Poor Man Reborn

The Growing Experience

"So, my lovely Lavender will show you to your room Dave," Miss grace tells me as we walk into the house.

The house opens up to a large staircase that led up to the second story. The place reminds me of fantasy nobles written into novels. Miss Grace patted me on the back to follow Lavender, and she turned, walking away with her guards.

"Come on, Dave, let's head up and il show you to a room where you can put your," but Lavender paused there and then changed the course of the conversation. "Then, I'll show you to the bathroom, and while you're getting clean, Tilly, our maid, will get you some clean clothes."

"Thanks," I reply shyly.

Ugh, this might be my previous life's thoughts, but I can't control every emotion yet until my body matures.

Lavender leads me up the stairs and to the right, down a rose-red hallway. It was a hall filled with doors, and I couldn't imagine what was behind each door. Lavender must have noticed my wander gaze, or she just knew what I thought as we walked.

"The doors in this house are different, so if Mom or I don't tell you, don't open a door."

"Why not? Sorry, not trying to be rude, I'm just curious."

"It's fine. Some rooms are just rooms, but most are doors to other places. Like scary and dangerous places."

"Oh? Now we have to go to one of those doors or all of them!" Trina's voice carried through the hall as she flew from door to door.

Each of the rooms had a number, and we stopped at room nine. Engraved into a brass plate was the number "9". Lavender opened the door and walked in ahead of me, using her hand to motion to me to follow. When I walked into the doorway, I froze on my way into the room. A little "wah" noise escaped my mouth before I could clamp my hand over it.

The room was more significant than any of my old apartments, even if you knocked the walls down. An elegant raised four-posted bed sat in the middle of the far white wall. Red drapes hung around the mattress, along with light red pillowcases and comforter.

While the rest of the room was composed of a cozy reading nook, with two chairs, along with a living room area, there was a standing red blind I assumed was for changing. The whole thing blew my mind, and the doors outside in the hall are so close, so this must be some kind of magic. Before I can continue the thought, Lavender grabs my dirty little hand.

"I know this is probably a lot for you to take in, so let's get you to the bathroom, and ill help you get clean. Tilly will have fresh and clean non-burlap clothing for you to put on."

I start to nod as she turns to leave and then freeze. Lavender's forward motion stops when she tries to pull me forward. She turns back to look at me, and my face I'm sure could challenge a tomato on the color red.

"What's wrong? Are you ok? I'm your big sister now, and I'm just gonna help clean you back and get the dirt out of your hair."

Lavender said it so casually that I almost relaxed but then tried to argue with her.

"No, you don't need to help me. I'm fine, and I can clean myself, just show me where," but I was cut off before I could continue by Lavender dragging me out of the room.

There was no stopping her. Lavender had a hidden strength that I had not seen coming behind her pretty looks. No matter how I resisted, it was useless. Lavender pulled me four doors down the half as I flailed, trying to get my feet under me to fight back.

She kicked the door open and tossed me inside. Lavender followed me in, picked me up by the sack, and threw me into a soapy prepared bath. Bag, string, and I flew into the water, and I came up choking out water. There was over a foot of bubbles, and it covered me up.

"Take the sac off," growled Lavender through the wall of bubbles I had sunk behind.

I took the sack off with the string and threw it out of the bathtub. As soon as the burlap sack left my hand, Lavender's bubble covered face, and a scrub brush burst into my bubble sanctuary. After a furious fifteen minutes of nearly scrubbing the skin off my body, Tilly dropped some clothes off, and Lavender finally left me to soak.

Finally, alone, Trina popped up from the bubbles.

"Trina thinks you should look at the message you have! Now that the crazy purple-haired girl is gone, Trina thought she was gonna have to step in," the little fairy made some mock pulling actions.

"Could you have done anything to her? I mean, no one can see you right, so then that means only I can see and hear you?"

"Ya, but Trina could have looked like she was helping."

I shake my head and sink into the bath. Even in my past life, I didn't have a chance to bathe often. I sink up to my eyeballs in the water. Most of the bubbles have gone now since all the dirt came off me, and I concentrate on opening the alert star icon.

The pulsating blue screen pops up reading:

WORLD QUEST EVENT COMPLETION

You have completed your first WORLD QUEST EVENT. For helping DUTCHESS GRACE HUNTINGTON with rescuing and returning her bag, you will receive 500 EXP. You will also receive 1 NAME CHANGE COUPON from the quest holder and a residence update.

When I confirm the completion alert, I hear a chime go off in my head five times and see a new icon flashing. This one is a shadowed profile from the shoulders up.

This icon must be my stat sheet, and I open it up. When the screen for my AVATAR opened, two more screens open over the top, covering my character sheet. The first was for my new class choice for reaching level five.

