Walking Disasters and Me-Taking Aim at Progress – Ch 69

Walking Disasters and Me-Taking Aim at Progress – Ch 69

The ravishing snow white accented kitsune and I spend the shower by knocking away any errant or troubling thoughts in my brain with playful touches of hands and tails, gentle kisses on cheeks and necks, and one very sexy moment where she leaned my head back as she washed my hair, stealing my lips from above~. By the end of it, I was glad we were already in the shower, or I'd probably have to take another one! "Wow, that was uh... an
intense
bath time, haha! I take it you're still a little wound up from me being in a coma for a few days?" I ask Akiko as I hug her, trying to let her know with my slightly playful tone and appreciative eyes that I enjoyed it very much~.
She chuckles a bit, the movement of her body shaking us both slightly in front of the fogged-up mirror as a newly dried tail comes up to snake and wrap around me. "Indeed," her matronly voice begins before dropping into a sultry octave, "I fear that after such a long absence of your presence, I am in need of some...
quality time
... with you, my dear~. " I shiver, my legs beginning to press together at her seductive wink and tone before she continues, "However, that may have to wait until we have more time to ourselves, at the very least until nightfall. I do not plan on leaving the bed until you are a bumbling, pleasure-soaked mess that will require
days
to recover from the next time we join~."
Oh
lord
... I quickly tie my hair back into a bun and rush back into the shower as fast as my lust riddled wobbly legs can take me, turning back to Akiko as the water falls again, my face burning and my breaths come out slightly shakily, "
Jesus
, Akiko!! I
just
took a shower, come on!!" My stern voice is only met by a knowing peal of laughter as she hops up on the counter and spreads her legs slightly, her sultry voice ringing out amongst the steam and haze, "
Ara~
. I know not what you mean, sweet Amelia~! I was just being
honest
with you~."
I nearly choke at the sight, quickly trying to decide if we
shouldn't
just spend the next couple days locked together in what would surely be the epitome of bliss... But then my damn drive to get stronger, now that I don't have to fear doing so, rears its necessary, but currently mean head. Akiko seems to sense my little mental conflict as she chuckles softly once more, closing her legs and hoping down from the counter. "I apologize, dear. I truly
have
missed you deeply, but I shouldn't have let my nature take it quite that far without hope for the desired outcome to be realized. Judging by the regret plastered on your face, I see you have come to the same conclusion I have, that we simply do not have time right now for such a wonderous event. I
promise
to make the next joining one that you will never forget, but for now let us finish here and see to a meal for you. Then we can begin training for today."
I hang my head heavily, while trying to avoid getting my hair wet again, as her words sink in. The option of turning into a pink, wet mess now firmly taken off the table by both parties as I sigh - dramatically - and say, "Well, I'm going to hold you to that! As well as holding other things when we get the chance~." I flick my eyes to the side and see that she does her own little squirm, victory dancing in my mind at getting a
little
bit of payback for all her enjoyable cheekiness~. I hop out of the shower, again, and dry off before putting a fresh set of underwear on as well as the battle dress.
As we're walking out, I see a bundle of various robes, simple pants and shirts, and a couple pairs of closed toed shoes as well as a fur lined, mid calf high boot. "Oh, right. I guess the works that Sam went out for got completed while I was out, huh?" I say as I inspect some of the articles, and am pleasantly surprised by the not too far off texture from clothes that I'm used to! Sure, a little bit rougher than back on Earth, but honestly not enough to really make me wary about wearing them.
Akiko slides up next to me as she confirms, "Indeed, I believe by the third day of your recovery. These should be enough to supply you for the time being, although if you wish to create more of those under garments you likely will either need to procure them from your system or sell the designs to the tailors that made these. They are quite trustworthy and honest merchants, and it could net you some currency if you struck a deal with them."
Hmm... I guess that isn't a bad option. If I don't make anything too groundbreaking in the other crafting fields, then maybe that can be a good fall back? "How would I even go about that, since I can't leave for... well, for who knows how long really." I ask as I turn and look up at Akiko's gorgeous violet eyes.
"I, or one of the girls if you would prefer, would need to act as your liaison of sorts until you are able to freely walk outside the estate. It is not an uncommon practice; various people wish to remain reclusive for this reason or that. Stuck cultivating, do not wish for the attention, simply do not enjoy interacting with others." She shrugs as she continues, "But we can discuss that possibility later, we have tarried long enough for now and I want to make sure you get as much training as you can in these next few days without hampering the healing of Sandra. Come along, dear."
