He stood in front of the guild job board. He eyes scanned all the jobs until his eyes fell upon a seemingly simple D-rank job. It asked for someone to escort a young noble woman to a formal ball. They preferred it be someone of noble descent, but anyone would work at this point. Johnny pulled the paper from the notice board before walking out of the building. He left the guild hall and made his way through the crowded streets, occasionally glancing at the piece of paper in his hands. Luckily the job took place just on the outskirts of the town his guild was stationed in, so there was no long amount of travel involved. As much as Johnny enjoyed long train rides and such, as it gave him a chance to read his books, sometimes they can be annoying, especially when you are extremely excited for your first ever job as a mage.
Johnny clutched the job posting excited as he knocked on the door to the Giant mansion in front of him. His face was a shining beacon of hope as he waited for the door to open. The door slowly creaks open, and a bedraggled butler slowly opens the door and peaks out the crack. "Who are you?" he asks weakly, almost a whisper. "Hello! I'm here for the job that was posted in my guild's guild hall. I would love to take your comely daughter to the ball!" he says excitedly, almost in a shout. The butlers face lit up before he quietly whisper, "I'm sorry, but she not my daughter. I'm just the butler. But if you would come inside, you can talk father if you like."
Johnny was sitting in the study of the giant house, completely alone, waiting for the owner of the house to talk to him. Suddenly he heard a screeching voice from behind him. "Father! Where are you?! You know I have to get ready for the ball this evening! Where is my Date?!" As she says the last line, she barges into the study that Johnny was sitting in. The girl was beautiful, with an amazing body, and her hair cascading down her shoulder. The only flaw was her face, as it seemed to be stuck in a constant frown. "You aren't my father?! Who are you?" Every word that came out of her mouth sounded like insult, and all of them sounded like a shout. She was almost insufferable, but luckily before Johnny could say anything he would regret, the girl glared at him and stomped out of the room. he heard a muted conversation from outside in the hall. There seemed to be a lot of yelling, but Johnny figured it mostly came from the daughter. After the "chat" that was had outside a slightly disheveled man came into the room. He had a small potbelly, and a waistcoat that didn't fit him at all, and constantly looked on the edge of snapping. He looked weary when he came into the room, but upon seeing johnny sitting in the guest chair, he abruptly composed himself and walked across the room to go sit in the chair. He leaned forward in his chair and steeple'd his hands. "So I hear that you are here for the job posting. Well then, lets talk business."
The man explained how the girl had been a model daughter, calm and collected, for most of her life. She had men lining up for miles trying to get his approval for her hand in marriage. However, 3 years ago her mother died, and she has changed drastically. Her entire personality has done a 180 and he hoped that Johnny would be able to change that for him. "Um, but that wasn't on the job poster," Johnny questioned. The man told him that he didn't put it on there as it made it less likely that people would come and claim the job. Johnny agreed with this idea and so he asked the man if he had any special tasks for him, or if his job was still to take her to the ball. "Oh no, you are still to take her to the ball, but I hope that maybe you would be able to talk to her and get her to change her ways." Johnny agreed and him and the nobleman shook hands, sealing the deal. "Now' said the nobleman, 'lets get you cleaned up and ready for the ball."
It was a grueling 2 hour experience for him to be prepared for the ball, including an incredibly short dancing lesson, a new outfit, and even a short fencing lesson. They really knew how to make the most of their time! After they finished all of the lessons and getting him ready, Johnny stepped out of the change room and admired himself in the mirror. He hair had been slick back and cut slightly, with a small strip of blonde running down the side, from a temporary dye. His actual clothing was incredibly dapper, all grey except for the tie, which was a mottled grey and black. He also had a medium rapier hanging from his hip, which seemed to suit him nicely. The suit hugged his body well, almost as if it had been made for him. When he questioned it the nobleman replied that he had it made for himself when he was younger. He had actually once been a mage, one of the strongest in fact, s-ranked. He told Johnny that he saw a lot of himself in the boy and that he saw great things in the boys future. The boy nodded and shook the mans hand. "You come back any time John. I would love to see you again, even if this evening is a flop. And if its a success, all the better!" John thanked the nobleman for the temporary outfit, but the nobleman replied that he could keep it! John thanked the man profusely, and prepared himself to deal with the mans daughter. He was standing in the Foyer of the house when he heard a sound above him. He looked up to the balcony and saw the young woman standing there staring at him, approvingly. She almost had a tiny smile in the corner of her mouth, and then she said, "Wow. You clean up well." John beamed, before climbing the stairs to take the woman's hand and help her down the stairs. They walked outside an looked at the transportation the nobleman had acquired for them. It was a magic vehicle! The butler was already sitting in the drivers seat, with the SE-plug wrapped around his arm. "Climb in!" he said with a smile. The pair clambered into the magic vehicle, with John helping the woman into the vehicle. Then, when they where both in, the magic vehicle took off toward the ball.