CHOOSE LEVEL 5 CLASS

When you attain level 5, you get to choose from 6 classes, and every five levels, you will select a new path to progress. Stat will be auto distributed depending on the class selected. The choices are as follows:

DEFENDER

You are the tank and a leader on the field. Your battle cries will draw the enemies from your allies. Gain TAUNT Skill.

DUELIST

Quick and nimble, as you slide between your foes to strike at vital points. Using your parrying skills to counter the enemies strikes. Gain RIPOSTE Skill.

MAGE

Controller of the elements, invoke magic to cause ranged destruction. Control of fire is the first step to Magus. Gain FIREBOLT and FLAMESHIELD Magic Spells.

MARKSMEN

The ranger rouge fires from cover while targeting foes from a distance. Traps and gadgets allow the marksman to keep his distance. Gain DECOY TRAP Skill.

CONJURER

Summon the help of an ethereal being to fight by your side. Share some of the strengths and abilities as you fight together. Gain SUMMON EARTH SPRITE Magic Spell.

RANDOM

Receive Random Skills or Magic rewards and bonus Passives when you progress every five levels. You can gain skills from all classes. Gain RANDOM SKILL OR MAGIC and RANDOM PASSIVE SKILL.

Well, this was a big choice for me. The first choice I make in this world will lead me down a particular path. Each class had its ups and downs, but the last one drew my eye.

My blessing of Destiny was no joke. The idea of having access to everything with this blessing, how random could random be? I bring my head above the water and ask Trina about it.

"Trina thinks you're right! Destiny is on your side so picking random is like letting Destiny guide you!"

I agreed with her and made the selection. After I confirmed the choice, a new window popped up.

CONGRATULATIONS ON CLASS CHANGE

You have received a new CLASS and SKILLS. Please check your AVATAR for details. 

Nice! I wonder what it will be as I close the window to see the last one before my stat sheet. It just a window congratulating me on reaching level six. I confirm the window, and as it closes, I burst with light!

I slide into the water, being so small in such a large bathtub. As I kick and struggle, trying to get my head back about the water, I feel my body change. The light fades, and I'm able to get my head above water.

Wiping the water on my face away, I can still see my stat window open, but my eyes draw to my hand and the arm attached to it. My hand isn't huge, but it and my arm are bigger. I slowly stand up and realize I'm taller now, with longer legs and well ya. Suddenly, as I examine my new grown body, the door bangs open!

"Are you alright!" Came the concerned voice of Lavender as she burst into the room.

Our eye's connected, and for a moment, we both froze. Lavender's eyes first were confused. Then they had a look of realization. Then both our faces filled with a red blush as she turned and ran from the bathroom, slamming the door. I dropped into the warm water to cool my burning red face.

The door cracked open, and Lavender spoke from the other side.

"W-W-What happened to you? Why are you so big now?" Lavender's voice shook as she spoke through the crack.

"She knows why. I mean, she should know why. Age is determined by your level and using a specific skill. This skill allows you to stop aging as you level, but you get a two-year clock to complete the round. Failing to complete within the time gets you knocked out. Insta-KO," Trina explained.

"A-Are you listening?" Lavender's nervous voice came through the crack again.

"Yes, sorry," I had to clear my throat, my voice had become a little deeper, and my voice had cracked. "I gained five levels, so I'm twelve now."

The door slammed, and the pattering of footsteps got quieter as Lavender ran away for some unknown reason. I had no real experience with girls in my past life besides the setup, and I don't feel like Cindy counted as an actual experience. I had no idea about why she ran, but I could still see the open window, and I was excited to see my class.

LEVEL: 6

HP: 35/35

MANA: 25/25

NAME: Dave Huntington

AGE: 12

CLASS: Hero

STATUS: Very Hungry

WEALTH: Non-existent

HOME: Huntington Manor

STRENGTH: 8

CONSTITUTION: 6 (+30)

COMBAT: 7

SPEED: 9

INTELLIGENCE: 6

MANA: 4 (+20)

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ABILITIES

PASSIVE SKILLS

PEIRCE EVIL: People with evil intentions have black auras and are vulnerable to the HERO's LIGHT BLADE Skill.

ACTIVATED SKILLS

LIGHT BLADE: Activate to summon a blade of light. This Spell consumes 5 mana per/minute.

Hero? What kind of class is that? I mean, I am not complaining; by the looks of my skills, I'm built to fight evil. I get out of the tub and dry myself off, thinking excitedly about my AVATAR and the cool new skills. Once dry, I put the clothes on, and I'm pleasantly surprised to find black jeans and a white t-shirt that somehow fit me.

"I didn't even hear the maid come back in," I say to myself once I get the clothes on.

"She didn't. These are magical clothes that will grow with you. They should be fire-resistant as well, I think," Trina informed me as she spun around me through the air.

"I have to say this is all turning out pretty good," I say as I open the door to leave the bathroom, but I stop.

Lavender is standing outside the door. She has her hands balled into fists at each side of her, and I look at her face and make eye contact. Lavender's face is still very red, but this time, she looks angry!