The dryad just laughed uncontrollably, spinning away in a wild emotional dance, getting the half-mad crowd even more worked up by the fresh blood. The viewers of the video clip were running amok together with the wild orcs, noticing the fall of the second moral precept. Based on all that, the poison must have taken effect — the dancer tried to scream something to the gathered crowd, but constantly broke down into stupid giggling, sometimes even breaking into an animalistic whine. At that, the dryad couldn’t stop scratching herself frantically, like a flea-bitten dog, and having no shame of it. But there, Angelica stopped sharply and, calling the pirates to silence with a gesture, got up on a barrel and cried out:
"I is you new girl-captain! Is all to forget about much dummy Amra! Is for me that orc should be obey! And hear now, orc crowd. My very first is ord..."
Charisma check failed
Damage taken: 188 (210 Punch — 22 armor)
10 second Deaf effect
The powerful punch to the ear of the Dryad Dancer made her fly away and fall on her back. The life bar immediately jumped down by two thirds, reaching the orange zone. The image became blurry. She couldn't focus her vision for a long time. And when the head spinning had passed, in the center of the screen, appeared First Mate Ziabash Hardy, rubbing his wounded right fist. Shaman Ghuu, standing next to him, pointed at the deafened dryad with his staff and shouted:
"Capture the mutineer and tie her up! As if it wasn't enough that her treachery caused the fall of many of our brothers in our last battle with the undying, now she wants to do the rest of us in!"
The green and blue markers of the NPC pirates on the mini-map instantly changed color to yellow and even red. A great many powerful hands instantly grabbed the lying girl and placed her into a vertical position with a rough jerk. The dryad's arms were forced behind her back and tied up very professionally. The shaman walked around her in a circle unhurriedly, looking over the troublemaker, who still had yet to come to her senses and stated loudly:
"This is exactly what Captain Amra warned us about. He's wise and had already figured out that this wayward woman might want to dominate you all with her evil charms. This morning, the captain predicted that the dryad would try to take over the ship. Now, on an order from Captain Amra, throw this witch overboard!"
"But she's so pretty..." one of the orc sailors said falteringly, looking over the naked dryad with a pensive gaze and loudly blowing his stuffed-up nose.
The shaman walked around the tied-up captive once again, being especially careful to look at her blood-soaked neck. After that, he looked at the wild pirate crew crowding up on the deck in anticipation of his decision, after which he waved his hand:
"I don't see any diseases, even though the dryad is itching like a mangy piglet. But alright, you devils, I'm convinced... But after you’re done, she goes overboard!"
The elated whooping of the pirates made my ears ring. Based on the delighted replies constantly running along the bottom of the screen, the viewers of the video channel were simply in ecstasy. There was a constant flood of monetary rewards coming in for Veronica, and some of them that jumped by were quite significant — up to several thousand credits. Her viewers must have decided that Angelica had been intending for this to happen all along.
* * *
The content from there was very much in the 18+ category. I spent a few minutes watching, then decisively turned the screen off — I'm not much of a fan of adult films. After that, I took out my cell phone and called Leon. No, I wasn't planning to admit that I had been watching him and his flame. But it did seem to me that my friend might need some moral support. And I wasn't wrong — from his first words, I could tell by Leon's tone of voice that the former construction worker was simply dead with suffering.
He spent some time rambling, occasionally mumbling out utterly unconnected phrases on feminine cunning and thanklessness. Slightly calmed down and his spirits gathered, my friend said:
"Timothy, I have to warn you about Veronica. She's planning to capture White Shark and attack you as soon as you load up Boundless Realm. And she just sent me to respawn for trying to stand in her way."
