I go straight to the guild hall after school. I get there and the desk employee takes me to a separate room that seems kind of like a training room where the people they recruited are here to try out for the position. I walk in and two of the guys scoff, "You never said I had to fight a crossdressing little girl. At least it seems like easy money right?" They say elbowing each other. I sigh missing the wholesome gym-bros from Earth while removing my uniform blazer and rolling up my sleeves. I honestly don't give a rat's ass if they like me. I just need them to be competent and do what I pay them for. I put my bag down and waved one of the guys up, "Don't go easy on me. I will not be offering any rematches today." He instantly comes at me and I easily parry it and immobilize him. He immediately says, "I want to try again. You caught me off guard is all." I say while glaring at him for being an idiot, "At the very beginning I stated I would not offer any rematches. With that said, thank you for coming, but your services are not needed."
I turn to the next guy who approaches asking, "Why do we even need to defeat you anyways?" I responded while resetting my position preparing for an attack, "That will only be your business if you get hired." I wave at him to attack me and this guy is more skilled than the last but he is just a bit too slow for me. I was able to parry his attack and I used my arm to lift his head from under his chin and I used my leg to sweep in this motion in one fluid motion. He fell hard backwards and I stomped by his face to mark my victory to show that it could have been a kick and say, "Thank you for coming out today, but your services will not be needed." He gets up also with an attitude like the first guy and leaves smacking his teeth while rubbing the back of his head since it hit the ground just now.
The last one to the side is a woman. I wave to her she says as she approaches, "I was kind of hoping for an opportunity to beat those guys up, but it was really fun to see an academy student defeat them. They are probably heading to the pub now to drown their sorrows of their lost pride." She laughs. I smile and wave her towards me to show I am ready, "I could care less what they will be doing now. I just hope you are more of a challenge." She smiles and starts attacking me. Right off of the bat, she is the most talented of the three. She is not only skillful but she is agile too. Every strike she is going for is calculated, not random and she is matching my moves. I even tried setting her up with a combo I like which is a backfist/ridgehand combo or vice versa, both work well. She blocked it well even though most fighters get hit with either one or the other. I couldn't use that in the ring too much because then it isn't as effective if they are expecting it. I only used that move once and she was able to block it. I continue to mix up my techniques to not get too predictable. I do a jumping, spinning hook kick and she ducks.
It was at this moment I knew I lost.
The moment I landed she swept my leg as I anticipated she was going to do but I couldn't really do anything to dodge since gravity is inevitable. I fall in a way where one of my arms is close to her and she grabs it immediately and puts it in an arm bar. I tap out and say, "What is your name?" She says, "Name's Jennifer. Did I get the job?" I get up wiping off my uniform, "Yes you did. Assuming you are still on board after hearing the details." She says while shrugging, "How weird can it be?"
I gave her the run down and her first comment was, "Ok, I was completely wrong. This is really weird, but I think I understand. So you want to hire me to protect this 'Rose' person from the perverts at your school but mainly you want to protect her from you. Your body gets possessed and you lash out at her if you get too close, but it is fine at a distance. Do I have it down?" I nod, "Yep, in a nutshell. You are even permitted to use lethal force to stop me if other methods aren't stopping me. You must protect her at all costs. Do you have the availability to get started now?" She says, "Lead the way." I then say as I put my blazer back on and get my bag, "Ok, I have already let the academy know to be expecting someone, but I will be officially introducing you so you don't need to worry about your presence not being permitted. After we introduce you to the staff I want to show you to Rose's room, but for reasons I already disclosed to you I can't physically introduce you." Jennifer replies, "Understandable." I then ask, "How do you prefer your pay? Weekly, every two weeks, monthly?" Jennifer replies, "Every week is fine. Wow, it almost sounds like I am not talking to an academy student." I laugh at the perception of this chick. She is pretty smart. I say as a way of transparency, "You're not far off, but I am, believe or not, an academy student. It might be too much of a shock to lay all of that on you on the first day. Though Rose may tell you if you ask. I feel you would believe my truth more out of her mouth." Jennifer then says, "Well damn, now I am really curious." I laugh and lead the way.
