[ One Day Before Round 1 of the Love Contest
D1 Sunbeam Forest
Year 0 ]
A bolt of lightning struck right on the wooden bullseye target. I did it! Jamie fell to her knees out of happiness. This time she couldn’t hold back a few tears of joy. She finally managed to hit all 100 of the wooden bullseye targets in a row without running out of mana.
Master Edwards hugged her. “That was excellent.”
The embraces felt warm. A little hope stirred in her, maybe she could do this after all. What’s that smell? He smells so nice.
“Would you like a drink?” Master Edwards asked.
“A drink?”
“Alcohol, you must have had it in your universe. It gives you a nice buzz and temporarily lets your worries go if taken moderately.”
“Yes, why not?” Jamie excitedly said. Yes! One of my fantasies of partying with other adventures at a hip tavern is coming true!
“Let’s go get some. I will show you a drink General Ames showed me the night after we invaded,” he paused, “a certain district.”
“Were you just about to spill a military secret,” Jamie teased.
Master Edwards smiled back, “If you have what it takes, you too will attack the same district with the General.”
She looked at him puzzled. Master Edwards proceeded to look up at the sky with a ruminative expression on his face.
“I’ll ask him about that another time," she thought.
Jamie followed suit and looked up. It’s just blue with fluffy clouds, but it’s so mesmerizing.
They both stood there for a good three minutes or so, enjoying the nice weather and the clear skies.
A breeze blew a lock of Jamie’s silky black hair over her eyes. Jamie reached her right hand up to move it, and her fingers touched Master Edwards’. She pulled back her hand as he guided her lock of hair aside for her. Master Edwards only gave her a half-smile, but it was enough to give her butterflies.
He looked at the young woman before him. Lisaria must’ve helped heal her up some last night. He could make out most of her features instead of the usual puffed bruised face.
She is a pretty one, even without mana manipulations to the face. Stop it, what are you thinking? He thought to himself. "She did look a little scared when I mentioned tomorrow. It is when the Love Contest starts. I must give her confidence."
The two started walking down a beaten path into the lush green forest. “There have been years with no casualties, and there have been years when, well, some contestants got a bit too wild.” Memories of the last winner, Princess Harkia of the Eastern District, aka General Ames’ mother came to Master Edward's mind. She was so powerful, that no one entered the competition that year.
Jamie nodded. He's trying to make me feel better, she thought.
“How are you feeling Jamie?”
Jamie estimated her chances are 50/50, as a result of her never experiencing battle. She did her best to train, but one slip up could cost her her life. She had done her research at the library and seen footage of this year’s top contestants as well.
She didn’t answer. “What's the point of knowing how I feel?” she thought to herself, "better to be rational.”
“What do you think my odds of surviving are?” Jamie asked.
“I think they’re pretty solid. You did good, Jamie.”
Jamie bit down on her bottom lip. Don’t cry. Killers don’t cry and I’m a killer now… haven’t killed anyone yet but I probably will have to.
She followed Master Edwards straight into a tree marked by two six-inch slashes, it is a transport tree (a tree with a permanent transport portal). They exited the tree and entered another forest, this one looked more tropical. “Look for a big pineapple,” Master Edwards said.
Big pineapple? Jamie wondered.
They found it shortly. The big pineapple looks like a regular pineapple plant with spiky leaves, except this pineapple is the size of a skyscraper. Master Edwards raised his hand and directed the pineapple to unroot itself from the ground and float to the sky. Attached to it were massive tubers, each the size of three-year-old human toddlers. He removed a teabag-sized green sachet from his pocket, expanded it to be big enough to hold the tubers, moved the tubers that he cut from the pineapple into the sachet, and then shrank the bag back to teabag size. He placed the sachet back into his pocket.
They walked back to camp in silence. Jamie fidgeted with her fingers, she wanted to ask a favor of Master Edwards. But how can she ask such a thing?
—----Flashback to Jamie’s World—----
[ One day before the kidnapped incident
Pure Earth - Year 2024
Sloppy Papa’s BBQ, Virginia ]
How did I get so lucky? Jamie looked across the table. Matt is perfect.
The young waitress smiled at Matt, she twirled her blonde locks and touched him gently on the shoulders.
Is she really flirting with him while I’m right here? Jamie looked at the waitress puzzled. Because Jamie is highly analytical, she often takes more time than most to read the room due to the numerous irrational scenarios she runs through. She can deduce a person’s intention faster if she knows the person, and slower with strangers, because of all the possible factors. There is that fact about Jamie, and there is also the simple fact that Jamie at times, can be a pushover for fear of offending the other person from her misanalysis of the situation.
“Dessert?” the attractive waitress asked as she gently ran her fingers across her massive perky breasts that somehow managed to pour over her white tank top; something Jamie never had to contend with.
“Two slices of your famous Hummingbird Cake with coffee,” Matt replied with a smile and pretended not to notice her breast, which was practically planted on his nose.
“Excuse me,” Jamie said meekly in front of the waitress.
“Yes?”
What if I’m wrong and she’s just naturally slutty, can she really help the fact that she’s attracted to Matt? What would confronting her do? Matt isn’t even my boyfriend yet.
“Yes Ma’am?” the waitress asked again.
“Oh, um, restroom, where’s the restroom?”
