Rough Draft - Coye 6 pt22

Ok, done with both drafts that needed to be done. That's a minor relief. Back to chapter work tomorrow. 

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Once all the fanfare over Dorothy joining the harem died down, things turned into a discussion of the day ahead as was the norm. Suzette would be at the store, passing out all of the clothing Shayla altered and adjusted, Byng was going to spend the day catching up on her crafting as she was running lower on arrows than she would've liked, maybe do a quest later on in the day, while Dorothy was ready to have her first day back at work. It would be limited and she wouldn't be pushing herself, but with everyone support she was feeling like she could take on any obstacle or soul crushing job. Not a very reassuring way to put it, but no one bothered arguing. They were just happy to see Dorothy was doing as well as she was.

As for Coye, adventurer was calling his name that day and figured he would check out the quest board. He teasingly asked Dorothy if she could give him something good off the record, but to her credit she was firm about no nepotism. At least before he pleaded and asked in a softer, more teasing voice. That tested her, and ultimately broke her. Maybe a little nepotism from time to time, as a treat. Agreeable terms for Coye, but Byng was playfully sour over the blatant favoritism until she was reminded of her bronze -rank status and how she couldn't even take most good quests, which put her in her place. While Dorothy didn't have any real say in who got promoted, she did promise to put in another recommendation to hopefully help Byng along. She was firm that it wouldn't be nepotism as Byng actually deserve the promotion in her eyes, which ingratiated the green gal.

There was one problem with the agenda, and that was that Dorothy and Coye both wanted to go to the Guild. If they showed up together and were spotted entering through the gate at the same time, it would only attract attention. This led to a discussion on the way they were going to handle their relationship in the office. Showing up together was no good, obviously no affection at the Guild, and all in all the goal was to keep things on the down low. Dorothy did mention she promised to tell Tammy most everything, however, barring Shayla and the more emotional aspects of the night. That was acceptable to Coye and Shayla, since Tammy had a way of finding these things out anyway.

Suzette had to try and hide her interest in the developing office romance, but everyone had places to be and once the rules were established, everyone took off.

Coye stayed home for another hour working on his swordsmanship outside the cabin, then after suiting up he went to the Guild with Shayla. Once he got there, he was greeted with the new normal. Wiska and Chelanne were in the middle of registering a quest for an outgoing party. They looked flustered going through the paperwork and had to ask questions multiple times much the annoyance of the adventurers. While Tammy lazily sat in the corner flipping through a puzzle book and trying to find one that would satisfy her boredom. None of them called out to her, but the sight of her favorite adventuring heartbreaker raised the curiosity within.

"Well if it isn't the hero himself returned safely from his latest conquest," Tammy remarked, closing her book. "You want me to skip the three cheers, killer?"

"Yes, please..." Coye gave her an exasperated smile, knowing it was all in good fun. "The quieter you keep on this, the better."

"Shame. I bet everyone around here would love the drama."

'By that she means she thinks it would be funny,'

'I'm well aware...' Coye understood Tammy by now.

"Are you in a rush or you want to chat before getting to work?" Tammy pointed over her shoulder at the records room. He was a little surprised at the offer but didn't see much of a problem with it. In case she wanted to tell him something, he figured it would be for the best.

"Sure, why not?" Coye said. Rather than lifting the bar to get to the room and disrupting the people at work, Tammy crooked her neck towards the cafeteria door and implied he should take long way. He popped in, took a left, and then another left when he entered the hallway that led to the back entrance of the Guild. First door on the right led to the records room.

Tammy was waiting for him by the time he got there, leaning against the first of double-sided bookshelves with folded arms. "So. Congratulations, you fucked your boss."

Coye felt embarrassed by how sudden that came around, but not enough that he felt the need to deny anything. "Seems to be the case, last time I checked. If you're hoping to get any details off of me that Dorothy didn't already tell you, then I'm sorry, but..."

"It's fine, I get it. You aren't the type who kisses and tells. Still, it must've been nice. She hasn't been able to stop smiling since she got home. Guess you gave it to her as good as you did to Suzette the other day, huh?"

"Uh..." Coye wasn't sure where Tammy was going with that and he blushed. Similarly, Shayla was surprised to hear her bring that up when the two of them were alone together. She tried scanning Tammy's motions to be on the safe side but the monotone was as prominent on the inside as it was on the outside. It was like trying to read a blank piece of paper.

"Good for her. She deserves that." Tammy looked off to the side, her expression becoming distant. "Still... Can't help feeling a little curious, y'know?"

"Curious about what, exactly?"

"Lots of things, same as ever," she shrugged. "Really though. I'm talking about sex."

If things were awkward until now, that declaration made things even worse on Coye. He blushed and pulled on his collar, suddenly unable to meet her eye contact. "Tammy, I really don't get what this is. Could you please spell out for me what's going on here?"