After I get Jennifer introduced to a good bit of the faculty including Doc and Nurse Joy I then take her to Rose's room and tell her to wait before knocking so I can get away first. I then say, "Once you are done with your introductions/talking about her routine you are free to do as you wish for the rest of the evening since Rose won't be going out anymore tonight. Oh wait, before you leave after your talk with Rose, if I could get you to tell her to open her window. I will be waiting for her outside her window." Jennifer says, "Too easy. I can do that." I shake her hand, "I look forward to working with you. I apologize ahead of time for anything I might say or do when I am possessed." Jennifer replies, "I look forward to working with you, too." I then walk to the end of the hallway and signal to her that she is good to open the door. I see Rose open the door and she sees Jennifer and looks down the hall to see me. I wave and mouth 'I love you' and take my leave as she is talking to Jennifer.
I wait outside Rose's window. It doesn't seem to take that long at all. If I had to put a time on their talk it was no longer than 20 minutes. Rose opens the window and I perk up quite puppy-like when I see her. I missed looking at her face even though I just saw it in the hallway not too long ago. I want to look at it nonstop. I want to touch it. I almost sound like a creep in my thoughts thinking of touching her face. I toss up the cup and I tug once she has a grip on it, "So what do you think of her?" Rose tugs on the line, "I think you did a splendid job. She seems very competent just from talking with her." I tug on the line, "She is and she bested me in a sparring bout earlier too. She is a very calculated person." Rose tugs on the line, "I wish I could have seen it." I tug on the line, "Sadly I think you will have opportunities to see us fight. Though it may seem a good idea to fight regularly as training so she can get comfortable with my fighting habits, it actually may be your downfall by leveling my own martial arts ability up. I just am so terrified of hurting you and I feel like I would improve fighting against her. What if my improvement causes me to best Jennifer then I hurt you? I don't know what I would do if that were to happen." Rose tugs on the line, "I don't think you took into account that she will probably improve as well." I tug on the line, "I know that experience improves both sides, but I am just scared I might surpass her. I am terrified that I might surpass her and put you in danger."
Rose then sighs and tugs the line, "Ok, since you feel so strongly about it I won't press any further. You can just keep fighting whenever it is necessary if that is the case. I just don't want you to feel like you are holding yourself back because of me." I tug on the line, "You aren't holding me back at all. You are quite literally the only thing keeping me above water. I would be drowning in this life without you in it. So I will try to live my best life just for you. I am perfectly fine in not improving my martial arts abilities if it means I am protecting you in the process. I only have one dream in this life and that dream is you." Rose then tugs the line, "Well if you say it like that then I definitely won't press any further. My whole world changed the moment I saw you in the girl's uniform in the office arguing for the boy's uniform. I just thought 'Wow. She is so fiercely beautiful and a strong woman.' I looked up to you then and I still look up to you now. I love you, Violet." I tug on the line, "I love you too Rose. You know at that moment, your lips looked irresistible and I had a very strong desire to kiss you? Even without the curse I wouldn't have, because boundaries obviously."
Rose giggles and tugs on the line, "I wish more men in this world took a lesson from you. Actually, in that vein of thinking, about your self defense class that you mentioned. I talked with the girls and how do Wednesdays after classes sound?" I tug on the line, "That sounds good to me. Where are we going to meet?" Rose tugs on the line, "In the gymnasium on the other side of campus. Soooo, did you bring snacks again today? It is Friday, so I figured you could stay a bit later and talk with me." I tug on the line giggling, "Yes I always have some type of snacks on my person. I thought you knew me by now."
I laugh as I drop the cup and reach into my bag to grab today's snack. I made potato chips again today and made homemade sour cream and onion chips using onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, dill and milk powder. I think the actual recipe from my previous life used buttermilk powder if memory hasn't failed me, but we use what we have available and adapt. I tried a few when they were fresh and the substitution worked beautifully. I toss up the bag I prepared for Rose. She opens it immediately and takes a bite. Her eyes light up with excitement in the most stunning and captivating way that makes me blush. She tugs on the line, "I. LOVE. THESE." I tug on the line, "We call that flavor 'sour cream and onion' though funny story there is no actual sour cream in the spice blend." Rose tugs on the line, "Well that spice combination is to die for. I could eat these all day."
