Kim was getting tired. Not really physically tired, but more emotionally tired. She hadn't asked to be part of this competition and would have passed on it if she had been. There had been very few good things about this that she knows she would have missed if she didn't get pulled into this, but she wasn't sure if those few things were worth having been pulled into this nightmare.
The things she liked about this place was first Elin. She'd never encountered a girl like her before and what was best about her was the fact that she seemed to be interested in Kim as well. That certainly would make it so they'd be able to get together when this was done. Assuming they could find a way to get back on the same world, that is.
The second thing was Jonas. It wasn't the same with him as it was with Elin. Jonas somehow bypassed all the internal barriers she'd put up to keep people at arms length. She didn't know how he was able to do it, or if he was even aware of it himself, but she considered him a friend, which even with other girls and women, she really didn't have any friends. So, if though he was male, Jonas was a treasure for her. Something she wouldn't want to lose. Nor admit to anyone either.
Well, except may Elin, Kim said to herself. But only if Elin asked.
The third item was the system she got. She really didn't understand exactly what it was or how it worked, but it did let her feel lighter on her feet and stronger in her arms than she'd ever felt before. She didn't know how strong she'd be able to get, but at the same time, it was more than she had before. She'd been feeling like she'd reached the peak for herself before this started and wasn't sure what might come for her, but now she was starting to think that the possibilities for herself were just beginning to show.
And the last item wasn't really for herself, but rather Elin. Elmo seemed to be a good friend for Elin and even though Kim didn't trust Elmo or really like him that much, she'd be able to put up with him so Elin could have a friend she could talk to. Besides, if Kim tried pushing Elmo away from Elin, that likely would be a red flag of whatever relationship she'd have with Elin. As that would be something that people who commit domestic violence would do Simply because of their own insecurities.
Shaking her head, Kim pushed those thoughts out of her mind as she tried to focus on what was before them still. She didn't know how much longer they had to wait for the goblins to appear, although she was skeptical that it would be that difficult to beat them. Although, on the other hand, she did get the new combat skill. While she had wanted to get the unarmed disarm, she instead decided to go with the Combat Dance.
Mostly because while she was performing the dance, she would at least be able to avoid getting hurt herself and would be able to attack her opponents. Then there was the fact that if Elin's stats improved enough, she could dance with her during combat. She was sure she'd enjoy it, and for Elin, well who didn't like to dance?
Kim wasn't sure how long she'd been lost in her thoughts, nor how long they'd been waiting, but the moment three goblins appeared around the corner, she snapped back to the present and readied herself for the fight that they had been expecting.
"View stats," Elmo said behind her.
The goblins didn't seem to be in any hurry at the moment, though they were clearly ready for a fight themselves, with short swords drawn and leather armor fastened securely on their bodies. They approached Kim and her allied cautiously, but boldly. Although, they also had something dark over their eyes that Kim couldn't easily make out.
"These are 'common goblins,'" Elmo said after a minute. "They prefer to attack in groups and are more active during the night, however despite this, their sense of smell is the sharpest of their senses. They can smell a grain of cinnamon from a mile away. They are incredibly agile and dexterous. What they lack in strength, they more than make up for with speed. When they reproduce, they only father male goblins, so they seek any female of any species they can find. Even female livestock will be captured by them, even though it hasn't been heard of livestock being impregnated by goblins."
Kim couldn't help but feel disgusted just hearing about all that. She even had to note that Elmo sounded like he felt the same way as he read off what came up about these goblins.
"How should we do this?" Kim asked Jonas, ready to just slash her way through the goblins.
"Show no mercy," was all Jonas said, causing Kim to grin in amusement.
Kim waited until the goblins were just out of reach of her sword before she lunged forward, slashing down with her sword, catching the first goblin off guard, her blade slicing clean through it's chest and a few of its ribs before Kim had to pull her weapon back, the goblin sinking to the floor, a pool of blood spreading out in front of it.
If the other goblins cared about their companion, they didn't show it as they lunged themselves at Jonas and Kim. Their swords being parried by Kim and Jonas, as Kim made a reversal cut to slash through the goblin's throat and jugular artery, spraying Kim and she could only surmise Elin behind her with the arterial spray.
Jonas merely stabbed with his other dagger while holding the goblin's sword in place with his other dagger. The goblin moved its head to dodge the first stab, but the second stab wasn't so easily dodged, as it caught the goblin right in the throat, giving the goblin time to reflect on what had led up to this point in it's life. Not that it seemed inclined to do much other than grasp lightly at its throat after Jonas pulled his dagger out.
"Should we head over to where they're at?" Kim asked. "Or should we clean up first?"
"Can we clean up?" Elin wailed behind her. "The blood got on me!"
Kim couldn't help but chuckle as she turned to look at Elin. She wasn't sure what to expect, but Elin was clearly distraught at having some of the goblin's blood on her dress and some on her face. Although, Kim couldn't help but notice the blood on the dress was slowly disappearing, leaving the yellow-green color of the dress alone.
Kim walked over to Elin and began licking her fingers before rubbing the blood off of Elin's face. Elin at first was surprised at Kim's action, but then quickly blushed bright red.
"Not in front of the others!" she cried, her dress now a bright petal pink color.
Kim couldn't help but wonder if Elin's moods were changing this constantly before and she was only becoming aware of this because of the dress itself changing colors, reflecting Elin's emotional state.
"Would you like to do this in the secret room, where we could clean each other up and maybe have a little fun while we're at it?" Kim whispered rather suggestively to Elin, her hand making the motion of squeezing Elin's breast while being a foot away from her chest.
Elin's face somehow got even redder as she couldn't get a sentence out with embarrassed she was, and Kim could have sworn that the dress got an even brighter shade of the same pink it had been. Though, she gave a short nod after a minute and took Kim's hand and started to lead her into the secret room.
Kim could only grin, eager to see what Elin would let her do, and especially what Elin would be willing to do to her.
+++
Elmo waited impatiently. He'd already checked the goblins and other than their armor and swords, couldn't find anything of any real value that they had; even what they used to shade their eyes wasn't anything of any worth. Not that he knew what it was anyway.
The girls had closed the secret door behind them, but that didn't stop the moans from escaping the room. Elmo wasn't sure what they were doing in there exactly, but was more sure he didn't want to know.
Not only because he was certain that Kim would kill him very slowly if he did, but because he found himself thinking about what he and Jonas would be doing in that room if he could get Jonas to look at him that way.
"Something the matter?" Jonas asked Elmo, startling him out of his thoughts.
"No, nothing," Elmo said, trying not to look anywhere at Jonas's body, just at his face.
Jonas gave Elmo a wry smile. "Well, if that's the case, I believe I said I owed you something for last night, remember?"
"Y-yeah, I-I remember," Elmo stuttered, not trusting himself to say anything more.
"Well, what would you like me to do?" Jonas asked.
Elmo blinked. He wasn't sure what Jonas meant. He wasn't even sure what he could ask for that Jonas would do.
"U-uh… ummm…" Elmo could only get out.
Jonas laughed, his voice sounding like music to Elmo. "Well, if you can't decide, then how about I choose, since Stanley and the rest of his group has left," Jonas said.
Elmo felt an urge to look to verify what Jonas had just said, but couldn't bring himself to look away from Jonas as he felt like a rabbit trapped by a wolf.
Jonas moved his face closer to Elmo's until their lips met and Elmo found himself kissing Jonas back, elated that he was finally able to get some relief about his desire for the older man. Not that Jonas was that much older really.