean they hacked together those clothes from the hide of animals they hunted in the wild? And where did they come from? She stopped just in front of them. She noticed they were looking at the other guards with a slight amount of apprehension. "Sorry about them, but you have to agree; in the current times, we must be careful about who comes into our little territory." "Sure, Ah, I think? Who do you have to be careful of?" said Drayden. What? They were out roaming the Rimwall top but don¡¯t know what to be careful of? "Well now, from which direction did you come?" said Jane. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Jane had a moderately rare ability: She could tell if someone was lying, but only when she was asking direct questions. "Oh, from the anticlockwise direction," said Cassy. Jane stiffened and stepped back a metre, her ability indicating the truth of this. The loose circle of guards straightened out from their relaxed positions. Seeing this, Cassy and Drayden tried to get even closer together. "Ah, what''s wrong?" said Cassy. Just act very carefully here. "So, you came from the Cinnati territory?" "Ah, no? We don''t know anything about Cinnati," said Drayden. The truth. But... "Excuse me for asking, but where are you from?" "We don''t know most of the names or anything, but we''re from the third stairwell counting from this one, in the anticlockwise direction. We were originally living on the border of the Jaserra Ocean, but we got bored and decided to try moving somewhere else," said Drayden. The truth. Also, it sounds like complete nonsense. This is giving me a headache; why did it have to be my turn this time? "You mean, you were living in the middle of the Jaserra monster territory?" "I suppose so? For a while, there were certainly a lot of monsters running around," said Cassy. Still the truth. Sigh. What do I do about this? I need to get their story, but to preserve their privacy, I need to take them to my office. She briefly considered not worrying all that much about their privacy, but - They must have some good abilities. And, if they decide to be on our side, I should do my best to keep their skills a secret. You never know when a slaver might get their hands on such information. I could have been home, visiting my granddaughter. Nevermind. Just stick to the essentials. "Perhaps we can talk about that later? Right now, do you know anything about any slavers?" "Sure!" said Cassy. The two teenagers spent ten minutes describing what they had seen to an attentive audience. "So, you destroyed twenty-two slave collars?" "That''s right! We got two hundred and twenty points for them!" said Cassy. "Yeah, we decided to allocate them to..." said Drayden. At this point, Jane raised her hand. "Ah, careful, there''s no need to blurt out such things to the public. You know you''re supposed to keep your statuses secret as much as possible?" The teenagers looked taken aback by this. Just how innocent are these kids, anyway? And, wait a minute, did they briefly refer to cutting out a room inside the Rimwall? Hopefully, nobody else heard that. Jane shook her head slightly as if to try to clear it. It didn''t work. "OK. For a start..." She pointed at two guards. "You''ve got enough strength and endurance; I want you kitted out and going up the staircase within an hour. OK? Rest when needed, and aim to be at the top by tomorrow night. And, whenever possible, send updates." The two indicated that it was OK. They left at a brisk trot for one of the buildings behind them. Then Jane indicated four more guards, ones with lesser strengths and endurances. "You lot, rest now and start going up first thing tomorrow morning. You should aim to arrive within two or three days." "The rest of you, back on guard!" She turned to the teenagers and lowered her voice to a more polite, gentle mode. "If you care to come to my office? I need to produce a proper report on this and perhaps get more details." Two or so hours later, she left them stuffing their faces in the mess room. Once she had seen their appetites, she had to give the cooks some special orders. With all of this information about those slavers, it''s worth the cost. By now, she had also sent the messenger running to Manfestoria with a summary of the current situation. She returned to her office, sat on her chair, leaned far enough back to balance on the back two legs, and did some serious thinking. So, they are Outworlders, eh? Bloody hell. What is The Voice of the World doing? No wonder they have some weird abilities. And that shared status thing is the weirdest thing I have ever heard of. She had asked the barest minimum about their previous lives before deciding not to bother. It was all too strange, too far from her experience. She had much more urgent things to worry about. Do they have any idea of what is probably going to happen to them? I hope they take my words to heart and don''t tell anybody about their statuses unless they really, really trust them. These two kids are just the sort of thing the slavers would love to get their hands on. She got out her writing implements to write up a more extensive report. I''ll only include the details of the slaves they found and the slave collars they destroyed. Everything else can be left out. Fortunately, the stupid king probably wouldn''t notice, anyway. I don''t want him getting his senile hands on their abilities. Using her weak [Fireball] ability, she lit up her office, and she did her duty for her country with much grumbling under her breath. Cassy and Drayden: They had been allocated a small room in one of the dormitory buildings. Jane had apologised for lacking a double bed, but the teenagers said they were okay with lying on a blanket. The walls weren''t all that thick, and they could hear the sounds of other people moving around in their own rooms. So, right now, they were whispering to each other. "Isn''t it a real advantage to have our high strengths? We can lie on a blanket on a hardwood floor and feel comfortable!" said Cassy. "Yeah. And we don''t have to worry about getting too hot or cold. But, more importantly, what have we ended up in?" "I don''t know. It''s all a lot different from what I was expecting. Not that I had given much thought to it, mind you." "So, we should aim to keep our powers secret?¡± said Drayden. "Apparently. Those slavers are certainly bad news. I think that Jane was holding back on the bad news side." "And where are Alice and Bronsen?" They became silent; there were too many unanswered questions. So, instead, Drayden patted Cassy with his tail. "Oh, I see, so, right now, is this the most important thing you can think about?" "For the time being. And, don''t forget, we must be very quiet for once." "Hmm, actually, that could be something new to try!" [1.27] Aragons tale Aragon: Four or so weeks previously, shortly after Cassy and Drayden had climbed to the top of the wall and started walking along it, Aragon also walked along the top. He was keeping up a good pace; he didn''t want to dawdle any longer in this part of the Ringworld. He didn''t know it, but he was following in their tracks. So, should I go down the next staircase and get some birds? Or should I continue? He had a backpack with water and food, so he was pretty relaxed about that decision. He wasn''t so sanguine about why he had to move in a hurry. I think I went a bit too far anticlockwise; seeing those groups of slavers moving about was a bit of a shocker. I thought I was still safely within the monster territory. Fortunately, Aragon was on the Rimwall, and the slavers were on the ground. Damn it, it was a stupid idea going that far anticlockwise. What did I expect? Cinnati fell to the slavers some time ago. And I''m now too late: the monster season has already finished for this year. The monster territory may have become safe to wander around for a few months like I planned, but the slavers may also decide to wander around it. I would have preferred to spend my time avoiding monsters than avoiding slavers. What a pain! This means I will have to go back past Manifestoria and keep going further clockwise. I hope they don''t have anyone stationed at the staircase opening. That could be embarrassing. He walked briskly along and made sure to stick to the outside edge so that no one on the ground could see him. He didn''t have fully maxed-out strength attributes like the Misfits, so he couldn''t run continuously. Coming up soon should be the staircase a hundred or so kilometres before the ocean. Sure enough, it appeared in the distance and gradually came closer. Unfortunately, along with the usual rubbish, there was a sad addition. Aragon carefully examined the situation from a cautious distance. He kept well away from the staircase opening. Nobody within sight. It doesn''t look like anybody is hanging off the inside edge, waiting to ambush me - hopefully, nobody in the stairwell, either. He took a good look at the body. Yeah, those clothes. And those scars on her back. She definitely was a slave. Judging by her apparent poor health, she was probably just a grey level. They dumped her here when she was no longer of any use. He had to exert his conscious will to unclench his fists. The rest of her party could have gone anticlockwise and got down before meeting me, or they are still ahead in the clockwise direction. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Fuck. Manifestoria is that way. If a bunch of slavers get to them, then... I''ll have to report this. It is the least that Tanya would expect of me. Keeping a close watch on what was coming up, he increased his speed to as much as he could manage without exhausting himself. He soon enough came across the abandoned sedan chair and two dead slaves. What lazy unspeakable **** **** shits! They trashed two or three slaves so that they could have an easy lift up the stairs. I''m going to kill those slave masters. He meant it, too. Unfortunately, he was experienced and a realist. He knew perfectly well he might have to fight a bunch of grey-collared slaves to survive. He passed two more dead slaves. He ground his teeth and kept going. Then, three more. Those two are hugging each other. Fuck. Then, two more. I will not show any mercy to any slave masters. Then, the remaining sedan chair and the dead slave and dead slave master. So, someone, obviously another slave of the same rank, killed him from behind. Well, that''s one way of getting rid of them. It was apparent, at least to Aragon. The killer couldn''t be a slave of a lower rank since they would be unable to be anything but obedient. It couldn''t be a slave of higher rank, as they could merely order the man to die. It couldn''t be a non-slave, as they would have been rapidly collared and turned into a slave. Unless it was a non-slave that snuck up on them? Seems unlikely. And finally, he found the remaining slave and the remaining slave master. Soooo, the girl collapsed and died from exhaustion. And why was the man running back the way he came? And, these twenty-two piles of sand and scorch marks... Someone destroyed twenty-two slave collars. Using some sort of high-temperature ability. Hmm, that''s not one of the standard abilities. Thinking about this, he finally made it to the Manifestoria sign. Now what? He was still reluctant to go back to his home town. So he made up a rationalisation. Maybe there are more slavers ahead. Perhaps some of them are healthy and have a supply of slave collars. Right, I''ll continue along. I have enough supplies to reach the next staircase. He walked over to the inside railing, stuck his head over and waved. Anybody with normal eyesight wouldn''t have a hope in hell of seeing him. However, someone with enhanced perception, using the optical aids that the Felixians had available, could. That''ll probably give them cause to look up here. Hopefully, this is enough for Tanya to be satisfied. Happy with his rationalisation, he kept going. Two days later, he found Alice, Bronsen and the mother and daughter. As soon as he could discern their figures in the distance, he slowed down and walked along the outside railing. His clothes were darkish, and his skin was primarily black, with deep red patches. So, he wasn''t too visible against the blackness of the universe. He slowly and steadily walked along, getting closer to them. The bloke on the ground must be a high-ranking slaver... Also dead. Those teenagers - they''re a bit weird - both monotones? I think I''ve only seen, what, two or three in my entire life? And here there are two. He was getting close enough to make out many details, helped by his moderately high [Perception Boost]. What''s with their strange clothes? Don''t tell me they made them themselves. Out in the wild? That didn''t make much sense to him. After all, even the most independent, isolated person had some contact with civilisation. Like, for example, himself. And now he got a good look at the two slaves lying on the ground. They''re looking after those two slaves. That''s a lot of points in their favour. And they are not slaves themselves. The question is, who, if anyone, are they working for? At this point, the teenagers lined up a row of four slave collars and destroyed them. Well. Precisely like the twenty-two collars I saw back there. That''s a relief; they''re not working for any slavers. Not that non-slaves could ever work with slaves, anyway. Time to make myself known. [1.28] Aragon meets Alice and Bronsen Aragon: "Hello. Sorry I didn''t introduce myself immediately, but I needed to see what you did with the slave collars first." "Why?" said the teenage girl. "You don''t know?" "No?" How is that possible? "Because a slave, no matter what rank, will never destroy a collar nor leave one behind. It''s always one of their initial commands." "Ah, so when we destroyed the collars..." said Alice. "I was greatly relieved. Of course, I already knew you weren''t slaves since you don''t have collars on." "Anyway, I''m Bronsen, and this is Alice." "Hello! I''m Aragon." They''re very unusual. Everybody within a thousand kilometres of here knows the basics of slave collars. Ah, that''s it, they are from a lot further away. Four or five thousand kilometres away clockwise, at least. Actually, a bit more than that, but he wasn''t to know that yet. Seeing they were a bit skittish, he tried moving slowly and calmly. He nodded in the direction of the dead man. "That must have been the high-ranking slaver," he said. "Ah, yes, apparently he was a blue-collar," said Alice. Why was a Blue doing out here? And why, apparently? For that matter, how did he die... He had a closer look. Ah, he was injured. "Is that so? Just out of curiosity, how did you know that?" "Oh, System-san told us," said Bronsen. "Who?" "Ah, you know, the entity that tells us our statuses and whatnot?" said Alice. What? Did the Voice of the World tell them directly? What does that mean? "You mean, the Voice of the World?" said Aragon, "That is, you have some [Inspection] ability that gives you that information? Although I''ve never heard of one that will give that sort of detail." "I suppose so? I just said [Inspect], and System-san told us he was dead, and he had been a Blue-collar," said Alice. This is strange, but let''s get to the more critical thing, shall we? Since the mother and daughter had been moved to a cleaner patch of ground, he didn''t have to put up with kneeling in shit or dried urine. So, without any hesitation, he knelt before the mother. But, even with a change of clothes, they still stank. Aragon ignored this and calmly observed the mother and daughter. At least, he started to observe them calmly, but as soon as he got a good look at the mother, he startled and gasped in surprise. The mother, who had managed to put her arm over her daughter lying in front of her, reacted to this and looked as if she was frightened of him. They hadn''t looked easy beforehand, and now, with his erratic behaviour, they looked even more worried. Tanya? Tanya? No, impossible, impossible, she''s dead years ago. Oh shit. His body sagged, and he had to support his weight on his hands. No, she''s not Tanya. But she is the age she would have been if she had lived. And she has a very similar skin tone¡ªthree colours: reddish, dark brown, and very light yellow. She''s even got a similar pattern. But she''s not Tanya. Oh. He realised that the mother looked terrified of him, and the daughter also looked frightened. Yeah, a strange man. Of course, they would be terrified. Right now, they are immobilised from an Order Lock. Totally defenceless. Tanya will never let me ignore their plights. OK. In his best and brightest and most confident voice, he started speaking. "Hello, young lady and young girl. It looks like you are having some difficulty. So I, along with these teenagers, will help you." Voice of the world: I make this public vow: I will look after these two until they no longer need my help. Ding! Your vow has been accepted at 100% strength. It will be communicated to the mother and daughter, as well as Alice and Bronsen. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. One hundred percent? A hundred? I really must be feeling strongly about this. That''s even stronger than my first vow. Bronsen: This bloke, I suppose, looks OK. Why did he react so strangely when he had a close-up look at the mother? Ding! System-san notice. Aragon has made a vow, strength 100%: I will look after this mother and her daughter until they no longer need my help. What the hell is that? "Alice, did you get that?" "Yes. And, look, those two also got it." This was obvious; both the mother and the girl were startled at the message and then visibly relaxed. However, the mother managed to convey the impression that she was surprised¡ªrelieved but surprised. Aragon was looking embarrassed. He scratched his head, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "I guess I should start helping you." By the time the sun started to dim, they had made their two patients as comfortable as possible. They were lying side by side on a thin mattress from the cart with a thin, frayed blanket over them. By now, they had succumbed to exhaustion and were sleeping. Aragon had been busy; he sorted the stuff in the cart and divided it into separate piles according to its usefulness. He dragged the dead man away by a hundred metres, then, without much fuss, stripped him down to his underwear and added the man''s clothes and equipment to the piles. Aragon, Alice, and Bronsen were now sitting a couple of metres away from their patients, watching the sun dim to a faint glow. Every night on Felixerra was moonlit unless there were clouds. But clouds were below the fifty-kilometre mark, so every night up on the Rimwall was moonlit. Bronsen looked along the Ringworld. The ring was dark, but here and there were faint glows that could have been the concentrated light of cities, plus an occasional flickering light. I''ll have to ask him later about that, but we need a few more questions answered right now! Just then, Alice gave a huge yawn. "Oops, sorry, everyone, but..." "Ah, I''m sort of tired, too," said Bronsen. Aragon smiled at them and waved his hands. "That''s fine. How about I take the first watch and wake up Bronsen in three hours?" Take watch? Err, well, I suppose there could be other slavers up here, and, shit, if they sneak up on us, they could enslave us before we know it! He looked at Alice. She also looks scared out of her wits. "Ah, good idea, Mr Aragon. Alice, I''ll wake you up for your turn, OK?" "Yeah, definitely." Aragon: He had already convinced them to move the patients and their stuff towards the outside rail. So, now, he was leaning against the railing, ignoring the immensity of a spiral galaxy behind him. Instead, he looked from side to side, checking to see if anyone was approaching. He monitored the patients'' condition, but they seemed to be breathing easily. Tanya, is this good enough? I hope so. I speak a lot to a girl who''s been dead for twelve years, don''t I? Is that all right? But what else do I have? As always, no answer came. He diligently kept up his watch until it became time to wake Bronsen. Alice: In the morning, two slightly frazzled teenagers and one (seemingly) perfectly composed Aragon greeted the dawn. Alice surveyed the locale. Two immobile patients, a completely unknown man, and the potential of horrible slavers attacking us at a moment''s notice. Life has sure gotten complicated all of a sudden. There are so many questions to ask, but the first one is undoubtedly... "Mr Aragon, why are our patients so immobile?" "Why? Well, obviously, it¡¯s Order Lock. Oh, and you can call me Aragon; there is no need for any formality." "Order Lock?" said Bronsen, avidly listening to this conversation. "You don''t know that either? It''s when a slaver tells a lower-ranking slave to wait for some condition. And the condition never eventuates. Like, say, this slaver - " Aragon casually gestured in the direction of the dead man. "Might have said something like ''wait here until I tell you what to do next''." "But that means that they will die!" said Alice. "Oops, I hope they didn''t hear that," she said. They all looked at the two patients. Fortunately, they appeared to be still asleep. "Ah, right, you don''t know about that, either," said Aragon. "If a grey collar slave has no contact with a slave of a higher rank for a week, they are released from the compunction to obey any standing and absolute orders. Of course, the collar remains, and any higher ranked slave can reestablish order merely by touching their collars." "Oh, right. So we must keep them alive and reasonably well, and they will spontaneously recover?" said Bronsen. "That''s right. Only, I suggest we move them back to the Manifestorian stairwell as fast as possible. We don¡¯t know when the next group of slavers will come along." Alice and Bronsen looked at each other in puzzlement. "What''s this Manifestorian thing?" said Alice. "Uhh? Didn''t you just come from there?" "No? We''ve just travelled a few hundred kilometres anti-clockwise to here," said Bronsen. "Really? You mean you were from the middle of the Crysteth monster territory?" "Yes, we sure were. What the fuck hell are they all about?" said Bronsen. Aragon looked from one to the other in some perplexity. "How come you don''t know anything about our world despite living in it your entire life?" "Well, now, about that..." said Alice. Any further discussion was squelched when the mother woke up. She groaned and tried to look in their direction before giving up. They spent the next hour caring for their needs. And also eating some food themselves. After that, Aragon addressed them all. "I think that we should move as soon as possible. I''ll throw out everything that isn''t immediately useful from the cart, and we can put you-" He pointed at the mother and daughter. "In it, and we can make a dash to the Manfestorian stairwell. OK?" Alice and Bronsen couldn''t see anything to disagree with. The mother and daughter weren''t capable of saying anything. So Aragon continued. "Now, teenagers, my strength ability is about twenty-five. Would you like to tell us yours?" "Sure, why shouldn''t we? Our strength, speed and combat abilities are all maxed out to a hundred." Aragon stared at them, his expression halfway between shock and disbelief. "You''re both maxed out in all of those abilities?" "Yeah. It''s because..." said Alice. Aragon cut in. "You kids are just too naive to be real. You shouldn''t tell just anyone what your abilities are! You hardly know me. You realise the more information about your abilities the enemies have, the more prepared they will be against you?" Oh. I suppose so. This whole ''interacting with the Felixian society'' turns out to be very messy. "Sorry, Mr, err, I mean, sorry, Aragon. We didn''t realise," said Alice. Aragon scratched his head. Again. "Fine, fine, we are always learning new things." Another hour and they were on their way. Alice and Bronsen decided to carry the cart. Its construction might have been lightweight, but it was strong enough to support its weight and the weight of the two patients when used like a sedan chair. The teenagers skimmed across the ground in a gliding jog, doing their best not to jostle the occupants. Despite the horrible situation they appeared to be in, Alice was exhilarated by her physical powers. At least, this part is still incredible, moving while carrying such a weight at such a speed. Will I ever get back to Earth? I''m just dying to show off my new powers! After a while, Aragon remembered something. "If you came from anti-clockwise, then who was it who destroyed the twenty-two slave collars up ahead? And, in the same way that you did?" "Eh, you came across more dead slaves on your way here?" said Alice. "Wait a minute! Twenty-two times a hundred is two thousand two hundred! That''s about how many points Drayden and Cassy got!" said Bronsen. "Hey, so it is! They must be at this Manifestorian place! Let''s get there as fast as possible!" said Alice. Aragon looked from one to the other, opened his mouth, closed his mouth and continued jogging. He is recalling how he told us to keep our statuses secret. She looked at Bronsen; he looked back. OK, let''s leave things as is. They kept on moving. By nightfall, they reached the Manifestorian stairs to find a group of people already there. [1.29] Esther and Evereena Esther: The master had told Esther and Evereena to wait for his next orders, so they did. Esther had managed to put her arms around her daughter. That was about the limit of what either one of them could will themselves to do. They lay there and waited to die. She had plenty of time to think. Flashback time for Esther: At age thirteen, her warm, comfortable life as the much-loved daughter of her parents was smashed to pieces, and the pieces ground into the dust. She had watched as her parents died trying to defend her. They were killed at the hands of people with grey collars, people with totally blank faces who fought savagely, with no rest and no mercy. Even when wounded, they kept on fighting until their bodies collapsed. After the fighters had passed on, leaving her parents amongst the dead bodies scattered across the ground, other slavers came. They wore different coloured collars - reds, blues, and even green ones. And one of the red-collared slaves put a collar on her, plus the others that were still alive. Then, a blue-collared slave walked along the line of new slaves and touched each collar with his hand. As the collar clicked closed around her neck, a mass of cold, clammy blackness took hold, filling her mind and draining all light, colour, and good feelings. Then it poured into her status, blackness advancing over each of her abilities, cloaking and smothering everything in its path. She felt she was going to suffocate and drown in its advance. She didn''t. Instead, the blackness retreated¡ªsort of. Her abilities, the little she had, were still there, but everything felt dirty, corrupted, and tainted. She regained consciousness and realised she must have fallen. However, she didn''t seem able to do anything. So she just lay there, crying at the memory of her parents falling as they tried to protect her. Eventually, another slaver with a coloured collar came by. "Shut up and stop that crying," he said. She stopped. She had no choice. Something from the back of her mind reached out and overrode her feelings, shoving aside her feelings with total contempt for what she might want. "Get up and follow that group,¡± he said before moving on to the next new slave. She followed that group. Later that day, she stood with a hundred or so others. The slave master, a green-collar one, read out a series of orders: "These are absolute orders - a slave will never do anything to endanger or abolish the slaver institution." "A slave will never leave behind a functional unused slave collar, nor destroy a collar."This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. He followed with many other absolute orders, then continued with standing orders. She listened attentively and automatically memorised them perfectly. She had no choice in this matter, either. With some water and almost no food, they were forced to march back to wherever the slavers came from. One in five died on the way, but there was no protest from the new slaves. No complaints, no attempts to escape or stop and rest. They were given their orders, and that''s what they did. She ended up at a slave auction and was sold to a man with a blue collar. Of course, the first thing he did when he took her home was to rape her. She was screaming inside, but he didn''t allow her to show any negative emotions on the outside. Within a few years, she had a baby. Her master told her that she was lucky. He wasn''t going to work her to exhaustion. No, he would look after her and ensure she had sufficient food, rest, and the same for her baby. He even allowed her to relax and play with her baby without intrusive commands. "After all," he had said, "The better I look after you, the more return I will get on my investment when I eventually sell you and your daughter." Esther observed how he treated his other slaves, and she was glad she had a reprieve, at least for a while. Esther: She spent most of her time remembering as much of her time with Evereena as possible. Nursing her, cuddling her. Feeding her her first solid food. Watching her as a cute little baby taking her first steps. The first few years were the best. The slave master had other slaves for his various ''interests''. At age three, Evereena got her collar. Fortunately, she didn''t get much in the way of any orders, and the master refrained from taking much notice of them for quite a few years. Of course, this had to end at some stage. Esther clenched her fists as much as she was able to when she remembered the first night that the slave master had decided to ''try out'' her daughter. The girl had cried for a week after that, but all Esther could do was hug her. Esther, currently lying on the ground hugging her daughter and watching the dead body of her master, could only try her best and not remember any more of the bad times. Just think of the good times, no matter how few they may have been. At least she had some. She was getting thirsty. And hungry. And they had both soiled themselves. They were going to die here. But at least the slave master got what he deserved. A slow and painful death. Something happened on the fifth afternoon as she struggled to remain conscious. Two people walked up to them. Two teenagers. And they didn''t have slave collars on. And they started to look after them. What does this mean? And then, another older man appeared and knelt before them. Esther tried to shrink back but wasn''t able to. Those teenagers look nice, maybe, but this man? Is he going to rape us? Ding! Aragon has made a vow, strength 100%: I will look after you and your daughter until you no longer need my help. What does this mean? Ding! It means Aragon will look after you, and the Voice of the World will strongly compel him to fulfil his vow. The Voice of the World is answering my question. She had never heard of such a thing. And this Aragon will look after us? But he doesn''t have a slave collar? Why should he do that? The Voice of the World gave no further explanation. They were looked after. Esther didn''t know where they were and had never heard of Manifestoria. But, for some reason, Aragon and the teenagers were making great efforts to take her and her daughter back there. She couldn''t wrap her head around their strange actions. How can they possibly get any return on their investment in looking after us? Six days after the master had died, they all arrived at the Manifestorian stairwell. [1.30] The big reunion Alice and Bronsen: Alice and Bronsen slowed to a saunter, then came to a halt. They carefully placed their patients on the ground ten metres from the waiting group. Standing before them, tails swishing around in nervous agitation, they wondered what to do. Fortunately, Aragon was up to the task. "Hi there! I''ve come back." Four people were waiting: one woman and three men. When they recognised Aragon, they all appeared to relax. "Well, so you have. Have you finally decided to take up a real job and join us?" said one of them. Aragon laughed it off. "Well, I don''t know about that, but I''ve decided to look after these two for now." He pointed to the two lying on the ground. "Hmm," said one of them, "Certainly a lot of slaves around the place. Although all of the others are dead." Alice and Bronsen looked at each other. "You know each other?" said Alice. "Sure, Manifestoria was where I was born and raised," said Aragon. "And then he decided to run off." said the female guard. A slow of irritation from Aragon, "Never mind that. We need to get these two down safely. And I need to give my report to the current border captain. And then escort these ladies to Manifestoria." "How long do you think before they are released?" said the female guard. "Can''t be too long..." said Aragon. That was a lucky guess on Aragon¡¯s part. As soon as he said that, the mother twitched, shuddered, and then sat up and gasped. This might have been a bit unadvised considering her condition, as she promptly fell over sideways. "Shit!" said Aragon. He rushed to her, knelt on her side, and held her body. "Oh," said the female guard, who knelt on her other side and checked her condition. "She''s fine, just exhausted." said the female guard. She looked at Alice. "Also, could you and your boyfriend sit on either side of the daughter? They know you, and she will also probably be released soon." Eventually, the two slaves were awake and aware of the others but unable to do anything. Alice and Aragon gave them a drink and some food, and they soon slept like lifeless logs. The other guards had kept their distance. Eventually, two of them went off, one in each direction, a few hundred metres, and took up guard stations. Aragon chatted with the remaining two, then approached Alice and Bronsen. "We''re looking after these two, so I suggest we stick with them and try to get some sleep, OK?" he said. As the sun dimmed in the sky, Alice cuddled up to Bronsen. Alice whispered to Bronsen: ¡°This is no fun whatsoever. We can''t even make love.¡± They drifted off to sleep. Bronsen woke with the dawn sun. He yawned and stretched, then remembered last night. As it turned out, they were exhausted and washed out. Able to answer a few questions, like What are your names? But not capable of much more, at least for the time being. Aragon and the guards had another little discussion, with Alice and Bronsen listening in. "We talked with Jane by light semaphore. She suggests you take the women down while us guards stay up here. Ah, that''s right. Those other two teenagers say they know you and are going to race up the stairway today to meet you," said the female guard, who appeared to be the temporary leader of the guard group. "You mean Cassy and Drayden!" said Alice. She jumped up and down in excitement. "At last, we meet up with them!" By now, Alice and Bronsen were holding each other and jumping up and down and around and around. Eventually, they remembered that they had an audience. They stopped and looked a little embarrassed. Aragon, the four guards, and the mother and daughter looked at them. "Oops, sorry, we haven''t seen our friends for a year, and when we last saw them, things were a bit intense," said Bronsen. ¡°Ah, right,¡± said Jane. "Hmm, yeah. Anyway, let''s pack just enough food and water to get down, and then shall we go?" said Aragon. But how do the mother and daughter get down? It was rapidly determined that they barely had the strength to hobble around on flat ground, let alone go down fifty kilometres of stairs. So it was a matter of carrying them. By their improvised sedan chair? The trouble was, when going down the steps, the person carrying the front end had to hold it up high, while the person carrying the back had to hold it low. It was feasible to rig something up so that each person held their end comfortably - until they came to a stair landing. They needed to keep the chair on level for a couple of metres, turn it 180 degrees and continue going down. Alice and Bronsen, not being slaves and thus not being compelled to do this, decided it was all too much of a pain. Since they were so freakingly strong, even by the standards of Aragon and the guards, they decided they''ll carry the mother and daughter down. The proposed recipients of this act of gallantry didn''t look too confident. So Alice put a folded blanket across her arms and had Aragon gently place Esther onto it. After racing around in a perfectly even gliding motion, demonstrating that she was hardly exerting herself, she asked Esther, "So, do you now think I can do it?" "Ah, yes?" They set off. At the start, Alice carried Esther, and Bronsen carried Evereena. Arragon took the food and water they needed for a few days. They expected to get down in three or four days. They also expected to meet up with Cassy and Drayden sometime after the first day. Esther: Thump. Bronsen lightly hopped down the final two steps of the current staircase, took a couple of rapid steps, turned around the balustrading, and glided down the next set of stairs, two at a time. Esther had to admit, he was doing a pretty good job of it. There was only a tiny amount of jarring and jolting. The trouble was he was holding her in his arms. The position wasn''t all that comfortable, and her back was slowly getting cramped and bruised. She was also finding it hard to cope with the change in her circumstances. Why are they doing this? What is the benefit they expect to gain? This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Were they going to be sold to some brothel? There''s nothing much else we are useful for, is there? Except Aragon vowed to look after us. And it is, somehow, backed by the Voice of the World. But what are these vows, anyway? I''ve never heard of them before. Bronsen went across another landing, looked down the next run of steps, and saw that Alice had stopped on the next landing. So he stopped there also. "Well, that''s 2443 so far," said Bronsen. " I make it 2447 landings; you must have missed a few," said Alice. "I missed a few?" said Bronsen. "Amen," said Aragon, "I haven''t been counting landings at all; I just count the open recesses. And we are going a bit slower than I thought we would." Alice and Bronsen decided to bury the hatchet in that argument. They swapped over and kept going. Eventually, they got to another of the open recesses. They decided to rest at the lowest landing in this recess that was still open to the sky. They placed Esther and Evereen on the ground, who then hobbled around and around the landing for a while, trying to build up their stamina and get some kinks out of their body. Aragon dug through his backpack and produced some food. After eating, there was a period of silence. Those three look as if they are unwilling to ask us anything. It feels so strange. This will take some getting used to the fact that I can choose what I do all by myself. But what do I do? She didn''t have a clue. She had spent a decade and a half doing only what she was told to do. With some reprieves when she was allowed to look after Evereena without any intervention. She didn''t have much practice in socialising with anybody else. Eventually, she thought of a topic. "Ah, Aragon..." She stopped, in fear that she might be speaking out of turn. "Yes, Esther?" She was encouraged to keep going since he answered gently and without any impatience. "That vow you made... Why did you decide to make it? And how did you get The Voice of the World to be a part of it?" "Ah, right. Hmm, why did I? Well, because err, because you obviously needed help, of course." "But, but, why did you want to help us? We can''t do anything in return." "Well, you see, the people of Manifestoria, and for that matter the much bigger city clockwise called Crysteth, don''t have slaves. Slavery is illegal, and trying to introduce slavery will be met with extreme force." At this point, Aragon noticed Alice and Bronsen listening in with extreme concentration. "Oh, I suppose you don''t know about that, either, do you? You see, once slavery is introduced, the slave masters will do everything in their power to enslave everyone around. There is no such thing as a mixed slave/non-slave society. Well, grey-collared slaves can exist in a free society, but once any higher-ranked slaves are introduced, then everything goes to hell. After all, once a slave has a collar on, they can never get it off, and they can never disobey a master. And every coloured collar above grey is a master of the grey collars. So such masters will order any new slaves to fight and collar more people, and so it goes until the entire population have collars." "You mean, there are still non-slave locations?" said Esther, "I thought my original village was one of the last." "Oh, there are plenty. But we all have to band together and fight like hell to maintain that," said Aragon. Esther thought all of this over. She was still trying to work out the implications of being a released slave living in a non-slave country. She was having a hard time. So, she decided to leave that question alone for the time being. "So, how is the Voice of the World involved in vows?" "Oh, that''s one of the services the Voice of the World provides. Any person can make a public or private vow, and the Voice will register it. However, the Voice will decide how serious the person is. It will ignore it if the person isn''t serious, say just some stupid kids playing around. Or it may decide it''s a fairly light-hearted vow and will only register it as 5% strength." "But, I''ve never heard of it," said Esther. "That''s because anyone wearing a slave collar can''t make one. Because they don''t have the free will to make a vow." "Oh," said Esther. I''m still a slave. I can''t even make a promise to look after my daughter. She hung her head in shame and held Evereena a bit tighter. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to be cruel," said Aragon. He lightly and briefly patted Esther''s hand, then backed off. There was another small silence. "Well, what do the percentage strengths bit mean?" said Alice. "That is just a measure of how firm the Voice will be, trying to get the person to carry out their vow. A very light strength vow results in some nagging; eventually, the Voice will give up if the person doesn''t fulfil their vow. On the other hand, not carrying out a high-strength vow has much more serious consequences." "So, how serious are the consequences for not carrying out a 100% vow?" said Bronsen. Yes, that''s the strength of Aragon''s vow. About now, if Aragon had been wearing a suit and tie, he would be loosening his tie while looking distinctly uncomfortable. Since he wasn''t, he just appeared distinctly uncomfortable. "Well, now, the consequences are, hmm, you could say such consequences are kind of bad. Like, maybe even dying kind of bad. The Voice of the World will never give up trying to get the person to fulfil their vow. Ahh, I should mention that a 100% strength vow is extremely rare. I''ve never heard of one before." Aragon really has committed to looking after us. But it still doesn''t make sense. Perhaps I''ll just let it go for the time being. Aragon: Aragon got up and started pacing down the stairs, followed by Bronsen and Alice gliding down, trying to make the trip as gentle as possible for the ones they were carrying. After a while, they could hear the rapid sound of footsteps below them coming in their direction. Aragon stopped at a landing, a tiny fire spark above his head lighting up the area just enough to see him. "You lot, go up a landing. If these people are hostile, at least you will have a slight warning," he said. They waited. The footsteps rapidly grew in volume, and Aragon finally saw two teenagers come around the landing beneath him. They stopped and looked at each other. "Er, Hi! We''re looking for Alice and Bronsen..." said a voice. "It''s them!" screamed Cassy. Aragon, Esther and Evereena had a ringside seat as the four Misfits greeted each other with much shouting, hugging and crying. Honestly, I have never seen such an amazing production in all of my life. What is their relationship with each other? After a mere ten or so minutes, the Misfits gathered their wits together and started to take notice of the other people present. Note that while they had been talking nonstop at each other all this time, there wasn''t much actual information exchanged. They needed to set aside sometime later for some serious updating. Just not yet. Eventually, the four Misfits lined up, and Bronsen introduced Cassy and Drayden to Esther, Evereena and Aragon. I had better step in and keep this rabble moving. "I''m sorry to interfere with your reunion, but we should get down as fast as possible." had said. He also pointed to the two massive backpacks that Cassy and Drayden were carrying. "I suppose they are supplies for those up on the top?" "Yep, we were told we leave them when we meet you. The team following us will carry them up the rest of the way," said Cassy. She and Drayden took the packs off and plonked them on the ground. Evereena, who was right next to one of the bags, very timidly tried to move one. It didn''t budge. "It''s heavy, isn''t it!" said Cassy, "Us Misfits have high strength, although Jane said we shouldn''t go around telling everyone exactly how much." Cassy knelt and smiled warmly at Evereena. After looking up at her mother for reassurance, she smiled back. Drayden knelt diagonally behind Cassy and also smiled at Evereena. Evereena started to look as if things were getting too much for her, so the teenagers promptly stood up and moved back a bit. Yeah, Cassy and Drayden are just like Alice and Bronsen. Kind and gentle and incredibly strong and totally naive. Aragon gathered his flock and managed to get them to continue going down. They passed another kilometre of open stairs and a kilometre of enclosed stairs and finally stopped at the topmost landing in the next open recess. "We might as well camp here. And, ahh, when you go to do your, you know, business, go down a few flights for privacy and just toss it over the side. But try not to fall off yourself, OK!" he said. "Oh, I just realised; what about the people down at ground level?" said Cassy. Aragon shrugged. "You probably didn''t notice, but generally, nobody stays within a kilometre of the base of the wall. Or, they stay inside the base camp buildings as much as possible. There''s no other convenient way of doing things, so..." Alice and Bronsen looked at each other with slightly guilty expressions. As did Cassy and Drayden. Aragon just snickered. "You both came from monster territories. There ain''t anybody living there, anyway." They had a shared meal, courtesy of the food that Cassy and Drayden had brought up. Then, there was a strained silence. Cassy and Drayden want to ask about the two slaves but don''t know how to. The Misfits are dying to talk to each other, but not in front of all of us. Esther and her daughter want to talk about the rest of us, but also in private. And is that the fifth of so yawn I''ve seen? Aragon put on a big smile. "Let''s postpone the detailed discussions for another night since we are all tired." Especially Esther and Evereena. "And, let''s say Cassy and Drayden go down three or four flights of steps and act as an advance guard for anything coming up. Alice and Bronsen go up a few fights and do the same. But I don''t think we need to put up a watch tonight so we can all get a good night''s sleep." The teenagers seemed happy to do this, and they split up and went their separate ways up and down the stairs. He he, give them their blanket time with each other; you can thank me one day. He looked at Esther and her daughter and half smiled, half snickered. "Ah, hormone-charged teenagers..." Only to get two blank looks back. Oh, crap. Stupid, stupid, I forgot. They''re slaves. "Ah, sorry, never mind; how about I sleep on the landing just above this?" Cassy and Drayden: Cassy and Drayden went down four flights of stairs and then sat down. "We still didn''t get to talk to them," said Cassy. "I know! But, if we have spent half a year getting to this point, I suppose we can wait another day or two." They were both tired but didn''t want to sleep or do something else just yet. "Say, do you think we can still tunnel through the Wall?" said Cassy. "Let''s try!" said Drayden. After a minute or two... "It appears that we can''t any longer," said Cassy. "Shame. And System-san was quite definite about it, wasn''t he? But, I suppose it''s not as if we would ever need that skill again, anyway." said Drayden. [1.31] Both Aragon and the Misfits make some vows Aragon: Two nights later, Aragon and his party were still travelling. By now, the extra party from Manifestoria had passed them on their way up. They had also passed by the large open room but didn''t stop. After their communal meal, they all lingered on this night, sitting in a compact group on a landing. Solid rock walls surrounded them since they were equidistant from the previous and the next open recesses. When no one spoke, there was complete silence, apart from slight rustles as someone moved their body slightly. "How come the air is always fresh and clean, even though we are in a long tunnel?" said Bronsen, "It''s very convenient for us to breathe, but how does it work?" "Hey, that''s what we found out too when we lived in the Wall," said Cassy. Did she imply that they were living inside the Wall? I had better not inquire any further into that. "Who knows?" said Aragon, "I''m sure that the Voice of the World has arranged something." Drayden had his [Fireball] active, hovering just under the ceiling. It lit up the seven faces but cast dark shadows above and below them as the stairs went up and down to subsequent landings. Esther: Esther was still worrying about why Aragon was helping them. Based upon her experiences as a slave, she could only assume he was aiming to exploit them in some way - but there was that vow. The whole matter was beginning to bug her. So, when there was a long silence in the conversation after their meal, she forced herself to be outspoken and to say something. "Ah, Aragon, I am still puzzled about why you are helping us so much." "Well, as I said, because you need help. So, why shouldn''t I help you?" "Because, because, no man has ever helped us before. If they wanted something from us, they first asked the Master''s permission, and then took it. Mainly sex, of course." There was a mix of fear and disgust and contempt in her expression. Evereena''s expression was just revulsion. Aragon looked sad. He scratched his head and looked reluctant to explain further, but eventually, he relented. Sigh. "OK, OK. Well, you see, when I was a ten-year boy..." His voice trailed off to silence before he started again. "A ten-year-old boy, living with my brother and our mum in Manifestoria, a new family moved in next door: a mother and her daughter. And, well, they were grey-collar slaves. There was a minor skirmish between our guards and a small group of slavers fleeing from one of their intermittent squabbles, which are always happening between groups of high-rank slavers, and they were the only two that survived. Anyway, the daughter and I became friends. Her name was Tanya. And, strangely enough, her colouration was very similar to Esther''s." He stopped and gazed at the blank stone walls for a while. "And that''s it. Except after two or so years, she was killed because she was a slave. I, I, was the one that discovered her body." He kept on staring at the wall. "Oh, My brother and my brother''s friend and I were the ones that dug her grave, and we, plus my mum and Tanya''s mother, were the only ones to attend the funeral." He stared at the wall some more. "Her mother died a month or so later. I always thought that she just died of a broken heart." He sat up straight and looked around. "So, of course, when I saw you two, that''s what I thought of." So I remind him of Tanya, his childhood friend. She made an effort to remember back to her childhood. Usually, it was too painful to do so, but this time, she desperately needed to understand his actions. Childhood friends... Sweethearts? Is that the correct name? Was he, err, ''in love'' with Tanya? The term ''in love'' felt strange to her. The whole concept of love and romance simply did not exist in the slave society. Esther could only think about the concept because she had been captured at age twelve. So, if he is thinking of Tanya when dealing with me... Does that mean he wants sex with me? I suppose I can put up with that. After all, he has agreed to look after us, and he appears to be non-violent. "So, does that mean you will look after us, but in exchange, you take me for sex?" Aragon looked pained. All four teenagers flinched and looked dismayed. Evereena kept on expressing disgust. Aragon: Eventually, Aragon scratched his head again. Bloody hell. This is getting more and more complicated. I need to work out some reply; otherwise, the Voice of the World might decide that I''m not fully satisfying my vow and start ''encouraging'' me. Let''s see; I can make an extra vow that I won''t have sex with either of them... He had a mental picture of Tanya''s face, which was nothing unusual for him. Only this time, it was overlayed on an image of Esther''s face. He had no problems working out what his subconscious was trying to tell him. Yeah, OK, I was in love with Tanya. Which means I suppose I''m sort of interested in Esther. But only if she wants to. But, as a slave, she has no idea how a fully consensual affair is conducted. He thought about it for a moment. How about I make two separate vows? One for Esther and one for Evereena. And let''s hope that they don''t discuss the precise wording with each other. Here goes. He made his requests to the Voice of the World and received two confirmations. Ding! You have made a vow to Evereena, strength 100%: I will never in any circumstances engage in any sexual activity with you. Only Evereena has been notified. Ding! You have made a vow to Esther, strength 100%: I will never force myself, in any way, upon you in any sexual manner without your enthusiastic consent.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Only Esther has been notified. Oh bloody hell, what have I let myself in for? Two more 100% strength vows. That high? I didn''t know that vows could get that strong. And there are no time limits, so it applies for the rest of my life. He gave a sickly grin. "Anyway, does that alleviate your worries?" The Misfits looked puzzled. The mother and daughter looked shocked for a moment. And Aragon suddenly realised he had made a small mistake. Oh crap. Esther: "Evereena! What did he vow to you?" said Esther. "He vowed to never have sex with me in any way," said Evereen, "But, what did he vow to you?" Esther looked hugely relieved. "Oh, the same, roughly - wait a minute, the vow says he''ll never have sex with me - without my consent!" said Esther. "Mine doesn''t say anything about consent - what does that mean, anyway?" said Evereena. So he does want to have sex with me. But only with my consent. She did her best to regain the frame of mind she had as an innocent young teenager. My consent. Doesn''t that mean that if I don''t want it, he''ll not do it? I guess I will have to keep on talking about this. Assuming he doesn''t start complaining. "Aragon, doesn''t that mean you want to have sex with me after all?" He looked slightly panicked. "Only with your consent! Only if you want it! I have no intention of forcing myself upon you. It would be against my morals. Not to mention the fact that Tanya would strongly disagree." Tanya would disagree? Maybe he was in love with her. Aragon kept talking, "And, of course, you can take as long as you like to make any choices!" So, I can choose if I want him to use my body? That is so strange. He is already committed to looking after me and Evereena. So, if I ''choose'' to let him use my body, wouldn''t that mean he will be even more willing to look after us? "Ah, anyhow, we can discuss this later." Evereena: Evereena was also having problems - with the whole idea of sexuality. "Mum, you still haven''t said what ''consent'' means." "Well, things are different in the non-slaver world. Sometimes, you can make a choice and choose not to obey an order." That''s so strange. "So, if some man orders me to have sex with him, I can, ah, decide not to?" "That''s right." "And the collar won''t just make me?" "That''s right." Mum and daughter sat right next to each other, leaning into each other''s hug. Eventually, Evereena looked at the four teenagers sitting in a row. Why are they looking so - unhappy? Or maybe shocked? She didn''t understand why the two boys would be looking miserable. But she hazarded a guess as to why the girls were unhappy. "Cassy and Alice - when you go up or down the stairs a couple of flights to sleep for the night - you allow the boys to sex you, right? But all four of you seem equally strong and have this choice thing, so why don''t you stop them? Then you wouldn''t look so unhappy." Cassy gulped and said, "Actually, the phrase is ''to have sex'', but, err, the important thing is that, well..." Cassy wiggled around in anguish, her tail flicking from side to side in agitation. "You see I, and Alice too, of course, choose to - to have sex - with our boyfriends. It''s with our full consent. Oh, and also with the full consent of the boys, of course!" Evereena looked highly puzzled. Evereena is triggered. Badly: "Why would you choose to have sex? I mean, the man jumps on my body and half crushes me; he generally stinks, and it hurts me, and then afterwards, there is a revolting mess which half the time I''m not even allowed to clean up!" By now, Evereena looked highly disgusted. As in, discovering one has just stepped into a pile of dog poo disgusted. And the horrible stuff has seeped into one''s toes because one wore sandals. Then, a couple of flying cockroaches land on one''s face. And one gets in your mouth. That level of disgust. The Misfits: Alice sat there, mouth open in horror. "Evereena, please understand, between consenting adults - err - and older teenagers - sex is supposed to feel good. If it isn''t, you''re not doing it right." "If you say so," said Evereena. Alice looked at the other teenagers. "How about us Misfits go and have a private discussion? There''s a few things I want to get clear..." Ten minutes later, they were a dozen flights of steps above the others. They sat down in their original order for the first time in a long time. Alice and Cassy, side by side, facing Bronsen and Drayden, also side by side. Alice spoke first. ¡°These slave collars have now officially become my worst nightmare,¡± said Alice. ¡°Oh bloody hell, what do we do about this?¡± said Cassy. ¡°This almost makes me want to apologise to Alice for imposing my vile base urges upon her,¡± said Bronsen. "Bloody hell, I thought we could spend a leisurely week catching up with each other''s stories. Instead, we are thrown straight into this almost nightmare situation of slaves and slavers, and God knows what we are going to have to put up with once we get to this Manifestoria place,¡± said Alice. "Yeah, I keep having flashbacks to the time my sister was raped," said Drayden. "As far as I can work out, in the slaver society, the concept of consensual sex simply doesn''t even exist!" said Bronsen. "Surely it could, at least between slaves of an equal rank? I mean, isn¡¯t that how it would work? Slaves of a lower rank always have to obey slaves of a higher rank, with absolutely no lee-way at all, but that leaves the option of equality between slaves of the same rank." said Cassy. "I suppose so. Although, even within the same rank, I would imagine there is not much encouragement for consenting romance," said Alice. "What can we do for those poor ladies?" said Cassy. "How can we do anything? We''re totally, absolutely ignorant of just about everything in this new world," said Drayden. "Ahh, but don''t forget, we are overpowered!" said Bronsen, "And, Alice, in all of those Isekai novels that you kept on talking about, aren''t the overpowered Isekai protagonists the ones to defeat the demon lord and save the world from evil?" "Ah, yes?" said Alice. "Yep, that''s right!" said Drayden, getting excited, "Obviously, in this case, the slaver system is our demon lord, and we are meant to defeat it!" Then he deflated and looked miserable, "But how in hell are we supposed to do that?" Blank looks from the others. Alice remembered their pledge to each other just before they had saved the children on the bus. "Everyone, remember how we made that stupid promise about the Misfits committing to each other for eternity? And it somehow, sort of, became true?" They managed to giggle at the memory. "It seems such a long time ago. And so far, far away, of course," said Cassy. "Anyway, let''s make another commitment; The Misfits pledge to look after those two to the best of our abilities, just like Aragon has!" said Alice. "If we''re going to make another over-the-top vow, let''s go the full hog. Let''s pledge to safely remove those collars from their necks and allow them to live a normal life!" said Cassy. "In that case, why not vow to remove all collars from all slaves?" said Bronsen, "After all, if we are making a fantasy pledge in a fantasy world, we might as well go all the way." They were beginning to laugh together. ¡°The Misfits are together again!¡± said Alice, "OK, everyone! Assume the position!" With much laughter, they linked their hands, right hands in a four-way handshake, left hands diagonally across. They made their vow. Ding! The Misfits have made a vow, 100% strength: They will remove all slave collars and make it impossible to enslave others. Notices of this vow have been sent to: Esther, Evereena, Aragon. Jane (the border post captain). All other members of the Manifestorian guard. Eleanor (The Manifestorian King''s daughter). The treasurer (of Manifestoria). Nimbus ( the prime minister of Crysteth). Kelper (The gold collar current slaver emperor). Getting this message acted as a bit of a damper. They ceased laughing and looked very serious. "Say, what exactly did we just do?" said Drayden. "Threaten some extremely powerful people, by the looks of it," said Bronsen. "At 100% strength, too. According to Aragon, that means if we don''t carry it out, our lives are forfeited," said Cassy. "Oh. We might end up regarding saving those kids on the bus as the easy part of our lives," said Alice. There was a thoughtful silence as they tried to comprehend precisely what they might have set in motion. "Let''s go back to the others, shall we?" said Alice. They went back. "Oh, hi! Did you get that Voice of the Word notice?" said Cassy. Aragon, Esther and Evereena just stared at them. Nervous giggle from Alice. "Well, anyway, we''re going to have an early night. See you tomorrow!" said Alice. Alice and Bronsen went up the stairs. Cassy and Drayden went down. Aragon: Aragon exchanged glances with the other two. They don¡¯t have a clue how to react to that. Those teenagers - are going to destroy slavery? How the fuck hell do they intend to do that? But wait, the Voice of the World assigned their vow a strength of 100%. So, does that mean it''s going to help them? Somehow? He gave up, wished the ladies a good night, and went to the next landing up to sleep. Before he drifted off to sleep, he reviewed the vows he had made - all four of them. The three I have made here don''t have any time limits. Fortunately, they are easy. Look after two females, as everyone would expect me to do. Kepler: The slaver emperor, the only slave on the Ringworld with a gold collar around his neck, received the notice while writing some orders. It had the vow itself, mentioning the Misfits. But it didn''t have any other information; in particular, it didn''t mention Manifestoria or any names. He dropped his pen in surprise. And horror. What the fuck! A 100% strength vow? That can only mean that the Voice of the World believes that these Misfits have some chance of carrying out this ludicrous task. I need to find these Misfits and collar them! Immediately! He shouted out to the closest slaves and started issuing orders. [1.32] The Misfits have another committee meeting Jane: Jane, the border post captain, surveyed the newest additions to her little community. The Misfits, Aragon and the slaves had just arrived. Yep, those four Misfits certainly go together. Young and sweet and innocent, and I''m sure they will be a bloody pain. I mean, the news about them going to abolish slavery has already spread throughout Manifestoria. Plus, two slaves, totally dependent on us. At least Aragon is competent and reliable. Providing we can stop him from running away again. And, by the Voice, those clothes the Misfits are wearing! Plus, the Misfits have absolutely no discipline. They''re supposed to be meeting with me and establishing some interaction, but they''re already chatting madly with each other and rubber-necking everything in sight. Jane had been in the guards her entire working life. She was happy to grant young children plenty of leeway, but these four teenagers were no longer young! If it wasn''t for the slaver menace, I could get annoyed by all this... She clapped her hands to attract their attention. "You need to be on your way to Manifestoria as soon as possible, but beforehand, shall we get you teenagers and you two - she nodded in the direction of Esther and Evereena - kitted out in some decent clothes?" It was midday, so most of the guards (except the ones on night watch) were awake. She pushed Aragon, followed by Bronsen and Drayden, out of the meeting room with orders to grab some clothes from the store. As for the four women, she got a female guard to bring back something suitable. Esther and Evereena obeyed obediently; they took the clothes offered, moved to the far corner of the meeting room, and quickly changed. The two girls, however, looked at what was on offer and had questions. "How come there are no dresses or skirts?" said Alice. "None of the females we have seen have been wearing anything like a dress," said Cassy. "Sorry? What''s a dress?" said Jane. She looked mystified. She also kept tight control of her emotional reaction. After all, she recognised that from their point of view, these kids were in an extraordinary situation. "Well, you know, instead of wearing trousers, the girl wears a single length of material around their waist and legs - ahh, like this," said Alice. She demonstrated by taking a shirt, folding it, and putting it around her waist. Jane still didn''t understand the concept. "You mean, a tunic or short coat thingie? With, of course, trousers underneath," she said. Alice and Cassy exchanged glances as if to say there was a gap in the communication somewhere along the line. "No, just the skirt. And panties, of course," said Cassy. That doesn''t make sense. What sort of society did they come from? "Err, how long is this ''skirt''?" said Jane. "Oh, anywhere between the ankles at the lowest and above the middle of the thighs at the highest," said Cassy. "Middle of the thighs? Isn''t that kind of drafty? And, kind of revealing? It sounds like what, ahh -" said Jane. Jane had to rapidly re-think what she was going to say here. She remembered that there were two slaves, two female slaves, listening in on the conversation. "Like what certain professional ladies might wear to show off their figures." Both Cassy and Alice were startled somewhat at this. Cassy''s face went red. Naturally, no one except Alice knew if her face turned red. "Well, yes, I suppose so, but it''s perfectly acceptable to wear for other females, too. I mean, school girls all wear short skirts!" said Alice. "They do?" said Jane, in total disbelief. At this, Cassy and Alice must have decided to give up. They took the clothes offered and changed into them without further complaint. Cassy: A couple of hours later, they were off. Esther and Evereena were still weak, so the Misfits still carried them. Every so often, they were rotated amongst the four teenagers. Aragon led the way, and the teenagers followed. Currently, Cassy was carrying Evereena. Cassy attempted to make some light conversation. "Why did you end up walking on the Rimwall top, anyway?" "Ah, the master was running away." "What was he running away from?" "The blue collars are always fighting amongst themselves. This time, the master lost." "What do they fight over?" "I don''t know." This is like extracting teeth. Slow and painful. "So, what were you doing before the master had a fight?" "The master was taking us to be sold at a big slave auction." "Oh. Err, you and your mother were going to get a new master?" "No, Mum was going to be sold to a breeding brothel since that is all she was good for. And I would have been sold to the highest blue or green collared bidder." Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. What do I say to that? Oh shit. "Ahh..." said Cassy. She couldn''t think of anything more to say, so she gave up. The Misfits: They had camped for the night. Fortunately, there were little stopping places along the route from the wall to the town. This particular location had two small single-room chalets. The Misfits had one, the slaves had the other, and Aragon had nicely volunteered to sleep outside. As he said - "I''ve spent a lot of my adult life sleeping rough, so a few more nights is neither here nor there." Four teenagers were sitting on the floor in their usual order. Alice had told the boys about the discussion about dresses, while Cassy had just finished telling the others about her conversation with Evereena. Everyone was glum and depressed. So, after a while, Drayden offered to continue the talk. "Actually, I have always wondered: why do you girls wear such short skirts? I mean, surely you don''t want us boys to see your panties?" "To look good, of course. And to feel good. I mean, what else?" said Alice. "But, but, if you think about it, looking good is sort of the same as saying: please look at my legs - and possibly my panties when I sit down," said Bronsen. "No, we don''t wear dresses or skirts so that you can see our panties!" said Cassy. "Then, that still leaves the question of why - not that I''m complaining, mind you!" said Drayden. "Because it''s feminine, of course," said Alice. "But, wearing trousers is also feminine. And sexy," said Bronsen, "After all, just look at you right now!" "I agree, bro; they both look lovely!" said Drayden. Both boys were looking at the girls as they sat cross-legged in front of them. Both girls looked at each other, disdain on their faces. "We die and are reincarnated, go through hell and survive in the wilderness, and now have to conquer the entire slaver nation, and all you boys can think of is how sexy we look?" said Cassy. "Yes!" said both boys. "Remember!" said Cassy. "No group sex!" said both Cassy and Alice. "Hmm, actually, I don''t feel the slightest bit aroused right now," said Bronsen. "Yeah, neither do I. Remember back in our little garden shed? Round about now, us boys would both have erections." "Hmmph. We are no longer innocent virgins, don''t forget!" said Alice. "Not to mention, I just looked at my status: it says Sexuality: Cassy and Drayden: off," said Cassy. Everybody agreed that their own statuses were similar. There was an embarrassed, awkward moment before Bronsen decided to risk his life and step up. "So, what happens if one of the girls tries to switch on their sexuality right now?" Two girls glared at him. But he was brave and managed to withstand the power. "Well, what does happen? It''s a perfectly valid question," said Drayden. He also got some glares. But, eventually: "OK, OK, I''ll try... Yeah, as expected, nothing happens," said Cassy. "Same here," said Alice. Some more silence. Alice fidgeted around but couldn''t quite bring herself to say it. Bronsen and Drayden also looked like they were kind of reluctant to say anything. Eventually, their very own delinquent flicked aside her lovely, straight, flowing red hair and said. "Very well, I''ll ask the obvious question. What happens if I''m alone with Bronsen, or Alice is alone with Drayden, and we try to turn on our libidos?" "But, the menu option is always ''Alice and Bronsen''. That is, for us it is. It''s ''Cassy and Drayden'' for you two," said Alice. "Well..." said Cassy. More silence. "Look, we are in our couples, so there should be no problems, Right?" said Alice. "I guess so," said Cassy. Silence. "Say, wouldn''t this be an ideal scenario for us to make a vow? Promising never to stray outside our respective relationships?" said Drayden. A looooong silence. Nobody seemed willing to commit themselves. Which seems to be a bit of a habit for these four teenagers. "Well, anyway, I expect Bronsen to be faithful to me! OK!" said Alice. "Ah, sure, sure. Err, you want me, that is us, to make a vow?" said Bronsen. "I think - considering the unknown consequences of the first vow we made, and how unexpectedly powerful it appears to be, and how we don''t know how this whole vow system is supposed to be used, and, well, perhaps we should be cautious and research the matter first?" said Alice. "Yeah - that might be a good idea. Considering," said Bronsen. "Nonetheless, there will be no hanky panky!" said Alice, wagging her index finger in Bronsen''s general direction. "Of course!" Alice saw Cassy and Drayden exchanging glances. "Cassy, do you think we should try making our own dresses?" Cassy gave this proposal due consideration. "Probably not. We don''t want the general population thinking that we are nothing but professional ladies, do we?" "Ahh, you are right." "That brings up a point: how do we earn a living and pay our way in this Manifestorian place?" said Bronsen. Since they didn''t have a clue, they called it a night, and the two couples separated and lay on opposite sides of the room. Since the room was only four metres wide, they weren''t all that far apart, so, of course, nothing of interest could happen. Because of their high-temperature resistance and high strength, they were pretty comfortable despite laying on the rough wooden floor with no blankets. The couples cuddled each other in their respective pairs and eventually went to sleep. Drayden: He reviewed a few points in his head as he drifted off to sleep. The girls still didn''t say why they wear such short skirts. But, then, I suppose, getting an answer to that question is probably more challenging than getting an answer to how we are supposed to remove slavery. The Treasurer: At about the same time, the treasurer received the news from Jane, relayed by the fast runner. He returned to his office, sat at his desk, and started fossicking through his piles of papers and folders. So, four teenagers with insane strengths and a weird history. The way they are babbling to everyone and dropping hints galore about their abilities, they won¡¯t remain unknown for very long. Just what we need, something extra to attract the slavers. But, at least their strengths and combat abilities could be helpful in various worst-case scenarios. And two quiescent slaves. What a headache. If someone with an undisclosed slave collar gets their hands on one of them... He remembered the last couple of times that happened in this little kingdom. I suppose it was worthwhile... But the repercussions... Shit. Fortunately, it was unlikely that there were any hidden slave collars. But then, he realised... Fuck, someone could just take both females! There was no choice; he would have to recommend to the king that a permanent guard be placed on those two. What a drain on our resources - But wait! Aragon is involved and has no place to stay, so he can stay with them. And he can bloody well join the guard; it''s about time! That''ll take care of providing one motivated guard. And I know! Those Misfits. They can live with the slaves, too! They are already committed to freeing, Voice help us, all slaves. I''ll still need to assign a few other guards, also. Those kids have zero discipline, after all. I''m also going to have to notify the king of Crysteth. They are in just as much danger from the slavers as we are. He set to work, allocating the resources needed. Fortunately, he already knew of a suitable building, which used to be the old dormitory for boarding school students. But, since all the wealthiest people had all moved out, basically running away from the slaver menace, the dormitory was now unused. He eventually discussed all of this with the king. "You already know Aragon, don''t you?" "Sure, sure. Fine man. Member of the guard, isn''t he?" "Ah, yes, he will be soon." "Good, good, I''m sure he''s a fine man." I think he''s forgotten that Aragon has spent half his adult life roaming around, fleeing his ghost. Anyway, let''s pretend that he''s always been in the guards. Now for the tricky bit. "And, sire, that is what I recommend for the two slaves and the Misfits." "Hmmph! Two slaves, eh? They could come in use, you know." said the king. Not if I can help it! "Sire, we should try very hard to protect those two; after all, Crysteth is looking over our shoulders, and they will get upset if they are - used." Like sending in their army upset. Doesn''t he remember the last time? "Ha! I can deal with all of that! The slavers were repelled last time, you know!" Actually, only a small party of slavers, fleeing from one of their interminable internal squabbles amongst the blue collars. The treasurer was going to argue a bit more, but the king''s thoughts were sidetracked. "Where''s all the wine gone? Servants! Get me some more!" The king turned to the treasurer, "This is one fine drop, you know, care to join me for a drink?" Aww, forget it. I''ll issue the orders myself, as usual. Oh, better make a note to schedule a debriefing meeting with Esther and Evereena. We might get some information about the current state of play in the slaver world. Handing some extra information to Crysteth may curry some extra favour from them. [1.33] The Misfits in Manifestoria Aragon: They were now in Manifestoria, in their new accommodations. It was one entire wing of a disused boarding school, containing two bathrooms and ten bedrooms. Aragon got the room closest to the entry, Esther and Evereena had the next room along, while each couple from the Misfits had their own room at the other end. The group was expected to look after their meals; all the government would do was deliver enough food to their communal kitchen. At their first breakfast in their new location, the teenagers were excitedly discussing what to do for the day. Esther and her daughter, on the other hand, were very timid. They had to be encouraged to sit down with the others. Aragon calmly ate his meal and listened to the Misfit''s conversation. "Isn''t it amazing to have a proper sit-down meal for once!" said Alice. "Yeah! With vegetables and spices and a soup! This is practically heaven!" said Bronsen. Aragon noted that all four Misfits had enormous appetites. The fuel for all of that overpowered strength had to come from somewhere. Cassy leaned back and patted her now slightly bulging tummy. Then she burped loudly. This amused Aragon, although he tried to hide it. "Ark! Cassy! We''re in company now, you know!" said Alice. "I don''t think anybody minds. But, more importantly, we need to talk about what we will do today," said Cassy. Aragon finished his meal and shoved the plates to one side. As if on cue, Esther gathered her plates and Evereena''s and piled them on the kitchen bench. Then she added Aragon''s and the Misfits''s. She and her daughter started boiling water on the wood stovetop, intending to wash the dishes. "Ah, thanks, Esther," said Aragon. He leant back on his chair and contemplated Cassy''s question. Yeah, what do you intend to do? But he got a system message before he could go far with his thinking. Ding! Gentle hint, Aragon: Is expecting the two ex-slaves to clean up after you maybe a bit much? After all, you have sworn to look after them until they can function in normal society as free individuals and not slaves, so expecting them to do your chores is, maybe, not indicated. Gulp. "Ah, ladies, The Voice of the World has suggested that it would be better if I do the dishes." The ladies in question looked puzzled. Then Aragon noticed that the Misfits were also looking a bit startled. "I''m sure we can help you too, Aragon!" said Bronsen, "Because System-san has kindly suggested we could..." "So just sit down, ladies, and watch us do the cleaning up!" said Alice. With slightly anxious looks on their faces, not to mention befuddlement, the two ex-slaves watched as everyone else except them cleaned up. In the end, they were all back at the table. "Say, Aragon, how common is it for people to have maxed-out strength abilities?" asked Bronsen. "Not all that common. Even less common for four teenagers to have maxed out anything." "I guess most teenagers don''t get to fight off an enraged Lesser Grass Eating Hippoxilla all by themselves all that often," said Alice. They fought off a what! Nobody appeared to notice how shocked Aragon looked. "Anyway, if we''re so overpowered, can''t we be some sort of guard or something?" said Drayden.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Apart from the complete lack of discipline and maturity? He didn''t show this, however. I know! Let''s get some of our abilities out in the open; let''s have a combat training session. They''re too confident for their own good. Which is why, an hour later, they were all gathered in the courtyard next to the dormitory. There were also the three extra guards consigned to protect them. Only one was officially rostered at this time, but the other two decided to hang around a bit for the novelty. Aragon and Bronsen were the centre of attention. Both had wooden staffs in their hands. Bronsen was supremely confident. "With my maxed-out abilities, this should be easy. Please don''t take it too badly, Aragon! We''ve got System-san on our side!" One of the guards lifted his voice and said, "Go!". Ten seconds of furious, high-speed action later, the match ended abruptly, with Aragon''s staff smashing around Bronsen''s head. Bronsen flicked off some splinters and looked puzzled. "How did you do that? I mean, I''ve got four times the number of points in speed, strength and combat ability, and you still beat me?" Big smirk from Aragon. "Ha! There is more to life than just numbers, you know. The Voice of the World may have granted you high abilities, but practice is still important. I have been training since I was a teenager. It''s gotten me points, but my experience then amplifies those points." "Oh," said Bronsen, looking very crestfallen. Aragon laughed again. "Don''t worry; your sheer speed and strength were still pretty good. I had to exert myself to win there. How about we have another little bout? I''m sure you could win against me." They had another. Aragon still won. "You''re too predictable! You''re bloody fast, but I can still manage, just, to avoid you!" Aragon fought with all four teenagers. He and the watching three guards were impressed despite Aragon not losing once. "Not bad, not bad at all. It just goes to show how far maxed-out abilities can take you. Nevertheless, may I suggest you spend a few hours each day in training? I¡¯m sure the Treasurer can arrange a few guards for that. Plus me, of course." The teenagers, looking chagrined, readily agreed. "And, it is certainly amazing; you four are exactly equal in your fighting abilities. It feels like I''ve had four fights against the same opponent!" The watching guards nodded their heads in agreement with this. Aragon looked at the other two in the audience, who, up to now, had been silent observers. Since Evereena was the closest, he asked her directly. "And, what did you think of that?" She looked at him, then at the MIsfits. "Ahh, you are very fast? I couldn''t see anything; it was all too fast." "Yep, that''s because I have a good speed ability, and, of course, the Misfits are maxed out." Aragon and the others already know that neither mother nor daughter had much in the way of any ability, and they were certainly not very high. The Treasurer: Well, that''s something. They are willing to train to improve their already considerable fighting abilities. And they''re eager to do any suitable manual labour. He skimmed through a thick stack of reports. Yep, I got some suitable jobs that are doable by brute strength without much skill. I wish they hadn''t made such a public vow about ending slavery, but. We are definitely going to be attracting attention. I hope that Crysteth is sensible and helps out. Nimbus (The prime minister of Crysteth): Nimbus was one of those who received notification of the Mistfit''s intention to end slavery. Consequently, when he received the initial communications from the Treasurer about the Misfits, he was willing to devote quite a bit of attention to the matter. It was just a bit unfortunate; the day he learned about the Misfits was also busy in other ways. It started with his brother. "Hey, Nimbus! Can you deal with Lena for me? She''s hopeless, and I''ve found someone who appreciates me much more! We go together so well, and she''s pretty good with the you-know-what!" He gave his brother a nudge-nudge-wink-wink routine before waltzing out of Nimbus''s office. Nimbus stared at the door his brother had gone out of and then facepalmed. I''m so glad Mum isn''t alive to see her beloved son''s appalling behaviour. He¡¯s dumping Lena after only a year to chase after the local barmaid. Who, I''m sure, is nothing but a golddigger. And he expects me to look after Lena? And then, he got another report, delivered by hand from his chief of guards. Shit, another group of slavers found! A small group had tried to make a run for it and got caught by a front-line border patrol. If that group had managed to gain a stronghold and start catching people and turning them into slaves, we could have had a full-scale battle! Fortunately, the high-level slavers are such a disorganised, backstabbing mess. But when the slave emperor orders them to cooperate... The guards had fought them, and, as usual, the grey-collared slaves had never given up. The guards had no choice but to fight them to the bitter end. At least, once the grey-collared slaves were dead, the high-grade slaves didn''t put up much of a fight. But, for once, there were some survivors: two children, a girl and a boy. Bloody hell. We can''t allow them to run about without supervision; someone might get nasty ideas. And I don''t want to have them killed; that''ll make me no better than a slaver myself. A dim light went off in his mind. "Hey, I got a good idea for once! I''ll get Lena to look after them! And I''ll send them all to Manifestoria! That way, they have all the slaves in one location. Course, I''ll have to send extra guards and resources to help. It can''t be helped; we''ve been too complacent for too long; we''ll have to increase the military resources in that area. And to the Rimwall." Oh, bloody hell. These slavers are going to be the end of us. But hopefully, we can fight them off for a few more decades. He wrote up some orders and then set about convening a planning meeting. Not just for his guards and military but also with representatives from the much larger country that was clockwise of Crysteth. When, not if, Crysteth fell to the slavers, they would be the next in line. So they were highly motivated to help. [1.34] The king has an unfortunate accident Narrator: Soon after the Misfits were settled into their new accommodations, on a dark and - actually not stormy at all - night, there was an even darker shadow moving along the base of the castle¡¯s walls where the king of Manifestoria resided. Calling it a castle was an exaggeration. It was more like a large house with many extra wings attached haphazardly, built right next to a ten-metre drop that overlooked a rapidly flowing river. This gorge formed a backstop to the town of Manifestoria. The castle''s outbuildings and wings and dormitories faced towards the town, away from the river. The castle was multi-storied and protected by a three-metre wall. Of course, there were guards present at all times. Unfortunately, this castle presided over a tiny kingdom, made even smaller by the gradual diaspora of citizens fleeing the future slaver invasion. So there weren''t many guards, and they were all at the front. Consequently, as the dark shadow moved along the side of the river gorge and climbed up the cliff face and the castle walls, there was no one to appreciate the spectacle. The person, dressed in black, slowly and carefully climbed up a rope. They got to the top and carefully raised their head over one of the gaps in the parapet. The night might have been dark, but it was also fine and mild, so the king was out on the roof area, walking up and down, all the while muttering into his goblet of wine. The person waited until the king was at the furthest point, facing away. Then they merely swung themselves over the wall, picked up a metre-long metal bar ever so conveniently lying inside the parapet, and calmly strolled up to the king.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Of course, they kept the bar pointing downward as if it was just an idly picked-up stick, temporarily used as a walking aid while deciding what to do with it. The king turned and saw the newcomer. "Hmmph, oh, it''s you. Did they send you up with the new bottle of wine?" "Not quite, sire. If you like, I can get it for you." "Fine, fine." The king turned and looked over the parapet on the side that faced the town. Then he crumpled up and collapsed onto the ground, mainly because that metal bar had slammed with considerable force into his head. The person that had been holding the bar put it down. They picked up the king as if he were a bag of trash and walked up to the parapet. After a quick look over to ensure that there was no one below, the king''s body was tossed over. The wine goblet quickly followed it. Another quick look to ensure there was no outcry - there wasn''t - then the assassin grabbed the metal bar, returned to the riverside and threw it far out into the river. After checking that the hook that held the rope was still firmly over the parapet wall, they carefully climbed down. At the bottom, they spent an anxious few minutes flicking the rope to flip the hook up and off the wall. Eventually, it came. Off came the hook, which was also sent to the bottom of the river. The rope ended up in a nearby boat shed, not looking out of place next to all the other coils of rope. And, finally, the dark shadow disappeared, unnoticed, into the maze of buildings that made up the town. The following day, this person was just as dismayed as everyone else at the news that the king had accidentally fallen to his death. In other words, not all that much. "Probably sodding drunk, the stupid senile fool." said someone. They didn''t sound sad. The person nodded their head in agreement. Nobody was sad. Not even the king''s daughter when she finally heard about it. [1.35] Introducing Lena Lena: Lena looked at two small children standing quietly and still before her, each wearing a slave collar. Lena didn''t like children. And now, she had been ordered to look after these two. By her husband''s brother, the prime minister of Crysteth. She had no particular skills, nothing noteworthy regarding abilities, and no job or money. All she had was the aftermath of a failed marriage. And the memory of her husband''s parting words: "You were a hopeless wife. And hopeless in bed. That barmaid is heaps better than you." And now she had to look after two ex-slave children and move to a completely different country to do so. I''m not worth much, am I? I suppose I had better start. "Hello, my name is Lena, and I''m looking after you from now on. May I have your names?" Holding hands, the boy and the girl looked up at her but said nothing. What now? She knelt and held their outside hands in hers. "Hi, what''s your name?" she asked the boy. "Mason." "And yours?" "Becky." What now? "It''s about time for the evening meal. Would you like to help me?" They stood there, blank looks on their faces, and didn''t react. OK, maybe they don''t know how. Or something. "Well, if we can all sit down and eat tea?" She managed to get them to sit on two chairs, next to each other, of course. The meal had been supplied: a thick soup. All that Lena needed to do was reheat it and spoon it into the three bowls. Unfortunately: "Oh dear, there''s no serving spoon. Wouldn''t it be nice to have a summoned spoon? It''s not as if I''d ever get something exciting like a sword." The orphans sat on their chairs and did not react in the slightest. That pathetic joke went down faster than a drowning sailor taken by a starving kraken. "Anyway, I''ll use a small spoon." She ladled out three bowls and put them in front of each child and herself. The orphans carefully ate their meal while looking around the whole time as if fearful that someone would pinch their food. Of course, there was no dinner table conversation. I really don''t like kids. But Nimbus doesn''t care, either. He''s doing the minimum to remove his brother''s embarrassing ex-wife. And deal with the slaves at the same time. They finished the meal. They were in temporary accommodation before moving to Manifestoria - a tiny chalet with a single large room for everything, plus a small toilet block. Lena was forced to lay their sleeping mats side by side on the floor. This sucks. Now, what did we do as kids before bedtime... That''s right, we had a bath. And we changed into pyjamas. Actually, we only had a bath once a week. But, frankly, these kids stink. Clothing had been provided, so at least that was one problem solved. "OK, now you need to have a bath..." Lena remembered there wasn''t a bathtub available. It''s more like a bucket and a wood stove to heat water. "Well, a stand-up and wipe yourself down with a wet cloth bath." They stood there and looked at her. Still not giving her any positive emotional reactions. "Come on, the water is hot; I''ll wipe down your backs, just remove your clothes. Please?"Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. There was a slight amount of fidgeting from the kids but nothing else. Sigh. "Here, Becky, if you can lift your arms, that''s right, and I''ll take off your tunic-" It''s filthy. I''m sure my clothes were never this bad. "OK, turn around, I''ll wipe your back and... Gulp." Red weals were crisscrossing her back - half a dozen or so. Lena froze. Oh, crap. Oh crap. I was forgetting, I blanked it out, they were slaves. They must have been physically abused and mistreated. She dropped the wet towel she had been holding, stepped back and sat down heavily in front of them. I can''t do this. I can''t. How can I look after such terribly damaged children? What can I possibly do? This is even worse than the breakup of my marriage. At least my ex-husband never abused me. Amazing, I''m thinking something positive about him. Nonetheless, nonetheless... She sat there for ten minutes or so. The two children waited stoically. She realised that she was in a hopeless situation. She had no support group and no family to fall back on. No job to go to. Nimbus couldn''t care less about any of their fates, just as long as nobody abducted the slaves. And she was due to be shipped to some Voice-forsaken little town in a tiny country, whose only claim to fame was it was so isolated that no one, either Crysteth or the Slavers, could be bothered claiming it, at least for the time being. She looked into the almost dead eyes of two eight-year-old children. "Well, kids, it looks like you got nothing but me. And I''ve got no one at all. That''s tough shit for me, but you deserve better." Desperate measures. The only thing I have left is to make a vow to the Voice of the World. If it''s strong enough, I''ll get some sort of help from the Voice. Sure she would. Vows could be like that. The higher the strength, the more the Voice would ''help'' the person. What sort of help, however, could never be predicted. Sometimes, such help was not all that pleasant. Voice of the World: I make this vow: I will help these kids to the best of my ability. Ding! Accepted. I thought there would be a more extensive notification. Never mind. The two children slightly jumped when she made her vow. Then, their eyes focused on Lena''s face for the first time since she had met them. But nothing much else happened. It was still difficult, and not very satisfying, to get them washed and changed into their pyjamas and into their beds. But there was a definite improvement. Lena doused the candles lighting up the room and snuggled into her bedding. Well, at least they''re acknowledging my presence. Was that better? I suppose so. Ding! Your vow to look after the inactive child slaves Mason and Becky to the best of your ability for as long as they need it was accepted at 100% strength. The following have been notified: Mason and Becky. Inactive slaves Esther and Evereena. Manifestorian guard Aragon. The Misfits. All the other members of the Manifestorian guard. Eleanor (The Manifestorian King''s daughter). The treasurer (of Manifestoria). Nimbus ( the prime minister of Crysteth). Kelper (The gold collar current Slaver emperor). She almost jumped out of her bedding with a strangled yelp, then anxiously looked at the kids. They were still sleeping. What the hell is that? 100% strength? And who are all of those other people? And, oh shit, the Slaver emperor? What bullshit is this! But the Voice of the World didn''t bother answering. Kelper: This time, he managed not to drop his pen. As before, his notification did not include a list of all of the other recipients and did not include the name Manifestoria. Another 100% vow? Who is this Lena? And why is it so crucial that some unknown vermin is making some stupid promise to look after two ferals? What bullshit is this? Nonetheless, he drafted more orders to capture this Lena vermin and her two ferals. Nimbus: This is more weird bullshit. Now we have Lena making a 100% vow. I would have never thought she had it in her to do anything like that. And the Slaver emperor was notified. Better get Lena and Co out of Crysteth as soon as possible. The Misfits: "Hey, anybody, do you know who this Lena person is?" said Bronsen. They were all having their evening meal, so everyone was present. And nobody had any idea about what the message meant. "Betcha, it''s just more bullshit from System-san," said Cassy. "Yeah. And what is it with all of these high-strength vows?" said Aragon. Narrator: Actually, that was a good question. What was with all these high-strength vows being broadcast to lots of people? Generally speaking, vows did not typically work like that. Remember, System-chan might have its own motivations and goals. But, it was rigidly constrained by its programming. Only when the conditions were right to create some heroes was it allowed some agency, allowed to start acting on its own desires, to bring about the goals it wanted. The Misfits provided a perfect opportunity. They were ideal hero material. And they were so easy to influence and guide subtly in the desired direction. However, System-san had to give something equivalent back to them, which they received in abundance. Sky-high abilities, and lots of them. They wanted and expected interaction from System-san, so they received it. The Misfits got more communication from System-san in a week than the average Felixian got in their entire lifetime. And, of course, the rules the Misfits made up for themselves. They might have been a joke, but System-san took them very seriously. After all, what better gift to give back to the Misfits than to allow them to have their perfect, four-way, eternally balanced relationship? There was just one tiny little problem with all of this. Rule number 2: ''It''s all bullshit.'' System-san religiously followed that rule, also. Of course, with a certain amount of bias to System-san''s advantage. There was a lot of bullshit, high-level bullshit, in System-san''s actions. It also carried over to System-san''s interaction with people who were not Misfits but somehow connected. Whether they liked it or not. So, for example, their vows weren''t just your standard Voice of the World vows. Nope, they had to be over-the-top 100% strength vows, broadcast to everybody that might be relevant. It was carefully calculated to the nth degree to generate the desired outcome. It was all a lot of bullshit. [1.36] Introducing Eleanor Eleanor: Some days later: Eleanor was the King''s daughter. She didn''t live in the castle; instead, she lived in a small house on the other side of the town. When she heard the news about the unfortunate death of her father, the King, she felt no sorrow, no sadness - only relief. At last. Falling off the roof while drunk. A suitable ending. I wish it hadn''t taken so long - twelve long years. She was currently sitting in front of her mirror. She noticed that her hands were clenched, and her face looked tensed. I''m losing my control. Breath in. Breath out. Concentrate, that''s right, I can do it. Control. My breathing is controlled. My body is controlled. That''s right, just like that. By now, her hands were open and relaxed on her lap. Her face was calm and relaxed. No signs of stress. No tension. OK, I can go out. Very few people in Felixerra had maxed out [Emotional Control]. Generally, they did not need it. They didn''t go around getting their arms bitten off or their eyesight destroyed by some passing monster. The Misfits were an exception. And so, too, was Eleanor. As she went through her morning routine, she thought about her plans for the day. Today is the day the Treasurer has ''requested'' that I meet with that Lena person and her two orphans, then introduce them to the Misfits and the others. Since the Treasurer is kind enough to keep paying me a pension - the old King certainly wouldn''t have bothered - I''ll carry out his request. Not that I mind. Those Misfits are undoubtedly interesting, and it''s something to do. Although that weird 100% vow by Lena - what on the Ringworld is that about? And I can also say hello to Aragon. I wonder why he committed himself so strongly to looking after those two. A full 100% vow! Say, perhaps they remind him of Tanya? Interesting. She gathered a few things and moved out, closing her house door behind her. Then she froze on the spot. Wait a minute - Ah, maybe it''s just a coincidence. Or maybe not. She made a mental note to think about this in the future. Then she continued on her way, walking to the only tavern/hotel in Manifestoria, where she was to meet Lena. Lena: The carriage rolled to a stop in the parking area next to the hotel, and Lena and the two orphans cambered out of the enclosed cabin. Lena was stiff and sore from travelling all week, while the children were quieter than usual. The two accompanying guards riding on the roof jumped off and landed with a spring in their steps. They, as befitted guards, had relatively high physical abilities. The carriage, still holding their small amount of luggage, rolled away to the stables. Lena stood there, wondering what to do. The two children huddled to her sides, holding her hands. At least I have accomplished this much. They now hold my hands. Say, aren''t their fingernails rather long? I can feel them digging into my palms. Sigh. Something else I will have to arrange. It had been a tough week for her relationship with the children, but at least they were opening up to her a little bit. But what is going to happen in the future? A woman about the same age as Lena approached them. The breeze lifted some dust into the air and flapped their clothes around. Apart from that, nothing else moved in their vicinity. Even the guards, always present, had faded out, no doubt eager to drink in the tavern. The woman calmly regarded them, face composed, not showing any emotion. "Hello, you must be Lena? And your two charges, Becky and Mason? I''m Eleanor." Oh my, aren''t you one calm and composed lady? "Yes." "Your accommodations are down this street; how about we walk there? Exercising after being cooped inside the carriage for so long will be good." The two children tried to hide behind Lena, and only with some gentle coaxing was Lena able to get them to walk along. I wonder who she is. Wait, didn''t the Voice of the World say she was the King''s daughter? So why is such an important person dealing with us? Especially after the King''s death. Eleanor, not appearing to mind that Lena was mostly silent, chatted a bit more. "Have you already had breakfast?" "Ah, yes." said Lena. After a week, I''m sick of travel rations. I bet she dined in luxury, but. They continued walking, with Lena and the two children being perfectly silent. Eleanor filled this silence by giving a running commentary about the town as they passed various sites of interest. Eleanor: She''s not very talkative, is she? She¡¯s kind of colourless. And those two ex-slaves are trying to avoid me by hiding behind Lena. Is she treating them well? An hour later, they were all in the dining room at the dormitory. Eleanor, Lena and the two children were on one side, while the Misfits, Aragon, Esther and Evereena were on the other. They were looking at each other in silence. This isn''t going very well at all. Fortunately, Aragon came to the rescue. "Hi, Eleanor. I haven''t seen you for some time." Eleanor smiled and greeted him back. "No, because you have kept away. But I hear you have now decided to stay with us." Aragon ran his hand through his hair. "Ah, yes, for now, I''m staying here." He seems a bit reserved, but then again, we never knew each other all that much. Still, we do have something in common...The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Cassy: Cassy had been watching all this. Come on! Those two little kids are just about terrified. Going by what Esther and Evereena have been through, they probably need just as much, if not more, looking after. I mean, at least Evereena has her mother with her. "Hi there, I''m Cassy. Glad to meet you!" Eleanor nodded her head and said hello back. Lena looked slightly alarmed but managed also to say hello. The two orphans? They were competing with each other to see who could hide themselves the most behind Lena. Cassy was bold enough to walk up to them, kneel and say hello. The children shrank back even further, their tails pointing straight down with their ends wrapped around one leg. Oh shit. I''m kneeling in front of Lena''s legs, trying to catch the eyes of two kids who are avoiding me. This isn''t very pleasant. Ding! The new ability [Friend of Children] has been added and is fully maxed out! If there''s any ability you Misfits deserve, it is undoubtedly this one. The 100 points were created on the spot and not taken from your unallocated points. Cassy giggled. Then smiled and tried saying hello to the kids again. What a change. Both kids smiled back and stepped forward directly in front of Cassy. "Hi! I''m Cassy, what''s your names?" They said their names back, all the while wagging their tails. There was a big exchange of names as the other Misfits introduced themselves. "I know what!" said Bronsen, "Why don''t we take you children and Esther and Evereena and go shopping in the markets? That allows Lena time to settle in and organise herself." The other Misfits thought this was a great idea. After all, they wanted to explore the place but hadn''t yet seen the markets. The two orphans seemed to think so, too. They looked up at Lena''s face while still holding her hands. They seemed hopeful. After a slight hesitation, Lena nodded her head. They happily let go of her hands, and Cassy took Becky''s hand while Alice took Mason''s. Evereena also looked enthusiastic, for once. Ten minutes later, they were off. Followed by the rostered guard, of course. Lena: She had watched as Cassy, without any effort at all, managed to gain the trust of the two orphans. She felt empty and hollow. It took me an entire week of intensive interaction to get to hold their hands, and those four teenagers managed to get to the same point immediately. Why am I even here? Eleanor: She had been watching Lena''s face and thus noticed her look of dismay. Now, what does that mean? Ah, I get it; Lena is jealous that Cassy and the others managed to get the friendship of the orphans so quickly. So, she has been trying very hard, after all? Eleanor remembered, somewhat belatedly, that slave children could be mistreated. So, there is a reason why those kids are so fearful. And, that''s right, they looked up at Lena for permission. "Ah, Lena, you''re sad because they took to the Misfits so readily?" "W-what?" "I wouldn''t worry too much. Because before they went with Cassy, both looked up to you for permission. While still holding your hands. They regard you as their, err, mother figure." "I - I - yes, I suppose that is right." Maybe there''s more to Lena than that bland, insipid look suggests. Lena: They regard me as the mother figure? Yes, they did look at me first. So I''m not useless, after all! Those Misfits, no matter how nice, certainly will not be looking after my two orphans full-time, are they? She felt relieved. Say, it was nice of Eleanor to point that out. That was astute of Eleanor to notice. Hmm After that, Eleanor volunteered to help retrieve the luggage and help Aragon and Lena set up one of the rooms for their stay. Aragon: I hope Eleanor doesn''t realise I''m ever-so-slightly uneasy at talking with her. Also, I''m not sure, but was there significant interaction between them just then? "Ladies, sorry to go right now, but now that I''m officially in the guards, Captain Jane has ''suggested'' I do a couple of hours of regular training each day. Despite not having any official duties to perform. Anyway, I must make my apologies now." With a cheerful wave, he bowed to the ladies and went to attend his practice session. Eleanor: "I''m sure one of the spare guards will bring the luggage around sometime, just as soon as they''ve had a drink or two." "So, shall we have a cup of tea to discuss what needs doing from here on?" They made tea and sat down, sipping their drinks slowly. Lena: This is a nice cup of tea. I wonder what sort of person she is. "Say, Eleanor, are you married?" "I was, but unfortunately, my husband died," said Eleanor. Her face is still totally calm and unemotional. "Oh, that''s bad. Did you have any children?" There was the smallest of hesitations, and then Eleanor answered. "Yes, a boy. But unfortunately, he also died." "Ah... Sorry, sorry," said Lena. They both died? And she still looks calm and composed. Is she a cold-hearted bitch? "That''s all right. It''s now twelve years ago, so I''m over it. And, were you married?" said Eleanor. Married and then deserted for another, sexier woman. "Yes, but sadly, it didn''t last very long. And, no, we didn''t have any children." "Still, it was nice of you to volunteer to look after those two. And to make such a high-powered vow," said Eleanor. Like hell, I was forcibly volunteered. And the vow was a desperate last-ditch effort. "Ah, thank you." This is so annoying; I still don''t know what sort of person she is. Narrator: Let''s rerun that conversation from Eleanor''s point of view. Eleanor: "Say, Eleanor, are you married?" "I was, but unfortunately, my husband died." And I''m never getting married again; it just didn''t work out. "Oh, that''s bad. Did you have any children?" Control, control. Show nothing to the outside world. "Yes, a boy. But unfortunately, he also died." Ignore the pain. "Ah... Sorry, sorry," said Lena. Not a fraction as sorry as I was, Ms shallow-personality! "That''s all right. It''s now twelve years ago, so I''m over it. And, were you married?" said Eleanor. Let''s get away from my disaster, shall we? "Yes, but sadly, it didn''t last very long. And, no, we didn''t have any children." Yeah, I can see that; you don''t look like you could excite any man in anything, let alone sexually. "Still, it was nice of you to volunteer to look after those two. And to make such a high-powered vow," said Eleanor. I bet you she was pressed ganged into the arrangement. "¨¢h, thank you." I didn''t get much information at all, did I? Lena: She irritates me. In fact, this whole situation irritates me. I know, let''s get personal and to hell with the consequences. She smiled sweetly and said, "I''ve heard that newly wedded couples slowly accumulate quite a good level in their [Sexual Technique] abilities. What level did you get to?" Eleanor: The question caught her off guard. It all came back in a sudden montage of images: Flashback time for Eleanor: Very early in her marriage, before her baby was born: Her husband gently caressed her shoulder just before they went to bed. "Ah, maybe not tonight? I think I might be getting some more morning sickness..." "Oh, fine, fine." It''s just the morning sickness. As soon as things settle down, I''ll respond more to my husband''s advances, won''t I? I mean, he is a lovely person - my best friend. All those other young mothers always talk about taking time out from looking after families to get some ''quality'' time with their men. The trouble is, I don''t feel like it right now. And probably not tomorrow night, either. A few months after the baby was born: Her husband gently rocked their baby to sleep, then carefully put him into his little bed. "Say, now that he is going to be quiet for at least half an hour, how about we..." "Ah, I''m still tired from last night''s crying..." "Oh, OK." There''s nothing wrong with me! Nothing wrong. Even those other young mothers take some time off to catch up with sleep. Looking after a baby takes a lot of time, after all. And, finally, on one night: Her husband was dead at her feet, blood spilling all over her nice, clean carpet. Her toddler was snatched away. To die also. Eleanor: She screamed and threw her cup across the room. It smashed into the wall, spraying chunks of ceramic and drops of tea all over it. She froze in horror, staring at nothing. I lost control. I completely lost control. I haven''t done that for years. What the hell happened to me? Control! Control myself! Breathing like she had just run up to the Rimwall top, she struggled to bring herself together. Why did I lose it so thoroughly? A simple question like that shouldn''t do it. It took a minute or two to get her composure back. Lena: What-what was all of that for? Was that my fault? Oh shit. Being caught completely off guard, she blurted out the first topic that occurred to her: the state of her own marriage. "Oh, well, I asked because, because, well, in my marriage I never got any points at all." "Ha-ha. My husband ended up calling me totally hopeless in bed. A perfect zero in [Sexual Technique]. A total dud as far as sex was concerned." "He said that sex with the barmaid was absolutely amazing..." Stop that! I''m babbling on about things that no one else cares about. So she went silent also. Eleanor and Lena: After a while, Eleanor put her polite, composed face back on. "Oh dear. I''ve made a bit of a mess, haven''t I?'' "That''s all right; how about I get the broom, and we clean it up?" said Lena. They did so. Then, for lack of anything else to do, Lena got another cup and poured Eleanor another drink. They sat there, drinking their tea and not saying anything. Finally- "Well, I guess I should go and lay out our room a bit better," said Lena. "And I need to go and see some old folks, make sure they''re OK," said Eleanor. With cheerful, polite farewells, they bid each other goodbye for the time being, and off they went. Neither had the slightest idea what to make of that incident. Narrator: When it was said that System-san couldn''t take any direction action - well, that wasn''t totally correct. After all, if no one knows that direct action was taken, and no one finds out, well, then it didn''t occur. Right? System-san was feeling pleased (as much as it could feel this emotion) at the results of its definitely did-not-occur direct action. Unfortunately, that was about the most in the way of direct action that it could manage to do. [1.37] The Misfits at the markets Alice: Alice was holding Mason''s small hand with her right hand. So she waved her left hand around and gave Bronsen a meaningful look. He interpreted this with no difficulty and dutifully took her left hand. Cassy, holding Becky with her right hand, ended up with Drayden holding her other hand. Since Cassy was to Alice''s right, Drayden ended up walking next to Mason. "Remember, we stick in our pairs!" said Alice. The other Misfits murmured their agreements. Mason looked up to Alice and grinned. "See! Mason agrees with me," said Alice. "He sure does!" said Drayden. So Mason turned his head and smiled at him. Drayden couldn''t resist and also held Mason''s hand. Oh, how cute! I''m indirectly holding Drayden''s hand via Mason. She noticed that Becky looked a little bit wistful. "Oh, I know. How about Bronsen going and holding Becky''s other hand?" said Alice. So, they ended up with Alice and Drayden holding Mason and Cassy and Bronsen holding hands with Becky. Cassy was giggling. "I''m sure there''s no problem with this!" she said. "Of course not, this doesn''t count," said Alice. "What doesn''t count?" said Evereena. "Oh, well, hey, look at this stall!" said Alice. The stall in question sold plushie toys. Do they make these things here? That''s amazing. Evereena is still looking puzzled... Alice fosicked through the toys. "Anything that you would like, Evereena?" Taking Alice''s cue, Bronsen and Cassy moved to the next table in the same stall and were having their own discussion with Becky. Evereena: She looked at the array of toys. I remember Mum giving me a stuffed animal when I was younger. I played with it a lot. Just then, a bunch of young teenagers, five of them, approached, laughing and chatting between themselves. They saw the Misfits and the four slaves and stopped. They stared without taking the slightest effort to hide it. There were giggles and whispers between them. "Ooh, look, slaves. Does that mean we can ask them to do anything we like?" said one. "Well, my older brother tells me that..." said another. He dropped his voice and whispered even more energetically to the others. Four of them burst into laughter, and the fifth one, a girl, looked highly uncomfortable. Evereena felt like she was shrinking into herself. She held onto her mother''s hand and looked down. Cassy: Those little shits. She stepped forward smartly and gently pushed Evereena''s head up again. She smiled a big smile at her. "Hey, hold your head up! Don''t let a bunch of dickheads wear you down." The ''dickheads'' in question didn''t like this, and there were some jeers back. So Cassy stood in front of them, arms akimbo, and said, "Hey, you lot. They can''t help being enslaved, so how about a little consideration?" All that got was more jeers and giggles. Well, the fifth one, the girl, seemed to take this in since she drifted away and then disappeared. But the other four didn''t even notice this. Cassy was building up a head of steam; she felt she might explode at any moment and give those kids a piece of her mind. So it was fortunate that Bronsen, still holding Becky in one hand, also stepped up and put a hand on Cassy''s head, right between her cat ears. "Now, now, we all know you have a slight temper problem." A snort of derision from Cassy, plus a few more derisive comments from the dickheads. "But really, perhaps we should just leave them for the time being?" said Bronsen. He moved his hand slightly and gently stroked one of her ears. It twitched in appreciation. However, Cassy wouldn''t let him distract her from her primary concern. I don''t want to leave them without getting an apology! System-san, how about doing something? Ding! Special ability [Intimidation] granted - only 5 points out of a max of 100. This is the maximum number of points this ability will ever get for you Misfits; a super-powerful intimidation skill is too overpowered. Oh, cool. This is what I''ve always wanted when dealing with bullies. She continued to stand there, arms akimbo. And she practised her intimidating stare. The four remaining teenagers noticeably wilted. They must have decided they had urgent business elsewhere as they rapidly decamped. There was the sound of clapping. Cassy looked around and saw the stall holder, a middle-aged male, was clapping his hands. "Say, that was impressive; you must have some [Intimidation] skill. You reminded me of my old drill master when I was in the guards." "Oh, thanks," said Cassy. Bronsen was still patting her head, then he picked up Becky and shared a three-way hug with Cassy. "Now that''s more like it!" said Bronsen. Alice: I''ve got [Intimidation]! Actually, that means that we all have [Intimidation]. Wow, that is something to celebrate. She was so regretful she couldn''t use it against the bullies in her class. Especially that one who was always trying to leer down her blouse. Seeing Cassy and Bronsen sharing a hug with Becky, she did the same with Mason and Drayden. It''s shared with Mason, so it doesn''t count as being alone with Drayden. It definitely doesn''t! Drayden is nice-looking... Evereena: She felt so embarrassed and ashamed of herself. But, the Misfits had protected her. Those four big kids seem so much friendlier since this morning. And that toy looks a bit like the doll I had from before... Bronsen: Oh my, Cassy is so adorable. Ah, but so is Alice, OK? And look, Evereena is staring at the doll. Oh, it''s got a tail. Well, of course, it will have a tail. The Misfits had been given a small amount of money for spending. Plus, a lesson on the relative worth of the various coins. So Bronsen asked the stall owner how much the doll was. "For you, 80 cents." "Here, Evereena, here''s a dollar. How about buying the doll for yourself?" said Bronsen. Evereena looked blank. She looked like she didn''t know what to do with the money. Fortunately, the stall owner was up to it. He cleared his throat and said, "Low-level slaves don''t ever deal with money; all their needs are taken care of by their higher-ups. In fact, only the blue-collared slaves ever use money." "Oh." said Bronsen, "OK. Err, but what about higher-level slaves?" "There are only green-collared slaves above the blues, and then the emperor himself, with his gold-coloured collar. And, if I remember my lessons from my guard days correctly, the green-collared slaves are few enough that the emperor can control them directly. Whereas the blues..." The stall owner gathered his fading memories. "The blues are too many to control directly, so it''s something along the lines of they can earn and spend their money, and the ones that are the best at that are considered the ones to be the best at deciding what to do with the resources they can buy with their money. Or something. Remember that each blue-collar controls a large number of red and black-collar slaves, and the lesser slaves do whatever the blue-collar tells them to do."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. That sounds a bit complicated to understand all at once. So Bronsen decided to give up on any further inquiry, pay the man the dollar coin, and get the change back. "There you are, one doll with a removable dress and tail!" he said, handing it to Evereena, "Oops, the tail isn''t actually removable." Evereena looked up at her mother. Esther nodded her head. Evereena took the doll and hugged it. Drayden: So, Bronsen and Cassy are hugging each other. Well, I think that is nice. Even if Alice keeps mentioning the J for Jealousy word. And what do we have here? He noticed that Mason was staring fixedly at one of the plushies. It was obviously meant to be a man with a brightly coloured costume, and it appeared to have no less than five skin colours. Wait a bit; I''ve only seen two-tone and occasionally three-tone skin colouring. Esther is one of the few with three tones. Say, doesn''t that make her similar to a Calico cat? Whatever. "Mason, would you like that doll?" he said. Mason looked blank, as if he couldn''t quite understand the concept of owning his own doll. Has this poor kid ever owned anything of his own in his entire life? The whole idea of slavery was making his guts churn in disgust. So Drayden, without any further fuss, bought the doll and gave it to Mason. "It''s yours. Here, take it." Mason took it and hugged it. But he still looked as if he was unsure of the situation. Hopefully, he''ll get better and act more like a typical eight-year-old. Drayden fosicked around a bit more through the toys. This looks almost exactly like a teddy bear, even if it has a tail. So he also brought it. He turned to Cassy. "Here, a teddy bear for you." Cassy laughed briefly. "Yes, it does look like a teddy bear. Even if its skin has got two shades of orange." Drayden kept holding it and carried it with him. Cassy: Cassy was still holding Becky and hugging both her and Bronsen. I hadn''t realised how much I had missed Bronsen this past Earth year. Oh, and also Alice, of course! She rubbed her cheeks against Becky''s, which meant she also incidentally touched her head to Bronsen''s. She noticed that Becky was intently watching Mason as he held his doll. Five minutes later, they happily waved goodbye to the stall owner, with all three children holding their dolls. In Becky''s case, it looked like a brightly coloured horse. They ambled along, with Cassy still holding Becky''s hand. Since Becky''s other hand was busy clutching her horse doll, that left Bronsen unattached. But, coincidently, he had ended up on the other side of Cassy, so they just so happened to hold hands. Cassy had difficulty holding in her giggles since Alice and Drayden were also holding hands. "I think that we Misfits need to talk about this later tonight. Don''t you think so, Alice?" "Ah, yes, yes. But, I mean, Bronsen, we need to be careful..." said Alice. She is definitely green-eyed with jealousy, but she can''t stop being attracted to Drayden, can she? Esther: It was almost painful; she kept on getting flashbacks to her life before being a slave. Holding hands. Isn''t that what couples did who ''loved'' each other? It felt like the word ''loved'' had to be dragged out of her ancient long-term memory, covered in dust and spider webs, rusty from long disuse. She had never seen any other adult slaves holding hands. Her master kept the two of them away from other children, so she had never seen any other examples of a mother looking after a child. And, of course, her master never spoke with her about love or anything to do with affection. Couples loved each other. They then had sex. No, that''s not how it was said; the phrase was ''make love''. But didn''t couples stay together? If Alice and Bronsen are a couple, and Cassy and Drayden are also, why are they holding hands with their non-partners? Maybe I can ask Aragon. There''s certainly no one else I can ask. And I don''t think Evereena understands any of this at all. They stopped at a food stand, and the Misfits bought everyone some roasted spudnips. As they were eating, Bronsen must have had an idea, "Esther, why don''t you and the others wear a scarf to hide your collars? That way, it won''t be so obvious that you are slaves." One more thing they don''t know anything about. "Ah, sorry, but, you see, if we hide our collars, the collars somehow detect it, and after a few minutes, our skin under the collar starts getting uncomfortably warm. Leave the collar hidden too long, and we can get burn marks. So, sorry, we can''t do that." "Oh," said Cassy. None of the Misfits looked very happy at that. Kalitran: A middle-aged man named Kalitran was also out walking through the markets. He was a nephew of the recently deceased king and thus had moderate rights to consider himself part of the nobility if not royalty. This was a bit of a worry since most nobility had already deserted the country, fearing the forthcoming slaver invasion. Not Kalitran. Being without family and firmly of the view that one should be tough and face one''s trials and not run away, he had stayed. Also, having paid attention to the politics around him, he knew that the invasion, while inevitable, was not imminent. Probably several decades before the slavers were in a reasonable position to do so. So, it was only a short leap of logic for him to conclude: why can''t he become the next king? After all, every other likely contender, and most of the people who would typically be deciding which contender should be king, had all abandoned the kingdom and weren''t coming back. But how do I get to that position? Can I step up and declare myself to be the king? And what about the old king''s daughter? Maybe she might consider herself to be the next queen. Eleanor''s existence was beginning to annoy him immensely. She''s well known, with all her stupid ''charity'' work. Kalitran was not one to mollycoddle the workers. The strong will survive; the weak need to toughen up and get moving! A strong leader will act to maximise the chances of the strong surviving and to encourage the weak to get strong! He was sure that he would be a better leader than Eleanor. But how? And, damn this slaver menace! No matter what, everything will be moot in a few decades. But, at least I can lead for some of that time. Of course, this led to his bleakest thoughts: And then I will have to run, exactly like every other noble. What a damned pain. Probably alongside most of the commoners, also. No matter how great a king I might become, I will end up as just another refugee. With these thoughts, his high ambitions, and dismal black futures, he meandered through the markets without paying much attention to the mere commoners around him as they got out of his way. And then he tripped and fell awkwardly onto the ground, getting dust onto his neatly laundered expensive clothes. "What the fuck!" He was momentarily livid with fury - before he forcibly controlled his emotions. It helped that he had a low level [Emotional Control] ability. What the hell happened? Ah, right, I see. He realised he had fallen over a small child that had wandered into his path. A small child with a slave collar? Shit! What? Oh, right, those two slave kids who came from Crysteth. And, what''s this, the other slaves from the rimwall? And those strange Misfits. What a bloody nuisance - they should have just killed those slaves and been done with it. He suppressed a flash of horror at the prospect of someone using them. After all, if he became king, he would be a prime target. He looked around- I guess those two guards in the background are detailed to keep track of the slaves. He brushed the dirt off his trousers. One of the male Misfits hastily grabbed the boy and seemed to be comforting him. Who cares what they feel? But I suppose it is too late to get rid of them now, so we need to be strong and face the situation. He got a good look at the two female Misfits. Say, they look pretty cute. And young. And they are supposed to have high abilities. Hmm, I wonder how high their [Sexual Technique] abilities are? Kalitran had quite an eye for the ladies - this may have been part of the reason why he didn''t have a family. Seeing the two female Misfits standing to one side, he put on his smoothest smile and walked over to them. "Hi, ladies, you must be the Mistfits. How are you finding our little town?" My, they are young and attractive. Nice hair, too. Strange that they are all monotone. The shorter one with black hair has got nice perky breasts, and the taller one has somewhat bigger breasts, but they go well with her taller frame... and her legs are long and shapely... Imagination starting to run wild, he shifted into his flirting mode. He opened his mouth to utter some more platitudes when he was within two metres. But, strangely, his desire dropped. Actually, they don''t look all that good, after all. He could see their faces clearly now. They''re not all that interested in me, are they? Nyah - and, I don''t know, are their bodies really that nice? Are they maybe strange? I don''t know; perhaps getting involved with them is too much of a hassle. All of that effort needed to get them to bed, Aww, forget it. They already have their partners. So he switched his state of mind away from his fantasies and merely said hello to the ladies, then cordially smiled, waved at them, and walked away. Let''s go and change out of these clothes. He went back to his original train of thought. I know; how about I talk with the Treasurer? He is, after all, about the only palace officer left with any power. And I don''t think he has ambitions. Cassy: Cassy watched the man walk away. "Alice, did you get some creepy vibes from that specimen?" "You bet I did. But, did he seem to lose interest in us when he got close enough?" said Alice. "Yeah, he did. I can''t remember that ever happening before. Normally, the creepers need two or three firm refusals before they get the message." "Oh well, sometimes we get lucky." Cassy moved over to Mason, who Bronsen was currently cuddling. "There now, you didn''t get hurt, did you?" she said, wrapping her arms around them. Mason, who had looked terrified when he had accidentally walked into the man''s path, calmed down. He''s so cute. Not to mention Bronsen''s, too! Bronsen: Bronsen distinctly heard Cassy''s tummy rumble. He also saw up ahead a food stall. Let''s have lunch! So, without further ado, he charged ahead. Behind him, he could hear Alice muttering, ''There he goes again''. (Remember, the Misfits had enhanced perception. They could eavesdrop on all sorts of conversations within ten metres of them if they wanted.) The stall was staffed by two young ladies, maybe in their twenties, and they sold shish kebabs. Easy to prepare, plenty of meat and vegetable chunks on each stick, and easy to eat while walking. Drayden saw Bronsen rushing ahead and immediately followed suit. However, Bronsen had a delayed surge of caution. In other words, he had a momentary flashback of Alice, both arms bitten off, screaming at him in furious rage. Oh shit. I had better stop right now. Otherwise, all hell will descend upon me. So, he stopped, incidentally stopping Drayden, who was right behind him and turned to look at Alice. She returned his look and showed her teeth. "Very good, Mister Bronsen! But, you know, I feel hungry too," she whispered. Mason heard since Alice was hugging him. Cassy and Drayden also easily heard her. Bronsen clearly saw these two share a look; eyebrows raised just a little. Oh-oh, I think there might be story time by Alice in the near future. Anyway, now that I have gotten authorisation... The Misfits also heard the two young adult ladies running the stall have a little exchange. "Ooh, isn''t the big one so handsome! Do you think his girlfriends will allow me to have a little bit of the action also?" said one. "Keep dreaming, girl! You''re, like, totally outclassed. And, besides which, I think the other one looks ever so cute. Ooh, yes, cute and hot. And did you see how they cuddled those two little kids?" said the other. "I certainly did!" said the first one. Who sighed with unrequited longing. Bronsen and Drayden received two not-quite-sunburn-grade glares from Cassy and Alice. The two boys now shared a look. Gulp. Let''s be on our best behaviours here. Drayden nodded his head in agreement. Then, the boys resolutely turned back to the stand. Five minutes later, after purchasing eight shishkebabs (four large, two medium-sized and two small ones), the group slowly ambled away from the stand, with everybody concentrating on eating their food without dropping it. And, as they did, the Misfits could still hear the food stall ladies talking to each other. "Say, they''re not all that hot, after all, are they?" said one. "No, they''re not. I don''t know, is it because they''re monotone?" said the other. "Hmm, no? I don''t think so. Maybe it''s because they are obviously in their couples? Although I''m a bit confused at which couples they are in." "Maybe - nyah, that''s never stopped me from ''admiring'' sexy men before. Not that I''ve ever acted upon such desires, mind you!" "I guess they''re a bit strange or something. Although I can''t quite place my finger on why." "Never mind, it''s not important. What is important are these two new customers. Smile at them and entice them in!" The voices faded out as the Misfits and co walked further along. I wonder what all of that is about? Eventually, about mid-afternoon, they all returned to their accommodation. [1.38] Lena and Esther Lena: An hour before tea time, Lena made a move to start preparing for their meal. Aragon, having just returned from training, was helping her. Without speaking much, they split up their efforts. Lena prepared food while Aragon started the stove fire, sorted the plates and cups, and laid out the cutlery. "Say, there''s only eleven cups; where did the twelfth one go?" said Aragon. "Oh, ahh, well, it got broken..." said Lena. "OK. I suppose it must have been already cracked, and now was the time it decided to fail." "Y-yes, I''m sure that''s why it broke..." said Lena. Just then, the Misfits and the slaves burst through the door to the kitchen/dining area, where Lena and Aragon were currently. "Lena! Lena! Look, we got some dolls!" said Mason. He rushed over to Lena, proudly showing off his doll. Behind him, in close proximity, was Becky, also waving her doll around to show it off. Lena admired their acquisitions. She tried to get the kids to put them into their room, but they were having none of it. They wanted to keep on holding their dolls. "OK, OK, then put the dolls onto your chairs, and can we go and wash our hands?" said Lena. I''m not jealous, not jealous at all. But how did the Misfits get these kids out of their shells so quickly? And, I guess they do regard me as their mother figure. She was pleased that she had succeeded in getting their trust. She was also terrified at the implications; she would have to keep their trust. In other words, there was no escape from looking after them. This is all such a pain. Maybe I can rope in that Eleanor woman to also share the child caring. Make that annoying woman do something constructive; after all, she doesn''t appear to have a steady job. After the meal, and after Aragon and the Misfits had cleaned up, Lena disappeared with her charges. Evereena also went to bed. The Misfits retreated to their rooms, leaving behind Aragon and Esther. Aragon: Aragon flopped down on the chair closest to the stove. It was only slightly cool outside, but the small amount of heat from the stove felt comfortable. Esther stayed where she was, standing next to the cupboards. Why isn''t she sitting down...The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He shook his head. I''m too stupid. She''s spent more than a decade as a slave. "Esther. You''re no longer a slave now. You can make up your own mind about what you do. If you like, you can sit down next to me, and we can talk. Or you can go to your room and be with Evereena." "Oh. Sorry. I, err..." She looked at him, then at the door. She finally decided to move one of the chairs away from the table and set it next to Aragon. She nervously adjusted its position to be precisely aligned with Aragon''s but a metre away. Finally, she sat down, legs and body aligned with the chair, hands in her lap, head looking straight forward, tail going straight down, and then curled up around the leg chair. I might have underestimated how much she needs to learn to adapt to being a free person. Esther didn''t move further, so Aragon eventually asked, "Did you and Evereena enjoy your outing?" "Yes." "Ah, that''s good. I saw that Evereena had a soft toy - did one of the Misfits buy it for her?" "Yes." This is painful. But she is capable of joining in a conversation, at least somewhat. What can I ask her? Ah - I know. "Those Misfits are unusual, aren''t they? What do you think of them?" "Yes... They are... strange." There was a gap in her speaking as she worked out what she wanted to say next. "I don''t understand how they fit together. There''s Alice and Bronsen and then Cassy and Drayden. But most of the time, Alice was with Drayden, and Bronsen was with Cassy." Aragon scratched his head again. "Well, obviously, it''s mostly their business, but it appears that they all like each other. Both as friends and, in their boy-girl pairs, as lovers. Although, I do get the impression that when it comes to the sex part, they remain in their original couples." "I see. I think. But, still, aren''t Cassy and Alice exactly as strong as the two boys?" "Yeah, they are. It''s another way in which they are so weird." Aragon knew about their shared status screens from Jane and from listening to their conversations. But he didn''t think that Esther had worked out that yet. So, he didn''t expand upon that topic any further. "So, the girls don''t have to put up with the sex part, do they? They are strong enough to push them off. So why do they put up with it?" Huh? Wait, work this out. She was a slave - so she has only ever been raped - in fact, all of the female slaves she might have met have only ever been raped. So, so, perhaps she doesn''t know? "Esther, this could be an embarrassing topic, but, ahh, women can also enjoy sex, you know." "I know those girls have already said that at one stage, but, but, really? In fact, why do the men want it so much? It never seems to do them much good. They have to make so much effort to do it, and at the end, they have these weird facial expressions and make unpleasant sounds, almost as if they were in pain." Oh. This is getting into dangerous territory. If I start talking about the pleasures of sex, The Voice of the World might think I''m treating her inappropriately, trying to take advantage of her. Bloody hell. But she does deserve some explanation. "When they act like that, it''s called an orgasm. And, in the right circumstances, women can also have an orgasm. Which is what the Misfit girls have when they have sex with their partners." "What''s an orgasm?" Ha-ha. I think I''m now out of my depth. "Ah, err, well, maybe I''m not the person you should be asking? What say you wait until you''re alone with Eleanor and Lena and ask them? Yes, I think that would be a good idea." "OK, I will." Is she taking that as an order? Maybe it will be all to the good, anyway. So, I think I''ll wrap up this conversation and retire for the night. "Anyway, you need to have no concerns for the Misfit girls. I''m confident that when it comes to the tail twisting, they are as enthusiastic for it as the boys." Esther looked blank. "Tail twisting? Is that something else I don''t know about?" Aragon''s face also went blank. Even more so than Esther''s. "You don''t know what that is referring to?" "No?" I think I have to give up here. "It''s not important for the time being. And, anyway, I think I need to retire for the night. Captain Jane has claimed my time tomorrow morning, something about strategy planning..." Aragon cordially said good night to Esther, and they left the kitchen for their respective rooms. [1.39] The Misfits have a meeting The Misfits: The Misfits had claimed three bedrooms. One for each couple and one for their meetings. They had also searched the Dormitory buildings and found two old sofas, which they appropriated and relocated into their shared room. Right now, they were sitting on those sofas and ready for a Misfits club meeting. Alice wiggled from side to side and straightened the material of her trousers. Sitting to her right, Cassy swept her hand through her flowing red hair, then said. "It''s just not the same as wearing a short skirt, right?" Bronsen, sitting on the other sofa in front of Alice, agreed. "Yeah, I have to agree. We can no longer see Cassy''s gorgeous legs... Oh, and Alice''s too, of course." He got a brief hot glare from Alice. "And I can''t see Alice''s lovely legs, either!" said Drayden, sitting right next to Bronsen and thus opposite to Cassy. Cassy raised her eyebrows. "So you don''t mind not seeing my legs?" "Oh, definitely I mind. Of course. After all, yours are so lovely..." said Drayden. They were all a bit self-conscious. It was the time to have a ''talk'' about a specific crucial topic, and they were slowly working themselves up to it. "I still think it would be wonderful to see Alice comb Cassy''s hair, especially now it looks so fantastic," said Drayden. Alice and Cassy exchanged glances. "You still want some girl-on-girl action, don''t you?" said Cassy with as much scorn as she could manage. "Of course!" said Bronsen, "After all that we have been through, let''s return to our beginnings and celebrate our survival. So far." Vigorous nodding from Drayden. "Yeah. I am so impressed that we have managed to get back to having a meeting like this," said Drayden. A snort of derision from Cassy. "You mean, you are impressed that we have become two proper couples." "But, you have to admit that it is amazing. Even if we didn''t make the choice ourselves," said Alice. The conversation fizzled out at that point, and the four no longer eighteen-year-old school kids looked at each other with just a touch of embarrassment. But they knew they had to deal with the elephant in the room. "Nonetheless, we may be in our couples, but it appears that we are all still attracted to the other one we could have chosen," said Alice. "Definitely!" said Bronsen. He got back a medium-level danger warning stare from Alice. "But you are still in a relationship with me!" said Alice. "Ah, yes, of course," said Bronsen. "You will not have a physical relationship with Cassy!" Alice upgraded her stare to a high-danger warning level. Gulp. "Ah, yes, of course, agreed!" said Bronsen, "But, but, Alice, you must admit, you are also attracted to Drayden." "That is a different matter entirely!" "Ah..." "Actually, isn''t it the precise same matter?" said Cassy, "Bronsen is highly attracted to me, and you are highly attracted to Drayden." "But, you are not allowed to have sex with my man!" said Alice directly to Cassy. "I''m not proposing that we have sex. Just that we acknowledge that we are sexually attracted to each other. Indeed, we are strongly attracted to each other. In that case, what are we going to do about it?" "Well, we will have to ignore the illegal attractions! If we don''t, we could end up tearing ourselves apart with jealousy. And I don''t want to lose Bronsen!" "Alice, I don''t want you to lose me either. And the other two also don''t want that to happen. Nonetheless, when we were strolling through the markets, even when we had previously agreed to stick to our couples, we still walked hand in hand with the wrong person. And that includes you." said Bronsen. "Remember, Alice, you and Cassy have total control over the male''s libido. All you have to decide to do is never to turn it on, and everything is safe. We can enjoy each other''s company, but it can never progress to any sexual activity whatsoever." "Ah, yes, I suppose that is correct," said Alice. "Of course! I want to enjoy Bronsen''s company; I missed him in the last year, but I can easily make a moral choice and not turn on that switch," said Cassy. She thought over things for a moment, then turned to Alice. "Oh, and I have also missed your company. Err, but not in quite the same way." Alice and Cassy had a deep and meaningful conversation in complete silence, merely by intense eye contact. Eventually, Alice nodded. "OK, if we keep those switches firmly off and never ever switch them on in the wrong combination, then, I suppose, a certain amount of interaction is allowed." Cassy nodded in affirmation to this. She looked at the boys, silently observing this, and sweetly said, "Is that OK, boys?" "Definitely! Definitely!" said Bronsen. "Fine by me. But, there is a little detail - up to now, that libido switch thingy has always been presented as Alice/Bronsen and Cassy/Drayden. So, doesn''t that mean that all of this discussion is moot? Maybe we, err, I mean the girls, can''t switch our libidos on in the wrong combination, anyway?" said Drayden. Silence as they contemplated this question. "That''s a good point. Right now, my status shows a reading of Cassy/Drayden," said Cassy. The other three all agreed. "I hate to point this out, but there is also the ''No Group Sex'' constraint," said Drayden, "So maybe while we are all together or in public, the wrong combination is always prevented." There was an awkward silence, with nervous glances between them. Eventually, Cassy was brave enough to propose the question. "What if we are private, separate, and in the wrong combination?" Another uneasy silence. "So, I need to go to one of our bedrooms with Drayden... Purely for scientific research purposes only! And see what happens to our status display?" said Alice. She didn''t meet anybody''s eyes as she said this. The other three shared a three-way glance, and then Cassy smiled slightly.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. "I think that is a good idea. Purely to find out the limits, of course! Ah, are we all agreed upon this?" she said. The three waited, and eventually, Alice said yes. "Remember, the switch stays off no matter what happens!" said Cassy. "Of course!" said the other three. A minute later, Alice was standing in her and Bronsen''s bedroom, alone at last with Drayden. Drayden''s face was going red, and possibly Alice''s was also. "Yep, the status display has changed to Alice and Drayden." said Drayden, "But, of course, it is still off." "Ah, yes, definitely off," said Alice. And they stood there, looking at each other. "As long as it stays off - there''s no problem with a shared hug, is there?" said Alice. "Oh, none at all, I''m sure." So they hugged each other. "The last half year was pretty intense," said Alice. "I know. But one thing that kept me going was the knowledge that somewhere in this world, you and Bronsen were also present," said Drayden. "Hmm, yeah." After a while, they returned to the clubroom and were soon joined by the other two. "Soooooo - the pairings on our status display can change," said Drayden. "At least when the switch is off. It doesn''t necessarily mean that the switch can ever be turned on in the wrong combination," said Cassy. An exasperated sigh from Bronsen. "In other words, we still haven''t found the real constraints," he said. The awkward silence was filled with glances between all four teenagers. "Well? What shall we do about that?" said Cassy, looking as if she knew perfectly well what to do. Three teenagers looked at Alice and waited. "Well..." said Alice. She looked down at her hands, clasped together and sitting on her lap. "I suppose..." She looked away from everybody else. "You all probably want to know... Don''t you?" "Ah, yes?" said Bronsen. "After all, it is important that we know, isn''t it?" "I believe so," said Cassy. "I''m not sure that we should... But, I don''t know, maybe I''ll allow the experiment... Since we do need to know, anyway. Right?" "For sure," said Bronsen. "OK, OK, I''m extremely reluctant to do this. After all, it is skirting very close to disaster. But, if you are all so determined, let''s try it." said Alice. There was a small silence while Alice looked away, and the other three shared another three-way glance. "That seems like a good idea. As long as we are cautious, of course!" said Cassy. "Yeah, how about the rule that it is for no more than five minutes, and we don''t touch each other," said Drayden. "And, of course, we remain fully clothed!" said Bronsen. They waited, and finally, Alice nodded her head. "Purely for scientific research purposes, OK?" she said. The others agreed. A minute later, Alice was again standing in her and Bronsen''s bedroom, alone with Drayden. This time, they were really embarrassed. "Ah, Drayden, I''ll try turning the switch on now," said Alice. They both gasped and began breathing heavier than before. After a few minutes, Alice looked down. "Ah, right, you have an erection." Gulp. "Yes, I certainly do," said Drayden. They stood, rooted to their spots on the floor, a metre and a half distance between them, for a minute or so. "I suppose this is the definite proof; there is the possibility of - you know what - between us," said Alice. "Oh, you bet there is." "I guess we should return to the others now," said Alice. "Yes." But neither made a move. "Perhaps if you turned off the switch, now?" said Drayden. "I will. Very soon," said Alice. They kept standing there. "Maybe... We can share another little hug, first?" said Alice, "I mean, nothing is going to happen, anyway." "Ah, sure." Drayden gingerly stepped close to Alice and put his arms around her. But he didn''t make complete body contact. She wrapped her arms around him and drew his body close to hers. By now, they were almost hyperventilating. And then, they both twitched, seemingly relaxed and moved apart from their embrace. Alice looked momentarily bewildered. "Ah, sorry, I thought it was time to turn that switch off," said Drayden. "Oh. Of course. It was definitely time. I would have turned it off very soon, anyway." Drayden nodded his head. "Of course, of course!" he said. Without looking at him, Alice went out of the door. Drayden closely followed. As it happened, both couples returned to the meeting room almost simultaneously. They fidgeted and squirmed in their seats. Finally, Cassy spoke up. "So, it is possible." Nobody asked what sort of possibility she was referring to. "And, we have to make a small confession. We did hug each other. But only for a short period. Then I turned the switch off." said Cassy. "Err, well, we hugged each other too," said Alice, "And then the switch went off." More contemplative silence. "So, to summarise, as long as the ladies never turn on those switches, we can agree to enjoy each other''s company as we desire. Correct?" said Bronsen. Murmurs of assent. "I suggest keeping our respective partners informed about what we do. More or less. OK?" said Drayden. More murmurs of assent. Cassy clapped her hands. "Now that that is settled, I want to move on to a related topic." "Yes?" said Alice. Cassy told the boys about when the man, who had tripped over Mason, had approached her and Alice. "Yeah, I was sure he was going to make some creepy advance to us," said Alice. "But, as soon as he got close to us, he seemed to lose all interest," said Cassy. "Which was great. But that has never happened before, back on Earth," said Alice. "And then, there was the conversation between the two serving ladies. You all heard that, didn''t you?" said Cassy. "We sure did. Our enhanced perception is certainly useful," said Drayden. "And, more to the point, the same thing happened to those ladies. They lost all interest in us when we got within range. That is, they lost all interest in us as sexy men and appeared to be only interested in selling us food." said Bronsen. "Oh, you poor boys," said Alice. "Yeah, poor boys. The only females on this entire Ringworld that want to get into bed with you are us two," said Cassy. "That''s fine, fine! That really is fine, isn''t it, Alice? You will never have the need to worry about me, or Drayden for that matter, straying to greener pastures. It just can''t happen. System-san has decreed it to be so." said Bronsen. "Yep, that''s good!" said Alice, "Err, it''s not just me that thinks it''s good; it''s Cassy also, right?" "It certainly is," Cassy said with a big grin, "And I''m sure you have already noticed, but we are not attracted to anybody outside our little group." "Oh, definitely. No matter which girl I tried to ogle when we were out in the markets, I did not feel the slightest bit interested," said Drayden. A vigorous nod from Bronsen. A medium-strength evil smile from Alice. "You poor boys. No one else wants you, and you can''t have them anyway!" So Bronsen gave back his own medium-strength evil smile. "Oh, I think us boys can manage to deal with that..." "I''ve been thinking, there''s a certain asymmetry about this stuff..." said Drayden. "Eeh?" said Cassy. "When it comes to everybody else, we cannot feel the slightest attraction for them. We can''t even appreciate their lovely bodies. And similarly in the reverse. Whereas, between ourselves, while we are together like this, or apart but with the libido switched off, we can appreciate the opposite sex''s bodies. It''s just that we can''t get physically aroused by them." said Drayden. There was a contemplative period while the others thought about this. An evil grin from Bronsen. "Soooooo, us men can observe both ladies and store the images in our head, and then when we are in private with our designated other, it all becomes fantasy fuel." "I''m willing to make that concession. After all, us ladies are also observing the men, you know," said Cassy. More silence. It was getting late, but nobody wanted to leave. "Everyone, it is so nice to be with you again. The last week or so has been too hectic to slow down and relax, but now that we can take our time, I appreciate the company of Cassy and Drayden," said Alice. They all agreed. "We don''t have to get up early tomorrow - after all, there is no school, so let''s catch up with some stories!" said Bronsen. An evil grin from Alice, this time it was at full strength. "In that case, let me tell you about the time that Bronsen went charging off, with nary a backward glance, and jumped onto the back of a monster hippo..." Bronsen visibly paled. The others looked highly interested. Half an hour later. "Well, then, I shall tell you about the time that Drayden decided to be the alpha male and galloped along the shore of a lake without the slightest bit of caution," said Cassy. "Oh-oh," said Drayden. In the small hours of the morning, they finally decided that maybe they should get some sleep. Cassy: An hour later, in their bedroom, Cassy and Drayden finally took a break from banging each other silly. They had made very sure that the door was firmly closed and locked. "Admit it, lover boy. You were madly fantasising about Alice, weren''t you?" "Of course. And you were doing all sorts of things with Bronsen, yes?" "You bet your socks I was. Or, perhaps I can say, bet your penis?" "Ah, I think I would rather bet my socks. My penis is special to me, and I wouldn''t want to risk losing it." Cassy laughed, so Drayden thwacked her with his tail. "OK, tell me the truth, who turned off the switch when you and Alice were having your little experiment?" she said. "Hmm, isn''t that confidential information..." said Drayden. He then had a good look at her body language. "No problems! It was me, actually. Although Alice said, she was just on the verge of flicking it off, herself." A big smirk from Cassy. "She''s not quite acknowledging her desires, is she?" "Yep!" A gap in the conversation. "But, that switch never goes on between you and Alice for the foreseeable future. Agreed?" said Cassy. Drayden checked her body language, again. ¡°Agreed!¡± In the early hours of the morning, Cassy woke up. She looked at Drayden''s face as he slumbered on, head only centimetres from hers. It is so nice having him as my partner. And, I suppose our mutual attraction to the wrong partners probably won''t cause problems. I hope. At this point, she saw the teddy bear that he had obtained. It was sitting on the bedhead. So she quietly took it, and, with a big smile, she placed it between Drayden''s face and his hand. How cute! Drayden squirmed in his sleep; then his hand closed over the bear. He rolled over to face the other way while cuddling the bear. What? Ah. Well, I never. He didn''t say anything about this before! I betcha, back on Earth, he used to sleep with a teddy bear. She started softly giggling. I''ll tell the others at our next meeting. In the morning, four Misfits were very late for breakfast. [1.40] Esther has a talk with Eleanor and Lena Eleanor: The next day, she had a thought. Maybe I should visit Lena and apologise or something. However, it was mostly her fault. Accordingly, midmorning found her at the dormitory again. Lena and Esther were present; apparently, all the rest were out. Lena was sitting beside the stove, which was not lit, gazing into space. While Esther was standing near the kitchen sink, looking as if she might do some cleaning up... Only there was nothing to clean. Is Lena just sitting around doing nothing? Eleanor kept her face neutral as she said hello to them. And exactly what is Esther doing? I guess she has no idea what to do with her free time. "Esther, how are you finding life in Manifestoria?" "Well, it''s very different from what I''m used to." "How so?" Esther picked up a clean plate and carefully put it back on the dish rack. "Nobody ever gives me anything thing to do, and when I try to clean up, both Aragon and the Misfits say no and then do it themselves." I suppose that figures. Grey-collar slaves never have any free time to themselves, by definition. "Here, draw up a chair and sit with Lena and me." Eleanor did as she was told, and the three ladies sat around the cold, unlit stove. Shit, what do I do now? I don''t particularly want to mention yesterday''s incident in front of Esther. Fortunately, for once, Esther came to the conversational rescue. "Ah, yesterday, Aragon said I should ask you about my question..." He probably said she might try asking us, but she took it to be a literal order. Anyway... "Yes?" said Eleanor. "Well, I asked him why the Misfit girls put up with the boys having sex with them." Eleanor twitched but managed to retain her perfect control. She noticed that Lena didn''t exactly look comfortable about the topic, either. "And he said something about girls can also have orgasms. But I don''t know what that means." Huh? What? She''s asking me why women enjoy sex with men. Various memories rapidly ran through her mind, kicking up dust all over her nicely controlled emotions. Oh, right, yeah, that explains a lot. This is unpleasant, can I go back to my house and think about this all? Her subconscious connected the dots and presented its conclusions to her. That she had never, ever, enjoyed sex with her husband. It didn''t appear to be within her to do so. Oh hell. I''m a dud when it comes to sex, aren''t I? Just like Lena. And it has taken me all this time, all of these years, to realise that. What a joke. It must have been suppressed because of all the horrors. She was lost in her ruminations - until Esther spoke again. "Ahh, Eleanor?" "Oh, sorry! I was thinking, err, thinking about the question." She looked at Lena and found she was looking back. Crap, Lena knows what I was thinking. As she should, since she is the same! Damn woman. Ah, forget that; I need to answer Esther''s question. It is part of my duty. "Well, let''s see... To start with, it is good of Aragon to pass the question on to us women; after all, it is definitely not for him, a man, to discuss this."Stolen story; please report. "It isn''t?" said Esther. Of course, it isn''t! Sigh. Anyway - what do I say? "Esther, surely you must have masturbated at some time in your life?" "I don''t think so. What does masturbate mean?" Lena is sitting there, and she''s beginning to look amused. Yeah, thanks for the help, Lena! Just keep total control. I don''t want Lena to have the satisfaction of seeing me blush like a little girl. "I suppose the best way of doing this is, err, for you to try masturbating yourself. Then you will know what it''s all about." "How do I do that?" Lena, don''t you dare laugh. This is deadly serious for this poor girl. Eleanor took a deep breath. "OK, first, you must be alone in your bedroom. Say, do you sleep in the same room as your daughter?" "Yes." "Right; in that case, you must ensure she is out and not likely to return for an hour or so. Anyway, you always make sure that the door is locked! OK?" "Err, yes?" "Then..." Eleanor explained the mechanics of masturbating from the women''s perspective. She was impressed that Lena, who obviously didn''t have the [Emotional Control] ability, could keep a perfectly straight face. Well, it did twitch a few times. She finished the explanation. Esther looked slightly sceptical. "So, it''s a bit like having a master have sex with me, except I sort of do it myself?" "Ahh, that''s right." "But, where does the orgasm come in?" Remember, she''s only ever been raped. "Perhaps you might need to practice a few times, but I assure you, something will eventually happen." Esther was still looking doubtful but willing to do her best. "OK. Evereena is out now with the Misfits, so I''ll go to my room and try it. Thank you, Eleanor, for your advice." She left, closing the kitchen door behind her. There was silence until they heard the faint sound of Esther''s bedroom door opening and closing. Lena: She couldn''t take it any longer. She put her hand over her mouth and started laughing. That was hilarious. Esther got the straight-laced king''s daughter to explain to her how to masturbate! Oh, by the Voice, that is so funny! Eleanor sat there and watched as Lena laughed out her amusement. After a while, Lena calmed down. "I''m so glad you appreciated my effort," said Eleanor. "And I''m so glad you could answer her question truthfully. The poor girl has a lot to learn, you must admit." "Yes, I know." "And, by the way, do you have a high score for [Emotional Control]?" said Lena. "Yes. In fact, it''s maxed out." "So, that explains why you are always so, shall we say, unexpressive. Frankly, it''s a bit off-putting; I can never tell what you are thinking." Lena got back a calm, level stare. "I don''t think it''s a good idea for me to express my strong emotions; it would upset everyone around me," said Eleanor. "That bad, hey? I guess we all have our problems." That''s right, both her hubby and baby were killed. So, I suppose she certainly does have her reasons. There wasn''t much more said between the two of them this time. Eleanor made her excuses, and she escaped for the day. Esther: Esther dutifully locked the bedroom door, took off her clothes and lay in her bed. She put a blanket over her to stop the slight chill. Now, according to Eleanor, I should... Again, dutifully, she followed Eleanor''s instructions to the letter. After a while, her breathing became deeper. This feels much better than when a master was having sex with me. Quite a bit better. Why couldn''t it have felt this good before? She was beginning to pant. Now, what was I supposed to do... That''s right, I''m supposed to think of something sexual... She thought of some of her past ''sexual partners'' - and dismissed them immediately. They were in no way enjoyable. She thought about Bronsen and Drayden. Nyah, they''re handsome but just not the slightest bit interesting. Finally, she thought of the most likely candidate, Aragon. After all, he wants to have sex with me. Let''s see, imagine him naked. With an erection. Now, she was definitely panting. And, that''s right, tail twisting? What if I imagine twisting my tail around Aragon''s? - - - She relaxed her entire body and thumped back onto the mattress. She was covered in sweat, and the sheets were damp. Her hyperventilating breathing slowed right down to something more like normal. As did her heartbeat. Oh, by the Voice, that was amazing! Wonderful! Is that what they mean by an orgasm? Is that what the Misfit girls experience when they have sex with their partners? Oh wow. No wonder they want it. Why did I never experience this before? Yeah, that''s what the Misfits and Aragon keep on referring to - the difference between rape and consensual sex. Now, I''m beginning to understand what the difference is. Having sex with the man of your choice. It must make the conditions just right to allow orgasms. With Aragon... Having calmed down, she recalled what she had just fantasised about. And went bright red with embarrassment. She clutched the blanket to her and rolled back and forth on her bed. This is so embarrassing! Oh, by the Voice, can I forget this? Please. No forgetfulness came. She curled up and cringed at the memories of what she had imagined she could be doing with Aragon. There is no way I will be telling Aragon anything about this! No way! She lay in bed, waiting for her body to return to normal. Ding! [Sexual Technique] ability has been granted, with an initial allotment of 1. It''s a good start, but you have a long way to go. She was shocked. Voice of the World granted abilities to slaves were few and not very high. And she had never heard of them being more than a bare announcement. The fact that she had received another ability, that for [Sexual Technique], blew her mind. And the Voice had made a comment! What''s more, it implied that she would be getting more points in the future. I''m definitely, absolutely, totally not saying anything about this to anybody anytime soon! Narrator: Considering the Misfits¡¯ initial [Sexual Technique] allotment for actual mutual sex was below one, why did Esther get such a relatively high number? Remember, rule two: It''s all bullshit. This effectively compelled System-san to get creative. It was no longer compelled to be rigidly rational in its actions concerning the Misfits and those related to them, The opportunity to be inventive was much appreciated. At least by System-san. As for the people affected, time will tell what they will come to think of it. [1.41] Aragon has a talk with his brother Aragon: That day, Aragon decided he could no longer put it off. He would go and pay his brother a social visit. He didn''t have anything against his brother - it was just that his brother tended to make him feel guilty about his life choices. They were now all in his brother''s living room. The brother, Jacob, was sitting on a sofa with his partner, Adrian, next to him. Aragon sat opposite them. "So, have you finally decided to come back and live in Manifestoria?" said Jacob. He never gives up on trying to ''reform'' me. It''s easy for him to commit to a stable life; he''s got Adrian. "Well, for the time being. After all, I am looking after Esther and Evereena." Both listeners leaned forward in interest. "So, you have finally found someone, haven''t you?" said Jacob. "I''m merely committed to looking after them until they can survive alone!" Jacob and Adrian looked at each other. Damn those knowing smirks they are giving each other! "Yeah, Esther does look a bit like Tanya, doesn''t she?" said Adrian. "That''s - purely coincidental." "Sure, sure," said Jacob. "And, have you bedded her yet?" said Adrian. "Of course not! How can I? She''s been a slave for years; she hasn''t a clue on how to conduct a consensual relationship," said Aragon. Another knowing smirk from Jacob. "So, you have thought such things through, haven''t you?" he said. "OK, OK, I admit, I am attracted to her. But, I made an extra vow to her that I would never seek to have a physical relationship with her until she was able to consent to it fully. Of course, The Voice of the World also had to go and make it 100%." "My, that is impressive. Our vows to each other only reached 30%," said Adrian. "Which isn''t bad; after all, that''s about average for couples," said Jacob. "Yeah, don''t tell me. I don''t know if Esther and I will become an item, but I get hit with a 100% strength vow." "Well, at least it isn''t a real couple''s commitment vow." said Jacob, "But just a commitment to not, in effect, rape her. Which you can''t object to, can you?" "No, I can''t. But that raises a little question I would like to ask you..." "Yes?" said Jacob. "Well, now, this is not something I would normally ask; it not being any of my business and all of that... But..."Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Aragon scratched his head and looked to the side. "Well, I''ve always just assumed it would be so... But, anyway, when you have sex, do you do the tail-twisting bit also?" Jacob and Adrian looked at each other in surprise. "Well, of course. I mean, why would you think otherwise?" said Jacob. "That''s what I thought. You see, even though Esther has been continually - raped - throughout her time as a slave, she didn''t have a clue about tail-twisting. So, I was trying to work it out. Maybe it isn''t as universal as I thought?" "Ah, right. We have been guards for the last five or more years, so we have had a few experiences that you haven''t. Like, for example, being the first point of contact for a couple of rape victims. And, let us say, if it''s rape, the tail-twisting doesn''t work. The rapist doesn''t even try it." said Jacob. "Ah, is that so." "So I take it you must have been having some interesting talks with Esther?" said Adrian. "Ah, yes, that is, she has been asking me some interesting, not to mention hard-to-answer questions. I''ve fobbed the most sensitive ones off to Eleanor or Lena," said Aragon. "I see," said Jacob. "By the way, what happened in those rape cases?" said Aragon. "Let''s see, that''s right, in one case, it was some sleazy bloke with connections to nobility. Apparently, there was pressure exerted, and he managed to weasel out of taking any responsibility," said Jacob. "Although, there were also certain other kinds of pressure exerted, and that bloke decided it would be best if he decamped our fine country," said Adrian. Jacob and Adrian shared a smirk. I see; I had better not ask exactly who exerted that pressure. "And that other rapist?" "Oh, he was not only a low-life but also somebody with no support group or connections. So he ended up being publicly executed," said Jacob. "But he definitely did do the rape?" said Aragon. "Definitely!" said Adrian. "Well, then, he deserved his hanging," said Aragon. "Actually, it wasn''t a hanging. By then, the old king was getting creative with his capital punishments. All executions were changed to be by garroting." "Isn''t that a bit on the cruel side?" said Aragon, "I mean, kill them if you have to, but there''s no need to add too much extra suffering." "You know what the old king was like," said Jacob. "Ah, yes. Just one more thing to dislike about him." "Along with all of the other things we all have to dislike the king about..." said Adrian. "Yeah, I bet you have no objection to our old king dying like that..." said Jacob. There was a somewhat strained silence here, with Jacob and Adrian looking intently at Aragon. Aragon eventually turned his face away and said, "That''s for sure." Say nothing and let them move the conversation on to something else. Fortunately, Jacob did just that. "Has Jane informed you about some of the results of their debriefing of Esther and Evereena?" "Ah, no?" "The most interesting little tidbit they got is that the slave emperor has made it an Absolute Order that women can never be any more than grey-collar slaves." "Really? Why would he make such a stupid order? And an Absolute one at that. If he had made it a Standard Order, then a future emperor could change it, but an Absolute Order means they are stuck with it in perpetuity." "Who knows? Maybe he was dropped on the head as a baby by the wet nurse, and now he hates all women?" said Adrian. "Well, being brought up by slaves, I don''t suppose his upbringing was all that crash hot," said Jacob. "That brings up the topic: What is the current educated guess about the slaver''s birth replacement rate?" said Aragon. "Ah, that. Currently, they think it has gone slightly negative, meaning they have to keep conquering people to increase their numbers. However, remember, nobody can be sure. The Slaver Emperor is certainly not telling us." said Jacob. There was more catch-up conversation, and then Jacob casually commented. "Oh, by the way, Teresca eventually married someone and had a baby. Since her hubby had some connection to royalty, they all moved away when the rest of the royalty moved." "Oh. Well, that is good to know. And I mean that. I might have felt just a little guilty about ending the relationship, so I''m glad she found someone else." said Aragon. "Yep, she seemed perfectly happy with her new family," said Adrian. Later, when walking home, Aragon recalled his first, and so far only, affair. Yeah, it was unfair to her. She had to compete against the affection of some girl who was dead and long gone. But I couldn''t get Tanya''s image out of my mind. But what about now? Even if Esther decides to accept me, can I, even now, overcome my obsession with Tanya? He arrived back at the dormitory, still undecided. [1.42] Kalitran has a talk with the treasurer The Treasurer: The Treasurer was taking a break from adding up numbers and allocating resources and was doing some thinking. So, I wonder who killed the king? I must say they did a good job. There were no clues or leads, almost as if it was an accident. No way! He spent a relaxing ten minutes going through the names of a dozen or so people who all had sufficient motivation to kill him. Oh well, it''s not as if I care all that much. The most important question is, who will be the next king? Apart from Eleanor and Kalitran, nobody else has sufficient royal blood in them to qualify. Of course, someone else can step up and take the reins... Too risky. They could do anything, and they would probably ignore my advice completely. Or Eleanor might decide it''s time for a Queen. But, really, has she got the right attitude? She spends her time getting to know the commoners and, occasionally, looking after them, which is a thankless task. There''s only one of her and lots of them; if you solve one problem, ten more will crop up. It''s better to be tough and let them sort themselves out. The ones that survive will be the stronger for it. So that leaves Kalitran. He certainly believes in tough love. Hmm, he probably takes it a bit far, but. On the other hand, I can probably lead him in the correct direction without him quite realising that I am leading him. After all, I''ve been Treasurer for a long time; anyone who is sensible will conclude that listening to my advice will be for the best. Sounds good. I can keep on guiding the king, while the king is the one to stand up in front of the people and give the orders. It''s always best not to attract attention to oneself. Of course, this led him to the question: how was he to achieve this goal?A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. He carefully made his plans. Consequently, two days later, Kalitran showed up at his office. He was waving a piece of paper with various numbers on it. "Ah, sorry to interrupt you, Treasurer, but I think this evaluation of my properties is a little off..." he said. It sure is. And since I overstated it, it implies that you would need to pay more tax. His coming as soon as possible to discuss this little matter was assured. "Sorry? What do you mean..." After ten minutes of intense discussion, "Ah, right, sorry. I didn''t realise that you didn''t own the middle property. I''ll get a new evaluation written as soon as possible. Meanwhile, would you like to join me with a glass of wine? The previous king laid in quite a cellar, and it would be a shame to let it all go to waste." Yep, he''s taken the bait. He thinks I''m trying to appease him by bribing him with fine wine. They both mellowed out, sampling the wine. He hasn''t even realised I''ve only sipped mine while he has drunk two glasses already. "It''s a bit of a worry, what with us being without a king to lead us." said the Treasurer. "Yes, it is!" said Kalitran, waving his free hand around to emphasise the point. "We need a strong leader willing to set a firm example." said the Treasurer. Platitudes, meaningless platitudes. But he''s taking the bait. "We certainly do! If I were the king, I wouldn''t act like the old one! He was a doddering, senile old man by the time he carked it. He just let things slide. Never set a firm example, never maintained standards." "Yes, indeed, how true. And, of course, there were those incidents twelve years ago..." I need to be confident about his opinions about certain things. Kalitran shuddered. "By the Voice, the old king was a complete fool to do that. I mean, it might have allowed him to win that particular fight, but the costs! He probably thought he was mentally strong enough to survive it unscathed!" "Ah, but any sensible man knows that that is merely delusional fantasy." said the Treasurer. "I agree! I agree!" said Kalitran as he helped himself to another glass. "Whereas I would have done things completely differently!" Kalitran spent twenty minutes explaining precisely how he would have saved the day. Hmm, on the one hand, his ideas seem reasonable. On the other hand, things never work out as planned. Sigh. I suppose I will have to go for the best option available. "Say, this is only a suggestion and all of that, but perhaps you should think about being the next king?" said the Treasurer, as he diffidently offered the option, as if it was just an afterthought. "I could? I mean, yes, that is an idea!" said Kalitran. He''s pretending to have only thought of it - stupid git. I''ll lead him gently on. "I mean, it''s not for me to decide such things... However, all the people who used to decide such things fled. So, maybe nothing can stop you from saying that you are the king''s nephew and have the right to the throne?" "Of course! There is nothing - err, what about the old king''s daughter?" "Ahh, but do you honestly think she is suitable for such a demanding position?" "Of course not!" Four glasses of wine, and he''s hooked. All that is needed now is to work out the details. Kalitran wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "After all, she''s a big softy. She''ll never be able to execute people if required!" Err, sorry? Will that be one of the details? "The king is a father figure to his people! And as such, discipline must be occasionally handed out. But, of course, not too much, only enough to maintain their obedience to his orders." Sure, sure. Whatever. And, just like that, Kalitran was introduced as the soon-to-be new king. The Treasurer and Kalitran spent a bit of time arranging the details, and then they set the date for the Coronation. [1.43] The day before the coronation Eleanor: In the morning of the day before the coronation, Eleanor had been in her practice room in her little residence. At one stage, when she was young, she consciously decided to practice some martial arts for self-defence and exercise. The art she had chosen was knife throwing. Knives were small and didn''t require high strength - just the thing for a lady with no high-strength attributes. And, by practising diligently for a year or so, she had gained the [Bonded Throwing Knife] ability. This was relatively rare; most people went for a sword. She stood at one end of the room in a neutral stance. At the other end was a target square. She breathed easily, being careful to maintain a casual stance - In a blur, she flicked her hand. A throwing knife magically appeared in it and sped towards the target. As soon as it landed, it disappeared and reappeared in her hand to be thrown again. She had a brief look at the two new gouges in the target. Hmm, not bad; both are only centimetres from the bull''s eye. She repeated the process. After a while, she moved on to callisthenics and weight lifting. She practised in secret; after all, there was no need to let anybody who might become her enemy know just how capable she was, was there? Afterwards, she took a bath and consulted her status. [Bonded Knife] throwing, now at 51. Not bad, not bad at all. Strength is still at 9. It''ll probably stay there; I''m not serious about increasing it. It''s certainly notable that the Misfits have managed to max it out. And, of course, [Emotional Control] is at 100. Keep it on, never turn it off, and I''ll be all right. So, Kalitran, the king''s nephew, has decided to be king, has he? And nobody complained. Well, I guess nobody would ever think about me being Queen. I''m not even sure I would want to be. She decided to think about something else. Like the Misfits. And the slaves. And that woman, Lena. Since our ever-so-majestic kingdom is splurging with a public party, how about I invite myself to join their group? I can have some fun by needling that Lena again. She finished her breakfast and then consulted her list of duties. Hmm, I should check up on Mrs Kachraine to make sure she is taking her medicine. And then there are two new babies. I need to see that the new mothers are coping well. There was just a trace of a frown on her face before she controlled it. If only the new mothers would stop trying to get me to cuddle the babies! She wasn''t asked to do this social outreach work, and nobody in the castle cared one way or the other. Nonetheless, Eleanor had decided to adopt this duty as her own. It gave her something to do. After all, the Treasurer was kind enough to pay her a small pension, so she might as well return something to her society. Alice: That afternoon, there was a training session for the Misfits. Aragon and Jane were the instructors, and the area just outside the dormitory was the designated training area. The Misfits might have felt a tad self-conscious since everyone else had decided they might as well watch. That is Lena with a child on either side of her, Esther and her daughter, and Eleanor. Eleanor had just arrived and had seated herself on the bench next to Becky. Oh, there were also two extra guards standing in opposite corners. By now, they were mostly ignored by the Misfits. "Hello, Lena. It is certainly nice to have the free time to enjoy a bit of spectating, isn''t it?" said Eleanor. "Indeed, it is nice of you to spare some time to keep us company," said Lena. With her enhanced perception, Alice could hear this. It''s nice that Lena and Eleanor appear to be getting along well with each other. At least, I think they are. "OK, kids, stand in a straight line; that''s right, now materialise your swords. You might be amazingly fast and strong, but your technique leaves much to be desired. So, for a start, Aragon, if you will, show us the basics..." said Jane. They went through the forms. Downstroke, side stroke, lunge. Twenty times each. This is getting a bit boring. And Jane doesn''t look like she thinks highly of our forms. Why can''t System-san download the techniques directly to our brains? Ding! This System has already downloaded a lot into your heads. How do you think you managed to survive in the wilderness? Nevertheless, you do need to learn something by yourselves! Just be thankful that once one of you knows something, the others automatically understand it, too. Oh, right. It looks like the others must have been thinking the same things. Jane noticed that all four teenagers had stopped and appeared to be thinking things through. "Hey, what''s the break for?" "System-san, err, I mean, The Voice of the World, has explained why we can''t rely on it to teach us all this technique," said Alice. "Naturally, you can''t rely on it for everything... Wait, The Voice of the World told you that directly?" said Jane. It''s incredible how all the adults look so shocked whenever we tell them about any communication we have from System-san. "Anyway, can you face each other in two pairs?" said Jane, "And we will practice some basic attacks and defences, using no more than the basic movements we have just been practising." Alice smiled at Drayden, so they naturally ended up in a pair. Next to them were Cassy and Bronsen. Then Alice had a ''bright idea''. "Hey! If once one of us learns something, then we all automatically learn it, then why bother with all four of us training simultaneously?" Jane didn''t look all that happy at that, even after the message from System-san was explained to her. "Tsk, tsk. You still need to have at least one of you learn it, and you also need to have two of you for practice. And if all of you are trying to learn something simultaneously, you can all learn four slightly different things simultaneously. So, no excuses!" Jane gestured to Aragon, and they squared off. "We will demonstrate the basic attack..." After an hour or so: Isn''t this enough? And Drayden is also losing interest. Cassy looks totally fed up with it. Say, is Bronsen still committed? I suppose he always was the athletic type. Aww, geeze... "OK, OK, I get the message! Let''s have a break," said Jane. Jane had a brief discussion with Aragon and then spoke to the group. "Maybe there is something to that simultaneous learning thing you somehow get from your System-san. Since it appears that you all have noticeably improved, and all equally, but don''t let that go to your heads! We will be having these training sessions regularly from now on!" "Yes, Captain Jane," said Alice. Jane: Oh, bloody hell. All the discipline of a wet towel. And I will have to tell Aragon in private that he is not allowed to smirk like that in the future. At least not where I can see it. But they certainly are powerful and fast. Not that I''m the slightest bit jealous, of course! So they all sat down in a rough circle. After a brief awkward silence, Cassy decided to jump in and start something. "Say, Jane, this little country sure is nice towards us Misfits, what with giving us somewhere to live and plenty of food - but why are you so generous to us? I mean, you don''t know about our attitudes or motivations." You mean, apart from the fact that you all are incredibly naive and innocent, not to mention plain weird, which we can pick up by just looking at you? "In actual fact, I do know a fair bit about you. While I don''t advertise the fact, it is no great secret that I have one of the rarer abilities - I can tell if someone is telling the truth. It''s not perfect, but if I''m at a normal speaking distance and looking at the person, I can tell if they are lying; I can also tell if they have malicious or benign designs against me or others. It even works against perfect psychopaths, those who have no conscience whatsoever."If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Ah! So that''s why you were the one to query us when we first arrived!" said Cassy. "That''s right. It was easy to conclude that you weren''t up to no good. Of course, you were, and still are, a bit of a headache." said Jane. "Oh, sorry." "Don''t worry about it. It''s just part of my job." Drayden was looking interested. "Say, isn''t your ability handy in criminal trials? You can just read each person and say which is the guilty party. Or innocent party, as the case may be." Yeah, sure, sure. Jane looked sour. "Actually, no, not really." "Why not? If I were in charge, I would love to have some ability to tell the criminals from the good guys!" said Alice. Why should I say anything more about this? But then, they did make a very public statement about ending slavery. They have painted a bullseye on their backs and taunted the salver emperor to come and get them. So, OK, maybe I can be a bit more forthright than usual. Now, how can I say this without coming over as too bitter? "Well, now, let''s say you were in charge. And, purely for the sake of the argument, let''s say that you were one of the criminals... Do you see a possible problem?" Four Misfits ran this hypothetical through their heads. They didn''t seem to be liking what the results were saying. "Soooo, you never were called upon to help out trails?" said Alice. Sigh of exasperation from Jane. "Of course I was. Back half a decade or so, when I managed to develop the ability enough to be useful. I even helped prosecute a little sleazy rapist." He ended up being publicly garroted, which is a fucking awful way to die, but I don''t think I''ll say that. "And then there was the next trail of another rapist, who I said was also definitely guilty. But guess what? Family ties connected him to the nobility. And that particular bunch of nobility was more worried about maintaining their perceived superiority than about the suffering of his victims." A shocked silence from the Misfits. "So I never again received an invitation to the courthouse. Of course, this coincided with the nobility gradually fleeing the country. By now, there ain''t much nobility left to object to me, but on the other hand, there''s not much call for my services anyway." "Ah, but wait a minute! Wouldn''t you also be a good way of testing if the new king is dedicated to helping the country or if he''s only in it for his own gains?" said Drayden. Doesn''t he look so smug with his proposal. Aragon laughed out loud. "Sure, it would be. But... if the new king is not dedicated, why would he call upon Jane? And, even if he was, you are still left with the question of whether or not Jane is being truthful." he said. Eleanor cleared her throat. "Ah, if I may point out, the standard way for us to deal with that situation is for the king - or, for that matter, anyone in an official position - to make a public vow to the Voice of the World," she said. "Ah, of course!" said Drayden. "So, tomorrow, the new king will make a public vow stating he will do his best for his country during his reign?" Aragon, Eleanor and Jane exchanged a three-way glance. After a while, Jane said, "That is possible, but I wouldn''t bet upon it." "Oh. OK. By the way, did the old king make a public vow?" said Drayden. Eleanor looked away. Aragon and Jane looked at each other. Then Aragon volunteered to answer. "No, he didn''t." With that short, emphatic statement, the Misfits appeared to run out of questions for the current topic. The Misfits: Later, after their meal and helping Aragon clean up, the Misfits had another meeting. They were sitting on their sofas facing each other in their usual order. "Has anyone noticed that Eleanor doesn''t live in the so-called palace? If she''s the old king''s daughter, wouldn''t she still live at home? After all, it''s got plenty of rooms." said Alice. "Who knows? Maybe she didn''t get along with her father," said Cassy. "Well, are we going to ask her at the next opportune moment?" said Drayden. "Why not? If she doesn''t want to tell us, she can fob us off," said Bronsen. "And, let''s see... Ah, notice that Becky and Mason are getting along much better with Lena?" said Cassy. "Yes, they''re cute when they smile, aren''t they?" said Bronsen, "Mason reminds me of my little brother... in fact, I think he is probably a little on the slow side, too." "Well, my favourite is Becky - after all, she is a similar age to my sister," said Cassy. After this, they hesitated. They knew another topic needed to be discussed but were reluctant to initiate it. "OK, let''s stop beating about the bush. These vows... It appears that we are unwilling to make exclusive couple vows with our partners - with good reason, of course! After all, these vows appear quite powerful, especially with System-san determined to give all of our vows the full 100% treatment. And we don''t know the full implications..." said Alice. "Of course!" said the others. "Ah, anyway, but what about we make a four-way vow? After all, it''s what we had made before we knew about System-san," she said. "I think that could be a good idea." said Cassy, "Let''s fully commit to our ridiculous terms of agreement; after all, we sort of have already, what with our shared System Status screens and all of that." "Ah, yes, back then when we were all so young and innocent..." said Bronsen. He was promptly whacked across the face by Cassy''s tail. "Excuse me, but as far as I''m concerned, I''m still young and in-, err, mostly innocent?" she said. Drayden couldn''t help giggling. "Of course. Also, I can''t quite remember what all of the conditions were - something about being exactly equal and in a perfectly balanced four-way group affair, and, err, ah, of course! No group sex!" said Drayden. "Not to mention no girl-on-girl love, sadly," said Bronsen. "Well, that''s fair; if we can''t have any Boy''s Love, then you can''t have any Girl''s Love," said Cassy. "Anyway!" said Alice, raising her voice a little. "So perhaps we can have a private vow between all four of us? Say something to the effect that we remain faithful to each other and never stray outside our little foursome." She stopped, then continued with a slightly lower voice. "Of course, we remain faithful in our couples, right?" Three yeses from the others. "So there''s no real need to make additional explicit vows for that, is there?" said Alice. Three noes from the others. "And, since it appears that System-san has already restricted our sexuality from ever going outside our group, then there should be no danger in making a four-way vow, is there?" "No..." said the three others. However, Bronsen did raise a little quibble. "If System-san is already protecting our foursome, then perhaps there is no need for extra vows?" "Yeah, maybe, but, you know, I just like to have the extra security of an explicit vow - after all, we are in a bizarre world where we don''t belong. We''ve only got ourselves to remind us of home, so every little bit surely helps." They thought this over, and no one could raise any further objections. However, Drayden thought of another question. "Do normal Felixians make vows when they form couples, I wonder?" Ding! They certainly do! They merely need to make a vow simultaneously while in each other''s company, and it is treated as a combined vow. Such combined vows don''t even need to be romantically based. "You know, it''s certainly nice having System-san talking directly to us. Apparently, the normal population doesn''t get that same level of service," said Drayden. So they did their four-way handshake and eventually got back the notification: Ding! The Misfits have made a private vow just to each other, at 100%: To always remain sexually and romantically faithful to each other and to never, ever, stray beyond their foursome. "That''s the way to go!" said Cassy. Then she stopped, fidgeted around a bit, and eventually added, "I''ve already discussed this with Drayden, but you know how I am terrified of being raped?" Nods of affirmation from the others. "And, of course, those blasted slave collar horrors are effectively sex slave collars..." She looked down at her lap, avoiding everyone''s eyes. "Well, anyway, what I would like is a vow from, well, everyone willing to do so, saying you will kill me as soon as possible if someone gets a slave collar on me. But only after the slave collar is on, of course!" There was an intense, grave silence before Drayden spoke up. "I''ve already agreed to that, so I''m happy - well, maybe that''s not the correct word, but anyway - I''m willing to make that vow." There was more weighty silence, and then Alice spoke up. "Considering that those horrible collars cannot come off and that once they''re on our lives as independent people are over, and, well, there is also the little fact that I don''t want to be also raped, then I can see the attraction of ending it immediately, instead of spending the rest of my life in the hell of being raped whenever, and being worked to death, all for someone else''s advantage." She took a breath. "So, I would also like to be covered by such a vow." They listened to the wind-blown branches of a tree outside, tapping on the window. The two boys looked at each other. "Hmm, going from Esther''s not-very-detailed descriptions and connecting up the dots myself, it does appear to be a horrible way to live. And, I would have to say I don''t want to be also raped," said Bronsen. "Yeah. Right. I agree. So, shall we make another four-way vow?" said Drayden. "Does anyone want to think it over for a while?" said Cassy. "Nyah, get it over and done with," said Alice. "OK," said Cassy. Ding! The Misfits have made a private vow to each other, at 100%: If any of you are enslaved, the others will do their best to kill you as soon as possible. "Kind of gruesome, isn''t it?" said Bronsen. "Yeah. Hey, I just had the thought - you know how those people at the markets seem to be interested in our bodies but lose all interest as soon as they get close enough to us?" said Drayden. "Oh, shit! Does that mean we can''t be raped after all? So there was no need for that vow?" said Cassy. "Ah, not so fast there. Perhaps we are not able to be raped, but we can still be abused. Not to mention there''s the spend-one''s-whole-life-as-a-slave thing." said Alice. Cassy relaxed. "Yep, that''s right. The vow is still needed." A snort of amusement from Bronsen. "Not that it makes any difference now." Lena: At the same time, Lena and Eleanor were the last in the kitchen room. Evereena and Esther had volunteered to put Lena''s two children to bed all by themselves. "It''s nice that those children are slowly making connections to you and the others, isn''t it?" said Eleanor. "Yes, it is indeed. But, ahh, you seem to be a bit reluctant to interact with them?" said Lena. Lena got back a calm, steady gaze. Eventually, Eleanor said, "Well, my baby died in quite traumatic circumstances, you know. So I have avoided forming any bonds with other children ever since." Just what did happen back then? And that bloody [Emotional Control], she must have it set to the maximum. I can''t tell a thing from her expression. It might not be wise to ask just yet. "Sorry, I don''t mean to bring up any painful feelings." Like hell, I do want to bring up at least something. "So, I guess you might have had a strong exclusive vow with your husband? Which explains why you don¡¯t seem to have formed a relationship with anyone since then?" said Lena. Eleanor gave all the appearances of thinking this over carefully. "Well, actually, we tried to make a mutual vow, but the Voice of the World rejected it." she said, "My husband was distraught at that." Say, were you very upset at that? But before Lena could think of anything to say, Eleanor continued. "And, I guess you and your husband never even tried to make a vow?" "Ah, yes. I tentatively proposed it at one stage, but he said we should wait a little. And, of course, as time went on... Well, it never happened." There was a contemplative silence, and then Eleanor spoke up. "Did you know that Aragon''s brother has a 30% couple''s vow with his partner? You know, Jacob and Adrian." "Oh, that''s right, they are sometimes on guard duty for the Misfits. So, they''re an item?" "Have been for years," said Eleanor. "Hmm, I did wonder... And, a 30% committment? That means they could separate and find someone else, but it will be tough and take several years." "That''s right. It''s pretty strong, but nothing like these ridiculous 100% commitments the Misfits tend to go for!" "Not just the Misfits, but, it appears, everyone connected to the Misfits. Like Aragon! And, well, me." said Lena. They both laughed. "I''m hoping I don''t get straddled with some over-the-top 100% vow!" said Eleanor. "Ha! If the current antics of the Misfits are anything to go by, you will probably be hit with a doozy of a one! Or, maybe, half a dozen!" said Lena. "I am sure you will look forward to the schadenfreude," said Eleanor. "I shall be sure to make time for it in my appointments calendar." On that note, Eleanor left the building, and Lena went to her bedroom. She found Becky and Mason asleep in their beds, cuddling their stuffed toys. Lena carefully shuffled to her bed (there wasn''t much space left over with three beds in the room), changed and wrapped her blankets around her. All in all, I think it would be a good idea to get Eleanor involved with my two children. It''ll do her good! [1.44] Manifestorians New King Eleanor: It was now the occasion of the new King''s coronation. It was held in the town square. Usually, the square, an expanse of grass surrounded by a few trees, was either empty or used for the markets. But, today, the elevated stage on one side was occupied by the few remaining nobles, a smattering of wealthy merchants, a handful of senior guards (including Jane), plus a few lowly servants and ushers. Plus, of course, the Treasurer and the to-be new King. Even Eleanor was up there on the stage, in the row with the other nobles. She wasn''t impressed about being press-ganged into sitting in the public view. The Treasurer and Kalitran merely want me to add more gravitas to the proceedings. And, probably, to emphasise that I don''t want to be the Queen. Most of the town''s occupants were packed into the square and overflowing into the surrounding streets. By dint of Eleanor''s influence, the Misfits and the others were in a relatively prestigious position, not too far from the stage. Although Aragon wasn''t available, he was on crowd control duty. The majordomo, with a deep voice, called out for silence. When a suitable hush had descended upon the throng, the Treasurer made a short speech, introducing Kalitran. Eleanor also made a short speech. Mere platitudes, nicely spoken. I hope the food after this is worthwhile. She got some enthusiastic applause. Then, the majordomo placed the crown on Kalitran''s head and pronounced him King. There was more applause from the crowd. Then, like a mob of school children escaping from their classrooms at the end of the day, the dignitaries on the platform all vacated it. The platform wasn¡¯t left empty, for it was now the turn of the entertainers to do their stuff. The tavern opened its doors for free beer, and those hired to do the catering started to set out the food. It was party time! Lena: Lena was sitting on the ground, like everybody else. To her left was Mason, leaning against her, looking somewhat fearful of all the crowds. To her right was Becky, holding Lena''s hand. She was busy looking around at all the people without showing much anxiety.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. At least my kids are behaving themselves. That wasn''t much of a coronation. I thought they would be much more extravagant. I guess all the important people have left this dump at the end of nowhere. Eleanor had come down and sought out the group when all dignitaries had vacated the stage. "Say, Eleanor, was the old king''s coronation like this?" said Lena as Eleanor sat down on the other side of Mason. Eleanor sniffed in disdain. "Nothing like this. I was twelve when he was crowned. There were three whole days of ceremonies and parades, the coronation took up all of the daylight hours of the next day, and the partying and drunken debauchery lasted the entire night and most of the next day. Things only got back to normal after another two days. " "So, the mighty empire has crumbled to almost nothing, hey?" "Yeah. And it will be nothing when the slavers sweep through, eventually. Nonetheless, I was bored out of my brain the entire time." "But not this time?" "Of course not! It was too short to be boring. Plus, I have much better company this time!" said Eleanor. Lena leant her head towards Mason. "There you are, Mason. Eleanor regards you as much better company!" Mason looked puzzled, looking between Lena and Eleanor. "Of course you are, sweetie," said Eleanor, briefly stroking Mason''s head. Ha ha! I''ve got her interacting directly with Mason. Now, to do the same for Becky. "Say, Eleanor, could you take Becky and get us four some food? I''ll look after Mason, and the Misfits have already agreed to look after themselves, Esther, and Evereena." Eleanor didn''t quibble, and soon she, plus the others, returned with a heap of food. The Treasurer: Straight after the coronation, the Treasurer, Kalitran and a few top guards returned to the palace. Once there, Kalitran took the crown off his head. "This thing is bloody heavy; what is it, solid gold?" "Actually, sire, it''s merely gold-plated. Shall I put it back into its display cabinet?" "Yes, do so. Then bring some tea to the King''s office." When the Treasurer arrived at the office with a tray containing a pot of tea, a teacup, a saucer, and snacks, Kalitran was already hard at work. Without any fuss, he had claimed the previously not much-used office has his own. He was sitting in the King''s comfy chair at the King''s work desk and reading through the first papers he had taken from the IN box. "Ah, thanks," said Kalitran as he poured himself a cup of tea. He wrote some comments on the paper, signed it, and handed it to the Treasurer. "Here, you might as well take this now. It''s a good idea, so can you hand it to the person dealing with it?" "Yes sire." The Treasurer walked out of the room, softly closing the door. Good, good. He''s not shirking the work. What a change from the previous King! Narrator: Meanwhile, somewhere in crowded streets, a low life acted in a heinous way. Being stupid as well, he was rapidly caught. The guards shoved him into one of the cells in the castle''s dungeon. Not being too pleased with his actions, they may have roughed him up just a little. Fortunately, Captain Jane was on hand and managed to prevent the situation from getting completely out of hand. By the following day, another sheet of paper reporting the crime ended up in the King''s IN box. [1.45] The day after the coronation The Misfits: The day after the coronation, the Misfits and Aragon cleaned after the midday meal. Then, they discussed what to do next. "Guess what? Captain Jane said we didn''t have to do any training today!" said Bronsen, "Since she''s busy with other things." There was a cheer from the three other Misfits. "But, what do we do?" said Alice, looking hopefully at Bronsen and Drayden. