“So, explain to me again,” I said tromping along behind Gex. “Why we’re coming back here to get my sheet tested?”

  “You really are worthless first thing in the morning,” Gex muttered. She was of course referring to the fight to get me to stop clinging onto her for warmth first thing this morning. There had been a full conversation as I had come around, but I was really only focusing on the warm liquid broth and fireplace that they had put me in front of.

  “Just because you can see your sheet doesn’t mean that everything is exposed,” Gex said. “As a monster you don’t have the luxury of fully exploring and reviewing your sheet until someone acknowledges that you have a character sheet. At least that’s the way it was explained to me. And once you’ve had your sheet read then we can get you an actual class and you’ll be useful for something other than leeching heat out of a body.”

  “Hey, I knocked you on your butt,” I reminded her.

  “Lucky,” Gex returned sourly.

  It was still early enough in the day that the only people out were the street cleaners and the merchants who were starting to set up their stalls. I rubbed my arms against each other under the cloak that Titan had provided to help ward off, what was to me, the early morning chill. It was almost picturesque. If I had some cranberry nut bread and a cup of coffee this would have been the perfect walk to school. Only I wasn’t in school anymore. I was in some fantasy world that probably had never heard of grades K through 12. When we reached the guild hall I expected more of the same tranquil atmosphere as the surrounding town. But I was shocked to see a dozen people outside of the hall already.

  "Man. Is it always this busy?" I whispered to Gex as we stepped into the Adventurer’s Guild. Opening the door, we were instantly surrounded by the lively sounds of clanking armor and animated conversations. It was like walking straight into a medieval fantasy novel, complete with warriors, mages, and rogues crowding every corner.

  "That's just the way it is, Scales! Stick close to me and try not to get lost in the chaos," Gex replied with her usual brashness. She gave me a reassuring pat on the back, which felt more like being hit by a sack of bricks. Still, I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. How often did you get to take a monster to the Adventurer's Guild for skill assessment?

  Gex led me through several areas until we were in a large empty room with a few individuals sitting behind desks. This far back into the Adventurer’s Guild it had grown quiet. I wondered what this room was used for specifically since there only seemed to be a handful of people here.

  "Okay, first things first, we need to find someone to help us to unlock your whole sheet." Gex scanned the room with her yellow eyes, eventually spotting a grizzled old Dwarf sitting behind a large wooden desk with a long white beard. "That guy looks like he knows what's up. Let's talk to him."

  "Is he going to be friendly?" I asked. "He is a Dwarf," I muttered to the Orc woman.

  "He works for the Adventurer’s Guild, so he's probably an oddball Dwarf," she muttered, leaning slightly to avoid being overheard.

  "Excuse me, sir?" Gex called out as we approached the veteran Dwarf. He looked up from the parchment he was scribbling on and raised his bushy eyebrows at us.

  "Ah, newcomers!" he exclaimed with a gravelly voice. "What brings you two ladies to the Adventurer’s Guild today?" He looked between Gex and me. His eyes focused on the golden collar around my neck. But he didn't say anything about our arrangement as we approached him.

  "Hey there, we're looking for some help with my pet here," Gex said, gesturing toward me. "She's a new addition, fresh out of her lair, and if we want to get her a job class, we have to unlock her full sheet. Think you can help us?"

  "Ah, I see," the Dwarf nodded, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Well, young Kobold, you've come to the right place. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Thorgar, a veteran of the Adventurer’s Guild and an expert in sheet mechanics. I’m where I am because I have the scan skill. It plus some devices made by the Mage’s Guild let us usher in the next line of adventurers." He stood up and moved around the desk he'd been sitting at. For the first time since being here, I didn't have to crane my neck to look at someone in the face.

  "Nice to meet you, Thorgar," I replied, trying to sound confident despite my nervousness. "I'm Angel, and I'm sure you know my master, Gex." Gex had coached me to call her Master while in public, but it felt weird and didn’t roll off the tongue. She said it would lend credence to her status as protecting me. I personally think she was doing it just to make me feel uncomfortable, she seemed to have an odd sense of humor.

  The Dwarf nodded his head, a smile gracing his craggy features. "Indeed, I do, Angel. Let's get started," Thorgar said as he reached into a drawer and pulled out an ornate crystal tube covered in intricate runes. The crystalline material shimmered with an inner light, changing colors as Thorgar waved it around. "This here is a Skill Detector, it’s an accompaniment made for my scan skill. It's used to identify the skills and abilities of individuals like yourself that would normally be suppressed."

  “Suppressed?” I asked, tilting my head.

  Thorgar looked at Gex, shaking his head. “You weren’t kidding, she is fresh out of the lair.” He turned to look at me. “The deities have sectioned off sheets into two types of classifications. Character and Monster. Monsters have a lot of inherent skills, for instance as a Kobold you should have ranks in shield and spear. You won’t ever get better with those, but you can defend yourself.” He grinned.

