Senior Year Memories Ch. 43

Sighing pleasantly as she lazily looked to me with her beautiful blue eyes, she said, "I really hate these shoes."

"Sorry. You didn't have to wear them, under that dress, you could've gotten away with sneakers," I replied.

Mallory grinned at me, amused, "Yes, but I am a perfectionist, and even at something like this, I'm not going to do anything half-hearted. I do have a reputation to keep up, after all... and besides, these people know me. I've LARPed with them a few times in the past, and they keep begging for me to come back, so, expectations. You know how it is."

I knew to a point, but not to the point that Mallory did. She had a pretty insane online following already as a professional cosplayer, and once she was out of school, with her eye for detail and natural grace and beauty, it seemed like the sky was the limit for her. She was a girl who seemed like she was out of pretty much everyone's league around school, and yet she remained one of the single kindest and humblest people I knew. I felt lucky for the moments that I got to be around her, and felt all the more baffled sometimes that she almost always seemed to feel the same about me.

"Thank you, again, for letting me borrow this costume and coming out with me today. I know it was last minute, so I truly appreciate it," I said, smiling at her gratefully as we walked side by side into the park.

Mallory grinned back at me, and I got the impression that if it weren't for all her makeup, she'd be blushing at me. "Thank *you* for fingering me earlier. I'd have offered my company and costumes without it, but, that was truly nice all the same."

I returned the grin, thinking fondly of that moment after I'd gotten to her place where I might have been a little overly insistent on thanking her, and gave her some time with my fingers. For a girl who normally looked so mild-mannered and refined, it was truly something else to see her get lost in the moment at the end of another uncontrollable orgasm. I could still hear her cries ringing in my ears, still feel the way her pussy muscles clenched around my fingers. I shuddered, and then tried to fight away my growing erection, as I knew it had to be pretty fucking obvious in these pants.

Trying to regain some of my composure, I decided to change topics to the task at hand. "So, can you give me any advice on what to expect here? Because it's not exactly like I've got a D20 to defend myself with here."

Mallory laughed, a light, pleasant sound. "Nothing so formal here, particularly for guests like us. Expect a lot of attempts at high fantasy dialogue by people who don't know that much in the way of high fantasy, a few people who enjoy being a big fish in a small pond, and a whole lot of foam weapons that people will look for any excuse to use. How good in a fight are you?"

"Does sex with Amy Temple count?" I asked.

She chuckled. "No."

"Then..." I replied, waggling my hand side to side in a noncommittal gesture.

Mallory nodded, understanding. "They're only foam weapons, so they won't hurt very much, but if you're uncertain, I'd recommend a lot of ducking. They tend to hang out around the picnic tables at the far end of the park, so, ample ducking opportunities should present themselves. In fact, you can see them now..."

As we walked over a slight rise in the park, I caught sight of maybe seven or eight people, most of them looking vaguely familiar from around school, or looking like they might have been college students at the oldest, all of them wearing their best and most colorful fantasy attire. I felt less silly for being dressed the way I was by the moment as we approached them, knowing soon that I'd be surrounded by like-minded nerds who were every bit as geeky (possibly more) as I was.

I kept a few steps behind Mallory as she led the way to the picnic tables. There were a number of conversations about the tables as we arrived, but once eyes turned to Mallory, they grew considerably more hushed. A large, round-faced and semi-bearded boy named Tommy Jarvis stood by the end of one of the tables, idly wiping down the surface of a cooler with a rag as a number of ornate, and very clearly plastic, goblets sat next to it. Seeing Mallory approaching, his eyes widened, a great grin breaking out across his face.

"Ah, the sorceress Milandra graces the Red Dragon Inn with her presence once more! It has been ages since we have seen you last, my fair lady, I hope you bring good tidings in addition to your humbly-dressed company?" Tommy enthused, his voice bombastic and grand as he chuckled playfully to himself.

I looked down at my costume again. Mallory had given me the option of some more ostentatious outfits, but no, I thought I'd go for simple and understated. Great, now I was feeling underdressed.

With a pleasant smile, Mallory replied, "Ah, my favorite and most gracious barkeep, today I merely escort my companion, as he is on a mission of great import. It is secret in nature, but he assures me that it is vital for him to complete. Perhaps some drinks first? We are but weary travelers, and need our strength for the trials ahead. Is that not true, Rienne?"