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about those two boys, but I think we can go to our club room - wait, it¡¯s far too early to do that,¡± said Cassy, ¡°I know! Has anyone else noticed that somebody has delivered a box of children''s books?" She pointed to a box sitting in one corner of the kitchen. ¡°Bronsen and I can read a story to Mason! Or Becky. Ah, Drayden and Alice can also read stories, of course!¡± said Cassy. Alice looked at Cassy and might have been going to say something, but Drayden got in first. "So, can we read the local language?" said Drayden. "Of course, we''ve been happily reading the road signs and shop front display signs; a book is hopefully just as easy," said Bronsen. He opened the box, grabbed a book, and began flipping through it. "Yep, no problems! This book is about a greedy caterpillar who decided, when it hatched from its pupae, to fly up to the sun and eat it." He skimmed through to the end. "Kind of a weird ending, though. Never mind!" he said, "Here, Evereena, have you read this?" Evereena looked from the book to his face and back again. She didn''t look all that happy. She looked at her mother. "Well, I can read, but my master told me not to teach anyone to read until he told me to, and he never did..." said Esther. "Right, everyone. How about the Misfits teach Evereena to read? And Mason and Becky," said Cassy, "Are you all on board with that?" So four teenagers, plus Evereena, Lena and her two children, retreated to one of the unused bedrooms. Alice got a piece of paper, wrote ''Classroom'' on it, and pinned it to the outside of the door. "OK, kids! Let''s start with the alphabet!" said Cassy. ¡°By the way, how can we understand the local language, anyway? Surely it isn''t straight English?¡± said Drayden. Esther: Aragon and Esther were alone for the first time since Esther had asked those questions. Eleanor wasn''t present; she was helping sort the meagre estate of some old lady who had recently died. I hope he doesn''t ask about those questions I had. Fortunately, he made light conversation about other topics. "Those Misfits certainly have a lot of energy, don''t they?" he said. He flicked his tail from side to side, emphasizing his point. "Ah, yes." She watched his tail. She started going red in the face. Think about something else! "Y-yes! I can read but haven''t practised much since I was enslaved, so I''m sure the Misfits will be the best teachers for my Evereena." "She''s in good hands; I''m sure there will be no problems," said Aragon. In good hands... I''m sure I''ll have no problems with being in his hands... Oh shit. "I, err, I think I''ll retire to my room; I''m a bit tired," she said as she made her escape. Outside, she briefly listened to the sounds of instruction from the classroom before going to her room. I don''t think they will be out any time soon, so - She locked the door. Aragon: He watched her disappear out of the door. Say, was she acting slightly embarrassed? He felt his face flushing. So, does that mean I have a chance after all? With these ridiculous 100% vows that The Voice of the World grants everyone with any connection to the Misfits, will that mean that any couple''s vow I share with Esther will be 100%? In other words, for life. I need to think this over very, very carefully. He decided to report for duty to Captain Jane. Maybe she might have something to keep him occupied and help him keep his mind off certain topics. As it turned out, she did have a few things for him to do. The Treasurer: At about the same time that day, the Treasurer paid the first of many visits to the King''s office. Ah, a soothing sight for my eyes, the King diligently getting stuck into a mountain of work. I knew there was some reason why I never wanted to be King myself. Years and years ago, when the Treasurer started working for the King before the last King, there were special butlers and maids whose only duty was to deliver morning, noon and afternoon snacks to the King. Alas, all of that pomp was ancient history. The Treasurer had passed by the kitchen and picked up the serving tray with the snacks and tea. This is carefully placed onto the King''s desk. "Ah, the Treasurer," said Kalitran, only briefly glancing up from his piece of paper, "I guess you have heard the latest news?" "The tragedy last night?" "That''s right. I didn''t think I would be given such a lucky break so soon!" said Kalitran. Lucky? How on the Ringworld can that be regarded as lucky? The Treasured remained silent, only lifting his eyebrows in a query. The King put the latest piece of paper into the OUT box. "By the Voice, this is tedious work." He stretched and leaned back on his chair, looking at the Treasurer as if he were a small child who didn''t know what was happening. "Did you notice that Eleanor woman got a bigger round of applause yesterday than I did?" said the King. I thought the rounds of applause were the same. In fact, I thought they were standard perfunctory bursts of clapping produced by people bored by the proceedings and impatiently waiting for the food. "Err, I didn''t notice anything amiss, my sire." "Well, I did. She is always swanning around the place, saying hello to the common people, building up her popularity. But what use is popularity? The King can''t rule by being popular! He must gain the respect of his people by demonstrating the ability to make the correct choices regarding how the country should act! They must learn to follow his lead, even if what he orders is sometimes hard to follow!" Kalitran was getting a bit carried away here and was thumping the desk win cadence with his speech. Yeah, sure, sure. Whatever suits your style. "Ah, yes, sire." said the Treasurer. "And, if sometimes the King has to order someone''s death, then the people must learn to obey. Fortunately, the common people are only truly invested in their friends, family, and themselves. They will follow orders if they think they won''t be affected." Where is this going? "I, err, don''t understand, sire." "Of course not! You''re just the Treasurer. But think, this piece of shit-" Here, Kalitran picked up a piece of paper that he had put aside.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "Is the perfect opportunity for me to order a very public execution. To get the people and the guards used to following my orders. And no one, absolutely no one, will raise the slightest defence for this shit." "Of course, sire." "And then, and then! I can slowly get them used to executing more people who are nowhere near as guilty as this. Eventually, if I do it right, I can execute an innocent man! And by then, they will be so thoroughly conditioned to obey my command that they will carry it out. And, every time the guards carry out an unwarranted execution, every time the public watches an innocent man being garroted, well, that will reinforce my rule! They will, step by step, start relying on me to make their moral choices. And if they start to feel uneasy, I will offer to absolve them of their concerns. They can relax and concentrate on their lives, knowing I am the most suitable person to deal with them." In other words, you want to rule with absolute power, whether they like it or not. That doesn''t differ much from being the slave emperor, does it? Well, whatever. As long as it works. "Yes sire. I can see what you mean now." "Good, good. Here, man, I''ve written out the details." Kalitran handed over his handwritten notes and the official report about the incident. The Treasurer dutifully took them and set out to implement them. Aragon: Aragon had reported to Jane. She looked up from her desk with a slight amount of surprise. "You''re not on duty today... Let me guess, you didn''t have anything else to do, and you found the company of your companions a bit - intense - shall we say?" Shit, just how far does her ability extend? "I''m sure I get along very well with all the others, captain." "I''m sure you do, what with those 100% vows encouraging you." Is the captain now smirking back at me? "But, anyway, I''ve just received orders from our esteemed new King. We need to make some preparations, and since you''re free, you can start them." After hearing out the orders, Aragon went off to implement them. I should have stayed in the dormitory. Misfits: They had already gotten into a routine for their daily lives; after the evening meal, they all assembled in their club room for an hour or so before going off to their bedrooms. "So, this King didn''t make a vow. Not even a weak and wishy-washy one," said Bronsen. "Maybe the System always blocks weak vows?" said Drayden. "Maybe. But, anyway, what does that say about the King''s commitment to running this country?" said Alice. "Who knows? After all, we are new here and almost totally ignorant about how things work," said Cassy. "Still, I would like to see what happens when a public official makes a real vow to the people," said Bronsen. Having run out of steam for that topic, Cassy brought up a new one. "We are definitely speaking English right now, aren''t we?" "It certainly seems like it," said Drayden. "So, of course, the question is, how come the native Felixians speak and write English?" said Alice. "System-san, care to tell us?" said Cassy. Ding! You are correct in assuming that the native language is not English. In fact, it isn''t anywhere near English. The System provides a simultaneous two-way translation between you and the Flexians and uses ''magic'' to hide all the extremely messy internal details. "That sounds - pretty clever. And complicated. So, what form does the local language take?" said Drayden. Ding! The spoken language is based on an ultrasonic pulse width modulated tone, where the individual words are sort of encoded as base three numbers. But with complications. Lots of complications. "Oh. What does it sound like to us without your translation?" said Drayden. System-san obliged, and their ears were assaulted by the most horrible discordant screeching imaginable - something like an old-fashioned modem sound, only less musical. "What the fuck hell was that!" said Bronsen. Ding! That was a small replay of your conversation at your last breakfast. It was when Aragon asked if he could scrap out the last of the marmalade for his toast, and nobody objected. The frequency had to be dropped to be within your audible range. "Shit!" said Cassy. All four were silent as they thought about the implications of this. "So, well, err, what, exactly, is the nature of reality here, then?" said Drayden, "I mean, do you translate what we see, also?" Ding! Yes, what you see is also translated. Very heavily. And your bodies are vastly different from your original human ones. For a start, your height in Earth units is about ten centimetres. The gas you breathe is a mixture of nitrogen, methane, hydrogen, and a whole lot of other chemicals ending in -lene and the like. The temperature is about -180 centigrade, and the water you drink is liquid methane. And, while your bodies are approximately human with two legs, two arms, a tail and a head, the exact form is considerably different. Also, you see in the ultraviolet, with all the colours being different. "Bloody hell! You must be providing an incredible amount of translation to make us think we live in an Earth environment," said Drayden. Indeed. "I almost hate to ask this, but I just can''t leave it alone - what do we look like?" said Cassy. System-san obliged them again. Briefly, just briefly, they received an image. The lighting was weird and garish, with sharp, jagged edges. Many of the jagged edges were grouped into three locations, two across from each teenager and one next to each. Before anything more was apparent, reality snapped back to its usual, Earth-based variety. All four jumped backwards in their seats with alarm and more than a touch of horror. "Shit!" said Cassy, even louder this time, "Were those - things - us?" System-san didn''t bother answering. "I guess so," said Drayden. He closed his eyes in an attempt to recall the visual image. "I think those things had two arms and two legs..." "Well, I, for one, noticed something that looked like tails," said Alice. "All I saw were glowing green eyes." said Bronsen, "And bodies that were - err - I don''t quite know how to describe them..." Cassy and Alice hugged each other, and wonder of wonders, Bronsen and Drayden also hugged each other. "So those things are us?" said Cassy. Ding! They sure are! Cassy swore. Much more than she would typically do. No one objected. Eventually - "Wait a minute - if our physical appearance and the environment are so vastly different from what we perceive, then what about the actual people?" "Excuse me?" said Drayden, looking puzzled. "I mean, what sorts of things are they thinking? And feeling. They are not the slightest bit human-like in appearance, so are their personalities, emotions, and other things also different? Is System-san busy translating those, also?" Ding! System-san would like to assure you that their minds, hearts, and souls are very similar to humans. Don''t ever doubt this! Eleanor really did experience immense emotional pain when her baby and husband were killed. Esther and Evereena really did suffer as slaves. Aragon truly was heartbroken when his friend Tanya was killed. Lena was quite definitely rejected and depressed by her husband deserting her, and the two children she is looking after really do need a lot of love and care to overcome their abuse. And, going to other examples, Kalitran initially did lust after Cassy and Alice, just like those two serving ladies initially had desires for Drayden and Bronsen. Captain Jane cares for her co-workers and her duty to her country, while all of those people who reacted in horror to the crime that was committed last night are horrified in precisely the same way that you are. The feelings and emotions of these people are in no way faked or changed as System-san translates the communications between you. They are as real as any random collection of people you might meet on Earth. "Err, right," said Alice. After a while: "Do you always go to such extreme lengths when reincarnating people?" said Cassy. Ding! Actually no. Most souls aren''t reincarnated; they merely move on to wherever they usually go. And most reincarnated souls are returned to the world of their origin. Also, note that not all reincarnated become heroes. Most heroes are also reincarnated into their original world. You lot are an exception. "So, why are we an exception?" said Alice. Heroes are the ones who have done something in their first life that was sufficiently note-worthy to deserve reincarnation and being granted extra powers. And they always have a task that they are set up to do, although whether or not they do it or succeed depends on their own hard work. Plus chance, of course. You saved thirty-five children and earned a lot of points. Thus, you are allowed a lot of extra powers. This means the task you will hopefully achieve can also be extra difficult. "I see. We are overpowered protagonists, so that makes it worthwhile to go to all of this bother," said Drayden. "But, how do we end slavery?" said Bronsen. By the time that comes around, you will have gained the necessary abilities. Hopefully. "Hopefully? As in, we could still fail?" said Cassy. That''s right. You can fail and thus die, and your souls be sent on their way. Or you can succeed. Of course, you still die. System-san anointed heroes never die from old age. "Oh fuck. So we die no matter what," said Alice. "That sucks, big time," said Bronsen. There was no reply from System-san. Drayden, probably tired of hugging Bronsen, said, "I think we all stand up and have a group hug." Four teenagers all stood up, rearranged themselves, and shared a hug. Each boy had a girl on either side and vice versa. "Is this a horrible disaster or not?" said Cassy. "I don''t know," said Alice. "Well, at least it looks like me might get an extra year of life." said Drayden, "And, who was it that said they were still a virgin, way back in the bus?" "That was me," said Bronsen, "And, I must say, I really appreciate not dying a virgin this time around." Alice giggled. "That''s right, he''s definitely not a virgin any more! I can testify to that!" They all laughed. "Maybe it''s not too bad. I mean, I have no regrets saving those kids, and we''ve been granted extra time to live, and we maybe banish slavery, which will be all to the good," said Drayden. "And System-san hinted that there is some sort of life after we die here, anyway," said Cassy. They kept on hugging each other. Finally - "OK, I give up. On my stupid jealousy, that is," said Alice. "Let''s all agree we can carry on as much as we like with each other." After a small gap, she continued. "Except that sexuality switch always remains off when we are not with our proper partners! OK?" There was a chorus of agreement. So, of course, Alice grabbed Drayden for a full frontal hug, and Cassy did likewise with Bronsen. After a while, they separated. "Still a pity there''s not going to be any boy-on-boy action," said Cassy. "Well, they were hugging each other before..." said Alice. "Sorry, but that''s as far as it goes," said Bronsen. He didn''t sound all that sorry. "After all, it''s part of the rules, isn''t it?" said Drayden, "Although I did appreciate seeing Cassy and Alice hugging each other just then." The girls rolled their eyes. Then they grabbed their proper partners, and everyone retired to their rooms for the night. Drayden and Cassy: After an hour, they separated slightly and got ready to sleep. "Admit it, sweetheart, your fantasies of Bronsen were making you even more excited, hmm?" said Drayden. "You bet your cute arse they were. And you were thinking about Alice, of course!" said Cassy. "Well, her cute arse, at least." Giggles from Cassy. "Say, if anything now goes as long as that switch is off - how about we try a nude club meeting," said Drayden. "Oh my, that could be exciting. Purely from a platonic point of view, of course!" said Cassy. "Of course. Strictly platonic. Until we get to the privacy of our bedrooms, then the memory becomes high-powered fantasy jet fuel!" "Let''s see what happens." They held hands and went to sleep. Alice and Bronsen: After doing precisely what Drayden and Cassy had been doing, Alicea and Bronsen managed to find time to talk. "Well, Alice, you were thinking of Drayden, weren''t you?" said Bronsen. Alice looked away in momentary embarrassment before looking back. "That''s right, I was! Although I am still getting used to admitting it freely. And you were thinking of Cassy." "Of course. Like, for example, her beautiful long red hair flowing over my face and chest." "Ha, I bet you also had much more graphic images of her in your head than just her red hair." "Guilty, your honour. Say, is her pubic hair also red?" "How would I know? Our classes never overlapped when it came to Physical Education. You could always ask her." said Alice. "Oh, OK. I suppose so. Although it would be much more exciting to find out by direct observation..." said Bronsen. A moment''s pregnant pause. "Say, perhaps we could have a social nudist club meeting?" said Bronsen. Alice gave him a long, long look, raising her eyebrows in disdain. Then, "Sure, why not?" Bronsen started laughing. "Oh my, you have certainly changed!" "Yeah. Must be the whole dying and reincarnation thing, with a side helping of totally alien bodies and environment, plus the promise of early death." So Bronsen hugged her. "It bugs me, too." Eventually, they went to sleep. [1.46] The Misfits still need to lock their clubroom door when they have their meetings. Evereena: Evereena was becoming increasingly fascinated with the Misfits, particularly the girls. She had never seen anyone like them before, nor even imagined anyone could be like them. Of course, she realised that this was because she had lived all of her life as a slave in a severely restricted environment. The only other person she interacted with as a human was her mother. Their master was just their master. He would tell them what to do, whether it was to sweep the floor, get some food, or lie down and be raped. And everybody else was just ciphers. Sometimes, they were higher-ranking slaves and would give her orders. Mostly, they were grey-collared slaves and did what they were asked to do like she was. And then, their master got involved in some fight, and they all ended up a long way from home, with the master dead. Evereena had spent five or six days sitting beside her mother, with her mother''s arm around her, unable to do anything. Not even able to go to the toilet. The only good thing was watching their master slowly and painfully die. So she had waited to die. And along came Bronsen and Alice and saved them. And, soon after, Drayden and Cassy. Oh, and also Aragon. She was confused about the whole Aragon thing - his vows to them, his looking after them, and the fact that her mother seemed to have some connection with him. Right now, it was after the midday meal, and the Misfits and Aragon were cleaning up while everyone else sat around and didn''t do much at all. Evereena was watching Aragon, busy drying a plate before handing it to Cassy to stack away. I don''t get it. Aragon isn''t a master. He doesn''t boss us around. And he has made some vows to look after us. But he also seems to - want to have sex with Mum. But only if she consents? What weird nonsense is that? And Alice and Cassy - they say they like having sex with their partners - something about being in love with them. I suppose it must be because I''m a slave. I don''t know how ordinary people, people who have not spent their lives as slaves, approach this whole sex thing. She felt the familiar disgust and revulsion as she recalled the times her master had called her to his bed. It must be totally different for Alice and Cassy. How I envy them. Just then, she was startled out of her reverie by Cassy. In fact, Cassy''s face was right in front of her. "Hello, anyone home?" "Huh?" "Sorry, but it looked like you were zoning out there. The Misfits are going off to do a job. Do you want to tag along and watch us?" Do I want to tag along? She is asking me if I want to do something. I, err, what do I do now? She looked at her mother, who looked just as blank as she felt. Then she looked at Aragon. He smiled back at her. "You can make a choice, you know. Would you like to watch Cassy and the others?" I can watch Cassy and Alice as they work with Bronsen and Drayden? Maybe I can learn something. "Err, yes... please?" Saying ''please'' was also something strange. As a slave, she had never had the experience of asking for someone''s favour. She would merely have been ordered to do something or get something from someone else. Accordingly, she was still getting used to the whole concept of politeness. "Great!" said Cassy, as she hoisted Evereena right up into the air out of her chair, then placed her gently back down on the floor, leaving Evereena standing and feeling slightly dizzy. What was that? She dimly recalled her mother picking her up like that when she was much younger. That was when she felt the first stirring of affection for anyone else apart from her mother. Cassy is wonderful. The Treasurer: First stop, casually saunter to the treasurer''s office and find out what the job was. The treasurer looked at the five people who suddenly invaded his waiting room. He had a medium-strength fireball hovering in the air over his head, purely to add extra light to his desk. After all, he spent most of his time perusing pages full of little black marks. He boosted the fireball''s power to light up the whole office. Job for the Misfits? What job? Oh, that''s right. He got up and plucked a sheet of paper from one of the pigeonholes behind him. He skimmed through it. The job was pretty simple. The road from Manifestoria going to Crysteth cut across a steep slope at a point some kilometres out. Embedded in the slope uphill from the road were many rocks. They had a habit of slowly working their way down every time it rained and ending up on the road. This created a real nuisance for traffic, so the idea was to move the rocks before they became a nuisance and place them on the other side of the road. Yep. Just the job for them. It requires brute strength and stamina but zero discipline and not much intelligence. Once they grow up a bit, they might be pretty formidable. It''s just not yet. He sent them on their way, dimmed the fireball to be only bright enough to light up his ledger books, and returned to his serious work. Evereena: "It''s ten kilometres out of town; how about I carry you?" said Cassy to Evereena. "Ah, yes?" So, with ridiculous ease, Cassy hoisted Evereena up and onto her shoulders. Then, all the Misfits started running along the road. "Don''t worry! I''ll run perfectly flat without any jolting whatsoever!" said Cassy. "Yay for System-san enhanced strength!" said Alice. Evereena was amazed. There was very little jolting. She is so strong! And so fast! As promised, the road skirted the bottom slope of a hill, with rocks scattered everywhere. Including on the road. Drayden surveyed the location. "You know, if all we do is to clear the road and the immediate slope, the problem will merely re-occur. There are still plenty of rocks up the slope to be slowly washed down. What say, after clearing, we dig a trench a couple of metres above the road, move some of those really big rocks down, and securely nest them in the trench? They will act as a fence to catch any further rocks." "Sounds good to me," said Bronsen. "But, wouldn''t the space behind the big rocks eventually get filled with smaller rocks?" said Alice. "Ahh, don''t worry about it. That''s years down the track. Not our responsibility!" said Cassy. "Yeah, it can never be our responsibility," said Alice. Evereena wondered at the momentary gloomy feeling she got from all four Misfits. But it soon passed.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Cassy planted her at a safe distance upslope and to one side, under a small tree. Then, they got stuck into the job. "Hey, Drayden, catch this little baby!" said Alice as she casually tossed a fifty-kilogram rock down the slope. He made a show of almost dropping it, fumbling it, then finally tossing it over the road and further down the slope. "Clumsy!" said Bronsen as he lobbed an even bigger rock in his general direction. "I got it!" shouted Cassy, plucking it out of mid-air. Since the rock was about twice her weight, its sudden weight spun her around, and she tripped over her own feet and went sprawling onto the road, just in time to provide a nice cushion for another large rock that Alice had launched. Cassy ended up lying on the road, with her arms and legs visible and her head hidden by the rock. "Oh, that looks quite dramatic," said Drayden. Evereena gasped and screamed out, "Cassy!". She jumped up and scrambled and slithered down the slope and ran up to where Cassy was. Just in time to see Cassy move her arms to get a hold of the rock and lift it right up, then shove it over her head and down the slope. "Ta-da! I''m as good as new!" "Show off," said Drayden. At this point, Cassy saw Evereena''s expression. "Hey, sweetie, there''s no need to worry. We''re the Misfits. A little thing like a massive rock landing on our heads isn''t going to worry us." It isn''t? Cassy got up, lifted Evereena and gave her a bear hug. So Evereena wrapped her arms around and snuggled her head next to Cassy''s. "Sorry, sorry, I thought you were hurt," said Evereena. Alice patted her back. "Don''t worry about it." "You''re all so wonderful; I want to be with you forever." "Ah... About that," said Cassy. Why have they become so serious? Cassy sat down, still hugging Evereena. The others knelt or squatted down around them. "You know that we are heroes, as designated by System-san - ah - I mean The Voice of the World?" "Yes?" "And you know that such heroes always have a job to do?" "No? I don''t know much at all." Evereena looked sorrowful at that. "That''s fine. Us Misfits don''t know much either. But, anyway, the job the heroes have to do, it''s usually dangerous. Or hard to do. Or both." "Yes?" "And we can fail; there''s no guarantee we will win." I''m starting to get a bad feeling about this. "Of course, we might win!" Cassy stopped for a moment, then continued. "But, you see, whether or not we win or lose, we will never end up dying of old age in this world." "What? What?" "Sorry about that, but us Misfits won''t last very long here one way or another." "But you''ve just come here! You can''t go! You''ve got lots of things to do yet!" "I know. But remember, we have already done something important; we have saved you and your mother. And hopefully, we will fix the slaver menace. So, you will always have that for the rest of your life. You will always have those memories and, hopefully, many more memories of us. We''ll be in your heart forever. So there''s no need to be too sorry." Evereena was so unhappy there were tears in her eyes. So Cassy wiped some away with her fingers and continued. "I know, it''s shitty. But I''ll tell you something. Us Misfits have some rules that Sys - I mean The Voice - upholds. And rule number two is: ''It''s all bullshit!'' Just before we died back in our home world, that is what we all shouted. So, come on, Evereena, shout it out!" "Ah, yes?" "No, no! Shout out ''It''s all bullshit!''". In a small voice, Evereena managed a weak sounding ''It''s all bullshit?''" Some of the other teenagers laughed gently at this. "No, there''s no question mark. It''s an emphatic statement. Like this." "It''s all bullshit!" said all four Misfits. "So let''s practice this!" said Cassy. After about ten minutes, Evereena produced a reasonable version, which Cassy judged as adequate. For a start. "So, how about you go back to your tree, and we keep working?" "OK. Wait, what is rule number one?" "Well, that''s, err, let''s leave that for another time, shall we?" said Cassy. They look a bit embarrassed. Maybe it''s something to do with their sex obsession? Probably best that I don''t know. The afternoon wore on. When they had cleared enough rocks, they materialised their shovels and dug a respectable ditch in a very short time. "I''m still impressed at how strong we are," said Drayden. They moved some larger rocks down and planted them in the ditch. After finishing, they stepped back and admired their work. "Yep, I think we have earned our meals for the day," said Alice. Alice: It was now nighttime, and the Misfits were in their club room. "Right, I''ll just lock the door..." said Alice. She sat down in her usual place. Bronsen had a big grin on his face. "Isn''t this the first time here that we have locked the door?" he said. "Yes - but we used to lock the door all the time back on Earth. Hmm, wasn''t it only three times in all?" said Alice. "Yeah, I was hoping to get a lot more usage out of that club room," said Bronsen. "But still, back then, we had a reason to lock the door, you know," said Drayden. "Well, can''t we still have the same reason now?" said Alice. "But, that number one rule - ''No group sex!'' - sort of means that we can''t get, shall I say, excited." said Drayden, "Or at least, not until we are in our separate bedrooms." Alice wiggled around on the sofa and, out of sheer force of habit, tried to pull down her skirt to cover her knees before realising that this didn''t work when one was wearing slacks. "I think that Alice might have some specific ideas in her head," said Cassy, a big smirk on her face. "Yeah, remember, one can still do exciting things without getting all excited," said Bronsen. "Ooooh, you mean, do something sexy without the boys disgracing themselves by getting obvious erections?" said Cassy. "What''s so disgraceful about getting an erection?" said Drayden. Cassy flicked out her tail, wrapped it around Drayden''s foot, and jerked back. Drayden slid out of his seat and landed on the floor, half kneeling over Alice''s knees. "Oh, a pussy cat wants to be patted!" said Alice, a big grin on her face. She patted and stroked his head and managed to get him purring. "What about me?" said Bronsen. After ten minutes of mutual petting and purring, they took a short break. "If I were back on Earth, I''d take out a petition to immediately install the purring reflex in all humans. It would make one hell of a difference!" said Cassy. Agreement all the way round. There was a companionable silence before Bronsen reached across with his tail and tapped Alice''s knee. "Come on, that purr-fest wasn''t why you locked the door, was it?" Alice wiggled around, once again, on her half of the sofa. "Well, now, you know how incapable we are of any ''excitement'' whatsoever when we are together?" "Yes?" said Cassy, a big grin on her face. "And how we are ever so hot for the ''wrong'' partner?" "Hmm?" said Drayden. "So, I think our meetings are the perfect time to indulge in our attractions without it ever getting out of hand..." Bronsen was giggling like mad by now. "Come on, tell them!" he said. "So, why not... Try some social nudity?" It was a shame her skin was so dark. Nobody could see how much she was blushing. Cassy burst out laughing. "Wow, you have gotten over your possessiveness, haven''t you? Of course, it''s perfectly understandable." "Yeah, I''ll say. Whether or not we end the slaver menace, we still end up dead. So let''s make the most of our time while we can!" said Drayden. "But remember! Outside of this room, nothing ever happens! OK? Err, that is, nothing ever happens between the wrong couples." said Alice. Everybody agreed with that. Then they sat there and looked at each other. "So, how do we do this?" said Bronsen. "Well, we take off our clothes?" said Drayden. Two raised eyebrows from Cassy. "You volunteering to be first?" "Well, now, I suppose that could be a little embarrassing..." he said. "OK, how about we do it in stages? We all take off our shirts first. Then trousers. And then the rest." said Bronsen. Alice was the last to finally remove her panties. So they were now all naked, standing in a circle, looking at each other. Bronsen was the first to speak. "Yep, thought so; Cassy''s pubic hair is roughly the same colour as her head hair." "Say, do you think that the [Hairstyle] system attribute extends to public hair?" said Drayden. Nervous laughter from the others. "Who knows, but I am leaving my pubic hair curly," said Alice. No one else could think of anything to say, so they all admired the opposite sex''s bodies. Eventually, Cassy and Alice got tired of this and looked at each other. "Well, really, once you see one, another one is more or less the same, isn''t it?" said Cassy. "Yes. Although the boys still seem very engrossed in the view, aren''t they?" said Alice. Both boys nodded without looking away. "Oh, my, how things have changed. Back on Earth, they were just about ready to react with extreme enthusiasm when we merely talked about sex, but now they are supremely unaroused even though they can perve as much as they like at our naked bodies," said Cassy. "I know, it''s so sad, they must have gotten bored with us already," said Alice. "You know that is all bullshit," said Bronsen. "Of course! Rule number two," said Drayden. After a little bit more, Cassy made a suggestion. "I would be happy to hug anyone who wants to..." "Oooooh, can we have a girl-on-girl hug?" said Bronsen. "Of course... but only if we have a boy-on-boy hug first," said Alice. "Oh," said Drayden. "In that case, how about we have boy x girl hugs? For the time being," said Bronsen. "Shame," said Cassy. So they exchanged boy x girl hugs. They then dressed, unlocked and opened the door. Of course, they couldn''t resist - there was another round of (fully clothed) hugs before they retired to their rooms. Alice: After an hour or so, Alice and Bronsen finally separated. "Yes, that''s the way to go!" said Bronsen. "Oh, I bet you were frantically fantasising about Cassy?" said Alice. "Of course. But then, you were thinking about Drayden..." said Bronsen. Alice didn''t bother answering that question; instead, she snuggled up to him, closed her eyes, and gave a good imitation of someone sleeping. There''s no need to think about the slaver situation. Just think about Drayden instead. And Bronsen, of course. Evereena: Evereena had been returning from the toilet block when, just before disappearing into her bedroom, she had seen the Misfits come out. What is it with all of that crazy hugging? They really are sex mad. She hopped into her bed. As she did, her mother turned over in her own bed and briefly looked at her before settling down again. "Say, Mum?" "Yes?" "Are all teenagers as obsessed with sex as the Misfits are?" "I don''t know. I missed out on everything to do with a normal teenage life." She sounded sad as she said this. "Oh, right. Well, anyway, I''m not going to have anything to do with men and sex!" said Evereena. "That''s all right. I mean, we have our free will now. If you don''t want to consent to such stuff, don''t." It still seems so strange to be able to make up our own minds. "And I''m so glad that Aragon has made that vow; you don''t have to worry about him trying to get you to do things." No way Mum would disagree about that! "Well, umm, actually, I don''t know. I mean, Aragon is, err, a nice man. And, err, possibly a little handsome, too." Evereena was shocked to her core. You mean, you might decide to consent to have sex with him? Why? What sort of power does Aragon have over her that would make her want to do such things? She decided to leave it at that for the time being. Adults are just weird. Older teenagers also. [1.47] Building Bridges Lena: A few days later, at their evening meal. Eleanor is here again! Does she like talking to me so much? I suppose I don''t mind. The conversation at the table turned to the latest news: the forthcoming execution of that lowlife. "So the king has decided to execute someone. In public." said Alice, "How horrible." "Yeah. But what that man did is also horrible," said Cassy. "Can''t they just imprison him?" said Bronsen. Lena caught a glance of Aragon''s expression. Yeah, he thinks the same. Why should the town spend all of that money supporting a useless shit like him for who knows how many years? Aragon didn''t say anything, nor was Lena intending to. However, Eleanor was willing. "Considering his crime, why would anyone want to keep him alive?" The Misfits looked between themselves. Eventually, Drayden decided to have a say. "Well, back on Earth, in our society, it''s a matter of deciding not to condone any murder of another person, not even if it''s justified. After all, to execute someone, you have to have someone do the killing. And once that someone has killed, the difference between them and the person they are killing is only a matter of degree. So it''s a matter of morality; you just ban murdering someone no matter what the cause. I mean, you can always lock someone up for life." Always lock someone up for life? That''s expensive! There were no replies from Aragon, Eleanor, or Lena. Eventually, Eleanor spoke up. "While I''m sure that your society back on your ''Earth'' place is exemplary and just, unfortunately, here on Felixerra, it''s a bit more difficult. Maybe we''re not as advanced in our morals of something?" "Well, maybe," said Alice. "You said something about a man deliberately setting that bus - whatever that is - rolling down towards the cliff. Surely you don''t think that man should live?" said Eleanor. "Ah, well, I hope he spends the rest of this life in prison!" said Alice. "And if he wasn''t operating alone, I hope everyone else also rot in some prison cell!" said Cassy. Lena looked at Eleanor. I think she''s decided to quit for the time being. "Well, whatever. Unfortunately, that man will be garroted in the public square tomorrow morning. May I suggest that you don''t attend? Although I believe Aragon has to, as part of his guard duties?" said Eleanor. Aragon nodded his head. Various Misfits said they had no intention of being anywhere near the place. And there''s no way I''m going, either - a horrible sight. Wait a minute... "Say, Eleanor, do you intend to go?" "Yes, I certainly do. It''s a very disagreeable sight, but I feel I should bear witness to how the new king runs the country, including the public spectacles he puts on." No kidding. After a while, after Aragon and the Misfits had cleaned up, everyone except for Lena and Eleanor left. "That''s clever of you, getting Cassy and the others to put your orphans to bed," said Eleanor. "Well, now, they did offer. And the kids love them." "That is amazing. But, still, they are definitely looking to you as their mother." That took a lot of hard work, lady! "Yes, I am pleased that they are. It is also pleasing that you take the time out of your own busy life to have meals with us." "Ah, yes, my not so busy life. I don''t have all that much expected of me; the Treasurer pays me a pension merely because I''m the old king''s daughter. So I make myself known to the public and try to help out here and there within my limited powers." "That''s quite noble of you." "Yeah. The people, many of them, still have some vague feeling that I''m someone important merely because of who my father was. And, I suppose, maybe some of them are sorry for me." "Well, you are nobility." A snort of derision from Eleanor. "Rapidly fading nobility, no longer have any connection to the current king, in a dying kingdom." "It''s good that you know your place and don''t have ideas above your current station." "Thank you, Lena. It''s good to be reminded of such things. I wouldn''t want to become too unrealistic about my future life and prospects, would I?" "Of course not. And I''m quite happy to keep on reminding you." "Then, in that case, I will definitely keep on coming to these little gatherings. Meeting you is a tonic for my soul," said Eleanor. "Is it indeed? Probably not a very strong tonic." "Oh, I don''t know. You know, people might regard me with some tepid warmth and interest, but I have no friends or family." Does that mean that she regards our group as some sort of family? "Is that so... Say, do you regard me as some sort of friend." "Why, I guess I do. I wouldn''t say that in any tepid way, either." A backhanded compliment? "Then, I suppose, I don''t have any adult to talk to either. Aragon and Esther are too busy fumbling towards some sort of relationship, while as for the Misfits..." Lena rolled her eyes. Eleanor laughed.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "I agree; they are so naive and pure," said Eleanor. "Except for the sex part, they certainly can''t be considered pure when it comes to that!" "You bet. They seem to have absolutely no attractions to anyone outside of their group, but within it..." said Eleanor. Eleanor paused, then added, "Frankly, I don''t think I ever want to be in a relationship with a man again." Now we are getting serious. "I suppose I can say the same about myself." "So, we are both failed women, are we?" said Eleanor. "It looks like you will have to keep coming here so that we can commiserate with each other. Certainly, no one else is interested in our woes," said Lena. Eleanor agreed. They said their goodbyes, and Eleanor left for her own house, leaving Lena to see how well the Misfits had tucked the children in for the night. As it turned out, the orphans were sound asleep, both clutching their stuffed toys. Those teenagers... The Treasurer: Over the next two months, the new king favourably impressed the Treasurer. He worked hard and never shirked the more boring and tedious parts of his duties. In the Treasurer''s opinion, the new king was neither creative nor intelligent, but he wasn''t too bad either. And most importantly, the new king was willing to listen to the Treasurer''s words of wisdom and, as appropriate, act upon them. This is good, all good! The Treasurer had just picked up another pile of completed reports from the king''s desk. He flicked through the papers. Yep, mostly good choices here - well, not all, but maybe he has the better idea sometimes. And if I keep plying him with the wines from the old king''s wine cellar, he will probably keep listening to my ideas while thinking they are his own. I have almost as much fun being the power behind the throne as he gets from being the king. Plus, it''s a lot safer. Nobody thinks that I''m of any importance. There was only one little irritant in the Treasurer''s ordered little life - the continued executions. Oh, and also the king''s obsession with the popularity of Eleanor. I''m sure this latest accused is innocent. Well, mostly innocent. He doesn''t deserve to be strangled to death. On the other hand, Kalitran seems to be reading the mood right - the people, in general, are going along with all of it without any visible dissent, and he has managed to gather a core group of guards who are happy to carry out his orders. Hmm - it was no surprise when both Jane and Aragon eventually extricated themselves from having anything to do with organising the executions. Let''s hope that Kalitran didn''t notice. A week later. The Treasurer pursued the latest records of the work done by the Misfits. I''m pleasantly surprised. They may goof off a lot and don''t seem to take anything seriously - except for their weird and wonderful four-way relationship - but they manage to get through a respectable amount of work. I''m running out of fields and roads to clear of rocks, and trees to fell, and wells to dig. How about something more ambitious, say making a stone arch bridge over that little creek where the old wood bridge collapsed? If they make a hash of it, no problems. And I can send that old man Mr Kachraine to help them; he used to be an excellent stone mason before old age got to him. He made the arrangements and then sent the request off to the Misfits. An hour after this, the king requested his presence. Narrator: The next day, they were walking out to their new work location, as in, all of them. Lena had decided that walking out to a creek would be a healthy outing for her orphans. Eleanor decided that she might as well keep Lena company. Evereena begged Mum to let her go, and Esther decided she might as well go along. So, of course, Aragon decided he''d tag along. Finally, there was Mr Kachraine. He was in high spirits, looking forward to a day out of his house, and he had four youngsters willing to listen to him all day as he imparted his wisdom about constructing stone bridges to them. The Misfits also carried about a ton of lumber and some tools for making stone bridges. Their Bonded Implements didn''t cover all requirements, you know. The Misfits: ¡°Say, isn''t something missing?¡± said Drayden. He looked to the back, where there should have been a couple of guards discreetly strolling along after them, keeping an eye on the four slaves. But he didn''t see any. "Hey, has anyone noticed that the accompanying two guards are missing?" Aragon looked around in surprise. "So they are. That''s a bit slack; I must mention something to Jane when we return." " Aragon, exactly why are the authorities so concerned about the slaves? They don''t appear to be in any more danger than anyone else." "Ah, well, because... Perhaps you should ask someone else?" said Aragon. He looked at Lena. She looked puzzled, and she then shrugged her shoulders. "How would I know?" He next looked to Eleanor. With a perfectly blank and composed look on her face, she said, "Perhaps I can tell you at some later stage. Just not right now, OK?" Four Misfits look at each other. ¡°Ah, OK,¡± said Drayden. Lena: The actual creek was only a metre wide. In a small gorge, two metres deep and four wide at the top. So, the bridge needed to span somewhat more than four metres. It was a pretty small bridge, well within the Misfits'' capabilities, as long as they listened to Kachraine. "OK, kids, first you need to excavate the footings on either side of the creek..." Eleanor and Lena, sitting next to each other and watching Mason and Becky amuse themselves by picking flowers and climbing a (small) tree, were suitably impressed. "I never knew that Bonded Implements could have so many variations!" said Lena, "I don''t have even one." "Ah! I agree. And, actually, I do have one." said Eleanor. "What sort?" "Don''t tell anyone, but it''s a throwing knife." A what? Lena raised her eyebrows. "Why should such a refined lady like yourself need a - throwing knife?" "Perhaps I''m not a refined lady after all? Unlike yourself, of course," said Eleanor. So, are we using words to spar with each other? It might not be as deadly as sparring with a sword, but I don''t like deadly. "Well, perhaps I should try to get something like that? It might make me a refined lady since I''m obviously not one now. Although, knowing my luck, it will probably be a stirring spoon for cooking. Or something equally bland." "Oh, I''m sure you are good enough just as you are now." Evereena: Evereena was dividing her attention between the Misfits as they dug out soil and cut through rock with alarming rapidity and her mother and Aragon as they sat together and talked to each other. She was overwhelmed by how fast the Misfits were moving. And the girls are exactly as strong as the boys! Look, Cassy just then cut her way through a bolder that''s as big as her. And then she picks up the end bit and casually tosses it out of the gorge! I wish I could be like that. And that old man Kachraine appears to be having the time of his life. He''s like a slave master, ordering them around. But it''s not like it, is it? They are not compelled to follow his orders, and in fact, they argue back all the time. He takes it and answers their queries, and eventually, they all move on. This is so different from being in a slave society. She was also eavesdropping on her mum as she talked to Aragon. She was startled at how fast their relationship appeared to be going. Startled but not overwhelmed. How far have they progressed in their relationship? I mean, surely Mum doesn''t want to have sex with him? Or, at least, not yet? Surely she remembers all of the times our master ''called'' her to his bed? She did her best to suppress a shudder of disgust. She was reasonably confident that it hadn''t happened yet; after all, she did sleep in the same room as her mother. Sigh. Perhaps I should stop worrying about such things. It''s much more fun watching Cassy and Alice show the two boys who''s boss. Right at this point, Cassy was having yet another argument with Drayden. "No, no! We need to cut through this rock on a slanting line from here! That gives more support area for the footings, just like Kracher said." "Look, if we do it from the other side, it will be easier to start the cut and still give the same amount of area," said Drayden. Their voices were starting to rise. "But it doesn''t need to be any easier; it is already straightforward from this side!" ... after several iterations of this argument ... "Fine, fine, we''ll do it your way," said Drayden, looking pissed off and disgruntled. Bronsen and Alice exchanged glances. They had just finished an equivalent task on their side of the creek. "Hey, kiddies! Isn''t it a bit early in the day to be engaging in foreplay?" said Alice. Bronsen giggled hysterically. Cassy glared at Drayden and Bronsen while Drayden turned away and started cutting the rock. Another strange word. What does foreplay mean? Probably, Mum won''t know. I could ask Lena or Eleanor... Wait a bit; this is the Misfits we''re talking about. If I know them, it''s probably got something to do with their constant obsession with sex. So, foreplay is - arguing about whether or not to have sex? And, of course, sex is done at night, so right now is too early - so Cassy is arguing about something else as a substitute? But, going by what the girls keep saying, they like sex. So why are they arguing about it? Evereena put her hands up to her head and massaged her temples. I¡®m missing something here. I think I should stop trying to work out this sex thing. At least not until I get older. After all, it''s got nothing to do with me. I''ll continue being friends with Cassy and Alice. Err, and also the boys. Yeah. Just forget about understanding the sex stuff. [1.48] Destroying Bridges Evereena: Evereena looked up at the sound of trampling feet and was surprised to see a dozen guards moving towards them - guards she had never seen before. Huh? Without any fanfare, they marched up to Aragon. Two grabbed his shoulders, and another put some oversized chunky handcuffs onto him. Aragon looked befuddled. "What- what is going on?" "The king has ordered your arrest for scheming to commit a crime." said the guard who appeared to be in charge. "What?" "So just come along with us." said the guard. They started to drag Aragon away. Still utterly clueless about it all, Aragon let this happen. However, Eleanor gathered her wits, stepped over and planted herself before the lead guard. She tried to make herself look as imposing as possible... Eleanor, you''re a head shorter than the guard. And about half his weight. I don''t think you are intimidating him all that much. That was what Evereen thought. But at least the guard stopped. "What is the meaning of this? Aragon hasn''t done anything to deserve this!" The guard smiled slightly. Quite obviously, he wasn''t the least bit concerned. "No, but there is credible evidence to strongly suggest that he was going to use one of the slaves for an Ashrend ceremony." Aragon looked horrified and was unable to produce any reply. Eleanor gasped, paled, and stood in shock; presumably, her [Emotional Control] was working overtime. Evereena just went - And what the hell is an Ashrend? Old man Kracher was frozen to the spot. As was Lena. Evereena, looking at their faces, decided they didn''t know what that was, either. Eleanor: Damage Control Mode The only ones that looked as if they might be willing to do something were the Misfits. They exchanged glances and moved towards the Aragon and the guards. But, as yet, they were keeping their swords tucked away. Fortunately, Eleanor at last managed to take notice of the Misfits. Oh shit, and what are the Misfits going to do? She managed to overcome her shock and stammer out some commands. "Kids! Please, don''t try anything! I sure we can work all this out back in the town!" The kids stopped moving. The guards snickered. The boss guard said: "That''s right, kids! You may be fast and strong, but we have the edge in practice and ability, so do as the little lady says, OK?" So the guards led Aragon away, leaving everyone else standing around, still trying to understand what was happening. Shit! Gotta keep the Misfits under control! Otherwise, this will be an even bigger disaster. And what the hell is that jerk Kalitran doing? They had known each other slightly from their teenage years since, after all, who else would the nobility socialise with if not each other? Certainly not the unwashed commoners. Eleanor remembered certain ''incidents''. Yeah, he always was a bit of an arsehole - oops, better not say that in front of Lena, I might destroy my image - but shit, that''s not the point! What is he thinking? The Treasurer, flashback to the previous day: "You want to execute Aragon?" "You want to charge him with planning to do an Ashrend ritual?" Keep my cool here. I need to reason with the madman. "You realise he is just about the last man likely to do such a thing? I mean, you must remember what happened twelve years ago. He lost his best friend, who might have presumably become his first girlfriend, to one. It''s affected him so much; he has been running away from his life for a decade or so." Kalitran took this outburst calmly. "Of course, I remember all of that. Considering the circumstances, it naturally made a big impact on anybody with any connections to royalty." "Then why pick him?" "Because he is the perfect target for my scheme, to get the public to surrender all sense of their own morality, at least concerning the running of our country, and invest it all into me. Executing a perfectly innocent man, in fact, a man who is demonstrably moral and good; well, after such a thing, they have no choice but to shut off that part of their brains. To transfer to me the right to make such decisions. Me, who is their King! The one who is the best suited to guide them!" Kalitran was starting to get a bit excited here. The Treasurer felt like face-palming, but he refrained. Well, I suppose if it works, then fine... But- "But what if it doesn''t work? You could end up with your rule irretrievably damaged. Remember, deep down, your right to rule depends on their collective decision to give you that right."Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. "Yeah, I know that even if the last King didn''t. But it''s a worthwhile risk. I think I''ve got a pretty good chance. After all, everyone knows this kingdom is doomed, anyway. And the only other contender is the old King''s daughter. Who has nothing like a power base or backing from powerful interests." Sigh. "Oh, all right. I suppose. But, it is still a risky manoeuvre - Aragon may not be all that known to the public, but he is well known in the guards..." "No problems! The guards that support him are no more than about a third - and I''ve already sent most of them to the wall." So, that explains the somewhat unusual guard assignments lately! "The rest of the guards will go along. And I''ve handpicked a small group for the actual arrest and execution. With a bit of bribery and money, they are more than happy to follow along." "OK, what do you want me to do to start the process?" At least, if it goes all to hell, I should be safe. The Treasure, in the present, as Aragon is still being escorted back to the town: The King was in his office, leaning back on his office chair, the two front chairs'' legs up in the air, with the Treasurer standing respectfully in front of the desk. "Sire, the guards have been ordered out, and they should have Aragon in their possession now." "Good, good. We now need to release the news to the public at large. Of course, the execution has to be as soon as possible to prevent any opposition from arising, so we will make it tomorrow midday, as planned. And we need to add as much propaganda to the news as possible; give the people no chance to start thinking for themselves." "OK, sire. Hopefully, that should work. Hmm, but won''t many of them remember the past incident?" "Some will, but it was hushed up as much as possible, right? Suppressing the actual details of the Ashrend ritual has been a public policy of every kingdom within a thousand kilometres of the Slaver society." "I guess so... But what if Aragon makes a public vow that he has no intention of hurting Lena''s orphans? After all, it is already publicly known that he has vowed to look after Esther and daughter." "Ah, but Voice of the World vows are never absolute; there is always plenty of wiggle room to get around them. Even if it might take a lot of effort, if we play to that sort of doubt, there should be no problem." Oh shit. I think there might be a slight problem. "Ah, sire, perhaps you weren''t aware; after all, you didn''t get the public announcements of the Misfits vows, but, you see, all of the vows connected in any way to the Misfits are at 100% strength. They have no wiggle room whatsoever. And, 100%, implies that the Voice of the World had some expectation that the vow would succeed. Or maybe it will help in some way. Whatever." Kalitran, it is too late to back out now: Fuck. Did he say 100% vows? Actual 100 percent vows? Shit, why didn''t I hear of this before? He got a cold feeling creeping up his back. This changes the risk factors quite a bit. He leant forward fast enough to produce a thump as the front chair legs hit the ground. He was no longer in a relaxed state, not at all. Think! Can I back out now... Damn, I can''t. I can''t show weakness or hesitation in front of my people. What do I do? "Treasurer! Just how important do you think this 100% shit is?" "Ah, sire, I don''t have any idea. The strongest vows I''ve ever heard of are about 30%." "But, still, most people probably don''t have too much idea about these 100% vows; after all, I didn''t." "True. Maybe it won''t matter?" Yeah, perhaps it doesn''t matter - but wait - what if Aragon makes a public vow that he won''t hurt the orphans? To everyone. Will he think of that? Shit! Will the others think of that? Like Eleanor and Lena? Or... "Right, Treasurer. We need to allocate more guards, of course only using the ones that haven''t had any contact with the slaves, and get those guards to separate the group into smaller groups. Ensure Lena and the orphans are isolated as one group and the Misfits as another group. Don''t allow any communication between them. Oh, and also isolate Esther and her daughter. And, definitely, don''t allow Eleanor any contact with them. Nor, of course, with Aragon." "Possibly a good idea, sire. Although arranging enough guards who are not sympathetic to them will be difficult - hmm, it should be possible. With some extra payments." "Do it. And, that blasted Eleanor woman, we must keep her under tight control. Assign a few guards to ''protect'' her house, making it difficult for her to wander around as usual. And, I know, for the execution, get her up on the platform with me, yourself, and the few officials this kingdom still possesses. Make it look as if she agrees with our decisions. And, of course, this allows us to keep close track of her. And, that''s an idea, make sure that the Misfits and the others are also in the audience - don''t want to lose track of them, either." "OK, sire. I suppose one cannot be too cautious. Although I can''t see how Eleanor, or any of the others, can possibly be of any danger to you." True. She''s just a woman without connections. And no known combat abilities. "Right, see to it." said the King, "Oh, one more precaution: offer Aragon some fine wine. Tell him it is to soothe his nerves or something. Or whatever. Just get him sufficiently drunk so that he doesn''t think about making any vows himself sometime overnight." "That could be a good idea." said the Treasurer. Then, conscious of the need to maintain the facade of being an obedient commoner, he hurried off to see to his just-imposed duties. Eleanor: While Aragon was dragged off as fast as possible, the others were still milling around at the bridge site. Control. Keep my control up at all times. Right. What do I need to do now? The others are just plain bewildered, but Esther looks shocked and horrified. Sigh. What a mess. "Esther, I''m sure things will be worked out..." Damn, nobody is believing me. "What is this Ashrend ritual thingy, anyway?" said Drayden. Shit. Why do I have to explain it? She looked at Lena, but Lena looked just as bemused as anyone else. Obviously, she has never needed to learn about such things. Just like me, before twelve years ago. Eleanor straightened out, took a deep breath, then spoke: "An Ashrend ritual is a means of abusing the slave collars to an extreme extent. It allows the abuser, who can''t be a slave themselves, to get a tremendous boost to their Voice of the Word attributes. They become formidable opponents. Unfortunately, it is a very unstable process. It has unfortunate side effects. For example, the slave that it is used on will soon die. And the effect on the abuser only lasts until the slave''s death. And, generally, the abuser goes slightly insane by the end of it. Needless to say, if someone uses the ritual twice, they go even more crazy." The Misfits thought this over. "So it is an abuse of the slave collar system? Then if it''s not an original function of slave collars, where did it come from?" said Drayden. "Well, the details are mostly unknown. The assumption is that some evil genius managed to get just the right Voice of the World attributes in the right areas to program their own feature onto the top of the slave collar system." Eleanor paused here, then added, "May he be endlessly reincarnated as a dung beetle and spend eternity eating shit!" This was spat out so viciously that she sprayed a bit of saliva onto Lena''s arm. "Oh - Ah..." Lena blinked in surprise, then casually wiped it off. "Never mind." "You mean, it is possible to use the System to create new stuff like that?" said Drayden. "Sure. Although it is extremely rare, and, in this case, the original person that made the ritual can''t have been very good since it is so unstable." "Ha- ah! In other words, he programmed it wrong! Didn''t do enough beta testing and probably didn''t have enough domain theory to see where his mistakes were!" "Sorry?" said Eleanor. "Oops, forget that bit; I was remembering my digital electronics design hobby from Earth." "Oh, OK." ¡°Also, if I remember correctly, the Order Lock Expiry for grey-collars is considered to have also been programmed on top of the original slave system - but never mind that!¡± said Eleanor. Esther and Evereena still look shocked, Lena isn''t much better, and the Misfits are not very stable themselves, so what should I do... This question was rendered moot by the arrival of another bunch of guards, who split everybody into separate groups and escorted them back to their accommodation. [1.49] Lots of Vows The Misfits: Since the Misfits were the most dangerous, the guards made extra effort to guard them. They were currently stuck in what was originally the female''s sports change rooms. The two changing rooms were separate buildings on one side of the sports ground of the boarding school that they had been staying in. A study in misery, Alice sat cross-legged on the bench in the middle of the changing room. The other Misfits were also sitting cross-legged in their usual order. Alice looked around. "Really, this could just about be any changing room in a school on Earth, couldn''t it?" she said. "Yeah. It has a cold tile floor, dingy walls, and even plumbing - although no hot water. And no electric lighting, either." said Drayden. There was silence for a while. "Well, what can we do?" said Bronsen. More silence. "Face it, we can''t do a fucking thing." said Cassy, "We are right out of our depth. And, as has been convincingly demonstrated, even with our enhanced abilities, we will still be outclassed by the guards." "Yeah, there''s at least four guards outside. All just for our little selves. I''m sure we should feel honoured at such attention." said Alice. "Can''t we devise some plan - distract the guards on one side while we make a dash for it on the other, perhaps?" said Bronsen. "And then what?" said Alice, "Aragon himself must be stuck in a real dungeon cell somewhere; we certainly can''t release him. And then, Lena, Esther, and their kids; remember the guard said they would be holding them hostage if we did anything." "This is all bullshit - we still can''t do a fucking thing!" said Cassy. "But you can''t just keep saying that; we mustn''t give up hope!" said Drayden. "There ain''t any hope, you stupid man!" said Cassy. Don''t you get it? If Eleanor or someone doesn''t do something, Aragon is doomed!" The discussion became acrimonious until Alice completely lost her temper and whacked Bronsen across the face with her tail. "Everybody, just shut up!" Silence. Ding! Hey, kids, you need to get your act together. Act like adults instead of a bunch of panicked children. Hint: Why do you think you might have some hope of removing the slave collars from all of Felixerra? "Sorry, mister System? You''re acting a bit high and mighty here, aren''t you? We''re not the ones with all the power, you know?" said Cassy. She sounded extraordinarily annoyed and peeved. "Actually, what does System-san mean by the last bit..." said Alice. "Ah, right, all of those 100% vows! That''s what he means!" said Bronsen. "Or, she means," said Alice. "Whatever. Anyway, Aragon has made a 100% vow to Esther and Evereena, but he hasn''t made one to Mason and Becky," said Cassy. "So all he''s got to do is to make one! Preferably in front of everyone. And then they will all realise it''s a big mistake, and he will be freed!" said Alice. There was elation, rapidly followed by depression. "But, will he think of doing that?" said Cassy. "Isn''t it the obvious thing to do?" said Alice. "I don''t want to be that guy who shoots down everybody''s ideas, but I did overhear some of the guards talking about making Aragon drunk, just to calm him down a bit," said Bronsen. "Oh," said Alice. Another gap filled with silence. "Hey, what about this? You know how we made a vow, and the contents were transmitted to all those other people? So, why not use the vow to communicate information directly to Aragon." said Drayden. "Brilliant! We make some minor vow, and in that vow, we tell Aragon to make his own vow," said Cassy. Ding! Nice try, kids. But vows (by design) don''t work that way. It would make things all too easy, wouldn''t it? You have to make a vow about something vital to you. And something that takes some effort to achieve. The words of the vow cannot carry extraneous content, and the vow will only be transmitted to people with some stake in it. "Sometimes I hate System-san," said Cassy. "Well, there must be some way of achieving this. After all, she did drop us a big hint," said Alice.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. There was much discussion. Eventually, they ran out of ideas. They also ran out of patience with each other. "Oh, Cassy and Drayden, stop bickering with each other," said Bronsen. They had tried making a vow themselves to look after the orphans, but System-san kindly pointed out that their current vow to end slavery already covered that case. They had then tried to make a vow of allegiance to Eleanor. However, System-san was still acting difficult and pointed out that currently, Eleanor didn''t have any say in the matter, so pledging allegiance to her was pointless. "We just have to see what happens. If Eleanor somehow takes some action, we can try pledging to her, and then hopefully, a hung-over Aragon can get his act together and make a vow to the orphans," he said. And with that, they divided into their two couples, lay out on the cold tile floor, and tried to get to sleep. As usual, physically speaking, they were perfectly comfortable in such a situation. However, unlike usual, they took ages to get to sleep. Lena: Lena and her orphans were in their usual room. The only thing different was the guards outside. She was lying on her bed, wide awake, going over and over the day''s incidents. She was also feeling squashed since her orphans were lying on the same bed as she, one on either side. They had been highly disturbed by today''s actions. I''m hopeless. Utterly hopeless. I can''t do a thing. I can barely manage to look after two little kids. No one takes the slightest interest in me. I''m in some nightmarish country that kills innocent men in public, and no one will lift a finger to stop it. I have no future; my orphans have no future. I can''t even turn over in my own bed because two terrified kids are crowding me on either side. What do I do? And what about Esther and Evereena? Poor Esther starts a tentative relationship with Aragon; then, it is all smashed to pieces. This is horrible. I bet Eleanor isn''t taking this too well, either. But what can any of us do? I''m just another powerless woman in a world that doesn''t care. Ding! Hey, Lena, remember you made a 100% vow to protect your orphans? You cannot just give up, lie down, and let the Ringworld roll over you. You had better do some planning. Oh shit. Now I''ve got the Voice of the World nagging me. What did I do to deserve that... That''s right, I made a 100% vow to look after my two little orphans. And I am! When today went to shit, who did they turn to? Me! Not Eleanor, not the Misfits, but little old me. I''m the mother figure to them. Even if that fact scares me to death. But what planning can I do? Damn, if only Aragon had thought to make one of those stupid 100% vows to the orphans. Actually, why can''t he? Why hasn''t he? Damn stupid man, he probably hasn''t thought of it. Hmm, the guards said something about forcing us to attend the execution. Which is a bloody horrible thing to make the orphans do. But, if I''m there, I can stand up and shout to Aragon to make a vow. She played this scenario out in her head. Yeah, sure. The guards will squash me without hesitation. OK, if Aragon can''t get his wits together to work out what to do, he only needs a hint, maybe? So if I make a public vow to, to, to who? It must be to somebody significant, both to me and the public at large. This is so difficult; I''ve already vowed to my orphans. About the only other person possible is, I suppose, Eleanor... Eleanor? What if I make a vow to her? I suppose, a vow to be a trustworthy and true friend for the rest of our lives? This feels strange. But I suppose - I do feel strongly about our friendship. Don''t I? After all, she''s the only other adult in this big, wide Ringworld to whom I can count on any special friendship. Isn''t she? I guess so. The Voice of the World ain''t complaining, so I guess I will go with that. It took her ages to drift off to sleep. Esther: Both Esther and Evereena were freaking out and just about giving themselves stomach ulcers. They were in Esther''s bed, holding hands and listening to the sounds of the guards as they occasionally walked up and down the corridor outside their room. It can''t be true. Aragon would never do anything to harm us or the orphans. He made a vow! I was beginning to think I might have some hope of a worthwhile life for me and my daughter. And this happens! She was in free fall, sinking ever further into her pit of despair. I''m never going to escape being a slave, am I? Never find any happiness. Not even a little bit of security. And, of course, never work out that ''consenting sex'' thing. At this point, Evereena shook her hands. "Mum, are you all right?" "No." "I guess you were - ah - ''In love'' with Aragon?" "I don''t know. But, I had hopes of, I don''t know, something nice happening. Something or other. But, of course, nothing nice happens to us slaves." "I suppose not." said Evereena, "Even if I still don''t understand all the love and sex stuff." Two miserable women hugged each other and wallowed in their misery - until - Ding! Esther, it would be best if you got out of your funk. If you want a better future, you need to take some actions on your own choice. The slave collar is inactive, so you have some free will now, remember? "Oh shit, the Voice of the World has just told me off for not doing anything," said Esther. "It has?" "But what can I do?" Think! The Voice of the World says I can have some say in this matter... But what... "Wait a minute, Aragon has made those 100% vows to us. But they were private. So, what if he made a public vow, just like the Misfits did? He can vow to always look after us slaves, including the orphans. Then everyone will know that he isn''t guilty of anything." "So, tomorrow, he just makes a vow?" said Evereena. "Actually, why hasn''t he made one already? If it''s public, we should have heard of it. I think." "Perhaps he hasn''t thought of it?" Esther shook her head in exasperation. "There is just too much that we don''t know about how such things work. If only I could contact him and tell him what to do." Esther kept on thinking. How do I suggest that he makes a vow? But, surely he must be able to think about this himself? Maybe he''s too stressed out himself? She thought about her fantasies about him. And she blushed again. No, now is not the time to think about such embarrassing things! Oh, how I wish I could say something to him about my feelings- but do I know what my feelings are? And how do I tell him- perhaps by making a vow? This scared her in its own way. Do I have any right to pose my vows upon him? Does he even have such feelings for me? But he did imply he did. "OK, Evereena, I''ve decided to try to make a vow to Aragon - ah, but not saying anything about sex, OK? Err, just a vow about commitment." So she tried, only - Ding! You''ve got the right idea, but right now, Aragon is drunk and stupefied by the King''s orders. Try again at the appropriate moment tomorrow. "Oh, the Voice of the World is still talking to me. Saying the best moment is tomorrow. I didn''t know that normal people had so much advice from the Voice." Ding! They don''t. It''s the Misfit''s ''It''s all Bullshit'' rule acting. Ask Evereena about it. Esther did. She didn''t attain any enlightenment. Eventually, the two managed to get some sleep. [1.49] Eleanor changes her employment status Esther: In the audience at the execution It was now midday the following day. Esther and Evereena were sitting on the ground, ten metres out from the raised platform that would be used to execute Aragon. They were bleary-eyed and fuzzy from lack of sleep. Evereena tried to stand up and wave to the Misfits on the other side of the crowd, but the guard standing over them grabbed her shoulders and pushed her down again. "Stay down and shut up!" he said. Both Esther and Evereena obediently shut up and were quiet. I hope he didn''t hurt her shoulders. Esther held Evereena''s hand. And now Aragon is being led onto the stage. Oh, shit, he looks horrible. Dark smudges were under his eyes, stress lines creased his face, and he slightly staggered from being pushed across the platform. He is drunk, just like the occasional blue-collar I have seen. Although, once a green collar sees them, they don''t remain drunk for very long. So, is this where I make a vow? I suppose so. I''ve got to make it as strong as possible. So, if I got the idea right, I have to make the maximum commitment possible. She took a deep breath. This is scary. Everyone is going to know it. And I still haven''t worked out what exactly I feel. Never mind. Just do it. Voice of the World, I make this public vow: I pledge myself to Aragon - ah, I mean, I pledge to be his committed friend for the rest of our lives - ah, but the sex part, I don''t know, so, I suppose I promise, if I ever voluntary consent to any sex stuff, it will only be with Aragon - but never to anyone else - oh, but only if he wants to, of course. I mean, I wouldn''t want to prevent him from having sex - or, I suppose, romance? - with other people if he wants to. But, anyway, ah, what else do I say? - Voice of the World, is this sufficient? Ding! Sure is! The Voice of the World will take it from here... I wonder what have I just done? The Treasurer: The Treasurer was, very reluctantly, also up on the stage. However, he had contrived to be at the very back of the small group of officials. Yep, Eleanor is also up here with us ever-so-important people. Hmm, did she deliberately position herself at the very front? But she can''t do anything anyway. He watched with morbid curiosity as Aragon was forcibly pushed down on his knees in front of the garrotting post. He was pointing out towards the crowd, with the post behind him. The executioner looped a length of rope around his neck, then placed the two ends through a hole in the post. These ends were tied together, and a stick was inserted into the loop. Ugh, what a nasty way to die, being slowly suffocated as the executioner turns the stick. Aragon sure looks terrible; I suppose getting him drunk was a good idea; it prevents him from being too stressed out. Hopefully. The Treasurer looked up at the crowd. There is plenty of disquiet, but it doesn''t look like anyone will complain. So, I suppose the King killing an innocent man to demonstrate his total rule might be working after all. Whatever. I''ll stay in the back. Aragon: He was painfully aware of the rope around his neck. It was rough, and little prickly fibres stuck out and scratched his neck. He kept his eyes down, ashamed and embarrassed at the idea of meeting anybody''s eyes, especially anyone he knew. Also, the light from the sun was stabbing his eyes; he had a throbbing headache, and all his joints ached. Getting killed while having a killer hangover - just my luck. I wish I could have another drink or two now; then, I could ride this out without thinking about Tanya again. I spent my entire adult life running away from thinking about her, but I did nothing but think about her. What a mess. And what''s worse is that I''m starting to confuse Tanya''s face with Esther''s. Could I have ever gotten together with Esther? Would it work out? Would she have ever wanted me? I''ll never know. It''s all so hopeless. And this horrible fuzzy hangover feeling, I can''t even think straight. But why would I, anyway? Ding! Remember, Aragon, you swore a 100% vow to look after Esther and Evereena. This defeatist attitude will do nothing to help them. Accordingly, you have been granted an extra ability: [Never Get Drunk Again]. This gives immunity toward intoxication from all drugs, Max strength. How the fuck hell am I supposed to do anything when I''m about to be executed... At this point, his brand-new immunity ability kicked in. Across the span of several seconds, he became stone-cold sober. His eyes adjusted to the sunlight, his headache disappeared, and his mind cleared. Oh fucking bloody hell, now I''m going to be executed fully sober and aware of everything! Ding! Esther has made a public vow, 100% strength. I pledge myself, my heart and my body exclusively to Aragon for the rest of my life. I only ask that Aragon respects my lack of experience in romance and slows himself to my pace. This message has been sent to everyone in Manifestoria. Aragon jerked up his head and managed to look in the precise direction to meet Esther''s gaze. She does want me. Tanya, is this OK with you? I hope so. He felt tears in his eyes. I should make a vow back - wait, shit, I''ve been a stupid fool! I need to make a vow to the orphans! There''s no need for an extra special vow to Esther now; the ones I''ve already made are sufficient.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Voice of the World! I make this vow! Ding! Aragon has made a public vow of 100% strength. I will look after Mason, Becky, Esther, and Evereena to the extent that they want me to do so, to the limit of my powers, including my life, and will do so for as long as I live. This message has been sent to everyone in Manifestoria. Aragon''s and Esther''s gazes were locked together; they ignored everyone else. Everyone else was excitedly looking around and starting to talk to each other. Some even pointed to the stage; in particular, they pointed to the King... The natives were getting restless. Eleanor: Eleanor had been watching carefully. Of course, she had her [Emotional Control] on full. So she was calm and collected. And calculating. Aragon suffered almost as much as I did, way back then. There is no way that he would harm a slave with an inactive slave collar. He is perfectly innocent. If I don''t act now, I''ll regret it for the rest of my life. Which, with the slaver menace, probably won''t be all that long. But - can I? I''ve never done anything like this before. But if I don''t, Aragon dies. And Kalitran gets to keep on being an utter arsehole. Who knows how much pain he might cause in the future? And what if I try and I fail? I''m just an insignificant woman of no particular practical abilities, totally alone. Well, that''s no longer entirely true, is it? The Misfits have certainly provided some dramatic company. And then there''s Lena. That colourless lady is not so colourless after all, is she? What will she think of me? If I succeed or fail, will I lose her friendship? The first one in a decade, the first time in a decade I''m worried about someone else''s opinion. What can I do? Should I? But Aragon''s life is on the line. Damnation! Just then, Ester made her vow, followed by Aragon''s. Wow, he finally did the obvious and vowed to protect the orphans. He still needed a big, massive hint from Esther, though. And did Aragon suddenly perk up and become sober - how is that possible? - ah, some Voice of the World action. Kalitran: It had all been going so well. Aragon was drunk and not thinking about taking any counteractions; the public was quiescent, or at least quiescent enough; the guards carried out his orders, and even Eleanor looked suitably cowed. And then, Esther and Aragon gave two 100% vows. And Aragon became fully alert and aware. What the fuck are these 100% vows? And how is Esther giving one? Aren''t slaves incapable of giving vows? And Aragon pledges to protect the orphans! Now, no one will believe that he might harm them. But that''s not of any importance. They all know he''s innocent. If I can keep everything under control, I can still proceed. Once Aragon''s dead, the public will have no choice but to accept my will. After all, if they don''t, they will have to take on the burden themselves of being responsible for his death. They will never make that choice; it''s too hard. Right, let''s get going! Wait, why is Eleanor looking determined? Lena: Hey, I don''t need to produce a hint for Aragon. Esther, bless her little soul, has done it for me. Unlike me and Eleanor, she has no problems with being excited by a man. So, maybe I don''t need to make any vows... So, why am I feeling a bit out of sorts about this... Do I want to make that vow, anyway? Eleanor looks like she might be going to do something. Perhaps. But what can she do... Lena saw Eleanor step forward slightly, square off her stance, and turn to Kalitran. And Kalitran also straightened himself and looked as if he was going to do something. She''s hesitant. Unsure of herself? But, if I encourage her and she fails, she could get killed. But if she does nothing, Aragon gets killed. And both Eleanor and I have to live with the doubts about what might have been. Oh, hell. Fine, then, OK. I''ll make my choice. Damn it all. Ding! You have made a private vow, 100% strength, to Eleanor. I pledge my friendship to you, forever, no matter what happens. If you ever need me, I shall be there beside you. Good luck. Eleanor: What! Lena has made a vow to me? Friendship for the rest of our lives? Wow, just wow. No matter what I do now, I won''t lose her friendship. Unless, of course, I die. But never mind that! Let''s try to talk the King out of this! She was about to start when: Ding! The Voice of the World has granted you the ability [Address the Public]. No matter what the conditions are, how big the crowd is, or how noisy it is, your voice will be heard if you will it. No kidding. The Misfits'' ''It''s all bullshit'' theory must be correct, after all. She met the King''s eye. "King Kalitran! It is now obvious that Aragon is not guilty. So, why not let him go? He will continue to be a loyal guard and continue to protect the slaves under our care." Her voice carried out over the crowd. Despite the slowly rising noise from the people talking to each other and the guards starting to shout to keep control, everyone heard it perfectly. "And, of course, we can watch how Aragon and Esther¡¯s relationship works out. After all, everybody loves a good romance, don''t they?" This produced a burst of laughter from the crowd and a grimace from Kalitran. Kalitran: That useless bitch of a woman! How dare she contradict me like that! But I''m losing the crowd. The guards are getting second thoughts. It is apparent to all that Aragon can only be innocent. Can I back out? I can''t. I''ll lose face. Everyone will see me as weak, being pushed around by a mere female. I can''t admit a mistake now; it will undo my work. Shit! Get this over with now! Then, I can deal with the consequences. He looked at the executioner. "Do it now!" Eleanor promptly contradicted him: ¡°Stay your hand; Aragon is innocent!" The executioner, no doubt taking into consideration that Aragon was innocent, froze and took no action. All the other guards within reach also stopped moving. They kept exchanging glances, but none were willing to make the first move. Shit! I shall have to take out this annoying woman all by myself! He materialised his long sword, tucked his tail behind his legs, and stepped forward. Only to be shocked when Eleanor also materialised a weapon. Does she have a knife? What does she think she can do against a sword - oh shit - it¡¯s a throwing knife! He stopped still, sword held in front of him. She was also still, her tail and ears tucked down and behind, her throwing knife ready for action. The guards were still wavering, but since no one was prepared to be the first to take action, no one did. The public crowd were dead silent, just waiting. After all, the purpose of the King''s actions was to make the public passive and willing to let the King make the tough choices. So, that''s what they did. Eleanor: Maintain control over myself. I still can''t bring myself to kill him outright. So, how about I make some vows? With the Voice''s current bullshit, they will probably all be 100%. Ding! Eleanor has made a public vow, 100% strength. If Kalitran abdicates, I, as queen, promise to let him and all of the guards who supported his plans go. They may leave this land without repercussions. This message has been sent to everyone in Manifestoria. Ding! Eleanor of Manifestoria has made a public vow of 100% strength. If Kalitran abdicates, I, as queen, will dedicate my life to reigning over Manifestoria to the best of my abilities. I will pledge to make the welfare of my people my number one priority. I will commit to always residing here and never permanently moving out, even if the slavers do come. I will personally take part, whenever practical, in any fights for our country and, beyond that, any fights for the benefit of all non-slaves in our world. This message has been sent to everyone in Manifestoria, to all officials in every country within a thousand kilometres of the slaver countries, and to the slaver emperor. She almost giggled. Yep, 100% bullshit. And, have I just stirred up the entire slaver nation? But she did not remove her eyes from Kalitran. Who suddenly looked furious. He raised his sword and lunged towards her. Eleanor flicked her arm, and her knife flew towards him. The knife went past the sword and into his neck. The sword continued downwards, but Eleanor managed to rotate her body and move aside. The sword clattered onto the ground, followed shortly after by Kalitran''s body, and then the sword vanished. Total silence. Kalitran still looks angry, even in his death. Just as well I have [Emotional Control]. Worry about such things later. "My first action as queen is to order Aragon''s release." She looked at the executioner with a meaningful look. He looked at Kalitran''s body for a moment,then he removed the cord from around Aragon¡¯s neck. Then he stepped back as if to indicate he didn''t have anything more to do with the proceedings. Eleanor bent over, grabbed Aragon''s arm, and dragged him up. Aragon managed to stand with only a tiny amount of wobbling. And Eleanor had a thought: Esther must have pushed herself to a remarkable extent to make that vow, so the least Aragon can do is to make a vow back. I''ll give him a bit of a nudge... Under the guise of still supporting him, she brought her face close to his head, then whispered. "Aragon. Esther was kind enough to make a vow to you and commit herself to you, to give you a hint about making a vow to the orphans. So, why not make a similar vow back to her?" Aragon: Am I sure beyond all doubt that I want to commit myself to Esther for the rest of my life... He looked at the dead body of the previous King, then looked back to Eleanor''s face. There was a definite smile there- maybe not a totally friendly smile, but nonetheless. All things considered, like, for example, I''m still alive, I think I do. Ding! Aragon has made a vow of 100% strength. I pledge myself, my heart and my body exclusively to Esther for the rest of my life. I will respect Esther''s boundaries and will proceed at her pace. This message has been sent to everyone in Manifestoria. Well, I''ve done it now. So, I guess Tanya can''t complain? And does Eleanor look a bit smug and self-satisfied? [1.50] Queen Eleanor Eleanor: That went well. Now, to get a response from the public, my first public interaction as Queen. "Everyone! Isn''t that a great way for Aragon to welcome the rest of his hopefully long life!" She lifted her fist as if the cheer. The crowd, no doubt appreciating the feeling of relief from not having to watch his execution, cheered without any further encouragement. "How about some of you help him reunite him with his sweetheart!" The crowd was willing, and soon, Aragon and Esther were squashed together, sharing a hug. Their first hug, as of now, they had only momentarily brushed their hands together as part of their regular everyday living circumstances. Evereena: Evereena was swept up in the crowd-imposed hug. She did her best to remain attached to her mother without sharing too much physical contact with Aragon. I mean, he''s a nice person for a man. And he''s sworn multiple full-strength vows to look after us. And he certainly didn''t deserve to die. And I have no regret about the death of that horrible king - although it''s incredible that Eleanor killed him. But, really, all this fuss over sex. Or is it romance plus sex? Or whatever. Wouldn''t vows of friendship be sufficient? If it''s what Mum wants, then it will have to do. Eleanor: Meanwhile, Eleanor was still on stage, watching the crowd become boisterous. They''re all happy... Am I going to have any problems with the guards? She looked around. The guard, who was the designated executioner, was standing back, looking somewhat self-conscious. "Perhaps you would like to take the rest of the day off?" she said. He rapidly did as suggested. He hopped off the back of the stage, did his best not to attract any attention, and disappeared down the nearest alleyway. That left the guards stationed on crowd control duty, including the ones keeping the Misfits and the others under control. Right now, these guards were casually backing off from the ones they were supposed to be controlling and trying to look as if they were merely doing everyday guard-like things, for example, standing around and watching out for littering. Eleanor caught the eye of one of these guards. Ding! The Voice of the World has granted you the ability [Address an Individual]. No matter what the conditions are, how big the crowd is, or how noisy it is, if you will it, your voice will be heard only by the individual or individuals you are interested in. Ding! Unique ability: long distance low-level [Intimidation] granted. It could be helpful. More bullshit? Say, Voice of the World, any hints on managing when the slavers overrun this place? Since I can never leave here... Nothing came back. OK, OK. She used her new powers to order a few guards to remove the evidence, namely the garroting pole. They promptly did as they were told. Yes! They promptly followed my orders and looked slightly intimidated! I could get used to this. She looked around the crowd at a loss for what to do right now, only to see Lena looking back. Ahh. Lena. Her little vow was just what I needed to push me over the starting line. So, what about I make one back? Lena: Now, that was surprising. Or maybe shocking. The upright, prim and proper daughter of nobility killed the king in front of everybody. Then, she brazenly declared herself the new Queen. What the hell do I think of that? I guess I am also responsible for her actions, at least to some degree. And, of course, I can''t desert her due to my vow. I''m not afraid of her, am I? Probably not; she risked her own life to save Aragon''s. And what does she think about me? Ding! Eleanor has made a private vow to you: 100% strength. I pledge my friendship to you, forever, no matter what happens. If you ever need me, I shall be there beside you. Thanks. Ahh. Right. I guess whatever it is between us is mutual. And there is no way we can get out of it. After exchanging a significant glance or two with Eleanor, she decided she had better spend some time explaining the situation to her two orphans and soothing their agitation. The Misfits: Cassy giggled and said: "It looks like we didn''t need to take any action ourselves; they were perfectly competent all by themselves." "Yep, sure looks like it," said Drayden. "But I was looking forward to making another vow," said Alice, sounding regretful. "So, why don''t we?" said Bronsen, "Private, of course, just to Eleanor. Tell her we''re on her side. And none of this public vow stuff being conveyed straight to the slaver emperor." "It''s a bit late to worry about that. Remember Eleanor''s vow went to the Emperor," said Drayden.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Oh, never mind. Anyway..." said Bronsen. So, in their own little group, they had a four-way handshake and: Ding! The Misfits have made a private vow to Eleanor only, 100%. Hi, Queen Eleanor. We pledge our support to you for as long as we remain on this Ringworld. They saw Eleanor, who was currently standing on the platform and not doing much, jump slightly. She turned her head to find the Misfits, then smiled and waved at them. The Treasurer: This is all beyond amazement. Eleanor is now the Queen. She put her life on the line and decided, all by herself, to do it. I would have never believed she could have had it in her. Stupid Kalitran. He practically got the kingship delivered to him on a silver platter, but he still lost it. And lose his life. All because he was obsessed with being seen as a powerful leader. Sigh. Now what? Maybe I can keep on advising the new Queen? Somehow, I don''t think she is going to be as easy to influence as Kalitran was. But, if I keep making sensible suggestions, I suppose I''ll be able to retain my job. At this point, Eleanor, after waving to someone in the audience, turned around and saw him. She nodded at him and said: "I guess we should make some arrangements?" Yeah, I guess so. Eleanor: "For a start, I need to move into the castle. We might as well get the orphans and Aragon''s little group in there also; arranging the guards to protect the ex-slaves will be easier. So, of course, the Misfits as well. We can all go somewhere into the residential block; it''s certainly big enough." she said. If Lena is going to be a friend for life, she might as well live in the room next to mine. Although I''m sure she''ll try to get me to socialise with the orphans more. Sigh. Nimbus ( the prime minister of Crysteth): More of these 100% strength vows being delivered to everyone in this segment of the Ringworld. And the slaver Emperor. I''m sure I will love all of the extra headaches these will bring. He did some thinking. If this Eleanor person proves competent, and given that she has committed herself to staying at Manifestoria even when the slavers come through, she could be a reliable ally. That entire area is blocked off by the sea to its back and side, plus the rim wall on the other. So the only way the slavers can get in is via the rim wall top, or by boats. He shuddered at the thought of making an ocean crossing. Flexians really, really didn''t like deep water. And, as for the rim wall top, it was exposed. The lack of cover and clouds meant anyone with high [Perception] could see people coming from fifty kilometres away in either direction. Since the wall was only a hundred metres wide, repelling invaders would take only a small force, at least for a while. There was also the monster territory next door to Manifestoria. So, if she does well, that entire border is reasonably safe. Until the slavers sweep around the sea and take Crysteth from the other side, of course. He massaged his temples, then settled down to write some contingency plans for discussion at the next strategy meeting. Kelper (The gold collar current slave emperor). The theme of the Emperor''s bedroom was black. Black floor, black ceiling, black walls. Even the bed and covers were black. Since it was daylight, enough sun shone through the window to make it gloomy instead of entirely dark. He walked out of it and acknowledged the servant waiting at the entrance. "Clear up the mess." said the Emperor. The Emperor of all slaves was not feeling all that happy. He settled his body into his over-stuffed chair before his office desk. The gold inlays on the top of it nicely matched the gold colour of his slave collar. However, through long exposure, he no longer noticed such details. In fact, such shows of wealth were pointless since he did not have anyone of equal status to show off to. What a miserable life this is turning out to be. Just like my grandfather, the previous Emperor said it would. In his background, the servant came out of the bedroom, carrying a heavy load, and took it away. The Emperor totally ignored this. Instead, with a look of irritation, he turned to his office assistant. ."Fetch me the Major Issues file." I hate this particular duty. The Major Issues rarely change; there''s no need to keep thinking about them when nothing can be done... Every slave had standing orders and absolute orders, which governed their behaviour. The only difference was that the higher-ranking slaves had a slightly different set of orders. Thus, the Emperor, as the highest-ranking slave, had some special extra orders exclusively for him. One of them, specified by his grandfather when he was the Emperor, ensured he could never forget about the most critical issues and problems they faced. So, he was compelled to go through the folder regularly. Issue #1: The natural rate of population growth of slaves. According to their best guesses, the green-collared clerical staff estimated that the current growth rate was 99%. (Green-collars were above the blue-collars and only out-ranked by the Emperor himself.) 