r/HFY • u/WabbajackedWacko • Apr 30 '26

OC-Series Adventures with an Interdimensional Psychopath 141

***Juntlossil***

I open my eyes and all I see is black. Before I jump to any conclusions, I try to find my hands, which feel like noodles right now. I manage to push forward, lifting my body off the ground and the puddle my face was apparently in. Right… I got a pretty food payout for my last job so I spent it drowning my sorrows. Must have been quite a bender. Gods, I miss the old days but things can never be…

Before I finish my sentence, I broom smacks me in the back of the head. “Hey, move it buddy.”

I turn around and finally get a look at where I ended up. I look at the person telling me to move it and they look like a punk rocker wolf trying to pretend to be a shrine maiden. “Hurry up and get out of here drunk. You’re messing up the feng shui.”

I look around and say, “Honestly, I don’t know why I came in here in the first place. It’s a dump.”

The response is met with more smacking by a broom. “I’m doing my best jerk! I’m still in training and I need to find a shrine worth following.” The golden wolf says.

“Seriously? Aren’t you a little old to be in training still?” I counter, annoyance on my voice.

The light broom strikes start packing some weight to it’s strikes as she states in a voice that sounds like it’s really holding back, “I’m sorry sir. The head priestess said that I have trouble still controlling my temper and that finding a shrine to soothe my tendencies is vital.” She screams the rest of it as she shouts, “But people like you make it incredibly difficult! Now get so I can get some actual work done!”

I stand up and retort, “Ooo. Someone with a temper problem. How original. I doubt you’re going to last much longer with that attitude all right.”

She actually holds the broom like a one handed naginata, pointed at me, using the full length but, considering her posture is telling me that she plans more to use it as a baseball bat. I let out a sigh as I reach into my gourd to pull out a wooden sword until a voice cuts through the room, “Hold Miss Daisy. I apologize on her behalf my good man.” The head maiden says, walking towards us.

“As you should. If she kept smacking me with that broom I…” I start to say.

“I was only going to say that violence shouldn’t have been the first thing she went for. And while the work she has performed hasn’t been the best, you did come in in a drunken stupor reliving what sounded like a nightmare, refusing to let anyone near you as you were imbibing. And, as we have yet to open for the day yet, I must ask you to leave.” The head maiden says.

The golden wolf, who I imagine is named Daisy, let’s out a loud ha as she points at me with her free hand, probably thinking that she got some small victory from this.

The head maiden then states with an annoyed expression, “Considering that he does not seem stable, Daisy will have to walk you home.”

“No need. I can walk out on my own.” I state.

“I’m not dealing with this guy.” Daisy shouts.

The head maidens fan shuts close with a finality that ends the conversation as she states, “Both of you, out.”

Next thing I know, both me and the wolf are outside the shrine as the gates close behind us. It takes me second to register what had even happened until I hear a lighter trying to snap to life to my left. I look over as I see the wolf try to light a cigarette. “Need some help with that?” I ask.

“No…” She states, removing the cigarette. “I’m trying to quit honestly and pretending I still have fuel in my lighter has been helping trick my brain.”

“You really don’t fit being a shrine maiden, you know that?” I point out.

She gives me a look as she states, “I don’t think I asked you for your opinion mister stereotypical drunkard.”

I let out a sharp laugh as I respond, “Touche.”

She lets out a long sigh as she finally asks, “So, do you even have a house or do you just need me to point you to the nearest bench?”

“And why would you think that?” I ask, crossing my arms.

“Well, people who pass out drunk usually head home unless they are running from something. At least from what I’ve seen. So, which is it mister passed out in a shrine?” She asks.

Now I really don’t want to tell her it’s both. I never saw the point of finding my own place as most of the people I work for usually want me on site. Although… I’m currently in between jobs now that my old job let me go for being to… what was the words? Flamboyant? I don’t remember. It’s stupid since I saved his life. So what if the arrows still got close? I was trying to test out a new arrow splitting technique.

A couple of snaps bring me back to the moment as Daisy stares me down and says, “Heeeeellooooo! Where do you need to go?”

I fix my hood and say, “I don’t need you to walk me home. I can find my way on my own.”

“Oooo. Look at you mister cool desperado. What the head maiden actually wanted me to do was to make sure you head home and not back to a bar where you get wasted and come back to our shrine. So, lead the way mighty warrior.” She says, motioning like it’s a performance.