  I decided not to respond to that statement. There were a lot of things about this world that didn’t fully make sense. Like how would a stupid crystal know I was a monster versus a character? There had to be a higher power or something that was working behind the scenes. My assumption that this was a video game was still valid, in my mind. Instead, I focused on the Skill Detector. "So do I get to keep the shiny?” I half teased the Dwarf. Thorgar chuckled at my enthusiasm before handing me the Skill Detector.

  "Here, take hold of the handle like so," he instructed, showing me the proper grip. The soft leather felt comfortable in my hand, and I could feel the tiny gemstones embedded in it pulse gently as I held it. Thorgar continued, "Now, focus your thoughts on yourself while pointing the crystal end at your chest. This will enable the Skill Detector to scan your body and reveal your latent talents. It'll convert your sheet from a Monster’s to a Character’s," he explained.

  "Okay, here goes nothing," I muttered under my breath, I wasn’t sure what I expected to feel but perhaps the butterflies in my stomach would be a pretty good indicator of how I felt as I prepared to use the Skill Detector.

  I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. I could hear the hustle and bustle of the Adventurer’s Guild around me. The constant commotion was too much so I shifted my focus to Gex's reassuring presence beside me. With most of the background noise gone I was able to concentrate. I focused on the device in my hand for several breaths, when nothing happened, I opened my eye a crack to look at Thorgar.

  "Remember," Thorgar instructed, "look within yourself and focus on your inner energy. Since you're a Kobold, maybe picture your skills as sleeping Dragons, ready to awaken at your call, powerful beasts that need only be tamed by you."

  I nodded, closing my eyes and instead focused on myself imagining that I stood in the center of a wooden training hall. The ancient tatami was worn in spots from countless hours of visualizing katas and movements, if I concentrated, I could almost smell the cedar and oil used to polish the wood. And surrounding me were massive, slumbering Dragons. Their long, graceful forms spiraled and knotted on themselves. With each breath, I felt their power coursing through me. I could almost see their scales shimmering in the darkness of my thoughts.

  "Good, now use the skill detector," Thorgar said with pride and excitement in his voice. "Hold it close to your heart and envision yourself giving names to your skills."

  "Come on, Angel," Gex murmured, offering encouragement. "You got this."

  Holding the skill detector tightly, I concentrated on the stirring colossal beasts within me. Slowly, I sensed them rousing from their slumber, their draconic breaths warming the cold recesses of my mind. As their eyes opened, I looked at each one and, in turn, named them. And with each name each became less shadowy and indistinct, their scales growing more vibrant, the whiskers on their snouts looking more realistic, their horns gleaming in the light of the training hall. Their eyes focused on me and acknowledged me in my training hall. Not all of them bowed to me though. I could feel that some of the skills resisted, that they did not wish to be called by me. Their defiance irked me. This was my mind, and they were mine and I resolved to make them realize who was in charge here. Even if it took the rest of my life.

  "Very well," Thorgar said. “When you’re ready.”

  I opened my eye and saw him holding out his hand to take the Skill Detector back. I handed it to him, watching as he moved around the podium to place it in whatever hidey-hole he’d retrieved it from in the first place. He returned to us with a smile. “Now, if you would little Kobold,” he said. He glanced over at Gex. “Have you taught her how to look at her sheet and display it to others?”

  “Go ahead, Angel,” Gex said. “Show the good man.”

  “He’s not going to like what he sees,” I muttered. But I did as I had in the past, lifting my left-hand palm up towards the sky. Picturing the sheet of paper floating in my hand just like before. I glanced over the sheet looking at it in earnest and comparing it to my memory.

  “Dragon-Kin, level one, Angel Cohen. Job Class: Undecided. Rank F. Height: 4’ Weight: 125., blue eyes. Martial Arts S+ Skill, Draconic Descent, Human Descent. Passive Skills: Draconic Presence Inactive, Dragon Sense Rank F, Draconic Armor Inactive, Dragon’s Breath Inactive, Retractable Claws Rank F, Prehensile Tail Rank F, Shield Use Rank F, Spear Use Rank F, Stave Use Rank F, Simple Tool Proficiency Rank F, Improvisation Rank F.”

  I saw that my job had switched from monster to undecided, so something had happened using the skill crystal and in addition to the new job it was now showing some of what I assumed were passive skills that I had from my race had now become visible. How was a monster supposed to know they had these? Or did it not matter to a monster because these were supposed to be more instinctual? Finished with my once over I made the motion to spin the sheet around so that Gex and Thorgar would be able to see it. I knew the first thing he’d see was that I wasn’t a Kobold but instead a Dragon-Kin. Which would require some explanation as to what that was, not that Gex or I had a good answer for it.

  Thorgar leaned forward looking over the sheet. I expected him to look at my race and make some sort of comment, but he didn’t say anything about that. The Dwarf’s lined face went pale as he looked at my sheet. Something told me this wasn’t a good thing. The man was silent for several moments before clearing his throat and motioning Gex over to look at the sheet as well. My Orcish friend had already seen this before so some of this was probably what she was expecting.