99% per year. A steadily declining population. Just under 10% in a decade. In a century, without intervention, the population would be one-third of what it was now. Of course, the total population was slowly growing for the time being, but only because of continual advancement into foreign territory and the acquisition of new slaves. But that also involves constant fighting and defending against every vermin country on all sides. And when we conquer the whole ring, that will be the end of that option. And, for some reason, producing slaves from babies doesn''t seem to work very well. After all, what could be wrong with getting teenage mothers pumping out half a dozen babies while they are young, then putting them into creches as groups? After they become three, collar them and put them into cohorts, say a hundred each, run by a red collar. From then on, there are no problems; they will do what they are told to do. But, for some reason, there is a high death rate. And even those who survive don''t seem to get all that high abilities. At this point, he received the Voice of the World notification about Queen Eleanor''s vows. Who the hell is Eleanor? And where''s Manifestoria? Ahh, it''s that little country stuck between the rim wall, the Jaserra Ocean and a monster territory. They are of no importance to anyone, have no trade routes, no resource mining, and barely produce enough food for their own use. And, if I remember correctly, its population has been steadily declining as the top-level vermin run away. So, why has the Voice assigned her a 100% strength vow to govern it? Hmmm. Maybe that is where those Misfits are? Could be. Or it might not be. Although those 100% vows - presumably there is a connection - maybe. He had tried to find the Misfits but had no leads to draw upon. And he was busy managing invasions on about six different fronts. It''s not urgent to grab that Eleanor vermin. But, those Misfits with their 100% vow to end slavery, I must do my best to collar or kill them. Damn, I don''t think it would be wise to invade the country and convert it to slaves - it is, at the moment, too far from our other territories. Maybe it can be maintained using the rim wall top for communication and logistics - Nyah, it is too vulnerable. Crysteth can just as easily access the rim wall from the other side of the monster territory and harass us. Suppose I can get confirmation about the Misfits'' location. In that case, I can mount a small force to get those Misfits, possibly Eleanor and anyone of any importance, then retreat. Diverting our resources when we are already stretched out is a pain. All things considered, I suppose I can delay this for a while. Unless I get more information about the Misfits. His own personal absolute orders did not allow him any leeway in this matter; he had no choice but to make himself a permanent reminder to keep looking into this matter. This is all such a pain. And I can never get a break from it. The Misfits: Later that night, the Misfits were in their common room. They had been exhaustively discussing the whole matter of Eleanor''s ascension without gaining much enlightenment. Then, Cassy thought of checking her status. "Hey! Check this! Our locked points have gone down! By about 300 points or so!" "So it has." said Drayden, "Where did the points go to?" Ding! The points were used to give Aragon the ability [Never Get Drunk Again] and to provide Eleanor with the abilities [Address an Audience] and [Address an Individual], not to mention low-level long-range [Intimidation]. This was a worthwhile investment, wouldn''t you agree? "Well, sure, sounds like it was a good idea," said Alice. "But, wait, sometimes System-san uses our points to give an ability, and other times, the points are made up on the spot. Isn''t this more bullshit?" said Cassy. Ding! Of course! Cassy rolled her eyes. She then flicked her tail across Drayden''s face. "Whatever. Drayden and I are going to bed." Nobody objected. [1.51] Eleanor and Lena, Best Friends Forever Eleanor: Opening her shell just a little bit It was three days after Eleanor became queen, and right now, Lena had managed to drag Eleanor into her bedroom, the one she shared with the two orphans. I knew it; she is trying to get me to look after the kids. I''m queen, you know? I''ve got lots of other essential things to do. But I suppose it''s part of our friendship. Mason and Becky were in their beds, still just mattresses on the floor. They were lying face down, with their shoulders exposed above the blankets. Lena was kneeling to the side of Mason with her hands on his shoulders. "My poor little orphans are so stressed out, I have found it is best to give them a bit of a massage before bed. And, since they are now your subjects, and you have made a public vow to make their welfare your number one priority, I figure you will be happy to help. Don''t you think so, Becky?" Becky timidly turned her head and looked at Eleanor. Lena, this is blackmail. I can''t possibly refuse; otherwise, I risk hurting Becky''s feelings. So Eleanor smiled at Becky, put her hands onto her shoulders, and tried copying Lena''s motions. She could feel, somewhere in the back of her mind, faint wisps of pain; after all, she could have done the same to her own child. Had he survived. [Emotional Control] is on full; there is no need to worry. No need at all. Also, she wasn''t sure she was all that good at this. Becky''s shoulders felt stiff and unrelaxed. Damn, Lena''s better than me. Mason looks as if he is ready to drop off to sleep already. Eventually, Lean took pity on Eleanor (and Becky) and massaged Becky''s shoulders. After a while, when both kids were sleeping, they moved out of the bedroom and stood outside. Eleanor said: "You are so much better than me at that." "Practice, I''ve had plenty of practice, my dear queen." "Is that so? An admirable skill, I am sure," said Eleanor. "I think so, too. And, you know, I think you could also do with a shoulder massage. It would be best to try relaxing that rigid [Emotional Control] mask you always wear. Just a little bit. It will do you good." I don''t want to relax my [Emotional Control]! It''s too dangerous! Eleanor tried a little bit of her newly acquired [Intimidation] skill in a moment of irritation and anger. It worked. Lena cringed and moved back a bit. Oh, wait, maybe I went a bit too far... But then, Lena stopped acting distressed. She smiled sweetly and said: "Nice try, young lady. But, I''ll have you know, the Voice had just awarded me the ability to ignore all [Initmidation] abilities. So, shall we continue with my original suggestion?" Eleanor returned Lena''s smile with a steady gaze. There was a muffled clatter in the brief silence as the Misfits moved off to their own bedrooms. Eleanor''s and Lena''s rooms were in a separate, short passage away from the others, so there was no risk of anyone else seeing them. This friendship-for-life thing is proving to be a bit of a bother. "Let''s, ahh, sit in my room and talk about this, shall we?" said Eleanor. They sat facing each other in two straight-backed chairs. Eleanor''s bedroom was not the royal one the old king used: it was an extra large room with a monstrosity of a four-poster canopy bed, a separate room for a walk-in wardrobe, and its own ensuite. (Yes, they had plumbing and internal bathrooms/toilets in Manifestoria. Although hot water had to be heated separately.) Eleanor had no positive feelings for that room; in her mind, it was indelibly associated with her father. Even Kalitran had not used it. He had chosen the sensible option of a bedroom and ensuite close to the royal office. Instead, Eleanor had deliberately picked two ordinary bedrooms in their own private passage - when she had been a girl, the head maid and the governess used them. "I guess I should fill in some more detail about what happened back then," said Eleanor. "It''s high time." This is painful, even with [Emotional Control]. "The old king, my father, always was an arrogant, macho fool. He thought he was real tough, a real man, able to withstand anything. Like for example, doing an Ashrend ritual. Course, he wasn''t. The ritual sucks out the poor slave''s life force or something and boosts all of the stats of the recipient. So he becomes stronger and faster. It also slowly, bit by bit, destroys the slave''s mind. And, since the recipient remains linked to the slave, it also slowly rends his mind - tears it into pieces. But only gradually. One''s intelligence and morality are frayed, one''s humanity is coarsened, one''s emotions become blunted and downright distorted." Just words; they don''t describe the utter terror and horror; how do I convey that - wait, do I want to convey that? It means I will have to remember how it feels - I don''t want to drop my [Emotional Control] even just a little. Shit, what should I do... At this point, Lena raised her eyebrows slightly, then reached out and took Eleanor''s hand with hers. "Even with that annoyingly perfectly blank expression, I can still tell you are suffering something awful." said Lena, "I mean, you do know that you can never accept and move past your grief if you never release that control, right?" "Ahh, I know the disadvantage of having 100% [Emotional Control]. Although I''ve never had anyone before to remind me of that." Damn it, Lena! "OK, I''ll release it, but only by a minimal amount... You had better take full responsibility!" Ugh. No wonder I never tried this before. She could feel her brow creasing up in pain. Her hands clenched, and she could feel Lena''s hands that were holding her hand tense up to avoid being squeezed too much. "The old king was already crazy from doing the Ashrend on Tanya. On Aragon''s friend. After that, I''m sure Aragon hated the king with virulent intensity; it must have been part of why he kept running away."You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Running away. That was Aragon''s way. My way was to keep on screaming as my child was taken away. Lena, can I stop this now? But Lena was still holding onto her hand. She was still watching her. OK, OK. "Did I tell you that the Ashrend requires a slave and an extra slave collar? If you put the second collar onto the slave, you will get a new Voice allocated skill. The ability tells you how to go about initiating the ritual. Apparently. The records are sketchy on this part since not many Ashrends are done, and those who do them don¡¯t discuss it much. Also, it should be mentioned that the second collar does not remain on if the ritual is not initiated. It just falls off. Unfortunately, the first collar doesn''t." "That sounds very convenient for an evil person and a bit contrived," said Lena. "Yeah, ain''t it. It''s all due to how it was designed. So, where was I? You put on the extra collar, and the Voice asks if you want to proceed. You say yes, then exert your new skill, and the ritual makes you miraculously stronger! Also, you become crazy! Or at least crazier. Bit by bit." Now I have tears running down my face. What do I do about that? Fortunately, Lena was onto it. She moved her chair next to Eleanor''s and put her hand around Eleanor''s shoulders. They stayed like this for a while. Eleanor was not quite crying, and Lena was not quite giving her a full hug. Lena: After a while: Well, I got the stiff queen sort of crying. But what the hell was the king using the Ashrend for? And how did her baby, not to mention her husband, get caught up in all of this? Hello, she''s calming down. "I think I''ll control myself now," said Eleanor, in a much firmer voice. "I guess we can only do this one step at a time," said Lena. "Indeed. I''m greatly indebted to your help in this matter." But, Eleanor, you have one hell of a long way to go. Just as well this friendship is for life. But Lena decided not to talk about that for the time being. Instead- "Now that you have returned to normal, how about explaining what did happen? And why?" said Lena. Eleanor slumped a bit in her chair. But she made no moves to remove Lena''s arm across her back. "Yes. Right." She took a breath. "Back then, a small contingent of slavers, for some reason, ended up trying to invade Manifestoria. There was a skirmish with the guards at the wall; then they marched onto the town. The old king got the message half a day before they arrived and panicked. The sensible thing would have been to call up every guard on hand and everybody capable of wielding a weapon, or even just a pitchfork, and fighting them. Instead, the stupid git brought out a slave collar - no one even knew he had one, not to mention the fact that it is completely illegal, and then grabbed Tanya off the street." Eleanor paused here, so Lena encouraged her a little. "And did he fight off the slavers?" "Yeah, he did. That Ashrend ritual really does overpower the recipient. That is, he fought off most of the slavers. The guards also helped, of course. Unfortunately, some of the higher-ranking slavers escaped. They managed to ambush a small contingent of guards and collar those who survived. Then, instead of doing the sensible thing and retreating, they must have decided they had a chance of capturing all of Manifestoria." Eleanor slowed down at this point. "Well? You still haven''t said the important bit," said Lena. "Yeah, right. Let''s skip over all the strategy and tactics, shall we? My father panicked again. Only, this time, he was already half insane from the first ritual. He had kept the original slave collar and Tanya''s. So, well, he just grabbed the first person he saw, which happened to be my husband. And, well, ah, there was a fight, and my husband ended up dead. And, with the slavers at the door, the king grabbed the next closest person. You know, my toddler. He just turned three years old. He puts both collars onto him! Of all the stupid, evil things he could do, he uses my child! I don''t even know how that worked! After all, a toddler has no system-enhanced abilities for the Ashrend ritual to steal." She looks completely weird. She is telling me this utterly horrible story with an almost calm and blank face. She has got a loooong way to go to deal with that grief. "So, that was how it happened. He killed off the remaining slavers but became deranged himself. Fortunately, the remaining guards managed to get themselves together, collect all of the slave collars and destroy them. They also managed to look after me - they found the governess, and she dragged me away. From that day, I have never entered the castle again until now, and, of course, I have never met my father. I suppose it was reasonably fortunate that my father recovered some of his sanity and kind of managed to rule the country without too many disasters. Although, shortly afterwards, the royal class deserted the place en mass. Is that enough for tonight?" "Yeah, that''s enough about your sufferings for now. Let''s talk more about this tomorrow, OK?" said Lena. "Although I do have a technical question about this horrible Ashrend thing - I take it that the one doing the ritual gets a Yes/No question from the Voice on whether or not to proceed - but the slave doesn''t?" "Nope, the slave doesn''t. That would make it all too easy to avoid, wouldn''t it?" said Eleanor. "Yeah, I guess so. Just like slaves themselves never get the option of refusing a slave collar when it is first forced upon them," said Lena. "No, they don''t. And since the slave system has already been created, even if the first Emperor got an initial confirmation question, it makes no difference now." "The first Emperor? How on the Ringworld did the slave system start?" "Well, this is all restricted information, but I don''t care who knows about it now. Some damned in-perpetuity hero apparently went totally insane and created the slave system. And, presumably, some other hero created the Ashrend ritual." "Oh, right. But I still don¡¯t understand why should these damned in-perpetuity heroes add such a thing as a confirmation question?" "Nobody knows. Maybe the Voice added it. Maybe it''s all that the Voice could do to mitigate a horrible situation?" said Eleanor. "Oh bloody hell, why on the Ringworld did the Voice give such powerful abilities to make such broken abilities to anyone?" "I guess the Voice thought it would work out? After all, the Order Lock Expiry effect was not in the original slaver system design; a hero added it." Lena was surprised: "It never occurred to me to wonder why the Order Lock Expiry thing existed." Eleanor slumped into her chair, still partially supported by Lena¡¯s embrace. This is all so horrible and stressful. "What about now I give you a shoulder massage? Let''s get away from any depressing topics," said Lena. "I''m not sure it will do me any good, but I suppose so," said Eleanor. At this point, both ladies stopped in embarrassment. "Ah, what about I wait outside until you have changed into your sleeping gear, and you get into bed, then call me?" said Lena. Lena sat in a chair next to Eleanor''s bed, gently rubbing Eleanor''s shoulders. She is stiff as a board, even with her control on. This is one screwed-up lady, and I can''t even blame her. After a while, Lena softly got up, moved the chair back to its place, and silently left the room, closing the door behind her. Half an hour later, cuddled up in her bed, listening to the soft breathing of the two orphans, she went over the evening. It''s going to take ages for Eleanor to deal with her grief. I''ll have to do my best. Also, I guess we really are in a long-term friendship. I might as well accept it. Eleanor: The following day There she is. At last. Eleanor had been waiting just inside the opened door of her room for Lena to come out. "Hi, Lena" She did not attempt to disguise the fact that she had been deliberately waiting. Lena greeted her back. "You know, I''ve been thinking - when we first met, I was just slightly dismissive of you..." said Eleanor. "I know, but then maybe I was the same towards you?" "But, things move on. Looks like you are going to be my new best friend forever. Until one of us dies. Also, I''ve already told you, haven''t I? My husband was my first best friend forever. He really was. So, of course, I thought we would make a wonderful couple." Eleanor sighed heavily. "However, that didn''t work out. We should have just stayed platonic friends without all the complications that the physical relationship stuff caused. Since, obviously, I''m just not capable of that. So, it''s a great relief not to worry about anything like that with you." Lena laughed. "That''s for sure; we won''t have to worry about such things. After all, if we want some drama about fumbling relationships, we can always watch Aragon and Esther." Eleanor giggled. "Or, go the other way and watch the sex-crazed Misfits." "Course, we''re still going to be working on your little problem with grief," said Lena. "I knew that was coming. And, I suppose you want me to come in with you and wake up your orphans?" "You bet. It will do you good," said Lena. "OK. Just remember, you''ll still be responsible for all of this!" "I won''t forget." Smiling at each other, they turned and went into Lena''s room to wake up the kids. If this is to be part of my life, then so be it. I''ll have to accept it. The Misfits: "Hey, check this out: our locked points have gone down again!" "Maybe System-san granted someone another special skill?" said Cassy. Sadly, System-san couldn''t be bothered explaining. [1.52] Esther and Aragon, hand in hand. Its a start. Aragon: The queen had allocated another private two-room and toilet block to Esther, Evereena and Aragon. This also had its own private corridor. Eleanor is trying her best to encourage our relationship, isn''t she? And since there are only two bedrooms, there always has to be a room with two people in it... Oops, I don''t want to get ahead of myself here. The same morning that Eleanor and Lena were having their own discussion, he had carefully contrived the moment so that he appeared at his door just as Evereena and Esther emerged from theirs. "Ah, hello, ladies!" With a friendly smile, ears pointing forward, tail held to one side and pointing slightly up, a perfect model of a nice gentleman who had no intention of infringing upon their personal space. "Oh, ah, hello, Aragon," said Esther. Her smile cycled between nervousness and friendliness; her ears flicked forward and sideways while her tail was low and softly shaking. "Ah, Aragon," said Evereena. She rolled her eyes, briefly flicked her ears towards him, then backwards, keeping her tail at half height, half curled around herself. "Mum, just go and have a talk with him or something; I''m going off to clean up." Evereena scuttled off as fast as possible and disappeared into the bathroom. Gosh, even Evereena is doing her best to encourage her Mum. Sort of; I still think she would be just as happy not to have the complications. "My Evereena doesn''t know how to deal with you, ah, sorry," said Esther. "That''s all right; I have no problems with that." Since Esther was still standing there and showing no signs of retreating and hiding in her room, Aragon decided to try his luck. "It''s now been three days. Would you like to sit at my desk in my room, and we can talk about things?" "C-certainly." They were now sitting at his desk. There was only enough space for a chair on either side, so that''s how they sat. As usual in a social setting, Esther was seated almost at attention, her body perfectly aligned with the chair, legs straight down, hands in her lap, head pointing forward and her tail neatly draped down the back of the chair and lying on the floor behind her. Aragon had left the door open; he didn''t want her to worry about certain things happening.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. I suppose she never had much spare time as a slave, so she hardly knows how to even relax in a chair. I wonder how long it will take before she comes to my bed. Ah, right, keep my mind on the current situation. "So, I suppose it can be said that you are happy to be in a relationship with me sometime in the future?" he said. Her tail started to curl up - in other words, she was getting embarrassed. "Y-yes. In the future, that is." "That''s - good," said Aragon. He stalled, not knowing what to say. So eventually Esther said: "But, this relationship stuff - how do I, err, I mean we, actually do it?" "Hmm. Well, generally, we do it in small steps, like building a house out of bricks. Each brick doesn''t look much, but if one carefully lays them out and cements them, you eventually get an imposing house. Or even a castle like this one." Did I imply that our relationship will be equivalent to a castle? Oh, geezers, I am getting ahead of myself. Fortunately, Esther didn''t appear to notice anything wrong. "How do we do those small steps?" She really is hopeless. "The best thing is not to stress too much about each step. Like, we can talk about things - for example, our childhood. Or about what happened after I was arrested. Or, you know, things that happen in our daily life." "And, at what stage should the - sex - start?" she said. If I were bullshitting in the tavern with some of the guards, I would say straight away! Yeah, sure. The Voice of the World will grab my throat and strangle the words before they can come out. "We are not anywhere near that point yet. We need to get an emotional connection going, and that will eventually lead to a sexual connection." Aragon noticed that Esther was beginning to look puzzled. "But no need to worry about that yet! At the moment, can we occasionally hold hands? Maybe when we go for a walk?" "Sure. And, as we walk, we talk about... whatever?" "You''re getting the idea!" Hey, Voice of the World, can''t you give her a relationship skill, maximum points? There was no answer. Fine, fine. Just as well I''m happy to go at this rate. He looked up, past Esther, and realised that Evereena was standing at the door, patiently waiting. Crap, did she hear all of that? Evereena: Looks like it''s serious, then. Stupid 100% Voice of the World vows. But at least Aragon is doing his best to look after Mum. I still don''t understand all of the sex stuff; I guess I should wait until I''m Cassy''s age before doing anything about it. But, honestly, I can''t see myself ever wanting to have any. Nonetheless, Mum and Aragon are going to be a couple. I might as well accept it and move on. [1.53] Evereena gets an ability Evereena: Later that day, the Misfits, plus all of the slaves, as well as Aragon and Lena, went for a walk down the hill and to the markets. Of course, Eleanor, being the very important person she was, was stuck in the castle, doing some more queening. That is, more meetings. Evereena was walking just behind Esther and Aragon, which was the perfect location to get a good look at them holding hands. This is a bit embarrassing. I mean, everybody can see them. What if I go with Cassy? So, after telling her mum, she attached herself to the Misfits as they wandered along various shop fronts. Aragon and Esther went off in their own direction. "Ooh, look, they have a shop selling weapons!" said Drayden. He and Bronsen were instantly entranced and entered without hesitating, leaving the ladies outside. Cassy looked at Alice. "They certainly do charge off without the slightest consultation, don''t they?" said Cassy. "Bloody hell, they do. Looks like I need to have yet another talk with my man," said Alice. Cassy giggled, then looked at Evereena. "We females need to demonstrate who the boss is around here, don''t you agree?" "Ahh, I guess so?" said Evereena. "You need to work on that attitude, young lady," said Cassy. As in, get more assertive? But I''m a slave. I''m not one of the Misfits. Evereena was startled as Cassy knelt beside her and hugged her. "Don''t worry, you''ll get better at things. I''m sure you''ll one day be showing others who the boss is!" I really can''t see that. Bronsen and Drayden: The boys went in through the double swinging doors, discovering that the inside was surprisingly small. A single room with a counter at the far end, shelves and racks on the wall, and a table display. There was a modest collection of swords, daggers, axes and spears. There was also an assortment of shields, knee and elbow pads and helmets. "Say, Bronsen, I was expecting a much bigger range of weapons?" said Drayden. Bronsen scratched his head, looking puzzled. "Ah, hello, you must be the Misfits, from some faraway place?" said the shopkeeper. She had been sitting behind the counter, to one side. "Anyway, naturally, there isn''t much of a range. Most people who want a weapon will eventually get their own bonded weapon. These weapons are mainly for initial practice so they can earn their weapon." "Ahh, of course." said Bronsen, "And I suppose there is little need for shields for the same reason." They chatted with the shopkeeper while they browsed around. "Wait a minute, where are the bows and arrows?" said Drayden. "Huh? What are they?" said the shopkeeper. The boys tried to explain, but the shopkeeper kept looking puzzled. Eventually- Ding! Bows and arrows don''t exist. Remember the explanation of the true nature of reality here? Because of the Flexian''s actual body plan, it is almost impossible for them to draw and aim a bow. And the atmosphere is, in Earth terms, more like a transparent pea soup than a thin gas. However, short-range throwing daggers do exist, as you have seen. "Oh, right. Sorry, Miss Shopkeeper. System-san - I mean The Voice of the World - has just informed us that due to reasons, bows and arrows don''t exist here." said Drayden. "Fine. So the Voice of the World told you that... amazing." Evereena: Outside, the girls kept wandering along.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Hey, look, a shop selling chocolates and sweets!" said Alice, pointing to another shop. "What do you think is the real nature of that? After all, if the actual biochemistry is based on using methane in place of water, what does that make chocolate?" said Cassy. Alice rolled her eyes. "Who knows? Obviously, System-san manages to translate it in some way." What does that mean? Alice continued: "Anyway, Evereena, how about sitting on that park bench under the tree over there? We will do a little shopping and bring you some treats." Cassy and Alice will buy me some chocolate? She had tasted chocolate once when their master had been inexplicably generous and given them a small piece each. Cassy and Alice are wonderful! "Yes, please!" said Evereena. This was the first time she had ever produced a normal-sounding ''please''. So she sat on the bench in the shade of a tree, swinging her legs and feeling hopeful of life for once. Or, at least, of life in the next half hour. Of course, that feeling didn''t last very long. Five teenagers appeared and loomed over Evereena. Shit, I recognise these kids; they were the ones that tried to bully me beforehand. Except that now Cassy isn''t here to protect me. "Hey, look, there''s that slave girl! And those Misfits aren''t anywhere near!" said one of the girls. "Say, what did your older brother say?" said one of the boys. There was much giggling and laughter. Evereena tried to shrink back as far as possible in her seat. "He said that you can ask a slave to remove their clothes!" said the second boy. More laughter. "They have to obey, they can''t help themselves!" There were some more giggles; then, there was a small silence. "Well?" said one boy to another, "Are you going to try that?" "Doesn''t it only work if the order is from a higher-ranking slave?" said a girl. "I don''t know, let''s find out, shall we?" said the first boy. So the second boy said: "Slave girl! Go on, take off your clothes!" Evereena stared at her shoes, tightly holding her hands together. "No, I don''t want to." "What''s that? I didn''t hear you!" "I said, I don''t want to. Cassy says I don''t have to obey orders any more." One of the girls appeared to get uncomfortable. "Say, perhaps we should just go?" "Come on, Katress, it''s only a slave!" But this girl still turned away and left. Evereena heard the sound of footsteps walking away. Meanwhile, the others continued their teasing. The boy leant closer to Evereena: "You''re just a worthless slave girl. Just do what you''re told!" I¡¯m just a worthless slave. A worthless slave. I''ve been that all my life. But she still managed to shake her head. So the boy doubled down. "Right now, I''m your master. And, You. Will. Take off. Your. Clothes." With Evereena''s willpower and self-respect crumbling around her, she remembered all the times some man had raped her. All the times her slave collar had made her do their bidding. Her hands shaking and still looking at the ground, she hesitantly started to undo the top button of her shirt. The remaining four teenagers hooted in celebration, then the boy said: "Keep on going, why are you stopping?" By now, Evereena was on the verge of crying; her hands were shaking so much she could barely hold the second button on her shirt- Ding! You have been granted the power of [Intimidation], the same one the Misfits were given when Cassy protected you from bullying the first time. Only yours has a maximum value of 200 and is currently set to 15, whereas theirs is only 5 out of 100. Go for it, girl! She froze in place. Her hands stopped shaking, and her tears stopped flowing. I have [Intimidation]? I can intimidate these bullies? And - and - is the Voice of the World encouraging me to use it? Cassy is right. This is all bullshit! She looked up and had a good look at the teenagers. So, one girl did go away. But there are still four left... "Hey, slave girl, I didn''t tell you to stop. And what''s with this attitude? Remember, slave girls are worthless; you don''t get to have any such attitude!" "Fuck off," said Evereena. There were exaggerated looks of disdain and contempt from the teenagers. The leading boy leant over even closer and leered at her. "Oh, so that''s going to be your reaction. Well, in that case-" Evereena reached her limit. She turned on her brand new [Intimidation] ability at its full 15 points power. The boy yelped in horror and staggered backwards, then collapsed on the ground. The two other boys, being a little further away, weren''t quite as badly affected, but they still had looks of horror and terror on their faces. The girl collapsed on her knees and began crying. Evereena turned off her ability. Wow, this is incredible. I can''t wait to tell Cassy. And Alice. No longer enthralled by Evereena''s power, the four turned and ran away. However, the leading boy appeared to have trouble remaining in balance. Evereena was left alone on her park bench. Maybe, maybe, I''m not such a worthless person after all? Is the Voice of the World looking after me? Really? I still have my slave collar - it''s never coming off. But, so long as I avoid all ranking slaves - does this mean I can have a good life after all? Just like Cassy and Alice. And all of the others. She was starting to hyperventilate with the wonder and excitement of it all. This is wonderful! At this point, Cassy and Alice strolled up. They had four or five shopping bags with them. "Hi, Evereena, we''ve got treats for everyone!" said Alice. "Say, we saw four terrified teenagers run past us just then. Do you know what that was about?" said Cassy. "Oh, those? Who cares." "But, I must tell you what the Voice of the World said to me!" Eleanor: Everyone had an evening meal together. It had become their habit. Right now, Eleanor was having an after-dinner meeting with just the Treasurer and Jane. Ah, those days when I was a teenager. The nobles had a roster for when they could dine with the king, and so much wheeling and dealing was involved. Now, it''s just me and my two trusted staff, plus a bunch of friends. Truly a decline in power. The former glory of this little kingdom is never returning. "So, various twits were attempting to bully one of the slaves," said Eleanor. Sigh from Jane. "The guard''s roster has gotten a bit slack after your, ah, ascension to the throne. Some girl notified a guard, but everybody had already moved on by the time he got there. My apologies; I will have a few words with various guards tomorrow." "That''s fine. At least Evereena got something out of it. Maybe it will be all to the good." They got stuck into arranging a new guard schedule, plus other tedious but necessary matters. [1.54] A planning meeting with Eleanor Narrator: The Misfits met briefly in their private meeting room a day later. Naturally, Eleanor had also carefully considered their circumstances and allocated a corridor with three bedrooms plus a toilet block for them to live in. Just as well the castle was an extensive sprawling collection of buildings with plenty of rooms. Once upon a time, it would have been packed with people: the king and his entourage busily running the country, nobles galore scheming their little court intrigues, guards to protect them, servants to do all the cooking, gardening, picking up socks, and mopping up the messes they all left behind themselves. But now, it was mostly deserted. A tiny contingent of servants who had looked after the old king and some of the remaining guards now lived there. The first thing Eleanor did was invite all of these people to stay on. She had also gotten the Treasurer to look at the finances and consequently decided to give everyone a small raise. The next thing she had done was to get more guards to live in the castle''s guard house and to allocate quarters for herself and her friends. And now, the day after Aragon and Esther''s discussion, she had arranged a planning meeting. She sent invitations to all relevant personnel, and the Misfits were included. The Misfits: "So, we all ready to report to the queen''s planning meeting?" said Alice. "Yep, sure are!" said Cassy. "This could be fun, helping run a country. I''ve never done that before," said Bronsen. "Really? I''ve run half a dozen countries in my time!" said Drayden. He looked around at three disbelieving faces. ¡°They don¡¯t believe me?¡± "Hey, have a little more faith in me. I have run countries, well, on a computer. They are called civilisation games; the computer models a city or a country, and the player controls what happens - for example, what buildings to build, what roads to make, and what taxes to charge. All those sorts of things. It gets pretty difficult, I can tell you. Get some details wrong, like not providing enough farmland, and the whole civilisation collapses." Alice rolled her eyes. She flicked out her tail and wrapped the end around Drayden''s wrist. "This is real life, not a computer game!" "I''m sure there is plenty of cross-over!" said Drayden, as he used his tail to try to tickle Alice''s waist. Ten minutes of rambunctious horseplay later, they all took a break. "I''m so glad that Aragon was saved," said Drayden, "The alternative doesn''t even bear thinking about." "I''ll say." said Cassy, "And, did you notice, when we went to the markets yesterday, that Aragon and Esther were holding hands?" "Of course!" said Alice. Drayden and Bronsen agreed. Eventually, Drayden remembered the meeting, and so, slightly late, they turned up at the meeting room. Eleanor The Queen: Late, of course. But criticising them would be like trying to discipline an adorable little puppy. Or, more like, four adorable puppies. She looked around the meeting table. Present were the Treasurer, Jane (the captain of the guards), Aragon, Esther, Evereena, Lena, and the Misfits. The orphans were in the next room, with a female servant trying to amuse them. Evereena is here because she''s got nowhere else to go, and Lena is here since I twisted her arm. It will do her good to understand what it takes to run a country. Besides this, I need her moral support since I don''t know what it takes to run a country. "Now, this is a special preliminary planning meeting, all about what Manifestoria needs to do about the slaver manace. Of course, I''m having many other meetings about everything else needed to run a country, so let''s not worry about them, OK?"Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! An exhausting, endless round of people trying to get some advantage for themselves, and maybe they might leave a bit left over for the rest of the country. Yeah, let''s not worry about that. At least this meeting, I can be confident that everyone present is on my side... Hmm, what about the Treasurer? Probably on my side, more or less. I suppose so. Worry about that later. "Basically, we are a tiny, unimportant country whose main claim to relevance is that we are between Crysteth and the rim wall." She pointed to a map on the wall behind her. "Most likely, the slavers will fight and conquer their way around the sea, overrun Crysteth, and eventually come for us. Course, when that happens, we are utterly stuffed. Nowhere to escape to, no way any allies can get to us. So, we shall ignore that option." "Instead, we will concentrate on preventing a small party of slavers from getting to us via the Rimwall or sailing over the sea. Jane, I, and other experienced guards will have separate meetings regarding the Rimwall scenario. This meeting will deal with the invasion-by-sea scenario." "I suppose you Misfits know about the kilometre-high cliffs that line our shore, from the rim wall around until Crysteth country?" Drayden and Cassy did; they had seen it with their own eyes as they walked over the wall. But it was the first time that Alice and Bronsen had heard about it. It was also brand new information to Esther, Evereena, and Lena. Honesty, was Lena this ignorant about the local geography? "You mean, there isn''t any way of getting to the shore and having a swim?" said Cassy. Every native-born Felixian recoiled at this statement. "You want to swim in deep water?" said Eleanor. "What''s wrong with that? I mean, we all have the swimming ability." said Bronsen, "Although, of course, only Cassy and Drayden have done any swimming." Eleanor looked around. Yep, everyone else looks horrified. Or amazed. Or both. I had better explain a few basic facts about Felixians. "Well, kids, obviously you haven''t realised, what with being reincarnated from another Ringworld - err, I mean planet, whatever that is - but us Felixians don''t like water. Except for drinking, of course. And bathing when required. The people with an actual swimming ability are very few and far between." "Oh," said Cassy. "But, never mind, if you want to go swimming, you can. A notch is in the coastal cliff face, exposing about a kilometre of shore and a nice little bay where Manifestoria has its only harbour. There is a switchback trail that allows access from the plateau to down this harbour. There are plenty of opportunities for swimming in the shallow water nearby, but only for those who want to. Oh, and also, definitely don''t swim in the deep water." "So you have boats, ports, and marine trading?" said Drayden. "Sure. Manifestoria doesn''t do much since it is so difficult to get to and from the port, but plenty of boats from other countries bordering the Jaserra Ocean are around. Of course, they are fully sealed with the crew safely inside. I suppose your ''Earth'' boats have the crew exposed on outside decks?" "Well, actually, yes," said Alice. Eleanor did her best to suppress a shudder. That [Emotional Control] ability didn''t necessarily control every emotional reaction, only the ones that caused too much distress. "There are a lot of big nasty animals that live in the deeps - if these ''Earth'' boats have open decks, how do you prevent them from picking off the people?" said Aragon. The Misfits looked at each other before Drayden finally volunteered a reply. "I suppose because Earth''s sea life isn''t quite as big and vicious as here? Like that Crocigator that Cassy and I fought off, I don''t think Earth has anything comparable." Another long silence. They fought off a Crocigator? And won? Jane put her head in her hands and mumbled something about ''these kids''. "Sorry, what did you say?" said Cassy. "Never mind! Let''s get back to the topic, shall we?" said Eleanor. "Basically, after discussing it with Crysteth, it has been decided that it is unlikely that a slaver invasion will occur by sea. It''s just too tricky a logistics operation to get an invading army from the harbour up to the plateau. The most sensible option is via the Rimwall. However, a small group of slavers might make an effort, perhaps in coordination with a bigger group along the Rimwall. So - this is where you come in, Misfits!" The Misfits perked up and took notice. "It''s just the job for you. You can go to the port, along with Aragon and a few guards, and act as sentries. Be on the lookout for any spurious ships. If you see anything, Aragon will send some of the guards with high endurance running back to Manifestoria. Ah, of course, Aragon, with his experience of roaming around the countryside for the last decade or so-" Aragon flinched just slightly at this. Eleanor, who had been surreptitiously watching, noticed this. Ha, I got you. Although I don''t suppose I have been all that much better. "Will be the one in charge. Oh, about a dozen people live there permanently; they service the small number of ships that visit. Of course, Esther and Evereena will also go with you." Let''s help the budding romance, shall we? Bronsen smiled at this: "Yep, we''re in!" The rest of the meeting discussed various arrangements, and it was agreed that they would all set off in two days. The Treasurer: Afterwards, there was a small meeting with Eleanor, the Treasurer and Jane. I have no problems with the plan, but... "M''lady, is it possible that you also planned all of this to get the Misfits out of our hair and to allow time for Aragon and Esther to be together?" "Of course! Everybody loves a good romance, and as for those Misfits..." Jane laughed. "Yeah, they certainly need a bit more maturing before they can be useful." It looks like Eleanor''s style of leadership is entirely different from Kalitran''s. Who knows, maybe it will be all for the good; after all, look what happened to him. The question is, what will be happening to my role? "And now, we need to discuss how to respond to any slaver emergency," said Eleanor. Yeah, we certainly do. Also, I need to make my own private plans to run for it if the slavers appear. [1.55] A walk to the seashore Becky: Becky woke up and opened her eyes. She looked around cautiously, but thankfully, there were no strangers. Only Mason, also waking up, and Lena and Eleanor. She smiled at Lena, then stretched out her arms. "Oh, you want a hug!" said Lena. Becky was becoming a connoisseur of hugs. Before getting used to Lena, she hadn''t even realised they were a thing one could do. She especially liked hugs from Lena and the four Misfits. "Hey, Eleanor, Becky also wants a hug from you," said Lena. I do? Well, Eleanor is nice, too. I suppose. So she exchanged a hug with Eleanor as well. After the hugs, there was a getting dressed part. Becky thought her new clothes were beautiful. They were so soft and clean, without any holes in them. Then she was putting on her shoes and tying up her shoelaces. As usual, Mason had difficulty with this. This time, instead of Lena helping him, Lena asked Eleanor to do so. So Becky carefully watched as Eleanor helped Mason tie up his shoelaces. Then Becky asked: "Misfits?" "Yes! The Misfits. Let''s go and have breakfast with them." said Eleanor. Holding Lena''s right hand and Mason holding Lena¡¯s other hand, they went off to the small dining room, with Queen Eleanor trailing behind them. Mason: Mason was sitting to Lena''s left, looking at his plate of food - a slice of toast with jam, some fresh fruit, and a couple of cookies. By now, he knew the drill. He dutifully waited until Aragon and the Misfits served everyone and until everyone was seated. "OK, everyone, bog in!" said Eleanor. He no longer was fearful that someone would pinch his meal. And, no one had beaten him up for ages. He contentedly consumed his meal, not making too much mess. Lena occasionally had to clean up some spilt food or drink, but Mason didn''t mind. For some reason, Eleanor was always careful to sit at the end of the table, furthest from the two orphans. But Mason never considered such matters. Misfits: Setting off, waving goodbye to the orphans. There was a whole lot of hugging at the parting, mainly between the orphans and the Misfits. "Come back?" said Becky, currently being held and hugged by Cassy. "Of course! We''ll be back." "Soon?" said Mason, receiving a sandwich hug from Dryaden and Bronsen. "Well, it might take a little while, but we''ll be back!" said Alice, who had taken the opportunity to sneak in a hug with Drayden. Oh, and also with Bronsen, with Mason in the middle. Then, the Misfits, Aragon, Esther, and Evereena, gave somewhat more dignified farewells to Queen Eleanor and Lena. The Treasurer was also there, standing stiffly in the background, looking as if he didn''t know how to react. And they were off. Aragon was in the front, leading the way since he was the only one who knew the way. Esther and Evereena, hand in hand, followed. Lastly came the Misfits, each carrying about half a ton of supplies. They didn''t mind being the pack mules for this expedition; it was just another chance to show off their extreme physical abilities. Besides, most of what they carried was food, and the Misfits were keen on getting their three big meals every day.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Misfits: The group walked out of the internal courtyard, down a flight of stairs and out of a fortressed door. On the other side was the dock on the river. Slightly blue cobblestones beneath their feet, a couple of boats tied up, the water running flowing past, raising little ripples and splashes of light from the sun''s reflections, a group of trees casting their green-tinged shade across their path: Drayden was enthralled. ¡°This is so peaceful and pretty. It could be a postcard picture direct from Earth,¡± said Drayden. The other Misfits agreed. Then Drayden looked up and realised that they were currently passing along the highest walls of the castle. In fact- "Hey, look, right up at the top, they''re waving at us!" So everyone looked up, and everyone except Aragon waved madly back to the orphans and Eleanor and Lena. Then, they resumed their way. ¡°Say, why was Aragon looking kind of out of it just then?¡± said Drayden, whispering to Cassy. Cassy shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Who knows, maybe it¡¯s the bonding stuff with Esther, he¡¯s still getting used to it,¡± she said. It was only an hour''s walk to the coastal cliffs. They ended up leaning over the edge of an observation platform, looking down one kilometre to the ocean. ¡°My, it''s a long way down,¡± said Bronsen. He could feel his balls trying to constrict themselves, and he almost put down his hands to protect them. And then Cassy laughed hysterically. "Hey, both of you-" pointing to Drayden and Bronsen, "Almost put your hands down to, ah -" She looked at Evereena. "That is, you both got nervous, looking down, didn''t you?" Drayden glared at her. Bronsen giggled. And both Alice and Evereena looked puzzled. "Never mind!" said Bronsen, "Look, you can see the pathway zigzagging its way down to one side, and on the other side, there is a kilometre-high rapids." It was impressive. The path itself went down and dwindled to a narrow white line, going back and forward down the steep, but not vertical, cliff face. The cliff face was at the back of a kilometre-wide circular chunk taken out of the sheer cliffs that normally lined the sea in this region. The river tumbled down in torrents and small waterfalls, finally ending up in a shallow bay connected to the sea. The Manifestorian port was on the shore of this bay, away from the deep and dangerous open sea. The Misfits lined up on the balcony railing, oohing and aahing at the view. Then Alice pointed out where the lightly coloured blue of the bay gradually changed to a deep blue-green of the deeper ocean. "Those shadows in the deep ocean, are they some sort of massive huge sea life?" "Bloody hell," said Cassy, "They must be a hundred metres long or so - eek, one has got tentacles, and it''s attacking the other ..." They had a ringside seat for the next ten minutes as the tentacled monstrosity managed to subdue the other. They could see the water stained red from a vantage point a kilometre high and a kilometre back. They could also see smaller, that is, smaller than the hundred-metre monsters, creatures gathering. "Right," said Drayden, "They must be the local aquatic version of scavengers. Hmm, just as well Cassy and I never went out into deep water, isn''t it?" "Yeah, right," said Cassy. "It makes me wonder how the hell you all managed to survive, even with Voice of the World¡¯s help," said Aragon. "Ah, well, maybe we are the chosen?" said Bronsen. Aragon rolled his eyes. "Whatever." he said, "Anyway, I''ll introduce you to the lookout guards." There were four guards, three men and a woman. They bunked in a house next to the observation platform and took turns watching the port and the nearby ocean over a complete 24-hour cycle. After the brief intros, Aragon explained their duties. "There are always enough guards so that there is one with high perception on the lookout at all times. There is also always at least one guard with fast-running abilities. They can see unidentified ships as they approach, warn the people at the port by light semaphore, and send a runner to the castle. Of course, there is also a rotation of watchers down at the port, looking up and ready to receive any warnings." ¡°So, Manifestoria spends a considerable amount of effort to looking out for the slaver menace,¡± said Bronsen. Aragon nodded his head. "And, I suppose Crysteth, with their much bigger border to protect, must expend even more effort?" he said. Aragon looked serious, "You bet they do. Fortunately, they have a lot more people. And, if I dare say so, they are much more organised." After a while: "OK, we''ve had enough rest, let''s get moving," said Aragon. He took Esther''s hand again and set off down the path. Cassy wiggled her backpack a little to ensure it sat well, then looked at Evereena, who had been keeping as far away as possible from the guard rails. She was also trying to avoid looking at her mother and Aragon. "Evereena, how about you hold my hand?" said Cassy. Evereena gave a big smile, and together, they followed Aragon. Bronsen followed immediately after, so Alice and Drayden were last in line. They also decided to hold hands. Cassy saw this at one of the many switchbacks. She giggled. A few significant looks later, Cassy held Bronsen''s hand on one side and Evereena''s on the other. Drayden: This is so funny. Alice, definitely holding my hand, is getting slightly jealous of Cassy holding Bronsen''s hand. Quick, think of something to distract her. "Hey, System-san, are these geographical features the result of normal erosion? For that matter, who built this path? Ding! There is no way tectonic plate movements and erosion can happen here; the Ringworld material is only a kilometre thick and must be rigid and unmoving. Everything was created: cliffs and oceans and rivers, as you now see it. Similarly, this path was also created as is. However, Felixians went through and put up the guard rails. This reply was given only to the four Misfits, triggering a round of discussion between them. Evereena: This left Evereena a bit confused. She marked it off as the usual Misfit''s weirdness and left it at that. [1.56] The obligatory seaside swiming episode Bronsen: It was three days after their arrival, and the Misfits had enough time to settle down into their new accommodations. Right now, Bronsen was having a little swimming session with the other three Misfits. Stark naked, of course. This is the life. Bronsen was currently treading water with his right arm wrapped around Alice''s slim waist. And his left arm wrapped around Cassy''s. Meanwhile, Drayden was moving through the water several metres below them. He stroked his arms with his full strength and tore through the water, leaving little cavitation bubbles behind him. Bronsen could see his shadow, moving fast, approaching them from below, and then Drayden suddenly zoomed upwards. He burst out of the water just in front of the other three, momentarily flashing his entire body before sailing clear over them. Well, almost. He lost velocity halfway, and his legs collapsed onto Cassy''s and Bronsen''s heads before he tumbled back into the water. There were shrieks of outrage and indignation as the neat setup dissolved into four bodies thrashing around in the water. Of course, Bronsen took as much opportunity as possible to ''engage'' with the two females. This was easy because those two females were also doing their best to ''engage'' with the two males. I never get tired of looking at Cassy''s beautiful body. And Alice''s also, of course. I also get to see Drayden''s body in its full glory. Well, I guess it''s fine. Actually, he is kind of nice-looking, isn''t he? His bum is nearly as good-looking as Cassy''s and Alice''s. Wait, did I really think that? Do I really find Drayden''s body a little bit attractive also? Better not tell Cassy. She might start squealing about Boy Love books. In fact, let''s not tell anyone! "OK, now it''s Bronsen''s turn to be the dolphin, and I will hold the two ladies!" shouted Drayden. Right then, a Snappy Shark lunged at him. He swatted it with his left arm, grabbed it with both arms and threw it violently towards the shore. It, being only a metre long and now quite dead, sailed through the air without complaint and hit the sand. Not too far from the other two dead Snappies.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. They kept on playing. Esther: Esther was sitting on the beach, back a safe distance, with Evereena in her arms. They watched as the dead fish twitched a few times, then lay still. They were fully dressed in light casual clothing. "Aragon tells me that the Misfits are not normal in their abilities," she said. "Mum, I think I have worked that out by now. I mean, look at them enjoying themselves while swimming in deep water, surrounded by small sharks trying to eat them." They watched in silence as Bronsen erupted from the water, did a perfect forward roll over the heads of the other three, and slid back into the water behind them. "Say, mum, back when you lived in that village with your family, was ''social nudity'' a thing?" said Evereena. "No, I don''t think so." "And, did Aragon look out of sorts when he was invited here also?" said Evereena. "I think he was very out of sorts. He didn''t want anything at all to do with this social nudity stuff. So he went off with the guards to check their preparations." "Hey, look, there''s a ship coming in!" said Evereena. Later that afternoon, they returned to their accommodations. Aragon was pleased with the three Snappies, and he and the Misfits enthusiastically prepared them for tea. Esther and Evereena sat down again and watched the preparations. They still felt a little strange at not having to do anything. Narrator: Of course, the ship''s deck that had arrived was entirely closed off. The crew only appeared on top of it when the ship safely passed over the bar and into the bay''s shallow water. There had been a flurry of motion and activity as they brought the sailing vessel up to the docks. But there still had been plenty of opportunity to look in the other direction, where the Misfits could be seen, frolicking in the water. This caused a considerable amount of interest and even shock. Whether this was due to the nudity or seeing Felixians enjoying themselves in the water was a matter of debate. Nonetheless, tongues were wagging, and the gossip was intense. So much so that when the ship transferred its cargo and returned to its home port, someone wrote it up for the local news outlets. Eventually, it was transmitted to other towns and countries by the ubiquitous light semaphore system. The story was so popular that it bounced around the Ringworld many times. The Misfits became famous for a while. Anybody who took the effort could look up in the night sky, transcribe the semaphores'' little flickering lights from halfway around the ring, and read all about them. Along with a whole lot of other news, of course. One of those who made the effort was the slave assigned to tracking such news outlets. Accordingly, within a month of the Misfits moving to the port, a report about their activities was handed to the slave emperor. [1.57] The slave Emperor does some planing Kelper (The gold collar current slaver emperor): The emperor sat at the gold-inlaid desk and reached for the latest report in his in-tray. He read the title of the report. Possible location of the Misfits. What is... Ahh, that person or persons who vowed to remove all slave collars! He read it through. Two teenage boys and two teenage girls. What nonsense is this? And swimming in shallow water? Naked, but visible to the public? Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Depraved nonsense! Probably the two girls corrupting the boys. Deceitful creatures. But! Now I know where they are! And it''s the same location as that new queen. Another woman betraying a man. Right! I must capture and collar those Misfit teenagers and possibly the queen. If not that, then at least kill them. He thought about the possibilities. I can''t invade via the rim wall; it''s too exposed and will require too many slaves. Invading Crysteth is out of the question; it is too soon to do that. So, that leaves a cross-ocean task force. What a pain! I have to divert resources from elsewhere; things are already stretched to their maximum. He massaged his temples; he could feel a headache coming on. He decided to call a meeting of some of his green-collar slaves and do some planning. [1.58] The coastal watchers have to do a bit of work for a change The guards on top of the cliff, forever watching: The nighttime guard, the one who watched from the top of the cliff face from just before midnight to dawn, stood at the little observation platform. Having reasonably high physical stats, he didn''t have much trouble maintaining his concentration for hours. Of course, it helped that he had little respites every couple of hours when one of the others came out and temporarily took over. There wasn''t much to see; a storm front was throwing off lots of fog and clouds. Also, the light was only barely starting to get bright. He heard two sets of footsteps behind him. A glance showed one of the other male watchers, plus the woman. "Pretty thick fog down there," said the man, "Oh, wait a bit, it''s clearing up." "Yeah, there must have been some stormy weather down at sea level." said the first man. The woman stepped in and leant against the rails, looking out and down. "Yep, sure seems like it," she said. "OK, I''m taking over." said the first watcher. "Hey, it looks like a fine morning after all!" said the woman. Indeed it was; the sun was brightening, and the storm clouds were clearing. The off-shift guard took one last look - and then said: "Fuck." "Sorry? I expect better language than that... Oh fuck." said the woman. It was now obvious. There were four ships, four unidentified ships, sailing from the wrong direction, heading towards the port. They were still four indistinct blobs, but getting clearer all the time. As if it wanted to help the identification, the sun shone ever brighter, and the last of the early morning fog and storm clouds evaporated.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "There are no scheduled ships due today." said the first guard. "These are coming from the opposite direction to Crysteth," said the second. "OK, that''s a confirmed contact; I''ve got all the information I can now. I''m off." said the woman, whose name was Alexa. Without further ado, she turned and sprinted to the hut, grabbed her helmet and knee and elbow pads, put them on, and was racing up the trail to Manifestoria within a minute. The second guard waved his hand a little and started producing signal flares. Three went down, towards the port buildings, and burst into splendour just above them. Three more went straight up before flaring out. These were meant to give Manifestoria advanced warning. Meanwhile, the first guard ran towards the huts to wake the last guard and begin their preparations. Alexa, the running girl: The Misfits, being the heroes, were blessed with generalised physical stats. They were good at almost everything to do with physical activities. However, the ordinary members of Flexian society had to make do with more specialised skills. Alexa had the running skill. She had been training towards it since childhood, meaning she could run like the wind. Right now, the sun was bright enough to see, the path back to Manifestoria was deliberately kept clear and in good repair, and she was wearing full protective gear. These were ideal conditions for her as she got up to the absolutely superhuman speed of 80km/hour. At that speed, she was very careful to watch the conditions ahead of her. Taking a spill at that speed was no joke - but reporting a slaver invasion was something that could not be delayed. The Slaver Captain: Damn this weather, you would almost think that the Voice of the World was actively conspiring against us. First, the storms blow offshore, preventing us from getting in under cover of darkness; then, when we finally manage to make our way, the sun brightens, the sky clears in all directions, and we are now visible for kilometres. And the wind is still blowing offshore. It''s going to be another hour or so before we make land. He was morosely watching the buildings of the little port as they became visible. And the signal flares above them. And more signal flares above the top of the cliff. We''re certainly not making any surprise landings this time, that''s for sure. [1.59] What, everyone? Narrator: Apart from a few fatal faults, Kalitran, the previous king, had been pretty good at the kinging stuff. Consequently, when Eleanor went over the plans for various invasion scenarios, there was little for her to add. When the three signal flares were seen, like a well-oiled machine, the process started. Some guards rushed to the town bells and started clanging them like mad. Some more went to the guard''s barracks and brutally woke everyone up. Another guard, under express orders from Eleanor, went and showed no mercy in waking up the Queen. Finally, the semaphore light tower operator was rudely interrupted by another guard. He was halfway through transcribing the daily news from a semaphore station a third of the way around the ring. Unfortunately, what was going to have to wait. The semaphore operator cleared his channel, requested emergency access to Crysteth, and waited. Six minutes after leaving the coast, Alexa slowed down and staggered to the semaphore operator''s desk. "Four slaver ships soon to dock at the Manifestorian port. No other ships sighted," she said. She then turned and sprinted to the castle while the operator started producing the light flashes needed to route that message through to Crysteth. Naturally, this ability was another specialised skill awarded by the Voice of the World. Eleanor: What? What is this guard, a man too, doing in my bedroom... Oh, by the Voice, that''s what. A mere five minutes later, fully dressed in her non-queening worker clothes, she was at her desk. She was busy doing her shoelaces as Alexa ran up and made her report. "Right, Jane. You get half the guards and start running to the coast as planned. I''ll stay here and coordinate -" Ding! A friendly reminder, Eleanor. You pledged to personally lead any fight against the slavers whenever practical. "Oh, er, what, ah, damn." "Change of plans, Jane. I''m coming with you. Get your second in command to deal with the rest of the preparations here; it''s all in the planning documents." "That''s right, that 100% vow you made?" said Jane. "Yep." Lena: At this stage, Lena appeared. She was still busy putting on her coat, and she was carrying her boots in her hand. "Say, what''s up? Everyone is rushing around like monsters on a stampede, and it''s barely morning!" "The slavers are attacking the port or something," said Eleanor, "And due to my vow, I need to go with the guards to supervise." Bloody hell, that sounds serious. I''ll have to manage to look after my little orphans all by myself while she is gone... Ding! A friendly reminder, Lena. You pledged to be by Eleanor''s side whenever she needed it. Oh. Lena gave Eleanor a sickly little smile.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Well, guess what? Due to my vow to you, I must also come along." Jane rolled her eyes. "Aren''t these 100% vows a bit of a pain?" And what do I do about Mason and Becky... Ding! A friendly reminder... The Voice of the World didn''t get any further since Lena immediately shouted it down. "OK, OK, I get it; I have to bring the orphans also!" Jane''s face palmed. "Fine, fine. We had better get moving." Three-quarters of an hour after the initial sighting of the ships, the group from Manifestoria arrived at the coast guards'' position on top of the cliff. The guards ran while Eleanor, Lena and the orphans were in a horse and cart. Fortunately, Eleanor knew how to drive a horse. Eleanor: She brought the carriage to a halt at the parking area behind the guard''s residence, and she and Lena and the orphans alighted. Wherever the Queen goes, thus goes her entourage. Yeah, what bullshit. I''m endangering the lives of Lean and two little kids - sigh - but their lives are in danger anyway, so... But forget about that for now. How, by the Voice, am I supposed to lead my guards in a battle against the slavers? My tutors back when I was a teenager never covered Battlefield management. Ding! The skill [Battlefield management] has been added. Thirty three points out of a total of a hundred have been assigned. ... No kidding ... Anything to do with the Misfits really is total bullshit. Then she had a blinding headache as the Voice of the World forcibly downloaded a few gigabytes of data into her brain, all about strategy and tactics of fighting, with a side order of an extensive description of weapon systems, lines of communications, leadership methods and best methods of dealing with attacking slaves. The next thing she realised was that she was lying on the ground, covered in sand and dirt. Around her was a circle of people, all looking concerned. "Oh shit..." she said as she struggled to stand up. Jane helped her. "Well, anyway, never mind me-" She was going to say something more about her new ability, but that new ability immediately informed her that telling just anybody about it was very bad. Ah, of course. If it became public information, the slaver emperor would learn about it and factor it into his plans. She looked around. Everyone was watching her. "Err, sorry; I think I might be under some stress, haha." They don''t look very confident in me, do they? Eleanor was still out of sorts from her forced brain upgrade, but she noticed that the two little kids looked very worried, if not horrified. So she smiled, or tried to smile, at them. "Hi, Mason and Becky. Lena will be looking after you, so there''s no need to worry about me, OK?" There''s no time for any more reassurances - and now I know what to do! And no matter what they might think of me now, I''m still the Queen, and they will obey me! I hope. Step one: Gather intelligence. She ran to the lookout platform. Sure enough, four ships with different designs were currently tacking their way into the wind to get over the bar and into the sheltered bay waters. Yeah, the wind is still blowing offshore, but the closer they get, the more they are sheltered by the cliffs, so the faster they will get... No, wait, the more they move into the wind shadow of the cliffs, the less wind they get, so the slower they become... I think. She realised it might be better to ask someone who knew about such things. She used her skill [Addressing the Public]: "Can anyone tell me how long until they reach the shore or the docks?" "About half an hour." said a couple of guards. "Will they land on the shore or continue a bit more and land at the docks?" There was a brief discussion; the guards decided the slavers would probably land on the shore. It was closer and more straightforward to attack from. Step two: Deploy one''s troops. She realised that part of her brand-new skill was [Addressing a Subgroup]. So she started commanding. She commanded one group of guards to get to the docks and another, bigger group, along with Jane, to get to the shore. They started running down the stairs. Included in the latter group were the three coastal watching guards and Alexa, who had returned with Eleanor. There were now only four guards left. Guards with high physical attributes. "This isn''t dignified, but you will carry us down. Since Lena and I have pitiful strength and speed abilities," And they were off. The two children had it easy; they were carried princess-style and could see the scenery go by. Mostly, it was a lot of sky and water on the one side and an almost vertical cliff face on the other. Lena and Eleanor didn''t have it quite as easy since the guards did not have maxed-out strength abilities like the Misfits. So they were slung over the shoulder of their respective guard like a sack of potatoes. Eleanor had a lovely view of the guard''s back and feet as he skimmed down the track. She tried turning her head to the side to view the port area, but vertigo and motion sickness made this a bad idea. She just kept her head down and watched the back of his feet. I hope he doesn''t fart. [1.60] Battle by the Sea Side Eleanor: Decides that being the Queen is a lethal condition. The guard carrying Eleanor arrived at the shore and carefully decanted Eleanor. She promptly sprawled over the sand before getting up. By now, the slaver ships were disturbingly close. This is the pits. There''s a bunch of slavers a hundred meters out and aimed directly at me, and the people I care for the most are right beside me. At least that guard didn''t fart. I think. Maybe I didn''t smell it; we were running pretty fast. Oh, bloody hell. The ships bounced up and down on the waves, and on those ships, plenty of slaves were visible - mostly grey-collar slaves with a smattering of red and blue collars. And one per ship was a green-collar slave. Who were right now ordering the grey-collar slaves to jump off the vessels and get to land. Eleanor watched in morbid fascination as a couple of slaves, as they were wading through the chest-high water, were taken by unseen predators below the surface. There''s already blood in the water. Let''s see, if this were a chess game, I would protect the Queen... [Battle Field Management] kicked in hard, and Queen Eleanor started coordinating her assets, fully using her [Speaking to the Public] abilities. "Aragon, Jane, you stand slightly forward from me! Esther and Evereena stand behind us." And why are those two girls here anyway? It''s probably more 100% vow nonsense. She pointed to the Misfits, who had trotted up behind Aragon. "You stay behind us and protect the ladies!" Included in the ladies were Lena plus her orphans. The Misfits, looking very uneasy about the whole situation, didn''t make any objections. She pointed to another group of guards and people from the port, ordering them to be on the side to prevent the slavers from invading the port buildings. She ordered most of the guards, the ones from the town and the ones who usually lived at the port, to go forward and line the shore. Eleanor looked back at the green-collar slaves on the ships and realised they were all looking at her. Oh, damn this all; with my waving my hands around, they now know who I am. She clearly heard one of them giving the commands to kill her. Yeah, being the King or Queen is clearly fatal. She looked to her side and saw Lena holding the hands of two little kids. Lena looks terrified. Just like me. "Sorry, my best friend forever." "Can''t be helped," said Lena. All of the guards along the shore had some kind of bonded weapon. Eleanor could see dozens of swords, all of different shapes and sizes. But there were also a lot of spears, and some guards had shields. Then there were the more exotic weapons, like broad axes, chains with sharp hooks on the end, shafts, and even something that looked like a double-headed sickle. Now that''s a new one. Only about half of the slaves have bonded weapons; the others use real weapons. It''s a pretty motley collection of real weapons. Most are not in all that good repair. The guards stood slightly in the water: Ah, I get it. Very shallow water won''t impede their actions, but the slaves will be in water deep enough to slow them down slightly. This [Battle Field Management] skill is a real doozy; I now know all sorts of extra information. The slaves came at the guards in full force. The guards, knowing they had no choice, countered in kind. The first slaves died, blood spurting out and drenching their companions. Who paid it no mind and kept throwing themselves forward without regard for their safety. Eleanor froze up at the sight. Oh, by the Voice: this is too horrible - there''s sliced up and mangled bodies falling - shit, some sea-going predator has snapped up a dead slave and taken them! This is too much... Her emotional control slipped and Eleanor had a moment of pure panic; then her [Battle Field Management] skill kicked in again with full force. It also turned her [Emotional Control] back up to 100%. She swept her eyes across the battlefield with a calm and analytic gaze. How can I be of any help --- Ah! I have the [Speak to an Individual] ability. And that guard with the red and light brown colouring is being attacked by three slaves and needs help... She spoke to two other guards, one on either side, who were not currently overwhelmed and directed them to help. It worked. The three formed a temporary fighting unit. And more blood went flying as the slaves'' bodies went down. [Emotional Control] is on full; don¡¯t let it slip down again. Concentrate on managing the battlefield; don''t worry about anything else. Despite the best efforts of the guards, slaves started slipping past the front row and move onto the beach. Eleanor saw some slaves attempting to circle around and attack the group behind her, so she called for extra help. The battle, having gotten off to a great start, continued. Bronsen: Bronsen was scared. The only reason he wasn''t scared shitless was because he had [Emotional Control] on full. Oh, and also because he hadn''t had breakfast yet. He had already activated his bonded sword, but... If I swing this around, I''m just as likely to hit one of my friends. Oh, bloody hell... He watched, completely frozen, as three grey-collared slaves came racing up towards Eleanor, closely followed by a red-collared slave holding a small bunch of slave collars. Then watched in more horror as Aragon, Jane and one of the male coast guard watchers slashed with their swords. They were much faster than the slaves, and the blood of four more slaves splattered all over the sand. And all over everyone nearby. Like the Misfits. They all screamed a little. Jane: Jane had noticed that the Misfits were, to put it bluntly, utterly useless in this fight so far. But what could she do about it? Those foolish 100% vows! "Jane! group coming up behind you!" Jane jerked her head around as Eleanor spoke directly into her ears. At least Eleanor is picking up a whole assortment of valuable skills - more Misfit bullshit, of course. With some of the other guards engaging with slaves to the right and the left of her, she faced down the slave in the centre. She realised she was facing a formidable opponent - he had a bonded sword and knew how to use it. Probably a captured slave. The look in his eyes gave him away - he quite clearly was insane from obeying commands that he didn''t want to. He moved forward and swept his sword around and down, so she attempted to do a straightforward block, only to find he was way ahead of her. With a deft flick of the wrist, he rolled his sword over hers and flicked it straight at her throat. Only by digging her heels into the damp sand and pushing herself sideways with all of her strength was she able to avoid the razor-sharp, fast-moving tip. He rapidly recovered and was moving into another attack, which she could not fully anticipate. She jumped back a metre, but of course, he followed. Shit, the Misfits are behind me, and I can''t tell what this bloke is going to do next! Between one instance and the next, there was a Voice of the World announcement: Ding! The ability to tell if someone is lying is upgraded; You can now predict with a high probability of success what they will do within the next second. Which disappeared as fast as it had come. What... Only now, she knew what he would do for his next attack! He swung his sword towards her right side, apparently aiming for her legs, but she knew that he was betting on her blocking it as before, and he would rotate his sword over hers and get her arms on her rebound. So she didn''t block but moved her sword to where she knew his hands would be... He got a cut on his hand before he could correct. This threw off his next movement, and after that, due to the speed at which they were both moving, it was all over in another two seconds. Collapsing face up on the sand, he looked at Jane and nodded. Then he died. Was he, maybe, thanking me? Jane didn''t get a chance to ponder on this unusual occurrence or even to feel sorry for the unknown former swordsman because: "Jane! Aragon needs help!" She leapt over the fallen body and went to their help. Eleanor: She belatedly remembered that she also had a weapon. So she materialised her dagger and threw it at a slave who had fallen over with profuse bleeding but managed to crawl back up and was getting ready to use their sword. Before she could feel sick at having committed another murder, she had to direct another guard to another hot spot in the battle. Then she remembered that she had a long-distance intimidation skill. She tried it out against a slave who looked as if he was overwhelming the guard that was fighting him. The slave faltered. But only a little bit. But this was enough, and the guard managed to kill him. She tried this a few more times but swiftly realised it required too much attention and time to make a difference unless the circumstances were ideal. It''s still useful; it''s a pity it wasn''t more powerful. She kept on managing the battlefield. The slaves and the occasional guard kept on dying. When will this ever end? Cassy: Cassy had her sword out but was merely waving it around. She was also utterly terrified. She had already collected some slave''s blood across her tunic, a result of a fight she wasn''t even in. Drayden was next to her, but he was no better. But now, some grey-collared slaves were coming right at her; they had their weapons out, and they were definitely not waving them around for show. Fortunately, Aragon knew what he was doing. He charged in, intercepted the leading slaves, and slashed his sword across. Two slaves fell, bleeding from cuts on their arms. Oh my god, this is far worse than anything else we''ve done. Two more grey collars came at them. Aragon kept fighting so he couldn''t see a grey and a red-collar slave come up from the opposite side. Presumably noticing that Cassy''s and Drayden''s fighting abilities were non-existent, they must have decided to try capturing Cassy. The grey collar slammed into Cassy, knocking her over. He frantically reached out and slapped a collar around Cassy''s neck. Immediately afterwards, he died. Aragon skewered him. The red-collared one launched himself over the body of a grey-collared slave and reached out to Cassy. He was travelling so fast he almost overshot her, but he grabbed her shirt with one hand, slowing himself down and dragging Cassy half a metre. With the other, he touched the collar around her neck and tried to speak.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Drayden frantically waved his sword around, but again, without the slightest use. He then had the bright idea of launching a fireball at the red. The slave saw it, ducked, and then turned his attention back to Cassy. At this point, the slave also died, again by Aragon. Several other slaves, seeing Cassy being collared, changed their directions and rushed at her. One of them began to shout out an order to get up and do something - only Jane killed him. By this time, several other guards had rallied around them, and with a lot of furious fighting, the guards were able to keep the slavers away. This didn''t help Cassy one little bit. As soon as the collar was around her neck, a mass of cold, clammy blackness took hold of her, filling her mind and draining all light, colour, and good feelings. And then it poured into her status, blackness advancing over each of her abilities, cloaking and smothering everything in its path. She felt she was going to suffocate and drown in its advance. She didn''t. Instead, the blackness retreated. Sort of. Her abilities were still there, but everything felt dirty, corrupted, and tainted. She regained consciousness and realised she must have fallen. However, she didn''t seem able to do anything much. What she was able to do was panic. She was truly excellent at this. And, maybe because of the interference of the slave collar, her Emotional Control ability wasn''t working as it should. I''m now a slave. Anybody can rape me with nothing more than a word. There were images of unpleasant hands roughly combing through her hair. No! No! I can''t take it! Her imagination supplied more details of what might happen. Shit! Shit! But wait, there is that vow Drayden made to me! "Drayden, kill me now. Please kill me, please, I don''t want to be raped, I don''t want to be used and defiled and discarded. Please, do it now." Drayden: Drayden was living his absolute worst nightmare. He never fully believed that this sort of thing could happen. "I can''t... Sorry, I can''t..." Ding! Drayden, you vowed to kill her if she was enslaved. She does not want to live as a slave. Are you going to betray her? Ding! You have made a 100% commitment vow. You have no choice. Fuck this. Am I compelled to kill her? Shit this! Fuck it! Unfortunately, he could feel the unmistakable feeling of compulsion building up. By now, he was sobbing, not noticing anything happening around him except for Cassy. She was lying on the ground where she had fallen,staring at him. "Do it," she said. His tears blinded his vision; everything was a blur except for Cassy. The one I love most of all. Not to mention all of the sex stuff. He realised that his hands were bringing his sword back... What? But, shit, system san is taking over. STOP IT! Ding! Sorry, but you did make that 100% vow, and it is what Cassy wants. Without believing it, he pulled back his sword and thrust it forward through Cassy''s heart. Cassy: Ding! You have died. Oh fucking hell, but at least I won''t be raped. Wait a minute; we can''t be raped anyway because of our Misfit''s rules. Well, I still didn''t want to be a slave since I would have been ordered to kill my friends. This sucks. Drayden: He let his sword go. It disappeared, leaving a blood-soaked hole in Cassy. He was on the verge of screaming out, when Ding! Due to the Misfit''s rule number six, when one of you dies, the others die soon afterwards. Err, what? That''s right, we did make that rule. How did I forget that? I suppose there''s not much purpose in living after this, anyway. Ding! Due to your linked status values, the remaining Misfits receive some of Cassy''s points. What? Ding! Your relevant stats have been overloaded by 33 points, one-third of Cassy''s points. This was sufficiently unexpected that it deflected his attention away from Cassy''s death, at least for a moment. This feels weird. His vision had a red tinge to it. The movements of the people around him appeared slow and jerky. Also, his emotions were completely squashed. Oh, right. I forgot to turn on [Emotional Control] before, but now it has switched on and is so strong that I don''t feel any distress at all. He looked at Cassy''s body. Nyah, nothing at all. In fact, I don''t feel anything about anything any more. Have I lost my humanity? I guess I don''t need it anymore, do I? I have murdered my love, and I''m going to die soon. So, what do I do? He looked around. Alice and Bronsen were also looking around like he was. They look weird and crazy, just like me, I guess. He realised: Hey, System-san, isn''t this like an Ashrend ritual? Ding! It certainly is, almost exactly like an Ashrend Ritual. I''m dying soon. I''m no longer particularly sane. But I still want to help Eleanor. Drayden looked around at the utter mess that was the battlefield. So, let''s start killing the slaves. Yeah, I really have gone mad. All three of the remaining Misfits orientated themselves to the shore, and the bouncing slaver ships materialised their swords and started forward, hacking every slave they encountered. There was very little skill or strategy involved. Instead, there were the flickering images of their swords, hacking and slashing at speeds nobody else could keep up with. Evereena: Evereena and Esther stood there in the middle of a battlefield. There were a lot of slaves coming at them with weapons drawn. Between the two groups were Aragon and Jane, plus a few guards. So far, Aragon and Co had succeeded in protecting Evereena and Esther. All of this she had found terrifying, right up to the point where Drayden had stabbed Cassy. Now, all she could feel was horror. Horror at what had happened, with lots of grief added to make her feel worse. Cassy! Why? And why did Drayden kill her? Didn''t he love her? She was about to go insane and start screaming, but- Ding! Drayden had to kill Cassy; it was part of their vows to each other. Cassy did not, in any circumstances, want to be a slave. So don''t blame Drayden. Also, you might notice that Aragon and the other guards are getting overwhelmed. Ability [Insta-Kill] has been added. This is a specialised extension of the [Intimidation] ability, obtained by increasing it far beyond the normal maximum. Go for it, girl! Evereena blinked. She spent a few seconds comprehending this crazy announcement from the Voice of the World. Then, she focused her attention ahead. There were so many slaves trying to get at Aragon and Jane they were getting in each other''s road. So she picked the one closest to Aragon - [Die]! He abruptly stopped and collapsed. This is incredible. She could sense that the skill had a cooldown time, somewhat more than a second. She waited, then picked another nearby slave. Aragon: Ah, why are some of the slaves just collapsing? Unfortunately, he didn''t have enough time to think about such abstract matters since they kept coming. They were clambering over the bodies of the already fallen slaves. Some of them had blank faces, and some had faces filled with horror and pain, but they kept on attacking regardless. He slashed again. Another slave''s blood splashed against his shirt. This one''s a woman. He couldn''t dwell on this, as more slaves were coming at him. It appeared that a blue-collar slave, standing safely back from him, was specifically directing the grey-collar slaves to go for him. And every second or so, another slave just - died and collapsed. But, even with this reduction, he was being overwhelmed. He fought off another swordsman, only to have his legs scooped out from under him. Aragon looked to the side; some slave with a long stick was responsible. That slave promptly collapsed, but Aragon was down, with half a dozen slaves on top of him. One of them was a red-collared slave holding a collar. Aragon, panicking now, punched him in the face - only to feel another slave from behind shove a collar around his neck. Click. The collar closed. No! No! The collar exerted itself and squashed his willpower and motivation. He stopped resisting and lay there, inert. The red-collared slave, the one with a broken nose, started to speak to issue an order - It was difficult to have independent thoughts, but Aragon still felt horrified. He knew what was going to come: He''s going to order me to kill Esther and Evereena. The red-collared slave said, "Get up and..." Esther: Esther screamed in agony. He''s going to be ordered to kill us! Or maybe attack us and allow that Red to activate our slave collars again. Ding! [Ability to Turn Off (or back on) Language Comprehension] for twelve hours has been added, max level. Hint: use it on Aragon. Then he won''t be able to understand any orders whatsoever. Esther lacked understanding of what the hell that was about, but if there was one thing she had a lot of practice in, it was following orders. She focused on Aragon: [Turn Off Language]! Aragon: From one moment to the next, the red-collared slave''s speech turned into garble. He could feel the collar forcing him to concentrate on what the red-collared slave was saying, but absolutely nothing came through. He is definitely speaking. I can hear the words, but nothing makes sense. Not having any orders to the contrary, he kept right on lying where he was. The battle continued around him. Evereena: Having gained her superpower, Evereena managed to collect herself and was Insta-Deathing every slave she could. Damn! My range is too short! I can''t get to that Blue who is ordering the attack on Aragon. Ah! The Blue, no doubt puzzled by Aragon''s refusal to follow any orders, had run forward as if to order him himself. [Die]! The Blue fell. I got you, you bastard! Between Evereena, Jane, and a couple of other guards, they overcame the slaves in their immediate vicinity. This was made easier since the Blue was no longer ordering slaves in. Lena: In the constant agitation of the battle, Eleanor and Lena had ended up a bit behind Aragon. So, they weren''t directly endangered by the slaves trying to get to Aragon. But they had plenty of other slaves who were paying attention to them. Lena had two little children, one on each side, with their arms wrapped around her legs. Just as well she didn''t have to move much. At least they can hug me. I want to hug Eleanor, but she is far too busy. Indeed. Eleanor was jerking her head from side to side and issuing a continuous stream of orders. Lena could hear them since she was right next to her. But the orders were softly spoken, barely audible above the din of battle. It must be that [Talk to an Individual] ability. Also, as each opportunity presented itself, Eleanor materialised a dagger and threw it - most of the throws connected. Oh, by the Voice, there is a ring of dead slaves around us, with holes in them. I wish I could help in some way... Ding! [Cooking Ladle of Death] has been added to your abilities, with a maximum level of 100 out of 100. Materialise it and throw it; it packs a mean punch. It can also be materialised in a non-lethal form, helpful in pouring out soup for the orphans. You''re kidding me, aren''t you? But, she did feel the presence of the ''Cooking Ladle of Death'' in her meagre list of abilities. So she tried it. She concentrated on a slave banishing an actual metal sword, fighting with one of the guards. OK, so I materialise it. Bloody hell, it is heavy. Then throw it... Oh. Oh. I have now killed someone. I never expected that I could throw such a heavy thing so far and so fast and so accurately. More Misfit''s bullshittery. There''s a lot of blood. Think about all the blood later. I guess I should pick another target? Becky: Naturally, Becky and Mason didn''t have much understanding of what the hell was happening. But they could definitely tell that a lot of horrible slaves were trying to get at Eleanor and Lena. Becky stuck to Lena''s side and could only watch as things kept happening around them. Until Lena produced a long black spoon and threw it at a slave: the slave went down and was still. What does that mean? Ding! It means Lena is joining the fight to protect Eleanor and you. And you can help her! Ability [Lena''s Little Helpers] has been added. Look around you; you will be able to see who is trying to hurt Lena the most and warn her. I can help Lena! She perked up, her ears went vertical, and her tail, wrapped initially around Lena''s leg, flicked out and high. She noticed that Mason was doing the same. Looking around, just like Mason was, she saw a slave sneakily approaching, using the cover of a few dead bodies. "Lena, over there, he''s creeping up on us!" She pointed with her hand. Lena produced the [Ladle of Death] and threw it. That particular slave was no longer a threat. Mason and I can help Lena win this! Lena: Well, this is handy. I don''t know how they are doing this, but they are picking good targets. Am I really involving little kids in murdering slaves? She had no choice but to put that thought aside. Drayden: Drayden was half insane by now. In his mind''s eye, he kept picturing Cassy dying by a sword through her heart. Dying by a sword that he had yielded. Stupid vow! Holding hands with Cassy, walking along the top of the wall with Cassy, meeting the other Misfits with Cassy, making love to Cassy... It was all too much. He gave in entirely to his insanity and kept on slashing his way through the oncoming slaves. The few blue-collared slaves on the beach must have decided that killing Drayden was of utmost importance, and they kept on ordering slaves to attack him. And also the two other Misfits. They could have held off much longer if they had only thought about coordinating and forming a group. As it was, eventually, the slaves circled his back and swarmed him from behind. He went down under a pile of slaves, all trying to kill him. Ding! You have died! Fuck. At last. Bronsen: Ding! Drayden has died. Due to your linked status values, you and Alice receive some of his points. Ah, OK. Ding! All relevant abilities now increased to 200 out of a max of 100. Bronsen''s perception of his surroundings slowed down even more. It became a series of jerky images, tracking in slow motion the movements of the slaves surrounding him. He no longer felt anything at all, merely a vague desire to kill all of the attackers. He couldn''t remember why; it seemed the easiest thing to keep on doing. He became a human threshing machine, wreaking death and destruction all around him. Eventually, however: Ding! You have died! The mental fog cleared his mind. Oh. Right. Fuck. At least this time, I didn''t die a virgin. Alice: Ding! Bronsen has died. Due to your linked status values, you have received the remainder of the Misfit''s points. Ding! All relevant abilities now increased to 400, out of a max of 100. Not having the slightest bit of conscious awareness or sanity left, she continued with her frenzied attacks. Being overloaded with four times her original System-derived powers, she was driven to extreme berserker mode. Crying and screaming from emotional agony that even her [Emotional Control] couldn''t control, she ploughed through the slaves, leaving blood-soaked sand behind her, along with heaps of dead and severely injured slaves. The blue-collared slaves, presumably under express orders to kill the Misfits if they can''t be captured, made sure that she had plenty of slaves to kill. Eventually, the pile of bodies around her grew so high that it impeded her movements. As well, her body was burning out from the extreme physical stress she was under. A few slaves managed to slash her badly, and she started to bleed out, all the while cutting everyone around her. Ding! You have died! She found her awareness and sanity coming back. Fuck. And I never did do Drayden. Then she faded out. Eleanor: Eleanor watched in even more horror than usual as two guards were also overcome but not killed. Instead, they were collared. They were promptly ordered to return to the boats, which they did immediately. So now the slave Emperor can get all of our secrets. Probably because the last of the Misfits had gone down, the green-collar in charge started using his own [Speak to the Multitude] ability and ordered all still mobile slaves to retreat. Immediately, every slave still standing turned around, ran for the shore, and waded to the boats. Eleanor, totally exhausted and just glad to have, sort of, won, ordered her guards back. They all watched as the four ships, now with considerably less crew, prepared to leave. [1.61] Going back to the castle Eleanor: The four slaver-boats adjusted their sails to catch the wind and slowly moved off. Eleanor watched this, then collapsed to her knees. This is fucking horrible. There''s dead bodies all around, shit, that body is one of the guards - that''s right, he''s the one that woke me up this morning. And, and, the Misfits! They''re all dead, just like that. She put her head into her hands. "Oh fuck this all!" she said out loud. Then, she was surprised at someone putting their arms around her. Oh, it''s Lena. This 100% friendship vow has some good points. Lena, with two orphans on either side of her, shared a hug with Eleanor. Lena: Ha ha, the prim and proper Queen is publicly swearing; I never... She tightened her hug. And if I don''t watch out, I''ll start screaming in public. I don''t want to disturb my orphans. More than they already are that is. So hang onto Eleanor, the only adult on this damn Ringworld who cares for me. And, what happens now? Aragon: By now, the initial horrible smothering effects of the slave collar had mostly faded. He was left with the vague feeling that he should be memorising some orders. But, of course, since there was no ranking slave around giving orders, no such thing could happen. He knelt on the sand, which was blotchy with patches of blood, and kept his gaze down. He didn''t want to meet anybody''s eyes. I have a slave collar. It''ll never come off. Never. I''ll never be able to go anywhere without everyone knowing I''m a slave. Sorry, Tanya, I''m a failure. Total failure. I''ll never be able to do anything with this collar. I certainly can''t continue with Esther. Esther disproved this idea by kneeling beside him and trying to hug him. He started to withdraw - No! It can''t work! I can''t... Ding! Hey, Aragon, snap out of your funk. You have made that vow to Esther, remember. You will continue to look after her. And you will let her look after you. You will not be allowed to have a choice in this matter. Besides this, Esther and Tanya had to endure wearing a slave collar. If they can do it, who are you to say you can''t? Oh shit. He stopped resisting and let Esther hug him. Esther: Seeing that the slavers had retreated, Esther tried out her new ability, but in reverse: [Turn On Language]! Aragon: He realised that he could understand speech again. What was that weird speech stuff all about? Esther: Now Aragon has a collar. Just like me. This is all horrible - but I suppose his collar wasn''t properly activated. He has never been subjected to any slave collar compelled orders. Unlike me. But what do I do now? She had her arm around Aragon. And the other arm was holding Evereena. How can I look after both? Evereena: Evereena was also feeling horrible. The memory of Cassy dying kept replaying through her mind. Over and over again. Cassy getting a collar, Cassy being saved from receiving any orders by Aragon killing that red-collar slave. Drayden killing Cassy... Why did Drayden have to kill Cassy? Why? Because of some stupid 100% vow. Couldn''t Cassy keep on living? Evereena kept on looking across the sand to where Cassy''s body was, wearing a blood-soaked tunic. The slave collar had already faded in colour to black and slipped off; it was lying close to Cassy. Cassy''s dead. Aragon has a bloody collar. He looks like he is freaking out, and Mum is trying to comfort him. But Mum is also worried about me. I suppose Aragon is alive, so maybe Mum should concentrate on looking after him for now. "Ah, Mum, perhaps deal with Aragon first?" she said. She didn''t feel like letting Aragon monopolise her mother''s attention, but what could she do? What would Cassy do? She gently pushed Esther into Aragon''s embrace, then got up and, wobbling slightly, took a few steps away. And stepped right into Jane''s body. Jane: She looked around the battlefield with a dour expression. Sure, sure, we won. Sort of. Half a dozen of our guards are dead, another two have been captured, there''s a whole heap of dead slaves, Aragon has a slave collar, but it hasn''t been activated, and, bloody hell, the innocent Misfits are all dead, and, what was it with Drayden killing Cassy? Let''s see; the remaining guards are a bit disorganised; Eleanor and Lena are out of it for the time being, and so are Aragon and Esther, and, ah, right. As Evereena staggered past, Jane stepped smartly in front of her and grabbed her arm. "My dear, let''s go and check in with Eleanor, shall we? We need to get Eleanor to start ordering a clean-up." Was Evereena somehow killing those slaves that were just dropping dead? Hey, Voice of the World, what is all of that about? Ding! Evereena has [Intimidation], which has been overloaded at 200 out of 100 - the only one on Felixerra at present who has it at such power. At full strength, yes, she can [Insta-Death] someone. Oh. Jane had never, in her entire life, gotten such a comprehensive answer from the Voice of the World.