"What? How?" I asked, feeling myself lean forward before catching myself.
"Careful, movement is always a little funky after one's first travel." The Priestess walked ahead of me, and I followed. This house was way bigger than the tiny place I had. It was intimidating.
"This will be your housing with your other companions."
We walked up to the doors, and they opened all on their own, closing promptly behind us. I checked, but no one was there.
Lost in my thoughts, I ran into the short woman. I quickly stepped back, trying to pretend it didn't happen.
"I'll overlook this blunder. I know everything is new, but I need you to quickly adapt as you did in the wild," she said coldly to me.
"Ok," I replied.
"Say 'yes, ma'am.'"
"Yes, ma'am," I quickly corrected myself. I didn't know why I was scared. It felt like ice-cold water had been dumped on me, even though she wasn't looking me in the face.
A soft laugh escaped her before she turned to look at me. "Lighten up, sweetheart. This was just a quick lesson."
I nodded before quickly correcting myself again. "Yes, ma'am."
She nodded and turned back.
"Clover!" She called out, and we waited. One second... two seconds... three seconds...
Out of nowhere, a woman with a curly pixie cut appeared. She curtsied before standing up with great posture.
"How may I help you, ma'am?"
"This is the last of your companions. Take her, show her how to bathe properly and dress." The Priestess started to walk away before she stopped. "Bring her to the dinner table. I have an announcement to make."
"Yes, ma'am," Clover quickly replied with a curtsy.
We watched her disappear before we visibly sighed.
"I'm Clover. Since you're new, I assume she didn't name you yet," the girl with fawn-colored skin and white freckles stated, eyeing my body. I felt uncomfortable and tried to make my hair cover more of me.
She giggled. "I'm sorry. You should get used to the open nudity around here. On Sundays, we must cleanse ourselves of impurities we seem to collect during the week. We wear these thin white robes and get into this freaky pond that glows. It's pretty but freaky." She motioned for me to follow her, and I did.
"You would think that with the time we spent alone before we got here, we would never run into impurities."
"Wait, you were once alone too?"
"Actually, I lived far away from the village, and every time I wanted to go, I was struck with anxiety so bad it left me gasping. The only thing I could do is sleep the anxiety away. It was hell wanting to be a part but couldn't."
We made it to a room with a maroon ribbon with light blue trimming hanging on the knob. The ribbon had some weird symbols on the tails of the bows. It looked like one long orange stripe, two white diamonds, and one orange one. It was an odd but cute bow.
"Please come in."
"Sorry, I didn't know I was staring."
She giggled. "Cute bow, right? It looks like mine, but a different color and I have circles."
I made my way in and looked around the plain room.
"Your room will grow its own personality once you get your Ki under control."
She showed me how the shower worked and gave me a rundown on how to properly bathe.
"Please finish up while I set up your clothes." She left me on my own to finish. I scrubbed the tough dirt off my body, watching as it swirled down the drain. Feeling refreshed, I stepped out of the shower and reached for the towel on the sink counter.
But something caught my attention.
Curiosity piqued, I picked up the object. It resembled the cheese stuff the short lady had brought me once, claiming it was a cheesecake. I remembered how delicious and sweet it had been, with the brown stuff at the bottom adding to its allure.
With a smile, I took a big bite of the mysterious item, only to quickly realize my mistake. The taste was far from what I had expected, and the texture was hard and unpleasant. I spat it out and dropped it in disgust. It turned out to be a bar of soap.
Just as I was trying to make sense of what had just happened, Clover, one of my newfound friends, opened the door without knocking. She burst into laughter upon seeing my predicament, but her amusement quickly faded when she noticed the tears streaming down my cheeks.
Realizing the impact of her actions, Clover rushed forward and hugged me tightly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you or make you feel bad. I know everything is overwhelming for you, and I shouldn't have played a joke on you like that. It was thoughtless and unfair."
As she held my hands, her face filled with remorse. "When I first arrived here, I experienced something similar. I was new, didn't speak English, and was the target of a prank. Seeing the tears in your eyes reminded me of that moment. I felt lost and isolated. I truly apologize."
I nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thank you," I whispered, feeling comforted by her empathy. She embraced me once more before guiding me back into the bedroom.
With a flourish, she revealed a neatly arranged set of clothes. "Tada! This is your training outfit," she announced, her voice infused with excitement and genuine warmth.
"Wow... it's... so beige," I exclaimed, taking in the surroundings.