  "It appears you have no active skills due to your former monster classification. However, once you obtain a job class, your S+ martial arts should become an active skill." His voice was very quiet. "But still this has to be wrong," he whispered. "I've heard of adventurers with an S rank skill, but they're ranked S, not a low-level monster like yourself." He started to speak in a language I didn't understand.

  "I'm a lucky monster?" I asked. "So, what does that mean exactly?" The Dwarf's face was one of utter shock, and even Gex was a little pale. I suspect she was hoping that the first time I'd displayed the sheet she had read the martial arts wrong or was hoping it would plummet when I became a character. "Uh, guys?" That reaction was more than what I was expecting from the two veterans. I waved my clawed hand in front of Gex's face a couple of times to get them to pay attention to me. "What is it?"

  "Sorry, Angel, was it?” Thorgar asked. I responded with a nod. “Simply put, your martial arts skills are latent within you, somehow you acquired both Dragon and Human skills," Thorgar cleared his throat as he spoke. "But it’s your Dragon skills that are more bizarre. I would think that you might have a way to manifest more Dragon abilities for a short time, but to have so many Dragon skills.” He stroked his beard in thought.

  I knew when he said it, that the ones that had resisted my calling them by name were the inactive skills I’d received from my draconic descent. If they wanted to play hard to get, that was fine. I would just have to impress upon it that it belonged to me and that if I said to do something they would do something. I just had to figure out how to make a skill realize I was its master. The old Dwarf was muttering to himself as he continued to stare at my sheet. I looked at Gex, who had only a slightly less awe shocked expression on her face. I had officially broken them.

  “So, my skills?” I asked. “What do they mean?”

  "Right, sorry," Thorgar cleared his throat. "Luckily most of them are self-explanatory. I'm surprised you have two descent skills, Human and Draconic. I've seen plenty of half-breeds, sure. Dark Elves, Hobgoblins, even the occasional Dwarf-Human mix. Human descent and Draconic descent in the same creature? I've never heard of such a thing." He looked at me like I was a puzzle he couldn't quite solve. "If you have questions about your skills when you're looking at the sheet, you just focus on it with your eyes, and it should move to an explanation tab." From the sound of his voice, he wanted to get past this as soon as possible.

  I grinned, turning the screen back around so I could see it. Looking at my skills there were several now under both Dragon and Human. The Human ones looked straightforward. Though some explanation as to what simple tools were. Focusing as Thorgar explained just simply brought up another screen hovering over it that showed a list of household tools like a hammer or a screwdriver and a saw. Hardly what I would consider something worthy of a skill but apparently this game thought differently. I turned away from those and moved to the Draconic Presence skill, which didn’t say anything. Neither did Armor or Breath, but they had requirements that needed to be met before their use could become active.

  Did having these draconic skills mean I would eventually become a Dragon? My tail started swishing at the thought of flying through the air, standing majestically in front of a castle before wrecking it. I couldn't help but giggle, which caused the Orc warrior to look at me concerned. "Sorry, nothing." I did grin at her though. “But you can’t call me a Kobold anymore,” I said putting my hands on my hips.

  "She's right to be proud of herself," Thorgar agreed, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "It's not every day we see someone with such potential."

  "Thanks, Thorgar," I said, feeling a renewed sense of accomplishment. "I won't let this go to my head." I silently added much to the end of that sentence. If I was going to be a Dragon, I should probably be humble lest people like Gex come trying to take me out.

  As I stood there, I could feel the powers that were dormant within me. No longer was I just a high school student lost in a strange world, I was an adventurer in a foreign world with laws and rules all its own. I wondered if I could learn more, be more here than I ever could have been back home. Was this what Bel had felt when she discovered her job and abilities?

  The Dwarf cleared his throat, making Gex and me turn to look at him. "That’s pretty much all you need from me," Thorgar announced. “The other tests are probably better if not done here,” Thorgar said honestly. “Not that I can really test your resistance to charm or lust that easily.” He turned back to his podium. He gave Gex a knowing grin. “Besides, you already know Kobolds have a low resistance to any sort of lust attack.”

  "Hey!" I blushed furiously, feeling embarrassed and exposed. “It could be different! I’m not a Kobold! I have Dragon descendant as a skill.”

  Gex shared with me a flat look. “It’s something everyone knows about Kobolds and goblins.”

  "That's your Kobold defect. They live in large communities, so they mate often and regularly to keep their numbers up against adventurers. Part of being an adventurer is understanding your weaknesses, lass," the Dwarf chuckled.

  "Great," I muttered sarcastically. But despite the teasing and embarrassment, I knew this knowledge was important. If I wanted to survive in this world and become a powerful adventurer, I needed to know exactly what I was up against, both from enemies and within myself. If the looks I’d gotten yesterday were any indication I suspected more than a few people would take advantage of my weaknesses to do what they wanted with me.

  Gex and I stood together, contemplating the information the veteran Dwarf had given us. The atmosphere in the Adventurer’s Guild buzzed with energy like it always seemed to. Why would it change? How would they react if they found out a little monster like me was in possession of an S-rank skill. How many people in the guild were likely to have a skill like this? Or could even reach that level?