I set the new clothes (Yay~!) down and make my way happily behind Akiko as she produces a simple spread of food on the table, my mind buzzing joyously at her continued care and attention toward healing Sandy. We enjoy it together in companionable silence, mostly because its still hard for me not to go full devour mode on whatever Gerra cooks, and before I know it we are traipsing through my door and down the halls toward the training rooms. Our sandaled feet clack against the stone along with the hum of Ios' drone floating behind us as Akiko leads on to the door we had used when we sparred, opening it with a brief flash of Qi and then sealing it behind us.
The training dummies are all still setup in their formations inside of the protected area, like dead face gladiators waiting for the next match in stony silence. I turn back to Akiko who nods and says, "Alright, Amelia. Spirit Ios tells me we have reached the current limit for what you can do with spears and other long pole weapons. I would like to begin training you on bows, crossbows, or any other ranged option next, just to make sure that your regimen does not become too one sided. What would you like to try first?"
I look up questioningly to the drone, Ios' form popping up as if expecting the unspoken question. "It's going to take you a
long
ass time to get to Mastery on spears, hun. We may, and I mean
may
, be able to swing it for ranged weapons due to your firearm title, but the physical mastery quests are going to take anywhere from 6 months to a year by my estimates. We just don't have the time for that right now; we need to be having you branch out and learning as much as possible so that you can decide which path to take in the future. Once you've committed to something, we can re-visit the game plan and go from there."
Well, I guess that makes sense. I just latched onto spears because of a panic when the bears were trying to play Bop It! with my rib cage and knew that those were the simplest weapons to use, historically. "Alright, I'm with you. I guess let's do... crossbows? May be a bit easier to pick up considering my history and stuff."
Akiko nods as she holds out her ring, three different sized medieval looking crossbows plopping gently to the floor in a flash of Qi. One of them looks like a heavy beast, like the first attempts at making them back in the day on Earth. More a handheld scorpion than a reliable infantry weapon, as its size is nearly my own, the butt coming to just under my shoulders when stood on its end with a winch setup in the middle to draw the string back. The second one is much more familiar, like the typical version that you would see in movies or historical art or something, looking to have a latch and release system that needs to be operated by hand unlike the mini siege engine. The last one does raise my eyebrows curiously, as it barely is as long as my forearm while having four arms at the front, presumably to add more tension to make up for its size?
"These are the most common variations you will find here on Mara," Akiko says as she lets me inspect the weapons, "The larger one is called a siege arbalest and is found as a ranged option for more physically adept cultivators who still enjoy or primarily use ranged weaponry. The system in the middle is wound until set, storing the tension in the strings as a heavy bolt is loaded and then fired with tremendous force. The benefit of this weapon is that with larger ammunition, you specifically would be able to inscribe many effects and energies into the bolts to be fired, providing devastating results on the battlefield as you sit back from afar. Eventually~." She winks as she sees my excitement grow before moving on.
"This second one is a standard crossbow, much the favorite of those who wish to ambush unwitting opponents before closing the gap in melee. The reload time, unlike the heavier version I just mentioned, is fairly quick in exchange for a drop off of range and stopping power, but you should still be able to cause quite the chaos should you inscribe ammunition for this one as well." I nod along as she picks up the last one, which is even smaller looking do to her slightly larger than me size.
"This last little contraption is what we designate a hand crossbow and is quite prolific in the assassin and spy communities. While suffering from a dramatically lowered effective and lethal range, it is still the perfect answer to removing an opponent if they are too far for a dagger, and still able to be concealed enough to not warrant attention." I look to her curiously, seeing how the four bowed back arms would make it challenging, to say the least, to hide or stow away on your body somewhere. She smirks as she sees my doubt, before adjusting some aspect of the weapon's front and the four arms fold back against the shaft of the whole thing, making it basically just a slim piece of metal, wood, and fibers. Impressed, I give a small couple of claps at the neat little display, before she unfolds it back to its firing position.
"Indeed, it is quite the ingenious little invention, if a bit outpaced by simpler means such as a throwing knife or poison laced dart. Also, sneak attacks and such from ranged weaponry tend to become less effective as a cultivator grows stronger, their natural perceptions and senses making it hard to obtain the element of surprise at all unless the attacker has skills or techniques that aid them in that endeavor. Now then, which would you like to start with first?"