There was silence for a moment before she tilted her head. "What, you don't think I'm coming on to you, do you?"

"I mean, the thought crossed my mind... I don't see why else you would bring that up..."

"Is it weird for you to talk about? Things of been so hectic until now that we've barely acknowledged the fact that I saw you reaming out everyone's favorite temporary receptionist. Seemed kind of weird to totally sweet that under the rug."

"We can talk about it, I just, ah... Don't really know what to say..."

'Shayla, what the hell is going on here?'

'Fuck if I know. You could try hitting on her if you think that's where this is going but I don't think it's the best time for that.'

'Obviously not. Didn't even cross my mind.'

'Right...'

"Say, killer?" Tammy suddenly approached him without warning. Her intention was impossible to guess at, there was no emotion in her eyes and her face was blank. Coye instinctually took a step back towards the door, flattening against it. "Mind if I ask you some questions about sex, sometime? This might come as a shock, but I don't have any experience. I'm curious about it, though. Feels like you would be the right person to teach me, in a sense."

'Holy shit-' Shayla was so blindsided by the sudden advance that she didn't even have any advice for Coye.

While at first Coye was uncomfortable, he caught on to something that Shayla somehow missed. Something was off here. This wasn't like Tammy, and he eased up after knowing that. He saw her intentions for what they were and smiled softly. "Sure. We can talk about sex whenever you want, but talking is all it'll be."

"Oh?" Tammy raised an eyebrow- the first hint he was right. "Even though I seem to be offering myself up to you on a silver platter? Better act fast. I might change my mind and you'll never have the opportunity again."

Turning her down was more difficult after she started speaking his language, with emphasis on the missing out, but he remained certain. "I'm not gonna make a move on you, Tammy."

Tammy studied him for some time before the hint of a smile played at her lips. "Now you really deserve those three cheers. You passed. Just trying to make sure you aren't the kind of guy who would jump at the chance for more after getting together with my best friend. You kind of have that air around you lately, so I just want to make sure."

Shayla shook her head, unsure of how Coye figured that out. 'Careful, baby. This one is tricky.'

"I'm pretty satisfied with what I've got for the moment, thanks," Coye smiled and scratched the back of his head. "I've wanted Dorothy forever now and I'm not in a rush to trivialize that."

"Good answer," Tammy applauded him.

"You're not even into me, anyway. Anyone can see that." Coye insisted, while Shayla only remembered how poor of a track record he had when it came to things like that.

Sure enough, Tammy went and complicated things. "If that's what you want to believe, go for it. I don't really know myself. I wasn't kidding about the curious thing, though. I just thought that watching you was interesting. Wouldn't mind having a chat about it sometime for the sake of my curiosity."

"Um. You're not saying you want to watch me again, are you?"

"I'm not not saying it?" Tammy shrugged. "You didn't seem to mind last time."

"I... uh... might have something of a fetish..." Coye admitted.

"Noted," Tammy nodded. "I let you know if I ever want a live show, but really, I was mostly kidding." Then, Tammy noticed the funniest thing. Coye actually seemed let down to hear she was messing with him. That, and he was shifting around like he was trying to hide something. Guess the idea excited him more than she expected.

He was so amusing lately, and now even more so. Tammy didn't know if she would go as far as calling him cute, but the fact that she was even considering it raised her curiosity even further.

"Try not to look so disappointed, killer. Now get out of here, I've got a job to not do."

Just like that, his bizarre interaction with Tammy was over. It left Coye feeling disoriented, unsure what to make of it, so he stepped outside for the back door to get a moment of air before he inevitably went to the quest board. The backyard was still dominated by the miniature arena Auguris constructed, and to Coye's surprise it was actually seeing some use. A couple pairs of adventurers were using it to conduct spars. That was nice to see. At least it justified keeping the thing around.

Coye sat down at the bench, confused. Shayla spoke up soon after.

'Well, that was something. Think you're gonna change your tactics up a bit, baby? Tammy would be a pretty safe next target, compared to one of the Bitches at least.'

'Can you stop referring to girls I know as targets? Almost makes it sound like I'm some sort of predator.'

'Just calling it like I see it.'

'Right... You didn't sense anything coming from her, did you?'

'No... Tammy is hard to read. I'm surprised you even picked up on the fact she was just messing with you. Good call.'

'Thanks, I guess...'

'Really, though. Have I ever asked you if you would go for Tammy if given a chance?' Shayla thought back. 'I don't think I have.'

'I don't know, she's cute, but even though I'm cool with her now she's still pretty weird and not very approachable. I'm not gonna make a move on someone just because I have the chance to.'

'Glad to hear it. Feeling good enough to head back inside?'