I giggle thinking she sounds like Liz at this moment. Liz's favorite chip flavor was sour cream and onion. Liz also loved sour cream and onion flavored popcorn as well. I should do that next time. I tug on the line, "I guess I will use that flavor for more things then until you say otherwise if you feel that way. I just know you will like popcorn with this flavor." Rose tugs on the line and says with excitement, "That sounds delicious! … But, you know, we can have things you like too. We don't have to have only the things I like." I tug on the line, "I don't think you understand. Even if hypothetically I didn't like sour cream and onion chips, I would still make them for you everyday and eat them with you. When you are happy, I am happy. I want to give you nothing but the things you like and make you happy. Speaking of giving you all the things you like, when is your birthday?"
Rose tugs on the line, "The 15th day of the 7th month. When is your birthday, Violet?" I tug on the line, "The 5th day of the 6th month. It seems your birthday is too far off for me. I was hoping it would be sooner so I could have an excuse to shower you with gifts." Rose tugs on the line, "Well you know, you don't need an excuse to do anything. Also, I don't need anything from you. I just want to have these moments with you. Even though I am finding myself a little heavier nowadays from all the food you make me."
I tug on the line, "You look absolutely stunning. Don't get body dysmorphia on me. You are the most beautiful woman in this world to me. Then again, you could even look like a monster and I would still love you because you are you. I love you, Rose. All of you. Ha. That actually reminds me of a song." Rose tugs on the line making a familiar face I saw Liz make frequently, "Then I guess you will just have to sing it for me won't you?" I giggle and I sing 'All of Me' by John Legend. This song used to play a lot at the water park I used to be a lifeguard at. I used to laugh at that because of the lyrics in the song "My head's underwater, but I am breathing fine." Like no. Stop telling all of these patrons to try breathing underwater. Ha. I say that jokingly. Nobody ever tried breathing underwater while listening to that song at least.
I get done singing and Rose starts clapping. It is strange I hear more clapping though. I took a look around and the other windows were open and the other girls in the dorm here were applauding my performance. Some were saying, "Encore! Encore!" I am freaking out realizing I just sang for people I wasn't prepared to sing for and I have to leave. My chest is tight and I don't feel so good. I am sweating bullets with anxiety feeling light headed, hyperventilating, and I grab my bag and run away to my dorm without looking back. When I arrive, I realize I left my phone at Rose's. It will be fine. She will take good care of it for me. I can always make another if need be also.
I wonder if they were listening in to other parts of our conversation as well. My walls are down around Rose and I bare my soul to her. Only for her though. I don't want an audience hearing the things I am saying to Rose. Not that I am scared they find out I like her because that is not it. I will scream from the rooftops that 'I, Violet Treece, am 100 percent in love with the woman by the name of Rose Remington.' I just don't want the romantic things like when I tell her what she means to me. I only want Rose to hear them leave my lips.
Counting the run from her dorm to my dorm as cardio for the day I draw a bath while preparing some chamomile tea to help me relax. I am glad that this room has a spot to make tea. It is really convenient. I am still really wired right now from the shock of singing in front of so many people. I start getting another headache. These are happening very frequently now. I wonder if this is the creator's way of punishing me for changing the story. I get in the bath and sip on my tea to relax. I drink about half of my tea when I start to feel light headed again in a way that makes me feel faint. I go to put the cup with my tea on the lip of the bathtub but due to feeling discombobulated I miss and I hear it crash to the floor. Everything goes black.
I woke up in the infirmary. Again. That joke about moving into the nurse's infirmary is becoming more funny as time goes on. Kind of like the Area 51 meme with Internet Explorer doing the late notifications on the raid. Those were funny. Picking fun at how slow IE was. Mia and Heather are beside me asleep and Nurse Joy sees me come around. She comes up to me, "How are you feeling? What happened?" My head feels foggy like I am in a daze right now but I respond, "I was taking a bath and drinking some chamomile tea to calm down after realizing several students heard me sing. The last thing I remember was drinking tea in the bathtub. I wasn't even in there for that long."