  "You mind taking a forgetting potion," Gex said, slapping a handful of coins on the table.

  "Gladly, but first" the Dwarf said. “You should try and get a meeting with Steelweaver,” He said moving back to his stool, reached under the table, and brought out a clear vial of white liquid. “They’re going to be interested in knowing you’ve got a potential crossbreed in your party.” He was looking at Gex. “Good luck getting to see them though. Mages aren’t exactly friendly to you monster types.”

  Before Gex could respond to his statement he unstopped the vial, lifting it to his lips. "Bottom's up. Ladies, I’d say it’s been a pleasure but the sooner I forget a Kobold with draconic presence the better." He tipped it forward chugging it in one smooth practiced motion.

  I looked at the Orc adventurer as she moved us away. "What's that for?"

  "So, people can't snipe you based on your defects or exploit you for specific skills. This way, the only record of your stuff is on this sheet." She frowned at me. “Though based on your race they’ll have at least a couple of ideas of how to hit you and hurt you. It also keeps the guild neutral. If they don’t know anything no point in hassling Thorgar."

  Gex and I headed through the guild hall, looking at the various adventurers going about their business. I saw the Orc looking at a bulletin board, but we didn’t head that way. Instead, we continued to thread our way through the people here. I realized that the Adventurer’s Guild was probably so busy even this early was because they were waiting to get the best quests for themselves. The sooner they got here the earlier they could get a quest and set out.

  "Alright, so we need to find a job for you that'll make the most of your strengths," Gex said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "I'm the front-line fighter, Titan's our healer and backup tank, and Bel is our mage. Given your skills I think you’re destined to be another fighter type."

  I nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation. "Yeah, something that uses my resistance to spells and S+ martial arts skills but also considers my... um, other issues."

  "Exactly!" Gex grinned, slapping me on the back encouragingly. I missed a step as she slapped my back, almost sprawling.

  “Do you mind?” I growled. “Some of us aren’t capable of withstanding a blow from a club like that.”

  “Oh,” the Orc chuckled, “That’s a love tap. When I wanna hit you with a club, you’ll know it.”

  I sighed, getting my pace back as we continued to move through the guild and out to the busy city. "We need to get you some proper fitting clothes, Angel. You can't just wear a bandit's tunic as a dress with a belt in public. Not if you're going to be my pet. I want to show you off."

  "You're all heart sometimes, Gex," I mumbled, fingers running along the gold collar around my neck. Still, there could be worse people pretending to own me. Gex was dependable and headstrong, so she wouldn't take a slight to herself or me. That was good because she was willing to stand up and fight. Probably a little too willing to fight if I were being honest.

  "Okay, Angel, this is the place," Gex announced as we stood at the store entrance. It was filled with various clothing items and accessories, mannequins displaying clothing like a department store. The sign said custom orders were accepted. "You just need to play along. She's the only seamstress that can actually work on monsters legally."

  “How?” I asked.

  “Well, remember all that stuff about how Bel can’t take you into the Mage’s Guild?”

  “Vaguely.”

  “The Elves and Dwarves have made this the only shop in this city that will work on monsters. If you’re found to have gone to a normal seamstress they’ll close that shop down.” Gex shook her head. “So a lot of good quality tailors and stuff can’t operate in the open, plus,” she said rolling her eyes. “When I took you under my ownership I agreed to only patronize stores that will cater to your type.”

  “And increase the prices on goods,” I said.

  “Dwarves are always looking out for the customer,” she said, sarcastically. “They tried to do the same thing with the priests and alchemists, sequestering them in the nicer areas of the town and not letting the lesser shop there but the Humans for once came down on our side.”

  The tailor, an ancient Elf with a measuring tape draped around her neck, greeted us warmly. "Did the council send you?" she asked, looking us up and down. If this was her attitude as soon as we walked into her store, we would be off to a wonderful start already.

  "Where else would I go?" Gex asked; she held out a pouch that looked very hefty. “Besides, I pay up front.”

  "Very well," the Elf said. “Come this way.”

  "I'm happy to hear that," the Orc said dryly. "Would you be willing to work on my Kobold?"

  "Oh, you want it for your pet?" the Elf said, eyeing me. There was a gleam in her eyes. "She's certainly got a good figure. Interesting dimensions. Bold color." She slowly smiled. “This should be interesting.”

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  "Wonderful." She moved to sit on a couch, waving me forward. "Go on, Angel."

  I'd been fitted for more than a few bridesmaid outfits and one prom dress, so I knew the routine. Browse around until something catches your eye, then point it out to the salesclerk for her to grab it and let me try it on, taking measurements and making adjustments as needed. That was not how it was here in Gex's world. As soon as I started to move towards the fabrics, the Elf stepped in front of me.

  "Where are you going?" She pointed to a small dais in the center of a room. "You don't get a say in what you wear, little Kobold. You should be happy your master is letting you wear clothing."

