Micky picked over the remains of his breakfast, scooping up the remains of the eggs with the crust of bread. The conversation with Opal had given him a great deal to think about.
Noticing the silence Ma Duke pulled out Opals vacated stool and sat down, pouring herself another mug of tea from the kettle on the table. “Copper for you thoughts boy?” She asked.
“I’m thinking about what Opal said” he replied, “delving seems like amazing money and the training would help me so much, but I know exactly nothing about fighting.
“Why not get some training before you have to decide? Said Ma Duke, adding more sugar to her tea. “I don’t know any combat Bards, but there are a load of musicians in the city who might teach you a few Skills for the right price. Maybe Tanya could help you find one of those?”
“That’s brilliant, I could maybe try to figure out what skills are available to me and then maybe use those to help find a job” enthusiasm crept into Micky’s voice.
“I’ve lived here a long time and I’ve seen more than a few new arrivals come through these doors boy” said Ma Duke, eyes twinkling. “Now you head on and grab your Vaixell while I clean up. Tanya will be here anytime time”.
Heading back to the room Micky looked around at the place he was beginning to feel at home in. Resisting the urge to keep reading he placed the Induction Pack on the shelf between the potted plants and grabbed the Vaixell. He made a brief attempt to straighten the comforter, then headed back towards the kitchen.
As he walked down the stairs he heard Ma Duke speaking in hushed tones, “he seems like a good boy, you take care of him properly Tanya del Aran, you hear me?”
Not wanting to eavesdrop more than he already had he continued walking downwards, as he crossed into the kitchen just in time to hear Tanya’s muttered “Yes Ma.”
Looking up at Micky as he walked in Tanya seemed to straighten, rolling her shoulders back and squaring her jaw like she was preparing to fight.
“Singer boy, good of you to finally join us. Are you ready to head out then?” She said, a slightly false confidence in her voice.
“Ready when you are Tanya” Micky said with genuine warmth. “There’s a ton I want to do today, that Induction Pack was actually really helpful”.
“Oh you actually read some of it?” Tanya sounded surprised, “Most new arrivals use that thing as a doorstop or to prop up a desk.”
“It answered so many questions I wouldn’t have even thought to ask. The laws here are actually pretty similar, although there was a weird emphasis on the relationship and marriage laws” Micky kind of trailed off towards the end of the sentence.
Tanya looked slightly embarrassed before explaining “uh, those are a more recent addition to the handbook. It turned out some arrivals from more socially restrictive ‘verses were causing problems for couples here. You got the gist of them right? Any issues?”
“The basic idea seemed to be that you guys don’t care what goes on as long as it’s between two consenting people of age right?” Mickey asked.
“Yeah, that’s pretty much it” Tanya answered, “you’re not one of those weirdos who gets all uptight about same sex or interspecies relationships are you?”
“I mean, in my ‘verse humans were the only sentient species, so I’ve never given it much thought”, there was a slight pause before he continued with a hitch in his voice “but, uh, I’m not opposed to it I guess."
There was an abrupt cackle from Ma Duke on the other side of the kitchen before the older woman burst out “I bet you're not boyo. We’ll have none of that funny business under my roof”.
Trying desperately to pull the conversation away from whatever Ma Duke was thinking Micky turned to Tanya, “okay so there are a couple of things I would like to add to our list today”.
“Whats on your mind?” Tanya asked grinning widely, obviously sharing some of ma Dukes amusement.
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“First things first I need some clothes, I’ve been wearing these for two days in a row now and they’re getting kinda ripe. Ma Duke mentioned there was a haberdashery close by?”
Leaning in to sniff him before theatrically reeling away Tanya nodded in agreement, “that’s definitely a good idea. What else?
“the second thing is learning about skills. The IP mentioned something called a skill trainer?” Micky asked.
“You did go a lot of reading last night, way to go singer boy” Tanya enthused, “ok so a skill trainer is someone who understands a skill well enough to pass it on to others. There are two kinds of skill trainers, general and class specific. I can take you to a couple of general trainers today, but the class specific ones will have to wait until you finish unlocking Bard. Does that sound okay to you?”
“That sounds brilliant Tanya. Thank you for your help. Should I grab the Vaixell before we head out?” Mickey asked her.
“Nah, it will be safe enough here, we can come back for it before you do any more performances. Ma Duke won’t let anyone into your room”
“Don't forget you promised Opal you’d let me know where you’re performing tonight” Ma Duke reminded Micky.
Turning to Ma Duke Tanya’s grin seemed to grow even wider “you mean that pretty redhead dragebarn?” Before Micky could respond she continued, “You didn’t tell me you had a date already!”
“It’s not a date, I mean, she just wanted to hear a song, I didn’t have the Vaixell so I invited her to come tonight, to the performance I mean” Micky stammered slightly, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment.
“I’m just messing with you singer boy, come one lets get this show on the road. I promise I’ll bring him back with the details for Opal later Ma” Tanya said before embracing the woman in a brief hug. Following her out the door with shoulders slumped Micky looked like he wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole.
A ten minute walk into the business district later and 75 silver poorer Micky was the proud owner of four new sets of clothing. The outfits were simple things grey and tan tunics which hung down to just below his waist, matched with blue or brown trousers fitted snugly at the waist and flared at the calf like bootcut jeans. Each outfit came with two pairs of socks and cotton-like boxers.
“You scrub up all right Micky, feeling better about your smell now”? Tanya laughed while deliberately tilting her head back from him.
“It’s an amazing start, although I’m looking forward to a shower back at Ma Dukes” Micky replied looking down at the tunic. “It’s not something I would have worn before I came here, but it’s pretty comfy.”
“It’s definitely goof enough for walking around in, but save some enthusiasm for the tailors. We can go on the way back to your place. We can get something made to measure for you, perhaps a costume for performing in?”
Micky spent the next five minutes thinking back through some of the questionable rock and metal fashion choices he had lived through. A shudder of dread spreading across his shoulders as he remembered a brief dalliance with the dreaded emo side fringe.
After walking in silence for several minutes Tanya interrupted Micky’s reverie, “okay, so next up is skill trainers. How much of the section on skills do you remember from the IP?”
“There are two ways to get a skill right? Either have a skill trainer walk you through the basics of something, or demonstrate a capability with a skill and have it recognized by the system” Micky began explaining what he had read. “I don’t really understand the second method though, if I already have the skill why didn’t the system recognize it when I first arrived in Outremer?”
“Thats another one of the mysteries of the system. Every single person who transmigrates to Outremer arrives with exactly seven skills based upon their life before they arrived here. There are records of an infant who arrived with skills in things like crawling and finger painting. As she talked of skills and classes much of the mischief left her tone and her expressions calmed. Micky found himself listening intently.
“Wait seriously? Finger painting as a skill?” Mickey looked down at his own fingers and waved them experimentally in the air.
“You’re laughing now but that child went on to become a beloved artist. I think there might even be prints of some of his work in the TRC office” Tanya said primly.
“I have no idea if you’re winding me up or not Tanya” Micky complained.
“and you never will singer boy” she grinned, the playfulness returning to her face.
“Tradesman’s Hall is just up here” Tanya pointed to a large plaza across the road, “let’s find you some skill trainers.”