Fantasy Justice: Incarceration

Friday, March 26th, 2060

Felorius, Unholy Alliance Territory

“Do you really wanna go through with this?” May asked.

Sara laughed. “You make it sound like a chore—I’m sure we’ll have a great time.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

May, along with Sara and Pari, entered the restaurant. This was a respectable establishment, mostly frequented by low to middle experience adventurers. Inmates in both medieval and modern garments sat in cushioned chairs before their tables. May heard the low sounds of conversation as the patrons ate their meals.

Standing at a podium near the entrance, a man in a nice shirt and slacks addressed May. “Welcome to Dead Man Wokking. Just three?”

“We have a reservation—it’s for Death Legion and the Magical Girls.” Although she had approved of her party’s name, May still felt a little silly whenever she said it.

“Death Legion is already here. Is there a fourth in your party?”

“I don’t think she’s gonna make it,” May explained. Clare had decried this outing as a waste of gold—but she had probably just wanted to avoid spending time with the three nerds. Who can blame her?

He nodded. “Right this way.” The man led the three women to an adjacent room. Death Legion’s members, all dressed in casual clothes, sat at a round table. It was already set with glasses, napkins, and silverware. There was a pile of menus in the center. “Your waiter will be with you shortly.” He departed.

Nerds One through Three wore t-shirts featuring busty anime women, each advertising a different show. There was not much product placement in Fantasy, but May had learned from Justine that shirts like these were much cheaper to make than any other modern-style item. For their part, May and Sara had worn their casual outfits as well.

Aiden and Chloe were sitting next to each other, but their companions had spread out across the seats so that none of the four empty chairs were adjacent to one another. The nerds all stood, and bouquets of flowers materialized in their hands. “It’s a pleasure to have you this evening,” they said in unison.

May cringed inwardly, and although they tried to keep their expressions neutral, it was clear that Sara and Pari were doing the same. Aiden face palmed. “Guys, I literally begged you not to do that.” He then rose to the greet the newcomers. Chloe stood as well, though she continued to look at the table. “Anyway, thank you for offering to treat us, Sara. ... And I apologize for this little stunt.” He glared at the mages.

“There may have been some misunderstanding here,” Sara said pleasantly to the unpleasant trio. “We invited you here to celebrate passing your PvE tests.”

The mage with the nasal voice, who May thought of as Nerd One, held out his flowers to Sara. “But how could we not also celebrate such beauty in our midst?”

Sara gave a slight, awkward laugh. “That’s nice of you to say. But I’m gay. I’m very completely a lesbian, in fact,” she stammered.

“I think I’m even gayer than I was a minute ago,” May muttered. In response, Sara nudged her foot slightly—no doubt she preferred to let the unwanted suitors down gently. But May said nothing to soften her rejection.

“I’m, um... I also like girls,” Pari added timidly. May was amused by her lie of omission—admitting she was bi would have encouraged the nerds.

The three disappeared their flowers before lowering their heads and sullenly taking their seats. Aiden and Chloe sat as well. May tapped the shoulder of the closest of the nerds. “Actually, I’d really appreciate it you could move. I’d like to sit with my friends.” Again Sara nudged her foot. “Closest friends, I mean.”

“If it’s not too much trouble,” Sara added sweetly.

Nerd Two—at least, May was fairly certain it was Nerd Two—got up and moved to sit between his fellows. May pulled out the chair closest to the nerds and indicated for Sara to have a seat. She offered the healer an impish grin. This was your idea, you deal with them.

Sara managed a weak smile in return before taking the seat. Nerd One, who was adjacent to her, beamed in delight. Two and Three looked jealously to One.

May pulled out the next seat for Pari—she figured the night would go easier for the shy mage if she were seated between those she knew best. “Thanks,” she said softly as she took the seat.

This left May to sit next to Aiden. She grabbed a menu, and as she did so, a waiter approached. “Can I get all of you some water?”

“Thanks,” May said.

The man walked around the table, touching the side of each glass and causing water and ice to materialize within it. He then summoned a pitcher of the same and placed it on the table. He looked to May once more. Everyone assumes I’m in charge when I wear the suit. “Would you like a few minutes?”