When they arrived at the ball, John was the first to climb out, holding the door for his date. She climbed out of the vehicle, a slight smile on her face, before seeing the crowd gathered for the ball. Her face immediately snapped back into her frown, almost as if it was her natural face shape. Her attitude adjusted to, as she became angrier and more confrontational. Her attitude seemed to be worsening by the second as they stood out in the pathway. He quickly led her inside before she got read to punch someone. Her condition only worsened once they got inside. John decided quickly that it would be best if he got her moving, dancing maybe. He quickly reached over and took her hand, looking into her eyes as he led her out onto the dance floor. The songs were relatively fast paced, and even John couldn't keep up with some of the song, but luckily a slow song came on. The woman, tired from all the dancing, leaned into him, her face resting against his chest. He pulled her close and her head managed to sit directly under his, her body formed against his perfectly. He heard her sigh. "You are a really great guy, you know that John?" John just smiled and continued dancing with her, the dancing lessons not needed as they slowly weaved their way through the dance floor. It just seemed, natural, and they slowly leaned closer and closer together. After one of the song she leaned back and looked up at him, her face happy and calm. He looked down at her, and as he did do, she stood up and leaned in. Her face was a close enough to him that he could feel her breath against his lips, when she pulled away. Her face became a mask of sadness and rage, before she stormed off through the ball.
He searched all over the main room for her but to no avail. When he was about to give up, he heard a yelp from on of the side balconies, with its doors surprisingly shut. He quickly opened the balcony door the find the woman pressed up against a railing, and an extremely aggressive man feeling her up. He walked up behind the man, grabbing him by the shoulder and spinning him around to face him. The mans face grew into a rage as he drew his rapier, and John did the same. The fencing lessons seemed to pay off, as after a short minute long fight, the man was collapsed on the ground, his sword on the floor beside him. John walked over the the woman, her hair frazzled, and her hair, disheveled, and pulled her tightly to him. Her tears fell fast and hard, running down her face, and he just held her. He eventually lifted her up onto the railing, laying his rapier on the edge beside him, as began to check her for wounds. Eventually the man manage to silently get up and retrieve his rapier from the ground. He sneaked up behind John, but before he could stab him, the woman grabbed John's rapier from the banister and jumped down off the banister toward the man. She quickly disarmed him, sending his rapier careening over the edge. The man then realized his mistake and ran, closing the doors behind him. She turned to him, and with a teary smile said, "Now we are even." John smiled and hugged her. They sat outside on that balcony for hours, talking about her mother, and her father, and how her mother had did a few years back in a freak magic accident. Then she told him of how her father seemed to want to marry, even after such a traumatizing event, and how she had hated it. While she couldn't change her figure, she could change the way she acted with people, and so in rebellion she did just that. After a while of her constantly acting grumpy, suitors stopped showing up, and she could finally live in peace again. That was also the reason she ran away from him earlier. She didn't want to fall in love, because being angry was so much simpler.