  I blinked, backing up as she loomed over me. I shot Gex a look, the Orc woman was sitting on a stool looking, or at least trying to, like an uncaring owner. “You heard the Tailor; you obey her rules like you would mine.” Defeated, I moved to stand on the dais that the Elven seamstress pointed out. She could be polite to me. We were, after all, paying customers.

  She brought over a selection of colors that looked ghastly against my red scales. Finally, after several failed color options, she looked at Gex. "What are you looking for, Miss?"

  "First off, she will need a cloak we can enchant. After that, something tight and exotic looking to help show off her unique features."

  I crossed my arms, staring at Gex. "You're a--"

  Gex arched an eyebrow. "What was that, pet?"

  "Nothing, Master," I muttered. "Whatever you want, I'll wear."

  The Elf seamstress's expression remained flat and unimpressed. "Unruly creature. Fresh from the lair, I assume?"

  "Something like that," Gex said, her tone carefully neutral.

  "Well, something exotic, we can work with that. The cloak being enchanted means it'll have to be made of high-grade fabric. I recommend silk. It holds enchantment well, and because it'll be enchanted, it's less likely to rip."

  "This is why I came to you," Gex said. She shifted on the couch. "You're supposed to be the best."

  "Correct," the Elf said, there was no warmth in that voice. Turning from me, the woman moved into the back of her store, pulling a few bolts of fabric out to compare against my scales. "Her being red means she will stand out, perhaps something darker. A brown and emerald color would look fetching."

  She unbundled a length of fabric to roughly my height, then a bit longer before snipping it. I wasn't a judge of fabrics, but it seemed less impressive than the items we could get in a boutique where I was from. With the fabric for the cape and its length determined, she moved to select other fabrics. Her selections didn't feel different from each other as she compared them against my arms. The disadvantage of having a scale was that most of the tactile sensation was lost for protection. Whatever limited protection that provided.

  Finally, the woman and Gex settled on a mixture of soft-looking green and brown fabrics. She started at the base of my legs, pinning and wrapping the fabric around my calf and thigh. She considered this momentarily before dropping the fabric differently and bringing it up between my legs. Each time the Elf would tug or pull on the fabric for measurements, I had to fight to stay still. The constant adjustments were irritating, and my tail kept wanting to twitch out of the way. And then she grabbed the base of my tail, causing me to squeal.

  She stared at me, her expression tired and deeply unimpressed with my lack of cooperation. "If you cannot hold still, this will take considerably longer," she said flatly.

  "Problems?" Gex asked.

  "The creature keeps moving. Is this its first time being fitted for clothing?" She repositioned my tail with clinical precision.

  "You know Kobolds," Gex said with a shrug. "Just wears rags, really."

  "Clearly." The Elf's tone was as cold as ice. "Well, it will have proper garments when I'm finished, assuming it learns to stand still."

  I tried to stay motionless, but my tail twitched again as she worked near its base. I started to shift my weight. "Sorry, I just--"

  "Enough." The seamstress stepped back, her patience clearly exhausted. She pulled her hands away from me, muttering words under her breath while making precise gestures. Purple and blue light flashed before my eyes, and suddenly I couldn't move at all.

  "That should solve the problem," the Elf said coldly, gathering her measuring tape again. "The binding will hold until I release it."

  "How long will it last?" Gex asked. She leaned forward but didn't move from the couch.

  "As long as necessary to complete the measurements and mock-up," the seamstress said with clinical detachment. She returned to me, treating my frozen form as nothing more than an object to be measured and manipulated. "It's standard practice for uncooperative subjects."

  The Elf worked with cold efficiency, moving my limbs as needed, taking measurements, pinning fabric. To her, I was clearly just another difficult fitting job, an annoying task made more complicated by a fidgeting creature that couldn't follow simple instructions to stand still.

  I could feel everything, the pull of fabric, the adjustment of pins, the movement of my limbs, but I couldn't react. Couldn't move. Couldn't even shake my head or protest. The complete helplessness was infuriating.

  "Good hips on this one," the Elf remarked to Gex, not to me. Like I was livestock being appraised. "Breeding stock quality. You paid well?"

  "Stop squirming internally," the Elf added without looking at my face, somehow sensing my internal struggle. "The spell will hold regardless. You're wasting energy."

  Gex shifted uncomfortably on her couch. "Hey, can you just--"

  "I don't take direction from Orcs," the seamstress cut her off sharply, not even looking up from her work. "You hired me for my expertise. Let me work."

  Gex's jaw tightened, but she said nothing more. Even my "owner" couldn't protect me here. In Elf territory, in an Elf's shop, Gex had no power. And we both knew it.

  I could do nothing but seethe internally. Being treated like a mannequin, like I wasn't even a person, made my blood boil. Gex and I would have some serious words once this ordeal was over. If I could ever move again.

  "I need to remove this," the Elf said flatly, already reaching for the buttons of my tunic without waiting for acknowledgment. She unbuttoned the bandit's shirt I was wearing and undid the belt around my waist. With practiced efficiency, she pulled the tunic up. My arms moved with the motion, controlled by the spell, not by me, rising stiffly as she removed the garment.

