Sexy Warriors, Episode 13

Velpanie looked up in fear at four thuggish men staring down at her.  They had the most evil smiles on their faces.  This was not good.  "W-what are you go to do to me?"

"Heh, heh," one of the men laughed.  "I don't know.  We might rob ya.  We might kill ya.  We might...heh, heh, heh."

"N-n-no," Velpanie whimpered.  She was so scared she couldn't move.  "Someone...please help me..."

"Heh, ain't no one gonna help ya out here," one of the men said.  "Ain't nowhere to run.  Ain't nowhere to hide.  Ain't nothing ya can do.  We're gonna have a lot of fun with you."

She still couldn't move.  Try as she might, her body simply wouldn't respond.  "Is this the end?  No...I don't want to die."

"Back away from the girl while you have the chance," a female voice warned.

Velpanie knew that voice.  Hope welled up inside of her and erupted as looked back and she cried out, "Shallista!"

There she stood, her red-hair savior, flanked by two women.  One of the women was hay-haired and had a loaded bow trained on one of the men.  The other was a curvy black-hair goddess of a woman with a staff.  They all looked, "So cool..."

One of the men whistled.  "Ooh-we, we done hit the jackpot tonight.  Get a load of that redhead."

"That black-haired one is a tall drink of water," another man said.

Yet another of the men said, "That one with the bow has pretty eyes."

"Admire us all you want," Shallista said, "but you will let the girl go."

"Or maybe we could beat the crap out of you and have all four of you for dessert," one of the men said.

"Very well," Shallista said.  "Velpanie, close your eyes."

She did so.  The next thing she knew, there was a bright flash of light.  After that, she heard men screaming and butt getting kicked.

About a minute later the light dimmed and Shallista said, "You can open your eyes now."

She did so.  The men were all knocked out and Shallista was standing tall.  She felt her heart skip a beat.  "Shallista…"

The woman with the staff walked over to her and knelt down.  "I'm a light wizard.  Do you need healing?"

Her heart skipped another beat as their eyes met.  "I-I'm fine  H-how did you find me?"

Shallista gestured to the woman with the bow.  "Cordelia's eyes are the best.  Even in total darkness, she can see for miles.  She deserves all the thanks here.  If not for her, we might not have found you until morning."

Velpanie shuddered at the thought of not being found for so long.  What condition would she have been in?  Would she have even survived that long?  She shook her head and the thought along with it.  She had been saved.  That's all that mattered right now.  "Thank you, Miss Cordelia."

"Just Cordelia is fine," Cordelia said.

She turned her attention back to the woman with the staff.  "And you are?"

"I'm Wendy."

Velpanie looked her over.  "Wendy, huh?  Mind if I call you Double Stack instead?"

"Double Stack?" Wendy asked.  "Why do I get the feeling a hamburger restaurant chain somewhere in the universe is filing a lawsuit right now?"

"Okay, that's enough of that," Shallista said.  "Let's hurry and get you home."

All the energy drained out of Velpanie's body.  "No..."

"What?" Shallista asked.  "Why not?"

"She's going to yell at me again.  She might even hit me."

Shallista shook her head.  "I don't believe that will be the case.  She's worried about you.  So worried that she begged me to rescue you...after punching me in the face and calling me a slut."

"That should be the proof that she will do again," Velpanie said.  "I'll never go back.  Take me to the next village.  I'll start a new life there."

"That is insanity," Shallista said.  "That's not how a child should be living.  And if I did something like that, it would make my guild look bad.  There's no way I can return without you in tow."

Velpanie was silent for a moment.  "I'll return if you let me join your guild."

Shallista shook her head.  "This isn't a negotiation."

Velpanie grumbled.  "Fine, I'll get there on my own."

"Yeah, because you were doing such a good job of that before we got here," Shallista said sarcastically.  "Stop arguing and come along, child."

Velpanie felt her heart break.  "I can't believe I actually looked up to you.  You make me want to vomit."

Cordelia and Wendy gasped as Shallista grumbled and headed her way.  "Milady..." Wendy said.

Shallista walked right over, knelt down, put a hand on her shoulder, and...smiled.  "It's going to be okay.  She won't hurt you again.  You can trust me."

This woman's smile was comforting.  She felt like she could trust her.  "O-okay."

With that, they all stood and headed back.

*

Shallista and the others returned to the guild hall to see the mother sitting there.  She looked anxious until she saw them.