Trying to stand in her way? Is that how she’s calling it? I just saw him standing in tacit approval of all her actions. But I didn't say those words aloud. Quite the opposite, in fact. I reassured Leon:
"Don't worry — she won't be able to do it. I gave the pirate crew an order not to impede Angelica and for them all to pretend together that they were falling for the Dryad Dancer's charms. Say what you will, but there is very little entertainment on the ship. In her, the pirates have a pretty dancing girl, singing and making eyes. And they don't even need to buy tickets for the striptease. So, I didn't want to interfere with Veronica's playing — no matter how you look at it, she's a work colleague. She needs to earn experience too. But if the Dryad Dancer forgets her role as a guest, and does try to declare herself captain, the jokes end right then and there. The crew will restrain her and throw her overboard. That was my order."
Leon spent a long time thinking, then said with obvious tooth grinding:
"I mean, I trusted her... And she ruined my life... The bitch... Are you sure the pirates will drown her right away? It's just that Angelica and I have the same respawn point — a big apple orchard next to the port of Piren... Oh how I'd like to meet her there and have a heart-to-heart talk!"
"She might not get drowned right away... After all, the pirates also wanted to 'have a heart-to-heart talk' with the dancer. But in any case, before White Shark reaches the port of New Tortuga, she will be sent to respawn."
"So, I don't have long to wait. The port was already visible with a spyglass. I listened to the sailors talking. They said in an hour and a half or so, we'd be in the harbor. Alright. I'll wait that time at the respawn stone. You can't even imagine how badly I want to talk with Veronica now, Timothy, when the masks are off, and she's exposed her true self. If we can't come to an agreement in peace, I'll acquaint that piece of trash with my sharp poleax. She just killed me, so she'll be a criminal for eight hours. That means she won't be going anywhere! I'll send her to respawn over and over until I've gotten all my money back to the very last coin."
I had absolutely no cause to feel sympathy for the cunning Dryad Dancer, but nevertheless, I was shaken by how quickly Leon's character shifted. The former construction worker was always associated in my mind with the prototypical hard-working good guy — perhaps a bit of a simpleton, but an honest and reliable companion to the end. But now he was embittered and prepared to kill his girlfriend time and time again just to get back the coins he'd loaned her. That was precisely the opposite of my image. Acting like this, Leon didn't arouse any sympathy either.
"Leon, I cannot believe I'm saying this, but I beg you not to kill the dryad! She might have had some reason for behaving the way she did. If need be, I can pay back the rest of what you loaned her. I have money now, and I am prepared to part with it just so I don’t have to see you spoil your nature. You were always the most just and honest of our group. Everyone loved you for your essential virtue. It would be for the best, if you could remain that way."
I managed to embarrass Leon. The former construction worker spent a long time in thought, then promised me that he wouldn't attack Angelica Wayward at the respawn point as long as she didn't display aggression first. Leon categorically refused the money I offered him, saying that he wanted to handle all his problems on his own, both in Boundless Realm and in real life. But still, he thanked me for my willingness to help.
The trill of the doorbell made me end the conversation with Leon quickly and run to open up. Kira, giving me a kiss on the cheek as she walked, rolled the wheelchair into the apartment. The pile of bags and boxes stacked up on it was so huge that I didn't even see my sister right away. But when the purchases were placed on the floor, I saw an obviously embarrassed Val before me with a new outfit and haircut.
I couldn't even recognize her. This was the first time I realized that my little sister, who
I was accustomed to thinking of as a child, had finally grown up and turned into a beautiful lady. Fashionable haircut, smooth skin on her face, false eyelashes, bright shining lipstick. A stylish blue dress with a deep neckline, a necklace with beads made of sparkling little blue stones, sapphire earrings in her ears and rings on her fingers. Valeria was also wearing a plush plaid on her knees, covering her lack of legs.
"Well, how do you like it?" my sister asked timidly.
While I was admiring my sister's new look and stylish purchases, Kira tried to slink away unnoticed. I caught her in the doorway.
"I got a bit carried away, and wasn't thinking about the numbers," my girlfriend said in embarrassment, crumpling some papers in her hands. "But don't worry. As I already said, you can pay me back later. Or just consider this my gift to your sister."