“Yeah, thank you.” The waiter withdrew.

Sara addressed the table. “Everyone, I’d like to thank you all for coming. And I’d like to congratulate Stephen, Steve, and Roland on passing your tests yesterday.” For May, these names deliberately went in one ear and out the other. Sara raised her glass. “To Death Legion—I wish you all the best in your future adventuring.”

There were murmurs of assent and clinking glasses. “Aiden, if you’re planning to start tomorrow, you could come with us to the Stronghold of the Giants.” Sara told him. “We’ll leave at seven AM from the southeast gate.”

“That sounds great.”

“Seven? I don’t wanna get up that early,” Nerd Two complained wheezily. Aiden shot him a nasty look.

“It’s better to go early,” Sara explained, “before the roads get crowded—not many hunters come out this far, but when they do it tends to be when there’s a target rich environment. And if we form a raid for the walk there, we’ll have safety in numbers.” Aiden nodded to her. “Oh, I also have some Magical Girl news. As you probably noticed, in the past week we’ve run enough dungeons to hit one percent XP. And I received a text from my friend Will a couple hours ago...the Magical Girls have our own show!”

“Nice!” May was glad to hear this—she had been confident that they would gain a show, but she had not expected it to happen so quickly.

“I can’t believe it,” Pari added.

“That’s great,” Aiden said cheerfully.

“The first episode covered everyone’s arrival,” Sara explained to May and Pari. “Apparently, there was a lot of misleading editing to make us seem unpleasant. But that’s typical of reality shows.” Not that Clare needs any help, May thought. “We should all start receiving gold payments soon based on how many views we get. More importantly, there’s sure to be a special quest in the works.”

Aiden spoke up again. “You guys have helped us so much in learning PvP. You deserve all the success in the world.” He raised his glass. “To the Magical Girls.” Once more, everyone shared the toast.

After this, May finally got around to studying her menu, as did her companions. The waiter soon returned, and everyone began to order. This went smoothly, until he got to Nerd Two. The mage gave a list of a half a dozen different dishes before Sara interrupted. “Um, Steve...I’m really happy to treat you, and I want you to enjoy yourself. But I’d prefer if each of us kept under five hundred gold today. Maybe you could get a pu pu platter if you want to try a bunch of different things?”

“Pu pu platter for four,” Nerd Two said to the waiter. That did not fall under Sara’s limit.

“Please make that for two,” she corrected. May thought Sara’s smile looked slightly strained at this point—for all her generosity, clearly she had some frugal instincts as well.

The waiter nodded to Sara. He took the group’s remaining orders, with Chloe whispering hers to Aiden so that he could relay it. Once this was done, he departed.

“Even in here you’re still a lard-ass, Lard-Ass,” Nerd One whispered to Two. Three tittered shrilly.

“Drop dead, Fug!” Two said, punching his detractor in the arm. He looked to be on the verge of tears.

“There’s no need for insults,” Sara said. “They rarely help anyone to make positive changes. And besides, Steve has nothing to be self-conscious about in here—he’s perfectly handsome.”

May winced inwardly. She knew Sara was only trying to comfort him. But the healer was very ignorant of romance if she thought that compliment was going to be taken in an innocent fashion by a lovelorn geek.

Sure enough, Two looked to her like an excitable puppy. No doubt there would be more unwanted romantic gestures in Sara’s future. Even though May and Sara were not exclusive, somehow the thought of this was still aggravating.

“You’re so wise, Sara-senpai!” Two said.

She gave an awkward laugh. “You don’t need to call me that.” She then continued more quietly. “...Especially since you’ve been in this game longer than I have.”

“How long have you been friends with those three?” May asked Aiden quietly.

“Since kindergarten.” He glanced at the trio and sighed.

Meanwhile, Nerd One addressed Sara. “Do you watch anime?”

“I’ve seen a few shows—I used to watch them with my sister. There’s some older magical girl stuff we both really like.”

One scoffed. “Please, all anime made before 2050 is shit.”

“Such shit,” Two added.