"Velpanie!" she said, jumping out of her seat, running over and embracing the girl.  "My precious daughter.  I'm sorry.  I'll never do it again."

Velpanie returned her embrace.  "I...I...mom!"

Shallista and her guildmates were about to leave them so they could have a private moment.

Then, the mother looked at her with tears in her eyes and said.  "Thank you, Sexy Warriors.  I'll never forget this.  How much do I owe you?"

"Just make sure you don't forget your promise and we'll call it even," Shallista said.

The mother nodded.

*

Shallista was headed up to the front of her building to finish painting over the negative words someone painted there yesterday.  Upon getting there, however, she saw someone had already done it.  She also saw Velpanie right in front of the door, sleeping with a paintbrush in her hand.  It was a cute scene, but she couldn't just let her stay like that.  She clapped and said, "Wake up!"

Velpanie shot up, startled.  "Oh, hey, Shallista."  She stretched and yawned.

"Why are you here?" Shallista asked.  "Your mother said to stay away."

"Yeah...she let up a little after what went down last night," Velpanie answered.  "So I decided to come back and finish the paint job."

Shallista looked her work over.  "It's well done.  I suppose thanks is in order."

"So you'll let me join your guild?"

"No," Shallista said.

A look of absolute shock came across the girl's face.  "What?  But I stayed up all night to get this done."

Shallista shook her head.  "It wouldn't matter if you saved one of our lives, I'm not letting a kid join my guild.  Have you forgotten that talk we had?"

"I haven't, but after last night, I knew beyond any doubt that I want to be one of you.  I saw first hand what it really means to be a Sexy Warrior.  Please, make an exception just this once."

"I'm not changing my mind on who I'll let join my guild" Shallista said.  "I will, however treat you to breakfast.  What'll you have?"

Velpanie was silent for a moment.  Then, she said, "I'm going to train hard for the next two years.  I'm going to train so hard that I'll be even better than you.  Then, you'll be begging me to join your guild."

Shallista smiled.  "Is that so?  I look forward to seeing how far you'll progress."

Sexy Warriors, Episode 12

"Well, here we are," the girl said as she and Shallista came to a house.  "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Suddenly, the door opened and a middle-aged woman came storming out.  "Get away from my daughter, whore!"

Thoroughly confused, Shallista only manage to say, "Huh?"

"Mom!" the girl shot.

"Shut up, Velpanie, and get in the house!"

"Yes, mom," the girl said, her head hanging.

The woman turned her attention back to Shallista.  "I won't let you infect my daughter with your whorish ways!  Honestly, walking around like that.  Where do women like you come from?"

"I can't speak for all Sexy Warriors, but I'm from the mountains of Dimell," Shallista said.

"Whore!" the woman shouted, slamming the door angrily.

Shallista was about to leave until she heard yelling on the other side of the door.

"You didn't let that whore sway you, did you?" the mother said.

"She was trying to talk me out of being like her, mom."

After a brief silence, the mother said, "Don't go over there any more."

"But she's a good person, mom.  She's kind and gentle and caring and-"

The next thing Shallista heard was a slap.

"I'm sorry, mom!"

"Do what I say, child!  Stay away from those whores!"

Shallista hated the abuse of children more than anything.  She felt herself trembling with anger.  She resisted the urge to kick down the door and left.

*

Shallista returned to the guild to see Hilde sitting with her head on the table and Neeka rubbing her back.  "Hey, there."

Hilde lifted her head just long enough to see who it was before plopping it back down on the table.  "Milady...I'd like to quit."

"Huh?" Shallista said.  "I guess I don't mind, but why?"

"Because I'm not a Sexy Warrior," Hilde said.  "I'm not even an attractive one."

"Is this because of what that girl said?" Shallista asked.

Hilde bawled and sobbed.  "She said I look like a boy!  Wah!"

Shallista walked over and sat near her.  "This doesn't make any sense.  Remember when we fought that giant fire-breathing wolf and his pack.  If not for your powerful magic, we all might have been wiped out.  So you can defeat that wolf, but a teenage girl mistakes you for a boy and that's just too much?"

"You wouldn't know anything about it," Hilde said.  "You've never been mistaken for a boy.  You've got a killer body that any straight male would want.  You'd probably be able to turn most gay men straight and turn some straight women gay.  I'm just an ugly bookworm."