Nurse Joy says while examining me, "These two thankfully went to check on you after that incident you were talking about and when you didn't answer the door. They let themselves in and they found you slowly dropping down into the tub. They said if they were any later you would have died from drowning in the tub because you apparently were very close to being fully submerged." I gasp, "Wow, didn't realize I almost died." When I say this Mia and Heather stir awake and their faces lighten up. Heather says, "We were so worried! What happened? It almost looked like you drank poisoned tea to try and kill yourself."
I shake my head and quickly explain what happened and they sigh and Mia says, "Good. We can't have you trying to kill yourself again. You have scared us plenty with that." I chuckle lightly, "No need to fear. I found a reason to stick around." They smile and Heather says, "Good. Hold onto whatever that reason is with everything you have." That reason obviously being my love, Rose. I reach out to platonically hold her hand, "That is the plan." Mia puts her hand on top so my hand is in a sandwich at the moment. Heather says after a moment, "Oh! I told Rose we would let her know when you woke up. I will be right back. Mia are you coming or staying?" Mia squeezes my hand, "I will stay." Heather says, "Ok, be right back." Heather then leaves.
Mia while nervously playing with her brown hair asks Nurse Joy, "Do we know why she is collapsing? Is there something we can do to prevent it?" Nurse Joy says, "Well it could be many things. I was expecting the results for her blood test, but they seem to be dragging their feet on processing it. I think they are discriminating because she is a woman to be honest. Sadly this is not an uncommon occurrence. It isn't like we can do anything about it except wait for them to process it whenever they do get around to it. We will definitely know more after her blood gets evaluated." Nurse Joy turns to me, "Has there been any new symptoms? Other than the night sweats/fevers and headaches." I think for a moment and shake my head, "Nothing else comes to mind. I will let you know if anything else starts happening."
Nurse Joy looks at my eyes which seem to be focusing a bit more now, "How is your vision right now?" I responded, "When I first woke up it was foggy and blurry, but it is seeming to be getting better now." Nurse Joy says, "You are going to stay here until it improves more. When you pass my test, I will let you return to your room." I nod, "I understand." It appears I won't be able to bullshit my way out of this infirmary since she is going to test my eyesight. I should have anticipated that. I sigh. Nurse Joy asks, "Do you have any head pain right now?" I shake my head, "It seems fine now. It's barely even noticeable now as opposed to the sharpness that I usually feel." Mia says, "I still can't believe you are still chilling at the top of the class effortlessly while you are having these health problems. How do you even focus in class with those headaches?" I shake my head, "I don't. I usually check out mentally when I get them and only come back to my senses when they call on me. I still manage to get the answers right so Doctor Stirling hasn't made a stink out of me checking out of his lectures."
Mia says, "Woah, so you just know the answers without needing to pay attention? That is crazy." I replied while gently squeezing her hand that I am still holding, "If you would actually believe it, I have memories of my last life. I don't think I ever told you. In that life I received an education and I still remember some of it." Mia replies, "If I haven't seen your grades first hand, I probably would have laughed at you. I totally believe it though. It explains a lot." She says as she looks as if she remembered something. Nurse Joy says, "She had 18 years worth of schooling too. She is a scholar." Mia gasps, "Woah. Really?" I sigh while grabbing my neck with one hand, "You make it sound like I was a good student and remembered everything when in reality I had trouble focusing on lectures. That and I have forgotten so much." Nurse Joy says, "I will need you to stop beating yourself down all of the time." I sigh and just play along, "Ok fine." I know she is trying to be positive, but it is true that I have forgotten A LOT from my schooling. It is just a fact. Otherwise, I could have full isekai'd this world completely modernizing it. Though I think others may have isekai'd here as well besides me because of some medical advancements and chocolate. Though with the type of world this is, I don't think I would have survived that end because a woman leading a technological revolution would seem laughable here. Heather came back shortly after and I told them stories of my past life and stories about Liz. When my eyesight was good enough to pass the test, Nurse Joy allowed me to go to my dorm on the condition that I go straight to bed.