John listened to her story in silence, absorbing every detail of it, trying to understand where she was coming from. He listened through every sad bit, every happy bit, and everything in between. At the end she burst into tears and so he just held her. He held her to him until the tears stopped flowing and she calmed down. He then told her his story. About how his house had been attacked by thugs in the middle of the night, while his father was off at work. He told her about how his mother had tried to fight back, but was killed in front of his eyes. And he told her of how the bandits had attacked him as well, slashing his back, with a burning blade, leaving a permanent scar. He told her of how he kept moving forward every day, and how he wanted to become a powerful mage so no one would have to have that happen to them again. He told her about how he knew his mother was watching him from above, and she wouldn't want to see him moping, she would want to see him going on great adventures, slaying monsters, and becoming a good mage, and an even greater man. He told so many thing, and at the end, they both had a cry together out on that balcony. At the end she grabbed him and pulled him in. She then kissed him, full on the mouth, passionately. She leaned back and told him, "I think I'm ready to love again." He smiled and pulled back slightly, telling her that, although she was smart and beautiful, he couldn't be with her then. He had just tarted his adventure as a wizard, and he couldn't be tied down with a wife and kids to take care of. He would do that when his adventuring days were over, and he was the strongest he could be. Then he would come back and marry her, and make sure nothing could touch their family, and that they would be safe forever. She looked him and asked, "what am I to do while you are off adventuring?" He replied with, "Your skills with a blade are incredible. And you have never had formal training. That's incredible. I'm sure if you put your mind to it, you could go somewhere with that." She smiled an nodded telling him she would try her best to do so.And then she leaned in, and gave him one final kiss, telling him that she would wait for him to come back, and marry her. And in the mean-time, she would follow her possible career in blades. He nodded and smiled, before leading her back out of the party, her with a big smile on her face, and him the same. When they reached her house, he thanked her for the night out, and walked her to the door. She hugged him and went inside. The nobleman came out and shook John's hand. "I don't know what you did, but it worked." the man said. "I tried my best sir, and,as a side note, maybe you should listen to your daughter more when she says stuff. She is very smart and has some great ideas for the future. Just think about that, please." He went to turn and leave, but the nobleman called him back and tried to pass him a small bag of money. John declined but thanked him for the offer and left, before the man could say another word.
He walked back to his apartment, the one he shared with his brother, and walked in. When he got inside his brother called him and said that a man in a magic vehicle had come by earlier and dropped something off. John immediately realized, but he still smiled when he looked into the smal box and found a small pocket of money, and a note reading Thank you for all that you did tonight. I know you may not want to accept it, but you did a wonderful job this evening, and I want you to have this. Really, Thank you. -Cole Gunladem, and Maria Gunladem. John just smiled and shook his head, closing the box and putting it with their other money, before laying down and going to sleep. He had a long day, and an even longer evening, but it was totally worth it.
Johnny clutched the job posting excited as he knocked on the door to the Giant mansion in front of him. His face was a shining beacon of hope as he waited for the door to open. The door slowly creaks open, and a bedraggled butler slowly opens the door and peaks out the crack. "Who are you?" he asks weakly, almost a whisper. "Hello! I'm here for the job that was posted in my guild's guild hall. I would love to take your comely daughter to the ball!" he says excitedly, almost in a shout. The butlers face lit up before he quietly whisper, "I'm sorry, but she not my daughter. I'm just the butler. But if you would come inside, you can talk father if you like."
Johnny was sitting in the study of the giant house, completely alone, waiting for the owner of the house to talk to him. Suddenly he heard a screeching voice from behind him. "Father! Where are you?! You know I have to get ready for the ball this evening! Where is my Date?!" As she says the last line, she barges into the study that Johnny was sitting in. The girl was beautiful, with an amazing body, and her hair cascading down her shoulder. The only flaw was her face, as it seemed to be stuck in a constant frown. "You aren't my father?! Who are you?" Every word that came out of her mouth sounded like insult, and all of them sounded like a shout. She was almost insufferable, but luckily before Johnny could say anything he would regret, the girl glared at him and stomped out of the room. he heard a muted conversation from outside in the hall. There seemed to be a lot of yelling, but Johnny figured it mostly came from the daughter. After the "chat" that was had outside a slightly disheveled man came into the room. He had a small potbelly, and a waistcoat that didn't fit him at all, and constantly looked on the edge of snapping. He looked weary when he came into the room, but upon seeing johnny sitting in the guest chair, he abruptly composed himself and walked across the room to go sit in the chair. He leaned forward in his chair and steeple'd his hands. "So I hear that you are here for the job posting. Well then, lets talk business."