I outstretched my hand demandingly and, unclenching the beautiful redhead's fingers one at a time, took the stack of rumpled receipts from Kira. I straightened out and read the receipts, adding them up in my head. Six and a half thousand credits... no problem in our new circumstances. I picked up the phone and, after looking through my old transactions for Kira's account, transferred six and a half thousand to it. My red-headed girlfriend's brows shot up in surprise. Before they managed to come back down, I invited both of the girls to come see the gift I’d gotten my dear sister.
* * *
Of course, I was hoping my sister would like the gift. But reality surpassed all my boldest expectations. The shrieking and screams of joy made my ears ring. Even without legs, the girl managed to jump up in her seat and shout out that I was the very greatest brother in the world! As if in far-off careless childhood, Val extended her hands upward, demanding that I lift her up. And she embraced me vigorously by the neck, sobbing in joy and smearing her makeup. Kira even walked aside and furtively dried some tears.
When the initial rapturous oohing and aahing had passed, Valeria dove head first into the thick manual describing the virtual reality capsule's settings. A sharpened pencil appeared in my sister's hand, and she started taking notes in the margins. Some of the parameters and instructions she even transferred into a notepad where she'd long kept her secret diary.
Kira pulled me into the kitchen and quickly cut up some sandwiches. While the kettle was warming up, her voice lowered to a whisper, the beautiful red-head said:
"You really came through with that gift! By the way, I wanted to talk to you about Valeria. While your sister was undergoing the cosmetic procedures, I got in touch with one of the best prosthetics clinics and found out everything. It will take about three weeks to do all the implanting for the anchors on the bones, electrodes on the nerve endings and servos for her artificial muscles. For that entire time, she'd have to be under constant observation in a clinic, as the process is complicated and specialists would have to make sure she didn't start rejecting the prosthetics..."
"I can hear you!" came Val's voice from the bedroom. "And I repeat again: I don’t want it!"
Kira must not have known that my sister had very keen hearing, and went abruptly silent. After that, with a sad chuckle, she added in a normal voice:
"That was exactly how Valeria reacted earlier when I told her about biotic legs. She didn't even want to listen when she heard about the three weeks in a hospital bed. She even threatened to purposely impede the healing process and rip out the implanted elements if she's brought to the clinic by force. I probably shouldn't have raised that topic with her — I should have just let you talk to your sister. Treatment costs a lot and takes some time, but it will need to be done one day."
A silence descended after Kira's words, making the cell phone ring that broke it sound jarring. The number was unfamiliar, but that had stopped surprising me — who hadn't called me in the last few days...?
"Timothy? When are you going to enter the game?" came the voice I was least expecting to hear, that of Veronica.
"I don't know yet. I've got some business in the real world. I need to handle it first. I might not be there until tomorrow morning. What's happened?" Did she really think I'd reveal my plans to her after all her crafty scheming?
"But you have to come play Boundless Realm today! You've only played six and a half hours, and the rules of the 'great hunt' say that the wyvern master has to spend at least eight hours a day in game! There's a timer on the forum showing how long you've been playing each day. That's how I know."
Oh really... As it turned out, the players were carefully watching to make sure my character followed the rules of the event. Although, with such a valuable prize and such a large number of participants, I guess I could have expected it.
"Oh yeah? Well, then I'll be in later. Near nightfall. But you still haven't explained why you need me."
"Well, you see..." the girl slightly faltered before answering. "I've found myself in a bad position, tied up by your pirates. I'd like you to enter Boundless Realm and order your crew to let me go. It doesn't have to be you. Your sister would work, too."
What?! Veronica knew that Valerianna Quickfoot was my sister? The only way that was possible was if Leon had blabbed. That was probably also how she got my number, when they were close. I tried not to get surprised at how informed Veronica was, but I tried to squeeze more information out. Naturally, I didn't admit that I was watching the broadcast.
"Strange. The pirate crew got a clear and unambiguous order from me not to interfere with the undying on my ship and even to indulge them however necessary. The only exception was if any of you tried to declare yourself captain and seize power on White Shark. In that case, I ordered the orcs to throw the mutineer overboard. That's all. I haven't given any other orders relating to you, or Leon. What might the uncomfortable situation be?"