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. It''s the Misfits total bullshit principle, isn''t it? The Voice of the World did not bother to reply. [Insta-death]? By just looking at someone? The sooner I can get Eleanor to deal with this, the better. Eleanor: She had her [Emotional Control] on full, but even so, she struggled to maintain calm. So she just kept hugging Lena and, incidentally, the two orphans. Unfortunately, she still had work to do. "Ah, Eleanor, perhaps we need to clean up here?" said Jane. Oh, shit this, more bloody Queening. Nevertheless, she consulted her [Battle Field Mangement] and discovered she had all the knowledge she needed at her metaphorical fingertips. "Lena, dear, if you can look after Becky and Mason yourself for a while..." Eleanor stood up and then realised that Jane had Evereena in tow. Why isn''t Evereena with her mother... Ah, right, Esther is dealing with Aragon. And Evereena was somehow killing those attacking slaves without any weapons at all. Hmm, I had better keep track of her. "Say, Evereena, could you stand by me for a while? Jane is going to be busy..." Eleanor took Evereena''s hand; then she looked around. I need to get the injured inside and make sure they are given medical care, Also, we need to clear out all the dead bodies but separate the attackers from ours, Pick up the dropped non-bonded weapons, Wait! That downed slave is still moving! One of the supposed dead bodies was crawling painfully along, still holding a bonded sword and trying to use it. But he was so slow and injured, the surrounding guards could easily avoid him. Why ain''t the guards doing something about him - oh, that''s right. They probably don''t want to kill someone who is no longer of any danger to them, but if they try to help him, he will just attack, no matter how incapacitated he is. Sigh. She looked down at her hand holding Evereena''s, then up to her face. Evereena''s eyes were red from crying, and she kept on looking over her shoulder to where Cassy''s body lay. She had an idea. Hey, Voice of the World. With all of this bullshit flying around, would you like to grant Evereena a slight extension to her [Insta-Death] skill? Ding! Certainly! Evereena now has [Insta-Stun]. She can make someone sleep for a while without damaging them. Holy Voice on toast, it worked! Evereena startled and jumped a bit, then looked around in confusion. "Ah, that was by my request. Could you cause that injured slave to sleep for a little while? Then we can look after him without having to kill him. It gives Evereena something to do to make her feel part of the team. Evereena looked at the injured slave, and a second later, he relaxed and appeared to be sleeping. Memo to self: make sure to have a few words with her later. We must treat her with kid gloves and ensure she doesn''t go off the carriage tracks. Eleanor started using her [Talk to an Individual] skill to get the guards working. Naturally, her first orders were to get all of the injured under care. After that, there was the collection of the bodies - A lot of slaver collars are just lying around, although some are getting buried in the sand, and there are bound to be some in the water. How do I ensure I collect them all without missing any? We must destroy all of them. Ding! [Slave Collar Location] ability added. This will locate any non-used collars. Wow, thanks, Voice of the World. Or should I thank the Misfits for their ''Total Bullshit'' rule? She just had to think about it, and she got an awareness of all the slave collars that were about her. It''s a shame we can''t get any points from destroying the collars since we killed the slaves to get those collars. She started to boss around some of the guards, to pick up all the dropped collars, then destroy them, including some underwater but within a metre or so of the shore. She noted that there were half a dozen in deeper water. They will have to wait. I can get some people in a boat to retrieve them cautiously. No way in hell am I going to let some guards swim out and try to fetch them. She also had the idea to give some more orders about continuing the watch for more slaver ships. With all the guards occupied with their duties, she turned her attention to her friends. She eventually got them organised and, with the help of a couple of guards to carry Mason and Becky, they began the walk back to the castle. Except this trip was a way lot slower than their trip to here. In the middle of the afternoon, Eleanor and her friends staggered into the castle. Of course, most of the guards had been faster. Manifestoria had already been informed about the fight, and an initial report had been composed and sent out by light semaphores to Crysteth and other countries. Nimbus (the Prime Minister of Crysteth): It took him a few hours to fully digest the information and discuss it with his advisors. What a horrifying mess. If Eleanor hadn''t been so competent, we could have had another slave colony on our doorstep. Come to think of it, Eleanor was amazingly competent. How did a girl brought up as a sheltered royal acquire such skills? He decided not to worry about that; he had more important things to do. He and his advisors didn''t get to bed until the early hours of the morning. Kelper (the slave emperor): The slave emperor took longer to get all the relevant information because he had to wait until the ships returned. After perusing the reports, interrogating the two captured guards, and eavesdropping on the public semaphore messages, he was able to sit back and think about things. Well, I managed to kill the so-called Misfits, so there is that. That vermin Lena and her two ferals are still out there, but they don''t count for anything. That damned vermin Eleanor - how come she was so good? I mean, she''s a woman! Sigh. The main objective was achieved; I''ll have to defer any more actions until we invade Crysteth. The Treasurer: I don''t think I have any chance of subtly leading the Queen. Not a hope in hell. What do I do now? Esther: Esther was worried about her daughter, but she seemed fine so far, as long as she kept with Eleanor. So, I suppose I can look after Aragon? But, what do I do? How do I do it? Maybe someone else is better qualified? Ding! Right now, you are the best one to deal with Aragon. Get him into his room, sit around his desk and have a talk. Oh, OK. If that''s what the Voice of the World wants me to do. Dutifully following her orders, she got the both of them to the designated location. Am I supposed to talk to him now? What do I say? Also, he is acting so differently - he won''t look at me; he is fidgeting around - getting a slave collar has certainly subdued him. She tried to recall when she had been enslaved. But it didn''t do her much good, as her collar had been activated almost immediately, and she never had time to act independently. Ding! He is freaking out and feeling ashamed. He dreads appearing in public and is just plain frightened to appear in front of the people he knows. And you, Esther, are going to give him some tough love. You will be guided on what to say. The Voice will guide me? Yes! So Esther, the timid grey-collar slave who had never bossed anyone around in any way, was forced to lay down the law and get Aragon moving again. Aragon: "Aragon, The Voice says you must get your act together." How am I going to do that? This collar is never coming off... "That''s right, the collar is never coming off. But mine isn''t either, but I still manage to live my life in a non-slave society. And Tanya had to wear her collar ever since she was three, but that didn''t stop her, either." Is she reading my mind? Oh, fucking shit. "Ah, no, I''m not. The Voice is, and then telling me what you are thinking." Gulp. Doesn''t that give Esther all the power in our relationship? "No, it doesn''t. This mind reading is a once-off, probably never to be repeated. Also, The Voice points out that we are meant to have an equal relationship. Up to now, your idea of a relationship has tended to put you as the leader." Esther leant forward and grasped Aragon''s shirt front. She also smiled. A smile that showed plenty of teeth. Aragon started to sweat. "But we are equals. Aren''t we? "Ah, yes, ah, definitely," said Aragon. "Now that you have a blasted collar, we are even more equal. Correct?" Aragon nodded his head. "Of course, this is all new to me, so I will learn as we go along. Anyway, what am I trying to say? Ah, that''s right. This all means that we are going to continue to develop our relationship. And you will treat other people the same way you always have. Right?" Aragon had a renewed resurgence of shame and embarrassment wash over him. "Sorry, Aragon, The Voice says that is tough; you just have to get over it." Gulp. I guess I have no choice. "So, what are you going to be doing tomorrow?" Aragon started to speak but was interrupted. "And look me straight in the eyes when you talk to me!" He did. He didn''t have any choice. "So, tomorrow, right? I''m going to be helping Eleanor sort out the mess left behind by the attack and cooperating with Jane to reorganise the guards. I can already think of a few changes we must make to the guard''s training and watch duties..." Esther, previously straight-backed and steady-eyed, sagged a little. She let her own gaze drop to the floor... Esther: Ding! You''re on your own now. Ding! But don''t undo all of your excellent work; look him in the eye and act confident. Ah, right. She straightened out and looked him in the eyes as ordered. "So, Aragon, according to the Voice, that is what you must do - ah, if that''s OK? I mean, it has to be OK. The Voice has said so. So I suppose it will be OK. Won''t it?" Aragon: Is Esther becoming a bit scary here? Well, apart from that lack of confidence at the very end. Right now, she''s got the full power of the Voice of the World behind her. Tanya had to put up with the blasted collar - He had to resist the powerful urge to tug on it yet again. He was continually aware of it resting against his neck. And Esther has to put up with it. At least I don''t have any of those stupid Absolute and Standing orders weighing me down. OK, Tanya. And Esther. Let''s do this. He took a deep breath, kept his posture straight, lifted his tail to a confident level instead of curling around his legs, and looked Esther in the eyes. "OK, Esther, thanks for your help. I guess you should now find Evereena and then retire for the night? As soon as you go, I''m also going to sleep." Esther left. Aragon lay in his bed and put the blanket to his chin. He could still feel the collar, but at least it wasn''t too uncomfortable. Tomorrow, I''ll have to face Jane and the other guards. What a pain. Tanya, if you could do it, then I can too. [1.62] More consequences Eleanor: Eleanor was relieved when Esther had come and claimed Evereena. "Remember, Evereena, I want to have a meeting with you tomorrow!" said Eleanor "OK, I won''t forget." Next, she spoke to Jane and made arrangements for the captured slave. "This will be difficult since we have to keep him in chains until his Order Lock expires. Not to mention toileting him and forcing him to eat and drink." Jane rolled her eyes. "Plenty of parents and even a few grandparents are in the guards; I''m sure we''ll manage." And finally, Now, to find Lena and the orphans. Probably in their room. They were. Lena was sitting on the middle mattress, cuddling her two distraught orphans, one on either side. The kids were sniffling, and their eyes were red, with Lena barely keeping the snot under control with a very damp-looking handkerchief. Actually, Lena''s eyes were also red and teary. "Ah! Eleanor has arrived! Kids, see how she is calm and composed. She knows what she is doing. She''ll make it alright - won''t you?" Lena! You lying little girl. "Of course. I''m the Queen of this country, and if you give me just a little time, I will fix things up. We''ll be back to normal before you know it!" Shit, I don''t think they are buying that. I''ll have to go all out. So she sat before Lena, extended her arms, and hugged the two children. "There there, kids. Things were bad, but I think it is best to sleep right now. You''ll all feel so much better tomorrow morning." said Eleanor. "OK," said Becky, wiping a few errant tears from her cheeks. Mason appeared to agree by nodding, although he wasn''t all that happy. Now, what to do... I guess I have to leave Lena to it. Damn, I so want to have a heart-to-heart with her. And Lena looks like she wants the same. "Well, I guess, how about I help Lena tuck you in, and then I retire to my bedroom..." Becky: I''m still frightened. What if those horrible slavers come back? Will Lena be able to protect us? Ding! As Lena''s Little Helpers, you can still help her! Demand that Eleanor stays with you for the night. Yes! Eleanor will be able to protect us! She has already done so. Both Mason and Becky perked up. "Lena, the Voice says that Eleanor has to stay the night with us!" said Becky. "Yes! Yes!" said Mason. "I know, drag the mattresses all together. I''ll sleep on the far side, Mason can sleep next to me, then you can sleep next to Mason, and Eleanor sleeps on the other side," said Becky. "Good! Good!" said Mason, nodding his head enthusiastically. Lena smiled broadly and looked at Eleanor. "Why, that is an excellent idea, from my Little Helpers. Wouldn''t you agree? Eleanor: Oh, Lena, isn''t this too much? I''m the Queen of a country, not a child carer... Actually, I don''t want to go to sleep alone tonight. And, I guess, I don''t have much of a country, anyway. "Why, Becky and Mason, that is an excellent idea. It is most suitable for the Queen of our country. " "Isn''t it, Lena?" Eleanor smiled sweetly at Lena, who raised her eyebrows and returned the smile. "It sure is!" The children were exhausted. So it didn''t take all that long before they were under their blankets, gently breathing with a few twitches and grimaces now and then. The two adults looked at each other with the slightest bit of embarrassment. Lena''s already in her pyjamas. So... "How about I nip next door, get my pyjamas on, and return? She returned and sat on the mattress that was to be hers. Lena was on the middle mattress, and the two children easily fit on the remaining one. There was a long drawn-out silence. Lena fidgeted around and sniffled occasionally while Eleanor sat stiffly, not knowing what to do. Eventually, Lena couldn''t take the stress any more. "Please, you stupid Queen, just hug me. And turn down that blasted [Emotional Control]! Right now, you look like you''re sitting at your office desk, reading the weekly guard roster report!" Eleanor flinched. But it hurts too much to do that. She had a good look at Lena''s face. Yeah, and Lena is also hurting too much. If I resist, the Voice will start ''encouraging'' me. She took a breath, held it, and dialled back the control by a quarter. Oh, by the Voice, this does hurt! Every death of the day came back and slapped her hard. Every slave she had seen trying to murder her guards, trying to murder all of those she cared for, cut into her. She could feel her soul practically bleeding. Arms trembling, she reached out and held onto Lena with all the desperation of a drowning person holding onto a floating log that was the only thing preventing them from sinking into the deep, dark, predator-filled ocean depths. She wailed out her heart, and Lena did the same. After a long time, they both managed to calm down just a little - "But, don''t you dare turn your [Emotional Control] back on to full!" said Lena. It hurts! Sigh. "OK, I won''t," said Eleanor. She could feel Lena''s body. They were still both shaking, and they were both sweaty. Not to mention all of that snot. Fortunately, Eleanor had provided for this. She took out two large hankies from her pyjama¡¯s pocket. She handed one over, and they did their best to wipe clean their faces and the worst of the sweat. They went back to holding each other, but not as tightly. "As expected, the queen provides for her subjects, even when it''s only hankies," said Lena. "Of course, I am happy to be of service. And I guess you are feeling a bit better now?" "Ah, yes. All joking aside, I am so relieved to have you here." "Well, so am I." There was another silence. This is getting too much; let''s back off a little, shall we?This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "Ah, Lena, with all of our sobbing, how on the Ringworld are your two orphans still soundly sleeping?" "Oh, that, dear queen; you have no idea how solidly these little kids will sleep once they nod off." Lena: I know exactly what you are doing. You''re avoiding any deeper discussion about our relationship, aren''t you? Actually, so am I. Let''s think about that at some later date. She looked at Eleanor''s face, noting the stress lines about her eyes, the creases around her mouth, and the jerky movements of her eyes. Without her full [Emotional Control], she really is suffering, isn''t she? "My dear, you can turn your control back on to full." Instantly, Eleanor''s face relaxed, and her agitated breathing levelled out. But they remained in close contact, listening to the kids'' soft breathing and the stray sounds outside the door as various night guards went about their patrols. Eventually, Lena said, "How about we lie down now? We can share the blanket, it is big enough. So, lying shoulder to shoulder, aware of Eleanor''s breathing, she drifted off to sleep. Of course, she had some horrible dreams. And so did Eleanor. Eleanor: She woke on a mattress on the floor of a strange bedroom. Ah, right. So she turned her head to the left and saw Lena lying right next to her, eyes opened. "Hmm," said Lena. "You''ve still got that annoying [Emotional Control] on full, haven''t you?" Well, of course I do! But before she could say anything, Lena continued. "You know, I think it is probably part of our friendship commitment to each other that you try to reduce it a bit when we are in private like this. Otherwise, you will never work through your traumas." "Look, Lena. You have no idea how much pain I''m blocking here. I can''t just drop my control whenever you want me to, you know?" Eleanor was beginning to get annoyed. Do I have to put up with this shit? I''ve just fought off the bloody slavers. "My dear, I can guess what level of pain you must be going through. Nonetheless, what I say is true. I propose to the Voice that dropping your Control should be part of our commitment. Since, otherwise, how can we have an equal, satisfying relationship, with your Control continually in the road?" "You can''t just ask the Voice to take your side! It doesn''t work like..." Ding! Just a friendly reminder, Eleanor. Because of your permanent commitment to Lena, you do need to work on your pain. "Oh, fucking hell, the Voice just agreed with you." Lena smiled broadly. Eleanor wasn''t sure how friendly that smile was. "Fine, fine, I''ll drop it the same amount as I did last night." Lena: Excellent, the bullshit did work. All thanks to the Misfits, of course. She watched as creases appeared on Eleanor''s face. So she did the only thing she could and hugged her. Practically nose to nose, breasts to breasts, they held each other. After a while, she said "Of course, we will have to have another talk when we get some free time. We need to discuss what is going on between us." Eleanor relaxed and separated a bit. "Yeah, don''t we? After I''ve gotten my little kingdom sorted out. Also, what the hell is that smell." Lena giggled. "My dear Queen. You must have forgotten some facts about looking after little children - not that I blame you. Little kids tend to wet their beds. Especially when they are stressed out." Eleanor jerked, then sat up. She looked over to see that the children were still asleep. "In that case, I need to get dressed and start, ah, start the day. See you." Within a few seconds, she was up and out of the room. Hehe. The mighty Queen, conqueror of four slaver ships, can''t handle a wet bed. Sigh. I suppose I should be started on my day, also. Eleanor: After sharing breakfast with Lena plus orphans, Esther, Evereena, Aragon and Jane, Eleanor started her serious meetings for the day. They started right at breakfast. "Everyone, before we move on to other matters, can we debrief about what we did yesterday? In particular, let''s list our brand-new skills, shall we? They did. At the end - "So that''s why all speech turned to garble!" said Aragon. "This is amazing. We are getting all these new abilities, many of them strange ones. All at the same time. Is the Voice of the World deliberately setting us up for something?" said Eleanor. Lena waved her tail around in perplexity. "Beats me. But at least I will never again be short of a super-sized spoon to serve soup to my children." Eleanor softly beat her tail on the floor to get everybody''s attention back to her. "Also, may I suggest keeping our new abilities a secret? Or at least as much of a secret as possible?" said Eleanor. She offered this suggestion in the mildest tone of voice that she could manage. However, everyone present realised that it was an order. Considering the circumstances, nobody was inclined to disagree. After breakfast, they all went off. Eleanor grabbed Jane and Aragon and led them to her office. I had better get a certain matter out of the way first, just to get it over and done with. "Ah, Jane. Naturally, we''ll have more meetings today to change our standard operating procedures, but could you add one detail now?" "Sure." "Well," Eleanor smiled her most confident smile, "If there''s an emergency and I have to be woken up again at some Voice-forsaken early hour in the morning, just put in the instructions that if I''m not in my own bedroom, I''ll be in Lena''s." Jane grinned, and Aragon smothered a laugh. "Thought so!" said Jane as she made a note. Eleanor looked at Aragon as he wiped the smile from his face. The little brat. "I''m glad to see you''ve made some recovery from yesterday''s shock," she said. "Ah, yes, m''lady. I, err, talked with Esther. Who, shall we say, delivered some tough love. And, bloody hell, she had the full weight of the Voice of the World behind her." "Aww, that''s nice, Esther is asserting herself. I thoroughly approve. And, I suppose I can add a little more here: last night and this morning, while Lena and I were talking, there were a few places where the Voice also took Lena''s side." "This is all the result of the Misfits'' It''s all Bullshit rule, I take it?" said Jane. Eleanor shrugged. "Guess so. The poor Misfits. Reincarnated in a new world, and they get cut down after barely half a year or so." There was a moment¡¯s depressed silence. "Oh, and one more thing, while we are in private like this, can you call me by my name? This m''lady stuff feels a little awkward amongst friends." "Certainly, Eleanor!" said Jane, "I guess I''ll now go to my meeting with the guards." She got up and looked expectantly at Aragon. However, he remained sitting. "Ahh, Eleanor, may I have a private word with you? It won''t take long." Jane swished her tail momentarily but left without a word. The door closed behind her. Eleanor waited. Aragon shifted in his seat, laid his ears down, and wrapped his tail around his legs. Then he took a deep breath. "I was the one that killed the old king, your father." Huh? What? Ah, yes, I suppose that does make sense. After all, he suffered a lot, too, back then. So, what do I do? As she was thinking, she could see Aragon getting increasingly nervous. So she made up her mind. "OK, Aragon. If you could stand up, please?" Looking puzzled, he stood up next to his chair. Eleanor got up and went around the table to stand before him. She placed her hands on his shoulders, using them to control the separation between their two bodies. Without touching his body, she leant upward and lightly kissed his cheek. Then she stepped back. "Thanks. Consider that to be your once-in-a-lifetime kiss and hug from me. We both know how much we suffered, so let''s move on, shall we?" "Ah, yes, thanks, Eleanor." They left, Aragon to chase after Jane and Eleanor to find Evereena. Eleanor: Eleanor and Evereena ended up back in Eleanor''s office, where she met with the most important visitors and reviewed her paperwork. Evereena, who had never seen inside before, looked around with interest. Yes, I think it is working. Inviting her to my most important office, making her feel a little bit important herself. But she''s still on the verge of crying. Eleanor dragged another chair to her side of the desk and then guided Evereena into it. Sitting side by side and holding hands, she gingerly started the conversation. "It''s awful about Cassy, isn''t it?" After half an hour of sobbing into Eleanor''s arms, Evereena eventually calmed down. Eleanor stroked Evereena''s hair between her ears and lightly flicked her tail around Evereena''s back. Now, on to the essential part. "I suppose it was after her death that the Voice gave you your [Insta-Death] ability?" Evereena nodded. "I was so angry and enraged; I just wanted to kill all of the slaves! Especially that blue-collared slave that was ordering them around, but my ability didn''t reach that far at the start! But then, he moved closer, and I got him!" Thank the Voice that at least she has a restricted range. "That''s fine, my dear. Although, perhaps we can talk about the future for a bit..." "Ah, yes?" "Remember, just like Jane doesn''t use her sword on everybody who annoys her, you must also control your ability. You know, act responsibly with your powers." Evereena shrunk into herself a little, her ears flattening against her head. "I''m sorry..." She got another hug from Eleanor. "Relax, I''m not criticising you. You were critical in helping us win yesterday. And it is a great power you have. Jane tells me that the Voice says you are the only one in all of Felixerra who currently has it. If the slavers attack again, you will be useful to me and our country." If the slavers attack again, we''ll probably end up either dead or enslaved. But there''s no need to be depressing. "Yes-yes, Eleanor. I promise I''ll be careful. Does this mean I shouldn''t use mild intimidation against bullies, like I did before?" "Ah, let me see, what power were you using then?" "About 15." "Well, those bullies were overwhelmed but didn''t appear damaged. So, if it is a bad case like that, go for it. But only up to 15. And, let''s agree, every time you use it, you need to report directly to me, the Queen." Evereena nodded her head. "Yes, Queen Eleanor." Asking her to report directly to the Queen. More status to her. And that reminds me- "Also, when we are alone like this, just call me Eleanor. No need to be formal." After some more discussion, Eleanor took Evereena back to Esther and returned to her office. Now I have to call in the treasurer, allocate the finances for the new guard arrangements, and then, yeah, that''s right, arrange some funerals. "Being Queen is really, really great!" she said to the empty room. The echoes didn''t appear to agree with her. Also, I wonder precisely how loyal the Treasurer is to me. Certainly not to the same degree as my friends. Oh well. Eleanor: A month after the invasion. Eleanor was in the castle''s banquet hall, a large room. Sometimes, it could be set up for actual banquets. Other times, like now, it was set up for a public meeting. The Queen was standing on a dais, looking out over a motley collection of her guards, friends, and various members of the Manifestorian community. There were also present representatives from Crysteth. Well, here goes. Tell them the bad news. Which I''m sure they all know, anyway. "I''ve decided to be as frank as possible about our prospects. Basically, we are all stuffed. The Manifestoria and Crysteth communities will be overrun and destroyed when the slavers eventually come around to our little corner of the Ringworld. Maybe the slaver empire will run out of steam eventually, but it won''t be soon. Everybody who wants to is more than welcome to make a run for it. Of course, you will have to run a long way. Crysteth isn''t safe either; it will probably be invaded before we are. Sorry about that. But you are also welcome to stay if you have nowhere to go. You can enjoy my company and the company of my friends! For what it is worth. Since, remember, due to my vows, I will be staying here. And some of my friends will, also, due to their vows. So if you stay, you can help with our country''s last-minute defences. It probably won''t achieve much, but we might as well do our best." At that, Eleanor couldn''t think of anything further to say. So she opened the floor to questions. They lasted for hours, but the answers didn''t achieve much. [1.63] Eleanor and Lena, more than just best friends. Eleanor: On the nights following the invasion, Eleanor kept sleeping next to Lena. So, of course, they soon had a discussion. That night, the two children were fast asleep; Lena and Eleanor were under the same blanket and lying beside each other. "I guess there is no avoiding it; we have to talk about where we are going," said Eleanor. "You bet we are, my dear queen. And, turn down that [Emotional Control], ah, but not so far as to prevent having that talk." What a pain. Literally. But, OK. "It is obvious to everyone by now that we have quite a bit going on between us," said Lena. "Yeah. I must admit it took me some time to face it." "Me too." "Nonetheless, we are now in a relationship," said Lena. "Yes." "So, how far are we going to take this?" How far. She means, are we going to include sex? Do I want sex with Lena? She imagined Lena naked. And she blushed. Lena raised her eyebrows. "Hello, did you have some images go through your mind?" "Hmm, maybe. And, tell me, young lady, what images are going through your mind?" Ha! She''s blushing also. "My, you are so cute when you blush like that." Lena blushed even more. So Eleanor moved her body closer, lightly kissing Lena on the cheek. Then, she eased back to her original position. By now, they were both breathing faster than usual. OK, I think that confirms it. "I think that I can say that, yes, I would like to consider having a sexual relationship with you. Not now, of course! But, we can work our way up to it." She got back a looooong look from Lena. Uh-oh, did I go too far? "OK, let''s try going for that. And I agree, let''s not make it immediately; we need to get used to each other," said Lena. "So, that''s why our respective marriages were so dismal," said Eleanor, "We like women, not men." "That''s right. Pity we didn''t work that out before getting married, but I suppose better late than never." There was a long silence, then Lena said. "There is one way of ensuring that we are compatible..." "Yes, there is. But, considering all of those 100% Misfit vows, will we end up with one ourselves?" "But the Misfits are no longer here, will that 100% nonsense still apply?" said Lena. "Who knows? However, remember the usual rules for vows will apply. That is, the type of vows that require cooperation between two people. The Voice only grants them when there is a good chance that they will succeed." "OK. So, shall we try right now?" said Lena. Eleanor and Lena both spent some time thinking this over. "Sure. Let''s do it," said Eleanor, "Let''s try to remove all doubts about our future with each other." Ding! Eleanor and Lena have made a private vow to each other: 100% strength. We will commit our hearts, souls, and bodies exclusively to each other forever. Eleanor started giggling. "Yes! The Misfits'' bullshit is still with us!" "Nonetheless, we will still take a bit of time to get used to each other, OK?" said Lena, "And we are not going to go sex-mad like the Misfits!" "I fully agree. And, definitely, we won''t go the full Misfit-styled sex craziness. Also, we have to work out what to do with our children when we eventually start having fun with each other." "Oh my, you''re accepting equal responsibility for the children?" "I am indeed. In fact, why don''t I go all the way..." Ding! Eleanor has made a private vow, 100%. I will look after Mason and Becky to the best of my ability as long as they need it. Lena has been notified, and Mason and Becky will be notified tomorrow. Lena started giggling.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Eleanor looked at her. "Yeah, you''ve been trying to get me to look after those children for some time, haven''t you?" "That''s right. Didn''t think I would succeed to such an extent, though." "Hmmph. Let''s go to sleep, shall we?" Lena: Say, how do we have sex together? With certain images frolicking through her head, Lena drifted off to sleep. Evereena: Two months after the attempted invasion, Evereena was lying in her bed. Esther''s bed, on the other side of the room, was empty. Visiting Aragon again? And she''s getting later and later in coming back. I suppose she must be ''having sex'' with Aragon by now. I mean, Aragon''s a nice person for a man. And now that he has a collar, I can''t deny that he is permanently on our side. Whatever. Just then, Esther tapped on the door and entered. After she had gotten into bed, Evereena spoke. "Mum, I guess by now you are having sex with Aragon?" "Oh, well, actually, no." "What? Then, what''s the purpose of all of these evening visits? And, isn''t the whole point of a relationship to have sex?" "Well, I''m still working that all out. But, according to Aragon, it is best to go slowly when the goal is to have a lifelong relationship. Step by step." "But, sex is just sex. The man does it, then goes away. What is this step-by-step stuff?" Big breath by Esther. "Apparently, it is common amongst non-slaves to not make it just about sex. Aragon says that one needs to develop a friendship and understanding between the two people and that one needs to move from very light physical contact, such as holding hands, to somewhat more contact, like light hugs, and so on. And, ah, this begins to feel uncomfortable for me to say, but, you know, we are doing full-body hugs, but we still haven''t gotten to the point where we take off our clothes." Non-slave adults and sex; it is way more complicated than I ever thought. "That''s amazing. And remember what Cassy said about the Misfit girls enjoying sex just as much as the boys? Is that, err, applying to you also?" "Actually, yes. I feel like I am, shall we say, warming up to his touch." Yeah, it''s totally amazing. She remembered the times that she was ordered to lie still and be raped. Totally amazing. " I don''t know anything about this. But, back when you were a teenager before being enslaved, did you know about all of this?" "No, I didn''t. When I told Aragon that, he was surprised, he said I must have had a very sheltered upbringing." "OK," said Evereena. They went to sleep. A month later, Esther spoke to Evereena privately. "Huh, well, you see, tonight I''ll be spending all night with Aragon." "Really? So does that mean that you and him..." "Ah, yes?" "But why would you want to stay with him after it ends?" Esther blinked at this question. "I realise it must be difficult for you to understand; I had trouble with that, too. But sleeping with them all night is considered normal in a relationship. In fact, it is considered normal to sleep with them every night, even when not having sex." "It is? Why?" "Because it''s nice to sleep with someone you love romantically." "No kidding." "But, that''s all right, I still love you; if you like, I''ll make a point of sleeping here in the same room as you as often as you want!" Wow! This romantic love stuff must be incredibly powerful. I honestly cannot see myself getting that way with any man, even if they are as nice as Aragon. "Mum, that''s fine. Unless I need it, I can sleep by myself. After all, we do have two rooms all to ourselves. Compared to when we were active slaves, that is amazing all by itself. I might as well take advantage of it." Esther: She was relieved that Evereena took this so calmly. Although I think that she doesn''t have a clue about sexual pleasure, just like I didn''t. Should I tell her about masturbation? Ah, probably not. It''s far too embarrassing. If necessary, I can get Eleanor to talk with her. She went off to spend the whole night with Aragon. They both got a couple more points to their [Sexual Technique] abilities. Jane: A month later, at breakfast, Eleanor made a suggestion. "Jane, you say your daughter and granddaughter visit you regularly?" "Yes?" "Then, perhaps you would like to take Evereena and the two little children to your house for an evening meal and a playdate and include your granddaughter? Naturally, I will be more than happy to pay you for the food and the effort." Jane thought about this. And began to grin. "Why, certainly. And, I suppose you would like a definite time for us to arrive back?" "Ah, yes, that would be nice." "Since you are paying generously, I''m sure I will have absolutely no objection to such an evening. And it will do my daughter good to do something different from being a maid to Katress for once." By now, Jane was almost laughing. Aragon had a big smile, or maybe a smirk, on his face. Esther and Evereena, seeing all of these grins, looked puzzled. Then Esther worked it out. "Oh, I see." "See what?" said Evereena. " Eleanor and Lena want to be alone for the evening without their children." "And what does... Oh, right." She sighed and mumbled something which might have contained the words ''sex'' and ''crazed'', but Jane wasn''t quite sure. Lena: They met in Eleanor''s room. "I guess you will have to adjust your [Emotional Control] to whatever level works," said Lena. "Yeah. This is a little tricky; if I turn it too far down, everything gets too painful. But if I leave it on full power, then I can''t get the full benefits of doing, ah, you know what." "Sure sucks being the Queen." "Oh, it comes with some compensation. Like, for example, you." Eleanor carefully locked the door. And then they stood there, facing each other, one metre apart. I, at last, get to see her naked. And, what do you know, she is blushing furiously. Of course, I am, too. "My dear, if we are going to do this, we need to remove our clothes." Her mouth feeling dry from nervousness, Lena removed her outermost clothes. Eleanor followed suit. Oh my, she does have a lovely body. Well, she is showing signs of ageing. Not quite as slim as she would have been. And, of course, there are those unseemly stress lines on her face... But! Don''t worry about that! "OK, how about we remove our underwear now?" They slowly took them off while each checking with the other to ensure there were no problems along the way. Lena could hear the blood pounding in her head. Lovely. Just lovely. It was never like this with my husband. "What do we do now?" said Eleanor. Fortunately, Lena had the answer to this question. Eleanor: After a certain amount of time had passed, they relaxed and lay next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, just like they were now doing every night for sleeping. Except, this time, they were naked. I wonder how long it took Lena to think up all of this. She certainly has an active imagination. "I must say, I am fortunate that you are so bold and forthright about such things, my dear." "I can''t let the queen do all the leading and bossing around, can I?" "No. And I''m quite content to let someone else take over the leadership role, for once." Just then, the Voice of the World granted them both 2 points. "Glory be, my first points ever in sexual technique!" said Lena. Eleanor giggled. "Same here," she said, "Say, do you have any more ideas for our next time, or do we just repeat what we did? Ah, not that I have any objections to repeating, none whatsoever. It was all wonderful!" "Oh, I have thought of a few extra things we could try... Only if we want to, of course." When the children were delivered back to them, they were dressed in their usual evening clothes and waiting innocently at their dining room table. Oh my, Jane is doing a splendid job of not breaking into a big smile. And Evereena looks just slightly disapproving. Poor girl, it''s going to take some time for her to accept her own sexuality. But she''s young, so there''s no hurry. [2.01] Cassy wakes up. Again. Bronsen and Cassy: Cassy opened her eyes and found she was lying on the ground, looking up at an angle. The majestic arc of the Ringworld was visible, climbing up and over. Green forests, sunlight sparkling off lakes and oceans, patches of clouds: vast swaths of country lined up, receding into the distance and curving up and behind the sun high over her head... ¡°So pretty,¡± she said. "Argh! Drayden stabbed me!¡± She sat up. "Bloody hell, what, ah, I''ve been reincarnated, like, again?" Ding! You sure have! She turned her head from side to side. And found Bronsen. Who was also sitting up and looking around groggily. They stared at each other for a looooong moment, then looked around again. "Nope, the other two aren''t here," said Bronsen. A few moments more reflection. "My, my. Alice is going to be somewhat disturbed, isn''t she?" said Cassy with a big smile. "Oh yes, she is," said Bronsen, returning the smile. Cassy ran her hands through her long, straight, red hair. Then she looked around, this time at the local area. Trees, bushes, a small forest behind them that was climbing up a local hill, and a seashore in front of them. "So, where are we this time? And, do we have to fight off vicious predators, or what?" she said. Fortunately, it appeared not. "At least we are wearing decent Felixian-type clothes," said Bronsen. They stood up. And held hands. "Say, what happened after I died?" said Cassy. An hour later, having filled each other in with their little stories, and lots of hugs, they took stock of their situation. "Makes sense, I guess. Our libidos are switched off, just like the last time around," said Cassy. "Fine, that''s fine. We need to work out what''s happening around us first," said Bronsen. "I wonder how much time has passed since we died?" said Bronsen. They checked their System-supplied calendars. "Oh, half a year. So everybody at our new Manifestoria home has settled down since the attempted invasion," said Cassy. "You are assuming that the slavers lost?" said Bronsen. "We don''t know, do we? We''ll have to get back there and find out. " "So, how do we get back there?" They decided to go exploring. But first, Bronsen noticed something. ¡°Hey, look, our locked points have gone down again! This time a few thousand points.¡± ¡°So it has. Does that mean the System-san used them to grant more abilities?¡± said Cassy. System-san didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Sigh. Anyway, that is a good indication that Eleanor and friends are still free; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be granted anything,¡± said Bronsen. They returned to more immediate concerns. Since the way to their right looked easier to travel, that is where they went. Ten minutes later, they crested a small hill and saw a lumber yard on the shoreline. And on the beach, propped on the sand by some logs, was a large sailing ship. There were also a whole lot of grey-collar slaves milling around. ¡°Well, you know, it is just as well I didn¡¯t go charging off over the horizon,¡± said Bronsen. ¡°I shall be sure to tell Alice that,¡± said Cassy. ¡°So, lots of grey-collar slaves. Maybe about fifty. What now? And, where are the coloured collar slaves?¡± said Bronsen. Cassy materialised her sword and pointed it forward. It was shaking slightly. ¡°Ah, Cassy, this mob isn¡¯t charging at us, so maybe it¡¯s OK?¡± "Oh shit. Do we have to kill more of them?" said Cassy. ¡°I, err, don¡¯t know.¡± Cassy dismissed her sword, and they held hands. The two stood there, with the breeze causing Cassy''s hair to flutter around and grains of sand to drift over their feet. Neither of them had the slightest idea about what to do. They examined the scene. "There''s a bit more than fifty slaves. Interesting, there are only about ten women; the rest are men," said Bronsen. "Even more interesting, the women look as if they are all over thirty; there ain''t any younger ones. While the men range in all ages," said Cassy. A few minutes of silence. "OK, if they charge us, we run off. Otherwise, we take it as it comes. How''s that for a plan?" said Bronsen. A sniff of disdain from Cassy. "It''s not a particularly complicated one, is it?" Fortunately, they didn''t have to wait for long. A woman, dressed in ragged and mismatched clothes, scrambled out from a patch of trees and bushes and jogged towards them. But she didn''t see them as she was looking back. Two more slaves appeared, both men and both dressed even worse than the woman, came into view. "Hey, that woman looks almost like Eleanor!" said Cassy. She did. She had approximately the same two-tone colouring (dark yellow and an orangey brown), brown hair, and similar facial features. She was even the same rough age (about mid-thirties).Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. "Yeah, she does. But she looks half-starved, definitely underweight," said Bronsen. The unknown woman had stopped and was now facing the two men. Tail up and flicking side to side, she raised her fists and shouted at them. "No, I don''t want to be sexed by you two shits! And with no Reds to order me, I don''t have to!" Cassy''s ears and tails flicked up. She growled and gripped Bronsen''s hand like a vice. "Let''s ensure they will attack her first before fighting them?" said Bronsen. Cassy glared at him, then forced herself to relax. "OK." The men, who, just like the woman, hadn''t seen the two Misfits either, shuffled closer to the woman. "Lie down. Like the Red ordered you to do." said one man. The woman pointed to the other man. "He''s been demoted to grey because he was such a worthless shit, so he can no longer order me!" "You are a woman. You are meant to do this. Shut up and follow orders!" said the other man. "Get lost! I no longer have to do anything you say!" said the woman. After some more ''robust'' but highly repetitive arguments, the men - gave up and returned to where they had come. Muttering all the while about feral slaves and how she was supposed to be submissive and obedient. Bronsen and Cassy exchanged glances. "That was surprisingly non-violent. Also, those men weren''t all that sophisticated in their conversation, were they?" he said. "Yeah. But still, it''s pretty disgusting." "Of course. But this is the slaver society; we already know that." Cassy expressed her opinion by crinkling her nose up and pointing her ears away from him. Meanwhile, the woman lashed her tail from side to side and muttered a few words herself. She then turned back to their direction and walked a few steps before looking up and seeing them. Unknown Woman: I don''t recognise these two. Where did they come from? Wait, they don''t have slave collars! She felt a vague compulsion to immediately notify some ranking slave and help put collars onto them, except that her collar didn''t seem to be compelling her to do anything! It''s so strange that the collar does not make me do anything. But what do I do, then? Two monotones. That''s rare. And is that man handsome? After a moment''s reflection, she decided that he wasn''t. She stood there, waiting for something to happen. Cassy: How about I speak first? It will probably spook the lady less than a strange man talking to her. Now, how did it go... That''s right, a slave society with any coloured-collar slaves can never lapse into everybody having inactive collars since that can only happen to grey-coloured slaves. Furthermore, any coloured-collar slave can immediately cancel that inactive state by touching the inactive collar. So the first thing to do is to ask if there are any coloureds around. "Hi there! We''re just popping in for a visit." The unknown woman kept on looking blank. "Well, I''m Cassy, and my friend is Bronsen." "Ah, I''m Frannie," she said. I suppose slaves don''t have much practice at idle conversation. "Are there any red or other coloured collar slaves around?" "No? The two Blues demoted all the Reds to Grey, then had a fight and killed each other." Blues killing each other seems to be a common theme around here. "I see. So, how long ago was all of this?" "Oh, about two weeks." "And, what did you all do." "Well, initially, we all kept on following orders, but something weird happened after a week, and we no longer felt the need to do as we were told." "In other words, your collars became inactive. That always happens if a grey-collared slave receives no orders for seven days." "It does? I didn''t know that." Ah, of course, that fact wouldn''t be advertised widely. And, anyway, it''s not as if the grey-collared slaves are told anything anyway. "So, what is everyone doing now?" "Well, some kept doing their jobs, and others started to waste time and do nothing. It''s getting quite chaotic now that the Blues are no longer coordinating things." Bronsen must have felt left out in this exchange, as he now said: "What were you all doing in the first place?" The woman regarded him with some concern: "You''re not going to try to sex me, are you?" "No, definitely not!" said Cassy and Bronsen at precisely the same time. "And if he did, I would beat him up!" added Cassy. Bronsen rolled his eyes. "Ah, if we can get back to the topic..." said Bronsen. "Oh, we were sailing to another island that produces marmalade, but a giant shark attacked us by biting a big hole in the ship, so we had to harbour here. The Blues were trying to repair the ship, but they were too ignorant to know how to, and it ended up like this," said Frannie. "So, we''re on an island?" "That''s what the Blues said." There was a lull in the conversation. Cassy desperately cast around for another topic and eventually said: "Those two men, they, err, didn''t speak all that eloquently, did they?" I''m trying not to say that they are stupid; I don''t want to be insulting the natives here, do I? "Yeah, that''s because they''re stupid. They''ve been slaves all their lives; they were brought up on a baby farm. Mostly, they turn out dumb. The only ones that don''t are those allowed to be raised by their mothers." Just like Evereena. And those two men were stupid. "So you were brought up by your mother until your teenage years?" said Cassy. Frannie: Somewhat less than two decades ago. Years and years since she had been forcibly ripped from her loving parents, from their comfortable home, from the hug of her first boyfriend, and enslaved. All of those years. Once the slave collar was activated, she never had a chance to mourn for her lost life. A constant, relentless stream of orders filled her entire existence with their compulsions. Day in and day out, continuously, for almost twenty years. She had never had a chance to mourn. And now, for some reason, the collar was inactive. She could remember her original life, what she had lost. For the first time, she could cry for the teenage Frannie, who was lost and gone forever. She collapsed to her knees, tears streaming from her eyes. Bronsen: Did we cause that - no, of course not. I don''t remember Esther or Evereena acting like this, but maybe they were so exhausted from their ordeal that they couldn''t? Maybe their emotional anguish was spread out throughout their recovery. He looked at Cassy, standing there, watching Frannie, obviously bereft of ideas. "Cassy, perhaps kneel next to her and pat her back; I''ll step back a bit." She did. She patted Frannie''s back with her hand and with her tail. And Frannie wrapped her tail around Cassy. I still haven''t gotten used to how cute those tails can be... Bronsen, pay attention! Don''t get distracted. Frannie calmed down, and she gave some of her history. "No, I wasn''t brought up by just my mother. I was brought up by my whole family in a town. And then the slavers came through and obliterated everything. They destroyed the entire society. We were kept in the same place, but the Blues and occasional Green didn''t try all that hard to keep things going, and within a short few years, the entire town had collapsed. They were so inept; we almost starved despite being surrounded by plenty of fertile farming area." "Ah, well, sorry to hear that," said Cassy. After some silence, Frannie asked: "Where do you come from? And how have you escaped being collared, even though you are in the middle of the slaver nation?" "That''s, err, a long story. Maybe we can get to it at some later stage. We need to work out what to do right now." said Cassy. Yeah, like, work out where the other two are and how to get to them. Ding! One hundred have been points used: you can now find out in what direction the other Misfits are and how far away they are. Another cheat ability. And, let''s see, Cassy is where? A direction appeared in his mind''s eye. It was pointing to the side and saying ''2 metres''. Cool. Now, where are Drayden and Alice? Another direction appeared. It pointed straight out to the sea and said ''about 485 kilometres''. He looked straight ahead. It was in the direction of the ring. 485 km is too close to see clearly, but if I look further, that region could be the monster territory that Alice and I started from. So the patch of land just before it must be Manifestoria! And this sea is the Jaserra Ocean that must go all the way to it! So, the others are in the same direction as Manifestoria. He noticed Cassy must have gotten the same information; she was also looking ahead and up. "Say, Frannie, is there anybody else on this island?" said Bronsen. She shook her head from side to side. And also the tip of her tail. "No, not as far as I know. Otherwise, the Blues would have tried to get their help." He looked at Cassy. "So," said Cassy, "Our friends are in that direction." She pointed. "And we have a boat with a hole in its side. Hmm." "And we have a labour force of 50 inactive slaves who currently don''t have anything else to do..." said Bronsen. "And, if they don''t do something, considering this appears to be a deserted island, they will soon run out of food and starve..." said Cassy. Cassy and Bronsen nodded at each other. "Right, we''re going to be taking over the leadership of you lot, and we are going to fix the boat and sail to our friends," said Bronsen. "We are?" said Frannie. [2.02] Casually walk in and take over Bronsen and Cassy: "Yes, we are!" said Cassie. "But, how are we?" said Bronsen. Both Misfits gave this a moment''s thought. "Good question. Frannie, what would happen if we casually walked in and made ourselves home?" said Cassy. "Any Grey will call out to the nearest Red or higher and get a collar onto you... That''s right; there are no higher-ranking slaves. So, I suppose they will wait until some higher-ranking slaves arrive? Since we don''t have any orders to deal with this situation, and it appears that all our collars are currently inactive, what can we do?" said Frannie. "So, what happens if we start issuing orders?" said Bronsen. "I don''t know?" said Frannie. "So, how about you stand up, and we do that casual walk as suggested by Cassy?" said Bronsen. They tried to get Frannie to take the lead, but she didn''t appear to be able to take even that small amount of initiative. Therefore, Bronsen and Cassy, hand in hand, ambled towards the settlement, with a somewhat perplexed Frannie trailing them. Around some trees and bushes, down the slope, and into the area with the most people. As they came closer, they got a better view. The ship was drawn up just above the water line, with the gaping hole, two metres across, facing the shore. Around the ship on the shoreside was a haphazard collection of boxes, woodworking tools, and piles of lumber. There were also some rope ladders going up to the ship''s deck. The grey-collared slaves mainly sat down at random locations or walked about without any noticeable sense of urgency. However, a dozen or so appeared to be doing work on the ship. Mainly, they were processing some freshly fallen tree logs and cutting them up, presumably to make boards to repair the hole. As they got closer, people started to notice them. They looked puzzled. Then, some started noticing the lack of collars. Some got worked up about this and started talking with their companions. Most just got more puzzled. Eventually, one of those men who had been trying to accost Frannie, the one Frannie accused of being a hopeless Red, realised what they were. "Hey, they''re vermin! They should be collared!" he shouted. He rushed away, climbed the rope ladder and disappeared into the ship''s bowels. He shortly reappeared, carrying two slave collars, scrambled down the rope ladder, and charged at the two Misfits. "Everyone, help me collar them!" he said. But everyone else seemed not all that enthusiastic about this. Mostly because Bronsen had taken out his sword and was busy splitting the air with his strikes. Or at least, that''s what it sounded like. Each strike he made produced a shark crack, and the blade moved so fast it couldn''t be seen except in between movements. "Get moving! Charge them!" said the ex-Red. Nobody did, not even the ex-Red. "Then, those at the back, charge the woman! She won''t have any combat abilities." Cassy immediately materialised her blade, turned and faced the slaves coming up to her from the back. She flicked her blade a few times to demonstrate that she, too, could make cracking sounds. "We have a bit of a stalemate here," said Bronsen, "All of your collars are currently inactive, so you don''t have to do anything you don''t want to. Like for example, get killed trying to put collars on us. Correct?" Bronsen stared at the ex-Red and also applied his 5% intimidation skill. The ex-Red gulped and stepped back. "Anybody else objects to just leaving us alone?" said Bronsen. None of the other Greys seemed to have any objections. "Good. Now, does anyone here know how much food you have?" Nobody volunteered any answers. Bronsen flicked his sword a few times, making impressively loud cracking noises. One of the slaves, a woman, tentatively raised her hand and said, "Ah, maybe a couple of months or so?" "So, in about three months, if we don''t do anything, we will start starving to death?" said Bronsen.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "I guess?" said the woman. "What about fishing?" said Cassy. "We don''t have any slaves with fishing skills." "Even if someone doesn''t have fishing skills, there''s no reason why they can try anyway. And maybe get some skills," said Cassy. "I''ve never heard of that sort of thing happening." Cassy rolled her eyes. "OK then, can anyone else tell us how long it will take to repair the boat and make it seaworthy?" said Cassy. Another person, a much older male, raised his hand. "If you don''t keep interrupting me as the Blues did and keep taking away my workforce, I think I can get it repaired in three weeks?" Cassy and Bronsen shared a glance and nodded to each other. "Well, I guess that''s settled. You follow this man''s lead and work hard to make the boat functional. Anyone have any problems with that?" said Cassy. "But, you''re not collared!" said one of the slaves. "So? If we don''t get the boat fixed, then in three months, you''re not alive!" said Cassy. "But I don''t take orders from a woman!" At this point, Cassy remembered taunts from the boys in her classroom while still on Earth. She stamped her feet, stuck her ears back and her tail straight up, and swept in towards the man. Making sure her sword was dismissed, she gripped his shirt front and hoisted him up into the air. He was left dangling; he was also left just a little short of air since Cassy''s grip on his collar was constricting his neck. "Really, is that what''s bothering you? Women are as good as men. And if you don''t take orders from us, you will be starving. Is that what you want?" The man flattened his ears against the side of his head to cut down the volume of Cassy''s voice. She also emphasised her statements by shaking him from side to side. "Ah, Cassy, maybe that''s enough? I think his face is going purple," said Bronsen. "Oops, so it is." Cassy dropped the man. He landed on the sand and fell backwards. Fortunately, the sand was soft, and there was no damage done. The two slave collars that were in his hands dropped down in front of Cassy and Bronsen. The man dragged himself away. Nobody else seemed willing to disagree with Cassy''s statements. And Bronsen knelt, produced his thermal lance, and burned through one of the collars. Ding! One hundred points were awarded for destroying a slave collar (but without killing a slave). Cassy made a thumbs-up gesture at this message. And the ex-Red was horrified. "You can''t do that!" But he did not attempt to get closer. "Frannie, do you have a bonded weapon?" "Y-yes, a small hand axe. I use it to cut firewood." "Well, I¡¯ve just had a brilliant idea! Why not take that slave collar, put it on that rock over there, and break it with your axe? You get a hundred points, and you can then allocate some points to [Strength]," Said Cassy. "But I''m not supposed to destroy collars!" "But your collar is inactive. Destroy that collar, and you can increase your physical stats. Wouldn''t you want that?" Apparently, that is something that Franie would want. She carefully picked up the slave collar, gently lowered it onto the rock, and took out her axe. After a while, Bronsen said, "You have to chop it. As hard as possible. It''ll take a few goes since those collars are tough." With enough encouragement from Cassy and Bronsen, she eventually cut it in half. The collar''s material collapsed into coarse grains of what looked like rock rubble. "I got 100 points!" said Frannie. She did a little hop and skip. She then stopped. "Now, what do I do?" There was a short discussion with Cassy, and then Frannie allocated her points. For the first time since they saw her, she smiled. As for the others, they all had various looks of concern and worry on their faces, but no one was willing to go against the will of the Misfits. Cassy went over to where the ex-Red slave was standing. "You! Are there any more collars?" At the same time, she applied a 2% intimidation stare. "Argh, err, yes. There have been plenty of deaths of Greys, and we''ve managed to recover collars from many of them." "Oh, good," said Cassy. ¡°That¡¯s the old Cassy we all knew!¡± said Bronsen. Cassy didn¡¯t say anything in return, merely looking at Bronsen and raising her eyebrows.¡± "Right. OK then, getting back to the topic, let''s say we discuss things with that old man who appears to know something about repairing boats, OK?" said Bronsen. The results of the discussion were somewhat indeterminate. The old man, Harold, didn''t seem very happy about the situation. Or maybe he didn''t seem all that happy about anything. Nonetheless, he indicated that he would keep doing what he was doing, supervising the team to repair the boat. However, getting the other slaves to help was problematic. "I''ve got no authority over the other slaves, so if they don''t want to help, then they won''t." he had said. "OK, we get the idea. If you could point out the slaves that aren''t helping out but whose help you need, and maybe we can persuade some of them?" said Bronsen. First slave they asked: "You have carpentry skills, right?" said Bronsen. "Yeah" "So, would you like to help repair the boat?" said Bronsen. "Nyah" "Why not?" said Cassy. "I''ve never had the collar stop making me do things before. It''s weird. But if I don''t have to, why should I?" "Because we need to get off this island, you stupid git!" said Cassy. The slave backed off slightly. "Then get some Reds or Blues to order us." Bronsen spoke up in a hurry. "You do realise there are no higher-ranking slaves on this island? And the food will only last a few months? Do you intend to starve here?" "I''m sure someone will come along and start ordering us to do something." Bronsen gave up on that slave. They tried with some more slaves. They were not able to convince any of them to start working. Cassy scrunched up her nice, tidy hair in frustration. "Bloody hell, what does it take to get this lot moving? It''ll be faster to do it ourselves..." She stopped. "Actually..." said Bronsen, "Why don''t we do it ourselves?" "Ahh, I guess... Let''s get Harold and give us instructions on how to saw up lumber!" said Cassy. It took only two hours for them to gain the skill ''Wooden Ship Repair'' and to level it up to 10. And get a bonded saw, suitable for ripping tree trunks into planks. After another two hours of furious sawing, they had a stack of planks. Harold was impressed. He even smiled briefly - "Why, at least half of these planks can be used! For beginners, that''s not bad." Cassy and Bronsen, covered in sawdust, decided to call it a day. This decision was helped because everyone else had also decided to call it a day and were beginning to mill around the ship. [2.03] Instead of death, the Greys serve them food Bronsen and Cassy Food was about to happen! The timid woman who had volunteered information about how long the available food would last appeared to be the cook. She tended a big pot hanging over a wood fire built on the beach sand. There wasn''t much in the way of food preparation; she merely poured varying amounts of powders and grains from a collection of bags into the pot and then waited for the water to boil. Bronsen and Cassy decided to wait at the end of the queue. They received their portions. They looked at each other. "Hmm, is this soup?" said Bronsen. "Or porridge?" said Cassy. It was mostly grey, with some splodges of colour. Some parts were lumpy and floated on top of the thin liquid that was the - soup? At least it smelt - adequate. Probably. "And, young lady, we''ve been furiously cutting wood for the last half day; we need quite a bit more to keep us going," said Bronsen. "But this is what I was told to give everybody," she said. Cassy started muttering to herself. Bronsen saw this and hurried on "Yes, but remember, we have much higher physical stats than everyone else, and we''ve been working much higher, so it is only fair that we get more food," he said. She scooped out the remanents for herself, then had no choice but to throw in some more powder and grains, add some water, and bring it to the boil again. After a hard day''s work, Cassy and Bronsen settled on a convenient log, enjoying a leisurely meal. "I suppose it is edible," said Cassy. "And, probably nutritious," said Bronsen. They slowly and gingerly worked their way through the bowl. "I suppose it is filling," said Cassy. "I guess. Notice that nobody else seems all that enthusiastic about eating, either?" As Bronsen said, all the others were sitting around in random locations, finishing their meal. There was almost no conversation or much social interaction of any type. As the others finished, they returned their bowls and spoons to the cooking area. After boiling some fresh water, the cook used it to wash and rinse the dishes. "What if we try some fishing tomorrow?" said Cassy. At this very point, just twenty metres from the shore, a colossal crocigator appeared in a massive water spray. It was gripping some sort of octopus in its jaws, almost as large as it was. "Ahh," said Cassy. "Fuck! That octopus is still alive and fighting!" said Bronsen. The fight moved further offshore and lasted another ten minutes before the waters were (relatively) calmer. The waters were also redder. "Say, Bronsen." said Cassy. "Yes, Cassy?" said Bronsen. "There are no shallow waters here, so I don''t think the fishing skills Drayden and I picked up will work." "Is that so?" "So, I suppose we will have to survive off this, err, this concoction until we get home." "No problems!" Actually, there was a pressing problem: "Where''s the toilets?" said Cassy. She asked this to Frannie, who had chosen to sit near them as she ate her own concoction. "On the shore, you just go off far enough and do it. On the boat, there are buckets with lids," said Frannie. "Oh, uck. Doesn''t it smell inside after a while?" said Cassy. "It does, but what can we do about it?" "Nevermind. And, what happens to the buckets?" "The slave assigned that duty empties them over the side when needed." "OK, I think we get the idea." After dealing with that problem, there was another: "Where do you all sleep?" said Bronsen. He addressed this to the cook, who replied, "On the boat in our usual quarters." "Say, what is your name?" said Cassy. "Hestia," said the woman. Bronsen waited for Hestia to say something more, but nothing. After a gap, Cassy asked a question. "Perhaps we can sleep on the shore?" "The few slaves that tried that disappeared overnight," said Hestia, "Big octos crawl out of the sea at that time." ¡°Cassy, that is very useful to know!¡± said Bronsen. ¡°Why, so it is!¡± Bronsen thought of a good alternative. "Where did the Blues sleep? Did they have their own accommodation?" "In their own rooms." "Right, that''s where we''re sleeping." said Bronsen, "So, if you could lead the way?"A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. With some struggling, Hestia closed off the bags and started to carry them to the rope ladders going up the side of the boat. None of the other slaves made the slightest attempt at helping her. Cassy rolled her eyes and said. "We''ll carry the stuff, OK?" Cassy and Bronsen, with casual strength, carried the bags up the ladders and into the hatch. It was dark inside, with an occasional porthole letting in some light. The hatch opened into a loading area. It was a double-height area; the floor was flat and must have had another area below it. The ceiling was curved and was obviously the top cover of the entire boat. Two bulkhead doors at floor level exited the area, one in either direction, giving access to the middle deck. Plus, two staircases were going up to what would be the equivalent of the top deck on an Earth sailing boat. It was crowded, both with slaves moving around and with lots of stuff. There were cleats on floors and walls with boxes and bags lashed to them, coils of rope neatly stashed along one wall, plus a collection of poles and hooks and even two anchors, each bigger than Cassy or Bronsen. Looking up at the top deck area revealed even more stuff. Crates and boxes, barrels, all securely tied down. Plus, the ends of rolled-up sails were visible, presumably the spares. Ignoring this, Hestia led the way forward through the middle deck. "This is where us Greys sleep," she said. They were walking down through a series of open cabins, each connected to the next by a bulkhead and door. All the doors were currently open. Each cabin was divided horizontally into two by a mezzanine floor, all the better for packing the people in. There were no beds or hammocks, only thin mattresses covering the floor and a meagre collection of belongings per mattress. "This is where the food stores are kept," she said. She pointed to a hatch in the floor. Upon being lifted, it exposed another space below them. Its layout matched the sleeping area; however, there were no doors to the next or previous storage spaces. The walls of the space also noticeably tapered inwards towards the floor. It must have been close to the keel of the boat. For the first time, they noticed that the walkway had hatches on the floors, giving access to each storage area. And the occasional hatch in the ceiling, accessing the top deck. The Misfits deposited the bags where she indicated. Hestia walked a bit more towards the bow before stopping. "And this is where the Blues slept." Instead of another open space area, there was a narrow corridor with a door on each side. Hestia obviously decided that her duty to the Misfits was done, as she turned and walked back to her sleeping area without saying anything more, presumably intent on getting to her own sleeping mat. Many of the other slaves had the same idea; they were milling around and gradually settling in for the night. Bronsen raised his eyebrows at Cassy. "Shall we check out our five-star accommodation?" "Certainly, my dear. We paid good money for this. It had better live up to the advertisement brochure!" said Cassy. Bronsen opened the door. "Notice how there is no lock, just a catch?" he said. "Of course. After all, there is no way a Grey could pinch anything; it wouldn''t be in their orders." "Hmm, what if one Blue ordered a Grey to pinch something from another Blue?" said Bronsen. "How would I know?" said Cassy. She shrugged and stepped through the door. Inside, there was an area big enough to sleep a dozen slaves. But there was only one mattress present. "What luxury," said Bronsen, "His mattress is twice the thickness of the lower-level slaves!" "But it''s still on the floor. And, it stinks, just like all of the others." Cassy picked it up with a thumb and finger-only grasp and tossed it outside the door. She did the same to the tatty blankets. ¡°We can clean up the mess outside tomorrow,¡± she said. They looked at the other contents. Bags of stuff tied to hooks on the wall to prevent them from sliding around, several roughly constructed open boxes and an almost respectable-looking chest. One of the boxes contained a few tools, such as axes and saws, a sledgehammer and an anvil. Another box had ropes of different lengths and odds and ends. There were wooden sticks of various lengths lying on the floor against one wall. "What a miserable existence. Even the servant quarters back at the castle have better contents and furniture than this. And there are only two little portholes to let the light in." said Bronsen. "No matter how you look at it, the entire slaver system is an abomination," said Cassy. "I''d say. And if I open this ever so upmarket chest, I find - eek!" said Bronsen. The chest was full of slave collars - heaps and heaps of them. "Oh bloody hell, do we have to sleep right next to these horrible things?" said Cassy, "Why don''t we destroy the lot?" "It''s been a long day; perhaps we can defer that to tomorrow?" Without asking permission, the day decided to get longer. A whole lot of shouting started outside. They rushed back down the corridor to find a small battle in progress. All the women were gathered in one of the sleeping areas. The woman in front was Frannie, who was currently beating up the ex-Red slave, as in literally. Every time he tried to attack, she either slapped him or punched him. Behind the ex-Red was a motley collection of about a dozen male slaves. With much cheering or jeering, they egged on the ex-Red but without doing anything to help him. The rest of the slaves were spectating, appearing unwilling or capable of making the slightest effort to be on one side or another. As the Misfits arrived, they heard Frannie: "No, you shits, without orders, us females have no desire to sex any of you little stinky creeps." "It is part of your orders!" / "Just do as you''re told!" / "The Blues say to lie down and take it!" These were some of the taunts tossed back at Frannie. Bronsen facepalmed. ¡°Oh fucking hell. What do we do about this...¡± Then he saw Cassy with steam coming out of her ears. ¡°Oh ooh.¡± High physical strength also implied high lung strength, which meant a pretty loud yell if one of the Misfits desired. "Everyone, shut the fuck up!" said Cassy. Very loudly. Everyone, except Cassy and Bronsen, flattened their ears against their heads and cowered down. "There will be no rapes! Understood?" she said, striding up to and standing before the ex-Red. Silence. A shuffle of feet, then Hestia timidly said. "What''s rape?" Cassy stared at Hestia, completely flummoxed. All the other slaves looked equally bemused. And finally, Bronsen had an idea. "Say, Cassy, how about we round up all the women and take them to our cabin..." "Err, what?" said Cassy. She looked highly dubious of this idea. "Only for a few minutes! Nothing else! I''ll explain when we get there." said Bronsen, getting in quickly before Cassy hit him with her tail. So the Misfits, plus ten women, ended up in the cabin. Cassy admires Bronsen: What on Earth, I mean Ringworld, is Bronsen planning? Just as well he is totally incapable of admiring any other females except me and Alice; otherwise, being packed into the same room with eleven females could be problematic. Actually, they are all over thirty. I must ask him at some stage if he ever had a thing about older women. Oh, shit, Cassy, stop wool-gathering. We need to deal with this. With a big cheesy grin, he picked up the anvil from its box and put it on the floor. Grabbing the axe, he opened the chest and used it to fish out a slave collar. The collar went onto the anvil, and he gave the axe to Frannie. "You know what to do, show the other ladies!" he said. Frannie slowly worked out the implications, then smiled. "This is a brilliant idea!" A minute¡¯s frenzied bashing destroyed the collar, and Franie had the agreeable task of allocating another 100 points to her physical stats. The other ladies un-flattened their ears (the axe strikes against the solid steel anvil were loud), and they all looked puzzled. It took some persuasion, but eventually, there was a pile of coarse-looking sand from nineteen slave collars. Thus, each lady had a grand total of 200 system points, which, after careful consultation with Cassy, they had mainly allocated to their physical stats. However, some had various other abilities, like bonded implements and fireballs, which also received some extra points. Bronsen is an excellent leader, after all! Being handsome (at least to Alice and me) doesn''t hurt, either! Say, am I slightly obsessed about this matter... The ladies went back outside and to their sleeping quarters. Some looked just a little keen at the prospect of trying out their newfound strengths. The door closed. Bronsen made a gesture with his hands, and a dim fireball appeared, hovering in mid-air. By now, the light from the portholes had disappeared entirely. Now is the time to get up to certain things, just like we hoped to do in that club room so long ago and so very far away. Even if we have our libidos switched off. Bronsen yawned. Cassy spontaneously yawned as well. Bronsen turned off his fireball, and both were sound asleep on the floor within a minute. In perfect comfort, despite no mattress and no blankets, they cuddled up to each other and dreamed the night away. [2.04] Alice IS disturbed. By more than one thing. Alice: Alice screamed and jerked upright from her lying position. She materialised her sword and looked around frantically, but she couldn''t see any attacking slaves. In fact, there wasn''t anyone around, apart from a hillside with orderly rows of fruit trees. Oranges? Orange trees? This is an orchard? And I''m not under attack? She remembered the hellish feeling of having her abilities revved up by the Ashrend effects. Oh my God, I hope never to experience that again. She looked around again, more leisurely and discovered she wasn''t alone. There''s Bronsen sitting up... Wait, that''s nothing like Bronsen. It''s Drayden! Drayden was having his own little moment, but he soon recovered. They looked at each other in silence for a while. So, Bronsen is all alone with Cassy. He had bloody well better behave himself! And I''m all alone with Drayden. She remembered her last thought before dying. Ah, well, after all, Drayden is hot. Not that anything is going to happen! But I do need a hug! Fortunately, Drayden also needed a hug. This was followed by Alice filling Drayden in on what had happened after he and Cassy had died. "I''m telling you, it was completely horrible! I still feel horrible!" said Alice, "In fact, why don''t I turn my Emotional Control to full..." Ding! Turning on Emotional Control full-time and full power to cope with stress is not a good idea. You will end up like Eleanor, forever going through life without feeling much and never resolving your trauma. Wherever practical, turn Control down as far as possible. "Oh," said Alice. She looked at Drayden, who appeared to have received the same message. "Right. Doctor System has spoken, and we had better follow his advice." Alice reluctantly turned back the Emotional Control, to the point where it was still painful, but let her deal with things. "OK, getting back to business. Of course, we have no idea what happened after I died." Alice looked at the calendar in her status. "It''s been half a year. If we want to find out, we must return to Manifestoria." Drayden looked around. "This is an orchard, which implies people must maintain it. But where on the Ringworld is it?" He looked up at the sky, at the broad swath of the Ringworld sweeping upward from both sides and narrowing as the two arms climbed high into the sky and wrapped around behind the sun. He pointed clockwise, just above horizontal. "Oh. We are definitely in the slaver territory. That area has to be the monster territory you and Bronsen started in, and you can just see what must be Manifestoria. So we must be somewhere near the Jaserra sea." "Bloody hell, that means that there are probably high-ranking slaves nearby, ready and willing to order all the grey-collared slaves to attack us," said Alice. "If we don''t want to be enslaved..." she continued. Alice visibly shuddered at that. "We had better concentrate on sneaking around and working out our situation," said Drayden. "So, which direction?" Drayden: Alice is still twitching from stress. It''s going to take some time for her to recover. Actually, it will also take some time for me to recover. And, of course, there''s the elephant in the room: our relationship with each other. She really is a hot item. He realised that Alice was watching him, waiting for a response. "Uhh, sorry. Why don''t we go up the hill, get to the highest location, and survey the countryside?" All the while, Alice had been looking around with jerky motions and jumping at each little sound that the wind in the branches of the orange trees made. "Alice, if we hold hands?" Alice clamped her hand onto his arm and kept behind him, couching up as if to avoid anyone''s line of sight. Her last moments must have been far worse than mine. He remembered killing Cassy; he remembered all of the blood... "Drayden, you''re shuddering. Neither of us is OK, even with Emotional Control turned partially on." "We''ll be OK. Let''s do something constructive and keep creeping up this hill." The orange trees marched up the hill slope in neat lines. Drayden noted the complete lack of any reticulation piping or any machinery. But then, the Manifestorians did not have much in the way of industrialisation. There were also no signs of any fencing. The ground was tilled and weeds-free in a rough circle around each tree trunk. It''s probably all done with hand-held tools. The trees looked healthy, with numerous big fat juicy oranges - and plenty of empty stalks indicating where the fruit had been picked. "Hey, Alice, why don''t we stop here and snack on some fruit?" Ding! Remember the discussion about the true nature of reality here? They are not oranges or trees; the fruit is not even remotely edible without extensive processing. Sorry, the System can only stretch the translation between the Felixerra and Earth natures so far before it breaks. But spudnips are still OK. Both Alice and Drayden jumped in surprise. "Ah, on second thoughts, maybe if we keep going?" said Drayden. They crept up to the top of the hill and took a glance. There was a water tank, a collection of buckets, and a small lean-to containing shovels and garden hoes. The orange trees, or whatever they were, continued in neat lines over the crest of the hill and down the other side. Down in the small valley, the lines of trees were interrupted by a creek, full of sparkling water, flowing into the sea that was now visible to their right. Also down in the valley was a flat area containing some buildings and a few dozen people wandering around doing things. They hid behind the tank and cautiously studied the scene. "I can only see grey-collar slaves," said Drayden. "Ooh, look, some of them are pushing a cart full of those so-called oranges into one of the buildings," said Cassy. "And in the orchards on the other side of the valley are dozens of more slaves amongst the trees. At a guess, I would say they were picking more of the fruit."This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "Since it seems that most Felixians, and certainly most slaves, do not have high physical stats, it should be safe enough to try sneaking down and peeking into the building. Shouldn''t it?" said Drayden. "I guess so. However, we will have to run like hell if we are spotted." Drayden looked over towards the sea. He looked further, seeing the blue of the ocean extend from both sides of his line of view up the arm of the Ringworld. "See that? I''d say we must be on an island. From what I can remember from the maps we saw in Eleanor''s office, there are a lot of small islands, not to mention reefs and shallows, throughout the Jaserra sea." "So there is the possibility that there aren''t many people here. And an even smaller number of ranking slaves," said Alice. "Not to mention the fact that Felixians hate sailing. So, with luck, there won''t be any visitors for some time." Are we capable of doing this? "So, that leads to an obvious course of action..." said Drayden. There was a gap in the conversation as they couched behind the tank, watching the grey-collared slaves scurrying about below. "Yeah. We kill the ranking slaves. Then, wait for the order lock period to expire. Then think about how to get to Manifestoria or find the other two Misfits." said Alice. She materialised her sword and was nervously swishing it around. Fortunately, she pointed it away from Drayden, much to his relief. Her ears continually twitched from side to side as if listening to any possible threats. And her tail was pointing low and curving to a horizontal level just above the ground. The end was flicking around erratically. Drayden took notice of this and gently put his hand on her shoulder. And his tail across her back. She''s trembling. And I''m not much better. "Let''s sit here and spy on them for the afternoon. They seem to be concentrating on the other side of the valley and hopefully won''t be coming to this side for the rest of the day." They sat there for half an hour, relaxing in the sunlight, the green growing fruit trees all around, plus the buzzing of some bees. Drayden idly wondered what the bees were in reality but dismissed the question. It wasn''t important. "If the blue-collared slaves, assuming it is them running the show, see us, they won''t hesitate to either collar us or kill us," said Alice. "And they will mobilise the entire population of this island to capture us," said Drayden. "We would have to defend ourselves by killing grey-collared slaves," said Alice. "And the greys will never stop attacking," said Drayden. Sigh. "OK, OK, we have to kill the blue-collars. And red and green ones also, if there are any." said Drayden, "We don''t have any choice, do we?" "We couldn''t have done that when we first arrived in this world," said Alice. "But now, after the horrors of that seaside invasion, we can." said Drayden, "It''s still going to freak me out, but." "Yeah, I know, me too." said Alice, "But we will just have to do it." "We are both going to be sleeping with nightmares for some time after this," said Drayden. With that, they both took a deep breath. They watched. And watched. And got hungry, but with no food nearby, they ignored their hunger pangs. Finally, there was a generalised movement below. All of the visible far-flung slaves began to drift back towards the buildings. Drayden consulted the clock in his status page. "Yep, must be the time for the evening meal." "Hey, we came here mid-morning, and they didn''t have a lunch break!" said Alice. "Two meals a day only? I think that is the least of our worries!" said Drayden. "I think we should wait until dusk, then creep down and find out where the ranking slaves are, then attack them. See, there is a path leading down the hill just over there, and it is behind the buildings, and there don''t appear to be any windows looking this way. We can take advantage of the cover of those carts and..." At this point, Drayden stopped. He detected a small disturbance in his local area. Alice was glaring at him. Drayden instantly remembered certain things that had happened with him and Cassy. Not to mention the story of Bronsen charging off and getting entangled with a lesser hippo or something. "Ah, right, I''m supposed to consult with the others on the team before acting, aren''t I?" Alice smiled sweetly. "That''s right. The last man who didn''t do that led to me getting my arms bitten off!" Gulp. "Ah, yes, right, so I''m definitely consulting with you. Right now!" said Drayden. They consulted. Ten minutes later, they agreed to precisely the plan that Drayden had proposed. Let''s not point that out. No need to, no, definitely no need to. Alice: Get a grip of yourself, Alice! Drayden is doing his best. Geez, the after-effects of those Ashrend effects are still driving me crazy. And, also, face it, I''m getting jealous about Bronsen being with Cassy. But I''m still highly attracted to Drayden. Ignore it all! Concentrate on surviving! And hold onto Drayden''s hand as much as possible. I still wish I could turn the Emotional Control to the max. There was a parking area of sorts, with a dozen carts randomly located. Each cart had two large wheels, one on either side and a handle sticking out from its front. They didn''t provide much in the way of cover since anybody could see under the cart. However, by good fortune, a cart was lying on its side. It had a broken wheel, and it was in the process of being repaired. The carts were out from the buildings, and no one was nearby. So, they crept up to it using the broken cart as cover, and relying on the dimming light, they peeked around the sides. "Look, that big building must be where the oranges are processed. It''s got chimneys with smoke coming out and lots of barrels stacked up along its outside walls," said Drayden. "And, a big giveaway, all the workers in it are coming out and congregating at what must be the community food hall," said Alice. They watched as grey-collared slaves drifted in from the surrounding orchard areas and the factory building. They didn''t appear to be in any hurry, but there was very little social interaction. "If this were a bunch of school children back on Earth, they would be clumping together in their little social cliques, chatting away like mad," said Drayden. "Don''t forget all the loners trying to stay unnoticed!" said Alice. "Ahh, so long ago. And so far, far away," said Drayden. They counted the slaves going past. "I''ll say about seventy?" said Alice. "More like sixty-five? Plus, there must also be some more inside doing the food preparation." "OK, how about we make the numbers about eighty as a starting guess?" "Aah! Look, two blue-collar slaves! They are coming out of the remaining big building," said Alice. "Yep. Presumably, that building contains the dormitories and, maybe, workplaces also?" "Then what is that little house-like building next to it for?" "Maybe the blues live there?" said Drayden. "It has occurred to me, exactly where and when do we kill those blues?" said Alice. "Probably not a good idea to do it in front of everyone. After all, we have no idea what standing orders they might have. And there might be more ranking slaves lurking around." "Fine then. While everyone is busy eating, we retreat, circle around and case out that little house. If it is where the blues live, then we can ambush them when they return." "Good idea!" said Drayden. Now I''m the one giving the orders! The house''s sole door pointed towards the other buildings. But it had windows on all sides. When they arrived at the house, they found that all of the windows on the back side were locked from the inside. Crack. The window''s catch broke as Alice casually exerted a bit of pressure. She opened it wide, gripped the window sill, and flipped her body up and over and into the room. Drayden followed. It was half filled with assorted boxes and junk. Alice picked up an iron rod lying on the ground. ¡°Not very neat, are they?¡± She used it to point to one side of the room, indicating a pile of boxes. "And, are those boxes sitting on a bed?" "Yeah, it is. It still has a blanket, half full of moth holes. And look!" Drayden pointed to the wall, where there were pieces of paper tacked on. They had pictures drawn in crayons, very simple pictures. A horse and cart, a man and a woman holding a child, what might have been a cat... "This used to be a child''s room!" said Drayden. "I guess the slavers came through and started using it as a store room without even bothering to clear it out," said Alice. "Looks like the slaver society for the grey-collars is extremely basic and simple; after all, they are just obeying orders from above and have absolutely no opportunity for any spare time activities." "And certainly no capacity to express their personalities." After looking around a bit more, they approached the internal door. "Ah, just a thought, perhaps we should have checked to see if anyone else was in the building?" said Drayden. "Oops." They cautiously opened the door. This next room was the front room of the small, square-shaped building. It had the front door, which was currently closed, and two other internal doors, both open and showing rooms empty of people. The room they were now in was relatively neat and tidy, with two desks and a chair each. Small stacks of papers and some ledgers were on the desks, while a bookshelf had more piles of papers, ledgers, and books. "Right, this is the office where they run the business. Say, System-san, what exactly do they make out of all of those oranges?" said Alice. Ding! What you call Marmalade, the stuff on every breakfast table in Manifestoria. It provides a chemical compound vital to a Felixian''s biochemistry, which you might as well call Vitamin C. You didn''t need it while surviving alone, but only because you ate so much meat. The typical Felixian doesn¡¯t have much meat, and slaves certainly don¡¯t, so an additional source is needed. "It sure is nice to get all of this extra information from System-san," said Drayden. Alice moved over and checked one of the rooms. "It''s a bedroom, and by the looks, it has been cleaned out of all the original contents." Drayden took a peek over Alice''s shoulder. "It''s still filled with a lot of boxes and junk." Alice looked into the wardrobe, only to find it had no clothes, only more boxes and bits and pieces. Drayden looked into the final room: "It¡¯s the same, except there is also a chest. It looks much more well constructed than all the other boxes around here." So Alice nipped past him and lifted the lid. "Eek! It¡¯s full of slave collars!" "Bloody hell!" "What do we do with them?" "Destroy them?" said Drayden. "But here in the middle of the slaver country, it doesn''t make much difference to the number of collars, does it?" said Alice, "And, also, we do not need the extra points ourselves; all of our useful stats are already maxed out." "Wait! If we get these back to Manifestoria and carefully supervise them, we can increase the stats of everyone we know!" said Drayden. "Hey, that''s a good idea. I wonder if that is one of the reasons the slaves are always so careful to account for each discarded collar?" At this point, their enhanced hearing picked up the sounds of two sets of footsteps approaching. And two men talking. Alice and Drayden, without any discussion, both made a dive for the spare room they originally came in. They drew the door almost closed, but not quite. Then, they calmed themselves and waited for whatever might happen. [2.05] Death by Alice Alice: Alice materialised her bonded sword. If these two are the blues, then we need to kill them. This is going to be hard. Two people barged into the front room, slid out the chairs noisily, and sat at the two desks. Since the desks faced the front, Alice and Drayden could look at their backs without being seen. Yep, two blue-collar males. Now what? Alice looked at Drayden. Drayden looked at Alice. Neither of us are prepared to do anything. Yet. The blokes continued talking. "What is it tonight?" said Blue #1. "Crocigator stew with canned vegetables, plus bread and marmalade," said Blue #2. "It''s the same bloody thing day after day." "Yeah, although I suppose it is better than the grey goop all the Greys have to eat." "Uck. I thought we would live much better when we originally decided to take on this place." "That''s right. Nobody else wanted this isolated place, so we thought it would be an easy post. No competition, get the Greys to produce the marmalade, sit back and relax." Blue #1 picked up a wad of paper from his desk. "Instead, we have to spend an enormous amount of time doing the paperwork, supervising the manufacture, working out the scheduling for harvesting, and allocating resources for repairs. What a bloody pain." "And we can''t slack off since it''s all in our orders from that Green." "Yeah. And, even when we have free time, only a dozen women are here, and they''re all in their forties!" "So boring after a while! I wish we had one or two young breeders." "Yeah, we could..." said Blue #1, who then stated what he could do with an obedient young female slave. Listening intently to this conversation, Alice gripped the handle of her sword hard enough to almost crush it. They''re talking about rape, aren''t they? There''s no such thing as consensual sex between a Grey and a ranking slave. Blue #2 started swearing at this point. Listening to the subsequent conversation, Alice realised that they had tried to buy a breeder slave, only the money they gave to the Blues on the supply ship was never seen again. Those Blues were never seen again, either. Aww, how sad... Somebody absconded with their sex slave purchase money. I guess even a Blue-collared slave can occasionally do something good. "So, I guess we''ll have to settle with the leftover old hags that we have here," said Blue #2. Blue #1 added a few crude observations about how hopeless those hags were. Alice''s blood began to simmer. "I guess I''ll go for that red and yellow patterned one, whatever her name is." He''s going to rape her. Again. "Well, maybe I''ll grab the brown and light red one. What a pain! I always have to order her to stop crying." At this point, Alice''s self-control failed in a shower of sparks. Alice slammed the door open so hard it flew off its hinges and crashed onto the floor next to the doorway. Propelled by the full power of her maxed-out physical abilities, she stabbed the closest Blue straight through the back. Then she dismissed the sword, re-materialised it and stabbed the other Blue. They never knew what hit them. Alice stopped moving and looked at her handiwork. Two dead bodies, currently collapsing off their chairs and onto the floor. And the blood. There was lots of blood. Covering their torsos and flowing across the floorboards. She panted and snarled. "Little shitty rapists. Well? What did you expect? You go around raping women. Repeatedly. And you''ve probably killed some, too. If you didn''t want to be killed, you should have behaved better! You got what you deserve! Right?" The two Blues, of course, didn''t reply. Their collars turned black and fell off their necks. "Alice, my dear..." said Drayden. He gently placed his hand on her arm, the one that had been holding her sword. "It''s fine. They''re dead, and they deserved it." Hell, I really did it. She trembled with stress after effects, and Drayden held her. And patted her back with his tail.Stolen story; please report. OK, get control of myself. She looked at her status, or more accurately, the [Emotional Control] entry on her status. I could turn it way up... But I guess System-san is correct; if it is too high, I don''t get a chance to recover. Alice gave a big sigh and made an effort to compose herself. "OK, that''s done. Now what?" she asked Drayden. Just in time to hear another set of footsteps outside the cabin. A man pushed open the door with his shoulders and entered. He was a grey-collared slave and carried two trays containing food. The trays were stacked, one on top of the other. He carefully entered the room, putting one tray on one desk and the other on the other. Looking up, he said: "Your food... Oh" He had finally noticed the two dead bodies on the floor and the two strangers behind them. "Err, hello?" he said. He then looked at their necks. "Hey, you don''t have collars; I need to inform the two blues so we can collar you!" He then looked at the ground behind the desks, at the two bodies of those two blues. "Oh, wait on. It looks like they are dead. So, I guess I can''t inform them?" He looked up. "I need to collar you two." "Sorry, but we don''t want that," said Drayden. He took out his sword and flicked it around a few times. "Oh, OK. I''ll return to fetch the empty trays when the two Blues finish with them." Is this bloke thick-headed or something? "Those two Blues are dead! Can''t you see?" she said. "Sure I can. But I''ve been ordered to retrieve the empty trays when they finish." Alice grabbed her hair - since it was sufficiently long, that was easy to do - and rolled her eyes. She turned to Drayden and mumbled: "What the fuck do we do with this?" "I know; how about we eat the food, and you can return as usual to fetch the dirty dishes?" said Drayden. "OK." And with that, the Grey left. Alice watched the man leave. "Just like that? If they have no explicit orders, then they don''t do anything?" "I guess that''s the default behaviour for Greys. The Blues must be much more independent but still severely confined in their actions. Remember one of the Blues saying they cannot shirk their orders?" She looked down at the bodies. And realised that in talking to the man, she had stepped into some of the blood. There were a few red footprints of her shoes on the floorboards. Also, that crocigator stew looked and smelled good. Drayden dragged one of the chairs from its desk so that the other desk had two chairs. He put the additional tray on the desktop. "Alice, come, sit with me. I can pat you back with my tail while we eat." "I''d love that," she said as she stepped over a body to sit down. After a while: Alice burped and tried to find a tissue to wipe her mouth, but the slaver society didn''t appear to go for such elegancies. She used her hand instead. "Well, that wasn''t too bad. I wonder what that grey goop is that the Greys are supposed to eat?" said Drayden. "Who knows? More importantly, shouldn''t we do some planning on what we do when that bloke comes back?" said Alice. The man arrived back to pick up the dishes. "Hi there! What''s your name?" said Alice. She smiled nicely at him in case it might make a difference. "I''m Reggie." Is that all he is going to say? "Would you like to tell us your job?" said Drayden. "I manage the production of the marmalade, as per the orders of the Blues," said Reggie. He started to stack the dishes, then picked up the trays. "How long have you been doing that?" said Alice. "I don''t know exactly; it must be almost a couple of decades." He turned and started walking for the door. "Hey, wait." said Drayden, "Have you told anybody else about us yet?" "No. I don''t have any orders to do that." "Will you take some orders from us?" said Alice. "No, I don''t think that works like that." It was worth a try. "OK, how about we take these two bodies, follow you to the Grey''s community dining area, and introduce ourselves to everyone?" said Drayden. Reggie shrugged his shoulders. "I don''t have any orders against that, so sure." Alice rolled her eyes again. If everyone else is like this, then things will be easy. Such a contrast to the seaside fight. Drayden: Reggie carried the trays out of the front door. Drayden bent over, picked up one of the bodies by his shirt front, and followed. He carefully navigated around the desks, as he didn''t want to drip any blood onto them. The floor will have to wait. Perhaps we can clean it tomorrow? Alice trailed him, carrying the other body. We''re carrying bodies weighing 70kg or more with the same nonchalance we used when carrying our school bags. Bodies that we murdered. We need more time to get used to this. They followed Reggie as he walked back to the canteen eating area. Up two steps, through the door, and into a large area. Surprisingly, there were no chairs or tables; the Greys sat on the floor, holding their bowls and using spoons to eat the contents. A kitchen area had been set up at one end of the room. It mainly consisted of a sizeable wood-fueled stove and several large pots. The food supply appeared to come from a number of bags lined up along the wall. There was minimal conversation, merely the sound of people eating and moving slightly. Reggie took the trays to the kitchen area, dumped them into a bucket filled with water, and promptly began washing them. More than half of the slaves kept right on eating. But some looked up as they came in. They looked puzzled at the sight. Eventually: "Hey! Those two people are uncollared!" said one. "So they are. We need to notify the Blues!" said another. "But wait, aren''t those dead bodies the Blues?" said another Grey. "Oh, well, then we should collar them ourselves." said the first. Oh, bloody hell, they''re like a stuck record. Drayden looked at Alice, who seemed highly irritated. "Hey, you dickheads! We will not be collared!" she said. She also waved her sword around, producing a few sonic cracks as the tip exceeded the velocity of sound. The Greys took note of this, and since they had no orders to make them commit suicide, they wisely decided that the two wouldn''t be collared. They went back to eating. Drayden dropped the body he was carrying, and Alice followed suit. "Well, it sure beats them attacking us," he said to Alice. Alice nodded. Having nothing better to do, they ended up back at the house. Drayden surveyed the front room. Blood on the floor. And we left the bodies in the dining room. Hopefully, they''ll put them somewhere. And there are two inactive collars on the floor. "Alice, let''s put those collars into the chest with the others. OK? That way, they can contribute more points for those back at Manifestoria." "Fine, ahh, wait! We killed those Blues, so doesn''t that mean the collars cannot be used to collect a hundred points by destroying them?" Ding! You can''t claim the 100 points; however, once the collars are put with the rest, and someone with no connection to the murders destroys them, their history is reset, and their destruction will generate the expected 100 points each. "Now that is very convenient, wouldn''t you say so, Drayden?" "Indeed it is." Drayden got out his bonded shovel, scrapped both collars off the floor into it, and took them to the bedroom with the chest. Alice opened it, and in went the collars. "How about we claim the other bedroom as ours?" said Drayden. "Yeah, let''s." Five minutes later, the room had been stripped bare of all signs of the Blue''s residence. All the junk went into the other bedroom. Drayden carefully closed and locked the front door, and then, when they were both in the room, he also closed its door. "Here, Alice, it''s dark now; none of those Greys will be coming around; let''s lie down and hug each other or something." "I would like that. And then we should check our status pages to see if anything has changed." Unfortunately, they were so tired they promptly fell asleep. It had been a long day. [2.06] Cassy and Bronsen, waking up to the first morning of their third life Cassy wakes up on the boat on the first morning of their third life. Cassy woke up, again. The morning sun was in her eyes. Hmm, nice lying here right next to... Bronsen? She sat up in a hurry and then took in their situation. That''s right. It''s now my turn with Bronsen. Or is it Bronsen''s turn with me? Bronsen, by now, had woken up also, and he sat up. They sat there, hand in hand, knees touching each other''s and tails wrapped around each other''s backs. The morning was quiet; the sun was still dim, barely visible through the port holes. Cassy stood up and went to a port hole. It faced the shore and was just adequately clear enough to give a view of the outside sand. She could see yesterday''s fireplace, with the large pot hanging from its supports. She could see the stack of lumber on one side and a stack of uncut logs on the other. She could also see a five-metre crocigator lying on the sand, possibly still asleep. "Hey, Bronsen!" "Yes" "Did you know that Drayden and I took down a six-metre crocigator on our first day?" "I believe I remember you telling us about that." "And crocigator meat is kind of tasty." "You mean tastier than grey goop?" "You bet it is." They snuck out of the ship, trying not to wake up too many slaves. Forced open the hatch, which had been dogged tight for the night. They jumped down to the sand and took out their swords. Bronsen said to Cassy, "How about I take this side, you take the other side, and we take it from there?" "Let''s do it!" By now, the crocigator had opened its eyes and had seen the two. It opened its jaws, showing off its lines of serrated and sharp teeth. It flicked its powerful tail side to side. It then screamed with fury as Cassy zipped in and managed to hack off one of its front legs. Cassy moved fast to avoid the tail trying to bash her. This gave Bronsen ample time to hack off its other front leg. The two stepped back as the animal went into a frenzy, frothing at the mouth and lashing its tail around but not moving very far. Not having two front legs was apparently bothering it quite a bit. They avoided its weakening attempts to attack them and waited. Five minutes later, it was dead. Cassy had a belated thought: "Uh oh, all that commotion might attract other predators." "Right." said Bronsen. He jumped back and up into the loading area.