Forceful Invitation

This fireball of a woman just ran up to me and nearly knocked me on my ass. Now she was demanding to join my party. A party that didn’t even exist. Though she didn’t realize that. She probably assumed the rest of my party was outside or something. I was going to have to disappoint her. Though first I separated us, she was a little too close.

“I don’t know you. I’m sorry, but I need to be going.” I tried to walk away again, but she swiftly moved in front of me. For being a random person jumping me, they could move surprisingly quickly.

She shook her head and nearly her whole body in the action. “I must go with you!” There was an odd urgency in her face as if she didn’t come with me something terrible would happen. Under some other circumstances I’d consider this a moment of story being thrust upon me. But she was just a random stranger harassing me because I was a hero.

I motioned goodbye to her and started walking past once more. The door opened and I could see the outside again of the strangely pinkish sky that I was growing more accustomed to. Perhaps, she accepted her fate.

However, I heard something that I couldn’t quite place. That made me pause, which probably was a good thing. In the next moment I felt the wind displaced as the massive sword that had been on her back flung in front of me. If I wasn’t so shocked and terrified by nearly getting cleaved in two I might have been impressed with the throw. But I was dealing with a crazy person apparently!

It took me a few seconds to recover my mind from nearly being killed. But that was plenty of time for her to jump out and catch me again, as though I slipped away in a challenging way before. “What the hell’s wrong with you?!” She picked up her sword with ease placing it away once more.

“I need to join your party!”

“Yes, I’ve gotten that part pretty clearly. But you don’t try to kill people because they turn you down! I’m pretty sure that’s normal in any world.”

“But I can’t accept that!”

“Clearly, but you don’t throw swords to change people’s minds!”

And yet she didn’t budge on me. She only seemed to get more intense with her eyes. “I’m aware. But this is something that I’ve decided.”

“Are you just ignoring the part where you threw a sword?” My emotions were definitely getting the better of me. A pause recovered my thoughts a touch. “You don’t get to make that decision. You’re trying to join me. It’s my call to make.”

“Then you’re the leader of your party.” How much of what I was saying made it to her. It felt like half of my words were getting ignored.

I sighed. Maybe she’ll understand with a better explanation. “Look, there’s no party. It’s just me. Sorry you got your hopes up, but this isn’t the heroes’ party. It’s just me.” That seemed to at least quiet her for a moment. They stepped back one foot, though looking more introspective than shocked. “Now you understand. I’m out here alone, so I’m not the one you’re wanting.”

It didn’t take as long as I had hoped for her to recover from that. She leaned back in just as fiery. “No! This’ll work, you need someone. What are you? I don’t see a sword or staff.” Looking around me, she appeared to be seeking out my weapon. It did make for some amount of convenience that I could keep in easily out of sight.

Her undeterred expression was a little bothersome. That wasn’t enough. Well the next answer should be more than enough. “I’m an Astral Priest.”

But I didn’t get the reaction I expected. She just stared at me waiting as though I didn’t say anything. Her head tilted like she might have been trying to figure it out, but it wasn’t clicking. “What’s that?” Are the classes we had not common knowledge? The King and everyone made a whole deal about me being this ‘Cursed Healer’ and no one knows about it?

“It’s a healer, you know as in the Cursed Healer. The one without any healing spells.”

“Oh, that’s fascinating! I didn’t know there was a healer like that. Then that means I would be a great help for you then!”

“Why is that?” Based on the massive sword I was imagining that she was a DPS class. And I’d be lying if having someone to take the heat off me would be useful. But keeping myself safe right now with a class that I was still feeling out was about all I could manage.

“I can be your bulwark! I don’t know what you call it, but I can protect you!”

“So you’re a tank.”

“Is that what they’re called?”

Wasn’t I supposed to be the stranger here? “You’ve never done any of this before have you?” I crossed my arms feeling my annoyance cool. The situation felt so absurd that I lost most of the energy I had for it. I could only sigh.

“This is my first time.” For all the bluster that she showed before, she actually looked embarrassed now. I looked around seeing that we didn’t have much in the way of onlookers, despite her stunt. But it did feel a little awkward carrying this on outside.

Rubbing my hand over my neck, I considered my options. It wouldn’t hurt to hear her out. I was going to be here for a bit. Maybe I could help her. She was probably a local, if this was her first time. She’s probably never been anywhere else. A day or two and the excitement would wear off and she’ll go back to whatever she normally does. I could do that. “Let’s step away from all of this. I heard at the Twin Horns we can get a good meal.”

There looked to be some hope back in her eyes. I shouldn’t be giving her any optimism. This wasn’t the first time I’ve been here. They always played out the same. She would be better soon and leave me. That was the natural way things worked. I nodded to her.

With a silent agreement, we walked off together. I only had the directions the attendant gave me. So I pretended like I knew where I was going. There was an odd tree in the middle of the street, but I kept clear of it. It wasn’t too hard to find, so I didn’t look like too much of a fool. Even if I was trying to check signs and building fronts quickly. Honestly, she knew I was new. I shouldn't have tried such a stupid bit of bravado.

I watched her spend several awkward moments trying to figure out her sword. It was too big to sit with and unwieldy to lean against the table. Looking at the size and material, it probably weighed more than all of the wood in the table. She couldn’t put it on the floor because it became a tripping hazard. In the end, I moved us to a wall where she could lay it safely.

“Let’s try to start over. I’m Minoru Fuwa.”

“Eri’Sol Finrow! I’m a Linca.” She pointed to her ears at the top of her head. In all of the intensity of her entrance, I hadn’t fully taken a complete look at her. Linca had to be the name of their race as cat people. She stood in mostly light leather armor with some metal plating at joints for extra protection. For a tank, she was lighter armored than I imagined. Though if this was her first time, she may just not have had the money to afford it. I didn’t know her situation.

“I’m not sure how common knowledge it is, but I was recently summoned here by your King. I’ve only been in your world for a few days. I’m new to everything still.”

“Same! Though I’ve been practicing and training, no one would give me a chance.” She leaned across the table grabbing my hands. “So I need to join you!”

“I get it. But I’m a bad fit. If an emergency happens, I can’t save you.”

“But you’re a healer. You’ve made this far alone, right?”

“Yes, but the whole point of going alone was that I can keep myself safe.” Mostly. “And focus on developing the class.”

“Then I’ll trust you! If you can keep yourself alive, you can for me too. That way you’re not in danger.”

She didn’t seem to be getting it. Even though her face was saying that she listened and understood what I said. There was just that insistent refusal to accept anything else. She’ll leave tomorrow or the next day getting tired of me. What’s a couple of days with her company. She can teach me some things about her town and world I don’t know. It won’t be a waste if I look at it like that. “Fine. But we get some practice before anything serious.”

“Thank you so much!” She beamed with delight. There was a cuteness to her under all of the brashness. I caved so easily didn’t I?