As I'm debating, Ios pulls up the quest for crossbows in her projection, her voice emitting from the drone to add on, "Here's what your ranged quests will look like Aims~. They're all basically the same, like the melee ones, just with different stats being buffed."
[Quest Started: Gain Basic Proficiency with Crossbows!
Learn the ins and outs of the weapon class known as: Crossbows.
Reward: 25 Ability Points, 50 Shop Points, 2 Skill Points, 10 points into Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom.
Rewards increase for each level of proficiency.]
[Progress: 0%]
I suppose its a good thing we'll be bouncing between melee and ranged, seeing as how ranged is so limited and doesn't give a Constitution buff, which is still a top priority for me. I nod as I take in the quest before turning back to the middle option to start with. Akiko smiles and produces a handful of bolts with broad, dark metal tips sat upon brown whittled wood and adorned with feather plumage. She shows me how to load everything up safely after going over the locking mechanism, and with my pretty decent Strength we find that I can load it without having to use the ground to assist which is nice~!
With the bolt in place and sat in the groove, I line up the tip of the bolt to a target that's about 50 feet away and steady my breathing. Memories and images surface back to my mind of dad and I doing this exact same thing when he was first teaching me, a smile beginning to cross my lips as I close my eyes for a second. I let the happy feeling bleed down into me before settling once more, opening my eyes with the cold calculations as I still my body. After a few more moments, I breathe out smoothly as I squeeze the trigger in tandem, a mechanical click of metal against wood sounding out as the latch flies back and releases the tension on the string, sending the bolt firing off toward the unsuspecting target.
It is weird how I can still
physically
track the bolt with my eyes now. Like,
sure
, it's moving pretty quick, and I would have to definitely move out of the way in a hurry if it were coming toward me, but the fact that I
can
see it at all and still
probably
have time to react is just bonkers. Unfortunately for the poor dummy, it doesn't possess mega super awesome skills like me and takes the bolt in the dead center of its chest, wobbling slightly on its stand from the impact. I'm about to smile in victory to the two women next to me before the system pings out an update:
[Quest Completed! Gain Basic Proficiency with Crossbows!
Learn the ins and outs of the weapon class known as: Crossbows.
Reward: 25 Ability Points, 50 Shop Points, 2 Skill Points, 10 points into Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom.
Rewards increase for each level of proficiency.]
[Progress: 100%]
Dexterity is now 1,110!
Intelligence is now 810!
Wisdom is now 2,210!
Available Ability Points: 607
Available Shop Points: 8,100
Available Skill Points: 389
[Quest Started: Gain Advanced Proficiency with Crossbows!
Learn advanced methods of use, reloading, and familiarity of the weapon class known as: Crossbows.
Reward: 250 Ability Points, 500 Shop Points, 25 Skill Points, 100 points into Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom.
Single time effect of current Dexterity, Intelligence and Wisdom x 25% (After previous increase applied).
Rewards increase for each level of proficiency.]
[Progress: 16%]
Holy...
Shit
...
What?!?
I nearly gasp out in shock, even Ios copying me with her own little outburst as Akiko looks at the two of us with worry. "What is the matter you two? I noticed the bolt being fired stronger and with more speed than usual, but that does not seem to be that concerning, no?" She asks out nervously, her tails flicking to the side to display her concern. I can't even do her the kindness of forming words, my mind too shattered by the implications of what firing one
fucking
bolt just did. Thankfully, Ios is there to pick up the emotional slack for me.
"So... It looks like my estimates for Aims learning ranged weapons just got
utterly
thrown out the window, foxy~." She begins as she rakes a pair of hands across her face, which is becoming set with its own slight mania that starts to match the lilt in her speech as she looks to Akiko, "She just completed the first quest. After firing
once
.
And
already has just over
15%
of the
next
one done too! The one that can multiply her stats?? Fucking
hell
Amelia, this is
ridiculous!
I knew that 150% buff on top of your new learning speed would be
crazy
, but... but gods damn this is insane!! She can likely just get to Advanced in
all
of the ranged stuff today.
Right now."
Akiko's eyes go wide, the slitted pupils following suit as she looks over to me, my eyes slightly glazed over as I simply nod my head in response like a zombie. I'm all for getting stronger but this is
too much!