The man explained how the girl had been a model daughter, calm and collected, for most of her life. She had men lining up for miles trying to get his approval for her hand in marriage. However, 3 years ago her mother died, and she has changed drastically. Her entire personality has done a 180 and he hoped that Johnny would be able to change that for him. "Um, but that wasn't on the job poster," Johnny questioned. The man told him that he didn't put it on there as it made it less likely that people would come and claim the job. Johnny agreed with this idea and so he asked the man if he had any special tasks for him, or if his job was still to take her to the ball. "Oh no, you are still to take her to the ball, but I hope that maybe you would be able to talk to her and get her to change her ways." Johnny agreed and him and the nobleman shook hands, sealing the deal. "Now' said the nobleman, 'lets get you cleaned up and ready for the ball."
It was a grueling 2 hour experience for him to be prepared for the ball, including an incredibly short dancing lesson, a new outfit, and even a short fencing lesson. They really knew how to make the most of their time! After they finished all of the lessons and getting him ready, Johnny stepped out of the change room and admired himself in the mirror. He hair had been slick back and cut slightly, with a small strip of blonde running down the side, from a temporary dye. His actual clothing was incredibly dapper, all grey except for the tie, which was a mottled grey and black. He also had a medium rapier hanging from his hip, which seemed to suit him nicely. The suit hugged his body well, almost as if it had been made for him. When he questioned it the nobleman replied that he had it made for himself when he was younger. He had actually once been a mage, one of the strongest in fact, s-ranked. He told Johnny that he saw a lot of himself in the boy and that he saw great things in the boys future. The boy nodded and shook the mans hand. "You come back any time John. I would love to see you again, even if this evening is a flop. And if its a success, all the better!" John thanked the nobleman for the temporary outfit, but the nobleman replied that he could keep it! John thanked the man profusely, and prepared himself to deal with the mans daughter. He was standing in the Foyer of the house when he heard a sound above him. He looked up to the balcony and saw the young woman standing there staring at him, approvingly. She almost had a tiny smile in the corner of her mouth, and then she said, "Wow. You clean up well." John beamed, before climbing the stairs to take the woman's hand and help her down the stairs. They walked outside an looked at the transportation the nobleman had acquired for them. It was a magic vehicle! The butler was already sitting in the drivers seat, with the SE-plug wrapped around his arm. "Climb in!" he said with a smile. The pair clambered into the magic vehicle, with John helping the woman into the vehicle. Then, when they where both in, the magic vehicle took off toward the ball.
When they arrived at the ball, John was the first to climb out, holding the door for his date. She climbed out of the vehicle, a slight smile on her face, before seeing the crowd gathered for the ball. Her face immediately snapped back into her frown, almost as if it was her natural face shape. Her attitude adjusted to, as she became angrier and more confrontational. Her attitude seemed to be worsening by the second as they stood out in the pathway. He quickly led her inside before she got read to punch someone. Her condition only worsened once they got inside. John decided quickly that it would be best if he got her moving, dancing maybe. He quickly reached over and took her hand, looking into her eyes as he led her out onto the dance floor. The songs were relatively fast paced, and even John couldn't keep up with some of the song, but luckily a slow song came on. The woman, tired from all the dancing, leaned into him, her face resting against his chest. He pulled her close and her head managed to sit directly under his, her body formed against his perfectly. He heard her sigh. "You are a really great guy, you know that John?" John just smiled and continued dancing with her, the dancing lessons not needed as they slowly weaved their way through the dance floor. It just seemed, natural, and they slowly leaned closer and closer together. After one of the song she leaned back and looked up at him, her face happy and calm. He looked down at her, and as he did do, she stood up and leaned in. Her face was a close enough to him that he could feel her breath against his lips, when she pulled away. Her face became a mask of sadness and rage, before she stormed off through the ball.