She looked to me for confirmation, and I found myself thoroughly unable to make these words happen with my own lips. "Yeah."

"Ah, he is short of words!" Tommy chortled. "But if it is because he is weighed down by the stakes of his mission most secret, perhaps a drink, or three, is in order!"

Tommy slid a couple goblets toward us, then opened the top of the cooler, pulling out two-liter bottles of store brand cola and lemon-lime sodas.

"Would you prefer an elven ale?" he said, pointing to the lemon-lime drink, before then pointing to the cola. "Or would a hearty, dwarven stout bring some warmth to your heart?"

Admittedly, I was having some trouble at this point taking what was happening seriously, but I knew that that was my problem. These people were having fun, and even if I didn't exactly get what was going on or even really know what I was doing, that didn't mean I should laugh or do anything else that might affect their fun. I grabbed one of the goblets, considering it for a moment, before sliding it back to him.

"The dwarf one, thank you, uh... kind sir..." I said.

Tommy chortled again, pouring a cola for me and a lemon-lime for Mallory. "It is no bother at all!"

Mallory and I took our goblets and sipped from them, at which point Tommy leaned closer to us with a confidential look, whispering. "Now, pray tell, what business brings the two of you to my humble tavern?"

I couldn't exactly talk the talk, so I left this for Mallory to explain. "My companion has matters of a nature most confidential to discuss with a foul rogue who stalks these lands. Tell us, barkeep, have you seen the rogue Elyasa recently?"

Tommy scowled. "She and her merry band of troublemakers have been spotted nearby recently, no doubt waiting for their moment to storm in and cause a melee."

"Can you tell us where?" I asked.

He considered me. "Perhaps, if you could coax the lady Milandra into sharing her wisdoms and tales of adventure, and perhaps posing for some selfies with us, I *could* be convinced to share what knowledge of the band of rogues' whereabouts I possess."

I looked to Mallory for help and got a pleasant, if slightly exasperated smile from her. I knew she likely hadn't started today with the expectation of spending a lot of time posing for photos with fans, and that it might take more than a little fingering to adequately make up to her any additional inconvenience this moment created. Even then, I was prepared to beg and plead as appropriate to get what I needed, at least until the cry came out from the trees near the edge of the picnic tables.

"BATTLE!" a woman cried out from the trees, joined by a number of cheers and other war cries.

Tommy rolled his eyes, grumbling to himself. "Or, you know, she can just attack and deny us selfies, yeah, that's *awesome* too."

The people who'd been sitting around the "tavern" talking in hushed tones stood up, grabbing a number of foam axes and swords from the table and readying for battle. Quicker than them, however, were the half a dozen people who darted out of the tree line, their weapons already in hand as they cheered and yelled for battle and descended on the tavern's revelers. Quickly, Tommy reached beneath the table, tossing a foam sword to Mallory, who effortlessly caught it, and after briefly considering a double-bladed ax, tossed it to me.

"Come on, 'companion'! To battle!" Tommy declared, grabbing another sword from under the table and turning to face the marauders.

By this point, however, the battle had already begun. The marauders, all of them wearing dark costumes adorned with bits of leather and armor, their faces obscured by masks and their weapons considerably crueler-looking than ours (even if they too were also carved from soft foam), swept into the tavern grounds like a force of nature. The first few revelers to meet them were struck down nearly before they knew what was happening, tapped down with foam weapons and lying down where they fell. Tommy and Mallory seemed prepared for such an eventuality and took firm battle stances, while I probably looked like an absolute fool holding my weapon.

This would have been a good time for me to decide to do something, either run, or hide, or join the battle even, to prove my worth and maybe impress Zahra, wherever she was. So, naturally, I stood in place, watching the carnage as the marauders systematically tapped out nearly everyone at the inn. A few people made a run for it, taking the marauders with them, while some other marauders set down their weapons to fanboy out over Mallory's presence. Although she made the appearance of holding them off with her weapon, she was smiling in her warm and friendly way as she half-heartedly took jabs at them.

Well, this could have been going a lot worse... now just to figure out how *I* was supposed to handle this.

"Life or death, what's your pleasure?"

Or I could always have someone else determine how exactly things were supposed to go for me.