"Fascinating..." Akiko starts, her arms reaching out to hug me and stroke my hair as I lay limply against her. "And shocking, by the state of the two of you~. Truthfully, I do not believe this should change our course of action. While the system may deem Amelia battle ready, the truth of the matter is that the increased speed will mean less time she is gaining true proficiency with any ranged weapon she takes hold of. Her ability to progress with the spears was already nearly too rapid but still ingrained enough that I felt comfortable leaving things as is for now with just some light future training and corrections."
Ios' voice sounds from around my warm and nice smelling safe space as I press my head against Akiko's neck, a bit of the previous excitement having drained out of her by now, "I agree, but we're going to run the risk of her getting to Mastery by the time you'd consider her proficient by Mara standards, Akiko. While we all know numbers going up is the goal, I
don't
want her hitting those higher stat multipliers before we get her built up more, not to mention she eventually is going to be using these weapons in real fights at some point, which as we've found out contributes to the quest progress for her. Honestly after this revelation, even getting her up to
Advanced
makes me a bit squeamish."
I hear a grumbling sound emit from Akiko - sounds like she isn't entirely on board with that plan - before she huffs out a sigh and replies, "Very well, spirit Ios. That is sound logic, even if
highly
unconventional. But I suppose this
is
Amelia we are talking about, so I should not be surprised, hmm~?" A warm, fuzzy sensation comes up to tickle my ear, making me finally come back to life as I squeal out in a ticklish and very un-lady like manner which makes both of them laugh a bit.
"Rude!" I say in a pout before trying to tackle the much stronger fox woman in a hug. It, shockingly, doesn't work, but I do get to smush my head into her chest which is its own nice compensation~. Akiko's giggling voice fills the training room again as her hands gently push me back on my shoulders, "I apologize, my dear, but you just make the
cutest
reactions~. Did you hear what spirit Ios and I discussed or do we need to repeat ourselves?"
I shake my head, my long crimson hair waving behind me softly as I respond, "No, no. I was being a
good girl
and paying attention, even if my brain was still fried. I think that's a good option, leave enough space for me to get stronger and not have to worry about missing out on those big buffs later on, hopefully. Would kind of suck if I couldn't use a weapon for like, a year or something because I got too far along in the quest." Akiko licks her lips as she stares down at me and whispers, "You're
always
my
good girl~."
Which nearly breaks my mind as the crack of arousal's whip snaps through me before Ios steps in.
"
Alright
you two, come on. Jeeze, like a pair of horny teenagers half the time." Ios laughs slightly at our flirtatious display before she pauses, a hand coming to stroke her chin as she adds in, "That may still happen, Aims. You'll need to be careful about using ranged stuff going forward after we get you moving on the other quests. All the more reason to take learning the other weapons seriously and having what Akiko teaches you taken to heart! Now then, lets see how fast you can get this one up to Advanced~. Purely for scientific research, of course! Hehe~!"
Heavens, now even
Ios
is turning into a Berserker... I chuckle at her antics for the umpteenth time and reload the newest tool to my power leveling dreams. Under the watchful gaze of Akiko - who adds in much more lectures and seminars instead of letting me figure things out on my own like with spears to offset my smaller time frame now - I fire off a handful more bolts before I get another ping from the system:
[Quest Completed! Gain Advanced Proficiency with Crossbows!
Learn advanced methods of use, reloading, and familiarity of the weapon class known as: Crossbows.
Reward: 250 Ability Points, 500 Shop Points, 25 Skill Points, 100 points into Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom.
Single time effect of current Dexterity, Intelligence and Wisdom x 25% (After previous increase applied).
Rewards increase for each level of proficiency.]
[Progress: 100%]
Dexterity is now 1,210!
Intelligence is now 910!
Wisdom is now 2,310!
Applying one-time x 25% buff...
Dexterity is now 1,512!
Intelligence is now 1,137!
Wisdom is now 2,887!
Available Ability Points: 857
Available Shop Points: 8,600
Available Skill Points: 414
[Quest Started: Gain Mastery Proficiency with Crossbows!
Become a world leading master of the weapon class known as: Crossbows.
Reward: 2500 Ability Points, 3000 Shop Points, 150 Skill Points, 1000 points into Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom.
Single time effect of current Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom x 50% (After previous increase applied).
Rewards increase for each level of proficiency.]
[Progress: 1%]
Ios and I both nearly crash out again, the floating quest popping up in the drones display which makes Akiko join us in our reactions when she notices what we did:
[Progress: 1%]

Taking Aim at Progress – Ch 69