Bee

Bee wasn't sure who this Abdullah fellow was, nor was she familiar with the sand shark referenced; however, if combat was her long term goal then this seemed like a good place to start.

"She must like you,"

Bee smiled, not sure what to say. The shadow that engulfed her shoulders was soothing. It almost felt like the temperature had become normal, like she wasn't smack dab in the heart of a desert city. Freyd's invitation was a kind gesture. She would never have had the courage to take on a creature like Terra Firma alone. Not that it was a bad thing—it would kill her in a heartbeat. "I'd like to join you," she said, her eyes finally leaving the inky weasel.

She knew she would be little help in the coming fight and that there was always some level of risk leaving a safezone, even with the strongest players around. Still, she wanted to try.

And after Rosa, she was happy to have someone offer to teach her for free, even if it wasn't specific to healing.

"I might need some direction. I've never actually fought anything before," she admitted.

Slow down, ya damn mongoose, came Bee's inner voice.

They rounded a corner, past a museum and what might have been a pawn shop. She had almost run straight into the dark-haired man on the other side, stopping just in time. Another player joined them as well. She hadn't noticed the guy following her—or maybe he was chasing the familiar as well.

The mongoose seemed to have taken a liking to Bee, for some reason or another. The shadowy form wrapped around her leg, coiling like a much cuter version of a snake. "I'm Bee," she introduced herself without looking up from the strange familiar. "Is she yours?"

Bee's first observation was not of Persi's perplexing body, but of her eyes that sparkled like crystal. Her second observation came from within—a growing envy that tightened in her chest. She wanted one too. Bee bent down, reaching towards the shadow creature. It climbed up her arm like a slinky, spiraling to her shoulder where she perched, staring Freyd in the face with a tilted head.

"Oh, and, hi," she said to the other man.

Her usual attire, consisting almost entirely of dark fabrics, proved to be a mistake. It was made for mild temperatures—nothing too cold and nothing too hot. She did not have an alternative for desert climates so instead, she suffered. Her skirt made it somewhat bearable. She welcomed what little breeze there was and grew miserable every time it passed. No price would have been too much for an ice cream cone from a specialty street cart or a cold plunge in the ocean. Unfortunately, the only ocean around was made of sand and ice cream on one of Aincrad's hottest floors seemed like an unlikely find.

Sweat and discomfort aside, she was excited. It took thirteen months, but her appointment with a local healer had finally gone through. Rosa, who liked to advertise herself as a top three support who worked with some of the most powerful guilds in the game, owned a small shop at the edge of town. It was there that she took on students of varying skill levels for the insignificant fee of 25,000 col an hour. Bee had already paid up front for a three hour lesson in medicine and looked forward to learning from a certified hero of the frontlines.

She knelt on a cushion on the floor of the shop. The small space would not have fit more than a few people at a time, comfortably at least. It was decorated rather poorly. Rosa preferred bare walls and surfaces, except for a framed award that dubbed her "Healer of the Year." Bee had yet to meet Rosa. She had spoken to her assistant, albeit briefly and ages ago, but never the master support herself. She could hear her though, laughing from the opposite room. Via eavesdropping, she gathered that behind the large red curtain across from her was a lunch room, where Rosa was finishing off a large plate of leftover spaghetti from the night before. Also, she had found herself in a pile of debt and was strapped for cash (mind you, Bee had transferred over 75,000 col a few days prior).

After much patience, what Bee thought was a voice call ended and Rosa swooped through the red curtain, jumping at the sight of the blonde. "Oh!"

She followed her surprise with confirmation that she had forgotten about their scheduled appointment. "Can I help you? If you're here about mentoring, I can give you my assistant's name. The waitlist is quite long at the moment," Rosa smiled awkwardly.

"Actually, we were supposed to meet today? I'm Bee?" She stood up, hands on her hips, speaking each line as if she, herself, was unsure.

"Bee? Bee... Bee... Bee..." the woman tapped the tip of her boot against the sandstone floor. "Oh, yes! Bee! Of course! How could I forget! Unfortunately, I won't be able to meet with you today but contact my assistant—she'd be happy to help you reschedule!" She proceeded to guide Bee out the front door.

"But—"

"Bye bye now!" 

The door slammed before Bee could protest. Like clockwork, she found herself out on the streets of Fortaleza. Grumpier than ever, she glared at the tiny shop, not noticing the critter at her feet until it wrapped around her leg. Her instinctual scream startled them both. Persi unattached herself from Bee, far less afraid than the latter was. The shadow mongoose scurried a few feet away and then turned back to the girl. They stared at each other for a moment before Bee spoke to her.

"Do you want me to follow you?" She asked.

Persi, who was presumably a non-English speaker, did not reply. Instead, she scurried away, leaving Bee to chase the sandy trail the mongoose left behind.

***

Bee consumes:

Gugnir’s Shard (Untradeable/Unique/Reusable Consumable): Crème Brûlée Tray | ACC 2 | Feast (4/6) - takes one portion. [filled]
Bee | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20 | DMG: 2 | ACC: 2

 #

PH

 #

PH

#

PH

THE STORY OF BEE

"We'll make it home. I promise."