"Let's do this," I said with false confidence.
"It will take me about 45mins to activate my water ability to unlock the entrance behind the waterfall. Please protect me while I work on it." Kuro stated. "Also, I have a full charge as well and am not worried about my charge time either."
That last statement shocked me. I thought he was an NPC.
Meanwhile back in my room...
*Sam's point of view*
"Ok Josh we really need to talk about our future. You no longer have a job and will be homeless soon. Have you found another job?"
"You know I haven't found another one yet. I am looking but there is nothing nearby. I could try to ask Mr. Smith if he needs another hand but I doubt he will take me."
"You are strong, smart and loyal right?"
"Sam why would you even ask me that, of course I am strong and loyal. I dont know about the smart aspect though, I try to be smart."
"If you were paid to protect someone, would you protect them even if I was the enemy?"
"I, well shit Sam. I don't know if I could fight you. I love you too much but a job is a job. I would stop you from hurting the person I was protecting but I wouldn't feel good about it. You better have a good reason for asking these odd questions. If not, I am going to make you pay for this."
"I have a job for you to apply for, Marie here needs a bodyguard while she is in the VRMMO. I can't do it after this week as I have my job. There have been hinted rumors that the orphanage wants to keep her here past her 18th birthday by forcing someone on her and making her pregnant while she is helpless in the VR world. I want you to apply for the job. I can trust you and I know she will trust you. Will you do the job? She is offering 3 gold a month with the option of a loyalty bonus."
"Hell, that's more then I made a month working for the baker. I will apply Sam. It's a job that will keep me near you which is what I want. I won't let anything happen to her IF she hires me. I can come around and keep an eye out even if she doesn't hire me. No one should do something so horrible to her. While we are on the topic. How do you feel about her?"
"She is my best friend. I love her like a close sister. Why are you asking?"
"What would you do to keep her safe? Sam seriously thinks about this question."
"I would do just about anything to keep her safe. In a few months though I won't be able to keep her safe anymore."
"Would you marry her?"
"Josh, we have been over this before... woman are not attractive to me. So would I marry a woman, even if it was Marie... No."
"Not even to keep her safe? I would to keep her safe but she would never accept me."
"Josh, grrr you two are so much alike. I will THINK about it ok. The thought kind of creeps me out though. I know it would help us but it would be condemning her to a life as a third wheel or to be single. I mean I love her but could never give her a family or the husband she deserves. I would do most anything to keep her safe but as her best friend AND a gay man I also have to look at the big picture. Think about it from her point of view. Right now, it would be ok and fun and a way to be safe. BUT ten or twenty years down the road? Would she wish she could have had a husband devoted to her? What about her desire for a family and kids? I can't give her that and neither can you. We can't give her a future life of happiness. We would be the loving couple living off of her VR work and that would be taking advantage of her. So Josh think about what you are asking me to do and her situation that it would cause."
"I never thought of it that way. I think we need to sit down and talk to her about that situation. We don't know what her future plans or desires are. They have surely have changed now that she has a VR set. What if she never wants to have a kid? What if she never wants to marry? What if she WANTS to do this for her good and the good of you and me? There are so many other what ifs that could exist." Said Josh seriously. "Now I will apply for the job and see what happens in the near future. That is all I can say for certain. I will go apply right now unless we have more to talk about."
Josh looked at Sam without a sense of humor anywhere in him. This was the first time he was actually truly unhappy with Sam. He loves him but he also knew him well enough to know that if anything happened to Marie and he could have prevented it by doing anything, that it would eat him up inside and this time he may never come back or recover. Josh remembered how Sam was when Marie got hurt trying to help out at the market and a horse spooked. He knows that Sam still regrets running away from Sister Amy and having her follow him to try to bring him back. The look on his face of utter terror was something Josh would never forget. It was the first time Josh saw any emotion on his face other then take amused humor. It was the day Sam first noticed him and said hello to him.
Sam could tell Josh wasn't happy with him but he didn't know what to do to fix whatever is wrong between them. He didn't even know why there was something wrong right now or what he did wrong. He just knew that something was wrong by how Josh was acting. He knew he shouldn't let Josh leave right now with him appearing so sad.
"Josh, I... What... Why... *sighs* heh seems like I do not know what to say right now"
Damn it Sam gets it together, Sam thought to himself.
"Josh, will... ummm... Will you... come back afterwards?... ... ... Please?"
"Probably... we need to talk to Marie after all. Sam I... do not know. You had a lot of good points but I refuse to see you go through that stuff again. It will break me. I do not know if she doesn't hire me where we will be. You deserve someone better than me anyways. I am too immature and a prankster. We love each other but is that enough for us? To forever be a hidden secret from the world or worse we come out and lose everything. Sorry I need to think now."
Josh turned and headed to the window. He opened it up silently and fled. He was afraid Sam would see the tears. He didn't know how it went from talking about protecting Marie and working for her to a thought of that the two of them should probably not be together. What he did know was that if he went out the door, Sam would run after him and leave Marie unguarded and vulnerable so he had to go out the window.
Sam saw Josh turn and walk passed him to the window. He turned to look at his book on the counter, took a deep breath and closes his eyes a second. He was about to talk to Josh about what was deep in his heart. It was terrifying him.
