Muscular Maidens Pt. 03

The following Saturday Jess, true to her word, was on time for a change, and her hair was dry. She also uncharacteristically wore a simple white dress in lieu of sweats to go with her usual sweatshirt atop. What struck Jake as even more surprising was that she had also applied makeup. His imagination began to run wild. He envisioned her in front of a mirror deftly applying mascara across her long fluttering eyelashes highlighting her already stunning eyes. Immediately, however, he shut his spinning brain down. Jess isn't a girl -- she's just a friend he told himself for the umpteenth time.

"No swim meet today?" Jake asked, resuming focus on the upcoming campaign, but trying to remain polite. Though he had zero interest in swimming, it had become an absolute passion for Jess, so he figured it was nice to at least feign some interest.

"No, just lifting today."

"Lifting?"

"Yeah, the coach has stepped up the weightlifting program this year. So, my life pretty much revolves around school, workouts, and eating tons of protein."

"And D&D," Jake chimed in, pulling out the game board.

Dan, the pasty red-haired freckled member of the group, clearly ready, put his figurine on the board first. He called his muscular fighter character an 'Amazon warrior.' Inevitably, there always seemed to be one guy in any campaign who played a female character. Usually, when a woman was present, that wasn't the case. To all in the gang, however, Jess registered, despite her undeniable cute pixielike face, as asexual, or one of the boys. Thus, it didn't matter that she was there, and Dan's natural inclination prevailed.

Playing D&D was an outlet for Dan. Scheduled night and day between art, music, and academic activities, his doting parents saw it as their mission to manufacture his future success by channeling his inner genius. Weekly games with the group were his release from his planned life and he always seemed determined to move the game along and have his time well spent. "Tara is ready," he called out enthusiastically.

The others followed suit. A cleric, paladin, and a fighter/thief joined the board. Elvin, the only Asian kid in their virtually all-white school, played a cleric named Luke, named after his brother. Elvin was adept at nearly everything but not truly stellar at anything. He played basketball and had a good shot but was too short and slow to make the team. He was bright, but never at the top of his class. He got along with people but was never too popular and seemed on an endless yet fruitless quest to find a way to be a part of the 'in-crowd.' Jake didn't see it at the time, but later he became convinced that Elvin's skin color in their white-washed community left him feeling like he was on the outs. Thus, Elvin played the role of the model minority and acted like he didn't care that he wasn't particularly popular, but truthfully, it grated on him dearly.

Craig, who played lacrosse and passed loosely for the title of the group's athlete (though he looked more like a skater boi), role-played a paladin. It was a running joke that he'd taken the role of the paladin given his relationship with his redneck, overly religious father. Craig went out of his way to reject everything his dad stood for. His dad expected him to play football; instead, he surfed and played lacrosse. His dad rejected science while Craig was highly academic, and science was his favorite class. The resulting relationship was a rocky one which, looking back, might have resulted in a visit from child services in the modern world. Jake often half-expected Craig to arrive home one day with his dad and an army recruiter in his living room, papers filled out and waiting for him to sign. While Craig went out of his way to repudiate his dad's values, some of the trailer park's toxic masculinity seeped into his everyday life. In particular, his male chauvinism. Though he made it seem like a joke, it was readily apparent in his sexualization of women. Thus, he made the perfect paladin.

Finally, Jess played the part of the party's fighter/thief. Though their characters were skilled, after writing the campaign Jake surmised that their group lacked enough firepower to make it through without casualties. That was problematic because this time the group had fallen in love with their characters. His solution to the problem was to introduce a non-player-character to add to the party tonight who was not only the reveal for Jess but a needed spell caster to join the party.

"Yeah, DnD too. You guys are my outlet, I guess," Jess explained.

"I always liked being referred to as an outlet." Elvin retorted.

Jess ignored him and continued, "My coach is pretty serious, and he's definitely brought me to a new level. He says college swimmers lift regularly and it's going to help us to start early. We've been at it for over a year, and I actually like it a lot. I always do extra but it's hard work."

"Won't that stunt your growth?" Craig asked, seemingly not caring much either.

"That's an old wives' tale," Jess said.

"Boring," Elvin observed. "Can we get back to the campaign? I'm actually digging this one more than most although I still don't know how we're supposed to find this evil wizard guy."

"All will be revealed," Jake said, his voice hitting a mysterious tone.

