[PROMPT BEGIN]
Soma spies the Cat-kin woman Mira and her pupils dilate slightly.
"C-calico...so cute!"
Soma had once shared a house with—you do not own a cat—a calico cat back on Earth.
[END PROMPT]
Your heart hammers against your ribs, not from fear, but from a sudden, overwhelming surge of affection. Seeing the twitching calico ears and the way Mira's tail flicks with a mind of its own triggers a flood of nostalgia for a fluffy companion from another life. For a moment, the imposing scale of the guild hall vanishes, and you are simply a girl mesmerized by a very cute cat-person.
Mira notices your wide-eyed stare and the way you're practically vibrating with silent excitement. She lets out a short, sharp giggle and leans over the desk, her whiskers twitching.
Mira Vane: "Oh! You're looking at the ears, aren't you? Most people are too intimidated by the paperwork to notice the fluff! I'll take that as a compliment, sweetheart."
She reaches out with a clawed finger and playfully boops your nose, the sensation sudden and electric.
Mira Vane: "Now, stop daydreaming and get over here. We need to get your registration sorted before the mid-day rush hits and the veterans start fighting over the best quests. If you're as talented as your mothers claim, you'll want to get your name on the board as soon as possible."
As you move toward the desk, you feel that sharp, calculating gaze from the corner of the room again. The high-elf hasn't looked away; she is watching your every move, her expression one of amused skepticism.
Valerith: "A little lamb venturing into the wolf's den. Tell me, girl, do you actually possess a spark, or are you just another pampered daughter playing at adventure?"
Mira doesn't even look up from her pile of papers as she responds for you, her tone dismissive.
Mira Vane: "Ignore her, Soma. She's just grumpy because her last party abandoned her in a swamp. Now, sign here, here, and—oh, and here. Try not to smudge the ink!"
Valerith, High-Elf, S-Rank Adventurer's Avatar
Spoiler
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[PROMPT BEGIN] (long exposition)
Soma balked a bit at the sharp, judging tone of the High-Elf—she was really pretty though—but chose to heed Mira's suggestion and began the excruciatingly-boring process of filling out forms, though the presence of the cheerful calico Cat-kin Mira made the painful process less so:
A liability waiver for death and dismemberment, an explanation of the dangers she would find in Dungeons that she had to sign and agree she had read completely, a pension plan that would reserve a portion of her Quest pay but would return her monthly payments upon retirement with increased interest, an introduction on Questing, and a standard Adventurer etiquette form instructing Soma to use her abilities for the greater good which also listed punishments for power abuses.
Soma nearly signed her Earth name, but the muscle memory of her body scrawled out 'Soma Thorne' in perfect cursive over and over and over again, and pages flipped upwards as signature lines were indicated by Mira's clawed fingers. Soma's eyelids began to droop just a little, and she stifled a yawn. Her vision had started to display afterimages in the air of lines of black text from looking at so many blinding white sheets of paper; it triggered Earth memories of being a student.
Soma also thought back into her memories of the conversation she and Elara had had last night that went well past normal waking hours; Valeria had passed out on the bed, head aching from all the scientific terms.
Elara had been very intrigued by the 'Fone' device Soma mentioned, but Soma's explanation was hard for Elara to wrap her head around: A digital machine made of lines of code? It was somewhat absurd, how could a machine be 'coded'? Invisible waves of energy in the air that transmitted signals? Mechanical carriages fueled by the burning of oil? It sounded like magic, but Soma had assured Elara that it was simply a more advanced form of technology, and that her world had no magic at all, which shocked and angered Elara.
But Soma also had questions for Elara: Soma had first asked about when she could expect her period this month, as she could find no memories of ever having had one. Elara had been shocked at this question of a 'period', and when Soma explained it, Elara's face became mortified.
Elara had explained that when a woman wanted to become pregnant in this world, after being filled with seed, they simply had to concentrate their will, and the egg would then be released into the waiting pool of semen.
Another shock came to Elara at Soma's question of 'menopause' which also did not exist on this world. A woman had plenty of eggs due to not constantly needing to expel them every month, though in advanced years they would rarely choose to become pregnant due to the strain on the body.
These answers had greatly eased Soma's fears about being in this new body.
Elara had cursed the God of Soma's Earth many times throughout the night, calling it 'stupid' and 'irresponsible'.
'Men' not having milk production glands had confused Elara greatly, who would feed the child if the cock-less mother was away or died, or had a job?
This 'Y chromosome' that Soma had explained to Elara sounded more like a curse from a vengeful God than a blessing. Soma could actually brook no argument to Elara's calm logic spoken out in fury, especially after seeing the magical world she now found herself in.
The conversation could have continued well into the morning, with so many questions that needed answers on both sides, but Elara had eventually halted it, citing that Soma needed rest for her big day tomorrow, which was now today. Soma snapped back into reality, and then handed the massive stack of forms back over to Mira for review.
[END PROMPT]
Mira doesn't even glance at the contents of the forms, her clawed hand sweeping them into a neat stack with a practiced flick of the wrist. She stamps the final page with a heavy thud of a brass seal, the ink leaving a crimson mark of the Guild's crest across the parchment.
Mira Vane: "All set! Welcome to the grind, sweetheart. You're officially a registered rookie. Don't let the veterans smell the new-leather scent on your gear or they'll try to sell you a map to a 'secret' treasure hoard that's actually just a pit of hungry slime."
She beams, her tail giving a rhythmic, contented thwack against the wooden legs of the desk. The administrative haze clears, and as your vision settles, you realize the high-elf has drifted closer. She is a vision of lethal elegance, clad in silver-threaded silks that cling to a lithe frame, her long ears twitching with a predatory curiosity.
Valerith: "Soma Thorne, is it? A quaint name for a girl who reeks of such... inconsistent mana. You vibrate like a tuning fork in a gale, little lamb. It's almost offensive to the senses."
She circles you slowly, her eyes narrowing as she scans the aura swirling around your skin. She doesn't seem to believe for a second that you belong in a place of grit and blood, her gaze lingering on the soft curve of your breasts and the innocence of your expression.
Valerith: "Tell me, does your 'talent' extend beyond looking pretty for the registration clerk, or are you simply here to provide the monsters with a snack that doesn't fight back?"
Mira lets out a loud, exaggerated groan and rolls her eyes, leaning back in her chair.
Mira Vane: "Ignore her, Soma. Valerith is just the Guild's resident killjoy. Now, since you're all signed and sealed, the next step is the board. Pick a quest that won't get you eaten in the first ten minutes, or better yet, find a party that doesn't mind a rookie."
She points a claw toward a massive corkboard covered in overlapping slips of parchment, ranging from "Slay 10 Giant Rats" to "Retrieve the Lost Ring of the Sun-King." A few other adventurers are already hovering there, their voices low and competitive.
Soma, standing in front of the Quest Board, in her new casual adventurer outfit
Spoiler
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