Clover nodded knowingly. "We all wear beige. Until, well, I guess she says so."
She handed me something lacy, and I examined it before attempting to put it on. "Like this?"
"N-no, good try," she stuttered, removing the panties from my chest and crouching down in front of me. "Put your legs through." I followed her instructions, bombarding her with questions along the way. She patiently finished dressing me, explaining the purpose of each item. (She even went as far as explaining what breasts are. She's so kind.)
"Next, the garter belt. It's a cute little accessory that keeps your stockings from falling down." After she finished, she began lacing up my dress and then told me to sit so she could put on my shoes.
"Alright, stand up."
Excitedly, I nodded and rose to my feet, only to wobble like a newborn deer. It felt strange not having the bare ground beneath my feet.
"Why do I have to wear these again?" I asked, slightly puzzled.
"Your heels are your most important training gear. They will teach you grace in everything you do, from walking to dancing and so much more."
"But how am I supposed to do anything if I can't walk?"
She giggled. "You'll be fine. Besides, your legs look great in those beginner heels. I wonder how they'd look in higher ones?" She drooled slightly, and I pointed at her face. "I'm assuming that's why we get naked on Sundays," I said playfully. She burst into laughter, wiping away the drool. "You'll fit in just fine."
After a quick lesson on walking in these towering heels, we made our way to dinner. I wasn't a master and stumbled occasionally, but Clover was kind enough to let me hold onto her shoulder. The doors to the grand dining hall swung open, their creaking noise breaking the light chatter that had filled the room. As the room fell silent, all eyes turned towards me, and I could feel the weight of their gazes intensify, sending a wave of nerves through me.
"Just in time," the short lady spoke from her position at the head of the table, sitting in a regal chair that emphasized her authority.
"Take a seat," she commanded, and without hesitation, we swiftly moved towards our designated spots, taking our places next to each other.
"Clover, you missed something," I heard a whisper, and before I could react, I felt a sudden movement in my hair. Instinctively, I tried to look up, only to meet the unyielding ceiling above. Laughter erupted, and I felt a flush of embarrassment sweep over me, causing me to look down in a feeble attempt to hide it.
"Silence!" the commanding lady's voice boomed, silencing the room instantly. "You will respect each other and assist our newest companion. I will oversee her combat training and advanced lessons, while the rest of you will be responsible for her basic training and education. Is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am," we all replied in unison, our voices filled with determination.
"Wonderful. Dinner is served."
In an instant, plates of delicious food materialized in front of us, seemingly appearing out of thin air. I observed Clover closely and imitated her actions, trying my best to blend in. Just as I started to feel a little more at ease, Clover initiated a conversation with me, breaking the ice.
"I'll be your teacher in etiquette," she announced, placing a dainty fork in my hand. "Etiquette is about more than just eating prettily."
"Aww, no fair! I wanted to teach her that," a boy with warm ivory skin tone whined, his disappointment evident.
"Too bad, Lime. I called dibs. Choose something else," Clover retorted, sounding a bit bratty.
"Fine, then. I choose ballroom," Lime replied proudly, determined to showcase his skills.
"I believe she meant for you to choose something you're actually good at," a bigger man chimed in snidely, slicing his steak with precision.
"Oh, hush, Mochi," Lime shot back, unfazed by the remark.
"I'll be her dance teacher," the muscular man, Mochi, declared with an air of authority, leaving no room for argument.
"Fine! I suppose I'll be one of her speech tutors," another person offered, reluctantly stepping up to the task.
The light conversation continued throughout the rest of dinner, fostering a sense of camaraderie among us. As the meal concluded, the Priestess bid us goodnight before vanishing before our eyes, leaving us to anticipate the challenges and adventures that awaited us in the days to come. "So, were you isolated?" Lime asked me across the table, his posture relaxing along with everyone else.
"I don't know which planet it was. When I was younger, I remember there being other people. But when I woke up, there was no one around for miles. The only thing surrounding me was wildlife."
Lime huffed. "Man, some people get all the luck."
"Where did you come from?" He looked uncomfortable for a second before answering.
"I came from a never-ending dungeon."
Mochi patted his shoulder. "I was in the forest, but then I woke up in a house with glass windows. I could never leave the house."
"That's rough," I quickly replied, and the others nodded in agreement. "Well, if it helps in any way, we are no longer alone."
"You're correct," Clover said, rubbing my back. "Come on, I'll walk you back to your room. You have a long day tomorrow."