I turned to see the 5'9", 18-year-old girl standing next to me, holding a ludicrously large foam sword at my neck. Dressed in a look I'd call somewhere between "medieval," "porn film ninja" and "pirate chic", the girl was impressively imposing in her knee-high, heeled leather boots, well-worn pants, long-sleeved white tunic and reasonably tight corset. The corset, and the wide neck of her tunic, made her already nice D-cup breasts look all the more impressive, with plenty of cleavage visible on her light brown skin. Her head was mostly covered by a form-fitting, red cloth mask, with only a slit for her eyes to be seen. Still, considering the fact that she wore her prominent glasses over the eye slit, and her already impressive black braid stuck out from underneath the mask, I knew who had cornered me at once.

I'd found Zahra Dashti.

"What... what was that?" I asked.

Playfully, she rocked her sword side to side. "If you drop your ax and choose to live, then we'll have no quarrel, but if you're foolish and try to swing that clumsy weapon toward brigand queen Elyasa (which would be me, by the way, since I know you're new here and may not have all the exposition), then I will have no choice but to grant you the swiftest of deaths. So, I propose once more, life or death, what's your pleasure?"

I gulped, dropping my ax and tilting my hat back so I could better see her.

Zahra nodded. "A wise choice, especially for one so new to this region and unfamiliar with our ways. Perhaps you might make a fine brigand if- oh, shit! You're Ryan, right? Fuck, I didn't recognize you looking like that, or, at all, really!"

She laughed, pulling down the mouth of her mask so I could see her big, friendly and thoroughly goofy smile. Though she was far too cute and friendly-looking to hold up her badass brigand queen look, I had to say, she pulled off both looks well.

"Yeah, I tend to blend in," I admitted, smiling nervously.

"What's that for... oh, right, the sword, duh!" Zahra laughed, lowering her weapon. "I can be a little forgetful sometimes, but don't worry, I wasn't going to kill you, even if the sword were real. Elyasa is more into taking prisoners for trade or her own enjoyable, if cruel, whims. So, you've decided to get into the exciting and thrilling world of LARPing?"

I chuckled, putting my hands in my pockets. "Not exactly."

Her smile brightened even more, a gesture I couldn't help but return. "Ooh, is it a sex thing? It's a sex thing, isn't it? Trying to get with Mallory or one of the other girls? Micah's convinced you're trying to fuck every girl in school and wants to beat you there, but ooooh, today he was sooooo mad! You should've seen him, he thinks Scarlett turning him down was all your fault. So, it's a sex thing, right, that's why you're here?"

While I was certainly a co-conspirator in ensuring that Micah wouldn't hook up with Scarlett today, I didn't have to go into detail on that today. "Actually, I'm here for you."

"For a sex thing?" Zahra asked, eyebrow raised. "Because if you match up to all the rumors, I'm not opposed..."

My face flushed with a bit of surprise and embarrassment, which was something that hadn't happened to this degree in a while. "Actually, I'm here on Puma Press business. I'm supposed to do more in-depth interviews with all the top contenders for the leads in the spring play, and you're up on that list, so... here I am."

She chuckled, smirking. "You know you could've just texted me and we could have found a neutral location at school or something for that? You didn't have to go through all this trouble just to get a word or two in with me, I love talking!"

"I'm getting that," I laughed. "And I could've done that, but that wouldn't have made for as good a story, would it?"

"No, I guess it wouldn't," Zahra nodded. "Well, you want an interview, I can interview whenever you want."

"How's now work?" I asked, slipping my phone out of my pocket to show her.

She nodded again, smiling brightly. "Sure, yeah, that's cool! Just give me a sec..."

Zahra then raised her voice in a declaration, taking on her role of brigand queen Elyasa once more, "I HAVE TAKEN THIS PEASANT PRISONER, AND HE IS MINE TO DO WITH AS I PLEASE! I'M TAKING HIM AWAY TO DO DEEDS MOST WICKED AND NEFARIOUS, AND ANY WHO INTERFERE WILL FACE MY WRATH!!!"

There were acknowledgments among the other marauders who sounded like they knew well to stay out of Zahra's way, before she turned her beaming smile back to me.

"Want to grab some ice cream first? There's a cart on the other side of the park, they've got the best paletas... I'll buy..." she offered.

I grinned. "Well, seeing as how I'm your prisoner, how can I say no?"

Zahra smiled, and I couldn't help but feel that warmth of joy and familiarity fill me again. There was an energy to her, something exciting and full of life that drew me in, and I realized then that I would probably do quite a bit to keep her smiling.