  But they stayed up. Frozen above my head.

  The Elf noticed after a moment, made an annoyed sound, and manually pushed my arms back down to my sides. "There." Not an apology, just a statement.

  I stood exposed in the middle of her store, completely unable to cover myself or even look away. If she did this with most of her monster customers it made me wonder who the real monsters were. A spell like this could be devastating in a fight. The room was quiet except for the rustle of fabric and Gex's occasional uncomfortable shifting on the couch. The Elf seamstress continued with her work, precisely pinning and draping the mock-up clothing around my body with the same care she'd give any inanimate object.

  "Let's try on the cape now," she said, not bothering to look at my face. She gathered the dark green fabric and draped it over my shoulders with a detached look of boredom. This was just another routine day for her. She adjusted the cape, making sure it fell correctly, even accounting for my tail with the same detached professionalism she'd show adjusting fabric on a mannequin.

  "You requested exotic," the seamstress said. "Something like this." She turned my frozen body to face Gex, physically rotating me like furniture to display her work. My torso was still bare under the cape. I couldn't look down but could roughly feel what was around me. The legs were baggy and loose, with a tight string around my thighs. "This region doesn't see clothing like this very often; it's suited more for warmer desert types."

  Gex nodded. Getting up from the couch, she walked around me, lifting the cape as needed and running her fingers along the fabric and my scales. I glared at the Orc, unable to say anything. "And the torso? I can't have her showing off my goods for free."

  "Your goods?" I thought, giving the warrior a side-eye. I was going to kick her ass for this.

  The Elf seamstress gave a flat look as if suggesting that I be sent out near naked was an affront to her principles. "Don't worry," she assured Gex, her fingers still dancing expertly around my form, adjusting and pinning fabric. "We'll make sure everything is appropriately covered." She gave a stare that was equal parts measurement and contempt, "I refuse to send even things like this out looking subpar. I’m not a Dwarf.”

  I could do nothing but seethe internally as the seamstress continued to fit the outfit around me. All I could focus on was the anger and a growing sense of betrayal. Gex and I would have some serious words once this ordeal was over, provided I could ever move again.

  Fabric swished, and scissors snipped as minutes ticked by slowly. The seamstress hummed a low tune, seemingly content in her work, oblivious or indifferent to the turmoil inside my frozen body. Finally, she stepped back and admired her work.

  "There we go," she declared with a triumphant flourish. "A perfect blending of functionality and allure. A masterpiece if I say so myself." She turned to Gex, who had been observing the process critically. "What do you think?"

  Gex circled around me once more, her gaze critical but approving. "It'll do," she grunted finally. "She looks like she could be an adventurer now."

  I could see the disdain on the Elf's face at that. That might not have been the best thing for the Orc to say.

  "Can you release her now?" Gex asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

  "Just a second," the Elf said, moving to undress me from the prototype clothing. "I'll need these back to finish them." The seamstress waved her hand casually in my direction while muttering another set of words under her breath. The magical grip on my body loosened instantly, and I stumbled forward slightly, finally able to move.

  Instantly, I pulled the cape tighter around myself, glaring at both Gex and the seamstress. "This isn't over," I spat out at Gex.

  Gex raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She merely nodded at the seamstress, who was already packing her tools.

  "And you," I said, turning to the seamstress. I was angry at the Elven woman, but here, in this society. I had no rights. I fought to swallow that indignity. At least for now, I could burn this store to the ground after I got my Dragon's breath.

  "Yes, little one?" she turned towards me, arching an eyebrow. She held the fabric to her chest in a neatly folded bundle.

  I hated this, but I knew it was needed. "I need a bra." I'd only worn sports bras before, but I didn't fancy the idea of running through the wilderness bouncing around without support.

  The Elf looked at me, her arched eyebrow slowly lowering as a look of confusion crossed her face. "I'm sorry, a what?" she asked, looking at me. She motioned for me to take off the improvised cloak.

  I was happy I wasn't Human, so I couldn't blush. "It’s material meant to hold my chest and keep it from moving."

  She tilted her head, giving me an appraising look. "A bra, you say?" she tapped a finger against her chin. "I think I can make something like that." She pointed at the dais.

  "No way!" I said, shaking my head. "You measured me; you have my—"

  "I measured you for basic fabric. If you wish binding for your chest," she looked at Gex, who shrugged. "I'll need to be more thorough. What does a bra normally do?"

  "It provides support for your breasts," I muttered. "It has two pieces of fabric to cradle your breasts and a band you tighten behind your back with shoulder straps that are thin and delicate for everyday wear. But um, if you could make mine thicker and tougher, please."

  "Well, I'm willing to try creating one for you."

  "And underwear," I said.

  "Your creature is very demanding for a pet, adventurer," the Elf said, genuine annoyance showing through her professional mask now. "But underwear and... a bra... should be manageable. I'll need some additional measurements." She gestured impatiently. "Come here."

  I hesitated, not wanting to go through that again, but I needed proper clothing. At least if I endured this, Bel could get a proper bra too when we came back. I was future-proofing our lives here, even if it meant dealing with this cold bitch.