“Utter shit,” Three chimed in.

Sara looked very taken aback. “You’re not serious?”

Aiden spoke up. “Sara, you shouldn’t waste your time—they’re total plebs.”

Unfortunately, she did not heed this warning. Soon she was engrossed in defending her favorite show, while the nerds nitpicked it. Maybe they thought that they were demonstrating their fine taste or intellectual prowess, but as the conversation proceeded it was clear they were only aggravating her. Sara remained unfailingly polite of course—but she seemed more bothered by this discussion than even the worst of Clare’s antics.

“And what about those labyrinths? So cheap looking!” Two said at one point.

“...They were purposefully using a different animation style so that it was more surreal,” Sara explained, exasperated.

Although the subject of the talk was unfamiliar to May, she was content to watch the train wreck unfold for a time. Finally, Aiden spoke. “May, as long as I’ve got you here, I wanted to ask you about our last duel.”

“Sure thing.”

She and Aiden ended up speaking at length about the finer points of sword fighting. May did her best to involve Pari, though the goblin player rarely spoke unless prompted. Chloe seemed content to merely listen. At one point May praised Pari’s progress at fighting, causing the mage to blush.

The waiter soon returned. He prompted Sara to pay for the meal upfront—May was a little surprised until she remembered that they were in a prison. He then materialized each dish in turn before them. After confirming that they were all satisfied, he again left the table.

Two wolfed down his food too rapidly, and then sat miserably. Sara ended up sharing half her meal with him, once more obliviously sparking false romantic hopes. May found herself once again worrying over whether or not the gentle healer would be capable of killing another inmate, if the time came that she was forced to do so.

As the evening continued, Sara left the nerds to argue among themselves. The magical girls got into a discussion about various media they enjoyed, while Aiden and Chloe spoke quietly. May could not help but notice that despite her best efforts, Pari seemed increasingly withdrawn.

With their meals long since finished, May decided that she ought to give her nervous friend an opportunity to depart. “Pari, it’s getting kinda late. If you’re out much longer, won’t it upset your Mother Superior?”

“You’re probably right.” She sounded relieved.

“Why don’t I ride home with you? Sometimes there are real creeps on the trolleys at night.” May looked to Sara. “Wanna come with?” Even a demon shouldn’t leave a comrade in the clutches of those nerds.

“Okay.” The healer hid it better, but May thought she detected another note of relief. The three women rose from their seats.

“Thanks again for inviting us out,” Aiden said.

“We should do this again soon!” One insisted.

“Sara, I’ll totally treat you once I have enough gold,” Two added.

“I could do that!” Three cried.

“Me too!” One said.

“I appreciate the thought,” Sara said patiently. “But if we want to survive in this game, we should spend most of our gold on practical concerns. Anyway, we’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Sara...” Chloe said softly, looking to the other healer. Everyone was surprised—May had never seen her address anyone but Aiden that directly. “I wanted to ask you some questions. About healing.”

“I’d be glad to help,” she said with a smile. She looked briefly to May and Pari. “Have a good night, you two.”

“See you soon,” May told her playfully. Sara gave her a knowing look before moving to take the empty seat next to Chloe.

Pari waved. “Thanks, everyone.”

There were waves in return. May nodded back at the group, and then walked toward the entrance with Pari.

“Thank you for coming. Have a good night,” the host said.

“Thanks,” both women said in turn. They then stepped out into the breezy but mild night air and walked on toward the nearby trolley stop.

“May, thanks for noticing that I wanted to leave. I was too embarrassed to say anything.” Pari sighed. “I wish I could be more fun to be around.”

“I really like hanging out with you. That’s more than I could say for that those three Death Legion nerds. Not to mention Clare.”

Pari nodded. “Maybe she’s been a little better lately, but I was still relieved she didn’t show. I’d just as soon not see her outside of ‘work.’”

“Sara still thinks she can mellow her out. I can’t deny that she’s made some progress.”

“We’re stuck with Clare regardless—how could we pass on such an amazing tank, even if she is aggravating? ...You know, you and her both make fighting look so easy. And then Sara has to heal and keep on top of tactics. Ranged damage is so much easier that it’s kind of embarrassing.”