"It has to do with the lotion you snuck onto my shelf. You can't tell me that the jar of First Lady in Waiting's Gift just showed up just by chance! I immediately noticed it wasn't mine and tried some out cautiously. After that is when the problems started — I lost control of my character and the Dryad Dancer did some strange things. She killed the Ogre Fortifier and taunted the pirate crew..."
Wow! Veronica had the gall to implicate me in the fact that she stole something that wasn't hers! And my hearing was also cut by the phrase "my shelf" — it seemed the dryad already considered herself master of the captain's cabin. And, by the way, she had an interesting interpretation of events, especially in light of the fact that I had seen it all with my own eyes... Well, what was to be done? If she didn't want to be honest with me, she certainly couldn't expect the truth in return!
"That was a trap to catch a thief. For the last few days, someone's been regularly lifting valuable items from my captain's chambers, even though it’s been locked. But I haven’t been able to figure out who. There are a hundred and fifty sailors on White Shark, and any of them might have the lock picking skill. Even if I forced each of them to show me their inventory, that wouldn't do a thing –the compromising items were probably stashed away. It would be stupid to carry such things around, so I put a special lotion in that jar, which was bright and flashy, but the lotion would cause an unbearable itch. If any crew member started scratching, I would know they were the thief!"
"Strange trap. It was stupid to think that a wild orc would start using woman's cosmetics. But still, you're right — there definitely is a thief on your ship. Yesterday, they took my wallet with a very significant amount of money. Over thirty thousand coins and expensive stones. And the first in the list of suspects is your companion, Taisha. She's a thief by profession and was constantly messing about next to me. Also, it would be very easy for her to take your things — you let that bot into the captain's quarters yourself!"
"That's exactly why the trap was made specifically to catch a curious girl, not a moping coarse orc, who doesn't even know what cosmetics are."
The story came together. Veronica even believed it. But I thought also that I'd have to get on Taisha about the theft of thirty thousand from the Dryad Dancer, and c
ommend her for her luck if she really had done it.
"In the end, the pirates grabbed my Dryad Dancer and really were about to throw me into the ocean, though not right away... Loss of experience and an hour for respawn is unpleasant, but not fatal. But it looks like I ruined everything. When I got control back over my character, I started convincing the pirates not to kill me. It worked, but at a hefty price... Instead of simply drowning me, they placed the dryad in a barrel to sell along with the other slaves 'in accordance with the captain's order.' And now, I need you to load up Boundless Realm right away and intervene. Because right now, these dolts are about to sell me to the captain of the drekar Drake of the Morning Star, which will be leaving to the Eastern Continent in a few hours! Of all the slavers in New Tortuga, he’s the cruelest! Twelve days underway! In a barrel, with my hands and legs tied! And at that, from what I overheard, they're planning to feed and water my dryad only once every two days, just enough so I won't die. And they have no plans to untie me!"
I couldn't hold back the emotions and laughed uncontrollably. It was some time before I was settled. I was not expecting this to turn out so horrendously for her. Finally, I finished laughing and explained the reason for my joy:
"You see, Veronica... I really did order my first mate to sell everything unneeded on the ship as soon as they arrived to New Tortuga. Everything they definitely wouldn't want for the rest of the journey. And when you convinced the orc pirates not to throw your dryad overboard, the NPC had a difficult choice on how to treat you. His programmed algorithms must have bizarrely classified the Dryad Dancer as 'something that won't be needed for the rest of the journey,' with all the consequences that come with that."
Dotur-Khawe
KIRA TOOK ME to work. This time, the beautiful red-head was not behind the wheel of her exclusive Black Crystal, but of a totally normal electric car of a popular brand. There must have been tens if not hundreds of thousands of them in the metropolis. We even had to wait in a traffic jam for a bit. During our trip, Kira's phone rang a few times, but every time, she refused the call. She clearly didn't want to talk to anyone else in my presence.
Stay on the Wing Page 29