  The seamstress pulled out finer fabric and her measuring tape, taking quick measurements around my chest and hips with the same clinical efficiency. "Hold still," she said when I shifted. This time she didn't bother with the spell, apparently the threat of it was enough to keep me compliant.

  "We'll need to pick these up as soon as possible," Gex said. "There are strict laws about what pets should wear in Demi-Human cities, and I don't want to get fined because my Kobold has offended someone's sensibilities."

  The seamstress ignored Gex's comment entirely. "If you would try these on," she said, handing me a soft-looking bra that was only half finished. It was clearly meant to be a prototype for her to do more work on later. And the underwear wasn't extravagant, just a couple of pieces of cloth quickly pinned together to rest against my scales.

  Turning my back to Gex, I slipped into the garments provided. They fit surprisingly well; the bra provided support without feeling restrictive, and the underwear accounted gracefully for my tail, a detail I hadn't expected them to get right on her first attempt and so quickly.

  "How does it feel?" asked the seamstress, genuine curiosity in her tone.

  "Good," I admitted grudgingly. "Very comfortable."

  She smiled brightly, obviously pleased with herself. "Those are just samples; I'll need to work through the night to prepare these for more than just modeling."

  "I believe we should get out of your way," Gex said. "I need my ass kicked." She clenched her fist, pulling me along behind her.

  "H-hey! Hold up!" I squeaked. "I'm naked!"

  “So?” Gex asked. “You know where the shirt I lent you is at. Get it.”

  The seamstress let out a sigh as she looked up from her fabric, her hands pausing in their meticulous work. "Hold on a second, young one," she said, her voice carrying a tone of annoyance. She reached behind into a large, cluttered box, pulled out a simple robe, tossing it toward me. "Wear this while I finish your garments. We can't have you parading around exposed."

  I caught the robe neatly and quickly wrapped it around myself, grateful for the temporary cover. I rushed over to where the discarded shirt was, picking it up. Gex observed with an unreadable expression, then nodded slightly, acknowledging the seamstress's practical solution.

  "Thank you," I muttered to the seamstress as I tied the robe securely around my waist.

  "You're welcome," she replied, returning to her sewing table laden with various tools and fabrics. "Now, if you two will excuse me, I have a lot of work to do to meet your unique requirements." Her hands resumed dancing with the needle and thread, her attention focused on the task.

  Gex led me by the leash out the front door. I wanted to protest, to dig in my heels, but I knew it wouldn't amount to much against Gex's strength. Still, I was going to give her a piece of my mind for this.

  "Alright, Scales, you did good," Gex said as the door closed behind us. "That was a lot, but you handled it like a champ." She reached to pat my head.

  I jerked away from her touch, my body still tense from the ordeal. "Don't," I said sharply.

  Gex frowned, pulling her hand back. "The binding spell really got to you, huh?"

  "Being frozen like a statue while someone moves me around like furniture?" I snapped. "Yeah, it 'got to me.' That was..." I struggled to find words that captured how violated I felt. "I couldn't move, Gex. Couldn't speak. Couldn't even blink. She just... used me like I was a mannequin."

  Gex's expression shifted to understanding. "Shit. I should have realized. Being immobilized like that..." She shook her head. "And I couldn't do anything about it. Did you see how she shut me down when I tried to speak up? 'I don't take direction from Orcs.' In her shop, in Elf territory, I've got no power." She snorted angrily. “I mean, I could have gone to the dungeons for putting her through a table. But that would have been worse for you.”

  "I know," I said, some of my anger deflating. "It's not your fault. It's this whole fucked up system."

  "We're going to have to get you some magic resistance gear," Gex said. "She said those were enchantments right? Anti-binding charms, something. I can't have you getting frozen in the middle of a fight."

  "That would be nice," I muttered.

  "For now, let's go discuss your job class options. Somewhere with fewer Elves."

  I nodded, following along, but I couldn't shake the memory of that binding spell. The complete helplessness. If someone could do that to me in a shop, what would happen if an enemy used it in combat?

  Gex looked me over, her yellow eyes assessing. "You look like you could use something to calm your nerves. Back home, we'd have a good drink, a brawl, maybe a fuck. You know just something to take the edge off after something like that." She paused, considering. "But you're cold-blooded now, right? Probably shouldn't be drinking on an empty stomach. And we need to keep you functional for the rest of the day."

  "I'm fine," I said, but even I could hear how unconvincing that sounded.

  "No, you're not. Come on." Gex tugged gently on the leash, leading me down a side street. "There's an alchemist shop near here. Maybe they've got something that'll help settle you down without getting you drunk."

  I followed along, grateful that she was at least trying to help, even if she clearly didn't quite know how. The alchemist's shop was tucked between a blacksmith and what looked like a general store. A wooden sign hung above the door with a mortar and pestle carved into it.

  Inside, the shop smelled of herbs and something sharp that made my nose wrinkle. Shelves lined the walls, filled with bottles, jars, and pouches of various colors and sizes. Behind a counter stood a Human woman with graying hair pulled back in a severe bun.