'Yeah, thanks. This helped a lot.'

'It's what I'm here for.'

After watching one of the adventurers take the other out, Coye decided enough spectating was enough and he returned. Tammy didn't bat an eye as he passed the front desk on his way to the lounge. He was incredibly tempted to go inside Dorothy's office and see how she's doing, but it's only been around an hour since they parted. Not only did he not want to look desperate, he figured it was better to give her space. She was back on the job today and there was probably a lot for her to catch up on. Best to leave her alone.

As Coye scans through the quests currently on offer, Shayla notices that he's looking primarily at the gold -ranked ones. Furthermore, she could sense a familiar determination inside him. He was itching to accomplish things and prove himself. He paused on multiple different monsters, wondering whether or not he could face them as he was now after his newest power up.

'Looking for something in particular?'

'Just measuring what I've got to look forward to. Not like I can accept any of them, anyway.'

'You sure about that? Maybe you could ask your new friend for some help?' Shayla pulled on Coye's hair to make him look over his shoulder, making him aware of something he missed until now. Sitting in the corner of the room in a lounge chair was Auguris himself, his feet lounging on an ottoman as he held a cup of tea in one hand and a book entitled 'a beginner's guide to poetry' in the other. He was so still that he could be mistaken for a statue, so it was no wonder Coye hadn't noticed him. Unfortunately for Coye, Auguris noticed him as well.

He turned his head, then stood dramatically. Looks like they were doing this and there was no getting out of it. Coye held back a sigh. He approached, his new metallocoat trailing behind him. As he reached Coye, Auguris held his book aloft and began with his nonsense.

"A curious thing, poetry," he shut the book closed with a loud thud. "Abstract. Vague. Emotional. Utter nonsense if you ask me, I simply do not understand the appeal. What makes words beautiful when they are arranged together in certain ways? Isn't that merely subjective? What is the point of it all? Despite how far beyond me it might be, Let it not be said I am a man who is against broadening my horizons, however. And what of you, Coye? Are you also in the mood for broadening your horizons?"

'Holy shit it is way too early for this...' Coye felt his eyelid twitch.

'He's asking if you want to try something new. I think he's setting you up for quest.'

Grateful for his translator, Coye tried his best to act polite and give the strange man a smile. "Just seeing what's on the board. What are you doing here?"

"Is it not obvious?" Auguris waited for an answer before continuing. "I was waiting for you. I must've missed you the other day, but I received wind of your recovery and return. Congratulations. You seem to be doing much better. Stronger as well, if my observations are correct."

"Oh, thanks. Yeah, I reached a few new milestones in my training."

"They'll serve you well, I'm sure," Auguris pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Just curious, but what were you planning on doing if I didn't show up today?"

"I imagine I would have reached a farther point in my book?" Auguris stated like that was obvious.

While obviously not a joke, Auguris was incapable of such, his delivery actually made Coye laugh and he eased up a little bit. "You made it sound like our first team up wouldn't be for a while. You said you barely do quests. Did something come up?"

"I'm in need of some samples. My stock is lower than I previously presumed, and I figured I would wait and see if you showed up before taking care of it myself." Auguris extended pulled out a folded up quest flyer from his suit pocket and handed it off to Coye for him to inspect. "See if this appeals to you. I figured we should go with something that allows you to set your own pace for our first excursion."

Coye had a closer look and was surprised by what he saw. It was an expedition style quest, one sanctioned by the Association itself. The objective was to head to a specified area, survey, and slay various monsters of their choosing and bring back proof to show that they did. The catch was that expeditions were only ever issued when it came to special places that ordinary adventurers couldn't tackle. This quest it didn't just want them to investigate the Gnarled Woods, no, this would've seen them venturing into the deepest layer, a horrifying area known as the Absent Grove.

Coye had never stepped foot into the dark, murky heart of the forest. That was nothing short of suicide, and Shayla knew it.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa- hold the fuck up! We can't fucking accept that! I've never gone that far in the woods. I had trouble surviving in the rest of the damned place, you think I can handle anything past that? Hell no.'

He was clutching the paper, holding his chin as he reached deeper in thought. The call to adventure which Coye was experiencing was heavy. He'd wanted a chance to prove himself, and this would be just the opportunity to do so. But even as he thought about what to do, common sense won a rare victory in Coye's mind.

"I don't think I can really do this one. Sorry. I forgot to mention the other day, but I have a condition that makes it hard for me to handle long treks into the Gnarled Woods. Especially not in areas where the corruption is even worse than what I'm used to. I used to be a lot more resistant to it, but my body is different than it used to be."

"Aha," Auguris narrowed his eyes and studied the boy for a while. "I see. And if I told you you needn't worry about the evil corruptive influences of the woods whenever you're with me?"

