Ready Player None

Chapter 3.2 - Kate "We Built This City"

So much to do!

The beastie cows were certainly willing, but not really equipped for heavy construction. I assigned most of them to gather sticks and rocks, so that I could start working on the southern wall of the castle. Since I was the first one here, I had chosen a primo spot on a cliff overlooking a small stream, which limited the amount of defensive battleworks I would have to build. If someone had given these beasts hands instead of hooves, I might have already been done.

As it was, they would bring in materials, and I would do the building. There actually was some fighting between the raptor cows about who would get the next assignment; their programming clearly needed some sort of internal conflict, and my new command structure had just redirected it towards serving me. It's good to be the Queen.

The terraforming rules on Luconica were pretty lenient. If they brought a rock, I could shave off the sides and expand it in two dimensions, making a wall segment. If they brought a branch, it could be enlarged and halved to make split logs for walls or bridges. I couldn't change the innate material; a rock was always a rock, but I could make it any shape or size as needed. If I were lucky, maybe my little beasts would bring something with clear crystals in it, so I could make some windows. Unfortunately, they didn't seem to have a word for 'quartz'.

Rayray sent me a heads-up that she was on her way. "So, what is this Luconica? I've never heard of the place before," she said.

"It's a really old zone, filled out with the cutest NPCs you've ever seen. Not much in the way of adventure, but so pretty. Get here quick, and you can put your castle next to mine."

Rache, being Rache, replied, "Yeah, you go ahead and finish yours, so I can make mine taller."

The familiar willowy form of Niki waved from the grasslands out in front of my castle-in-progress, and the beasties quickly dropped their work to line up in a defensive posture.

"No, guys, it's fine, let her through. She's a friend. Check with me before trying to kill anyone, ok?" I shouted.

Niki seemed in danger of temporarily forgetting her usual dispassionate demeanor to coo over the cute little beasts, but caught herself. "Nice world you found, Kate. Interesting little cows. Makes me want a hamburger."

The beasts growled as one at her for that comment, then looked at me ashamedly for having disobeyed my orders. I decided a little self-preservation instinct wasn't a bad thing. "Correction. If they talk about eating you, you can growl at them."

Niki held up her hands in playful self-defense. "Sorry, sorry, just joking. How about I go start working on my forest fortress in those woods over there? Do any of you fine, wonderful, scary beasts want to help me?"

A few of the rougher-looking raptor-cows stepped forward, and followed behind her as she left. Her tone seemed to appeal to the warrior types among my.. I mean, this world's beasts. Just because I chose the place, and found this herd, and taught them how follow orders and not die while attacking people, and brought everyone here to play instead of keeping it to myself.. that didn't necessarily mean they all belonged to me. Right?

I was just about to tell the remaining beasts to go pick up what they had dropped, and get back to work, when Rache appeared in the zone, along with another girl I hadn't met before.

"Kate! This is incredible!" Rache shouted up towards me. She only called me Kaykay when we were alone. It was our thing. "How have we not been here before?"

Once they were a little closer, I tried to make the new girl feel welcome.

"Hi there!" I said, toning down my cheerfulness so I could sound a bit more normal than usual. It might scare her off if she met the real me so quickly.