She took my hand in hers and began to drag me away. "Exactly."

***

The cart at the other end of the park was small, but she was good to her word on the paletas, as these were some of the best Mexican popsicles I'd ever tasted. While I nursed a strawberry bar, Zahra seemed to quite enjoy her mango and chili powder paleta, licking it with a distinct glee as we casually strolled on the other side of the park.

"Thanks, Ignacio!" she yelled back, waving to the vendor. "You're the friggin' best! And take care of that back thing with an ice pack and those herbs I told you about, those'll creep up on you!"

Ignacio shook his head, laughing to himself as he waved back to Zahra.

"Seriously, though, he's the best. After a day of battle or drama drama, nothing like some ice-cold fruit and juice to gnaw on," she said, taking a nibble off the end of her bar.

"It *is* good. Thanks," I said, tipping my oversized hat to her.

"My pleasure, though don't be expecting a curtsy or anything. Today's not skirt day," Zahra chuckled, leaning over slightly as she took a particularly messy bite, not wanting any of the bar to drip on her top.

It was as I looked at her in this position that I was tempted to ask that if it was cleavage day instead of skirt day, since she had a genuinely impressive valley of soft brown skin showing, but I caught my tongue rather than say anything that might make me look foolish.

I had intended to come out here in a purely professional capacity, after all.

It seemed like Zahra did catch my gaze in that moment, though, as she soon straightened up with a playful little smirk on her face. "So, you went through all this trouble, dragging Mallory into it and everything, all to get an interview with little old me?"

"Well, yes," I replied easily.

She grinned. "I like that. Going the extra mile. Not like I would've needed the extra mile to grant you an interview or anything, but it's always nice to see the effort being made. Makes a girl feel special, so long as you're not doing it like a stalker or anything. You're not a stalker, are you?"

"No!" I responded, quickly.

Zahra tipped me a wink. "Sure. That's exactly what a stalker would say. Or wouldn't say. But I doubt you're a stalker. You've got too good a rep, and I've heard it from enough reliable people that I know it's gotta be more than just rumors. It *is* more than just rumors, right?"

Again, I couldn't help but nervously dart my eyes to her cleavage, before looking her in the eye again. "Aren't I supposed to be the one interviewing you?"

She laughed. "Fine, fine, I'll save the fun for later. You want to ask some questions, ask some questions."

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my phone and turned on its audio recording function. "I'm recording this interview with Zahra Dashti, contender for the leading role of Audrey in Regan Hills High School's spring production of Little Shop of Horrors. So, Zahra..."

"Yes, Ryan?" she replied, playful.

Amused, I shook my head slightly. "So, drama club and LARPing... it seems you like to play a part."

"Ha!" Zahra exclaimed, smiling broadly. "You think this is something, you should see me at Halloween. I really go all-out then, and fucking hot, too, if you don't mind my saying."

I had a difficult time imagining her getting much hotter than she looked right now, but again, I was able to hold back from saying something stupid. "With what I'm seeing here now, I don't doubt it for a second. I was just wondering if that was something you'd like to elaborate on at all."

"Ask my friends, they'll tell you it doesn't take much to get me elaborating on pretty much anything," she said, still thoroughly amused. "But to stay on topic... yeah, I love to dress up, play parts. There's not a lot to it, really. I'm not hiding from myself, if that's what you're asking. I *like* myself. But, I'm also myself, like, pretty much every day, and that gets boring. Sometimes it just feels great to get lost in being someone else for a time, then go back to normal when you're ready. It's one of the main reasons I LARP and act... that and adventure!"

"Adventure?" I asked.

Zahra thrust her popsicle into the air before realizing it wasn't her sword, and then seemed to think that it still wasn't that big a problem making her point with a half-eaten frozen dessert. "Damn right, adventure!"

She lowered her hand, taking another lick. "I *live* for adventure. Well, responsible, controllable adventure, I'm not going to risk breaking bones just for a thrill like Amy Temple would..."

"Actually, I sort of talked her into taking it easy, for a little while," I said.

Zahra raised an eyebrow. "Really? That wasn't just a rumor? Go you. And Amy. I like her and I want her to stop getting hurt, so, that's pretty cool. But, yeah, I enjoy my adventures. Travel, new experiences, getting up in front of an audience and seeing what I've got... fuck, there's nothing like it."