That certainly interested Coye, but Shayla had a good argument. 'Even if he can do that for you, it doesn't change the fact that you'd have to be away from town for a few days to get that far into the woods. I just don't think this is a good idea right now. What if your little problem starts acting up?'

Coye couldn't really argue against that. "That condition also means I can't leave town for very long, either."

"And if I promised we will be back by tonight?" Auguris asked, not missing a beat.

'How the hell is he gonna accomplish that?' Shayla didn't believe it, but Coye was interested.

"Is that possible?"

"Certainly. If you don't believe me, you are welcome to tag along and see what it means to travel in style. Go on. I'll give you a moment to think about things." Despite implying he would give Coye space, he continued to stare unblinkingly as Coye deliberated.

'What do you think?'

'I think you're going to drag me along headfirst into danger, but at least it'll be with Auguris. No offense, baby.'

'None taken. I wouldn't even think of accepting if he weren't coming along.'

'If you really want my honest opinion, then I'm against it, but not enough that I'll hold it against you if we try it out. Up to you.'

Coye thought about his options. He had a lot going for him in life right now, but he also had a new end goal he was working toward. Getting stronger and reaching gold -rank was a step in the right direction and he desired to start on those as soon as he could. The danger would likely be minimal with Auguris present, as well. And like he told Shayla before, he would run if need be.

"If you are sure you can give me back here by tonight, I'm cool with it."

"Excellent."

"Sorry that I didn't mention this stuff before. I was still pretty out of sorts the other day and you surprise me with your visit."

"It shouldn't be a problem, Coye. Remember. You are to handle the busywork while I take care of my errands. I'll be right there alongside you, but my attention will be enraptured by my work. I won't be interfering unless I get the sense you actually need it, so you'd best be ready to hold your own."

That briefly got Coye to reconsider, but his conviction was too strong. "I can handle it. Are you already packed?"

"I already told you did I not? I don't expect to be longer than a day. There's nothing to pack, everything I need is magically stored away in my coat."

"Guess we can head off, then. I'm good to go, too."

"Think carefully on if you truly are. You don't seem to be carrying as many of the little gadgets as you did during our battle. Are you certain you don't need to return home to gather more of them up?"

"I don't always fight like that. It's clunky and gets in the way, but I figured I had to resort to it if I wanted to stand a chance against you."

"I see. Well then, if there's indeed nothing you've forgotten-"

the back of Coye's neck tingled. If he had any body hair, it would've been standing at attention. His eyes darted over to the stairs, where someone was descending from the second floor.

Britni stepped out wearing her full adventuring gear, flipping her hand axe in the air twirl by twirl. The bracelet she wore over her right gauntlet had transformed into a large, bulky wooden round shield, and electricity permeated around her as it so often did. The lightning had different flavor to it, however. Most of Britni's sparks were reactionary. Caused by her temper or mood swings. These were deliberate and meaningful- a show of her power.

"Really? You sure there's nothing you forgot?" She asked. "Because here I thought you said you wanted to go on a quest with me..."

"Britni?" Coye asked, surprised. "I still do want to go on a quest with you, I just already told Auguris-"

"splitting the funds three ways is acceptable by me if it means getting my work accomplished sooner." Auguris felt the need to interject. "You are certainly allowed to embark alongside us if you so wish."

'Wait a second, is this actually happening?!' Shayla stared over at the smug bully who walked up to them and put her hand on Coye's shoulder.

"Sounds good to me. You cool with that, Coye?" Britni asked, though it was less of a question and more of a veiled threat.

The threat didn't make him back down. If he could go on this quest with Britni, there was absolutely no way it would turn out wrong. Okay. Maybe that was the wrong way to put it. Tons of things could go wrong from Britni being there, but at the very least, she was by far one of the strongest people in the Guild and her silver rank did little to belie her true abilities. Coye would readily admit any day of the week she was stronger than him several times over, and he'd never even seen a glimpse of her at her strongest. Things would be a lot safer if she came along for the ride...

But there were dangers, too. Coye wasn't naive. Just because Britni and he were getting along better than they usually did didn't suddenly make Britni a less volatile person. Even so, the positives outweighed the negatives- at least to Coye. That, and he was a little excited about the chance of potentially getting to know her a little better and further clearing the air between them. Now that would be an adventure.

'Oh God. You're gonna let her, aren't you...?' Shayla sensed it coming before he even said it.

'The more the merrier, right Shayla?'

With a friendly smile, he turned to Britni and handed her the quest flyers so she could get up to speed. "I don't know. Think you can keep up?"

Britni looked at him for a moment, her face unreadable. Then, a smile cracked across her face and her sparks intensified as she clenched the paper tight in her hand, crumpling it. "I'll try not to drag you down, you little shit. Let's go."