"Josh, I need to tell you exactly how I feel..." Sam trailed off as he spun around.
Josh was already to the street about 50 steps away from her room. Tears welled up in Sam's eyes as he thought about what Josh just said. He was confused and torn right now about what he should do right now. Should he run after him and leave Marie alone for the few mins it would take? Should he stay put and protect Marie? Was this the end for them? What the hell just happened? How did we go from joking around to something so serious and now to a possibility of us breaking up? Did Josh want me to seriously marry Marie? Why? Why did it matter so much to him? Was Josh tired of me and wanted it as an excuse? So many thoughts were traveling through his head he had to sit down. He moved over to the corner of the room and sat on the floor with his knees up and started rocking. He started staring at the red button and thought about calling her out of the game. He needed someone who loved him right now.
Meanwhile in the game...
*Marie/Shi's point of view*
"Kuro you aren't an NPC," asked Shi stunned. "I am so sorry, I thought you were an NPC.
Bolggor looked at them both with questions.
"What are you saying right now?" Bolggor replied. "I do not understand your current language that you two are speaking. I wonder why that is?"
I looked around and pointed there was some sort of creature coming out of the sand over near the water. It reminded me of a kappa from Japanese mythology I think it was. Maybe I am wrong about its origins but it looked like I recognized it from a book I read.
"Bolggor that looks like a kappa."
"What is a kappa? I have never seen one of these creatures before. What do you know about them and more importantly, how do we kill it?"
I watched Bolggor move into the creature's direct path. I opened up my menu and started searching for the information on a kappa.
"The Kappa is a mythological monster said to inhabit ponds and rivers in Japan. The strange creature is said to have the appearance of both a humanoid and reptile and are extremely cunning. Their hands and feet are webbed and they are said to have amazing swimming capabilities. Kappa also has scaly skin, similar to that of a reptile. Their skin color varies, but is said to come in different hues of yellow, green, and blue. They have a humanoid figure with the shell of a tortoise on its back. Also, some have long, shaggy hair that is usually shaped in a bowl cut. They also have a beak for a mouth, though this doesn't seem to interfere with their abilities to speak in human languages. That is what I can remember from the top of my head. I really like the old Japanese folk tales. Oh, don't let it take you to the water it might try to drown you plus you are made of rock so..."
"THAT is what you can remember. That is a lot of information. Look it up while I try to hold it off to see what is said and how to defeat him. He has to have a weakness."
I found what I was searching for finally. I was shocked to find the same book that I have that made it digital. That was lucky, it read as follows:
"The info I am finding is, Kappas are considered to be malevolent creatures that have a tendency to direct their anger towards humans and livestock. Some Kappa are pranksters that like to make offensive jokes that people uncomfortable like making sounds similar to flatulence or looking up a woman's kimono. Other Kappa are more violent and purposefully try to drown livestock and small children, drink the blood of victims, and sexually assault women.
According to lore, Kappa are obsessed with an object called Shiri Kodama – a mysterious jewel thought to contain a person's lifeforce that is located in the Shiri (anus). It is thought that the majority of attacks by Kappa are made to obtain the Shiri Kodama. However, Kappa do not always kill for the purpose of touching or obtaining a Shiri Kodama. Many myths tell of Kappa lurking in toilets (which were usually situated over the river) and waiting for an opportunity to sexually assault women. It was not uncommon for these women to later give birth to Kappa children. Upon birth, these children were cut into pieces and buried in jars because of their hideous appearance."
"I have no desire to hear about their likes and dislikes. How do I kill it? Come on rookie before I die of old age or have to fight the thing."
"Sorry hold on let me skim this to find it."
"Hurry up already."
"Umm... ok... hmmm... this might help. Here we go... All Kappas are known to possess incredible strength and impressive swimming capabilities. They are also known for their love of fighting – especially sumo wrestling. It is said that a Kappa's greatest joy in life is to engage in combat with its victims. However, many are able to escape its invitation to fight by making a deep bow to the Kappa."
"How does bowing help me not have to fight this thing?" Bolggor asked.
"It says here that," I reply "Kappa have a small bowl-like dent on top of their heads that holds a small pool of water called the 'sara.' This water is tough to be the source of the Kappa's magical powers. A Kappa must keep their sara full whenever they venture onto land or forfeit all their strength and magical powers. Without this water, a Kappa could possibly die. However, it is thought that if you refill the sara atop a Kappa's head, they will be eternally grateful and will help you with whatever you require for the rest of your lifetime. However, despite their evil ways, Kappa is obsessed with politeness and human tradition. This is considered to be its biggest weakness. Many who tell of a Kappa encounter in which they escaped claim that they were able to do so because they made the Kappa spill the water in its sara when they bowed. Kappa are also considered to be extremely trustworthy and honest. If you refill the water in the sara of a Kappa, it will help you with whatever you require or make a promise for whatever you ask.
Kappa is also considered to be extremely knowledgeable creatures. They are known to speak human languages even though they have a beak for a mouth and hold great knowledge of medical practices. It is said that the ancient tribes that inhabited Japan were able to learn the art of bone setting and the creation of medical salves from friendly Kappa."
"Ok, got it." Replied Bolggor calmly and sternly.
So, we started with a deep bow.