“Straight down the hall, you can see it from here,” the waitress pointed with a cheerful response.
“I can show you too,” she offered sincerely.
“Thanks!” Jamie responded and then thought to herself, Oh my god, she’s so nice. And I called her a slut… I’m terrible!
On her walk to the restroom, Jamie looked back. The waitress had already made herself comfortable in the empty seat next to Matt.
Jamie pursed her lips as she stood by the restroom door and waited. Hmm, I guess she is a slut… well at least it isn’t my seat she’s sitting on. Or perhaps she’s just not sitting on my seat not out of consideration, but because my seat would’ve been warmed. It is the universal law that seats warmed by strangers are gross by nature.
She glanced over at Matt, who happened to have also caught her eye. He flashed her an uncomfortable smile.
Well, at least he doesn’t look too happy. As she waited, memories of missed opportunities to speak up flooded her mind.
The time - Tim, a balding coworker took credit for her idea at work. He was promoted a week later, which Jamie is still bitter about, but she didn’t speak up because his 54-year-old mom had just died from a terrible skydiving incident. And the story doesn’t end there…
—----Flashback to Company Holiday Party—----
“I’m so jealous! This year’s Christmas lottery prizes are crazy!” Tim Williams exclaimed as Jamie sat back down with her Skydiving Voucher in hand.
He sipped on his sixth Santa Special cocktail. “How are they affording all this,” he remarked and squinted his eyes at Emily, the corporate accountant. Emily laughed, and then swiftly chugged a beer.
“I have no interest in this extra risk. I would be 100% at the mercy of the company and their staff's competency!” Jamie thought.
“Tim, if you want the skydiving ticket, it’s yours,” Jamie said, as she adjusted her Santa hat.
—----End of Company Holiday Party Flashback—----
I should probably let the Tim incident go…
Jamie looked at her nails and then thought of the many times her friend brought up controversial topics. Instead of voicing her opinion, Jamie would keep quiet to avoid conflict, fearing the loss of that friendship.
At this exact moment, someone in the bathroom released a series of heavy, three-burst farts; however, Jamie is too deep in thought to notice.
“I should speak up more.”
“Cookie momma!”
A mom and toddler stood beside her. Finally, the restroom door opened and a tall woman walked out. Jamie looked down at the cute kid, she actually does need to go, but… “Excuse ma’am, you could go first.”
“Thank you!” the mom exclaimed as they went into the restroom. Jamie heard the door locked.
“It stinks!” the toddler screamed.
—----End Flashback —----
[ One Day Before Round 1 of the Love Contest
D1 Sunbeam Forest
Year 0 ]
A full moon radiated among the twinkling stars, however, its beauty was lost to Jamie and Master Edwards, who had finished off two and a half tubers. The tubers, to Jamie’s amazement, tasted like candy pineapple coconut rum, it was delicious and highly alcoholic. To consume the pineapple alcohol, just bite off the top, and inside was the alcohol.
Fueled by alcohol confidence, the two danced and sang around the fire, and laughed more than usual. This isn't a tavern but I wouldn’t have it any other way, Jamie thought.
Finally, they laid down near the fire and shared the last tuber.
Jamie looked at Master Edwards. Despite calling him Master, he didn't look that much older than her. Master Edwards, like the rest of the people she met on this planet, is freaking gorgeous. He looked to be mid 30’s latest in his 40’s. If she wasn’t so worried about fighting for her life, she would’ve spent all her time thinking about him shirtless. Which he is often when training her on combat skills.
She wondered if he was using magic to look young.
“Master?”
“Yes?” He took another sip and thought, This isn’t good, we’re so messed up right now. If someone attacked us now, the odds would be -
“I wanted to ask a favor from you,” Jamie mustered.
“Yes?”
“You see, I could die tomorrow.”
“Jamie,” he turned to look at her. Her face looked normal now, the tubers must’ve relaxed her bruises. Which isn’t good, her face will be more bruised tomorrow. He found Jamie surprisingly attractive and picked up combat training quite well; she has good reflexes. She had mentioned she played sports.
“I’ve seen the results from the past 489 years and even averaged them out. With magic, of course, there is no calculator here,” Jamie continued.
Master Edwards wanted to ask what a calculator was but figured he should let her finish talking.
“I’m pretty logical. In my other life, that was how I made my living.”
“If it is something I can do, I will help you with all my heart,” Master Edwards replied.
Jamie took another chug of alcohol. Master Edwards looked at her. He must’ve lost his mind to let her drink this much before the big day. He sensed certain sensations within himself and he too took another chug from the pineapple tuber.
“Well, I am a virgin.”
Master Edwards nodded, took another big chug, and softly looked at her. His heart started to beat a little faster.
“I want to experience certain things in case I die tomorrow,” she said.
She bit her bottom lip. He wanted to lick those lips. He took another chug from his pineapple tuber. This was a bad decision. I can only think of one thing now.
“I want to,” Jamie started to say but couldn’t finish. She looked down at her pineapple tuber. Even in this state of intoxication, can I not speak my mind for once? Even if it is a crazy request. She took another chug at her drink.
Before she could muster the courage, she felt a firm, experienced hand gently massaging her from behind. Her body tingled in ways she didn't know existed. "This feels good."
The hand slowly made its way forward. She closed her eyes.
“What are you doing?” a child’s voice asked.