The pair ran for a short time to catch a trolley before it departed. They sat down in the conveyance as it accelerated down the tracks. Other inmates got on or off the trolley at the stops that followed, but none sat near the women.

“Honestly, melee damage is pretty easy next to PvP, and you’re doing really well at that,” May pointed out after they settled in. “And during our first dungeon run, I had more screw-ups than you did.”

“But you’re so fearless. I don’t know how you do it.”

“There’s a whole bunch of people in this town who’ve never stepped outside the safe zone. They’d probably ask how you do it.” Pari gave a weak smile. “But if you’re wondering how to pull off the May Roberts attitude... Honestly, it’s just a lotta bluster with a dash of fatalism. I don’t have any expectation that I’m gonna grow old in this place. But each day I stay alive, hopefully I’m pissing off all the corporate fucks and bloodthirsty viewers who are hoping for me to crash and burn.”

Pari nodded, and the two women fell silent for a time. Around them, the scenery kept passing by—street lights, buildings, trees, and roads, all of it looking completely real. May caught sight of occasional riders as well. Castle Malice loomed inescapably in the distance.

May finally spoke. “There’s something I’ve wanted to talk to you about, but it’s kinda personal.”

“That’s okay.”

“Basically, I’ve been getting this vibe for a while now that you’re into me.”

As May had expected, Pari blushed. “So you noticed. Sara did too. ...I’d hoped it wasn’t so obvious.”

“I know you’re serious about this nun stuff. But if you decide you want one last ‘hurrah’ before a life of celibacy...” May looked to the goblin player mischievously.

Pari blushed even more, and lowered her head in embarrassment. She then looked to May again. “That’s really flattering, but I’m very serious about resisting temptation.”

“Sorry. I hope I’m not being a creep like those geeks back at the restaurant.”

Pari giggled. “No. I have to admit...even if it makes me feel a little awkward, it’s fun when you flirt with me.” She gave a shy smile. May had to admit, there was something about this girl that was incredibly appealing. She was so gentle and vulnerable...

May felt strangely over that train of thought, and decided to lighten the mood. “I guess my choice of player race must be causing some of the awkwardness. Having your crush look like she’s about to offer you a contract for your soul has gotta be strange for a Christian.” May adjusted her wings slightly to emphasize the point.

Pari laughed. “Believe me, I’ve had that thought about a hundred times since we met. I feel a bit weird about stuff like demons and vampires. ...That must sound silly.”

“No, I can see that. Not everyone’s comfortable being cast as a villain. But personally, I think I make a pretty good demon.”

“Very handsome. I couldn’t pull that off even if I wanted to. Really, I went goblin just because human isn’t any good. I tried to pick the least monstrous of the other three.”

“I heard that in the game setting, goblins are main bad guys. They created the vampires and summoned all the demons.”

Pari smiled. “Let me guess—Sara told you that?”

“She’s a veritable font of useful and useless information,” May joked.

This drew a small laugh. “Just my luck though. I try to pick the least evil race and get the worst one.”

“You’re totally rocking the green though. You look like a sexy alien.” May grinned. “I hope that’s not too forward.”

“If you’re going to look like a succubus, then I guess it’s your job to tempt me. Someone has to keep me on my toes.” Pari had a playful tone May had never heard from her before. There is some real chemistry here, May finally realized. That was not something she had wanted—for all her flirting, she had had no intention of interfering with Pari’s spiritual journey.

The trolley finally arrived at the cathedral stop, and the women stepped off it. There was an uncomfortable quiet after the vehicle departed.

“I think you spoke ten times more on the way home than during dinner,” May said.

“Yeah... I’m better with people one on one.”

“I was really glad to get to know you more,” May said softly. She was suddenly very aware of how close they were standing.

Pari gave a coquettish look that suddenly turned to something more akin to panic. “I—I should go! We have to get an early start tomorrow.” She turned and ran in the direction of the convent.

A feeling of melancholy came over May as she watched the other woman leave. She might have just endangered her friendship with Pari—and she had definitely made her life much more complicated.