He searched all over the main room for her but to no avail. When he was about to give up, he heard a yelp from on of the side balconies, with its doors surprisingly shut. He quickly opened the balcony door the find the woman pressed up against a railing, and an extremely aggressive man feeling her up. He walked up behind the man, grabbing him by the shoulder and spinning him around to face him. The mans face grew into a rage as he drew his rapier, and John did the same. The fencing lessons seemed to pay off, as after a short minute long fight, the man was collapsed on the ground, his sword on the floor beside him. John walked over the the woman, her hair frazzled, and her hair, disheveled, and pulled her tightly to him. Her tears fell fast and hard, running down her face, and he just held her. He eventually lifted her up onto the railing, laying his rapier on the edge beside him, as began to check her for wounds. Eventually the man manage to silently get up and retrieve his rapier from the ground. He sneaked up behind John, but before he could stab him, the woman grabbed John's rapier from the banister and jumped down off the banister toward the man. She quickly disarmed him, sending his rapier careening over the edge. The man then realized his mistake and ran, closing the doors behind him. She turned to him, and with a teary smile said, "Now we are even." John smiled and hugged her. They sat outside on that balcony for hours, talking about her mother, and her father, and how her mother had did a few years back in a freak magic accident. Then she told him of how her father seemed to want to marry, even after such a traumatizing event, and how she had hated it. While she couldn't change her figure, she could change the way she acted with people, and so in rebellion she did just that. After a while of her constantly acting grumpy, suitors stopped showing up, and she could finally live in peace again. That was also the reason she ran away from him earlier. She didn't want to fall in love, because being angry was so much simpler.
John listened to her story in silence, absorbing every detail of it, trying to understand where she was coming from. He listened through every sad bit, every happy bit, and everything in between. At the end she burst into tears and so he just held her. He held her to him until the tears stopped flowing and she calmed down. He then told her his story. About how his house had been attacked by thugs in the middle of the night, while his father was off at work. He told her about how his mother had tried to fight back, but was killed in front of his eyes. And he told her of how the bandits had attacked him as well, slashing his back, with a burning blade, leaving a permanent scar. He told her of how he kept moving forward every day, and how he wanted to become a powerful mage so no one would have to have that happen to them again. He told her about how he knew his mother was watching him from above, and she wouldn't want to see him moping, she would want to see him going on great adventures, slaying monsters, and becoming a good mage, and an even greater man. He told so many thing, and at the end, they both had a cry together out on that balcony. At the end she grabbed him and pulled him in. She then kissed him, full on the mouth, passionately. She leaned back and told him, "I think I'm ready to love again." He smiled and pulled back slightly, telling her that, although she was smart and beautiful, he couldn't be with her then. He had just tarted his adventure as a wizard, and he couldn't be tied down with a wife and kids to take care of. He would do that when his adventuring days were over, and he was the strongest he could be. Then he would come back and marry her, and make sure nothing could touch their family, and that they would be safe forever. She looked him and asked, "what am I to do while you are off adventuring?" He replied with, "Your skills with a blade are incredible. And you have never had formal training. That's incredible. I'm sure if you put your mind to it, you could go somewhere with that." She smiled an nodded telling him she would try her best to do so.And then she leaned in, and gave him one final kiss, telling him that she would wait for him to come back, and marry her. And in the mean-time, she would follow her possible career in blades. He nodded and smiled, before leading her back out of the party, her with a big smile on her face, and him the same. When they reached her house, he thanked her for the night out, and walked her to the door. She hugged him and went inside. The nobleman came out and shook John's hand. "I don't know what you did, but it worked." the man said. "I tried my best sir, and,as a side note, maybe you should listen to your daughter more when she says stuff. She is very smart and has some great ideas for the future. Just think about that, please." He went to turn and leave, but the nobleman called him back and tried to pass him a small bag of money. John declined but thanked him for the offer and left, before the man could say another word.
He walked back to his apartment, the one he shared with his brother, and walked in. When he got inside his brother called him and said that a man in a magic vehicle had come by earlier and dropped something off. John immediately realized, but he still smiled when he looked into the smal box and found a small pocket of money, and a note reading Thank you for all that you did tonight. I know you may not want to accept it, but you did a wonderful job this evening, and I want you to have this. Really, Thank you. -Cole Gunladem, and Maria Gunladem. John just smiled and shook his head, closing the box and putting it with their other money, before laying down and going to sleep. He had a long day, and an even longer evening, but it was totally worth it.