  "Help you?" she asked, barely looking up from the ledger she was writing in.

  "Yeah," Gex said, approaching the counter. "My Kobold had a rough day. You got anything that'll calm her nerves? Nothing alcoholic."

  The woman finally looked up, her eyes flicking from Gex to me and back. "Nervous pet, eh? I’ve got a special root tea works for most creatures. Or I've got some calming draughts. There’s more potent things if you think that’ll help." She looked me over. “But at her size, I’d advise against it.”

  "How much?" Gex asked. “For the non potent stuff. I need her functional.”

  "Three silver for the tea, eight for the draught."

  I saw Gex's jaw tighten slightly at the prices, but she nodded. "The tea, then."

  As the alchemist turned to gather the herbs, my eyes wandered over the shelves. Most of the labels meant nothing to me, but one caught my attention, a bright orange liquid in small vials with a label that read "Solar Brew."

  "What's that?" I asked, pointing.

  The alchemist glanced over. "Solar Brew? Heating potion. Popular with cold-blooded folks, Lizardfolk, Naga, Serpent Men, Kobolds, that sort. Warms you from the inside for a few hours. Helps with the sluggishness when temperatures drop."

  I perked up. That sounded exactly like something I needed. "How much?"

  "Five silver a vial. Ten silver for three."

  Gex looked between me and the vials. "You want some of that instead of the tea?"

  "I've been cold since I got here," I admitted. "And after last night when I nearly froze sleeping outside..." I trailed off, remembering how Gex had to keep me warm in the tent.

  Gex nodded slowly. "Makes sense. You're…” Gex paused looked at the Human and back to me. “Just out of the lair. It’ll take awhile for a cold-blooded creature to get used to normal temps." She turned back to the alchemist. "We'll take three vials of the Solar Brew. And throw in the tea anyway."

  The alchemist raised an eyebrow but began gathering the items. "The Solar Brew's pretty concentrated. One vial should last you four to six hours depending on the weather and your activity level. Don't take more than three in a day or you'll overheat."

  "Over... heat?” I asked. “I’m cold blooded.”

  "It's not just about overheating," the alchemist continued, eyeing us both. "I can tell you two think of this like it's just a pick-me-up. It's not. The magic forces your body to work harder than it should. Take too much and you'll get the shakes, your heart will race like you've been sprinting for hours, and when it finally wears off? The crash will leave you worse than you started." She held up three fingers. "Three. A day. Maximum. And if your hands start trembling or your heart's pounding in your ears even when you're sitting still? Stop. I don't care how cold you are. Dead adventurers don't need warming up."

  Gex counted out the coins, thirteen silver total, and the alchemist handed over a small bundle wrapped in cloth containing the tea, and a leather pouch with the three vials of glowing orange liquid. “We’ll make sure she doesn’t abuse it.”

  "Drink one now if you want," the alchemist said. "Effects kick in pretty quick."

  I carefully pulled out one of the vials, uncorked it, and sniffed. It smelled like... clothes that had been hanging on a clothesline all day. Fresh and breezy. Warm and bright and just a hint citrusy. I tipped it back and drank it in one go.

  The effect was immediate and wonderful. Warmth bloomed in my chest and spread outward through my limbs, like I'd stepped into a patch of sunlight on a cold day. My muscles, which had been tight and tense since the seamstress's shop, began to relax. I could feel my body responding, my movements becoming less sluggish.

  "Oh," I breathed. "Oh, that's much better."

  Gex grinned. "Good color's coming back to your scales. You look less like a corpse."

  "I feel amazing," I admitted. The warmth was settling into a comfortable heat, not too much, just enough to feel properly functional for the first time since arriving in this world. "How long did you say this lasts?"

  "Four to six hours," the alchemist repeated. "Longer if you're just sitting around, shorter if you're doing something strenuous like fighting."

  "We'll need to stock up on these," I said to Gex. "If I'm going to be adventuring, I can't afford to be sluggish because I'm cold."

  "Noted," Gex said. "We'll add it to the supply list. Along with that magic resistance gear I mentioned."

  “Your Kobold seems to be pretty independent,” the Human noted. “That’s a rarity in the breed. If you--”

  “We’re good,” Gex said. “Thank you for the drinks.”

  I nodded, feeling infinitely better than I had just minutes ago. The memory of the binding spell was still there, still unpleasant, but the panic edge had worn off now that I was warm and functional.

  "Come on," Gex said. "Let's head back to the inn. We've still got to discuss your job class options, and Titan wanted to go over the skill crystals we picked up."

  As we walked back through the city streets, I felt more like myself, or at least, more like the new self I was becoming. The Solar Brew had done more than just warm me up; it had given me back a sense of control over my own body that the binding spell had stolen.

  "Hey, Gex?" I said as we approached the inn.

  "Yeah?"

  "Thanks. For trying to help. Even if you didn't know what would work."

  She grinned and gave my shoulder a squeeze, gentler this time. "That's what I'm here for, Scales. We're a team."