I just couldn't find the motivation to leave town and go hunting after I got up that morning. I'd overheard a party, as they passed by, that they were going to clean out whatever the forest could throw at them. They all seemed to have a level similar to mine but with six of them they certainly were more powerful; almost as if they were two to four levels higher then they would have been individually. The monsters take a while to spawn so if they cleared out the forest I could be out there all morning and get nothing.

I wasn't up for it anyway; my mind wasn't on hunting. I felt I was going to miss something if I left town. So, as it was, I was heading towards the shops to have a tea and think about it. I never found any coffee in Taran, which was a shame. It would be something worth seeking out if they had some in other villages, possibly on a higher floor. Tea would have to do for now.

I meandered through the little streets looking for the tea shop. It was a small outdoor shop that just serveed tea. The selection was meagre, but what they did serve tasted like tea. I greeted the NPC owner who promptly responded.

"Welcome to my tea shop."

Typical greeting, I thought to myself.

"Would you like some tea?"

Not a brilliant response considering I was at a tea shop.

I made my choice from the menu, paid for the tea, and sat at one of the tables that were setup in a terrace sort of way. I thought this would be a quiet day for me. No such luck. I took a sip of my tea froze in mid-sip! A girl was glaring at me. I looked behind me but there was no one else she could be looking at. So I looked back at her. She pursed her lips and I felt as though a knife was cutting into my brain. My whole body went cold.

She got up, walked up to my table, glared at me again for a moment, and then walked away. She stopped at the edge of the shop as if she was waiting for something to happen. "Get up you fool!" I heard my brain tell me. Nothing happened, I just sat there unable to move. "Get up now!" I got up that time. As I got up she left. I abandoned my tea and proceeded to follow her. My internal thermostat going haywire, I felt hot and cold at the same time, and the hairs on the back of my neck rising up like a stressed cat. Why was I feeling like this and why was I following her? Who was I following anyway?

Continuing down the street, she turned a corner and eventually stoped in the middle of a square with a small monument in it. She turned and glared at me as she did at the tea shop waiting for me to say something. I nearly tripped as I realized who this was, my eyes widened as I stood there in shock, recalling the spider encounter which was still fresh in my mind.

"You?" I said in a surprised voice. "Yeah me!" she replied, commanding my attention and making me feel very uncomfortable. "I've got something to say to you. So you'd better listen." I nodded slightly to indicate that I was as she dumped her anger on me.

"Who are you to tell me what to do? You're not the one who makes the rules. The only one who cares for me, is me. No one else does in this stupid game. Who cares if I live or die? I don't need you or anyone else to tell me what to do. I'll make my own choices. You railed on me like I was your little sister. You treated me like dirt. I was terrified and all you did was get all huffy, and scream at me. I don't need this. If you ever do that again I swear I'll beat you senseless." She turned away from me to hide her face and conceal her feelings. "I didn't ask for this." I heard her say as if to herself.

I bowed my head not knowing what else to do. "I'm sorry" I said, "I was out of line." There wasn't much else I could say at this point. The moment was to tense to do anything about it. I heard her footsteps slowly walking away and then stop.

*Ding*

I looked in front of me at the message window that has just appeared.

"Friend request from Karla. Please confirm."

I turned to look at her, but she was just standing there with her hand out in front of her. I accepted the requests, and watch her slowly walk away. Frozen where I stood I didn't know what to do with myself. I breathed deeply trying to calm down.

Karla...