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. "Hoist up the body, and I''ll catch it!" he said. There were already several slaves in the bay. "Just get out!" he shouted. They got out, and Bronsen leant out of the hatch and caught the body as Cassy shoved it up. He scrambled to get the thing inside, having some trouble with the two back legs sticking out. Fortunately, Cassy was onto it. She jumped up and wrapped one arm around the tail, and the other reached inside the hatch to grab a convenient cleat. Working together, they managed to hoist the thing inside, dripping blood everywhere. Cassy took a look outside. To the left was a smaller crocigator ambling around the ship''s side, snout high as it sniffed the air. And to the right was some sort of octopus monstrosity, but only a small one. Probably no more than ten metres long. Pretty small by local standards. Cassy slammed the hatch shut and dogged it firmly. They took the time to admire the nice big lump of fresh meat. And also to listen to the fighting outside. It didn''t last very long. What did last longer was the agitation on the inside of the ship. Eventually: "Hestia, are there Greys here that know how to skin and process this?" said Cassy. "Y-yes." "Well, how about they butcher this, and you can cook it when it''s safe outside. Make a real meat stew for once?" "Sure, we can do that. Should be ready in, say, three hours?" "Good, good. If you can find us when it''s finished?" "OK." Feeling like they had made an excellent start to the day, the Misfits decided to leave them to it and went back to their cabin. Bronsen and Cassy: Standing in their cabin, they looked at each other with a touch of embarrassment. "I was kind of thinking that, like, sort of, we could start to get up to, you know, things. Just like we were hoping to do so, back in our clubhouse on Earth," said Cassy. "Yeah. Strangely enough, I was thinking the same thing. Of course, for the time being, those ''things'' can''t get out of hand." said Bronsen. Cassy nibbled the tips of the fingers of one hand. "But we''re not really alone here, are we?" "Well, we can lock the door... OK, we can''t. How about we take one of those sticks of wood lying along the wall, cut it to length with that saw, and lay it from the inside of the door to the wall opposite? That should keep the door closed." Cassy nodded in affirmation. But neither made a move. "I mean, it is obviously ordained by System-san that we will be having our much-hoped-for-four-way romance," said Cassy. "And, with all of the System-san imposed conditions, we have a good chance of actually making it work," said Bronsen. "But..." said Cassy. "Yeah... We did kind of promise to stay in our original couples," said Bronsen. "But also, we all refused to take that extra step and make an actual vow never to stray from our original couples," said Cassy. Bronsen mussed up his perfectly neat hair. "OK, let''s assume we will become that perfect four-way love square. This means we two will be working toward becoming, ah, lovers, ourselves. Agreed?" "Ah, yes. Hmm, remember when one of us girls said something about you boys wanting to make love to one of us, then hop to the next bed and do the other?" said Cassy. "Yeeeees. But remember, it also applies the opposite way; you get to hop from one boy to the other. And I think it has been thoroughly established by now that you two girls desire the sex as much as us two boys." said Bronsen. "Well, then, fine, let''s work towards that. Ah, I hope Alice doesn''t stress out and have a heart attack from all of this." "I think she''s pretty tough. She''ll survive," said Bronsen. "Nonetheless, let''s take it slow and steady, shall we?" said Cassy. "OK, fine. Considering how late it is in the morning, let''s sit here and have one of those heart-to-heart talks that System-san is so keen on us using to advance our feelings for each other." Cassy giggled. "In that case, I have the perfect opening question. Back on Earth, when we were all so naive and innocent, would you have embarrassed yourself if you were in a small room with eleven lovely ladies?" "Ah, that. I might have; it just depends on the circumstances." "Say, did you have a thing for older women?" "Ah, well now..." Bronsen looked away, "You could say I did, especially for our maths teacher. Oooh, yes, I think every hetero boy in our class did. And probably every lesbian, if there were any." "Hey, we had the same maths teacher! Although I think she taught us the dumbed-down version of the math curriculum. Yes, judging by the comments of the boys, crude comments, I might add, I''ll say most of the boys in my class also had fantasies about her." "I would like to say that I never made any crude comments. I never made any comments at all, in fact." said Bronsen, "Since until you lot, I never had a friendship group." Cassy snuggled up to Bronsen. ¡°But now you do!¡± [2.07] Drayden and Alice, waking up to their first morning on Marmalade Island Drayden: The first morning on Marmalade Island At first sunlight the following morning, Drayden was the first to wake up. We need to discuss more than one thing, so I''ll mentally make a list... But, while I''m waiting, lying here with her arms around me is nice... Alice eventually mumbled something, wiggled around a bit, and opened her eyes. "Ah, Drayden." "Yes, dear?" She opened her eyes wide and propped herself up on one elbow. "Well, you are my dear, right?" said Drayden. "And, what about Cassy?" "She is also my dear. Naturally." Alice was beginning to look like she might have some opinions about that. Not very positive opinions. "Now look here, my Bronsen is not going to make love to Cassy, OK?" "Yes, Alice. And, I take it you will not make love to Cassy''s Drayden?" Sputtering from Alice. "After all, you are right here. And Cassy and Bronsen are somewhere very not right here. And you are extremely attracted to me, aren''t you?" said Drayden. "Well, that''s, that''s different!" "Is it? System-san is eventually going to be turning our libidos on, and things are definitely going to run their natural course. And, of course, you checked our status first thing, just like I did, to see what our sexualities were set to, didn''t you?" "If, if we make love, then you will be my man, OK!" "And Bronsen will be Cassy''s man?" "NO! Bronsen is my man!" "Can you detect a certain amount of illogicality in your words?" "NO! It is perfectly logical. We will make love, and you will be mine, and Bronsen will also be mine, and Cassy can go and, and," Alice gripped her hair with both hands and tried to tear a handful out. Since she didn''t try too hard, her hair remained intact. "Oh shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit. What am I doing?" "My dear, at a guess, your jealousy level is just a bit higher than the average. You, with our help, of course, will have to work your way through all of that." "All very well you saying that, Mr Drayden. Don''t you feel the jealousy also?" "Hmm. Let''s see: if I picture my Cassy making love to Bronsen in my mind''s eye..." "Uuh, gross!" "Hey, it''s my mental image, not yours! And anyway, about Cassy making love to Bronsen," Alice screwed up her nose to show her opinion of Drayden saying it twice.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Yes, I definitely do feel some rather savage claws digging into my heart." "Well, I feel it digging into my stomach, but whatever," said Alice. "But, I remind myself that when we get through this to the other side, we will have the perfectly balanced four-way love affair that we were all frantically fantasizing about way back on Earth." Silence from Alice. "I guess it would be nice to get to that point... If I can survive the journey to that mythical other side," she said. "You will! System-san has decreed so! Also, I would like to point out that when I think about Bronsen making love to Cassy..." "Isn''t that the same thing?" "Oh, thinking about it from the other side does make it a little different. In fact, ahh, perhaps don''t tell anyone else this, at least not until we are ready; well, I think Bronsen making love to Cassy is kinda sexy in its own right." "You - you- get off on the image of my Bronsen having sex with your Cassy?" said Alice. She looked astounded. And shocked. "Yes?" "Oh my. Maybe we need to lock you up?" "Maybe. Or, maybe, if you can tone down your jealousy, then we can just enjoy fucking each other like bunnies. Err, strictly in boy-girl pairs, of course!" "Yeah. Sure." Drayden made a move onto Alice. He wrapped his arms around her and his tail around her closest leg. "See, you are not resisting this in the slightest, are you?" "I suppose, no?" "So, how about we just pretend that there is no problem? Just pretend that Bronsen and Cassy aren''t going to be doing anything to bother us. And leave the repercussions to when we meet with them again." Big sigh of exasperation from Alice. "I''m sure I can try that. Also, why doesn''t Emotional Control cover jealousy, anyway?" System-san didn''t bother offering any explanation, so Drayden shrugged his shoulders. "Probably more bullshit." Drayden continued to hug Alice. After a while, Alice suggested, "How about I lie back and you lie on top of me?" Drayden giggled like mad, but he also carried out Alice''s request. After sufficient time, they decided to think about the future again. "So, how do we find out exactly where Bronsen and Cassy are?" said Drayden. Ding! You already have the ability to find out how far away Bronsen and Cassy are and in what direction. "Bloody hell, we do!" said Alice as she checked her status, "The other two must have requested it earlier than we did." This is handy. So, where are Bronsen and Cassy? Into Drayden''s mind''s eye popped the information: 485km, and a direction. The house is orientated so that its front door points to the rim wall, so that direction is the Jaserra sea, so they are straight out along the ring, in the opposite direction to Manifestoria. "Hey, Alice, you have worked it out, too?" "Yep, so they''re much further away from Manifestoria than we are?" "Yeah. And, if I have worked this out correctly, they would still be in the sea. So, another island?" "I didn''t see any ships visible from the top of the hill, so it appears we won''t be able to sail to them," said Alice. "Perhaps they have a ship?" said Drayden. Alice finally had the idea of thoroughly checking her status page. "Holy shit, they have acquired the skill ''Wooden Ship Repair''!" "You mean, they do have a ship?" "But they don''t know the first thing about sailing a ship!" said Alice. "OK, let''s tick the problem of knowing their location off our list since there''s nothing more we can do about it," said Drayden. "What list?" "The list whose next item is ''How are we coping with the killings yesterday?''" said Drayden. "Oh, that list... I guess I''m OK? I have decided not to worry about it for now and see how it goes." said Alice. "Sounds good. Hmm, of course, I''m still affected, only a little bit, by, err, me having to kill Cassy. Actually, maybe I''m still a lot affected by it." Alice hugged him tighter. "Don''t forget, we are still both affected by the Ashrend effects, as well," said Alice. "I surely haven''t forgotten that. But, I think I can continue reasonably well as is. We''ll have to take all this little piece at once." "Also, have you noticed that the locked points we all had have decreased considerably?" said Drayden. "Hey, so they have. System-san, what''s up with that?" Ding! A lot of new abilities were granted to Eleanor and her companions at the beach fight. They needed them to allow them to win, so you certainly can''t complain if the points came from your locked points, can you? "No, I don''t suppose so," said Alice. "But, why were so many thousands of points used?" said Drayden. Ding! Some of the abilities are highly powered, and some are extremely rare or even unique. So they, of course, cost a lot more. "They must be amazing abilities; even our [Wall Digging] ability only cost 500 points," said Cassy. Ding! That''s right, they are! As befits the Marvellous Misfits! "Is System-san being snarky again?" said Drayden. System-san didn''t reply. [2.08] Vows and Chocolate Bronsen, on the boat. An unpleasant topic leads to a vow: Having just discussed Bronsen''s attraction to older women, there was a small gap. Then Bronsen spoke again. "And, did you have a thing for older men?" He had a big smile on his face when he said that. It didn''t last long. Cassy looked disgusted as she scrunched up her nose and flicked imaginary dirt from her fingers. "Ugh, no freaking way. The very thought of some old man''s hands stroking through my hair gives me the shits." "No kidding," said Bronsen. That good mood didn''t last very long. Wait, old man, stroking her hair... "So you don''t like someone stroking your hair because an old man did so - presumably sometime in the past?" Hesitation from Cassy. "Yes..." "So that''s why you don''t like us boys from stroking your hair?" Cassy jumped up and paced to and fro in the room. Given its small size, this was only three steps in either direction. "I''ve already told Drayden some of this... And I wasn''t going to say anything more... But, I suppose, given who you all are to me... I guess I should really give a full explanation... I''ve kept this a secret from everyone in my old life..." "Fine, fine, Mr Bronsen. I''ll tell you. And the others when appropriate." "It was my father. Of course. Who else? And let''s say the abuse didn''t go all the way. Thank God. Or maybe thank System-san. But I had to more or less fight him off a few times before he got the message that I wasn''t going to be accepting his." Here, Cassy scrunched up her entire face. "Advances" "It''s also the time when I took over the parenting of my little sister. Strewth, my mother is so hopeless; she caters to our father and doesn''t take much notice of us at all. Until then, it never occurred to me that there was anything strange about this, but from then on, I really began to consider the weirdness of our family situation. I didn''t have much of a comparison, mind you; after all, I was socially isolated and could only go by what I saw of other families in public and what I could piece together from the conversations of other students in my classroom. Still, I could tell after a while that our family wasn''t very good. And I vowed to look after my sister to the best of my abilities." "Oh," said Bronsen, "Well, I can''t do much; well, how about a hug?" He stood up, and they shared a hug. "Sorry about this. I was hoping we could have some special fun this morning, even if it can only be strictly chaste, but..." said Cassy. "That''s fine. It really is. We still have a little bit of time left on this ringworld to get around to all of that. " Big sigh from Bronsen. "Even if it''s all going to end all too soon," he said. Some more hugging. "And I sometimes worry about my sister now that I''m not there. But I try to suppress it as much as possible; after all, we are apparently tens of thousands of lightyears or more away from home, and goodness knows how many years - or even thousands upon thousands of years - away in time." Hey, she said she made a vow! "Say, what happens if you make a System vow to look after your sister? Come to think of it, why don''t we both make a vow?" said Bronsen. "But, what would that mean? We''ve already died on Earth." "Who knows? But remember rule number one -" "It''s all Bullshit!" they both said. They both giggled. "OK, let''s do it!" said Cassy. Ding! Cassy and Bronsen have made a vow, 100% strength, to look after Cassy''s sister Veronica for as long as she needs it, if this is ever possible. Alice and Drayden have been notified. "But, what does it mean?" said Bronsen. They share a look. "Perhaps we should think of that at some later stage? I''m not sure I want to right now," said Cassy.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. They sat on the floor and spent ten minutes doing nothing much in particular as they waited for the breakfast call. Drayden, at Marmalade Island: Drayden and Alice received the system announcement about the vow. "What on the Ringworld does that mean?" said Alice. "After all, we can''t return to Earth," said Drayden. "Ah, I know! Remember when we tried to warn Aragon by making a vow? And System-san shot down every attempt because it didn''t meet the requirements for vows." "That''s right, we can''t use vows to send messages. And?" said Drayden. "Well, you see, there are explicit messages and implicit messages. This explicit message is all about Cassy''s sister Veronica..." "Ha! And the implicit message is that Cassy and Bronsen are alive and well, and because they can make a vow, un-collared!" "Right. So let''s make a vow in return." Ding! Alice and Drayden have made a vow, 100% strength, to look after Cassy''s sister Veronica for as long as she needs it, if this is ever possible. This message has been sent to Bronsen and Cassy. "That worked surprisingly well!" said Drayden. "Yes! They now have the implicit message that we are alive and well. It was quite cunning of them to make up a vow like that, wasn''t it?" "Yep. It sure was." They relaxed and continued to lie there. However, the voices and noises of activity outside were now audible. Reminded that a whole slaver community was on the other side of the door, they sat up and decided to look presentable. This didn''t take long, as they had slept in their clothes and had nothing else to fix. "Assuming that Reggie bloke also brings us our breakfast, then while we are waiting, we should do some forward planning," said Drayden. "The next step is obvious - we wait for the Order Lock to expire," said Alice. "Yep, although you forgot the steps up to that - surviving in the middle of a slaver community while all of their orders are active." "Ah, yes. But, it appears that might be easy since they don''t have any orders at all about what to do with non-slaves in their midst." "Now, that is extremely fortunate. Do you think that could be because we are smack bang in the middle of the slaver nation and on a small isolated island to boot, so the Blues and Greens never thought it was necessary to have such backup orders?" said Drayden. Alice lifted her hands face up and the tip of her tail to signify that she didn''t have a clue. It didn''t take them much longer to conclude that the only thing they could do was to survive and see what happens. Bronsen and Cassy, on the ship: Ding! Alice and Drayden have made a vow, 100% strength, to look after Cassy''s sister Veronica for as long as she needs it, if this is ever possible. "What!" said Cassy, jumping half a metre into the air. "Oh," said Bronsen, who then deftly caught Cassy as she was about to collapse back onto the floor. "I guess it''s not surprising, after all, we are the Misfits," said Cassy. "Yep, we are bound to do everything together!" said Bronsen. "It''s so nice of them to show solidarity to me like that. I''m definitely touched," said Cassy. There was still some time before breakfast, so Bronsen suggested they continue their search of the contents of the cabin. A lot of junk was piled up at one end of the cabin. They set to fossicking through it. "Uck, a lot of not very clean clothes," said Cassy. "Quite a little pile of metal and wood, bits of tools and simple machinery, a few books..." said Bronsen. "Some writing paper and a collection of pens... Hello, this is a collection of porn!¡± said Cassy. "Let''s see! Ooh, it does nothing to me. Also, it''s not very good, is it? It''s painted, not photographed." "Oh, what a shame you can''t react to it. And, of course, it is painted; Felixians don''t have photography. At least not yet." "And, since all the ''models'' don''t have collars, this must have been stolen from some non-slave country," said Bronsen. "The slaver society is so miserable, they can''t even produce their own porn." Bronsen continued digging through the pile and then found a box. "Hey, this has got chocolate in it! At least a couple of hundred pieces!" "Why, so it does." said Cassy, "I know, we should give some to the crew!" Bronsen smiled an evil smile. "You mean we should bribe the crew." Cassy had fun whacking him across his legs with her tail. Alice, at Marmalade Island: Somebody knocked on the door. So Alice went and unlocked it. Reggie came in, bearing two trays of crocigator stew, plus bread and marmalade. "I''ve brought breakfast for the two Blues." "You do remember they are dead, don''t you?" said Alice. "Sure, but I still have to follow orders." "Never mind, we''ll eat it, and then you can collect the dishes. That works for you?" "OK." Without further fuss, he left. Alice turned to Drayden. "This is like walking through a mechanical wind-up clock, with all the gears turning. Everything is moving exactly as planned, and everything totally ignores you, and as long as you stay out of the road, you probably won''t get killed." "Yeah. Sounds as good an analogue as anything. So, shall we wander around after breakfast and look at the marmalade manufacturing enterprise? And, of course, avoid getting killed." Feeling moderately well-fed, they first wandered over to the community mess hall. I need a distraction from thinking about Bronsen and Cassy. Strolling through a bunch of slaves who might take it into their heads to kill us is probably a sufficient distraction. Let''s try it! The reaction was exactly the same as last night. A few slaves got agitated at the sight of un-collared people but were promptly discouraged by the sight of those same people flicking around their swords. And that was that. I could feel a bit miffed that they so thoroughly ignore us... "How about we stroll around the grounds and see how big the island is?" said Alice. "Sure. We can work up an appetite for tea!" "Which is so far far away." They discovered one (small) docking area, which allowed a ship to float into the river from the sea and tie up to the jetty. "See, the water is much shallower once you get into the river, so there are fewer chances that big predators could come in," said Drayden. "But those slaves that have just arrived, they appear to be fishing for - " There was a sudden flurry of activity as something in the water got tangled up in thick fishing lines tied to the dock. The Greys worked with some skill, and eventually, they dragged up the body of a medium-sized crocigator. "So, that''s where our crocigator stew comes from," said Alice. "Did you notice that today''s breakfast for the Greys was a combination of grey goop and small bits of crocigator?" said Drayden. "Yeah, us substitute Blues certainly dine better than the common slave, don''t we?" They continued on their way and discovered that, yes, they were on an island. About two or three square kilometres in size. Rocky coastline all the way around except for the river bay. Covered in lines of orange trees and nothing much else. There were gently rolling hills, and the remarkably short river flowed from a lake in the middle. "Where the hell does the water in the lake come from?" said Drayden. "More System-san shenanigans, I suppose." They even discovered a pagoda alongside the lake. It was much neglected; it couldn¡¯t have been visited or used for years. They sat on a bench, swinging their legs and holding hands, watching the water peacefully flow out of the lake and down the river. This is just what the doctor ordered! Alice snuggled up to Drayden. There''s no need to think about anything stressful right now, no need at all. [2.09] Cassy and Bronsen drill some holes Cassy: After receiving the news of Drayden and Alices'' vows, Cassy and Bronsen kept on waiting in their cabin, sitting next to each other and holding hands. There was a knock at the door, and Hestia''s timid voice called out. "The meal is ready." What a difference from last night! The milling mob of grey-collar slaves were noticeably more animated. Remarkably, some were clumping together in little social groups and talking to each other. The main topic of conversation was the forthcoming authentic meat stew and the battle between the Misfits and the crocigator. Only a few had seen this fight since most were sleeping or just waking up, which probably explained all the added embellishments. After listening to the flow of conversation, Cassy turned to Bronsen. "It all sounds so much more dramatic than I remember." A smirk from Bronsen. "Yep, why I was positively heroic according to some versions going around." "And, have you noticed, the stories concentrate on you, with barely a mention of me?" said Cassy. "Yeah. I think the slaver society has some extreme misogynist tendencies." "Hmph, I''d say. Since I contributed the same as you did to the fight." "Say, let''s just get our food, shall we? I know what you''re capable of, and isn''t that the important thing?" said Bronsen. A little later. Cassy burped. Bronsen patted his tummy. "Yep, that''s the way to go. I think that most of the others also think that." Indeed, many, although not nearly all, of the slaves looked at least slightly contented after their meal. And, what''s more, Hestia didn''t show the slightest bit of struggle in getting the bags of powder and grains back up into the ship. "Those points to her strength are making a difference, aren''t they," said Bronsen. "But, why did she have to bring most of that stuff out in the first place since it wasn''t going to be used?" said Cassy. "Who knows? Maybe she used some of it. Or maybe she was ordered to do so at some stage in the past, and she hasn''t changed her routine yet?" said Bronsen. "Anyway, I think now is the time to give out a little bit of chocolate," said Cassy. "You mean bribe them," said Bronsen. She mock glared at him, then made an announcement, and very soon had fifty slaves lined up, obediently waiting for their share. Briefly, there was silence and a feeling of contentment. After the great chocolate giveaway, the Misfits chased down Harold, the old man leading the team to fix the boat. They were keen to start another day to advance the work quickly. Only to find out that Harold had an idea of his own. "You increased those women''s strengths last night. I was wondering if you might like to do the same for my team; it could be beneficial since most of the work involves strength-related skills..." Is he trying to increase his own abilities? Or is he trying to help the whole team? Or, probably a bit of both... But there is no way I''m giving any potential rapists any extra strength! "That could be a good idea, Harold. May we discuss this with ourselves first?" she said. Bronsen took the hint, and they walked off, away from the seashore and any possible hungry predators, and up into the tree line. "If we want to get to the others as soon as possible, then jacking up the abilities of the working team is a good idea," said Bronsen. "But giving extra strength to potential rapists is a bad idea," said Cassy. "Right. We ask Harold to select the group. Then we ask Frannie and Hestia if any of that group are trying to force themselves onto the ladies." said Bronsen. "And I just realised there are no clear-cut answers here. I don''t know what arrangements they had in place before when the Blues were running the show, and I''m not sure I want to know, but, ahh, I don''t know..." said Cassy. "Let''s restrict our inquiries, and ask which Greys tried to force the women after the collars became inactive. That seems reasonable?" "It''s as good as we can get it. So, two collars each? We don''t want to overdo it. Hey, that''s an idea! All of those extra slave collars, we can use them to increase Eleanor''s abilities and all the others!" said Cassy. "Hey, yeah! And if we have enough collars, we can max them out! Considering there is supposed to be another showdown, that could be extremely useful!" said Bronsen. And so it was done. Harold and his working crew used their newfound strengths to make significant inroads in repairing the hole in the side of the boat. The Misfits discovered that there was no lunchtime meal. Only breakfast and the evening meal. "Damn," said Cassy. "At least there is still enough meat for another stew," said Bronsen. Nobody present knew of any way of storing or preserving the meat, and since the temperatures were warm, fresh meat wouldn''t last much longer. Mid-afternoon, Cassy found herself on one side of the camp, sorting out some marine grade screws, while Bronsen was involved with a half dozen men manoeuvring the first replacement plank onto the side of the ship. Hestia, with Frannie following, approached Cassy. "Cassy?" "Yes" "Ah, well, we, that is some of the women you gave extra points to last night, were wondering, well, you helped us tremendously in stopping unwanted attention from men, so, perhaps, with our extra strengths, we can help you in stopping any unwanted attention from Bronsen?" Hestia looked even more timid than usual. And Frannie looked discomforted. "I tried to tell Hestia that sometimes things are different in the non-slaver world, but - Hestia has been enslaved all her life. Only I can remember what it is like in a non-slaver country. So, I don''t know..." said Frannie.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Cassy blinked her eyes. She opened her mouth and closed it, then closed her eyes again and tried to recall those conversations with Esther and Evereena. That''s right. Slavers, especially those born as slaves, have absolutely no concept of consensual sex. Or, for that matter, consensual anything. So, just like Evereena, they can only see sex as being against their will. Hey, System-san, when do we get to destroy slavery? There was no reply. It''s time to do my best, little though it may be. "In fact, when we and Bronsen have, err, sex together, it is with my full consent. In other words, I want it. But so does he, OK? So, no, I don''t need any help. Although I thank you for the consideration." "Ah, fine. I still don''t understand this consenting thing, but anyway, I''ll go and start the evening meal," said Hestia, who scampered off as fast as possible. Frannie, still looking uncomfortable, also drifted away, and Cassy continued sorting the screws. Pity, despite all of that, there is still no screwing between Bronsen and me. Cassy finished sorting out the screws into their different types and took one bucket of one type over to where Harold was. With Bronsen lending his strength to speed things up, the team had managed to cut and bend one of the fresh planks and attach it to the side of the boat. Wooden clamps were currently holding in it. Harold explained the next step. "We need to drill holes, both for the screws and for the bolts, and attach them." Bronsen looked puzzled. "Do you have drills and drill bits?" "Certainly. One of Blues had them in his cabin; I think it''s the cabin you are not using." Cassy, not wanting to let Bronsen have all of the fun, hastily volunteered to get them. She zipped across the sand, leapt to the hatch without touching the rope ladder and disappeared into the ship. A few minutes later, she reappeared, carrying a box with the ends of a few tools visible at the top. Again, not bothering with the ladder, she merely jumped onto the sand. The box probably weighed half her weight, in other words, barely anything, so it didn''t upset her balance or landing in any way. However, it did appear to upset the ex-Red''s feelings. "Why have you been allowed to get so strong? That is wrong! Destroying slave collars is also wrong! Bronsen should allow me to get the extra points." Stupid little puffed-up bully. "Get lost, and don''t bug me again," she said. "No! I will take the tools. It is not for a woman to do a man''s work." Cassy stared at him in amazement. Really? Really? How did he get to be so stereotypically sexist as that? This is a totally enslaved society; everybody does whatever they are told to do. Maybe it''s the Blue''s fault. By giving them some limited freedom, the slave emperor gained a more versatile workforce, but apparently at the cost of more extremist social and work structures. Aww, forget it. "I''ve got a boat to fix; just get lost, you creep!" And she shoved him to one side. Possibly a bit too hard since he flew through the air and landed three metres away. Fortunately, the sand was still soft, and he didn''t damage anything this time either. She stomped over to Bronsen, holding the box of tools without the slightest effort. I don''t care if it hurts his fragile little male ego; I will still ignore him. Say, wouldn''t an enslaved person born and raised on a baby farm not have much chance to form an ego in the first place? Pity Dr Freud wasn''t around, I could ask him. Bronsen: Bronsen, along with every other slave in the vicinity, had been watching this little drama as it unfolded. Maybe I need to have a little discussion tonight. Anyway, he took the box and had a look at it. Oh, bloody hell. Even the Manifestorians had better tools than this. A drill appeared to be simply a drill bit welded onto a metal shaft, with a right-angle steel cross piece on the end. It had to be rotated by hand, all the time pushing it into the wood. Bronsen looked at Harold. "How long does it normally take to drill a hole through a plank and the underlying rib structure?" "Well, about an hour or so. Also, wherever possible, we try to reuse the existing holes." Bronsen looked at Cassy and lifted his brows. "How about we get Harold to mark the required holes in the plank, and we have a little competition to see who can make their holes the fastest?" I hope she doesn''t realise I''m trying to get her to burn up some energy instead of venting it on innocent - err, not so innocent - Greys? It was quite the spectacle. Eight holes in all, four for each of them. They got stuck into their little race with gutso. All those Greys in sight congregated around and, for once, showed some excitement. All female slaves cheered Cassy on, so most of the slaves in Harrold''s team cheered Bronsen on. Other slaves just watched the entertainment. Possibly, it was the first entertainment many of them had ever seen. The first hole was the slowest, and Bronsen won by a few seconds. They had taken only ten minutes, a vast improvement on Harold''s pessimistic estimation. There was some timid clapping on Bronsen''s cheer squad while Cassy''s cheer squad gave a bit of encouragement to Cassy. Ding! Carpentry sub-skill specialisation. [Drilling Holes] was given 30 points. Much to the confusion of the audience, Cassy and Bronsen stopped their competition to give each other a high five. "Right, Bronsen, now let''s see who is the best!" Alice and Drayden: Short interlude "Look! We have a new skill!" said Alice. "Drilling holes? What on Earth, I mean, on Ringworld, are they doing?" A sly grin from Alice. "Maybe they are getting up to something, you know, something involving holes..." Drayden looked at Alice with a touch of wonder. "You, of all people, is making that sort of joke?" "Well, like you said, I have to get used to this shit." Back to Bronsen and Cassy drilling holes: Much to the audience''s amazement, the second hole was completed in half the time again. By now, the cheer squads had worked out that if they were going to cheer, they needed to do it properly. Consequently, with much yelling and stamping of feet, they had egged the Misfits on to completion. This time, Cassy won. Ding! Drilling holes increased to 55 points. Ding! For getting grey-collar slaves motivated to enjoy something, anything, that isn''t collar-compelled work, you get 20 points for your new ability called [Entertaining a Crowd]. Again, Cassy and Bronsen stopped and again high-fived each other. "Come on, everybody, cheer on your favourite Misfit. Make it loud enough for the monsters in the deep to hear!" shouted Cassy. They got stuck into the third hole. The drill bits spun in their hand like magic, almost too fast to see. The swarf curled out of the drill hole and away from the bit like a slow-motion fountain. The audience did not see the magic of System-san, but it dissipated the heat build-up at the cutting edges. That was very important, considering how fast the MIsfits turned them and how blunt the drill bits were. By now, most of the slaves were caught up in the action. Most were cheering. Others watched with great interest, even if they didn''t contribute to the noise level. The ex-Red and three of his followers did not appear to be all that enthused, but they still watched. "And yes! Bronsen wins again, but only by five seconds!" said Bronsen, pumping his fist into the air. "Rubbish, your side of the plank is a bit thinner than mine, giving you an unfair advantage. Girls, wouldn''t you agree?" said Cassy, appealing directly to her cheer squad. "Yes! Yes! Cassy should have won!" said Frannie. Frannie positively radiated enjoyment. Even Hestia was getting enthused, and Harold was smiling broadly. "And now, ladies and gentlemen, the fourth and last hole. Either we tie, or I win by a 3 to 1 margin. Let''s go!" said Bronsen. Grey slaves. Who lived a life of overbearing, utterly unavoidable, compelling orders. For once in their lives, they weren''t forced to carry out endless, unrelenting, tedious, and unjoyful actions over and over again. But, being Greys, they were used to going with the flow, following everybody else''s lead. So, when everyone around them appeared to go berserk with the cheering for a competition winner, every slave present went with the flow. It helped that Cassy and Bronsen were the closest things to ranking slaves. They couldn''t quite order them around with the collar''s power, but it was close enough considering their strength, power, and knowledge. Except for the ex-Red slave. Consequently, the camp went wild, egging on their respective teams. Actually, most of the slaves didn''t care who won; they were merely joining in on the fun. The Misfits spun the handles of the drill bits with impossibly fast hand motions. Wood chips flew up and off, building little blast craters around each hole. Eventually: "Yes! I win!" said Cassy. Bronsen, two seconds behind, finished his hole. Then he and Cassy mocked up a victory and defeat speech. "It was a fair fight!" said Bronsen. "But the better team won!" said Cassy. "Wasn''t it a tie?" said Bronsen. "Whatever!" They bowed to each other. The cheers died down, and everyone slowed down. Oops, what do we do now? We had better bring this to a nice close. "Now that I have lost the last one, let''s celebrate Cassy''s victory by packing up today''s work and starting the cooking," he said. Cassy rapidly joined in. "And, of course, tonight it is more crocigator stew! Everybody''s favourite!" There were cheers at this. "How about we have some volunteers to take all the tools back into the boat and to bring out the cooking stuff?" said Bronsen. Some of the Greys did volunteer. After seeing everyone working toward the evening meal, the Misfits decided to retire to their cabin. They got Hestia to promise to fetch them when the meal was ready. Alice and Drayden: They had just realised they had a new skill - [Entertaining a Crowd]. "Now I''m totally confused," said Alice. Drayden totally agreed. [2.10] Cassy promises to be more gentle in the future Bronsen and Cassy: With the door of their boat cabin safely closed, they were sitting on the deck, knees to knees. A big cheesy grin from Cassy; "You poor thing, all of that action with holes, but you just can''t get it up, can you?" "So cruel, Cassy, so cruel. Do you think anyone else was aware of the double meaning?" "This lot? Not a hope in hell. Being a slave doesn''t appear to allow for much subtly or nuances in their language usage." said Cassy. "I suppose not." There was a contemplative silence for a while. "That was amazing, wasn''t it?" said Bronsen. "Yes. I never thought I''d be doing a comedy skit for a bunch of grey-collared slaves," said Cassy. "Especially since the last bunch of Greys we met were trying to kill or enslave us without the slightest room for any compromise or bargaining." "Yeah, because once a Blue orders them to do something, they have absolutely no choice." "Creepy to think that if a Blue had appeared just then, with a single order, he could have had that lot trying to kill us without the slightest mercy," said Bronsen. "Those collars are an unmitigated evil. Although, remember, that hypothetical Blue would have needed to activate all the collars before ordering them to kill us," said Cassy. "Whatever." "Hey, System san, why the fuck did you create slave collars in the first place?" said Cassy, sounding extremely annoyed. Ding! The System did not create slave collars directly. A hero was created who was granted the necessary powers for some other specific purpose. However, he used them to make the collars instead. Both Cassy and Bronsen were surprised by this unexpected announcement. "Bloody hell, that''s, that''s all kinds of messed up. Why couldn''t you have stopped him when he started to go off the tracks?" said Cassy. Ding! ... "Err, hello? You still there?" said Bronsen. "I think we broke it. Again," said Cassy. "Again?" "Ah, yes, I mean Drayden and I managed to break it before, kind of." Hello from the System Administrator! Sorry, System-san is having a bit of a moment here, so has hinted I might like to fill you in on a few details. While the System has its own ideas on what it would like to happen, it is generally not allowed to act directly. It can only select a hero or heroes and hope their actions will lead to the desired conclusion. Naturally, it selects these individuals very carefully. And it grants a very carefully curated selection of powers to such individuals. And, unfortunately for such heroes, they have to struggle to achieve their goals. System-san isn''t allowed to grant overwhelming powers and make the heroes overpowered. "Right. So that''s why we have to struggle. We were never going to be some overpowered anime protagonists, were we?" said Cassy. She sounded a little bit wistful. Err, it''s slightly more complicated than that. Not all reincarnated people are heroes. Some are just reborn and live their lives. And there are other possibilities. But, once System-san had granted that particular hero the ability to access certain System Programming Interfaces directly, it was out of System-san''s control. Unfortunately, that so-called hero went bad in a spectacular way and went on to invent the slave collar system. "But surely System san should have taken more care in selecting this so-called hero!" said Bronsen. It did take care. But, you know, nothing is perfect. Except, maybe, the perfect storm of incidents, one after the other, that propelled the hero in the exactly wrong direction. That''s why System-san couldn''t answer couldn''t your question, Cassy. System-san is ashamed. "Oh. Poor System-san!" said Cassy. "So, all of this horror is because some smuck decided he''ll be the first-ever Slave Emperor?" said Bronsen. Not quite. The first action that the hero made when he got the slave collar stuff to work was to make someone else the emperor. His second action, and his last action of free will, was to turn himself into a grey-collar slave.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. There was a long silence after that. Cassy sputtered and tried to say something coherent, but she could not. Bronsen merely sat there, silent, with his mouth open. After a while: "Oh, right," said Bronsen. There were no further messages from either the System or the System Administrator. "This is stuffed up in so many ways," said Cassy. "What the fuck hell happened to make someone turn out that way?" said Bronsen. There was a short period while they thought about all of this. "Bronsen, let''s just mellow out for a while? Lie down with me and hold hands and, you know, listen to each other breath?" "For sure." And that is what they did until Hestia''s not quite so timid as usual voice called out to them from the other side of the door. At this meal, the people were even more animated than before. There was even some actual laughter. Not very much and not for very long, but the slaves were learning how to socialise with each other. As before, after the meal, they all cleared up the area, taking all tools, cooking implements, and supplies inside. When the hatch was dogged shut, the sand around the boat was deserted, with only piles of tree logs and lumber and the cooking fireplace left behind. They were back to sitting in their cabin, knees to knees, with the door safely closed. Bronsen breathed in deeply. "Cassy, I know things are difficult, like from you being stabbed to death by Drayden and all of that, but I think I need to bring up a few things." He got back a level stare, medium strength. "Oh? I get this feeling you''re going to tell me off?" "Not really! You haven''t done anything wrong or anything!" "Then, what?" "It''s only a minor point!" "And?" "Well, you see, you tend to get a bit carried away when some slaves disagree with you." "You mean, like when the ex-Red bloke was trying to rape Frannie?" "Well..." "Well, I think it is perfectly reasonable to get a little bit angry in such cases!" said Cassy. "I''m not saying it''s not reasonable, not at all. It''s just that you tend to get angry a lot more than is called for. I mean, tossing that slave three metres across the sand that could easily get out of hand. What if he had tripped and fallen and slammed his head against a rock and killed himself?" "But he didn''t, did he." "But throwing people around like that, who don''t have our strength abilities, could easily lead to such accidents. Remember, back on Earth, there will be the occasional media report about someone tripping and falling and hitting their head something chronic." "Is that what you''re worried about? That I might accidentally kill some creep?" "Ah, in the case of the ex-Red, I''m not all that worried, I must admit..." "So, what''s the problem, Mr Bronsen?" He frantically waved his hands in front of her. "It''s not just the potential of accidents; it''s just that you get worked up and start losing control much more than you should. Like, for example, right now." "You want me to calm down, do you? It''s only a couple of days since I was enslaved, and Drayden ran a sword right through me, remember? Don''t I have a right to be a bit upset?" Bronsen leant forward and caught her hands in his. "Of course, you have a right to be ''upset''. Bloody hell, that''s traumatic enough for anyone! But you mustn''t let it interfere with your life! And, particularly, with trying to get this mob of inactive slaves to cooperate with us. Right now, they are evenly split between being scared of you and admiring you for your fighting powers and for giving out ability points." "Cassy, perhaps you could sit on my lap, and we could share a hug..." She sat there, eyes looking suspiciously moist, a trace of anger and defiance on her face. But also hurt and longing. So he reached forward, took his hands off hers and onto her waist, and hoisted her forward. She was now facing him, on his lap, her legs around his waist. Initially very stiff, she relaxed and wrapped her arms around him. He reciprocated, and they also wrapped their tails around each other. "I''m sorry, my dear," said Bronsen, "But I was beginning to think that you weren''t coping very well with things." "Sniff, sniff" from Cassy. Bronsen patted her back and pressed his face into her shoulder. "Sorry, I''m sorry," she said, "It''s all too much. Especially having to deal with a whole lot of Greys right after those other Greys tried to kill us all." "Don''t I know it." "And I worry about my sister. I tried to suppress it, but it keeps on coming back." "That I can perfectly understand. After all, I worry about my little brother." "I''ve always been a bit hot-headed, haven''t I?" "Hmm, back on Earth, I suppose your family situation mostly caused that?" "Yeah, it comes back to my sister, doesn''t it?" A sad sigh from Bronsen. "Nothing we can do about that. We can only do our best with our current situation." Having such high-strength abilities, they could maintain their current position indefinitely. So they stayed there, enjoying each other''s warmth and company, making the odd random comment for half an hour or so. Finally, they separated. They lay down next to each other. " OK, I''ll try to be a bit more ''gentle'' in my interactions. Don''t want to frighten the natives, do we?" said Cassy. "Thanks. Remember, you always have me if you need me. And, also, I have you. You do realise that I was slightly freaked out by the whole invasion thing, also?" "Yeah. That whole Ashrend-type effect after I died, Eleanor kept saying that the old King went mad from doing the ritual twice. Was it really as bad as all of that?" "Oh yeah, it was. My abilities were greatly boosted, but the mental effects were overwhelming. I shudder to think what it felt like to the last of us that died." "Either Alice or Drayden. I hope they are now all right," said Cassy. "Remember they made that supplementary vow about Veronica. So they must both be reasonably OK at the very least." "It''s getting late; how about we sleep now?" said Bronsen, "However, tomorrow, we must have another talk, this time about planning how the hell we are going to be interacting with these slaves." "That we must. Up to now, we''ve just been acting on the fly without the slightest idea of what we are doing." "That''s because we don¡¯t have the slightest idea." Alice and Drayden: In contrast to the exciting times that Bronsen and Cassy were having, Drayden and Alice had another relaxing meal. Reggie delivered it to their little house and took away the used dishes after they had eaten. "Alice, my dear." "You''re up to something, aren''t you?" "You bet I am. How about we lock the door, retire to our room, and have a cuddle or something? After all, we''ve had a relaxing day, and it is still too soon to sleep, so we might as well do something." "Hmm. Do you think my Bronsen is doing the same with your Cassy?" "Assuming they aren''t running for their lives, then yes." "Well, If Bronsen can do it, then it can''t expect me not to, can he?" After an hour or so of ''cuddling'' each other, they slightly separated. "Drayden" "Yes?" "Exactly, what are we going to be doing for the foreseeable future?" said Alice. "Beats me. We wait for the Order Lock period to expire, but apart from that..." "It''s almost like a holiday. It''s pretty close to being relaxing. As long as we ignore that fact that we are surrounded by Greys who will slaughter us without the slightest hesitation if some Blue comes along." said Alice. "Remember, System-san will be turning on our libidos at some stage." "I''m sure you are looking forward to it," said Alice. ¡°Aren¡¯t you, also?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± [2.11] The Second morning Bronsen and Cassy: Waking up on the slaver''s ship. The early morning sun shone through the small porthole, waking up Cassy, followed by Bronsen. ¡°See the location of the sun¡¯s rays? It¡¯s just like Drayden pointed out to me. The sun''s rays never, ever change their angle or direction. If the boat is never moved, the sun will always shine directly at this spot. And wake me up since it''s where my head is,¡± said Cassy. She had a peek through the porthole. ¡°It''s a shame; no tasty crocigators are waiting to serve us.¡± Five minutes later, Bronsen and Cassy were sitting, facing each other. "So, our main objective is to repair this boat and get it to the other island, right?" said Bronsen. "Sure." "And whatever we do after that, we''ll have to decide with Alice and Drayden." "Yep." "I don''t suppose you''ve ever been sailing?" "No," said Cassy. "Pity. Neither have I. So we''ll have to call a meeting of our motley crew and ask them how they are normally organised for sailing." "May I suggest we make it straight after breakfast when everyone is reasonably well-fed and rested?" "OK. And, we should ask Frannie and the other ladies to indicate some more men who are reasonably good to grant them some points by destroying slave collars. Having higher strength sailors could be a tremendous advantage." "Well, there''s several hundred slave collars in that box. Why were they carrying so many?" said Cassy. "Let''s ask Frannie or Hestia when we get a chance." "So, what do you think is our timeline?" "Harold said, with their newfound strength, it might be less than a week to get sea-worthy. And maybe one or two weeks to get to the others, depending on weather conditions." "Sounds good so far. But it''s only 500km or so to them. Shouldn''t a boat be able to make it in far less time than a week or so?" said Cassy. "It appears that it is not straight-line sailing; instead, we have to zig-zag through many shallow seas and channels to get to Marmalade Island." "Ah, right. Also..." said Cassy as she giggled, "Alice is right, you do like to take over the leadership, don''t you?" "Ah, but, but, I''m also asking for your input! Right?" "Right! Very good, Bronsen. You didn''t just charge off to do your own thing. I''ll have to complement Alice on her training." said Cassy. "I think there is the possibility that you are now trying to get a rise out of me, aren''t you ?" said Bronsen. "Oh, maybe. Although I¡¯m sure I can¡¯t think of any reason why I would want to do that..." said Cassy. "Anyway, it''s probably the best that you be the leader. After all, a lot of the male Greys appear to be extremely prejudiced against us females." Breakfast was the standard, undoubtedly highly nutritious, grey goop. After breakfast was the meeting, but first, Bronsen asked Hestia the name of the island they were travelling to. Hestia looked blank: "I don''t know, it was just called the island." "Never mind." Bronsen stood up on a box and said: "You were going to Marmalade Island anyway, so I propose we continue that plan. Does anyone have any objections?" He got back many blank looks. Also, many disinterested looks. The only ones who seemed to want to disagree were Mr. Ex-Red and his two cronies. Bronsen shrugged his shoulders. And flicked up his ears and tail. "OK, Harold and his team will continue the boat repairs, and we will help them." Harold nodded, and without any more ado, he walked to where they had already stacked up their tools, and his team began. "Now, who are the ones that sail the boat?" It took ages to get any coherent reply from them, but eventually, he worked out who the real sailors were and who provided the grunt labour. Like on Earth, there was always a designated skipper when the boat was sailing. After talking with him for a few minutes, Bronsen decided that he did know what he was doing. He had a system-granted ability for it.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. That night, in their private cabin after the evening meal: ¡°That''s a relief that there is a skipper who knows exactly what he is doing. Although it is strange that the name he goes by is just Skip. Presumably, the slave society doesn''t place any value whatsoever on individuality. Call a person by their job name and be done with it,¡± said Bronsen. ¡°Probably the Blues never bothered to even learn his name. They merely ordered him to go sailing, and that was that,¡± said Cassy. ¡°Oh, and when we do get sailing, I¡¯m sure that the little shit, that is the ex-Red, is going to cause trouble,¡± said Cassy. ¡°Probably. Anyway, to start with, tomorrow we''ll raise the stats of the sailors and boat hands. That OK with you?" said Bronsen. "Fine, as long as we get Frannie''s input on who might not be worthy of such gifts." "And I will have to keep gradually getting them used to taking my orders. If I take it slowly and only make reasonable demands, I think it might work," said Bronsen. "It won''t work against the stupid git who used to be a Red." "We''ll just have to keep an eye on him." Bronsen reached out and took Cassy''s hands. For a while, they were silent, listening to the muffled sounds of the slaves settling in for the night. Finally, Cassy smiled sweetly. "Admit it, you have something in mind, don''t you?" "Hmm, as a matter of fact, I do," he said. "And?" "Now that we have some spare time, how about we..." He moved closer to Cassy. "Try a bit of cuddling?" "Why, I would love that!" said Cassy. After five minutes of smooching, they took a break. Mainly so that they could breathe properly. "It''s pretty good, even if we don''t get the slightest bit sexually aroused, isn''t it?" said Cassy. "Ooh yeah, it sure is. And, maybe..." he said. He took another deep breath. "Well, since absolutely nothing can happen, and, after all, we have all seen each other naked, maybe..." Cassy laughed her head off. "You boys! We''re in this fantastical situation, facing death daily, and all you''re interested in is our naked bodies!" "Yep!" "Oh well, since you asked nicely, I''ll strip down." Cassy took off her clothes. Feeling much encouraged, so did Bronsen. Standing there, they took some time to admire each other''s bodies. "You''re still a poor, poor boy. You just can''t get it up at all. Not the slightest. Maybe I''m just not good enough for you?" said Cassy. A snort of derision from Bronsen. He didn''t reply to that question. But he posed a question of his own. "How about we lie down and cuddle up to each other?" Cassy must have decided to save the mock coyness for another day. She immediately said: "I''d love to!" They spent an enjoyable hour or so sharing their body warmth. After they had explored more than just a few possible ways of cuddling, they broke apart, lay next to each other, and did some mellowing out. "I agree, it''s still lovely doing this, even if our bodies are not responding in the slightest," said Bronsen. "Do you think Drayden and Alice are doing the same?" said Cassy. "Hmm, there''s a 99% chance that they are. And the other 1% means they have gone to sleep because they are too exhausted from dealing with whatever situation they found themselves in today." "Soooooo, what do you think about my Drayden having sex with your Alice?" said Cassy. ¡°Incendiary statement, much?¡± he said. ¡°Hmm¡± she said. "Well, now, I guess you could say that some conflicting thoughts are going around my head. It''s a bit like the clothes going around and around in a spin dryer. There''s this gut-churning feeling about all sorts of things. For example, losing Alice, feeling betrayed because she''s with someone else, feeling uneasy at myself being with you, or little stabs of jealousy, or, well, the image of Drayden making love to Alice is sometimes so intrusive and negative! And I don''t want it to be! After all, we can end up with our desired four-way romance!" said Bronsen. "Yeah, that sounds similar to what I''m thinking. If we can get over the negative crap, it should end up being fantastic!" "And, since System-san is carefully arranging things, we should be able to make things work!" said Bronsen. "Yeah, all this would be impossible if we had remained as those four naive little high school students we were. I also have these intrusive images of Alice making love to my Drayden." Bronsen hesitated for a moment, then continued. "When I think of those two making love, I still think that Alice is absolutely gorgeous." "Well, I have to admit she is. And Drayden, of course, has a gorgeous body!" said Cassy. She made an exaggerated sigh as if longing for his body. "Actually, I think Drayden''s body is kind of attractive too." "Nice to agree... Wait! You think that Drayden is hot, too? "Err, not quite to that extent, but sort of..." Cassy squealed in excitement. "It''s Boy Love, after all!" "It is not Boy Love! Which is prohibited by System-san anyway. I''m just saying I, err, appreciate Drayden''s naked body. Just a little bit. But not enough to be a subject of your Boy Love obsession. Ahh, that''s right, because of the prohibition, you can''t enjoy that stuff anyway. Poor Cassy." Big, slightly predatory grin from Cassy. "But still, you have some attraction, don''t you? Enough to fuel my fantasies. Oh yeah, I can think up a few little scenarios... At some stage, I must have a private discussion with Alice... giggle." "Ahh, perhaps not tell the others straight away... Please?" "Nyah, nyah, I''m sure I''ll show restraint." "Also, remember, I will also be running a few forbidden scenarios through my head involving a certain pair of young ladies. I don''t suppose you find Alice''s body attractive..." Cassy cut in immediately. "Nope, nope, noppity nope. I mean, she does have a beautiful body, and I have nothing against people who are homosexuals, but tough luck, boy, I don''t have the slightest bit of sexual attraction towards her. It''s platonic friendship all the way!" "Oh well, it''s fantasies only then. And, really, I certainly don''t want a non-platonic relationship with Drayden..." "Of course!" said Cassy, with just a touch of amusement. "I can slightly appreciate his body, is all I''m saying." "Slightly?" "OK, maybe slightly more than slightly. But that''s it!" "This is going to be so much fun," said Cassy. "Now I''m getting slightly worried," said Bronsen. There was silence for a while, with the occasional giggle from Cassy. Bronsen kept quiet and did not ask what she might be giggling about. Eventually, Cassy thought about another topic. "You know, when we do meet up again and get comfortable with our new situation, we are going to have to come to a, shall we say, more sophisticated arrangement on how to conduct our four-way romance." "How about we have a roster where we swap over every night?" Cassy thwacked him with her tail. "That is not the slightest bit romantic!" "Then, we have a committee meeting and discuss who is feeling the hottest for whom?" said Bronsen. "Far too clinical! And besides that, you know perfectly well that us Misfits find it impossible to make a choice like that." "Toss a coin?" said Bronsen. "Is my body to be given to the winner of a gamble?" "No, of course not!" "Well, think, how do we decide?" said Cassy. Finally, Bronsen said his most sensible suggestion. "We let the girls decide?" Cassy cheered. "That''s right! You win the prize!" "A prize? Like your''s or Alice''s body?" "We will have to see," said Cassy. After that, they settled into a sleep. [2.12] Five days and the ship is launched Frannie, at the boat repair site: Sometime the next day, Frannie and Hestia found themselves with nothing in particular to do, and they were somewhat away from everyone else. So, they decided to practice the newfound activity called socialisation. "It''s strange not having the continual compulsion to do whatever we''ve been ordered to do, isn''t it?" said Hestia. "Yes. It reminds me of my life before being captured," said Frannie. "Do you think the Misfits will take us to the non-slaver country?" "I suppose so." "So, once we get there, we''ll be put back to work as slaves, I suppose?" "Ah, I don''t know. Perhaps we can ask Cassy?" Cassy: She had been returning from a ''comfort'' stop when Franie and Hestia waylaid her. Hestia, in particular, looks serious; what is this about? They asked her the same question. "No, you will not be treated as slaves. That is not how the free nations work. But, I suppose it will be difficult fitting in - but we''ll work out something, I''m sure!" "Say, what were you made to do during most of your lives?" "I was a breeder. I gave birth to four children and looked after them for three years each before they were taken away from me," said Frannie. "Same as I, except I had five children," said Hestia. "So, how did your children turn out?" said Cassy. A blank look from both slaves. "How would we know? They were taken away, and we never saw them again," said Hestia. "But, can you trace them down, just to say hello?" said Cassy. An even blanker look. "How on the Ringworld would we do that? We are under constant orders, so we never have any time, and no records are kept, anyway," said Frannie. I still haven''t fully comprehended how completely soulless and lacking in humanity the slaver system is. How do they keep on going without dropping dead from despair? Let''s leave that discussion to another day, shall we? Feeling more depressed than before, Cassy continued back to the boat. Narrator: Alice and Drayden continued relaxing at their island holiday getaway for another five days. During the same time, Cassy and Bronsen continued to push forward to complete the repairs. They did most of the heavy lifting, although Bronsen did his best to encourage the slaves as much as possible. Considering that neither of them knew the slightest thing about boats, Harold''s input proved to be vital. The slaves'' attitude improved in small increments; Cassy and Bronsen had a few more entertainment sessions to lighten their mood. However, not very surprisingly, the slaves'' social abilities remained abysmal. And the ex-Red''s attitude never improved. Bronsen, on the shore with a repaired boat: Cassy and Bronsen stood back and admired their handiwork. In a mere seven days and a lot of frantic work, the hole in the side of the ship had been patched up. It was still clearly visible because the weathered boards of most of the ship sharply contrasted with the newly cut boards of the repair. "The timber should be properly dried before use," said Harold, "But, I suppose this was the best we can do." "It''s fine! It''s fine!" said Bronsen. He looked at the situation. One boat, slightly above the ocean wave splash zone (there are no tides on Felixerra), lying parallel to the shore. It was sitting on its shallow keel and propped up by logs on either side to make it level. "Exactly how do we get this thing back into the water?" he said. "We very carefully lower it on the shoreside, allowing us to remove all the props. Then, drag and push the bow around into the water. After which, people on the boat and the sand push it out into the sea." said Harold. Bronsen pictured the sequence in his head. The boat leaning over because its keel was propping it up to one side, so the masts are at a 40-degree angle to the ground. People pushing the boat out. The boat slowly grinding over the sand, then settling into the water as the last of the people stood in waist-high water, shoving on the stern of the boat... "Wait a minute, doesn''t that become dangerous for the remaining slaves pushing the boat at the end since they''ll be in deepish water? Where the predators are," he said. A grimace from Harold. "Oh, we normally lose five to ten slaves each time we do that sort of thing." Bronsen intercepted a hot glare from Cassy. "Right. We intend to do it without any casualties whatsoever!" said Cassy. "That is sort of what I expected you to would say. Is the normal non-slaver person always like you two?" said Harold. "Er, mostly. However, it is very rare for anyone to fully max out their physical abilities. Nonetheless, they strive not to have any deaths in their normal day-to-day lives." said Cassy.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "So, how do you intend to do that?" said Harold. "Well, we determine how many slaves are needed to do the dangerous part. Then, we consult with Frannie and Hestia to lessen the chances of including violent types. Then, feed them unused slave collars until they all have maxed out physical abilities. Easy," said Bronsen. Cassie: Maybe not so easy? "Hey, Bronsen," said Cassy. "Yes?" "Let''s step away from the crowd and talk..." "You realise this means that we will have a bunch of slaves equal to us in our physical abilities," said Cassy. "Yeah. At the moment, we are kind of on the top of the power hierarchy, at least until a coloured slave arrives." "So, who do we trust the most?" said Cassy. "Frannie, I''m pretty sure. Almost as sure with Hestia. Harold, probably, but he is old and even with system-granted skills, he''s showing his age. I suppose, some of the other women. And possibly one or two of the male workers on Harold''s team. I guess?" "Forget the males. We''ll stick to two of the females. And us. Four in all. Compared to their previous efforts of using a dozen weak slaves, four maxed-out people should be plenty." said Cassy. Bronsen agreed. Cassy dashed off, looking for Frannie and Hestia. "Hey, Frannie, if we max out your stats, want to help me and Bronsen launch the ship?" "Sure! Why, with maxed-out stats, it should be almost safe! Sort of." Now find Hestia, and we''re finished! "Hey, Hestia. Do you want to help Bronsen and me launch the ship?" "That''s fine. I don''t mind if I die." "Ahh, what?" "It''s dangerous; about half of the Greys die doing that." "Ah, but first, we max out your physical stats! Sorry, I forgot to say that part." "Oh, well then, I suppose so." Cassy stopped and considered this. "Do you really have more enthusiasm for the option that might kill you?" "Yes?" "Ah, ah, but why?" "Because... My mother brought me up together with my twin sister for our first twelve years. Then, my mother was sold to a breeding brothel, and we were sold to someone and ended up in the emperor''s holding pen for breeders. And, well, one day, he took my sister. And then, I was ordered to take her body and toss it into the fishing ponds. And, so, well, I don''t mind if I die." Cassy was left with a hollowed-out, empty feeling in her stomach. I... don''t have anything, do I? So she went with her default and hugged Hestia. Hestia stood there with a blank look, barely reacting. That''s right, the only people she would have ever hugged were her mother and sister. And, going by her apparent age, that was probably decades ago. So Cassy released her hug. "Ah, sorry." In a low voice, Hestia said, "That''s fine. I think. You realise I have never told anybody that story since there was no one to tell it to. So, I think it''s nice?" "Anyway, let''s go to our cabin and up your stats!" Bronsen: "Harold! We now have two extra people with fully maxed-out strengths. That should do to launch the boat?" "Yes, that should do. We can do it now since the wind blows offshore, and plenty of daytime is left. Naturally, there is no way of launching the boat at night; too many predators about." Let''s get this boat moving! He addressed the milling throng of slaves. "First, we remove the props and lean the boat over!" For this, strength was vital, so the four maxed-out individuals did most of the work. "Now, Everybody not involved with launching the boat, get into it! All the sailors get to their stations and do whatever is needed to set the sails!" Except for emergencies, the boat was entirely controlled by people inside. To do this, there were a lot of ropes and pulleys. Bronsen, upon consultation with Cassy, had considered various contingencies. "Harold, can you and your team watch for disgruntled slaves trying to sabotage the launch?" "And you women, can you hold the ropes and be ready to reel us in when needed?" The other ends of these ropes were securely tied around each of the four. They pushed the stern inland so the whole boat rotated and pointed outwards. It was no longer still for the first time since they had seen the boat. It was starting to rock from the action of the waves. So, now, all four pushed on the stern, lifting it slightly and shoving it forward. Their feet dug into the sand as the boat scraped and slid across the sand. It became easier as more of the boat moved into the water. Then, it became more challenging as they were in the water. Sails shifted as the sailors did their thing, and they caught the wind, and finally, the boat moved out all by itself. "Get us up!" screamed Bronsen. He might have been slightly perturbed by shadows moving under the water towards them from both sides. The slaves on the ship, attached firmly to the boat¡¯s internal structure with safety ropes, pulled with all their newly acquired strength. The four on the other end of the ropes decided not to be lax and used their extreme strength to clamber up the ropes. A tentacle broke out of the water and wrapped around Hestia''s leg. A thoroughly pissed-off Cassy, momentarily hanging on with one hand, flicked out her sword and sliced the tentacle off. Freed of this burden, Hestia zoomed up her rope and managed to get to the open hatch before anyone else. But it was by a minuscule margin, as the others did their best to beat her. Presumably, even if Hestia did have a death wish, she was unable to override her self-preservation instincts at the instance of being offered it. A few seconds later, they were all inside, and the hatch was dogged closed. It took somewhat more time for them to untangle themselves. "Oh, bloody hell, isn''t there a better way of doing all that?" said Bronsen. "And, also, during all of that, did I see that ex-Red shit in here?" said Cassy. I had better move fast. He did move fast, leapt over, and had Cassy in a hug. "What?" said Cassy. "Let''s first listen to what Harold has to say before doing anything?" said Bronsen. "Ah, yeah. He, err, tried to close that hatch before you got in..." said Harold. While he was saying that, he was slowly backing away from Cassy. That stupid little shit. If he continues like that, I don''t like his chances. "Fine, fine." said Cassy, "But we shall see, won''t we, Bronsen." Bronsen nodded his head. We are no longer innocent, naive teenagers, are we? An hour after that, they were in their cabin. The floor now tilted to one side and was continually rocking; there was the sound of waves hitting the side of the boat and the sound of the wind whistling through the rigging. Joints and planks of the ship itself contributed their share to the noise with creaks and groans. How well is this boat constructed, I wonder? Of course, Cassy and Bronsen, with their maxed-out physical stats, did not feel the slightest discomfit from all of this. It was annoying to be tossed around, but after loosely tying themselves to a few attachment points, even this annoyance disappeared. They looked at each other. They both knew there was a discussion which needed to be had. And, for once, amazingly, it wasn''t about sex. Let''s get this going. "That ex-Red git is a pain, correct?" said Bronsen. "That''s right." "And we are in a closed environment, surrounded by a lot of danger-filled water, in a flimsy boat, with no escape. And, even when we get to Marmalade Island, we aren''t safe since we are still smack bang in the middle of a huge slaver nation." "That''s right," said Cassy. "And, of course, there is the little matter that we don''t know if there are any higher-ranking slaves on Marmalade Island," said Bronsen. "Yes." "Well," said Bronsen as he took a deep breath, "Are we now capable of murder?" Silence "You lot have already committed murder," said Cassy. "Granted, that was under the influence of the Ashrend effects," said Bronsen. "And I was stabbed to death by Drayden as part of our agreement." "I guess it didn''t improve your temper?" said Bronsen. Cassy flicked her hair and tail around to show her opinion of this statement. "Let''s stop pussy footing around this subject. Yes, I will murder that little shit if he gives me the slightest extra encouragement." Bronsen shrugged his shoulders. "Considering he is trying to murder us, then so be it," he said. Cassy snuggled up to Bronsen and put her head on his shoulder. "Would those four totally naive teenagers back in our clubroom like us as we are now?" "Well, I guess they would have been impressed by our advances in our relationships." "What about our loss of innocence? Not the sex part, that is. The part where we are capable of killing." "I don''t know. We have changed; those teenagers no longer exist," said Bronsen. Silence "Perhaps we can have a sleep now? Hopefully, that little shit allows us some time to think things over before he forces us to act," said Bronsen. [2.13] We are sailing, forever sailing Cassie, sailing on the boat: Cassie woke up the following morning. She realised that the cabin''s floor was now tilted in the opposite direction, and the sound of the waves hitting the side of the boat was more intense than the previous night. She was glad the skipper was arranging the watches and handling all the complexities of sailing for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It''s a lot more complicated than I would have imagined. She decided that she needed a comfort break. Desperately. So she walked along the central passageway, searching for the heads, which she found. The so-called toilet bucket mounted in one of the cabins. In full view of everyone going past, and the ones who slept in the cabin. And currently occupied by some man, with a small queue stoically waiting for their turn. Oh, no way. No way! I''m not doing a shit while everyone watches! There is a limit! She turned around and returned to their cabin in a somewhat disturbed manner. "Bronsen! Their idea of a toilet is completely open, with everyone looking on! You need to do something better than that!" As she said this, she was almost hopping from one foot to the other. Bronsen looked at her twitchy state and immediately spoke. "OK, how about we check the cabins further forward? We haven''t looked, have we?" So they went through the open bulkhead door and found another open cabin. Stacked up at one end was a pile of thin, worn mattresses and - "Yes! Another one of those wonderful toilet buckets!" said Cassy. Bronsen cracked the lid and looked inside. "It stinks. But at least it''s empty." "Right, get out and close the door behind you!" said Cassy. Five minutes later, she reappeared. "Fortunately, they do have toilet paper. Even the slaver society realises that proper hygiene is important." Bronsen then took his turn. Then, they decided to explore. A further four cabins were going forward, each becoming a bit narrower than the previous one, each containing a stack of mattresses but otherwise empty. The last one had a steep staircase ascending to a small space with two slaves sitting inside. It was one of the command posts, a bulge built out from the top cover of the boat, with portholes all around and about a dozen pulleys and ropes. They are two of the ones with sailor abilities. But, more importantly, they could walk by any time we use the toilet... Bronsen and Cassy waved at the sailors and went back to their cabin. "OK, Bronsen. We will be building a little compartment to do our business in. We can use blankets and nail them to frames attached to the floor and ceiling." Bronsen accepted his work orders and got to work. "Say, Bronsen, why are there so many empty cabins?" They went back to where most of the slaves were. It appeared that most of them had nothing to do while sailing, and they spent their time lying on their mattresses or milling around the common areas. Since this was before breakfast, most were waiting for food. The cabin area behind the loading bay was where Hestia did her cooking. A bed of sand supported a firebox, and the cooking pot hung from above it. Small open port holes along the walls provided barely enough cross draft to remove the smoke. Cassy took a peek into the pot. It was, as usual, only a third full. But, due to the boat''s motion, the contents were sloshing from side to side, with the occasional drop spilling out. So that''s why Hestia never fills the pot. Also, those buckets lashed to the wall have seawater in them. A slave came by, dipped his hands into a bucket, and then dried them by rubbing them on his clothes. Since his clothes were ragged and filthy, he didn''t achieve much cleanliness, but it was the thought that counts. Yey, we can wash our hands! Say, how often is the water changed? After breakfast, consisting of yummy grey goop and moderately fresh water from the drinking water barrels, the Misfits drifted around, taking in the sights, which was limited. Eventually, they encountered Frannie. "Frannie, why are there so many empty cabins?" said Bronsen. "Oh, when we start a voyage, there is a full complement of about two hundred slaves, but by the time we zig-zag from side to side of the Jaserra ocean as we travel down the length of the ring and back again, they die off due to all sorts of accidents and causes." "Oh," said Cassy. "Marmalade Island was our last stop before returning to our nearby home port. So our manning levels are just about at the lowest point," said Frannie. Back in their cabin: "The slave society doesn''t care for itself in any way, does it?" said Cassy. "No. If you think about it, there isn''t much purpose to any of it, is there? Everyone is compelled to follow orders; the only one with any agency is the emperor, and who does he have to associate with?" said Bronsen. "Not quite true. Remember, the Blues seem to have a limited amount of autonomy." said Cassy, "Which they appear to use to be mean to each other and to mistreat all the slaves below them."The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. "So, no one gets any enjoyment out of life except for the emperor. And even he must, ultimately, live a life devoid of much in the way of joy." "I wonder, all the lower slaves are compelled to keep going. What compels the emperor to keep on living?" They settled in to wait out the hours until the evening meal. It was very dull. Tonight''s meal was - (surprise, surprise) grey goop. Again. Since no one else appeared to complain, Cassy and Bronsen were careful not to complain. There wasn''t any point. After the meal, they went for an evening stroll. Or as close to it as possible, considering the confined quarters and the fact that most of the slaves merely spent their time packed into their cabins, lying or sitting on their mattresses, not doing much at all. The Misfits felt a tiny bit self-conscious walking past them and then walking back again. On the way, they encountered Skip, the skipper, consulting with the navigator as they planned tonight''s sailing. "It appears that every job and specialisation one could possibly have has a system ability for it," said Cassy. "Certainly makes some things easier; for example, they don''t have to use a compass, the navigator just automatically knows where he or she is on the Ringworld all the time," said Bronsen. There was a commotion as a slave, one entrusted with relaying messages between the sailors at their stations and the skipper, appeared. "We''ve sighted another ship. It''s slowly overtaking us, from starboard to port. It will probably cross in front of us a kilometre out in an hour," he said. "OK, no need to take further action." said the skipper. Bronsen looked at Cassy. "Let''s keep track of this to ensure there is no interaction," said Bronsen. Fortunately, this was easy enough. Standing in their cabin, looking out through the port holes, they could see the other ship. It was visible in the night by the faint glow of the internal lights leaking out of its port holes. This light came from a collection of lanterns and the occasional fireball ability, which was also how the ship that the Misfits was on was illuminated. "There are one or two Blues on that ship. It would be a total disaster if they learnt about us," said Cassy. "Yeah." They watched in silence - apart from all the noise of the sea, the wind blowing past, and the voices of the slaves in the background... "Say, aren''t those voices getting louder?" said Bronsen. "So they are..." said Cassy, just as there was a knock at the door. Frannie was there. "I think you should come to the docking area; that once-upon-a-time Red is being a pain." Cassie screwed up her face in disgust. What is that stupid git doing this time? Oh, Bronsen is sending me a warning signal; I better behave myself. Bronsen, followed by Cassie, taking all effort to be on her best behaviour, went to the docking area. As usual, Frannie trailed behind them. Upon arriving at the docking area, they discovered a ring of slaves watching, and talking amongst themselves as the ex-Red and Hestia had a little argument. Hestia held an unlit lantern while the ex-Red tried to take it from her. Behind them was the open hatchway to the outside, and clearly visible was the other ship, creeping past and currently roughly abreast with them. "Give me the lantern! I can light it and signal the other ship! We can get some Blues here and take back our ship!" The ex-Red shouted this while trying to lunge at Hestia and get the lantern. However, Hestia was having none of this. She was using her superior strength and speed to push him off. "No, I won''t! Why should I? Those two treat us nicely and even gave us some chocolate!" said Hestia. "Because it is wrong! They destroyed slave collars!" "But I became much stronger and faster than before! That''s amazing!" "Women should not have better abilities than men!" Cassie started to fume. The little shit! I shouldn''t have given him his share of the chocolate! The little shit got even more agitated. "How do we know what to do without orders? What are we without Blues to organise things?" Pathetic. His whole miserable little self-identity must be based upon being a slave and following orders. Hestia is heaps better than that! "Cassie and Bronsen do organise things! And, what''s more, they do it much more efficiently than the Blues. We didn''t even have any casualties when we launched the ship!" "So what? I can give orders if I''m a Red or Blue! If I call the other ship, they will reward me! I can boss you around again!" Hey, stupid, that is NOT a good argument to try to get Hestia''s cooperation. By now, Cassie had shouldered through the crowd and was in the front seat to this little drama. Hestia continued to prevent him from grabbing her lantern. She had stepped in front of the hatchway to avoid his latest attempts. So, the ex-Red made his move. He shoved Hestia towards the opening with one hand while grabbing the lantern with the other. Unfortunately for him, Hestia''s maxed-out abilities were equal to the task. One hand shot out and up to grab a cleat above the hatchway, thus stopping her from tumbling backwards into the sea. The other hand continued to grip the lantern''s handle with a vice-like grip. And Cassy finally lost it. He tried to kill Hestia! Who''s worth a hundred times more than he is. Her face in a snarl and steam coming out of her ears, she summoned her sword and skewered him. Just like Drayden had skewered her. Oops. Oh. I''ve killed him. Well... Stuff it. The body still on her sword, she stepped aside from Hestia and threw it, including her sword, through the hatchway. There was an extra splash as the body hit the water and a flurry of activity as multiple tentacles waved about. One of them whipped up and tried to get a grip on the hatchway entrance. Eek! Cassy moved fast. She re-summoned her sword, cut the tentacle off, shoved Hestia further in and slammed the hatchway shut. She then took a little bit extra time dogging it securely shut. The cut-off tentacle flopped about on the floor. All the slaves in the audience took turns looking at the tentacle and looking at Cassy. "Ah, well, I suppose he did try to kill Hestia. So, hmm, does anyone object? Nobody objected. "Bronsen and I are going to get this boat to Marmalade Island. So, any objections to that?" Still none. "I must admit this is a little stressful..." Actually, the audience didn''t look all that stressed out - more like neutral. Or resigned. Or even indifferent. "Say, we still have some chocolate in our cabin. How about everybody has a piece." Some of them cheered at that. There were no signs that anybody missed the ex-Red slave. An hour later, after distributing another quarter of the chocolate, Cassy and Bronsen returned to their cabin and ensured the door was securely closed. Before that, they had suggested to Hestia that the tentacle be added to tomorrow''s breakfast stew. Cassy collapsed onto the floor, sitting with her back to the outside wall. She glanced at Bronsen. Looks like I''m due for another talk. Sigh. "Sorry Bronsen. It looks like I lost my temper. And killed someone." Bronsen sat beside her, putting his arm and tail around her back. "It''s all right. He was endangering us all, and he tried to kill Hestia." "Still, I did kill him." "True. So, I suppose you are no longer that innocent little delinquent we used to know. But, of course, the rest of the Misfits aren''t either. After all, we all have a much higher kill count than you do." "But with those killings, you were under the quasi-Ashrend effects." "Yeah, don''t I know it. It was ghastly." Cassy clutched Bronsen''s arm. Is he going to leave me because of all of this? Fortunately, Bronsen rose to the occasion. "You''re worried I might lose interest in you and think you are no longer attractive to me, don''t you?" Cassy was breathing hard from stress. "Yeah. You and the others are all I have in this big, weird Ringworld. I couldn''t bear to lose you." "Don''t worry, I couldn''t bear to lose you either. It''s fine. It''s totally fine. I still love you, no matter what." He leaned over and kissed her. Cassy responded to the warmth by starting to cry. It took her an hour to work it out of her system, and she drifted off to sleep. Bronsen: My dear Cassy. It was dark in the cabin, but he could still see her face due to his enhanced senses. He watched her gently breathe, then slowly and quietly moved and kissed her again. After a while, he also went to sleep. [2.14] At last! Again. Drayden and Alice, on Marmalade Island: Both Drayden and Alice had noticed during the day that the bearing and distance to the other Misfits seemed to be changing. By evening, they were sure of it. "Look, they are closer. It''s not very much closer, but the bearing has changed too. They must be going sideways." said Alice. "If we assume that they are coming for us, at least I hope so, then that implies they have to sail diagonally. Perhaps a combination of wind direction and obstructions?" said Drayden. "I want to know how long they intend to take?" Bronsen, sailing on the boat: The following morning, they had another wonderful bowl of grey goop. "Hey, I got some mystery tentacle meat!" said Cassy. "Lucky you, I don''t think I got any. Although I can barely taste the flavour." Bronsen had an idea. "Say, Skip, do you think we can lure another tentacle into the docking bay by casting out a bit of garbage again?" Considering who was asking, Skip decided to give this idea due consideration. "Well, actually, that was only a small Kraken. They can be much bigger, like a hundred metres long bigger. Perhaps not a good idea to allow a tentacle from one of those access to the boat''s insides." "Oh. Nevermind." said Bronsen. The navigator came past and informed them that, based on the conditions, they should be at Marmalade Island in another week. He explained that they had to make a circuitous route to get there because of shallow waters and reefs. "Oh, thanks. That explains why our ability to detect where our friends are keeps shifting in what it reports their direction is," said Cassy. They retreated to their cabin. "This is so boring," said Cassy, "Not that I''m complaining or anything!" "Yeah. There is nowhere to go and nothing to do. At least half of the cabins are almost empty. Imagine what it''s like when it has a full load of crew members!" "Packed in so tight they must have breathed in synchronisation to fit. Horrible life; I suppose they were ordered to wait on their mattresses and not to get in the road of anyone doing any actual work until they were needed to do something." "And every time they have some duty, there''s a high chance that some of them would die," said Bronsen. "Do you think they appreciate that we are looking after them sufficiently well that no one has died? - err, besides, you know who, of course." "I think so. The ones with maxed-out abilities certainly do. I guess many others also, although it is hard to tell." They spent the rest of the day going through the other Blue''s cabin, inventorying the contents, and making plans to work their way through the whole ship to investigate all of the cargo holds. That night, after their evening dining experience: "Only four days to go!" said Cassy. "But are Dryden and Alice OK? Maybe there are some ranking slavers on their island?" "They probably are OK. Remember they made that vow to look after my sister? That tends to imply they are free of any slave collars and have enough free time to talk about such things." "Still, just in case, we won''t dock immediately when we see the island. It could be an idea to hold off just out of range of any attack and have a good look first." There was a relaxed silence for a while. Finally, Bronsen smiled sweetly at Cassy, but Cassy got in before he could say anything. "I know, I know, you''re going to ask me to strip off all my clothes and let myself be subject to your advances, aren''t you?" "Ahh, that''s if you have no objection," said Bronsen. "Well, now, I can''t think of any..." Lying on a reasonably clean blanket, they cuddled up to each other. "Of course, I intend to be a complete gentleman and not entice you into anything that would ruin your reputation as a virtuous woman of high society," said Bronsen. He was currently lying on top of her, and both were naked, but Cassy still chose to believe him. "I trust you completely! I''m sure you''ll never lead a young virginal maiden like me astray!" There was giggling from both of them until they both abruptly stopped. "Is there something hard coming up down there?" said Cassy. "Yeah... looks like it is. I think I know where this is going to go." Cassy had been running her hands gently up and down his back. But now her strokes were more - urgent. They were both breathing faster.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Well, hurry up!" she said. ... Sometime later, they separated and lay next to each other. They were soaked with sweat - and other stuff. "Oh wow. That was fantastic!" said Cassy. "It was indeed," said Bronsen. "Just as good as it was the first time Drayden and I did it!" "Hmm" said Bronsen. Ding! Sexual technique raised by one point. But don''t get too cocky; you need to work a few things out. "System san is always snarky about our sexual abilities, isn''t she?" said Cassy, "And, what things do we need to work out..." Bronsen inexplicably felt a stab of emotional pain in his heart. What was that... Oh right. He frowned. He also noticed that Cassy momentarily looked discomforted. "You''re thinking about certain specific things, aren''t you?" said Bronsen. "Ahh, I guess we should, you know, be completely honest about all this... right?" said Cassy. "I can''t see how it will work unless we are." "Well, in that case, for a brief moment, I felt like totally forbidding you from ever having sex with Alice ever again..." "But you want to have sex with Drayden again, don''t you?" "That is different!" said Cassy, "Err, except it isn''t." "Course it isn''t. I admit it; I felt jealous as all hell for a moment thinking about you being together with Drayden. But, of course, I really, really want to get into bed with Alice again." "And that sets off my jealousy!" said Cassy. "And Drayden sets off my jealousy!" said Bronsen. Alice, on Marmalade Island: As usual, after eating their catered evening meal (surprise! It''s crocigator stew and bread with marmalade!), they locked their holiday chalet''s front door and retreated to their bedroom. Sitting there, knees to knees and holding hands, Alice looked at Drayden. "Judging by how your eyes keep roaming over my body, and especially my breasts and legs, shall I make an educated guess about what you are thinking?" said Alice. "Well, now, you certainly can. Even with our libidos switched off, I am still impressed by your lovely body." "Hmmph. Men, with their one-track minds. You probably want me to remove my clothes to get a better view, right?" "Of course," said Drayden, "Is that an option." Drayden was very hopeful. Alice must have felt generous, as she merely said, "Sure, why not?" Big grin from Drayden. Despite their complete and utter lack of sexual arousal, it only took five minutes for them to be stretched out on the floor, completely naked, with Drayden lying on top of Alice. "Do you think my Bronsen is doing this with your Cassy?" asked Alice. "Probably." "And, tell me, Mr Weirdo, do you still get off on the idea of Bronsen being with Cassy?" "Certainly. Well, with my libido being switched off, it''s hard to tell..." Right then, something happened... Neither Drayden nor Alice spoke for some time. After their panting died, they lay there in silence, feeling slightly damp. Ding! Sexual technique raised by one point. But don''t get too cocky; you need to work a few things out. Alice checked her status. "Yep, it''s up by one, no, two points! That means the other two have also been making love!" she said. "So Cassy has had sex with my Bronsen! Damn the little hussy!" She came close to shouting this out. She flung out her arms and tail to emphasise this statement. Drayden, still on top of her, was jotted around, so he got up on all fours and then leaned back to sit on his legs. But he was still sitting in between Alice''s legs. He giggled and said: "Ooh yeah, I can just imagine Bronsen moving..." He added a bit more description to this without being too crude. Alice screamed in frustration and levered her body up so they were almost sitting on each other''s laps. "That is not funny! How can you be so relaxed as Cassy commits adultery with my Bronsen!" "Well, dearest, you just committed adultery with Cassy''s Drayden." "That''s different, different! This is, this, aaargh!" She rocked side to side, hands clasped to her head, muttering incoherently. Drayden hugged her and patted her back with his tail. "Sweetheart, you enjoyed that as much as you enjoyed making love to Bronsen, didn''t you?" Alice calmed down slightly and stopped talking to herself. They both noticed that Drayden was getting excited again. Drayden went red in the face, and Alice looked as if she might be embarrassed also. "Say, how about we twist our tails around each other¡¯s again?" said Drayden. Something happened again. And again. Eventually, without saying anything more, they both relaxed, cuddled up to each other, and went to sleep. Bronsen and Cassy, back on the boat: "And that sets off my jealousy!" said Cassy. "And Drayden sets off my jealousy!" said Bronsen. They were now facing each other. Bronsen leant on his elbow to raise his head to get a bit of an elevation on Cassy so that he could glare at her. Cassy copied his actions, and now they were back to having their heads at the same level, but with both glaring. Bronsen gave up and collapsed back to the ground. He laughed. He had just checked his status. "Hey, look at our statuses; our sexual technique has just risen by yet another point! This is ridiculous! While arguing about jealousy, the other two are banging themselves silly!" said Bronsen. "Yeah, I know. We are both committing adultery, and we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the other two are also, and we are not going to stop doing it, and they are not going to stop either, so why do we have to get so uptight about it?" said Cassy. "Let''s lie here and practice being calm and relaxed, shall we?" said Bronsen. "I suppose so... say, you don''t look quite as relaxed as you should be..." said Cassy. They made love... a few more times before finally having a sleep. Cassy: The following day, she woke up and noticed that the boat must have changed course again sometime in the night since it was no longer leaning to one side or the other. However, it was rocking forward and backwards with enough force to push Cassy''s and Bronsen''s bodies up and down the cabin. And every time, there would be an extra loud crash of a wave hitting the bow. White foam from the waves obscured the portholes. Amazing, we''ve been sleeping through all of this? I still haven''t gotten used to our strengthed bodies. Hmm, come to think about it, we also might have been slightly tired last night from all our exercise... Ah yes. I have now slept with both Drayden and Bronsen! Two men! Wow! They are the only two men in this Ringworld I can sleep with. But I''m sure I wouldn''t have a problem with that. Not at all. Since Bronsen and Drayden are so sexy! Sigh. Despite it all, I still feel this damn stab in my heart. Yeah, how dare Alice sleep with MY Drayden. And, how dare MY Bronsen still intend to sleep with Alice. This is so stupid. An extra violent crash of water hit the bow, and Bronsen flew forward a metre and slammed into a tied-down box. This caused him to wake up. Bronsen: What was that little tap on my head - ahh, I appear to have broken one of the storage boxes. He sat up and saw Cassy sitting opposite him. She smiled sweetly at him and waved. "If you really wanted to open that box, you could have just released the catches," she said. Bronsen didn''t bother to reply to that. Instead, he started thinking about last night. Bloody hell, I still feel jealous. Definitely only a tiny amount of jealousy. Definitely. But it is still there. This sucks. I suppose we will have to work through it. And Cassy''s naked body looks so lovely, sitting there cross-legged... It took another hour before they were ready to go out and see how the breakfast preparations were going. [2.15] Order Lock Expiry on Marmalade Island Alice, On Marmalade Island: Alice woke up as the morning light began to brighten the room. She surreptitiously sat up and admired Drayden''s body as he slept on. So, I have finally done Drayden! Wow! She remembered her outbreak of jealousy last night and cringed. Why must I be so bloody upset? Drayden is perfectly correct; Bronsen and Cassy are doing precisely the same as the two of us. And even if I turn my emotional control to the max, it apparently doesn''t affect jealousy. What an utter pain. And we will soon be meeting up with them. Hmmm. Her imagination produced some interesting images of her being alone in private with Bronsen again. This sparked her jealousy as she imagined the corresponding scene with Cassy and Drayden being alone again. "Oh fucking hell, this is the pits!" She now noticed that Drayden was awake and calmly watching her. "Ah, well..." Drayden sat up right before her and also started getting another erection. With a big smile, he patted her back with his tail. "There, there, I''m sure you''ll get used to our situation." "There is no need to get condescending! Weirdo, you''re probably imagining Bronsen banging Cassy, right?" "Why, how on Earth did you guess? But I''m also imagining me banging you." Alice rolled her eyes. "Is this going to work out?" "I''m sure it is; just pretend there''s no problem. And, also, let me twist my tail around yours..." After a while. They got up, wiped themselves down with some passably clean towels they had found, and got dressed. For lack of anything else to do, they sat down next to each other at the desk they had been using for their daily meals.