Craig and Jess's parallel conversation continued despite Elvin's interjection. "Aren't gyms mostly for guys? You know, like Hanz and Franz? I'm going to pump you up!" Craig asked, flexing, and then pointing to Jess.

"No, not anymore. I heard..." Jess started before she was interrupted.

"Are we going to talk about lifting and exercise all day or are we going to get back to some real physical activity-- in the dwarf cave?" Dan moaned. He was certainly the most avid role-player and seemed especially enthralled by the current campaign.

"Sounds cool, Jess," Jake offered, trying to avoid her feelings being hurt. "Do you think it could help you get a college scholarship? I mean, you're bright enough to get an academic one." Her cheeks heated pink. He'd never seen her blush before. Mission accomplished. This girl thing isn't that hard. Just say nice things, he observed.

"I'm not as smart as you, Jake, but yeah, I think so."

"Thank you, but I know you're quite intelligent too."

"Can we stop the mutual admiration society and just play?!" Dan whined.

"Sure, my bad." Jake snorted at Dan's impatience. "Okay, let's get started. So, who can tell me where we left off last week?"

"I had rejoined the party and we were in a small room and heard some crashing noises beyond a great oak door," Jess reported as if she had a photographic memory.

"Yeah, we were going to go knock some heads," Elvin recalled.

"A distinctly less descriptive analysis, but that does appear to be right, Elvin," Jake chided.

"When Craiglochart pushes the door open," the stupid name Craig had named his character never ceased to cause him to snicker when Jake spoke it, but he ignored the chortling and continued. "A great creak gives way to an active fight scene in a large, high-ceilinged room about 30 yards wide, glowing red from multiple torches."

"That probably means no orcs," Dan cut in.

Jake continued unabated, "...with the unmistakable pungent aroma of phosphorus hanging in the air. Near the middle of the room, a battle is taking place between two individuals. Standing near nine feet high, a particularly large and hairy putrid gray creature with long claws is..."

"A troll!" yelled Dan.

"Very good, Dan. You win a prize. Quit interrupting and let him finish." Craig scolded.

"Oh, sorry," Dan apologized.

Jake smiled and continued, "In front of him is a voluptuous young woman clad in tall black boots that rise up past her knees, a cape, a staff, a white cut-off tank top exposing washboard abs, and what appears to be a navy-blue chastity belt."

"Doesn't sound like appropriate attire for monster fighting," Jess scoffed, eyeing Jake skeptically.

Jake continued, undaunted. "She has full pouty lips, round firm tits, a wide caboose, an hourglass shape, and long, firm, fit legs like a model. Her face radiates bright, feminine features with steel-gray eyes that have a hint of blue like the ocean and a long blonde braid." Jake grinned, looking at Jess. Her twinkling icy-blue eyes weren't far from that color. Have I? No!

"Hubba, hubba," yelled Craig, interrupting Jake from his transitory introspection. Craig's lewd observation was soon followed by a chorus of catcalls from Dan and Elvin.

Jess rolled her eyes in chagrin.

"Let's save her and jump her bones after," Craig cackled.

Jake cocked his head and glared at him, shaming him into silence before continuing. "Shooting from her fingertips is something like a glowing, green arrow which streaked into the larger creature right as you opened the door. She appears wounded and perhaps losing the bout but seems defiant and intense."

"What a fucking hottie. Let's go save her. All the NPCs we meet should look like her, Jake," Elvin said approvingly, before turning to Jess and, as if for the first time, realizing she was female, apologized. "Sorry, Jess. You understand, right?" Like one of the boys, she nodded appropriately and then turned it back on them.

"Yeah, I understand. It's the typical patriarchal model of femininity. A woman's sexual attractiveness is measured by being curvy, weak, and in need of protection from the men in her life." The room grew quiet. Jake wasn't sure whether the hush was due to the words she used that seemed to have fallen from a professor's lips or if the group had suddenly realized she was a young woman. Perhaps they are worried she is truly pissed.

"Yeah, that sounds right." Craig snickered, allaying the notion that they cared about her feelings. "Women are generally weak, but curvy is pretty hot, especially if they have big hooters." Craig was intentionally getting Jess' goat, but as the 'sportiest' of the group, he could probably make the case best for the 'honor of the men.'

Suddenly, for perhaps the first time, Jess's gender was very apparent, and she was on the defensive.

"Weak, huh?" Her eyebrow arched up with the question.