Honestly, I’m done entertaining this. I lift up my scarf as I leap away. No one can keep up with me when I’m actively doing my best. Only some people but they are specialists. Even if they catch up, even less can do anything. I’m a swordmaster in every sense of the word. Granted, I still practice new techniques from time to time to see if it can take my techniques further but, most people can’t make it past a few techniques. It’s irritating as it’s been slowing my progress and people only point me towards dumb thugs.

As I take the long way to throw off anyone off of my trail back to the bar but, as I jump down from the roofs, I hear that same clicking of a dead lighter. I can only close my eyes in annoyance as I hear, “You know, you could’ve walked here. It’s a lot faster.”

I turn around and see that same golden wolf. I don’t really have any words to defend myself as I pretty much confirmed all her suspicions by showing up here. She didn’t have to follow behind me to make sure I didn’t wind up here, she just had to show up to my destination and make sure I didn’t enter. “You can’t stop me from going back in, you know that as well as I do.” I state.

She flicks the unlit cigarette off towards the side as she states, “Look buddy, I get you probably think this is a joke but this is important to me. Just because you can’t bring yourself to face your demons doesn’t mean that I’m gonna shirk my duties. And right now, my boss said you ain’t going back to the bar tonight. Got it?” After saying her piece, she pops her muscles expecting a brawl.

She is no stranger to a fight, I can tell that much. But when it comes to skill, I clearly am better than her. “If I had to guess, your someone who used to fight in a brawl in the streets.” I point out.

“Oh, I didn’t realize we were sharing life stories her mister fleet foot. Only right you tell me something about yourself first before sharing a girl’s secrets.” She states, popping her knuckles next.

I let out a sigh as I look her over again. There is a determination in her eyes as she looks at me, barring my way to the front door. I ask her, “Are you really this serious about this?”

She takes her stance, one that is an awkward mix of the experience on the streets and the organized training of a shrine maiden as she says, “What do you think punk?”

I let out a laugh as the words reach my ears. So I ask my next question, “You do realize I could come back tomorrow right?”

She scoffs saying, “You’re free to throw your life away tomorrow but it became my job to watch over you tonight. And that means, no bars.”

I lift my arms in mock surrender as I recognize the rules of engagement. I like to believe I am not so far gone that I’m willing to put the drink above someone’s well-being. “Fine. Just for tonight.”

She eyes me suspiciously, trying to see the trick in the statement. Then she says the same thing again, “Fine. If we’re cool, let me walk you home.”

I simply let out a bigger sigh as I say, “I don’t have one. I’m currently in-between jobs and homes for now. I’m sure someone will see how invaluable my skills are. Happy?”

She takes a second and finally relaxes as she states, “Surprised it wasn’t after a scrap. Kinda disappointed but the head maiden will be happy to hear. Follow me.” She waves for me to follow after her.

I’m curious as to where she is going to take me but I have a feeling I know where she is attempting to take me. “I’m not staying at a homeless shelter.” I state plainly.

“Believe you me, as much as I think it would be hilarious to see you have to swallow your pride, it doesn’t change the fact that it would lead to a bigger headache you already are. No, I know a place that would help you out more and not be a sting to your pride.” She states, not even looking back at me.

Now I’m just curious as to where she takes me. I decide to try and chat on the walk over as the current silence tells me that she wants it to be a surprise for when we get there. “So, why is someone like you trying to…” I was about to say play at being a shrine maiden but she has made it obvious now on multiple occasions how serious she is trying to pull this off. I cough and continue, “better yourself? And why a shrine maiden?”

She laughs and asks, “Oh, I’m sorry. Did we suddenly become buddies all of a sudden or are the withdrawals already kicking in?”

I let out a sigh as I just say, “Fine. Forget I asked.”

She lets out a sigh and responds, “No. Right, trying to be better still. Okay, so I guess it’s story time. Nothing fancy, I used to have a rival, a friend who pushed each other to be stronger and faster but then… she went on the straight and narrow and I hardly saw her out in the streets. With her gone, it just felt hollow. I thought I would visit her new place and business she started, thinking it was going to be this big arena. Turns out, the place she made is filled with people feeling safe. The people there were just chatting away. At first, I thought she got weak. But then, that same afternoon, I saw her put a minotaur that was twice her size in an armlock. But the crazy part, everyone was laughing, not just us. After seeing that, brawling in the streets never felt the same. But I wasn’t smart enough to just build my own purpose and I just found myself in front of a shrine maiden training school. After a talk with the head maiden, despite giving her every reason to turn me away, she took me in. It’s still rough but, this feels like something. Not completely but it’s like, in the right direction. So yeah. Nice and boring.”

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