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Yeah, pretend nothing is wrong. Alice looked around the room, eyeing the messy collection of papers stacked on the bookcase, the random boxes of junk on the floor, and the bloodstains on the floor... "He, Drayden. We still haven''t cleaned up the blood from my little murder episode, have we?" "Oops, we haven''t. And if we''re going to have visitors in a few days, we had better set to and properly clean up this whole pigstyle of a house. We can turn it into a proper holiday chalet, ready to entertain our two guests!" At this point, they heard footsteps outside. Their morning meal was being delivered. Reggie came in the door. But he didn''t have his usual calm demeanour. He looked agitated, unsure of his actions. "Hi, Reggie. Say, what''s up?" said Alice. "Err, hello. I don''t know what is happening, but it''s weird. My orders don''t seem to be working or something. It''s almost as if I don''t have to obey my orders." He put down the trays on their desk. He continued speaking, half to himself and half to his audience. "I couldn''t work out if I should do anything, but eventually, I decided I might as well deliver your meals. Mainly because you talk to me nicely, and I have nothing else to do." "Aah! At last! It''s called Order Lock expiry. If a Grey doesn''t have any interaction with a Red or higher slave, then after a week, their compulsion to obey orders disappears. The slave collar must be re-activated for it to work as usual." said Drayden. "Oh. I didn''t know that. So, what do us slaves do now?" "Now that is a good question. First, we will go to the community hall and tell everyone about it," said Drayden. "We also need to try to get everyone to keep carrying out their duties so that they can keep on eating and living here," said Alice. "Hey, I know! We can also increase the food rations! And, if your crocigator hunters can do so, we can increase the number of crocigators caught, and everyone can have wonder crocigator stew!" said Drayden. Alice had a few private thoughts. If we have to suffer crocigator stew twice a day, then make them suffer, too! Wait, they have to eat grey goop every day. So, I guess they might consider it as a vast improvement. Oh, how I want to get back to Manifestoria and proper meals. Alice and Drayden: The remaining days until Cassy and Bronsen''s arrival passed. Alice and Drayden kept on having the good luck of no excitement to mention. They cleaned their accommodation and did their best to socialise with the Greys. Like Cassy and Bronsen, they realised that the typical Grey with an inactive collar slave didn''t know how to spend their free time. Fortunately, enough of them were willing to do the bare minimum to maintain the hunt for crocigators, maintain the food supply, and clean up afterwards. Apart from that, the Greys drifted around aimlessly, the two meals daily being the only structure to their lives. As for Alice and Drayden? "Err, Drayden?" said Alice. "Yes?" "Isn''t three times a day enough?" "Hmm, not really. I mean, what else do we have to do?" "Well, sure, let''s lock the door and have some more." A big grin from Drayden. And on another occasion. "Say, Drayden?" said Alice. "Yes?" "Slaves and sexuality, it''s rape all the way down, isn''t it?" "Of course, how can it be anything else?" "Then, how come we don''t see any signs of it amongst this group now that those shitty Blues are gone?" "Don''t know. Let''s ask Reggie." "Oh, that? I''ve been here for almost a couple of decades, I think. And the Blues that lead us are continually changing. And they are all different in their ideas of how they lead us. These latest Blues forbade any sex between us Greys. I think they wanted it all to themselves. So, I suppose, even with the collars no longer compelling us, the effects of the prohibition must still be lingering." "Well, what do you know, those Blues did one small thing right. I still don''t forgive them, but," said Alice. [2.16] Reunion on Marmalade Island Cassy and Bronsen, still sailing: The days passed as their ship slowly approached Marmalade Island. As promised by the Navigator, it took a week or so to get there. At Bronsen''s request, he adjusted the course to the island so they would arrive mid-afternoon. So, they had a week to practice their newfound pastime. And a week to ponder the implications of meeting up with the other two Misfits. "Somehow, my dear, I don''t think this reunion will be quite as exuberant as our first reunion," said Bronsen. "Somehow, my dear, I think you may be right," said Cassy. Finally, they were there. Half a kilometre off Marmalade Island, the skipper adjusted the sails and held the boat steady by balancing the breeze and the ocean currents. Bronsen and Cassey looked at the island''s little port with their enhanced eyesight. There was a small crowd of people on the dock. And right in the front centre were: "Yes! There they are! Unmistakeably, Alice and Drayden!" shouted Cassy. "And they do not have slave collars, hurrah!" said Bronsen. "Skip, you can dock the ship!" said Cassy. Alice: Right! I can have some words with Bronsen as soon as we dock. Skip and the sailors did their thing, and the ship approached the jetty. Cassy and Bronsen didn''t bother waiting until it was right up to the jetty, instead, they jumped the last three metres. Cassy ended up in front of Drayden, and Bronsen was now in front of Alice. The four exchanged glances. Meanwhile, the slaves from the ship waited until it was secured, and in no great hurry, they also alighted onto the jetty. Alice gave Bronsen a medium-level glare. "We have some things to discuss, don''t we?" A gulp from Bronsen. "I guess so..." He didn''t get any further as Alice became aware of a commotion beside her. Drayden had walked up to Cassy, dropped down to his knees, reached up with his hands to hold Cassy''s and said: "I''m sorry. I''m sorry." He started to cry. "Cassy, I''m sorry, I tried to resist, but the damned Voice made me stab you." He was sobbing, so Cassy knelt in front of him. She also started crying. She hugged him with a grip hard enough to crush wood. "It''s OK, Drayden. Its OK. Remember, I begged up to make that vow. I really didn''t want to be a slave." Hugging each other tightly, they had an epic cryfest. The slaves from the ship, who had congregated on one side of the jetty, and the slaves from the island, who had clumped up in another bunch on the other side, looked on. Most seemed mildly interested in the spectacle. Alice looked at the two, kneeling and crying. She looked at Bronsen. "Ah, maybe we can postpone our little talk?" "That might be a good idea." She looked around at the audience. Hmm. They look interested, but I don''t think most of them know what to think. They are mostly waiting patiently for someone to tell them what to do next. She had an idea. She clapped her hands and spoke to the crowd. "How about everyone go to the community hall, and we''ll meet and discuss what will happen next?" The slaves managed a tepid show of interest in this. At this stage, Bronsen added his input. "We''ve still got enough chocolate to treat everyone to a piece, so as soon as you get to the hall, we can give it out." All of the slaves from the ship perked up at this. At least half of the slaves from the island reacted also. Probably, the other half had never heard or tasted chocolate. Bronsen did a standing jump, flew through the hatch, and disappeared, reappearing a short time later with the box of chocolate. He and Alice shepherded the crowd of slaves up the path along the river to the hall. By the time the last slaves had left the jetty, Drayden and Cassy were getting their act together. Holding hands, they followed the tail of the group. Frannie: That was interesting. The two extra Misfits are similar to the first two. But I thought Bronsen was with Cassy. So what was all that drama between Cassy and Drayden? And what does it mean that Drayden killed Cassy, and then they came back? I must be missing a lot of information. All those years as a slave, and now I don''t know anything about normal non-slave societies. Once again, she recalled her last day of freedom. Fourteen years old, she had just kissed her first boyfriend. They had made a vow of love, and the Voice of the World had awarded it a strength of 3%. How our friends laughed at that. A 3% vow! So many giggles. And then the slavers came through and destroyed everything. With these depressing thoughts swirling through her head, she followed the others and ended up in the community hall. Fortunately, it was oversized and easily fitted everybody. Bronsen and Alice did their best and got the Greys sitting down and everyone munching on a piece of chocolate. "Everyone! It is time for the evening meal, so how about the people from both groups that prepared the food come to the front and get started? In anticipation of this, we caught many crocigators today, so let everyone have crocigator stew!" said Alice. There was tepid enthusiasm from the Greys as they settled down and waited for the food. "Hey, Frannie, can you help with Hestia and the cook who prepares the Island''s meals?" said Bronsen.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. "Sure," said Frannie. She went to the front and met that cook. He''s about my age; I wonder if he was from a non-slaver society... Strange, why does he look familiar? And why is he looking as if he knows me? "This is Reggie, everyone!" said Alice. "Reggie?" said Frannie. The noise of the people faded out. Awareness of her surroundings faded out. All that was left was the sight of Reggie. Her first and only boyfriend, from a decade and a half ago. From that forever lost time of happy innocence, where people loved each other and were kind to each other. Reggie went still. "Frannie?" Alice: Alice had been thinking that, as soon as the meal was prepared, she and Bronsen could grab a bowl of stew and retreat outside so she could offload her feelings to Bronsen. Clear the air! Work out what exactly Bronsen intends to do with Cassy. A small voice within her asked what exactly she intended to keep on doing with Drayden. Shutup! Then, Frannie and Reggie appeared to recognise each other. What''s that about? Reggie stepped in closer to Frannie. "Is that really you?" "Y-yes?" "It''s been so long," said Reggie. Tears started forming in his eyes; he tentatively reached out to Frannie. She looked anguished, then horrified. "Reggie, I, I, I can''t. Too much has happened." She then turned and ran out of the hall. Alice watched her back as she disappeared out of the door. Had a look at Reggie. He''s not going to be doing any cooking tonight, that''s for sure. She took a look around. As usual, the other slaves are watching with interest but without much comprehension. Drayden and Cassy are still holding on to each other as if their lives depend on it. I want to deal with Bronsen. Instead, I have to deal with whatever this is all about. Why do I have to do this? Because, I suppose, having freed these slaves, the Misfits are responsible for them. Shit. We are totally responsible for them, aren''t we? Oh, shit, this. "Hestia, do you think you can get the meal going? I''m sure there must be some slaves who will volunteer to help." Alice turned towards the main group of slaves with a meaningful look. Maybe some remembered her walking in while carrying the body of one of the Blues as if it was a small piece of rubbish; anyway, some volunteered. "OK, I''ll go after Frannie. Now, Bronsen, I presume you would like to help Reggie?" Bronsen nodded his head. "How about you take him outside, away from me and Frannie, of course, and talk?" Ten minutes later, Alice found Frannie behind the factory shed, huddled against the wall with her arms around her knees. She sat next to her at a small distance. "Hi there. You''re Frannie, aren''t you?" Frannie nodded her head slightly. What do I say now? "So, have Bronsen and Cassy been looking after you well?" "Yes. They allowed me to increase my Voice Stats to the max." She certainly perked up at that. How did they do that - ahh! "You mean, they got you to destroy some slave collars?" "Yes. At first, it was to cope with that ex-Red slave who kept on trying to sex us; then, it was to help them launch the boat without anybody getting killed. It was great!" She was now sitting up and no longer looking at the ground. Trying to sex you... In other words, trying to rape you? Yeah, I know how that goes. Launching the boat without fatalities? Ask at a later date. "I gather you must have known Reggie when he was captured as a teenager?" Frannie slumped back down again and began sniffling. "Yes. All those years ago. Yanked from my wonderful family, my friends and my first boyfriend. Years of obeying orders, orders that crowded out every moment of every day. " "But sometimes I had some spare time to dream about love, about standing in the sunshine, with my friends to my side, holding hands with Reggie." "Faded memories of gentle hands and voices, cuddling my cat, the soft colours of the room lit by lanterns as we ate nice foods." "When I was so innocent and hopeful..." By now, Frannie was crying, and Alice had put her arm around her and was patting her back with her tail. After a while, Alice asked: "So why did you run away when Reggie appeared?" "Because! Because I can''t go back to all of that! It''s been destroyed. I''ve been repeatedly sexed by, no, what was the word Cassy used? That''s right, countless men have repeatedly raped me. Used and dumped. I''ve had four children, all of whom I had to give away to a baby farm when they were three. I am no longer that little teenage girl. I can''t, I can''t go back there." By now, she was sobbing. Innocent teenager. Just like us Misfits were. Except that we are now much stronger in every way, while she merely lost everything. Oh shit. What do we do? There was the sound of footsteps, and Cassy appeared out of the twilight. She was carrying a tray with two bowls of that crocigator soup Alice loved so much. "Hi there! I followed the sounds of your voices; I''ve brought you your meal!" Cassy left them, leaving the two alone as the sky darkened to become almost black. "Frannie, we can now see the spiral galaxy as the ringworld slowly rotates. Did you know about ten billion stars are all shining up there?" "I don''t? And don''t you mean as the galaxy slowly rotates? What is a star, anyway?" "Well, think of the ringworld sun. Now think of ten billion of them, all clumped up and moving around themselves. That''s what the galaxy is. And the ringworld is well out to one side, far away from it, so all we see is a wash of white colour against the background of the universe." "Ten billion ringworlds?" "Err, not quite, but sort of." "I don''t think I understand. I''ve never heard of anything like that before." "That''s all right. Just think of the fact that there are ten billion worlds out there. A looooong way away." Where the hell am I going with this? Frannie was looking perplexed by this strange information. Alice kept right on going. "So, there''s a lot of people out there. I''m sure they all have their own problems. So, I guess I''m trying to say we need to take a step back and get a broader perspective on what is bothering us." "I do?" "Maybe the Reggie from back then, the innocent little teenager he was, would be horrified at your current situation. But remember, he has been through the same number of years in the same situation as you. If anybody can understand what you''ve been through, it would be him." "I suppose so." "I mean, there''s no way you can restart your relationship as it was back then. No way. However, you can work out a new relationship. Become some sort of friend or companion with someone who shares a past. Someone you might one day hold hands with, someone with whom you can seek mutual comfort. Even just as a friend." "As a slave, of course, there is no room for any friendships anywhere," said Frannie. "No, there isn''t. But now you don''t have that collar continually ordering you around. You have the time and space to find some sort of friendship with someone." "Is such a thing possible?" "It sure is. But don''t rush it, OK?" "OK." They ate their meal in silence and then returned to the community hall. Alice was thinking: She looks amazingly like Eleanor, except she''s skinnier. Feed her up, and the resemblance will be even more so. Also, I need to get Bronsen''s take on this. Bronsen: Alice is so determined to have a ''talk'' with me. But the poor girl keeps getting sidetracked by ''responsibilities''. Let''s avoid that talk for as long as possible, right? So I''m more than happy to talk with this Reggie person. "Reggie, I''m Bronsen, by the way. Shall we take a walk outside, away from this mob, and also away from Frannie, of course, and have a discussion?" Reggie, looking as if he didn''t have much of an opinion on anything at the moment, nodded his head. He obediently followed Bronsen, and they sat on one of the carts parked in front of the factory shed. Bronsen scratched his head. What do I say here? "I''m assuming that even after all those years and everything that has happened, you still feel something for Frannie?" A long gap of silence. "Yeah, I still feel something. Except for the first year, I''ve been here the whole time. The work is never-ending, and the orders fill up my entire day, but there are always a few moments when I can think my thoughts. Whenever I can, I think of her. What else do I have to think about? Certainly, there is no friendship or love here on this Island. Not with this blasted collar compelling me all the time. It was about the only thing that kept me going. Then she suddenly appears and doesn''t want anything to do with me! Even that tiny bit of purpose to my life is now gone." Reggie stared blankly at the closest building, now slowly fading into the dusk, and continued to talk. "You know, a lot of these slaves are hollow shells; they let their collars drag them through the day, then lie on their mattresses at the end of it and stare blankly at the ceiling until they fall asleep. There is nothing in their lives, nothing at all. I tried to avoid that, but I guess I''ll end up like that anyway." With a glum and lost look, Reggie decided to now stare at the ground; he went back to being silent. I hope that the creator of this shitty slave system is being endlessly reincarnated as a dung beetle. A dung beetle that is squashed by a hoof-fall every time it is re-born. What can I do for this poor man? "Reggie, perhaps all is not lost." Let''s make up something. I hope it turns out for the good. "It must have been a shock to see you. She has obviously been through a lot. I believe she had four children, and they were all taken away when they became three years old. So, I don''t know, how about giving her some space for a day or two and then trying to develop some sort of friendship? You''re never returning to what you were, but there must be some potential to become some sort of companions to each other. Surely?" "I suppose so." At this point, Drayden came out with a tray containing two bowls of stew plus spoons. After a while, they went back into the community hall. [2.17] Consequences The Misfits: After getting the new group of slaves settled into their new living arrangements, the Misfits had retired to the front room of their accommodations. Due to the lack of sufficient chairs, they were sitting on the floor. Alice ran her hands through her nice, straight black hair. "I know it''s purely cosmetic, but I still love how my hair is nowadays." Cassy, sitting next to her, agreed. "Yeah, it''s great having mine nice and long but not to have to expend the slightest effort in maintaining it." The two boys were sitting in front of them, Bronsen in front of Alice and Drayden in front of Cassy. "Yes, you both look lovely!" said Bronsen. "Pity there''s now no need for Alice to comb Cassy''s hair," said Drayden. "You poor boys. You still want some girl-on-girl action, don''t you," said Cassy. "Of course!" said Bronsen, "After all that has happened, why can''t we, you know, get up to things?" "Yeah. After all, it is so impressive that we have survived dying two times to get to this point," said Drayden. A snort of derision from Cassy. "That''s not really due to our actions. It''s all by System-san''s contrivance." "But System-san decided to save us because of our actions, don''t forget," said Drayden. There was a gap in the conversation before Alice spoke. "Of course, Bronsen, we have already gotten up to many things, haven''t we?" She smiled sweetly at him. "Well, now, I guess..." said Bronsen. "In fact, you have definitely been up to things," said Alice, this time with a touch more stress. Bronsen had no trouble picking this up. But, before he could answer, Cassy cut in. "Yes, I know, we need to talk about our relationships. However, I hope nobody has forgotten the little fact that we are now responsible for about 120 partly free-slaves. And we are still smack bang in the middle of the slaver nation.'' ¡°Damn,¡± said Alice, "OK. What are we going to do with them? And, for that matter, with us?" "Obviously, we do all we can to get back to Manifestoria," said Cassy, "I, for one, want to hug Evereena; I''m sure she is missing all of us." "Missing you the most, I bet," said Drayden. They all looked a little glum at the reminder of their parting. "Anyway. If we want to return, we must sail there," said Bronsen. "Which means we need to take, at the barest minimum, all of the sailors and ship crew. Since we can''t sail that boat by ourselves," said Cassy. "I''m pretty sure I do not want to abandon the remaining people on the boat, so that means we need to take them all," said Bronsen. "And I''m pretty sure I don''t want to abandon the ones from this island," said Alice, "So we need to take them all, also." Drayden nodded vigorously at this. "Is the ship big enough?" he added. "Oh, heaps," said Cassy. "OK, so we take everyone with us. But, will they all want to?" said Drayden. Everyone looked around at everyone else. Eventually, Bronsen said, "No idea. But, at least a lot of them will probably be OK with going. I mean, how many of them want to re-activate their slave collars?" said Alice. "The two minions of the ex-Red probably want to," said Cassy. "Hmm" said Bronsen. "Sorry, but what about the so-called ex-Red himself?" said Alice. "Ah. Well, you see, that ex-Red is very dead. I may have lost my temper just slightly and, you know, run him through with my sword. And then dumped him into the ocean. Where some Kraken monster promptly ate him." said Cassy. Alice and Drayden raised their eyebrows at that, and ten minutes were spent filling them in on the blood-soaked details. "I hope no one minds?" said Cassy. Alice and Drayden shook their heads in negation. Then Drayden gave Alice a long look, full of significance and meaning. "Aah, all right, I think Drayden wants me to confess to something. Like, I have also lost my temper. Only a little bit, err, I mean only for the one time." "And?" said Cassy. "All things considered, I don''t regret it one little bit," said Alice. "Come on, tell us!" said Cassy. Sigh. "OK, don''t rush me! Well, you see, we were hiding behind that door-"If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Alice pointed. Actually, the door frame was still empty and the door was lying on the ground where it had landed. "And listening to the two Blues who used to run this place, as they discussed various topics, including raping the female slaves..." Cassy politely refrained from saying anything but continued looking at Alice intently. As was Drayden. "So I killed them both. Stabbed them through the body with my sword. Oh, I''m also the one responsible for that broken door." Bronsen snorted. "My oh my, both of our females are deadly!" Drayden agreed with him. "But at least we did clean up the blood from the floor!" said Alice. "That''s a relief; one must always clean up after oneself," said Cassy. Drayden giggled. "Hey, everyone, this is serious!" said Alice. "Of course, it''s serious. But if we don''t laugh at it, what will we do?" said Drayden. "Yeah, I know. Probably start screaming," said Alice. "That reminds me, my dear, you were the last of us to die, weren''t you?" said Bronsen. "I was. And I tell you, the effects of that quasi-Ashrend experience were utterly horrible," said Alice. She stopped and momentarily looked horrible. So all the others closed in, and they shared a four-way hug, doing their best to squash each other. They also leaned forward and touched their heads to each other. "I''m so glad to be with all of you again," said Alice. The others all agreed. They separated slightly and relaxed. "We need to do this more often. But, unfortunately, we still need to discuss the ongoing situation," said Bronsen. "That''s right, you said something about two minions?" said Drayden. "Yeah. They might want to go back to the shitty condition of being slaves, but at a guess, not many others would," said Bronsen. "Realistically, I think that most of the slaves don''t know what they want but will probably be willing to go along with whatever we suggest," said Drayden. "We increased the stats of some of the trusted slaves by getting them to destroy collars. So, how about Alice and Bronsen do the same with some of the slaves they trust? That way, we can dangle the promise to stat rises to everyone, which should make more of them eager to go with us." said Cassy. "We have a couple of hundred slave collars right here. So there''s no shortage of the things for rising stats," said Alice. "So, what about the small number who might decide they don''t want to be free?" said Bronsen. There were nervous looks all around until, finally, Alice spoke up. "All in all, I really, really don''t want to kill some poor slave merely because he doesn''t want to go with us." "I don''t, either," said Cassy. "So, we leave them behind?" said Drayden. Another four-way look. "That doesn''t sound like a good idea." said Bronsen, "There''s no need to make it easier for the slave emperor to know about us." "Fine, then we drag them along with us, screaming and kicking all the way." said Cassy, "After all, we can say they will again become slaves soon enough when Manifestoria is captured in the not-too-distant future." "I''m sure that isn''t depressing, not depressing at all," said Drayden. "Well, at least we don''t have to worry about any other ranking slaves arriving; we are far off the normal routes and I am sure we are safe," said Bronsen. "I wonder what Eleanor will think when we show up with more than a hundred uninvited guests?" said Alice. "Crumbs, I hadn''t thought of that," said Cassy. "Let''s worry about that tomorrow," said Bronsen. "Wait on, there''s one extra vital thing to worry about!" said Cassy. She spent a few minutes explaining the toilet situation on the ship. "Right, the first job we give Harold tomorrow is constructing three or four enclosed toilet cubicles. That should do the job?" said Bronsen. Cassy relaxed. Then she yawned, which set off the others. Alice opened her mouth to say something, but Cassy got in first. "Since I¡¯m the one that got stabbed to death by Drayden, I think that I should be the one to make the decision. Nobody minds?" ¡°Ah, what decision?¡± said Bronsen. ¡°You know exactly what I mean!¡± said Cassy. She gave off an air that suggested it would be tough luck if anyone objected to whatever decision she would be making. Nobody objected. "Good then." She reached out and casually hoisted Drayden by the scuff of his tunic. Fortunately, the clothing was of good quality and didn''t tear. "Which is our room - ah, sorry, I misspoke. I think it should be: which is my room?" Alice wordlessly pointed to the spare bedroom they had prepared. Cassy and Drayden disappeared into the room, and the door clicked firmly shut. Alice, alone with Bronsen at last, stood up. "Come on, let''s retire also," she said. Drayden: Cassy closed the door behind them. There was nothing much in the room except a couple of blankets on the floor. So she tossed Drayden onto them, then sat in front of him. Drayden found himself looking at Cassy, who had a smile on her face. It was definitely a smile, even if it was showing a lot of teeth. "I believe that my lying, cheating boyfriend has been fucking Alice, yes?" "Definitely. Although I would like to point out that, technically, no lying was involved." "But you certainly cheated on me by lying with Alice, hmm?" "Well, is it cheating when you were doing the same thing with Bronsen?" "What I did with Bronsen is," Here, Cassy slowed down and thought about it. "Is - Yep, it''s definitely not cheating. No cheating is involved. But it was extremely nice. So, how would you describe your time with Alice." "Oh, very nice also. She has a lovely body and is fantastic in bed." "Is that so? You are telling me, your first girlfriend, that Alice is fantastic at making love?" "Why, yes. After all, didn''t you find making love to Bronsen absolutely fantastic, too?" "OK, I''ll admit it, yes, I certainly did. I¡¯m getting aroused just thinking about him. And, come to mention it, you''re getting a massive erection just by thinking about Alice, aren''t you?" "You bet I am. Of course, It''s not only Alice''s naked body that I''m thinking about..." "Indeed, and whose other ''naked'' body are you thinking about?" "Well, your''s, of course." "Hmm" Five minutes later, they were making love. No lying was involved, but they were undoubtedly lying down. After a while: Cassy put her finger onto Drayden''s mouth. "Let''s leave the serious discussions to another day, OK?" It had been a long day; they were sound asleep soon after. Bronsen: I hope I survive this. "Bronsen!" Alice poked him in the chest. She might be a little bit angry. "You''ve been fucking that little red-haired hussy, haven''t you?" "I sure have." "But you bloody well belong to me!" "Yes, I do. But I also belong to Cassy. After all, you''ve been having lots of fun fucking Drayden, haven''t you?" "That''s, that''s nothing to do with this!" "Really? It has everything to do with this. Admit it, we''re in a four-way group marriage, and if we feel jealousy, we will have to deal with it and live with it." Alice started sputtering with anger. They were still standing; she picked up Bronsen with both hands so his feet were dangling clear off the floor and vented her rage. "You are mine! And so is Drayden! Cassy is not allowed to have my boyfriend!" "Don''t you mean boyfriends, plural?" Alice dropped Bronsen back onto the floor, so he reciprocated by hugging her. "My dear, how about we worry about such unpleasant topics at a later date?" he said. Alice hugged him back. "I suppose." After a certain amount of hugging, Alice separated just enough to look Bronsen in the eye. "Is there something hard coming up down there?" "Yes. And?" Alice sighed. "OK, OK, let''s do it." After a while. "Now that was wonderful!" said Bronsen. Alice kept a dignified silence, so Bronsen decided to respect that. Nevertheless, my dear, you enjoyed that as much as I did. Bronsen settled in to have a sleep, only to have Alice finally speak up. "Hmm. Say, Bronsen, I don''t suppose you''d like to keep it a secret that I called Cassy a, err, hussy?" "Certainly." "I mean, apart from my, my jealousy, I do love her. Except not the same way you do, of course." "That''s fine." And with that, they went to sleep. They slept well. [2.18] First day after the reunion. The Misfits: Thankfully, there wasn¡¯t any more drama the following morning. However, Alice may have been giving the other three the occasional intense stare. They ended up in the community hall, having breakfast with everyone else. They had decided they had better make an appearance and at least start to get the whole group used to their presence. And, maybe, used to taking orders from them. After the breakfast clean-up, the Misfits wandered over to the carts parked outside and sat on one of them. A party of willing slaves went off for the daily crocigator fishing. Another group who came with the boat returned to it to do regular maintenance. ¡°I never realised how labour-intensive running a big ship like that was,¡± said Drayden. ¡°Oh, you have no idea,¡± said Cassy. From their perch on the cart, they could see the remainder milling around, not doing much of anything. However, some managed to indulge in socialisation between themselves. ¡°Look at them, it''s like Ester and Evereena getting used to living in a free society,¡± said Cassy. ¡°Except worse, since there are so many of them,¡± said Bronsen. "What did you two do while waiting for us to reappear?" said Cassy, speaking to Drayden and Alice. "Had a relaxing time. The slaves had no orders about us, so they ignored us. And when the Order Lock expired, they just kept doing that. We spent our time walking around and relaxing at the pagoda overlooking the central lake." said Drayden. "Oh bloody hell. We had to work our arses off, firstly dealing with the slaves, then getting the boat sea-worthy, then sailing, with more drama with the slaves," said Bronsen. "Oh dear." said Alice, "But, you know, I needed a break after having all three of your System ability scores dumped into my abilities." "Yeah, I can tell you it did nothing for her temper!" said Drayden. He got a hot glare from Alice. She opened her mouth to express her feelings back when she was interrupted. "There''s another ship approaching!" "What!" said the Misfits. Reggie ran up. "There''s a small sailing ship heading straight for us. It''ll be over the bar at the mouth of the creek and tying up at the jetty within an hour." "Oh shit," said Bronsen. "There must be some high-ranking slaves on board," said Drayden. "And if they get anywhere near our slaves, there will be a complete disaster," said Alice. "Yeah, there''s no way we can fight off a hundred slaves that have all been ordered to kill us," said Cassy. A brief four-way glance. "So, we agree that we have to kill the ranking slaves on that boat. And we have to do it, like, right now?" said Bronsen. The other three nodded. Then they started running at their full speed towards the jetty. They zapped through the settlement, much to the surprise of the slaves there, down the track and up to the jetty. Meanwhile, the small yacht had sailed sedately into the bay''s shallow waters. The Misfits used the cover of their boat to hide behind, sticking out their heads on one side to watch the visitors. They could also see some of their slaves still fishing for crocigators while others were working on the boat. "Hell, as soon as some higher-ranked slave pokes their head out and tries to order our slaves to do anything, they will know that something is wrong!" said Drayden. "Look, someone''s appeared!" said Alice. One of the hatches on the top of the yacht opened, and a head appeared out of it. "A green collar!" said Alice. The Green pointed up to the boat - the Misfits couldn''t see who he was pointing to as they were behind the boat - and said:Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "Toss us a mooring rope!" The Misfits held their breath and waited to see what would happen. "Well, get to it!" Apparently, nothing happened. The Green: Why aren''t they instantly carrying out my order? They are standing around, looking at me but not doing anything else. ... Shit! The pathetic Blues must have fought and killed each other. Stupid pieces of shit. I don''t know why the Emporer doesn''t order the Blues not to kill each other; it happens so often. I''ll have to go through the lot and re-activate them all. Wait, something''s wrong. There are the slaves on the boat and the slaves from the island. Does that mean that all four Blues are dead? Something''s screwy here. I need to find out what. He called up his second in command, a Blue, to take a look, then started issuing orders to him and the rest of the crew to dock the yacht and prepare for a stay. Bronsen: "If those two get any closer, we will have a disaster. So, we swim out, use our grappling hooks to get aboard, then kill the Blue and Green, then rush as fast as possible through the insides of the boat and see if there are any other ranking slaves. Is that a plan?" "Yes, that''s OK by me. Since Cassy and I have had experience fighting off crocigators, how about you and Alice concentrate on getting onto the yacht and killing them while we guard against the sea life? Then we also get onto the yacht," said Drayden. "OK, Let''s go!" said Bronsen. All four jumped off the jetty and into the water. This, of course, instantly attracted the attention of all the predators swimming nearby. Bronsen, as he furiously swam at a pace that would have put an Olympian swimmer to shame and made them want to give up swimming and take up knitting instead, still had time to look around underwater. Two smallish crocigators to the left. Oh, Cassy just killed one. And there''s that octopussy thing to the right, which Drayden is currently slicing up. He briefly paused his swimming to punch a snappy shark at this point, then resumed. The Green: What in the Ringworld are those four slaves doing, swimming out to us? What! Did one of them just kill a crocigator? At least, when they get to us, I can reclaim them as slaves and ask them what the Voice is going on around here. Far quicker than he would have thought possible, the two slaves swimming in front of the other two arrived at the yacht''s hull. They immediately used some sort of hook - It''s black. Are those hooks bonded tools? I''ve never seen anything like them before. And the one in front of me is a female! How does a female get to be so fast - Oh, she doesn''t have a collar - The grappling hook disappeared at this point, closely followed by a sword appearing right through his chest. Ding! You have died by Misfit. The Misfits? I thought they had died. Ding! Yes, but they were reincarnated. You, however, will be moving on. Oh. Bronsen: He reached up with his grappling hook, hoisting himself up so fast he flew up and over onto the deck roof, then he swapped to his sword and thrust it straight through the Blue. A quick check to his side Yep, the Green is dead. And then both dived through the hatch. Bronsen went to the bow, and Alice went to the stern. There''s only one deck space. He heard some thumps as Cassy and Drayden hoisted themselves onto the top of the deck, and then they dropped inside. However, Bronsen didn''t look behind. Instead, he was looking ahead. Two Greys, looking at me with blank faces, a bulkhead, another cabin behind it, four more slaves, a bulkhead, and an empty cabin. This looked fractionally more upmarket than the previous cabin, so Bronsen guessed it must have been the Blue''s or the Green''s. He moved forward again, through the next bulkhead, only to find a storage area at the ship''s bow. He relaxed and turned around just in time to hear Alice call out. "No more coloured collars up here!" So he called back the same. After some more leisurely checking, they at last relaxed. There were ten slaves in all, who were now all gathered in the central cabin. "Hi there. As you can see, we have just killed your masters. Do you have any problems with that?" said Bronsen. "I don''t suppose so. But we need to dock the yacht, so if we can get to our stations?" said one slave. "Sure." It looks like it''s Order Lock time. The Misfits tried their best to keep out of the way of the slaves as they worked the yacht up the jetty and tied up. They hopped out and had a little meeting. "OK, we did it. Anyone has any problems with it?" said Bronsen. "Well, not for now." said Drayden, "And if no one else has, let''s postpone that question till tonight?" Everyone agreed. They watched as the slaves securely moored the yacht, then began to gather in the sails and get ready for a stay. After they had finished and were assembled in the main cabin, Bronsen poked his head through the hatch and said: "Would you like to come up with us to the main community mess hall and meet the other slaves?" There was silence, until one slave said. "We''ve been ordered to dock the yacht and prepare for a stay. So we must stay here until they order us to do something else." "You did see us kill your masters, right?" said Bronsen. "Yes, but we still have our orders." Bronsen rolled his eyes. "Sure, sure. Do you have enough food to last a week?" "Oh, plenty." "Fine. Do you mind if we look through the yacht?" "We don''t have any orders against it." "Bloody hell! First, you slaves are all screaming at me and attacking me in waves, and now you totally ignore me!" That was Alice, screaming out some of her accumulated stress. Drayden on one side and Bronsen on the other gave her a sandwich hug. And Cassy patted her on the back. The slaves, as usual, didn''t have a clue about what to make of that. For the search, Bronsen decided to start at the stern, and they made their way methodically towards the bow. The only thing of importance that they found was a big chest full of slave collars. Maybe almost a thousand. Bronsen scratched his chin. He spoke to his friends. "If you have no better ideas, how about we leave these slaves to their own devices but take the box of collars with us?" Nobody objected, so that is what they did. Bronsen looked behind as they left. They are showing no curiosity whatsoever as we leave. We had better check up on them every day. [2.19] Another committee meeting The Misfits: It was evening. Everyone had been fed, and the Misfits were in their holiday chalet. They were back to sitting on the floor since there still weren¡¯t sufficient chairs. Alice and Drayden had been very particular at placing the desks over the area of the floor where the blood stains could still, faintly, be seen. Nobody wanted to sit on old blood stains of murdered people. "OK, everyone, we still can''t have a four-way talk about consequences. Instead, we must keep discussing various management issues," said Bronsen. "I hate to say this, but in killing all the leaders of now three groups of slaves, we are responsible for their well-being. Wait, we didn''t kill the two blues from the big boat; they managed to kill themselves. But, anyway. " said Cassy. "I agree. They are so pathetically hopeless without the Blues bossing them around," said Alice. "Also, when we bring all of these freshly inactivated slaves back to Manifestoria, what the hell are they going to say about it?" said Drayden. "Trying to feed and house so many, all at once, and trying to work out how to make them productive, is going to give Eleanor a head-splitting headache," said Bronsen. "That''s assuming that she is still alive and that Manifestoria has not been turned into a slave colony," said Cassy. "Yeah, cheer me up, will you?" said Bronsen. "It could be possible!" said Cassy. "Whoa! No arguing in a committee meeting!" said Drayden, "Save that for our pairs." A snort of derision from Cassy, then silence from everyone else. "If no one objects, I can list the things we must consider..." said Bronsen. Nobody objected. "Right. First, we have no choice but to wait a week for the Order Lock to expire on the new slaves, then another week or so for them to get used to being free." "Next, we have to plan on getting everybody to Manifestoria. And, we have to plan what to do if we get there and it''s a bloody slave colony." "Can we kill all of the ranking slaves, as we have already done, and then wait for the Order Lock to expire?" said Alice. Her expression was not very encouraging about this possibility. After a brief discussion, the group consensus was: "Nope. Too many slaves, they will be too prepared, and they will undoubtedly all be loaded up with orders to attack on sight," said Alice in summary. "How depressing," said Bronsen, "OK, let''s consider the other possibility; Eleanor is still queen. How are we going to help Eleanor introduce over a hundred slaves to a free society?" "I don''t know. Remember that, as far as we know, anyone can do an Ashrend. They need two collars and a person they don''t mind killing." said Drayden. "Well, in that case, we must ensure every slave is sufficiently protected... Oh, wait..." said Alice. "That''s right, Alice, my dear. Remember, they had to supply a rotating shift of about a dozen guards to protect our original measly four slaves. How will they keep track of this mob?" said Bronsen. "Not to mention, with that many slaves wandering around, there''s bound to be some that accidentally or deliberately wander off and get lost or separated from the main group. And there''s bound to be an occasional member of the public that knows about Ashrends and has the lousy morals to even think of doing one," said Drayden. Bronsen put his hands to his head and mussed up his perfectly combed hair. "This is getting more complicated the more we think about it!" Ding! For the low, low price of 20,000 points, you may collectively purchase the unique skill [Destroy a Slave Collar Worn by a Slave Without Killing them]. Also, you still get 100 points for destroying a collar when you do. This means you can recoup your initial investment after freeing only 200 slaves! "Hey, we can now destroy slavery!" said Cassy. "Err, Cassy, how many slaves are there?" said Drayden. Ding! There are currently 62,237,872 slaves in Felixerra. "Thanks, System san, for destroying my hope," said Cassy. "But look on the bright side! We can remove all collars from our slaves, which means when we arrive at Manifestoria, they don''t have to worry about so many in-active slaves running around," said Bronsen. "Course, Eleanor will now have to worry about having all those untrained people running around, without jobs and mostly without any social skills," said Drayden. "OK, I get your drift. But at least it''s a start, wouldn''t you agree?" said Bronsen. "But, wait, we only have a few thousand points left, and they are locked!" said Alice. "But! We have the spare collars!" said Cassy. "Ooh, that''s right," said Alice. Ding! All locked points have been unlocked. "OK, everyone! Let''s destroy..." Bronsen worked it out in his head. "Forty-five or so collars each!" Since they were using thermal lances, which was their fastest method, they first took the collars outside. "Everyone, is it OK to touch a collar with our hands?" said Cassy. "I suppose so. Although I still think they are creepy to hold." Alice said. They picked up the collars by their grappling hooks and took them out. No skin contact involved! After a gleeful ten minutes, they had over 20,000 points on their collective statuses. Ding! Ability [Destroy a Slave Collar Worn by a Slave Without Killing them] has been added for the bargain price of 20,000 points! "Say, System, how many people have accumulated 20,000 points at once?" said Drayden. Ding! In the last millenium, zero. Not even close. "So, that''s why nobody else has gotten this ability. It''s too expensive," said Drayden. "Anyway, let''s go and free some slaves!" said Alice. "Shouldn''t we wait until it''s morning? Right now, they are either settling in for the night or already sleeping," said Bronsen. "OK, OK. I get the message." "I have a question," said Drayden, "How do we use our skill to destroy a collar?" Ding! By touching any part of your body to any part of the slave''s body or their collar. No further action is required. Of course, this means putting a collar onto any Misfit is now impossible. Cassy started laughing before managing to say: "Any part of your body? To any part of the slave''s body? You poor boys, it would have been such a great pickup line; I can see it now. You sidle up to an innocent young female slave and say, ''Want to touch bodies? - It''ll remove your collar.''" Alice looked scandalised. Bronsen looked concerned. And Drayden giggled along with Cassy. After a while, Cassy calmed down. "Maybe we shouldn''t tell anyone that part. Maybe we should act as if we had to touch the collar with our hands directly," said Drayden. Questioning looks from everyone else until Bronsen finally got it. "Ahh, it''s the principle of not fully telling anyone about how powerful our abilities are, isn''t it?" "That''s right. You never know." They settled into a comfortable silence. That slowly became not quite so comfortable. The Misfits needed to do something they were extremely poor at doing; they had to make a choice, even if it was only for one night. Finally, someone did so. Cassy reached out, grabbed Drayden and hoisted him up. "How about we touch bodies, hmm?" "Ah, sure! I don¡¯t mind doing it again," said Drayden. Alice shrugged and picked up Bronsen in the same manner. "This method of picking up a boy could be fun." Having nothing else to do and a lot to think about, they retired. Cassy and Drayden: "Let''s have some fun without discussing anything heavy, shall we? We need to wait for a four-way discussion first to clear the air," said Cassy. Drayden was more than happy to agree. They lay down, but it wasn''t till an hour or so later that they finally got to sleep. Alice and Bronsen: ¡°It''s so tiring dealing with this jealousy thing. So let''s keep on pretending for the time being that the problem doesn''t exist, OK?¡± said Alice. "Fine!" They also took some time to get to sleep. Bronsen: After waking up and enjoying each other¡¯s company the following day, the couple got ready for another day. Making love to Alice is lovely! Although, I wouldn''t mind some more with Cassy... He caught a glimpse of Alice, staring off into space and making a little sigh. "Say, Alice, were you just thinking of Drayden then?" "What! No way! I''m not a perv like you are!" "My, that''s the first time you''ve ever used that word. I caught you by surprise, didn''t I?" "I, I, well, OK, maybe, I was. Only a little bit! Now shut up about it!" They left the room, and Bronsen was still giggling to himself when the other two came out. Drayden: Drayden was also enjoying Cassy''s company. Finally:Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "Ahh, that was the best!" he said. "Oh, you''re saying Alice isn''t as good as I am?" Drayden rapidly decided this was a topic for total, brutal, honesty - and complete equality. "No, no, I mean, you''re both the best! Truly!" "Admit it, you''re fantasising about getting with Alice again, right?" "Oooh, you bet I am. But then, you have some thoughts about Bronsen, correct?" "Maybe." They went through the door and saw Bronsen coming out. I wonder what he''s giggling about? Bronsen: "Shall we have breakfast with everyone else, then after it is finished, we grab Frannie and Reggie and take them to our cabin? We can say we need to discuss the meal arrangements or something?" Drayden and Cassy said: "Sure, no problem." Alice looked slightly hesitant. Crap, I know what she''s thinking. "Does anyone have anything extra to add?" Alice nodded to Bronsen before saying she was OK with it. Until we settle into our new relationship, I had better be extra careful about consulting with her. Also, with everyone else, of course. Frannie: Discussing the meal arrangements? What is there to discuss? The fishers get a fresh crocigator every day, and we turn it into stew and then serve it with plenty of grey goop. They probably want me to become friends with Reggie. I don''t know. I think they are trying to be nice to me, but it''s been so long since anything nice happened to me; I''m just not sure it''s possible. Looking resigned, she entered the cabin. She stood apart from Reggie. Come to think about it, Reggie also looks uncomfortable. Cassy walked right up to Frannie, reached out with her hand to touch her collar, and said "Let''s try this!" Her slave collar, a constant companion for one and a half decades, constantly overriding her feelings, continually pushing her to do what she was ordered, utterly indifferent to her well-being, stuck with her until she died. That slave collar, which, without warning, disintegrated into a pile of coarse sand and fell onto her tunic, then onto the floor. Ding! Slave collar has been removed, courtesy of the Misfits. What? What? What? She stood there, a blank look on her face. She brushed the coarse grains off her shoulders and felt her neck. It''s gone. Gone. Just like that, it''s gone. By the Voice, it''s gone. She put her head in her hands, sank onto her knees onto the floor, and began to cry. It''s really gone! But what if the slavers put one back on? No! I''ll go with the Misfits! No! I don''t want it back! It''s really gone! She kept on crying. Cassy knelt next to her and patted her back. Reggie: Cassy removed Frannie''s collar? But that''s impossible without killing the slave! At this point, Alice stepped in front of Reggie. "All I have to do is put my hand on your collar -" His collar also disappeared, leaving coarse sand everywhere. Oh, my collar is gone. I don''t know what to think. He stood there, shocked and silent, patting his neck where the collar once had been. Drayden: Ha ah! It worked. Reggie looks shocked silly, and Frannie is having an epic cry out. He remembered his and Cassy''s little cry fest. Yes, there''s plenty of crying around the Misfits. And there''s a heap of sand on the floor; we must sweep it out again. More chores to do. Perhaps we can order a slave to do it? No, shutup Drayden, that''s a bad joke. And we have just gained 200 points! We''ll be getting a lot more! But what do we do with the points? We can''t give them away and have maxed out all our stats, so we can''t use them ourselves. Ding! For the real low, totally a bargain price of only 1000 points, you may collectively purchase the unique skill [Transfer Points from the Misfits Status to Someone else''s]. Drayden clapped his hand to his mouth to prevent him from laughing out loud. He didn''t want to disrespect Frannie''s and Reggie''s moments. He looked around. Yep, the other three have also gotten the same message. We are short of almost 1000 points, perhaps... Bronsen nodded to Drayden, then disappeared into the spare room they used to store all the slave collars. Drayden noticed that his free points were going up. And up. It dropped as soon as it exceeded the 1000 point threshold, and a new ability appeared in his status list. But the points kept on going up again, up to about 3000. Bronsen reappeared with a smug face. The Misfits waited patiently until Frannie and Reggie regained some composure. "And now, for our next miracle!" said Bronsen. Alice rolled her eyes at this. "Wait, we need to ask System-san how to use our new ability," said Drayden. Ding! By touching any part of your body to any part of the recipient''s body and then wishing to increase their physical and combat abilities to a certain percentage. To max them out, set the percentage value to 100%. That''s nice, we increase their capabilities, but it''s totally under our control how much. "Shall we max them out?" said Bronsen. " Frannie is already maxed out," said Cassy. "Whatever, then let''s do Reggie''s," said Bronsen. Frannie and Reggie were starting to look puzzled. "Never mind! If I do this..." said Bronsen as he touched Reggie''s hand. Yep, our collective status free points went down by 413 points. He didn''t have very high abilities, did he? "Oh," said Reggie. I think he has exceeded his capacity for new things today. Drayden gave Bronsen a meaningful look. Fortunately, Bronsen understood. "How about you go outside and, maybe, walk around, but don''t tell anyone else about this? We intend doing the same to the whole lot of you; we merely need to discuss a few things first," said Bronsen. Still looking dazed and stunned, the two left the cabin. Inside, the Misfits hastily swept aside the sand and sat down on the floor. "I suppose nobody has any complaints about Reggie now being equal to us in physical abilities?" said Bronsen. "Nyah, I''m sure he''s OK. But giving everyone else maxed-out abilities might not be a good idea. Not until we get to know them better." said Alice. The others nodded in agreement. "We must give the ones back in Manifestoria maxed-out abilities," said Cassy. "Well, we have about a thousand slave collars here," said Alice. Using pencil and paper, they spent ten minutes furiously calculating the numbers. "We have more than sufficient to give every slave here a good boost, without maxing them out, and to max out the ones we know in Manifestoria." said Alice, "In fact, since we get 100 points every time we free a slave, why not give that 100 points straight back to them?" "Can we do that? Can we specify that only a hundred points are to be transferred to bring up all points in an even manner?" said Drayden. Ding! Yes, you can. "Then, in that case, let''s do it! And, you realise, this should make Eleanor much more amenable to us dumping a whole crowd of ex-slaves onto them," said Bronsen. "We can also grant points as bribery to the higher-ups in the other countries next to Manifestoria to get them to donate resources to look after the slaves," said Drayden. "We''re the Misfits! We don''t bribe! We provide fair exchange!" said Bronsen. "Sure, sure," said Cassy. "First, let''s dump all of the collars onto the floor, and we have a race to see who can destroy the most!" said Bronsen. A couple of minutes of laughter later: Alice, her hand a blur of motion, touched the last remaining collar - and it didn''t do anything. "Huh?" This allowed Cassy the opportunity to grab it, narrowly beating Drayden. It disintegrated into coarse sand. "Why didn''t it turn to sand when I touched it?" said Alice. "That''s strange - wait! Maybe that''s a collar of one of the blues that you, amen, terminated?" said Bronsen. "So... I can''t get the points for it, so System-san didn''t destroy it, just to allow someone else to get the points?" There was no comment from System-san. "Anyway! I got the last!" said Cassy. "Ha! But I got the most!" said Drayden. "Rubbish! I got the most," said Cassy. "Hey! It''s too early in the morning for foreplay," said Bronsen. "Oh, shall we have The Discussion now?" said Alice. There was a guilty silence as they realised that there were many slaves to be freed today. "Maybe not. Let''s do our work first," said Bronsen. So, first off, they swept a pile of sand out of the cabin. Bronsen: Four Misfits stood in a row at the head of the hall. In front of them was every slave on the island, apart from the new ones still sitting in their yacht. Also, Frannie and Reggie were nowhere in sight. All of a sudden, I''m getting nervous. A moment''s reflection. Right. I, that is we, will be making another tremendous change to the lives of a hundred or more people, without any discussion and without their consent. We really are responsible for this lot. How, exactly, should we do this? We should have discussed this beforehand. Lowering his voice, he whispered to the others. "Hey friends, how about we stand at the door, and as the people pass through, we free them and get them outside so that the ones inside don''t realise what''s happening?" They nodded in agreement. They look serious. So the Misfits moved to the door. Bronsen and Alice stood inside while Cassy and Drayden were outside. "OK, everybody, we have arranged something, so if you could all file outside, please!" said Bronsen, in his best leadership voice. Even without their collars being active, they were still mostly quiet and obedient. So they did exactly as told. Hestia: I wonder what the Misfits are going to do this time? Like all the others, she formed up in a neat line. She happened to end up in the middle. She looked ahead. I can''t see what''s happening past Bronsen and Alice. And isn''t it getting kind of noisy outside? There''s even some shouting and loud voices. Very strange. "Hi, Hestia. You will like the next part," said Bronsen as he guided her through, but without touching her. The next part? She took another step and was next to Cassy. Who smiled at her and reached out and touched her collar. Ding! Slave collar has been removed, courtesy of the Misfits. Huh? "Hi there! If you can move on, make way for the others?" said Drayden, who gently took her hand and guided her outwards. What? Is my collar gone? How is that possible? And what is all of this sand doing here? She looked down at her body, the sand dropping onto the ground. Then she looked up and at the other slaves. Oh, by the Voice, They don''t have collars! She touched her neck. I don''t have a collar! She bumped into one of the other women she knew from the ship crew. They hung onto each other in sheer amazement. "Hestia! My collar''s gone!" said the woman. "So is mine!" said Hestia. She looks so strange without it. Everybody seems so strange without their collars. Does this mean we are no longer enslaved? Hestia began to hyperventilate and sat down on the ground. This dragged the other woman down, so they sat there, hugging each other and trying to comprehend what was happening. Note, this was the first time Hestia had ever hugged any slave apart from her sister and mother and her babies. Naturally, rapes don''t count. Bronsen: The last slave passed through and was freed. Bronsen and Alice joined the other two outside and looked at what they had wrought. The formerly enslaved people were agitated. Some were standing there, blank looks on their faces. Others were crying, a couple were shouting, and some were mumbling to themselves. Here and there, pairs of freed slaves hugged each other. About a third were on the ground, sitting still or lying; there was even one slave who was rocking back and forward in anguish. Without conscious thought, the four Misfits lined up and held each other''s hands. "Oh, wow." said Cassy, "We have profoundly changed the lives of all of them, haven''t we?" "Yeah. And we really, really need to take responsibility for any troubles they might have," said Alice. "Not to mention, once this gets out, the slave emperor is going to be freaking out," said Drayden. "And every nation on this side of the Ring will take notice of us," said Cassy. "Well, we have gone and kicked the ant hill real hard. And the ants are soon going to be swarming all over everywhere!" said Bronsen. "Is that a figurative or literal swarming?" said Alice. "I think, once the slave emperor hears about this, it will be literally," said Bronsen. "What now?" said Cassy. "Two of us go and immediately free the slaves on the yacht and bring them back. Then we need to get the hell out of this place, so we need to get the ship crew working again and get the ship ready for launch. Oh, and also, we need to take as much food and, I suppose, all the barrels of Marmalade that we can fit. If we''re going to be imposing all of this on Eleanor, we can at least bring enough food to keep the slaves, oops, I mean new citizens, fed for a while." The others agreed. Nobody, not even Alice, complained about his unilateral decision-making. Alice: It was evening, and they were now back in their accommodation, sitting on the floor in the front room. All the newly freed citizens were in their sleeping quarters, settling in for the night. That was all so stressful. "I didn''t expect their reaction to being freed would be so - exhausting," she said. "I''d say. It was much more extreme than when they got out of Order Lock," said Cassy. "More importantly, do you think they are getting used to us leading them around?" said Bronsen. "Well, to you leading them around," said Drayden, "Not that I''m complaining." It''s fine; he is doing a good job. "I still want to have a discussion about things, but unfortunately, we don''t have the time, do we?" she said. "No, we don''t. And, since we are the Heroes and will be dying one way or another in the not-too-distant future, perhaps we don''t need to concentrate all that much on that topic?" said Cassy. "I suppose so. Just keep pretending nothing is wrong?" said Alice. "Sure!" said Cassy. Bronsen waited for a gap in the conversation, then spoke out. "I attempted to get the ship crew vested in organising our escape from this Island." "You made progress?" said Drayden. "Yes. Some. A day or two''s time, and we might be able to start packing the boat with food." "I suppose we can help that along by moving all of those barrels of Marmalade to the dock. Just the thing for our maxed-out strengths," said Cassy. There was now a long, awkward silence. The Misfits had to make a choice. Purely by chance, three people looked at Alice. "Well, what, you want me to decide?" she said. They all nodded. She chewed her lower lip. Ran her hand through her hair. Why are they getting me to make the decision? I know perfectly well, don''t I? I''ve had Bronsen for the last two nights, and Drayden is looking pretty good right now... "OK, OK, I''ll take Drayden tonight." There was a big smile from Drayden. "My, doesn''t he look like the cat that got the creamed carnary!" said Cassy. "You bet I do. Hmm, I quite like the contrast of my white skin against Alice''s black skin..." Two girls promptly whacked him across his back with their tails. "Am I supposed to say ''ouch'' here?" said Drayden. Bronsen got in fast before more violence happened: "Actually, I''m kind of happy, too!" Alice turned her nose up at all of this production and looked away, then, after a moment, looked back. "That does raise the question - I''m not sure that I want to sleep on the blanket that, you know, Cassy and Drayden were, err..." "Banging each other like crazy last night?" said Cassy. No reply from Alice except a strained expression. "No problem!" said Drayden, "We will set out two blankets in each room. So, in my room, I have a blanket on the floor for Cassy and me and another one on the other side for Alice and me. Ta-da, problem solved!" "Yeah, and similarly for my room," said Bronsen. Two girls looked deep into each other''s eyes and came to an unspoken but very definite conclusion. They then turned to the two boys. The social temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. The two boys, not being stupid, rapidly determined what was wrong. "Ah, sorry, sorry, I forgot!" said Drayden, "I meant that we have two blankets in Cassy''s room, one each for Bronsen and me." "Yes! Yes!" said Bronsen, "And, of course, in Alice''s room, there are two, one each for me and Drayden." "Oh, is that what you actually meant to say?" said Alice with a cloyingly sweet voice. "Definitely! Definitely!" said Draden. Bronsen nodded his head with this. Cassy giggled like mad for a minute before managing to calm down. "How about he give the boys some face and make it that the left side of the room is always Bronsen''s while the right side is Drayden''s?" "OK, that''s fine by me," said Alice. The boys, not daring to add anything more in case it blew up in their faces, kept on nodding their heads. Accordingly, Alice ended up being all alone with Drayden that night. There was some time before they finally managed to get to sleep. We won''t be lasting much longer on this Ringworld, and there''s no sign that we will be reincarnated to this place again. So, I think I''ll keep pretending there''s nothing wrong. Nope, those jealous, intrusive thoughts about what Cassy might be doing with Bronsen don''t exist. Nope, there''s nothing to see here. So, go to sleep, Alice, now! [2.20] Yet more problems Bronsen: The Misfits managed to get through the night and the early morning without major disasters. It may have been slightly awkward when they met after coming out of their bedrooms, but they were all diligently pretending that there was nothing to worry about; let''s move on. Accordingly, as soon as breakfast with all the new citizens was over, Bronsen resumed his campaign. "Harrold, have you managed to get some volunteers to help stock up the ship with food and supplies?" "Well, I suppose I have. Although they all want some increased points on their stats - they all say it is to make it easier and faster for them to carry heavy loads, but, you know..." How much is it due to the workers wanting more and Harrold wanting more? The easiest thing to do is to give it. " I get the message; they all want a bit for themselves. How about we give everybody willing to work enough points to get up to 50 per cent? Oh, that also includes you, of course." Harrold perked up. "I''m sure there will be no problems!" Next stop, Skip the Skipper. Who came right out and said: "I hear you gave Harrold and his team 50% stats?" "Yes, and how about you and your sailing crew get the same?" "We''re in!" Glad to see the process start, Bronsen found the other Misfits and explained his bargains. "That should be no problem. It''s still not at the level of our maxed-out states, and we must get moving," said Drayden. "What about all of the other newly freed citizens? I''m sure they will want similar boosts," said Alice. "Let''s spread it out a bit and wait a while, shall we?" said Bronsen. Bronsen and Cassy, the ones with the most experience sailing, went off to find Harrold and Skip and to help as much as possible. Drayden and Alice decided to mingle with the citizens and check to see how they were going. Hestia: "Hi, Hestia, how''s it going?" said Alice. "I''m, err, still haven''t, ah, worked that out," said Hestia. "Is there anything we can help you with for now?" "Well, now that the men have all had an increase in their stats, some of them are trying to sex the ladies, that is, what do you say, have sex with the ladies. No, that''s not right; since the women don''t want it, then is that where that word ''rape'' is used?" Alice''s easygoing demeanour tightened up. "Oh, you mean some of them are trying to rape some of the ladies?" "Yes, that''s right. Since the women also have had their stats increased, they haven''t succeeded yet, but..." "Right. I see. Well, I am not going to allow that! How about we raise the stats of every female to 80% of their maximums?" "That could be good." It worked! Now, all the women will be above all but the few males that the Misfits trust. The Misfits are great! Within an hour, it was so. So, of course... Bronsen: Uh, Oh, that''s the minion; I mean, that''s minion #1 and minion #2. "Why can''t we have increased stats? You shouldn''t give to those females; we deserve them!" said Minion #1. Because we don''t trust you, that''s why. "Hmm, well, you see, we don''t have an unlimited supply of points, and, well, we need to save some for our friends back in Manifestoria, and, well, you don''t need the extra points right now." "You take away our collars. But don''t give us points!" said Minion #2. Even compared to the other slaves raised on baby farms, these two aren''t the brightest. Probably been ground down by decades of mindlessly obeying orders. "Sorry, but that will have to do for the time being. Also, don''t you regret the death of that ex-Red?" "Who cares about that loser? He was demoted from Red. He was so hopeless." Sigh. Not much love was lost between them. Bronsen managed to extricate himself from this no-win argument and find something more productive. He found it. Someone shouted: "There''s another small sailing ship heading towards us!" Oh, can''t we get a break? The Misfits didn''t even have to talk about what to do; they dropped whatever they were doing and raced to the dock. They hid behind the big ship and spied upon the yacht slowly approaching. "What! There are two Greens, plus at least one Blue present!" said Cassy. "That is a problem," said Bronsen, "Also, if we can see the colour of their collars, then they can see the lack of collars of our no-longer-slaves. And, who knows, they might decide to turn around and go as fast as possible for help," said Bronsen. "Shit," said Cassy. "But, at least, we are in no immediate danger of having our citizens turned against us," said Drayden. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. "Until our citizens are re-enslaved," said Alice. "We had better do exactly what we did before, swim out there and - no, there is no need to kill the coloureds; we just have to touch them. However, remember to try touching them on the collar. Hopefully, people won''t find out just how flexible we can be when destroying collars." said Bronsen. Five seconds later, they were all swimming like mad in the water. One of the Greens: He had tried calling out to the slaves on the big ship to get them to cast a mooring line, but they didn''t do anything. What is wrong with them? Have they been ordered to ignore us by another Green? He narrowed his eyes and took a better look. They''re a lot of vermin! What are they doing here in the middle of the slaver nation? I need to collar the lot of them! Fortunately, I got plenty of collars. And why are four of them swimming out - they are fast, and they are fighting off small predators - They must have high abilities! Collaring them will be a big win! Turning, He shouted to the Blue: "Get four collars and get ready to collar them! And get those slaves with high physical stats to come up and help you since these new ones must be almost maxed out." He shouldn''t have made that sentence so long as two appeared over the side of the yacht by the time he turned back to see where the swimmers were. One reached out and slapped him on his collar - Ding! Your collar has been removed, courtesy of the Misfits. Grey sand fell all over him. He hesitantly reached out and touched his neck. My collar? Where''s my collar? My collar has fallen off? But that''s impossible. Impossible. I must get one back! By now, the other Green on the deck was also without a collar. The Blue, sent down to fetch some collars, returned with four in his hand. The no longer Green grabbed one and put it on his neck. Only to go through the same process that every freshly collared slave did. He collapsed onto the deck as his stats and abilities were cloaked in darkness. But, presumably, because he had only been without a collar for a short period, the effect didn''t last long. He looked up to see that one of the four strangers had already removed the collar of the Blue. Two more raced down into the insides of the yacht. The remaining one stood right in front of him, watching him. "You, you, what, slaves! Get him!" Why is nothing happening? "You don''t realise it yet, do you? We''ve removed the collars from everyone else on this yacht. And, anyway, your new collar is Grey. You can''t order anyone around." What? But I''m a Green! I serve directly under the Emperor! With a bit of luck, I could be the next Emperor. "Give me back my green collar!" The stranger, a medium monotone brown all over, tapped his collar again. It fell off in a shower of sand grains. Ding! Your collar has been removed, again, courtesy of the Misfits. "Sorry, tough luck about that." Drayden: Docking the yacht was a little bit difficult since the sailing crew were so totally out of it with the loss of their collars. With some cajoling, the Misifits managed to get them working together and finally tied up the yacht. Right next to the previous yacht. We now own one large ship and two yachts! In Earth terms, that would make us millionaires! Sigh. The ex-slaves, even the two Greens and the Blue, didn''t resist as they were shepherded off the boat and onto the dock. Cassy and Bronsen started leading them to the community hall. Alice and Drayden stayed behind to conduct a brief search for valuable items. "I''ve found yet more slave collars!" said Alice. "Golly, there''s a lot. Well, let''s have fun destroying them!" said Drayden. "I''ve had an idea, perhaps, if we save one collar only? We could tempt those ex-Green and ex-Blue slaves with it, perhaps?" "Why would they want to put it on voluntarily?" "That first Green did. Course, it didn''t do him much good." "OK" So, they rapidly converted the collars into a heap of sand using both hands, except for the last one. "Say, how do we carry this? If we touch it, it''s a goner," said Drayden. Eventually, Alice summoned her grappling hook to carry the collar. Bronsen: An hour later: They were in their cabin, as in the Misfits, Hestia, Frannie, Reggie, and the Greens and the Blue. That is the ex-Greens and ex-Blue. Who were looking seriously disgruntled. "Hi," said Bronsen, "I don''t suppose you would like to say why you were coming to this island?" The ex-Green, who seemed to be the leader, started sputtering and muttering incoherently. "You are vermin! I should be the one asking questions here." "But you''re not. And you will note that all seven of us have maxed out physical abilities. We far surpass your abilities. Which means we are the ones doing the bossing around." said Bronsen. "But. But. But that is wrong!" He can''t cope with the reality, can he? "I will have you flog each other for your insolence! I''ll put you females into a brothel for Greys!" Alice had steam coming out of her ears, but Bronsen acted fast. He put one hand on her arm, settling her down. Bronsen looked from side to side, at Alice and Cassy. They are controlling themselves for the moment. Bronsen shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "OK, I''ll try again. You no longer have your collars. If we gave you a collar back, it will be grey, not green." "As soon as I meet with the emperor, I''ll be promoted back to Green." "Really? Are you sure? Doesn''t the Emperor only promote those to Green who demonstrate the most worth to him? And you, you failed miserably. You actually lost your collar. You lost command of a whole island filled with slaves. Isn''t he merely going to keep you as a Grey, interrogate you until you give him all the information he needs, then dump you in some shitty job? Or, maybe, kill you because you are too dangerous to let live?" "I, I''ll, I will..." The ex-Green trailed off into silence. He looked as if he was realising that he was well and truly fucked. "You already tried it once, but we have a spare collar here." Bronsen pointed to the desk, where the lone collar remaining on the Island was displayed. "You could put it on again. And become a Grey." The ex-Green stared at the collar but didn''t make a move. Alice: He''s another shitty rapist. Are all coloured collars rapists? According to Hestia, the Emperor is a rapist and a murderer. The whole society is corrupt from top to bottom. I hope that the so-called hero who created the slave system is endlessly reincarnated as a dung beetle. She couldn''t hold herself in any more and decided to add her say. "I bet you raped a lot of Greys when you were first promoted, didn''t you? Abused your position. If you put on the collar, you can return to being a Grey and know what it''s like to be completely powerless." His body jerked as if he had been stung on the bum by a particularly large bee. That got him riled. Serve him right. "I will not be a Grey again! I will be a Green and never be subject to such orders again. And any man who tries, I will order him to kill himself, just like I did as soon as I out-ranked him!" What the hell is that about? Alice spent a few seconds deducing what that sentence meant. Oh. I forgot. Males can be raped, also. Her anger towards him dissipated. She summoned her grappling hook, swept up the collar and took it to her bedroom. Then she returned. "Fine then. If you come with us to Manifestoria, you will be protected from such things. In free societies, we strongly disapprove of rape and will go to some considerable extent to prevent it." Let''s not mention that it still can happen. Feeling slightly guilty about this small deception, Alice rushed past this topic. "And, anyway, you still haven''t said why you are here." The ex-Green, looking defeated, must have given up any resistance. "We were ordered to construct a forward base to help in the invasion of Manifestoria. We are supposed to start building barracks and docking facilities, large enough to hold a couple of thousand slaves and a dozen ships and get them all ready. The timeline was to be a year or two, and we were also to keep producing Marmalade." I think we have to get the hell out of here as soon as possible. "So, are any more ships coming?" "More workers and supplies will arrive in a few days or weeks." The Misfits and Frannie, Reggie and Hestia exchanged glum looks. Bronsen threw up his hands. "We had better start right now." Cassy: After impressing upon the ex-coloureds that there was now only one slave collar on the Island, and the Misfits guarded it, they let them go to join the mob of formerly enslaved people. They had their evening meal, then retired to their cabin. "Everyone, I propose that we don''t have any discussion about that topic tonight, as we don''t have much time to spare," she said. "And Alice chose last night, so tonight I''m going to choose. Any objections, boys?" Two boys shook their heads. "My, we are beginning to get our boys well trained, aren''t we, Alice?" "Ah... Yes, we are!" said Alice. "And I think I''ll choose Drayden this time. After all, variety is the spice of life and all that, right?" Nobody objected. The boys gave the distinct impression of being quite happy with it all. [2.21] Fair stood the wind for Manifestoria Bronsen: The following day, before breakfast, Bronsen had tracked down Harold and Skip. "The entire slaver nation is ready to drop down on us and crush us to oblivion. So, we Misfits want to get the hell out of here. Do you think any of the others will object to this?" "Now that we don''t have collars, and many of us have increased abilities, I don''t think so," said Skip. "I agreed. Except that there are plenty of slaves who would still like to get their abilities to 50% at least," said Harold. Everybody wants something for themselves. "Fine, fine," said Bronsen. "And, if we rush like hell, can we be on our way by dusk?" "Hmm. I think so." said Skip, "Actually, we can leave later. Because we are leaving from a jetty, there is no danger in launching the boat in darkness like there was before." "Good, good." So, after breakfast and consulting with the other Misfits, Bronsen stood before the mob and gave a little speech. "We are all leaving the island and going to Manifestoria. And we are leaving tonight. Because other ships are coming soon, and if any ranking slavers catch you lot, you will be enslaved again. Which means you won''t be able to enjoy your newly increased abilities. You won''t have the freedom of choice like you do now. Also, everyone will have their stats raised to 50%." There was a small, scattered cheer at this. "So, we are starting now!" Firstly: "All those who can read and write, raise your hands." How pathetic, only about 10%. "Now group up into even size groups, one for each literate person. Males with males, and females with females." The other three Misfits ran around like demented sheepdogs trying to herd cats. Eventually, they had the groups organised. "Now, the leaders of each group record the names and gender and job specifications (if any) of their members. As Reggie had told them last night: "There are no records kept about the identity of the slaves. Organisations like this island know roughly how many slaves they have, and the breakdown into gender and ages, and colour of collars, but that''s about it. Sometimes the order comes from the Emperor to do a census, but that doesn''t record any names, either." Completely impersonal, the whole slave system. "Remember your groups." Damn, I forgot to tell the carpenters and sailors to group together. Never mind. Secondly: "The Misfits will now go through and bring everyone''s stats up to 50% if they aren''t already there." Those horrible minions will also get stat increases; I hope it doesn''t come back and bite us. Thirdly: "Frannie, you collect the membership lists, zip down to the ship, and assign cabins. Skip, you organise your sailors to launch by this evening. Harold, Reggie, and Hestia, you organise the loading of as much food, equipment and barrels of marmalade as possible. Us Misfits will be supervising everything." There was a lot of chaos for the rest of the day, but eventually, they had a full ship. Full of goods and equipment and food, and full of freed slaves. The Misfits stood in the loading bay of the ship. "Ship ready to sail," said Skip. "All goods and food stored and lashed down, ready for sailing," said Harold. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. "Food and cooking equipment are ready for the first meal tomorrow," said Hestia. "Ahh, sorry, but we appear to be missing two people," said Frannie, looking very apologetic. Bronsen rolled his eyes. "You mean those two ex-Greens?" "No - they appear to have given up all hope. It''s those two you call the minions." "Oh bloody hell." It''s dark. We can''t find them until tomorrow. But we can''t delay, since another boat may arrive tomorrow. But if we leave them behind, they will be collared and sent to the Emperor, and he will then know all about us. We should have just killed them and been done with it. "Any ideas?" he said. The other Misfits shrugged their shoulders. The ex-slaves didn''t have anything to contribute. "Let''s get the hell out of here now; the suspense is beginning to kill me," said Bronsen. Half an hour later, they were over the bar at the mouth of the river and setting sail for Manifestoria. Due to Skip''s improvisation, they were also towing the two yachts, one after the other. They had their sails completely lowered. Behind the second yacht was a sea anchor, which dragged the yacht back so that the two yachts never crept forward enough to collide with the leading boat. Although Skip had said: "This will only work while the wind is steady and the sea is relatively calm. If it gets too rough, I''ll have to cut the towing cable and let them go." This was fine. The yachts were full of barrels of marmalade (the island had accumulated heaps) but were not manned, so no great loss. The Misfits: All four Misfits were now in Bronsen''s and Alice''s original cabin. They had nothing to do once the boat sailed, so they decided they might as well be themselves. "Obviously, this is now my cabin, while Cassy can claim the cabin on the other side. No complaints?" said Alice. She smiled an evil smile at the boys. Neither boy offered any objections. "And tonight, if Cassy doesn''t object, how about I keep Drayden?" Alice completely ignored the two boys as she had a staring match with Cassy. Cassy stared right back before eventually smiling and nodding her head. "No problems, my dear Alice!" said Cassy. "Why, thank you, my dear Cassy," said Alice. "Say, boys, isn''t it so nice that we can have such a calm and mature conversation about such matters?" said Cassy. "Yes, definitely yes!" said both boys. "That''s right, there are no problems to see here, none at all. Right?" said Alice. "Yes! I mean, yes, there are no problems!" said Drayden. Bronsen agreed. "But, before we retire and have a good night''s sleep, we must go over our plans," said Alice. She poked Bronsen firmly in the chest. The sort of poke that would have crushed his rib cage back when he was on Earth. He rushed to comply with her request. "Right. According to Skip, if the weather remains like this, it''s a clear straight run to Manifestoria; we should be there on the second morning. I suggest we do the same as Cassy and I did when arriving at Marmalade Island; we arrive and slow down, take our time approaching, check out to see if Manifestoria is still free, and give Eleanor time enough to organise her guards." "But we don''t want a full-fledged defence reaction when we arrive," said Cassy. "That''s easy; we aim for the dock, and when we are over the bar and close enough, we stand in a row on the deck and wave at them," said Drayden. "Oh my, this is going to be fun; imagine how they will react at our return!" said Alice. "I can hardly wait to hug Evereena," said Cassy. "And when you do, her collar will immediately collapse into sand," said Drayden. "Oops, that''s right. Hmm, I will have to reach out and make a big show of touching it first," said Cassy. "So, as convenient, we will all have to do the same for any other inactive slaves," said Alice. "Isn''t this going to be a pain? Because as soon as we do all of that in public, the news will bounce around the Ringwood light semaphores within hours. Which means the Emperor will know about it soon after." said Bronsen. "But those minions left behind will be telling him all about us, anyway," said Cassy. "I should have dealt with them when we had the chance," said Alice. "Now, now, no need to be too murderous, my dear Alice," said Cassy. "Well, perhaps my dear Cassy should have dealt with those minions when you dealt with the ex-Red?" said Alice. "Sorry, it must have somehow slipped my mind-" "Never mind, never mind!" said Bronsen. ¡°All very well for you to say that; you get to sleep with Cassy tonight,¡± said Alice. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just as well that you get to sleep with Drayden...¡± said Cassy. ¡°Ahh, everyone, I don¡¯t think this is a good time to have this particular discussion...¡± said Drayden. Alice stopped talking, followed by everyone else. In the following silence, they listened to the rhythmic sounds of the waves as the ship came ever closer to Manifestoria. "I know; how about we make another vow to remove slavery? And we do it while standing on the deck as we approach the port. That way, Eleanor and Co will know it is us beyond a shadow of a doubt, and the slave emperor gets a massive kick up the backside, reminding him what will happen. Or at least what we hope will happen." said Bronsen. "Do we want to notify the emperor so early and motivate him so strongly to do something?" said Drayden. "Why don''t we ask System-san?" said Cassy. "Isn''t System-san prohibited from helping us directly?" said Drayden. "Maybe. But we are the Misfits! We get lots of extra help from System-san." said Cassy. "Well, OK. System-san, what should we do?" said Bronsen. Ding!... "On no, we have broken it yet again," said Cassy. Hello from the System Administrator! Yes, the Voice of the World, err, that is System-san, is prohibited from giving you too much help. But also, yes, you get much more help than normal Felixians. In this case, System-san is trying to give you a hint. Which, as far as I can tell, appears to be that you should make that vow. Why, I wouldn''t know. Do your best! "Well." said Bronsen, "looks like we are going to be poking the Kraken and damn the consequences." Having made this decision, they retired for the night. However, neither pair started that good night''s sleep straight away. [2.22] Poking the Kraken The Misfits: The next day, after breakfast, the Misfits had nothing to do. So, due to the lack of options, they ended up in Alice''s cabin, sitting on the floor and looking at each other. There was a long, uncomfortable silence as they watched each other. "Alice, do you want to discuss that topic?" She shifted around a bit, then said: "Not really. Not at the moment." Bronsen must have decided that today was the day to light a firecracker. "OK then. How about I say a few things, for example, how much I enjoy the contrast between making love with Alice and then with Cassy?" Alice reacted instantly. She slapped his back with her tail, grabbed his arm and hoisted him up. "You will not go cheating on me with that hussy." At the same time, Cassy slapped his arm, grabbed it, and tried pulling him to one side. "Just don''t go on about it!" Drayden contented himself with merely pointing to him and saying: "Hey, watch what you are saying!" Then, they all froze in their positions. Drayden was the first to say something. "Well, it looks like we still haven''t adjusted to the situation." He gave a sinister grin. "I agree with Bronsen; comparing and contrasting Alice and Cassy is a wonderful idea." "That''s right! It''s a bit like a school literature assignment, write 500 words comparing and contrasting the relative merits of the two girls," said Bronsen. Alice couldn''t say anything coherent; she opened and closed her mouth, but no words came. Cassy, on the other hand, started laughing. "Alice, why get so upset? Remember, we can also play that game." Cassy let go of Bronsen, as did Alice. He flopped down onto the floor. "That''s right, so we can! Say, Cassy, you know the saying ''Size Matters''?" "Ooh yeah. But, isn''t it ''Size Doesn''t Matter''?" said Cassy. "Whatever. This is the perfect opportunity to compare and contrast our two boys about a particular part of their anatomy." "Uh oh, what have I started," said Bronsen. Drayden looked horror-struck. "Look at them, suddenly they are totally not at all comfortable with this compare and contrast subject. What a change!" said Alice. "Why, that is a truly wonderful topic to think up, my dear Cassy." "Why, thank you!" Cassy kept on giggling. Alice looked highly amused. And Drayden finally couldn''t take it any more. "Well, who has got the longest penis?" Cassy rolled over on the floor, laughing hysterically. Alice looked even more amused. She also looked a tad evil. "I''m sorry, my boys. But, we feel that that would be confidential information. We couldn''t possibly release it to the public." she said. Cassy demonstrated she was not feeling quite as evil as she said: "Let''s not be too evil here. I would like to say that, when it comes to the performance, both " She started giggling again. "Both penises I find highly satisfying. No problems there! You know, it''s not the penis; it''s the man on the end of it that matters!" Both women started rolling around on the floor, laughing their heads off. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Bronsen looked on, completely bemused by all of this. Drayden, however, was red in the face. Seeing this, Cassy finally calmed down. She crawled over to Drayden and hugged him. "Honestly, my dear, both of your penises are roughly the same length. And it truly doesn''t make any difference." Drayden appeared to get over his rampant fears. And Bronsen finally worked something out. "Hello, are you one of those males sensitive about size?" Drayden refused to answer. Cassy, however, was happy to do so. "Yep! Poor male, at one stage, he got all worked up that his little penis wasn''t up to my standards!" "Cassy!" said Drayden, in horror mode again. "Sorry! Sorry! It''s just so much fun to tease you like this. But, seriously, get over it. OK?" said Cassy. Drayden gulped. Alice stepped in with her say. "Well, I didn''t know about that. But, double seriously, it doesn''t make any difference between you." Both Cassy and Alice patted Drayden on the back. "Bronsen has never been bothered by such a thing," said Cassy. "Yes, that''s right. Much to my relief." Cassy quieted down and gave the appearance of thinking about something. "But, I can tell you something about Bronsen that could bother some of us..." "Err, Cassy, perhaps we could all move on from here," said Bronsen. "Oh, I don''t know," said Cassy. "Come on, tell us!" said Alice. "Well, you know all of those social nudity sessions we have had?" "Oh shit," said Bronsen. "Yes?" said Alice. "You know, where we all admired the opposite sex''s bodies, even though we can''t get the slightest bit aroused? That is, aroused while we remain in a group." "Well, come on!" said Alice. "Of course, Alice and I greatly admire Bronsen''s body. And Drayden''s body." "Cassy, you will tell us now!" A big smile from Cassy. "Bronsen also admires Drayden''s body." "He does?" said Alice. "Yeah, he does! It''s Boy''s Love, after all!" said Cassy. Cassy was back to giggling. "It''s not Boy''s Love! Definitely not! I''m just saying I sort of admire his body. That''s all!" said Bronsen. He was beginning to shout. Fortunately, it was not too loud, and the noise of the waves hitting the boat''s sides drowned it out. So there was probably nobody outside that was hearing it. "My oh my. That''s - interesting," said Alice, "Say, Drayden, what do you think about this?" "I, I, ah, don''t want anything to do with such things!" "Look, nor do I!" said Bronsen. "OK then. Then, what does it mean when you say you admire my body? Do you find my body sexy?" "No, definitely not. I admire it!" "But to admire a body kind of implies that one finds the body at least a little bit sexy," said Cassy. "Oh geez. OK, OK, I''ll admit it: I find Drayden''s body just a little bit sexy. But nowhere as near as Alice''s or Cassy''s, OK. And I certainly don''t want to make love to him, for God''s sake!" "Hmm. Just a little bit. Hmm. Well, I suppose I can live with that. After all, we are incapable of getting aroused in any BL situation, anyway." said Drayden. Cassy and Alice were slightly surprised at how easily Drayden adjusted to the situation. And then Alice got yet another evil smile. "I think I might know why Drayden can accept this so easily..." "Ah, haven''t we had enough for the day?" said Drayden. "Nope. Besides, we have nothing else to do, and the day is long." "So, are you going to tease us for half an hour before telling us, just like I did?" said Cassy. "Nyah, I''m not the cruel," said Alice. "Well?" "Well, before you arrived on the island, and we were having a discussion about jealousy, Drayden mentioned the little tidbit that he found the mental image of Bronsen making love to Cassy, or to me, to be, shall we say, somewhat sexy," said Alice. "Really?" said Cassy. "Huh, is that so," said Bronsen. Gulp, went Drayden. "It is Boy''s Love. Hallelujah!" shouted Cassy. "Nonsense! I do not want to make love to Bronsen!" "You don''t?" said Cassy in a cloying, sweet voice. "No! I merely find the image of Bronsen making love to one of you girls to be sexy. That is not the same as wanting some Boy''s Love!" Cassy crawled around and sat right next to Alice. "Well, I find the idea of Bronsen and Drayden making love to each other sexy! Not now, of course, but when we are in our pairs... And, no one is going to be taking away those images." Alice held Cassy''s arm. "That''s, shall I say, an interesting thing to fantasise about. Yes, very interesting." Cassy and Alice smiled sweetly at each other. "Do you agree, dear Cassy?" "Why yes, I do, dear Alice." Bronsen and Drayden looked at each other with some embarrassment. "I suppose I can cope with this," said Bronsen. "Then, so will I," said Drayden. They shuffled around and sat back down in their usual positions. And didn''t say anything for quite some time. Finally, Cassy said, "The day is still long, and we have plenty of time. What about I take Drayden to my cabin for, oh, let us say, an hour?" She ignored the boys and looked exclusively at Alice. After a while: "Sure. Let''s meet up here again in an hour." An hour later. Alice poked her head outside the cabin door to find Cassy''s door was already open, and Cassy was waiting. Without a word, Bronsen and Drayden went out, high-fived each other as they passed, and went to the other cabin. Another hour later. After cautiously testing to see if everybody was ready, Cassy and Bronsen moved back to Alice''s cabin. The four of them sat on the floor. They listened to the waves crashing along the side of the boat. "So, our two boys finally achieved their dearest wishes of hopping from one girl''s bed to the other," said Cassy. She had a moderate amount of snark in her voice. There were the sounds of more waves hitting the sides. "Yes. And I would like to extend my most sincere thanks for making it possible," said Bronsen. "And I join Bronsen in that," said Drayden. Since the boys answered so politely, Alice had no choice but to reply in kind. "Err, my, I mean, our pleasure." "As in, literally," said Cassy. More waves. "Well, considering we will probably be all dead in a couple of months, I suppose I can just enjoy our circumstances. Not as if I can do anything about it, anyway," said Alice. "Yeah. Let''s enjoy it all. For as long as it lasts." said Cassy. Alice squirmed around and looked guilty. "Also, Cassy, I apologise for calling you a - hussy." Cassy smiled. "That''s fine. Aah, but in compensation, I get to choose the boy tonight. It''s back to Drayden!" Alice nodded to Cassy in confirmation. Both girls ignored the boys, even if they were sitting right before them. The sound of yet more waves. "May I suggest that we don''t have a committee night tonight? Instead, let''s plan what we will do tomorrow right now," said Bronsen. [2.23] Frannie and Reggie also have a discussion Frannie: Going back in time to just after breakfast that day: Alice had suggested to Frannie that she and Reggie compile the list of names in each group into a single report to check for errors. So Frannie dutifully complied. I wonder if Alice wants me to talk more with Reggie. I suppose I don''t mind. They had spent most of the morning and afternoon laboriously cross-checking the names on the lists with the names of the actual people in each group. They discovered that, in actual fact, there were three people left behind on the island. They concluded that it was deliberate, after cross-examining the ones who knew the third person the most (which wasn''t all that much). During all of this clerical work, involving a lot of interaction with the freed slaves, most of whom were lying on their sleeping mats in the stacked sleeping cabins, they had ample time to look down the central corridor and see the traffic between the two cabins that the Misfits were using. And, if they didn''t catch it, plenty of other people did and were happy to practice gossiping. With the counts and checks finished, Frannie and Reggie sat in one of the empty cabins aft of the loading dock, and Frannie read out the names as Reggie neatly copied them to the final report. "That''s the last name," said Frannie. "So there are now 143 freed slaves on board, plus, of course, the four Misfits." Reggie gave the final report to Frannie. Who continued to sit there, holding them in her hands. "Probably not the best time to give this to the Misfits," she said. "No, they are kind of busy now." They both fidgeted around. "They are a bit older than we were back then," said Reggie. "Yeah." "Do you think that, if things had been different, we might have gotten together like that?" said Reggie. "I... Don''t know," said Frannie, dropping her head and looking intensely at the ground. "I was sent to the island almost straight away. All that time, I''ve been on that island, making Marmalade. Nothing else. I, err, never got to, to, be with a woman." said Reggie. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Oh. Sorry. I mean, that is, well..." said Frannie. Her voice trailed off to a whisper. Then she collected herself. "I was continually - raped - the whole time. There are too many men to count. I had four children. Of course, they were taken away as soon as they turned three, and I never saw them again. And, when I could no longer have children, they put me on this ship just so that the men there could have some sex." Both looked away; there was a long, depressed silence. "I''m sorry, I can never be; what was the word? That''s right, I can never be romantic with you. It''s been burnt out of me. Sorry." said Frannie. "Oh". More uncomfortable silence. "Although it somehow works out for the Misfits," said Frannie. "Yeah, it sure does. But, were foursomes common back then?" "I don''t think so. My memory is a bit vague." "And, what was the story about Drayden apologising to Cassy for killing her?" said Reggie. "Well, it''s a bit weird. They say they have been reincarnated. And they had some sort of vow, or arrangement, or something, such that if one dies, the others die too." "I''ve never heard of anything like that," said Reggie. Frannie, at last, looked at Reggie. Who thus had to look back at her. "Alice said that we could try to be friends with each other. Without any of the sex stuff," said Frannie. "Bronsen said something like that to me, also." "I don''t mind being friends. As long as it is strictly friendship," said Frannie. "OK. It is impossible to go back, isn''t it." "Yeah. But, but, if we manage to become friends, only friends, even then, I can''t stand the thought of it all being taken away from me again. I don''t want to lose you again." said Frannie. "I agree, that is too painful. Too much pain." "How about we do the same thing as the Misfits have? We have a death pact vow. If one of us is enslaved or killed, we both die. I guess that is pretty brutal, but I don''t want to go through that pain again. Otherwise, I don''t want to have even a friendship. Sorry." Frannie went back to studying the floor, sniffling all the while. Reggie sat there, watching Frannie. He started reaching out with his hand as if to hold her, then stopped. He put his hand down. "OK, let''s do it," he said. The Misfits: The Misfits had finished their plans for tomorrow and were lazing around, looking forward to their evening meal of grey goop with optional Marmalade. Ding! Frannie and Reggie have made a vow, 100%. If either one is permanently enslaved again or is killed, they both die. This message has been sent to Frannie, Reggie, and the Misfits. "No kidding," said Bronsen. Hestia: Frannie told Hestia about her vow with Reggie. So, when Frannie had left, she did some thinking. So, vows exist, and even us slaves can use them, but only if we are freed. Can I make a vow, I wonder? Ding! Yes, you can! Hestia was so startled she jumped. Fortunately, she backed the cabin wall so she didn''t hurt herself. Well, that is undoubtedly an invitation. Ding! Hestia has made a private vow, 100%. If I ever get the chance, I shall kill the slaver emperor for what he did to my sister. And then I shall die. Hestia was quite pleased with this result. Finally, something worthwhile to live for. And to die for. [2.24] Poking the Kraken, This Time for Real Eleanor: It was still early morning as Eleanor snuggled up to Lena, trying to get a few more moments of sleep. Only to have some female guard banging on the door and then opening it. What is she doing... Oh crap. At least Jane specified that a female guard would wake me up. Eleanor shook Lena awake, then hurried to her bedroom. They all knew exactly what to do. Accordingly, within an hour, they were at the Manifestorian port. "So, it looks like they are heading straight for the jetty?" said Eleanor, speaking to the harbour master. "Yep. And, weirdly, they are going very slow, almost as if they want to give us as much time as we need to prepare." Eleanor shook her head in annoyance. Her [Battle Field Management] skill agreed with the harbour master''s opinion. "It''s almost as if they don''t want to attack us. Which makes noooo sense," said Eleanor. "Also, how come they are towing two yachts behind them?" The harbour master spread out his hands and his tail in perplexity. "Don''t know. It makes no sense whatsoever. Normally, you can''t even tow yachts like that; it''s only because the wind is so steady and the sea so calm that it is possible. But only until the next weather change." Sigh. I hope this isn''t the day I die. I wish I could get Lena and the children away to safety. Damn those 100% vows. She organised her resources. Since the boat was definitely coming over the bar and up the mouth of the harbour, she sited herself at the back of the jetty. Lena and the children were behind her on one side, while Esther and Evereena were behind her on the other. Jane and Aragon were in the front, and in front of Jane, lining the entire seaward edge of the jetty, her guards were spread out. Behind the jetty and in the port buildings, she put the non-combatants. Then they waited as the ship slowly drifted over the bar and started crossing the harbour. "They are still going as slowly as possible." said the harbour master. The port was some distance back from the open sea, which meant they could still not properly see the figures that appeared on the top of the deck - four of them. Only four? Now, where is he? Yep, there he is, the guard who specialises in enhanced sight. She spoke to him, using her [Speak to an Individual] skill. "What do those four look like?" "This is strange; they don''t appear to have collars. There are two monotone whites, a monotone black and a monotone brown. And they are holding hands." Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Monotone whites and black and brown... Sorry, what? WHAT? It can''t be... Behind her, she heard a sudden squeak of surprise from Evereena. Then everybody became even more silent. The boat drifted closer. Close enough to clearly see the four. "That''s Cassy! Monotone white and bright red hair. Yes, that''s Cassy!" said Evereena. She was by now jumping up and down in excitement. There was an increase in the noise, and everyone started murmuring to each other. "Please hold your formation!" said Eleanor, "We need to make sure that these are the Misfits, and we need to find out who the hell is in the boat." The guards, being trained, had no trouble in remaining alert. Evereena, on the other hand, was going hysterical. Esther had to hold her to prevent her from running up to the jetty''s edge. So Evereena started to wave her arms frantically. What on Ringworld is happening? Ding! The Misfits have made a 100% vow. Hi, we''re back! And this time, we WILL destroy all slave collars. This message has been sent to everyone in Manifestoria, every influential noble and politician within a thousand kilometres of the slaver nation on both sides, to every freed slave and the gold-collared slave emperor. Holy Voice on Toast with Marmalade. What have they done this time? By now, Evereena was dragging her mother with her as she rushed to the jetty''s edge, continually waving her arms and screaming, ''Cassy!''". Everybody could clearly see the Misfits by now, with Cassy waving right back to Evereena. It really is the Misfits. Reincarnated twice. What luck. Since the boat was far enough from the deep ocean, there were reduced safety concerns about ocean predators. So, a small group of crew members appeared out of various hatches, getting ready to dock. There are no slave collars in sight! Eleanor addressed her guards. "Move back, form a line from the jetty edge, but still in front of me. Let them dock as they want to." Even more crew members appeared on top of the deck cover. And none of them had collars. They are dressed as if they were slaves; they are in a ship that came from the slaver nations; what the hell is going on? With a soft thump, the ship nudged up to the jetty. Crew members jumped onto the jetty and started tying up the mooring lines and dealing with the two yachts. Those crew must have reasonably high physical stats! Cassy jumped off the deck and landed before a now wholly hysterical Evereena. She reached out with a hand and touched Evereena''s collar, which promptly disintegrated into coarse sand. Cassy continued her motion, sweeping Evereena up in a massive hug and spinning them around. And everyone else from Manifestoria went still and silent from total shock. She removed Evereena''s collar? She removed her collar? She removed the collar? Eleanor was beginning to hyperventilate. So Alice decided to cause even more distress. She jumped down, touched Esther''s collar, and looked at Aragon. "You have... It must have been during that fight, right?" she said. And she touched Aragon''s collar. Both collars disintegrated and fell away in a shower of sand. And Drayden followed by bending down slightly, smiling at the two children, and removing their collars. By now, the discipline of the guards was utterly shot; they were looking at the free slaves and talking or shouting at each other. Even Jane forgot to monitor the situation, as crew members from the ship kept emerging and assembling on the jetty. Get your act together, Eleanor! She got her act together and issued some orders to the guards. Basically to stand back and to stand by. She then waited for the commotion to die down. Cassy was still busy with Evereena, who must have ignored the system message about her collar since she didn''t even appear to have realised yet that her collar was gone. Aragon and Esther hugged each other and freaked out, but not as much as Evereena. The two children shared a group hug with Lena, with Lena looking at all of the grains of sand over her children''s clothes and shaking her head in wonder. Bronsen, with Alice and Drayden in tow, moved up to Eleanor. "Hi, Queen Eleanor. As you might have heard, we are back. We apologise for all the commotion. And, we also apologise for the disruption of giving you 143 freed slaves to look after." said Bronsen. "Ah, yes, yes, I, I''m sure it will be fine." "Anyway, I hope this little gift makes up for it slightly." As he said that, he reached out and gently touched her hand. What gift? Ding! Apart from your more specialised abilities, all others have been increased to their maximum level - courtesy of the Misfits. "Fuck!" said Eleanor. She looked up her status. "I''m maxed out!" She sat down heavily on the ground in sheer surprise. [2.25] The Slaver Emperor is Disturbed Kelper: The Emperor was eating lunch and looking gloomy. It was a very luxurious lunch. None of that grey goop twice a day for him. He was at the dessert stage. Uck. This pastry isn''t all that good. It''s such a pain; the only way to get good pastry chefs is to capture them from a non-slaver country. And the last good one has died. I''m the Emperor, but I can''t even eat as well as some vermin going to one of their so-called restaurants. He briefly wondered what it would be like to casually stroll down a street full of people he couldn''t instantly control and enter such a restaurant. Some highly specific orders imposed by his grandfather were activated, and he forcibly pushed away such irrelevant thoughts. Then, without warning, he got a Voice of the World message about the new vow of destroying slavery that the Misfits had made. "What! I killed those vermin! And they have come back?" He did his best to recall his history of heroes. "Some heroes are reincarnated, but once only! Not twice." "And it is still a 100% vow!" "And how come these stupid vermin can make vows, and 100% vows at that, and I, the emperor, can''t?" Ding! Because a vow must be about something you voluntarily choose to do. And it cannot be either too easy or too hard. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Since all slaves beneath the Emperor either do not have any choice in anything they do or (in the Blue''s case) a reduced choice, then they usually cannot make vows. And, in your case, you control the entire slaver nation. So, generally speaking, anything you choose to do will happen. So, usually, there is nothing for you to make a vow about. The Emperor was shocked. He had never received such a detailed message from the Voice before. The Voice spoke to slaves rarely, and such messages were terse and to the point. What? What does this mean? Wait! Doesn''t this mean that I can make a vow? His attitude improved remarkably. This is something new to do. It is getting boring around here. This could add a bit of excitement. He promptly tried to make a vow, saying that he would crush these Misfits and the rest of Manifestoria with an army of a million slaves. Ding! Of course you can crush them with a million slaves. There is no need for a vow to achieve that. Oh. Do I need to make it fewer slaves? So he tried again with only a thousand slaves. Ding! A thousand slaves will be defeated. Not easily, but they will be defeated. Then you will send in the million slaves. Still no compelling reason to make it a vow. A frown appeared on his face. Perhaps I need to lead them personally? But, if my force is defeated, I could get killed also. But maybe that''s OK? For thirty years, I''ve been the absolute leader of tens of millions of enslaved people. All those things I thought I could accomplish when I started. Half of them were meaningless after all; the other half failed. I am compelled by my collar to keep on going, to keep on increasing our borders, never to relax the imposition of slavery, and never to make the orders easier for lesser slaves. I''m just as controlled as the other slaves, aren''t I? Those stupid vermin, how do they keep on going? And don''t talk about that stupid ''love'' stuff. It''s all lies, damned lies. Hmm. Grandfather always said that I would come to this point. After all, he eventually arranged his own death, thus making me the Emperor. I''ll have to think this through. [2.26] Back to Manifestoria Evereena: Feeling slightly giddy, Evereena, still being hugged by Cassy, managed to catch her breath and become at least somewhat rational. "Are you back forever?" A sad expression from Cassy as she gently put Evereena back on the ground. "Sorry, but, you know, us heroes are still destined not to last very long." "But you have just come back!" "I know, I know, I would like to stay here also. But, don''t cry, here, have a little gift." Gift? Ding! Apart from your [Intimidation] skill, which is already way over the limit, all your other skills have been maxed out, courtesy of the Misfits. Huh? "And also, you haven''t realised it yet, your collar has been removed. So you will always have that to remind you of me." "My collar?" Evereena attempted to feel her collar: "Argh! My collar is gone!" She was agitated all over again. Eleanor: After a certain amount of confusion, Eleanor got herself back together. Does [Battle Field Management] have anything to say about this... Oh, it does. "Hey, Jane, we need to get everyone back to Manifestoria, so if you can start doing logistics?" "Ah, err, right," said Jane. Before she could continue, Bronsen chipped in with some suggestions. "If, perhaps, you could split off the ex-slaves who are sailors or who want to be involved with boats and give them quarters here in the port buildings? Also, I''d like to point out that we bought a lot of food back from Marmalade Island. Mostly marmalade, in case you didn''t guess." Hello, the Misfits are thinking things through and planning ahead. I''m impressed. Also, I can detect a single unused slave collar in the boat. Weird that there''s only one. I''ll ask them later; I mustn''t let it go astray. It was done. After only an hour of disorder, three-quarters of the ex-slaves, plus all of the people who came down with Eleanor, set out to return to Manifestoria. Eleanor sent off Alexa with various messages, some for the treasurer and some to be sent, fully encrypted, to all of the closest countries. The Treasurer: Thank the Voice that wasn''t an invasion. There is no way I could have gotten away fast enough to avoid it. But, this vow of the Misfits, do they want to attract the slaver Emperor''s attention? And how am I supposed to provide accommodation and food for 143 extra slaves? No, that''s right, the Misfits can somehow remove collars, so they are now - freed slaves? Wait, a quarter stayed behind on the port. And what''s more, they all have at least 50% status values. That''s - actually - not bad. I think I can work with this. Assuming these freed slaves are willing, getting most of them up to speed and contributing to our little society should be possible. And, as for accommodation, the place that the Misfits were initially assigned to is plenty big enough, so with two per room... It''s doable. He set to work, allocating the assets available to him. Eleanor: It was now late afternoon. Eleanor had gathered those she considered her core people for a planning meeting. Lena and the two children, Aragon and Esther, Evereena, Jane, and the Misfits, were present. "This is an initial meeting; we will be having a lot of more detailed meetings shortly. The treasurer says he has accommodation and food supply for the freed slaves under control. The Misfits may as well return to their previous castle rooms. So, would Bronsen like to suggest anything that we should start with?" They seem to have become more serious compared to before. It''s probably a result of getting killed and reincarnated. Bronsen nodded his head. "Yeah, I do. Firstly, I''d again like to apologise for dumping this onto you, but it''s how it is." They are acting a lot more responsibly than before. "Secondly, that vow we made. We asked the Voice of the World about it, and the System Administrator suggested that the Voice wanted it, so that''s why we went and kicked the Emperor in the behind. I suppose the Voice must think that acting sooner rather than later is better." "System Administrator? What is that?" said Eleanor. Bronsen gave a not entirely comprehensible explanation; after all, the Ringworld didn''t have computers and thus no need for administrators. "Oh, you mean The Ghost behind the Voice?" said Eleanor. "I suppose so?" said Bronsen. And every other native Felixian had question marks above their heads. "Ah, that''s something I got in my education due to being the daughter of a King," said Eleanor, "Normally, it is restricted information, but considering the circumstances, who cares." "So the Voice, or this Ghost, wants us to taunt the Emperor?" said Jane. She put her palm onto her face and mumbled a bit more. "Ah, sorry!" said Cassy. "Anyway!" said Bronsen, "Back to our suggestions - we have lots of status points to give out. But what Eleanor needs to decide is who to give them to and how much." He explained the situation in detail, and Eleanor and Jane agreed that they would work out their policy in the following day or two. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. "Oh, also, we have a slave collar left over. We arbitrarily decided to save just one. It''s still hidden in the boat." said Alice. So that explains the single collar. "Then we''ll better store it in a secure location." said Jane, "Also, did anyone notice that one of the female freed slaves looks a lot like Eleanor? Except maybe a somewhat starved version." "That''s Frannie." said Alice, "Yes, with a bit of good eating, she will be very similar to Eleanor." After this, Eleanor dismissed the meeting, and they moved straight onto a meal before everyone retired for the night. The Misfits: Eventually, the Misfits ended up in their meeting room. "OK, the main question for this meeting is who do us girls pick tonight!" said Cassy. A big grin from Alice. "How about we toss a coin for a change?" she said. A snort from Cassy. "In other words, the boys are to be a prize for us females to win?" "That''s exactly it! I''m sure the prizes, the boys, don''t object?" "Oh, no, not at all!" / "Definitely not!" Cassy and Alice shared a glance and smiled friendly at each other. "Say, did you notice the advancements in various relationships?" said Alice. "Yes, I''m sure that Aragon and Esther have made some big improvements in theirs," said Cassy. The boys nodded their heads. "I hadn''t taken much notice before, but our high perception ability is very useful in working out what people are thinking," said Drayden. "Yeah, for example, Esther momentarily touched her hand with Aragon''s while passing the salt to Evereena," said Bronsen. "And Aragon kept admiring her figure but tried to hide it from the others. Especially Evereena," said Alice. "Poor Evereena. She''s surrounded by these adults who are busily sexing each other, but she can''t see the point of it all," said Cassy. "Maybe she will eventually find someone," said Alice. "And, of course, there is Lena and Eleanor!" said Cassy. "What?" said Drayden. "You didn''t notice?" said Alice, "It''s been obvious since almost the very beginning!" "Yeah, it has," said Cassy. It turned out that neither of the boys had noticed. "Right, from now on, I''m going to use my enhanced perception to work out people''s relationships with each other. It looks like it could be a fun activity!" said Drayden. "Me too!" said Bronsen. "You mean it will be a fun activity to work out if two girls are into each other," said Cassy. "You bet!" said Bronsen. "So, Cassy, I suppose you still don''t want to, at least, give a hug to Alice?" said Drayden. Very hopefully. Cassy raised her eyebrows. "Especially naked!" said Bronsen. The two girls looked at each other. "They''re obsessed with that idea, aren''t they?" said Alice. At this point, Cassy had a really, really, evil idea. "I know; what if the two boys gave each other a big, totally nude hug? And then us girls will give each other a hug of exactly the same kind? Alice, does that fly with you?" Alice deliberated about this for some time. "Hmm, I''m not attracted in that way to Cassy, but... The idea of getting to see some genuine Boys Love, even if it is entirely without any arousal, does sound nice indeed." "We are not into Boys Love!" said Bronsen. "No, but we aren''t into Girls Love either. But... A bit of fake Boys Love is still nice. And, wouldn''t you say that a bit of fake Girls Love sounds like it could be interesting?" That got the boys thinking hard. Very hard indeed. Eventually - "I suppose I could do something," said Bronsen. Somewhat more reluctantly, Drayden agreed. Amazingly, at this stage, they were still fully clothed. So they rapidly fixed that. Bronsen, naked, stood in front of Drayden. Drayden, also naked, kept standing there. Two naked girls stood slightly back, fangirling like crazy. After a while, however: "Hey, boys! You have to do something," said Alice. "Oh, right," said Bronsen. "This could be a little - embarrassing," said Drayden. "Come on!" said Cassy, "You''re supposed to flex your manly muscles and show off your -" Here, she started giggling. "Your velvet steel rods!" At this, Alice burst out laughing. "Really? Is that what your BL manga says?" "Yep, Sure does." Drayden looked down: "Hmm, I don''t see any signs of ''velvet steel rods''. I don''t think I have ever seen such a thing. At least on my body." "Just imagine it! It''s all purple melodrama anyway." said Cassy, "You''re supposed to be overcome with lust and plunge into each other''s embrace and run your hands over each other''s bums and, and, ah." At this point, Cassy was so overcome with laughter that she started to run out of breath. "Oooh, this sounds hot!" said Alice. The two boys were not quite so - aroused. They looked at each other. "This could be a whole lot - embarrassing," said Drayden. "I agree. I might - kind of - admire Drayden''s body, but I don''t want to go that far," said Bronsen. Cassy calmed herself down. "Well, remember, if you want to see us girls do anything, you must do it first." Drayden shifted around on his feet, alternating his gaze between the two naked girls and the naked boy in front of him. "I suppose if I try to imagine Bronsen as a female, then..." "Nonetheless, I''m not. And, really, you aren''t a very good model of a female either," said Bronsen. "But, you admire his body!" said Alice. "I''m never going to live that down, am I?" said Bronsen, "But admiring his body does not translate to wanting to hug him." "Shame," said Cassy. The boys took a breath. "Let''s just do this straight, shall we?" said Drayden, "This is purely an act to get the girls to do the same." Bronsen nodded his head. So Drayden stepped forward. He put his hands out on Bronsen''s hips. Bronsen extended his hands to Drayden''s back. And, very tentatively, they pressed their bodies together. The girls went silent in entranced appreciation. Drayden must have made an effort of willpower; he extended one hand and patted Bronsen''s bum. Once. Then, both boys sprung apart so energetically they hit the opposite walls. There was a big cheer from both girls. "Yay! Boy''s Love! Even if it was fake," said Cassy. A big, big, cheesy grin from Alice: "Now, that wasn''t so bad, was it?" "No," said Drayden, "Although I could have never done this back on Earth. Amongst other things, I would be absolutely terrified of getting an erection, even if I don''t have any Boy''s Love in me." "Ooh yeah." said Cassy, "Actually, I think I can understand that." The two boys drifted together, and both looked expectantly at the girls. "OK, Alice, we can do this," said Cassy. "Sure." So, without much ado, Alice walked up to Cassy, and they hugged each other. Alice''s almost-black skin contrasted nicely with Cassy''s almost-white skin. Cassy''s red hair swept past her shoulder and overlapped with Alice''s black hair. Then Cassy gave Alice''s bum a single pat. The two girls stepped apart. "There you are, that''s how you do it!" said Cassy. "Yep, no fuss whatsoever," said Alice. The two boys were still so enthralled they didn''t say anything for some time. "And now, we toss a coin," said Alice. Actually, they didn''t have any coins available. Fortunately, Cassy found a small, flattish rock in the corner of the room. "This place hasn''t been cleaned for a long time," she said. Alice inspected it. "OK, this side is the Drayden side." Cassy tossed the coin, and Alice inspected it again. "And it Drayden''s side up. So he goes with Cassy!" Drayden didn''t appear to object to that. But Bronsen decided to add something. "If I may be so bold to propose something - purely if the girls approve, of course..." "Yes?" said Cassy. "How about we swap over after half an hour or so?" "Oh, I see. You want to jump from one girl''s bed to another, and this time, you want to make it just half an hour for each?" said Cassy. "Yes!" said both Drayden and Bronsen. "And then, I want us to all meet back here," said Bronsen. Alice drew a deep breath, then communicated with Cassy using only their eyes. "OK, OK, let''s do that," she said. After an hour, they were all back in their meeting room. They looked slightly damp, but not too much, as they had wiped down themselves with towels. They sat down, cross-legged, in their accustomed order. Completely naked, of course. The girls patiently waited while the boys admired their bodies until, eventually, Cassy spoke out. "Amazing, isn''t it, dear Alice? Despite them having just banged us silly, they still want to oggle our bodies." Alice wiggled around slightly while stroking her hair, thus attracting the boy''s attention even more. "Yes! It is sure nice to be appreciated so much." "At least, for our bodies," said Cassy. "Oh, but we also tremendously appreciate your personalities," said Drayden. "Sure, sure," said Cassy. "And we tremendously appreciate your little Girls Love show beforehand, even if it was all fake," said Bronsen. Drayden nodded vigorously. "In that case, I will say that I personally was inspired by the Boys Love show beforehand," said Cassy. "Yes! Yes!" said Alice. "Remember, it''s all fake!" said Bronsen. There was a contemplative silence for a while. "I hope everybody recognises the fact that this is the most - blatant - we have been about our four-way sexual relationship?" said Bronsen. Everyone nodded. Then, three of them looked at Alice. She rolled her eyes. "Why must you always look at me regarding this topic?" "You know perfectly well that you are the one most subject to the evil feelings of jealousy," said Bronsen. "Yeah, yeah. OK, well, you know, I still feel extremely jealous on occasion. But it is mostly drowned out by the sheer, err, pleasure of having sex with two boys with fantastic bodies, so, I don''t know, I guess you could say I have adapted. And, I''m sure I''ll, actually all of us, become more and more used to it. Until we die in the not-too-distant future, that is." There didn''t seem to be anything more to say to this. Cassy picked up Drayden by one arm, letting him dangle in mid-air. "Right, since I won the coin toss, I''m still claiming Drayden. Considering how much has happened today, I can guarantee that we will be going to sleep very soon. See you in the morning." They separated and went to their separate rooms. Narrator: Despite being nearly exhausted, the boys still found it within themselves to stand up for the occasion, and the girls were receptive. But, having become very responsible citizens of Manifestoria, they managed to present themselves on time for breakfast the following morning. They may have felt a little tired. [2.27] The Slaver Emperor starts freaking out Eleanor: The Misfits spent the day in a series of meetings with Eleanor and Lena, Jane, Aragon, Esther and Evereena. This is a bloody lot of information to deal with in one go. In the end, Eleanor made a summary: "We need to have a meeting soon to discuss all of our newly acquired abilities specifically. And, need I add, we must keep these as secret as possible?" The Misfits knew an order when they heard one. "Yes, Eleanor." "Also, it has become blindly obvious that Manifestoria and I need a lot of extra help. I will send out encrypted messages via the semaphore system, asking representatives from every country within reach to visit us. I will try to get as many high-ranking visitors as possible, so if you can hold some ability points in reserve, We can use them as bribes." The Misfits nodded their heads. "At least accommodation for all of your freed slaves is no problem. Not only is the old boarding school that you used to use available, but most of the remaining nobles are packing their bags and making a run for it. They are nobly letting me use their vacated homes in the interim. Some tried to ask for a rental fee, but the treasurer gently convinced them to give it to us for free." "That''s - very kind of the nobles." said Cassy, "Definitely a noble action." Eleanor snorted. Ha! Lena has given me a very disapproving look. Snorting is not a regal reaction, but we will probably all be dead soon, so who cares? Eleanor raised her eyebrows at Lena, then continued with the meeting. "Now, according to Jane and Aragon, you lot, even with your very high stats, are still not as proficient at the sword as you could be..." "Ah, yes, we can''t deny that," said Bronsen. Eleanor caught Jane''s eye. "In that case, how about we have a training session every afternoon, just Aragon and me and a few of my best sword fighters?" said Jane. Four Misfits nodded their heads. They looked serious as if realising that they may be in for a lot of pain. "Don''t worry, I''m sure we''ll moderate our training to your limits," said Jane. She gave the appearance of looking forward to it. The Misfits, not so much. "Finally, the slaver emperor will be getting information about many things shortly. We don''t know what he will do, so I suggest we take it as it comes," said Eleanor. On that note, the Misfits retired to their rooms to wait for the evening meal. Have those kids become even more sex-crazed than before? Katress: Katress, who was about the same age as Evereena and the only child of one of the highest-ranked noble families currently left in Manifestoria, was receiving her marching orders. "This is it. We are leaving tomorrow. Your parents will get the servants to pack all the stuff needed for travel, but you need to help the maid pack a suitcase of your clothes and belongings. It will be doubtful that we will return." said her father. "Yes, Dad. So we are running away with our tails tucked behind us while Eleanor and all the others deal with the slaver emperor?" "I don''t want any of that talk here, young girl!" "But, Queen Eleanor is being brave. She has pledged herself to stand here against the whole slaver nation! While we just run away like cowards!" "Katress! You do not know what you are talking about. There is nothing to be done; moving out is the only sensible option!" "Yeah. We are abandoning everything we have here. And, if by chance Eleanor succeeds, we come back and reclaim our property and carry on as if nothing had happened? While they risked their lives?" "I do not want to have any more of this discussion. You are just a young teenager; what could you do?" "Well, Evereena is the same age as me, and she is staying!" "Evereena is a slave! She has no status or importance! Furthermore, she has some power to injure or something. What fighting abilities do you have?" The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Well, I could volunteer to, I dunno, help with the cooking or something..." "You are a noble. We do not do such menial jobs! You will get moving now and show the maid what stuff you want to take. We will be leaving tomorrow in the carriage, and you will be on it!" "And, I guess the maid won''t be coming with us?" "Of course not! She can look after herself. Now get moving!" Mumbling under her breath, she went to her room to start packing. Kepler, the Slaver Emperor: By the evening of this day, his slaves that tracked the semaphore messages had managed to amass some extremely interesting information. The more he read the report, the more horrified he became. "They can remove slave collars without killing the slave?" "They use the points gained and give them to anybody they choose?" "I need to kill them immediately!'' "I''ll send a million slaves to Manifestoria. Blanket the country. Enslave everyone and kill the Misfits! I need to start as soon as possible..." He thought about the logistics involved. "Damn! It will take a week to get everyone organised. Another week or more to get the slaves moving onto Manifestoria. Meanwhile, the vermin can see me from the other side of the ring and will warn them." "And, shit, this would disrupt all of my other invasion plans. I would need to retreat and reform the front lines across half a dozen countries." The emperor had no choice but to think about alternatives. "Even if they can remove collars, there''s only four of them and 60 million of us. And if the slaves are fighting, they can''t remove collars at any speed. So, maybe there isn''t too much need to rush into it." "I wonder, can I vow to fight Eleanor and the Misfits without using enormous numbers of slaves?" "That could be an idea. Have a mutual vow with that vermin to duel with just the two of us?" "Hmm, she might be a female, but I don''t think even she would be that stupid. How about a small number?" He closed his eyes and considered his options. "This could be very dangerous. It definitely could endanger my life. But, if I take the correct precautions to safeguard the handover of the gold collar, then my absolute orders to protect the slaver society should be satisfied." "And, really, I''m beginning to hate my life." This was the first time he had openly admitted to himself such a thing. "Just like my grandfather did before handing over the gold collar to me. It''s such a pointless way to live. And I cannot change it." He reflected that he didn''t know how to change things to improve anybody¡¯s life, even if he was allowed to. "How do those vermin keep living empty lives and say they enjoy them?" The emperor shook his head in frustration. Then, he decided to put these matters aside and continue with other duties. The Misfits: Also, that evening, the Misfits talked about their day at their regular committee meeting/social gathering. "Hey, everyone, I''ve been practising observing the social interactions between other people, and it''s great!" said Drayden. "I agree," said Bronsen, "Did anybody else note all the times that Eleanor and Lena were, every so coincidentally, meeting each other''s gazes?" "I did!" said Drayden, "Especially when Eleanor gave that very unladylike snort when Cassy said something about nobles being very noble." "That''s right!" said Cassy, "And Aragon and Esther were also in synchronisation on many occasions." "Say, do you suppose that also applies to us?" said Alice. Contemplative gap in the conversation. "Well, I suppose so. It''s just that we are in the middle of it, so we don''t notice," said Bronsen. Alice clapped her hands. "Ok, time for Cassy and I to decide something..." Eleanor and Lena: They were currently lying on the double bed in Lena''s room. Over the past few months, they had slightly changed the sleeping arrangements, so they slept on one bed, and the two children slept on another double bed on the opposite side of the room. Right now, the kids were sound asleep, so therefore they could talk. "Have you noticed how they are much more mature than before?" said Lena. "Yes. Dying and then becoming responsible for a hundred formerly enslaved people must do wonders for raising one''s maturity levels." "Yeah. And I don''t know how it is possible, but they seem to have become even more sex mad. I mean, they were sharing glances and ever so coincidental touches across all four possible boy-girl combinations. And maybe even across the two same-sex combinations." said Lena. "I''ve noticed that. Personally, I''m quite satisfied with our once-a-week sex date. Bloody hell, they must be frantically at it every night. It makes me exhausted just thinking about it." Lena snickered. "Sure you wouldn''t want it more often? If my queen orders me, I can only obey." Eleanor snorted. "Watch it, peasant! Otherwise, I''ll smother you with your pillow!" "And there''s another of those very so unladylike snorts. Are you sure you are queen material?" They spent the next five minutes having a pillow fight. Then they looked over at the two children, who were still sound asleep. "We had better get to sleep. There are going to be a lot more meetings, and I have to attend every single one of them," said Eleanor. Esther and Aragon: They had just made love. "My dear, I think you are getting the idea about this romantic sex thing," said Aragon. "Ooh yeah, I am. It is ever so much different from, you know, before..." "And, now, you don''t have that horrible slave collar," said Aragon. "I still haven''t gotten used to that. But the Misfits have my everlasting gratitude." "They have mine, too." said Aragon, "Even though none of us will have lives long enough to express that gratitude." A sigh from Esther. "Thankfully, at least Evereena seems much more lively now that Cassy is back." "But not for long." And on that note, they closed their eyes and went to sleep. Evereena: It''s so wonderful that Cassy is back. And the other Misfits, of course. But it''s only going to be for a short period. Damn the Slaver emperor! Why can''t he leave us alone? And, all of these adults and older teenagers, they''re all having sex. Just as well I decided not to worry about such things, so it doesn''t worry me at all. Definitely doesn''t. At least Jane appears to be single. Jane: Jane lay in her single bed in her residence. All she was worried about was her daughter and her grandchildren. The nobles are running away like rats from a fire. Unfortunately, we don''t have enough money or resources to allow my daughter''s family to do that. Walking out on foot won''t get them far, and they won¡¯t be able to buy food or accommodation along the way. My daughter had to help that Katress girl to pack for their escape, but her parents didn''t give a rat''s arse for the maid''s family. This is the shits. [2.28] The Emperor makes a vow Kepler: Towards the end of the next day, the slaver emperor was digesting the most recent news. He had spent the entire day interrogating the three slaves who had chosen to stay behind on the Island. They confirm everything that I already know. And they confirm how truly depraved these four Misfits are. They gave max stats to all females, but only some males! And they gave out the stats freely! And the Misfit girls are exactly as strong as the boys! What madness is that? And didn''t one of my reports indicate that the four Misfits had a shared status page? What on the Ringworld is that about? And, of course, there are their vows - all at 100% strength. How am I going to deal with all of this? My absolute orders are compelling me to face this problem and do something! He put his head on his desk, closed his eyes, and tried to think. After a while, he remembered something. Not bothering to summon his slave clerks, he jumped up and started rummaging through the filing cabinets. "Ah, here it is! A report about some of the stories overheard concerning the Misfits." The Emperor would occasionally send out a high-ranking slave to capture vermin deep inside non-slaver countries and bring these newly collared slaves back to be interrogated. And one of them had the fascinating story that - just maybe - the two Misfits, Drayden and Cassy, had carved out a tunnel in the side of the Ringworld wall. That''s right; I initially ignored this since it was impossible. The Voice won''t allow it. But, given all of the other fantastical feats these Misfits have achieved, maybe it is true. How can I use this? A dim outline of a plan formed in his mind. Is this even possible? Voice of the World: If the Misfits can be given the ability to tunnel into the Wall, then I demand that ability, too! There was no reply. As if it would be that easy. OK, what if I assume that it was a temporarily granted ability? What if I assume I vow to fight Eleanor one-on-one, with only a limited number of fighters on either side and the vow is 100%? And assume that the Voice only grants high-strength vows for situations that involve direct fights if the odds are roughly half on both sides. What if I try to argue that, as part of the 100% strength vow, it is fair that I gain a once-off temporary ability to tunnel into the Wall, just like the Misfits had? This is one Voice damned lot of assumptions. He spent some time composing his vow. Wait, how do I make the vow and ask for the Wall-digging ability without the vermin knowing about the ability? OK, two vows. Do I want to do this? There is a 50% chance that I die... Oh, shit this, I''m really, really tired of being Emperor. OK, first vow. I, the Slave Emperor Kelper, want to make a private 100% vow: I will fight Queen Eleanor and her fighters in an even-number-on-both-sides contest IF I get the temporary Wall-digging ability for my team and if the location of the fight is in the Wall internal room, halfway up the stairs that are nearest to Manifestoria. He held his breath as he waited, and then he got his reply. Ding! Your vow is confirmed with the conditions as requested. However, since only two of the Misfits ever used the Wall-digging ability, only two of your slaves can. Before starting the fight, you must designate which two. Holy Voice, it was a success - my first vow. This could make my life enjoyable, for once. But it only applies if I make the second vow. And I have to word it so I don''t have to act until that vermin Eleanor makes her vow. OK, here goes. Eleanor: Eleanor had sent searchers to go through every book and report in the castle''s library and filing cabinets and to bring back every scrap of knowledge about the slave empire. These same searchers had then spent most of the day frantically combing the information and distilling down the information into a series of reports. The treasurer headed this project and was the one to combine the reports into a single final report. He had to use both hands to carry it; it had some heft to it. Of course, while all this was happening, Eleanor had been very busy with meetings with all sorts of people. Eventually, she was able to meet with Lena late in the afternoon. "Well, I''ve managed to finish arrangements for the free slaves; the treasurer is already allocating jobs for some of them." "That''s good. Have some cookies; you missed lunch, you know," said Lena, practically forcing a cookie into Eleanor''s mouth. Munch, munch, gulp. "And Aragon and Jane have started training the Misfits, and they have already started to allocate max stats to some of the guards. Oh, and also, they maxed the stats of the Crysteth Prime Minister. I''m impressed at how fast he managed to get here, and he came with extra information about the slave system." "Ha! He just wanted to be maxed out!" said Lena. "Whatever. He''s here and will stay the week until the more distant advisors and leaders start arriving." "My, the mighty Queen Eleanor, as she commands, so shall they scurry to obey and to come to her," said Lena. Eleanor rolled her eyes. "Ultimately, it is all in their best interests and their people''s best interests. Hmm, I believe at least half of them do have their people''s interest at heart." "And they shall run away like rats from a fire once the slaver emperor starts moving, while we will be left here," said Lena. "You have been talking to Jane, haven''t you?" "Sure have." After a while, Eleanor gathered with her core friends and had a social chat before dinner. The treasurer was also present, mostly because he had handed Eleanor the stack of paper that was the reports. Once upon a time, she would have found it taxing to her strength to hold it, but now, with maxed-out stats? It was as light as a feather. She put it down on the table. Something else was taxing her: This is embarrassing. Do I invite him to the meal or politely thank him for his time and hope he gets the hint and gracefully exits? If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. And then, without warning: Ding! The Slave Emperor has made a 100% vow to Queen Eleanor: If you agree, I will meet you in the Wall internal room at midday in precisely six weeks. We will each bring an equal number of fighters, the number to be determined by you. I will approach from the top and will arrive precisely at midday. You approach from the bottom and may come beforehand. We will fight until one side wins and the other loses. Both parties may make whatever preparations they see fit as long as the agreed maximum number of fighters is not exceeded. After the fight, both parties are free from further obligations under this vow. You may take two weeks to reply. If you do not, I will proceed as I see fit. This message has been sent to Eleanor and everyone in her court, plus every Manifestorian guard and every sufficiently influential noble and politician within 1000 kilometres of Manifestoria''s side of the slaver nation. Eleanor screamed. "What the fuck hell is this!" Kelper: The vow worked! Now, I have to wait to see what the vermin chooses to do. Actually... Didn''t this work a bit too well? It was all so effortless and fast. Have I been set up? But how? The Voice is supposed to be fair and impartial. It never takes sides. Actually, it does take sides sometimes; that''s what the heroes are all about. Think, think. If the Voice wants to kill me, the slaver emperor, and disrupt our plans, then why would it set up a fight with a fifty-fifty chance of winning or losing? Ah, I get it. Because usually, they don''t stand a chance. At least not in the foreseeable future. But it doesn''t matter. If I lose, the gold collar goes to my carefully selected successor, so it doesn''t matter one way or another. If I win, I have a bit of excitement in my life. Or, I lose and die, and the next slaver emperor will have to take a respite before getting up on all the arrangements. So Eleanor gets some extra time. Then he crushes Manifestoria, and the Slaver empire will continue. It''s OK either way. Fuck! I forgot: the Misfit''s vows are about destroying slavery! They have nothing in them about killing me! But, but, wait, there isn''t any real problem, is there? Actually, there is one way that the slave system can be destroyed... But it is only applicable in very limited circumstances, and considering all slaves have Absolute Orders against it, then, then... Yeah, there''s no need to worry. But, just to be sure, I will take some extra precautions. "This is going to be exciting!" Eleanor: Up until now, Eleanor had managed to cope reasonably well with the whole murdering a king thing, then becoming a queen, and then fighting off a vicious slave invasion. This tipped her over the edge. She bolted upright from her chair, sending it crashing against the wall. She put her hands on her head and rocked to and fro, screaming and muttering. "What am I going to do now?" "I''ve got the personal attention of the slaver emperor, what the fuck do I do now?" "The whole slaver nation is coming at me, shit!" At this point, someone wrapped their arms around her from behind. Oh, it''s Lena. Eleanor stopped moving, closed her eyes, and did some deep breathing. Lena held her around the waist and pressed her head against Eleanor''s. Now, count to ten, ... A few more deep breaths, that''s right. Lena loves me, so it will be alright. Right? She opened her eyes and found everybody else was looking at her. Except Lena''s, of course, since she was behind Eleanor. She gave a sickly smile. "Sorry, everyone, just a little temper tantrum, never mind me. Ha ha." "OK, we will all sit down and have a nice discussion about this nice little invitation from our very own local slaver emperor." "I''m sure I will be starting the serious discussions tomorrow, especially considering that the other very important leaders will be starting to arrive then." "But now, if Lena can let go of me..." "Oh, and also, thanks, my dear." Eleanor and Lean, holding hands, sat down in their usual chairs. She looked around. Everyone looks shocked. Are they shocked at me losing control or the Emperor''s vow? It must be the vow; that''s the important thing. Definitely! "Perhaps, if anybody has any comments, I''ll just listen for now." Drayden: Oh wow, Eleanor was so cute then. And Lena was also, hugging Eleanor like that. No! Bad Misfit! Keep your mind on the crucial topic, the Emperor''s vow. Bronsen: Bronsen had the exact same thoughts going through his head. The Misfits: "Well, I''m sure the more experienced of you have also noticed, but isn''t this vow suspiciously specific? He sets the exact time and the place and then lets you set the number of fighters. And then what about him saying he will arrive on time, but you can come as early as you like and set up preparations? I realise that vows that set up two parties in competition have to allow even odds for both sides, but does that mean the Emperor is happy with a 50% chance of failing?" said Drayden. In the ensuing silence, Drayden saw Eleanor look at the treasurer. "Ah, yes. I believe that you will find, ah, here." The treasurer reached out, slid the report towards himself, rapidly rifled through the stack of papers, and extracted some. "This is speculation about how the gold collar succession from the old Emperor to the new Emperor works. And it appears that most emperors get tired of life and, basically, arrange their deaths. That appears to be the only way an emperor can get out of being an emperor." "Pretty brutal, but then I suppose the whole slaver system is brutal. So, you are suggesting that he is tired of life and is arranging this whole duel to the death thing as an elaborate way of committing suicide?" "That appears to be a reasonable assumption, considering our known information. Furthermore, it should be noted that the current Emperor has been in his position for thirty-one years. So he is a prime candidate for succumbing to ennui and boredom." "Oh, OK." "Wait a moment! This vow is all about fighting a duel between Eleanor, the queen, and what''s his name, the Emperor," said Cassy. "Ah, his name is Kelper," said the treasurer. "Between Eleanor and Kelper. A duel to the death, or until all of us are enslaved. And you say he is content with a 50% chance of dying. I think he''s acting like a typical bully but never mind. But the point is, the vow we Misfits have made is nothing about him dying. It''s all about ending slavery for good. Now, surely he is not comfortable about that," said Cassy. "This is certainly a valid point. Many of the individual reports discuss the system of Absolute and Standing orders that every slave is subject to. I believe that Esther and Evereena can confirm this. One of the first Absolute orders is never to do anything to endanger the slaver institution. Thus, it can only be assumed that he does not believe the slave system is in danger in any way due to this duel," said the Treasurer. "That''s pretty arrogant of the little shit," said Cassy. Drayden disputed this statement. "Personally, I''ll say that he is a very big shit." "Whatever. Anyway, he certainly has something up his sleeve. Why do you have to take up this ''kind'' offer, anyway?" said Cassy. "Because the emperor''s next option is to cover Manifestoria wall to wall with a million slaves," said Aragon. "Fuck. So, I suppose this ridiculous duel is the best bet to at least delay the inevitable," said Cassy. "I believe there is a slight chance of achieving our objective. One report here hints at a few things about the Emperor''s succession; nothing is definite, but there are hints. I believe that it is best if discussion of that topic is reserved for a more restricted audience. Since secrecy may be of the utmost importance." said the treasurer. Four teenagers shared glances. Then they shrugged their shoulders. "That''s fine," said Bronsen. Jane: I wonder what the big secret is. But I have just had an idea. Which should also be kept a big secret. That freed slave who looks just like Eleanor; maybe she can fake being Eleanor during the fight? Of course, it''s going to suck for, ah, Frannie was her name? Since we will be using her as a sacrificial pawn. But, if the news I heard about her death pact vow with her friend is accurate, then maybe she won''t mind. I''ll bring this up with Eleanor privately. Misfits: The discussion continued throughout the meal and didn''t end until Lena realised that her children had fallen asleep in their chairs. And the treasurer stayed on for the meal, even if he did look out of place. But, then again, he did have a lot of important information at his fingertips. Afterwards, the Misfits gathered in their meeting room. They were a little frazzled around the edges. "I guess the date is set. Six weeks, win or lose, we die," said Bronsen. "Gee, aren''t you a bundle of joy tonight," said Alice. "He sure is. But, at least we got to see Eleanor and Lena cuddling together," said Drayden. "Ooooh yeah! They looked nice," said Bronsen, "Unfortunately, no sexiness was involved. Since System-san won¡¯t let us see that. They merely looked nice," "Oh, bloody hell, these boys and their obsession with Girl Love!" said Cassy, looking at Alice. Alice nodded her head. She then grabbed Bronsen. "This works for you?" she said, looking at Cassy. "Sure, back to our first lover. Might as well," said Cassy. Kelper: The following day, the Emperor checked his status. He realised that he didn''t have the Wall tunnelling ability quite yet. He had to pay 500 points for it. "Oh damn." He knew what this entailed. And it wasn''t going to be pleasant. He got a servant to bring him five new slave collars. He then ordered everyone out. He carefully closed the door so no one could see or hear him. He laid the collars out on the stone floor and materialised his sword. Not destroying a slave collar might be an absolute order, but absolute orders came in a hierarchy. And the supreme absolute order was not to endanger the slaver institution in any way. He held a conversation with himself. He felt like he was intervening between his top two absolute orders as if they each had a will of their own. Yes, I know I shouldn''t destroy a collar. But by destroying a collar, I gain points that will help me not die. Preventing the Emperor from dying is a part of not endangering the slaver institution. And thus has a higher priority. And therefore, I should be allowed to destroy this collar. After several rounds of this, he could finally use his sword to strike the collar with considerable force. Which did not disintegrate. So he had to do it again and again. Finally: Ding! 100 points awarded. Oh, bloody hell. I have to do that four more times. Eventually, he acquired the 500 points, which he promptly used to purchase the Wall-digging ability. He was also soaked with sweat and had a headache. Just as well I said six weeks. And now I have to get all the fighters that go with me to also destroy enough slave collars to max out their strengths. Fortunately, I maxed out my stats long ago using this same method. He decided to spend some time recovering and to start maxing out the fighters tomorrow. [2.29] Death Pacts Eleanor: The following week went by with a lot of planning. The foreign leaders all demanded to be maxed out in stats, but at least in return, they provided as much information and resources as they could. Eleanor attended many meetings. In her mind, the memories of most of the meetings started blurring into one another. But there were a few that stood out starkly. Eleanor: Meeting with Frannie, Reggie and Hestia. "Lena, hug me, please! I''m going to need it." Lena hugged her with all her strength. Fortunately, Eleanor was not crushed. "And, Eleanor, turn down your Emotional Control a bit, OK? If you¡¯re going to ask them, then at least show that you are prepared to suffer also." Eleanor grimaced but did as she was told. Then, Eleanor took a deep breath, turned, and walked to the meeting room. This meeting is going to be horrible. The room had already been carefully set out. Seven chairs were set out in a semi-circle containing Frannie and Reggie, Hestia, and the Misfits. At the centre of the semi-circle was an eighth chair for Eleanor. "I can only be brutally honest here since you deserve nothing else. You seven have volunteered to be in the front row of the fight. And you have all acknowledged that you will probably die during it. Meanwhile, most of the others and I will be, ah, not exactly safe, but safer." Seven very sombre people nodded their heads in agreement. "Perhaps if you could each briefly say something?" There were some side glances before Frannie indicated that she would start. "I''ve talked this over with Reggie. Now that we have met again, we have realised that we can''t go back to what we were before we were enslaved. However, there is too much damage to allow anything in the future between us, so we might as well end it soon and go out doing something worthwhile." A silence as everyone processed this. Then Hestia spoke. "The Emperor raped and killed my sister. The only adult person apart from my mother that I have ever loved. It was only the constant compulsion of my collar that kept me from killing myself. And, now that the collar is gone, I see no reason to keep living. And, if I get to fight, maybe there is the slimmest chance of killing the Emperor before he or his fighters kill me. So I''m happy with this." Now, the Misfits were the centre of attention. Bronsen, their designated leader, spoke. "It''s a real pain, but it appears that we are due to die, anyway. Because of the hero bullshit." "So, fine, we''re in!" "We can only hope that, in doing so, we destroy this truly wretched slavery system." Eleanor lifted a hand to her head and massaged her temple. And I''m leading them into all of this. If I win, there will be more deaths on my conscience. Of course, I will probably lose. In which I''ll be dead also. What joy! She stood up and bowed to them all. "Thank you for your help. I, err, can''t say anything more, can I?" There were murmurs of consent from her audience. "Oh, and also, if you three," Eleanor pointed to Frannie, Reggie and Hestia. "Could you just call me by my name when we are private like this? All the others in my court do so already." "Certainly, Eleanor," said Frannie and Reggie. Hestia nodded her head in agreement. "Now, I need to discuss some strategy - based on the fact that Frannie looks a lot like me." "The idea is that Frannie impersonates me, which means that she will attract the full fury of the slavers. And, of course, probably die sooner rather than later." "So, Frannie, are you happy with that?" The answer came without any hesitation whatsoever. "Sure. Since I will die anyway, it makes no difference to me." "Thanks for that." What did I do to deserve such loyalty? Or maybe it''s loyalty to the Misfits? Or, I suppose, she just wants to die. "To make you a convincing Eleanor, we will have to have some extra training sessions just for you. Lena, Aragon, and Jane, who were all at the slaver attack at the beachside and knew what I looked like, will be guiding you on how to act. With input from me, of course. I suppose Reggie can attend too; maybe he can give you extra help impersonating me at the fight." Both Frannie and Reggie signified their acceptance of this. Eleanor: Meeting with all of the fighters Another meeting soon after: It was in the same room, with the same people, plus four more - Jane, Aragon, Aragon''s brother Jacob, and Jacob''s partner Adrian. And this time, Eleanor stayed standing. "I have been having some very exclusive meetings with the leaders from a dozen or so countries. I never knew that I would be moving in such exalted circles. But, anyway, some of them have shared some extremely interesting information about the slavery system, which they have been hiding away until now. Unfortunately, we have all agreed to keep it a deep, dark secret for the time being since it might make a colossal difference. Sorry about that." Eleanor hesitated, giving anyone a chance to object. But, apart from a few frowns, nobody did. "One of the things that was decided was the number of fighters to take with me. Considering the venue and our plans, the consensus was that using a small number was probably the best. If there were a large number, the space would be cramped, and because the Emperor will order his slaves to fight with complete disregard for their lives, even with matching numbers on both sides, his side will probably have a small advantage." "Anyway, we have produced a basic plan outline that hopefully caters to our strengths and may give us an edge. As you all know by now, our front line will be these seven, and they are not expected to survive." This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Eleanor caught her breath and then continued. "The second line is Jane, Aragon, Jacob and Adrian. It''s hard to say, but I''m ordering you four not to risk your lives to save the seven in the front line. You four have a life in front of you, assuming we win. The seven either won''t survive anyway or don''t want to survive. So, they fight like hell to protect you and to kill as many slaves as possible. Furthermore, if you four are overpowered and are in imminent danger of being collared, don''t fight to the death; allow yourself to be collared. It''s better than dying, and we might just be able to win. Or maybe one of the Misfits will be able to free you." "Is that OK?" Her audience nodded their heads, but nobody bothered to say anything. "There is a complication. While the Misfits are not expected to survive in any circumstances, it could be useful if they survive long enough to touch the Emperor somehow, thus removing his collar. So, if you could not fight quite to death, maybe let yourself be captured if there is no purpose in fighting to death; ah, sorry about all this." Bronsen nodded his head. "And, of course, I, plus my entourage stuck to me, will be way in the back. With some protection. The plans for this protection are being finalised, so I''ll update you shortly." "But one detail I can discuss now: Esther will be there with me. And she will be using her Switch Of Language skill. Naturally, she''ll be using it on every slave that comes within range. She will also, beforehand, use it on you lot, except for the Misfits." "What?"/"Sorry?" said Jacob and Adrian. "Because, think, what if you are collared?" "Oh," said Jacob. "Yeah, a Blue or Green could order you to get up and fight on their side. But if you don''t have any language comprehension, they can''t order you, can they?" "That''s - rather sneaky, actually," said Adrian. "It is possible that the Emperor doesn''t know about that skill. But I''m reasonably sure he knows about Evereena''s skill since it was obvious." "For those that don''t know, she can [Insta-Death] someone, but only if they are within her range. Sadly, the range isn''t all that great. But, every little thing helps." "If I can ask a question?" said Hestia. "You certainly can." "Ah, who else besides you and Esther and Evereena will be with you in your ''protected'' position." "You three probably haven''t heard it yet, but due to various 100% vows, Lena has to be with me in such circumstances. Furthermore, this is extremely painful, but Becky and Mason must be with Lena. These absolute vows are a real pain, sometimes." "I''ll say," said Jane. "Doesn''t that make them a bit like absolute orders?" said Reggie. "I suppose so? Except, I suppose we have voluntarily taken on these vows, unlike your old collar-compelled absolute orders." "Any more questions?" said Eleanor, "Remember, you can find me any time if you think of something extra to say or to ask." Nobody replied. "Well, that brings me to the last point - over to you, Jane." Jane stood up. She smiled at the group. The guards looked interested. The Misfits already knew what was coming, and the three freed slaves looked apprehensive. "Now that you all have maxed out strengths and physical abilities, I think it is time to get stuck into some training. Compared to our normal recruits with measly physical strengths, you should be able to take a lot of punishment and acquire some impressive sword fighting skills. Remember, your skill is not just determined by the numbers in your stats; it is also helped by practice. But don''t worry, new people, the Misfits have already started this training, and they love it! Don''t you?" The Misfits tepidly nodded their heads in agreement. "So, if you can follow me now, we will start. Of course, Aragon, Jacob, Adrian, and I will also fully participate. Won''t we, boys?" The guards were no longer looking quite so enthusiastic. But they couldn''t complain. "And if we work real hard, both Reggie and Hestia should be able to get the bonded sword ability. Which I''m sure they are both excited at the possibility." Strangely, no doubt thinking about the real hard, Reggie and Hestia didn''t look as enthused as they should have. But they didn''t complain. They all went off to the training grounds. Eleanor watched them go off, then sagged. I will find Lena and make her feed me some more cookies. The Misfits: After these two meetings, their training and the evening meal, the Misfits discussed a few things at their very own committee meeting. "Say, you lot. I''ve been thinking, the Felixian society is lacking in technology, isn''t it?" said Drayden. "Yeah. Although they do have flush toilets, so there is that." Cassy said. "They must have possessed a very high level of technology when they created this ringworld," said Bronsen. "Presumably, it declined sometime in the ensuing three thousand years, perhaps because they didn''t need it?" said Drayden. "When in doubt, ask System-san!" said Cassy. Ding! Due to various factors which will not be conveyed to you, the total population of Felixerra has declined to extremely low levels at least once before now. Also, the Ringworld inhabitants have reset the origin year to zero more than once. "Aha! Too few people to maintain the science and high technology, so it all got lost," said Drayden, "Although I suppose that leaves the question of why the population declined. Which, apparently, the System is not telling us. And the Ringworld is far older than we thought." He thought about this for a moment. "That makes sense. It takes considerable time to travel out from the galaxy to where we are now; we must be over a hundred thousand lightyears out..." "But, never mind that. I''m proposing that I discuss possible technological and scientific advances that they may find useful. Eleanor should be able to find a group of people with a sufficiently high level of intelligence and knowledge and who will thus be able to take advantage of what I say." "Might as well," said Bronsen, "Although you still have to attend all of our training sessions." Drayden grimaced. "I haven''t forgotten about them at all. Nor forgotten all the bruises I picked up this afternoon." The conversation faded out; they sat in silence for a while. "This is getting real, isn''t it?" said Alice. All she got was more glum silence. "So real, I''m almost forgetting my jealousy," she said. "Almost?" said Bronsen. "It takes more than a little thing like our encroaching deaths to stop my jealousy. My jealousy is industrial strength!" Cassy wrapped her arms around Alice. "Never mind, my dear. How about you take your pick and then go to your room and try to assuage your jealousy with some, shall we say, active exercise?" said Cassy. "Hmm, don''t mind if I do!" Bronsen and Drayden were an appreciative audience of this hug. "Shame they aren''t naked," said Drayden. The boys got withering stares from the girls, but they managed to survive. Alice grabbed Drayden''s hand. "I''ll tell you what, how about you come to my room? You can see me naked then," she said. "No problems! No problems!" said Drayden. The Treasurer also makes a vow. The Treasurer was in his office in the castle. He hadn''t bothered turning on his fireball light, so he sat in darkness. His thoughts were also dark. Can I escape? The trouble is that the visitors and the remaining nobles have grabbed all available transport. I don''t have enough money to buy or bribe my way onto a carriage. My stats are weak; if I started walking, I wouldn''t get far, and without shelter, it would be a miserable experience. But, if I stay here and the Emperor wins, I''ll be either killed or enslaved. All of those others who have gotten maxed out stats; how I envy them. What if I ask Eleanor to max me out also? Huh, I don''t think she would be interested in doing that. All those going with her to the duel have maxed-out stats. But, what use am I in the fight? However, I have all of this information neatly compiled into reports with cross-references. Plus, there are the full details of the plans for the fight, with a myriad of different options depending on how things go. So, what if I pitch myself as the information analyst? I sit next to Eleanor, ready to get any detail from the reports she requires as she directs the battle. He thought this through. It probably won''t be all that useful, but you never know. If we fail, I still get killed or enslaved. So, no change there. But, if we succeed, well, I suppose I will get a small amount of credit. And, if I''m to be at the battle site, I can naturally expect to have my stats increased. I''ll have maxed-out stats for the rest of my life. If I live. But, if the Emperor wins, it doesn''t make any difference where I am; I''ll still be enslaved or killed. This is terrible. I wanted to rule from behind the throne. I wanted to never be in danger but enjoy a certain amount of power. Bloody hell, there''s no hope of any behind-the-throne ruling with Eleanor. She is far too strong. Certainly far stronger than the stupid Kalitrain, the previous king. Also, one hell of a lot stronger than Eleanor''s father, another stupid former king. What to do, what to do. If I escape - I won''t be able to make it very far before the slaves catch up to me. Or Eleanor wins, and I''m just some anonymous person in some strange country. If I stay but don''t fight - I''m still dead or enslaved if the Emperor wins. Or I''m just another commoner. Suppose I go and fight with them - Dead or enslaved. Or I''ll probably remain the Treasurer and have maxed-out stats. I''m a coward, aren''t I? But, it looks like the best thing to do is - Ding! The Treasurer has made a public vow, 100%. I pledge my loyalty to Queen Eleanor, and if need be, I can be next to her during the fight with all of my information ready. This message has been sent to Eleanor and the other fighters accompanying her. Eleanor: Well, that was surprising. It could be helpful to have someone flip through the reports and plans on hand, just in case. OK, I''ll accept his offer. I had better get the Misfits to max him out. He''s a lot more courageous and loyal than I thought. [2.30] Eleanor seals the vow with the Slaver Emperor Eleanor: Makes the vow to seal the pact between her and the Slaver Emperor: A week after the Misfits had returned: "Lena, if you can take my arm?" Arm in arm, dressed in their finest clothes, they walked with as much dignity as possible into the castle''s main meeting room. Following them were everyone else who would be at the battle scene. The Misfits, then Frannie, Reggie and Hestia, came first. Followed by Jane, Aragon, Jacob and Adrian. Then came Esther and Evereena, with the two children on each side holding her hands. And lastly came the Treasurer. The children were hanging onto Evereena, with Evereena occasionally speaking to them in soothing tones whenever they started to look extra nervous. Everyone else controlled their faces and emotions and managed to look serious. Although the Treasurer also seemed distinctly uncomfortable. They formed two lines across the stage, with Eleanor and Lena in the front. Facing them were some Manifestorian guards, plus a couple of dozen kings and prime ministers and leaders of countries close enough to be able to attend in time. Plus, an assorted mix of advisors and top-level nobles. "You all know why we are here, so I shall start." Eleanor made her vow to fight with the Emperor. Ding! Eleanor has made a public vow, 100%. She will meet with the Slaver Emperor with seventeen accompanying fighters as agreed upon. With the full details of the Emperor''s conditions, this message has been sent to every non-slave and freed slave within a thousand kilometres of Manifestoria. With that, the audience bowed. Eleanor and her entourage made a dignified departure. Then, everyone who didn''t live in Manifestoria hurriedly streamed out and wasted absolutely no time in escaping. Misfits: When they exited the meeting room, the Misfits decided to race up to the roof. Soon, they were watching from the highest point of the castle, where they could see the main road of Manifestoria as it headed towards Crysteth. Evereena had hurriedly taken the children back to Lena, then chased after them. "Yep, I told you so!" said Drayden, "They''re all running like rats from a sinking ship. Why, there''s an actual traffic jam!" "You''d think they could make a more dignified departure; after all, it''s still five weeks to go," said Alice. "Nyah, why would they hang around? And many of them have a long way to go. They are probably not stopping at their home countries either, but will keep going." said Bronsen. "Shame we don''t have that option," said Cassy, with an arm around Evereena. Evereena, not having anything to add to this, kept on hugging Cassy. Kepler: It''s on! This is more excitement than I''ve had for a decade. She has specified fewer fighters than I would have expected. This is a bit strange, but... He thought this over for a while. My best guess is she thinks that if we had a large number of fighters, my winning would be more predictable, purely because slave fighters would fight to the death and would, on average, win their fights. However, with a small number of fighters, it is more likely that chance occurrences will tilt the battle one way or another, regardless of their abilities. Ah, OK, it doesn''t make much difference. OK, it''s time to get serious about the preparations. I''ll convene a think tank of Greens to work out various strategies and options. We need to have training sessions. I need to pick my choices for my replacements, just in case. I think two Greens should be sufficient. I¡¯ll have one stationed with me at all times, while the other will be further back where he is safe, no matter what happens. I should start moving a few weeks in advance. Better take a small task force, say a few thousand, along the rim wall top. The logistics of food supply is going to be tricky. A week beforehand, we will reach the Manifestorian stairwell. Then, a smaller force goes down within half a kilometre of the internal room. Say, how close can I get before I break the vow? A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Ding! Half a kilometre will do for the stairway - ten metres for any tunnels. But remember, the tunnel team is included in your count of accompanying fighters. The Emperor was startled. He still hadn¡¯t gotten used to the vastly increased communication with the Voice of the World. Shit, I should have proposed a shorter distance, like four hundred metres. I can''t change it now. On the other hand, ten metres for the tunnels is generous. So, after midday on the fight day, I''ll have to get the tunnelling team to go the extra ten metres. Looks like the vermin will have to wait for a while. Make them suffer! Eleanor: Another planning meeting Eleanor presided over another meeting with all the people accompanying her, plus half a dozen extra who specialised in various building and blacksmith trades. "The vow says we meet in the internal room halfway up the Wall. It also says that we can prepare beforehand. So we will prepare. Basically, we will fill the entire space with rock and put little crawlways in it for us to move. That provides cover for the actual fighters, while us non-combat types will be locked away deep inside the rocks, where we cannot be reached very easily." "If you''re inside, behind rock walls, how will you coordinate with the fighters?" said Bronsen. "Well, to start with, we have put together a training programme. Most of the time, the fighters note what is happening and will know what to do from the training scenarios." "But, also, we won''t be completely cut off. We will have little spy holes cut into the rocks. And my [Speak to an Individual] ability works so long as I have the slightest view of the person I''m trying to speak to." "What about my [Insta-Death] ability?" said Evereena. "That one we have put some thought into. The rock walls will channel the invaders from the room''s entrance to the inside space. And there will be crawlways built into it. Each little tunnel goes almost to the outside, with a view hole. You crawl in until you can see outside, and [Insta-Death] anyone you see. Err, but make sure you''re not getting someone on our side!" "Ah, yes, Eleanor." "And then, if they decide to attack the rock wall, trying to get to you, Esther, who will be behind you, yanks you out by the feet. And then collapses the tunnel, and you retreat to the next one along." "Will we be able to practice all of this?" "Oh, you bet you will be. A lot." One of the building workers raised his hand. "How will we construct the tunnel so that collapsing it won¡¯t open up other gaps that the enemy can get into?" The next hour was spent discussing this little detail. "What''s to stop them from demolishing the rock walls outright?" said Aragon. Eleanor nodded to the blacksmith. "When mlady said we''d be filling the space with rocks, it will actually be stone blocks carefully cut into interlocking shapes. The whole structure will also be interlaced with steel rods and cemented together. It will be a lot tougher than just a rock wall." "Oops, I have just thought of something the Emperor might do - tunnel in from inside the Wall," said Cassy. "But that''s not possible!" said the mason. "Sadly, this is the Misfits we are talking about. It is definitely a possibility," said Jane. "But, we tried to do it again, and our ability to tunnel through the Wall had been rescinded," said Drayden. "Can you acquire the ability again?" said Eleanor. That would be great if we could... So, Drayden made a request. Ding! Sorry, you only get one go at that ability. I suppose that would make things too easy. "Right, I think that is a definite no." said Eleanor, "Nonetheless, maybe the Emperor can get the ability?" Another hour was spent discussing this. Finally: "OK, I think the Treasurer has recorded all of this." The Treasurer nodded in agreement. He looks tired and out of it. He has been working hard to collate and write up all this information. I''m lucky to have his support and loyalty. "Let''s call this a day, shall we?" I must arrange the production of all those stone blocks, reinforcing rods, and cement. Then arrange a hundred porters with maxed-out strengths to carry them to the Wall, and then up, Voice help us, fifty kilometres of stairs. And then install it all. Better transport the masonry stuff to the Wall during the night. No need to make it easy for the Emperor to see what we are doing. Oh, and logistics. There''s food for all the workers, and food and supplies must also be taken to the Wall. What else? I can see another meeting coming up very soon. Thank the Voice. I have the Treasurer to keep track of all of this. Damn. I almost overlooked it. We will have to have practice runs at the site. That''s going to be a headache to arrange. Don''t want to give away anything to the Emperor; after all, he will be up the stairs a kilometre or so. If they have someone with enhanced hearing, they could listen in on us. Must find Lena. Must tell her to bring cookies. The Treasurer: He trudged back to his office and dumped the latest notes onto his desk. This is bloody horrible. How the hell can the others act so normal when we are all facing almost certain death or enslavement? That stupid vow. I should have started running when I had the chance. Instead, I am stuck here and will be at the front line when the slaver Emperor squashes us all. Who would have ever thought Eleanor, a woman, would run rings around Kalitrain? He could still have been king if only he had been a fraction more sensible. And I could still be ruling from behind the throne. At least up to the point that the slave empire rolls over us and keeps on going, leaving us behind as a thin smear on the ground. Blah. I''m going to bed. The Misfits: That evening, in their common room. The mood was glum and dour. They sat on the floor, looking at each other, without saying much. "I don''t mind saying I''m getting terrified," said Alice. The others admitted the same. More silence. "Everyone, how about we all sleep here tonight? I mean, we don''t have to be sex-crazed bunnies every night of the week," said Cassy. The others agreed. Alice extinguished the little fireball she had been using to light up the proceedings, and they stretched out on the floor. They all had their heads together, with their bodies radiating outwards. ¡°This is nice; if I tilt my head to the left, I touch Drayden''s, tilt it to the right, I touch Bronsen''s, and Cassy''s is just above,¡± said Alice. A contemplative silence for a while. "I think I will find time to have a little heart-to-heart with Evereena. Try to cheer her up," said Cassy. "That''s nice," said Bronsen. "Everyone, remember one of our rules from that long ago ancient time at the adventure park?" said Drayden, "The one that said we face our fears and do it anyway." A quiet giggle from Cassy. "Yeah, I remember that. We never knew that with our ridiculous rules, we would end up living them to the full." "Well, the rules about sex, I, for one, have absolutely no complaint about," said Bronsen. "That''s because you are a sex-crazed teenager," said Cassy. "Guilty as charged, your honour. But, of course, so are you. And the other two." said Bronsen. "Everyone, this is still embarrassing to say, but, er, I love you all," said Alice. The other three said the same. There wasn''t much more that they could say. So they drifted off to sleep. However, early the following day, they couldn''t resist. Cassy grabbed Bronsen and went to her room, so Alice picked up Drayden and went to her room. Then, the girls swapped their boys over. But, being the mature, responsible adults they were (sometimes), they still managed to get to breakfast on time. [2.31] Last days in Manifestoria Evereena: Evereena found the training to be arduous, painful, and sometimes dull. Sadly, it appeared that she wouldn''t get a bonded sword or any sword-fighting abilities. Oh well, at least I have [Insta-Death]. But she was still made to do all of the physical exercises. I''m so strong now! And fast! And Tough! This is so much better than when I was a mere slave. "OK, the Misfits have another practice round with the guards. And you lot," said Jane, pointing to the freed slaves holding swords, "Let''s go through the basic forms again. Twenty each, of course. And Evereena, Esther and Frannie go through your physical exercise routines again." Groan. Evereena, Esther and Frannie did as they were told. So, too, did Hestia and Reggie. Practicing with their new bonded swords, which System-san had granted them in record time. (Normally it took a Felixian a year or more of practice to get a bonded implement.) They went through the basic thrusts, cuts, slices and other movements, their swords flicking faster than an average person could see, their sword tips producing mini sonic booms as they exerted their maxed-out strength and speed abilities. "Good, good!" said Jane, "Now you''ve got the rest of the evening off! But don''t forget to get a good night''s sleep. And that means you too, Misfits." Jane pointed to the Misfits, who had just finished their practices. They probably spend half the night in each other''s beds. Not that I care anymore. She turned to go back to her room when she was surprised by someone picking her up and hugging her. Oh, it''s Cassy! "How about we go, just the two of us, up to the top of the castle and watch the sunset? We still have plenty of time until tea." "Yes! I''d love to!" They were now sitting on a couple of chairs right next to each other, near the edge of the roof area. Feet up on the battlements, they could see the main street of Manifestoria, running out of the town and disappearing behind low tree-covered hills. "Enough of the doom and gloom! Let''s talk about your future after the slaver Emperor is defeated," said Cassy. "But, will he?" "Let''s just assume that he is, OK. Let''s have some fun thinking about a nice future for you." "But you won''t be here after the fight!" Sigh. "I won''t, which is a pity. So that''s why I''m having this discussion now when I can. I will make as big an impression on your life as possible!" Evereena, already being hugged by Cassy, leaned against Cassy''s shoulder. Cassy patted Evereena''s back with her tail. "But, I don''t have any skills, nor any education, I don''t know anything about society! It''s like those bullies said: I''m just a miserable slave girl, not good for anything." Cassy gently whacked Evereena''s back with her tail. "None of that talk here, young lady. Where are those bullies now? Probably running for their lives. And where are you? Right next to Queen Eleanor! You''re one of her confidants! You''re part of her inner court. And all of those in her inner court? We are important!" "I guess so?" "And, consider your powers. You have maxed out skills. And! You have [Insta-Death]. You¡¯re the only one on Felixerra at the moment who does. That means that System-san - I mean, The Voice of the World - must think highly of you. He or she doesn''t give out unique skills like that to just anyone, you know. In other words, you are no longer a little slave girl. You are destined to be someone important! You will have some power over others! You''ll be a part of Eleanor''s new kingdom when all this is over." Evereena tried to think this through. What she said is true. I report directly to the queen. I have [Insta-Death] and [Insta-Sleep]. My stats are impressive. So, maybe I can be someone important for once. This feels so strange. Although, I''m still going to miss Cassy. "I''ll try to be the best I can." "There is no try! You won''t try to, you will be the best! OK?" "Yes?" "Evereena, my dear. Obviously, I need to emphasise all of this. So, let''s do it. Shout out, ''It''s all bullshit!''" It only took half a dozen times before Evereena managed to produce a respectable ''It''s all bullshit!'' call. "Good! Good!" said Cassy, "In the future, when you are bossing people around and helping Eleanor run a kingdom, just remember that when you are feeling down!" This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "OK, Cassy. And, ah, I love you." "And I love you, too." The only person, after my mother, I have ever loved. With that, they relaxed and watched the sun go down, and then they went down the stairs to find the others. The Misfits: During their evening get-together, Cassy told the others about her talk with Evereena. "Poor kid. She hasn''t realised it yet, has she?" said Alice. "Nope!" said Cassy. Esther: At some stage late that evening, Esther had a few words with Aragon. "When I was a slave, I was ordered to switch on my fertility and have Evereena, but after that, I was ordered to always keep it off. Now that I have a choice, I might choose to have another baby. But only after we win this fight. I will be thinking about it." Esther smiled at Aragon. "I''m sure you have no objection to that, right?" "Ah, no, that will be wonderful!" Aragon: Is the Voice still giving her guidance? She''s beginning to get so self-assertive. He remembered his vows to her. His 100% strength vows to her. Err, by the Voice, I''m not objecting, OK? Becky: Before bedtime, they were all sitting on the adult''s bed. Eleanor and Lena side by side, with Mason sitting on Lena''s lap and Becky on Eleanor''s lap. Eleanor is a really powerful and important person! She''s the queen of a whole country and has all these other leaders reporting to her. I''m so glad that Lena found her. "Becky, and Mason too, of course; I must tell you that the upcoming fight will be dangerous. We could, ah, die from it. But we''ll be doing our best not to, of course! If we win, we will get rid of all slave collars. There will be no more slavery left." Becky briefly thought back to the time when she was enslaved and then blocked the memories. They weren''t worth the effort of thinking about. I never want to go back to those horrible days. Instead, Lena and Eleanor are so wonderful. I don''t want to die. But Eleanor is looking after us! She''ll save us again. But she said we might lose. I don''t want to be enslaved again. I don''t. No, I don''t. Dying would be better. I think. "That''s all right, Eleanor. We''ll help Lena as much as possible, and she will help you to win. I don''t want to be a slave again." Eleanor is hugging me so tightly. Hugs are nice. Is Eleanor crying? Mason: "Eleanor, everything will be good! We''ll help Lena! There''s no need to cry!" It''s nice being hugged by Lena. They give us lots of lovely food. We have such a nice bed to sleep in. And Eleanor looks after all of us. "Oh, Lena, why are you crying also?" Eleanor: Two weeks beforehand, Eleanor chaired a meeting with all of the fighters and a lot of support people. "OK, the stone workers have been busy producing the building blocks, the blacksmiths are working overtime to produce the reinforcing rods, and we have a small army of porters carrying all of the stuff to the Wall and up fifty kilometres to the internal room. Many thanks to the Misfits for maxing out the strengths of these porters. Also, thanks to the Misfits for bringing most of those porters from the slaver country." "Naturally, the porters move between Manifestoria and the Wall at night. Hopefully, this will prevent the Emperor from seeing what we are doing." "In a week, all of the fighters, plus a lot of support people, will also be moving. We''ll set up a base about three kilometres below the room. It will be a pain since there is little room to spread out, but we''ll manage. The logistics is a nightmare, but it''s only for a week or so." "Manifestoria itself will be left under the control of the remaining guards and a few of the remaining nobles whom I trust. After all, they volunteered to stay, which must count for something." "Once at the site, we will have daily practice runs. Naturally, we''ll have to fit ourselves around the final construction work. Fortunately, the Treasurer has produced a workflow chart for everything we need to do. Thanks to Drayden for giving us the idea of how to produce Gantt charts. Ahh, that is the right term?" "Yes," said Drayden, "It''s just the name of someone back on Earth who first invented them." "OK. And, unfortunately, there won''t be much privacy for that last week; ah, sorry to whoever might be affected by that." Eleanor carefully avoided catching the eyes of any of the Misfits. "And, I suppose you have all heard of the reports relayed to us by semaphores from countries sufficiently far around the ring to see. The Emperor is moving a lot of slaves along the top of the Wall towards us. Usually, this would cause us to panic about a possible invasion. Of course, if we lose, we already know there will be an invasion, but nothing can be done. At least if that happens, since we will also be plugging the staircases below the internal room, the slaves will be slowed down as they try to get to Manifestoria." That night, after she and Lena had gotten the kids to sleep, Eleanor had an idea. She made another vow - Ding! You have made a private vow, 100%. If I ever get the choice, I will instantly choose to destroy slavery. Lean nodded in agreement. "A good idea. You will always try to do that anyway, but you will be compelled to do so this way. I wonder if your vow would overpower an absolute order if you were ever enslaved?" "Who knows?." said Eleanor, "And, remember, it is a 100% vow. Probably nobody else has ever had a chance like this before." "That brings me to another idea," said Eleanor, "Remember how I made those vows about being Manifestoria''s queen?" Lena nodded her head. "How about we think up an appropriate vow to make when we win this fight." "So, it''s fantasy time?" Eleanor swiped Lena with her tail. "Rubbish. It could happen. So we must be prepared." They spent an hour hashing out the details before going to sleep. Misfits, last night in Manifestoria: It was a week before the fight date; they would be travelling to the Wall tomorrow morning. The Misfits were holding their last meeting in their club room. They were very subdued. "There will be no privacy after tonight," said Cassy. "So, this is our last chance to make love to each other. As in, the last chance forever," said Drayden. "How about we split up in pairs for half an hour, then swap over, and then convene back here?" said Bronsen. "That sounds like a good idea. And, everyone, after our last bit of passion, what about we all sleep in here tonight? I''m, well, I want the presence of everyone around me." said Alice. "Let''s do it," said Bronsen. An hour later, they were back. Lying down, with their heads right up to each other and their bodies spread out in a cross shape, in a girl, boy, girl, boy order. Each Misfit extended their arms out to the sides and took the hand of their neighbours. There was a long silence as they lay there in the darkness, listening to each other''s breathing and faintly hearing in the distance the sounds of people moving around in the castle. "It was wonderful while it lasted," said Bronsen. Murmurs of agreement. "I just realised I never did get to confirm this," said Cassy, "Drayden, did you have a teddy bear or equivalent back home?" "What! Oh, ah, how did you know that?" said Drayden. "Oh, just by observation... Can''t give away all my secrets, you know." "Really? What did your family think about that?" said Alice. "Oh, it was fine. It was my teddy bear from my childhood, and I always kept it by my bedside, and, well, it just stayed there. And yes, sometimes, I would hold it for nostalgia as I went to sleep." "Of course, I hope none of you will tell other students that little piece of information about me?" "Hmm, I guess I can make that promise," said Bronsen. "Yeah. But, of course, there is no need to make it a vow," said Cassy. After that, they were quiet and drifted off to sleep. [2,32] Lead Up To The Big Fight Eleanor: It was the morning before the big fight. Eleanor stood on the landing one flight below the entry to the internal room. Behind her and overflowing down the steps were her companions. She pressed her lips together and tried to overcome her sense of doom. What am I doing? Am I really going against the Emperor of all the slaves? Just little old me and a tiny group of miscellaneous people. Lena, standing to her side, reached out and took her hand. Then she squeezed it hard. Oops, Lena is glaring at me. Right, no more negativity! "Let''s go, friends." All eighteen walked up the final landing and moved into the room without a backward glance. They went as silently as possible, well aware that the Emperor''s slaves, no doubt some with enhanced hearing, were listening somewhere up above them. Behind them were a dozen workers carrying buckets of freshly made cement and various tools. The internal room had been completely transformed. It used to be an empty fifteen-metre diameter circular room with a four-metre-high ceiling. Not anymore. Now, it was filled with steel-reinforced concrete blocks. Five hundred or so people, including most of the freed slaves, with fully maxed-out physical stats, had worked hard for a month or more, manufacturing the steel bars, preparing the concrete, and moving up tons and tons of rock. Eleanor was extremely grateful to the Misfits for their ability to transfer stat points. The whole endeavour would not have been possible without this. She was equally appreciative of all the farmers and food suppliers who gave her bargain rates; those workers consumed an enormous amount of food during that period. At the entrance to the room was a single three-metre wide, two-metre high passage leading slightly to the right. It narrowed down until it was only one metre wide and ended up in a circular area three metres in diameter. They named this the fighting room and the passage to it was called the funnel. To the left was a much smaller passage, only half a metre wide and a metre high. Everything else appeared filled with cemented rock. "OK, in you go, kids," said Eleanor. The two children, followed by Lena, crawled through the smaller passage. Esther and Evereena followed them. The Treasurer was the second last to enter, holding a folder containing the condensed battle plans. Wow, he looks totally out of it. He must be pushing himself to the max. I''m glad for his loyalty. Not to mention everybody else''s, of course. And, finally, she crawled through herself. She wiggled and squirmed around a couple of corners and emerged into the command centre. She sat down on her designated bench. A small fireball, supplied by the Treasurer, lit up the cavity just in time as the light from the entranceway disappeared. This was the outside workers blocking it off. This was why they had to get here the day before to allow time for the concrete to set. "Well, children, it''s time for breakfast!" "Yay!" said Becky. Mason nodded his head in agreement. This is going to be one Voice damned pain, waiting for midday tomorrow. Fortunately, they had brought some toys for the children to play with. And Evereena was happy to keep them occupied. As for the adults? Tough luck. They had no choice but to sit and wait. There were boxes of prepared meals and a couple of barrels of water. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Oh, and there was a small alcove with a wooden door. In it was one of the toilet buckets from the ship. The door, when closed, sealed off the little room. And, very fortunately, the standard internal Wall air conditioning worked here as well. A mere five minutes after ''use'', the toilet alcove smelled of nothing but alpine fresh air. Eleanor sat down on a bench seat, which was along the left-hand side of their space. On her left, with a small spacing, was the Treasurer. Lena sat on her right-hand side, right up close to her. She held Lena''s hand; she rested her other hand on a small pack attached securely to her waist. Jane: She watched as Eleanor and Co disappeared into their little hidey-hole. Then she took careful note as the workers sealed off the last half metre with a chunk of rock and concrete. "Yep, once the concrete dries, it should merge with the rest of the rock fill. Apart from the eye hole, of course. Hmm, it''s not too obvious." Outside the room, on the staircase landing, there was more action as the workers left. They sealed off the staircase, one landing down from the fighting area. It was all planned out. The workers, now on the other side of the sealed-off section, would spend the next 24 hours packing as much rock, concrete, and steel into the staircase area as possible. We''ll be lucky if it delays the invasion by more than half a day. I suppose it''s better than nothing. I wonder how my daughter is doing. Ironically, she and her family are now living in that nobleman''s spare house. What a waste of resources: having two luxurious houses to accommodate the occasional visitor. Plus all of the other properties they own. Still, it''s quite a step up in her living arrangements. Until the invasion reaches her. She walked out to the landing. At this point on the Wall, the staircase that climbed from the ground to the top was enclosed. (Remember: the staircase alternated every kilometre, from open to the sky on one side to fully enclosed. The internal Wall room was precisely in the middle of an enclosed section.) Going down from Jane¡¯s landing, the steps ended at the first landing beneath her, the landing now blocked off with a wall of concrete blocks. Going up from Jane was the stairway going up to the next landing. The light shone dimly on each step going up, with the landing fading into darkness. A small stack of boxes was stacked on the lowest step on the lower side. These contained their supplies. Sigh. "OK, you lot, Eleanor might be sitting down in comfort, but you will do some training!" Cassy: It was now evening. The Misfits had congregated at the end of the funnel in the fighting room. Cassy returned and sat down. "Uck, I hate these open toileting arrangements!" "But, they put a curtain around it!" said Drayden. "Yeah, sure." The toilet bucket was placed one step up from the landing. They figured that the Voice wouldn''t complain about that, and it hadn''t. "Say, are they going to leave that bucket there when the Emperor comes through?" said Alice. Drayden gave an evil giggle. "They sure are!" "Isn''t that a little disrespectful towards our invited guest?" said Bronsen. "Hmm, I mean, he is a big shit... So maybe the toilet bucket won''t be big enough?" said Cassy. Drayden giggled even harder. "Cassy! I can see you!" The voice was muffled and faint, but it was clearly Evereena''s. So Cassy moved to the rock wall on the left-hand side of their space, where there was another eye hole, barely visible amongst the roughly finished concrete work. Evereena was inside another small access tunnel that reached from the command centre outwards towards the space where the Misfits were. It didn''t make it all the way; the idea was that either Evereena or Esther could crawl through it, peak through the eye hole, and either Insta-Death someone or turn off their language ability. Cassy waved, then plonked herself down right next to the hole. "I hope you will remember everything I said in our private chat?" "Ah, yes, Cassy." "Good, good. And, is that Eleanor calling you?" "Ahh, I''m supposed to have a sleep now." Eleanor: Evereena''s sleeping position was in that access tunnel. Esther''s was in the other access tunnel. Due to their maxed-out physical stats, sleeping in such confined spaces was no problem. Eleanor was in the command centre. She looked up at the ceiling, where there was yet more steel-reinforced concrete and rock. And, just under it was slung a hammock. Currently wiggling a bit as the Treasurer made himself comfortable. The two children were sleeping on the bench seat, their heads towards each other. Eleanor and Lena were going to sleep on the floor. But first, Lena had to read a good night story to the kids. By the Voice, the Treasurer is listening to everything we say. No wonder he is so embarrassed. Eventually, Eleanor and Lena settled down on the floor, leaning against each other. They held hands but were perfectly silent. I want to tell her that I love her. But, bloody hell, not when the Treasurer can hear me! Lena must have been thinking similarly as she leaned in and softly kissed her. Jane: "Aragon, you can stop chatting up Esther now. It''s time to sleep." "OK, yes." All the fighters settled down. Frannie, Reggie, and Hestia were in the passage from the entrance to the circular room where the Misfits were. Jane and Aragon were sleeping on the landing, while Adrian and Jacob were going to be on the lower side landing. There wasn''t much room between the cramped quarters and their boxes of supplies. There is no privacy at all. Poor Misfits, they can''t have any passion tonight. Nor, I guess, any other night in the future.