"Darn it, Hilde," Shallista said.  "Not just anyone can be a Sexy Warrior.  I chose you for a reason.  We all are meant to cater to the tastes of different people.  When we first came to town, the eyes of the people were drawn to all of us.  They weren't just looking at me and the others.  They were looking at you, too."

"That's just because we're wearing this embarrassing armor," Hilde said.

Shallista stood, grabbed her by the arm, and yanked her up to her feet.  "That's it.  We're leaving right now.  You, too, Neeka."

"What did I do?" Neeka asked.

"Nothing," Shallista answered.  "I'm just trying to prove a point.  Let's go."

"Ow!" Hilde said.  "My wrist.  You're hurting me, milady."

Shallista let her go.  "Oh...sorry."

*

Shallista, Hilde, and Neeka entered a building filled with shelves of books and mostly male patrons.  "This is where you guys come when you get off duty, right?" Shallista asked.

"Yeah, but why are we here now?" Hilde asked.

Shallista clapped her hands and said, "Hey, everybody!  Look this way!"

Everybody did so.

Hilde and Neeka looked around, eyes wide.  "Are you insane, milady?" Hilde squealed.

Shallista looked at her and smiled.  "Check it out."

Hilde looked around.  "They're looking at me and Neeka.  Their practically drooling."

Neeka looked around, too.  "Yeah.  And it's almost like Shallista isn't here."

"Yep," Shallista said, nodding.  "I'm not their type, but you two are.  Still think you're ugly?"

One person did notice her, though.  A woman, perhaps in her mid-fifties, walked over and said, "This is a library, young lady.  You need to shut up and read a book or leave."

Shallista covered her mouth.  "Whoops!  I'll be going now.  Hilde.  Neeka.  Have fun basking in your glory."

*

Shallista entered the guild and saw a woman sitting there.  It was Velpanie's mother.  "Well this is unexpected.  Welcome to the Sexy Warriors guild.  What can I do for you?"

"Where is she, whore?"

"Huh?" Shallista asked.  She thought about it for a moment, but nothing came to mind.  "What?"

"My daughter!  Where are you hiding her?"

"I've got no idea what you're talking about," Shallista said.

Audrixia came into the guild hall.  "I'm sorry ma'am, but it looks like nobody is here but guild members.  Oh, hey Shallista."

"What going on, Audrixia?"

"Her daughter ran away from home and apparently she thinks she here?"

"Lousy, stinking whore!" the woman shouted.  "This is your fault!"  The woman shot up to her feet, marched over to Shallista, and punched her in the face.

Shallista barely felt it.  She was more shocked by it than anything.  Had she actually been hit by this woman?  "Is this some kind of joke?  Please let me in on it so I can laugh."

The woman shook and massaged her hand.  "Damn...what the heck are you made of, filthy slut?"

The nerve of this woman.  "Shut up," Shallista shot.

"Don't you tell me to shut up!" the woman shot back.  "You corrupted my daughter and made her run away!  I have every right to be mad!"

"No, she probably ran away because you abused her!" Shallista replied.  "You even slapped her!  I heard it all and it pissed me off!  It's taking everything in my power just to keep from strangling the life out of you!"

Wendy, Cordelia, Penelope, and Vilka came in.  Cordelia ran in between them.  "Calm down, milady."

"What's going on?" Wendy asked.  "I've never seen Shallista so angry before."

"Whores!" the woman said.  "Is anybody here not a whore?  You all look disgusting!"

Penelope stepped and waved in the woman's face.  "Um...hi.  You may what to stop antagonizing the six foot two woman with the halberd.  In case you haven't noticed, she's really big and strong.  If she really wanted to get to you, there's not much any of us could do about it."

"I don't want to hear anything from you, traitor!"  The woman softened.  "I-I just want my daughter back."  She dropped to her knees and bowed.  "Please...I'll pay whatever you want.  Just find her."

Shallista took a deep breath and exhaled.  "She's not here.  Where do you think she could have gone?"

The woman didn't look up.  "Y-you'll do it?"

"I'm not doing this for you," Shallista said.  "I can't ignore a missing child.  You need to learn from this, though.  We'll find her, but you have to treat her better.  So, how long has it been since you last saw her?"

"M-maybe a few hours ago, a-after you dropped her off.  I thought she might have come here.  I don't know where else she might go."

Shallista clapped her hands.  "Okay, Sexy Warriors, let's move out.  The girl can't have gotten far, but time is still of the essence."