“You think the others will be fine with me bringing back Sprinkles?” The teenager asked the knight who walked with her through the cavern.

He was taking her to a blacksmith who could upgrade both their weapons at a reasonable price. “You heard the slime expert. Pudding needs to socialize with other slimes and I figured this was the safest way for that to happen.”

Elizabeth nodded but still felt bad deep down. “I feel like I'm putting a lot on you guys with all the responsibilities that come with owning slimes.” The basket carrying said slime felt heavy as she thought everything over.

Jake lifted one of his meaty, gloved hands and ruffled her hair. The brunette felt her silk press turn to frizz as he tried to cheer her up. “Kid, don't you go beating yourself up about this. It's just a game at the end of the day.”

He reminded her of what should have been obvious. But the teenager once again had mixed the reality of the virtual world with the real world. She spent more time on the Frozen Hearts server than with her classmates. Jake and the rest of the guild knew this, and the teen felt embarrassed about it.

Thankfully, her guild members understood why she escaped to the game all the time and didn't beat her up about her habits. They just pushed her to still engage with the outside world and not worry about her in-game mistakes.

“Hey.”

She was thrust out of her wallowing session by the giant stopping in place. The teenager blushed pink and cleared her throat. “Why did we stop?”

Jake spread his arms wide and turned in a circle. “We're here!” He directed her attention to the collection of carts, barrels, and tables surrounding them.

The teenager had unknowingly walked right into a farmer's market. Humanoids were selling exotic, multicolored fruits and vegetables to players who stared in wonder at the products. Animals sat in carriages caged as they waited to be bought and brought out to be slaughtered.

Elizabeth felt her chest filled with a number of fragrances from all the food that was for sale. Her mouth watered as she imagined buying a slab of hot pork or a bowl of steaming, piping ramen that would make anyone devour it.

Elizabeth behaved like a child in a candy store as Jake led her around. Her new pet slime bounced and cooed at the sight of other creatures for sale. The teenager was thankful Sprinkles wasn't aware of the fate awaiting its crystal cavern brethren.

The glittery pile was just happy to be out of the slime caretaker's in the outside world. The brunette rubbed its head with the tip of her fingernail leading to the slime to let out a purr.

This made it hard to resist when it acted and she began to dote on it eagerly. The newborn slime purred and flopped as it was given a full body massage. As the teenager did this, Jake stopped at a table manned by a friendly-looking player.

She was humanoid enough with their small breasts under her tank top and eyeshadow on her scaly face. But besides that, the woman looked like a gigantic snake that had her limbs and pale pink skin.

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The snake was dressed in the typical blacksmith garb, well a sexualized one with her outfit being a tank and shorty shorts. Still, the confidence in her behavior and the way she carried herself told Elizabeth she wasn't a fraud. There was just something about her that made the teenager relax.

The woman smirked with a forked tongue flick as they greeted her. “How are you two doing this fine evening? I just logged on and I'm pumped to sell you a new sword. I have plenty that will fit your styles.”

Jake smiled at her and took out his sword. The snake's slitted eyes instantly widened as she was given the weapon. “It's been banged up by a team battle I had recently. But I'm sure you can beat it back into shape with your skill.”

“Hmm.” The beastly woman handled the sword with care as she looked it over. Her eyes sparkled as she rubbed the side of the blade without a cut.

She set it down on a cloth she had nearby and began to negotiate. “Alright. It'll need to be sharpened up and I'd like to upgrade your handle. That will take me a few days. But if you just want it sharpened I can do that now.”

Elizabeth felt like she was listening to Chicken Scratch as the knight and snake discussed their terms. The serpentine woman was very respectful in how she wagered her skills with the man.

She asked for a payment that matched the months of in-game experience she had. With her head held high, she spoke about how she'd been a blacksmith since day one and had fallen in love with the job's lifestyle.

Apparently it meshed well with her real life self which Jake resected and began to fawn over her for. If the teenager was being honest, she felt like the pair were beginning to flirt.

“What's your name?” Jake asked as he suddenly leaned against the table.

The serpentine woman laughed, her tongue flicking as she spoke with a slight lisp. “My name is Anne-Marie. It's old fashioned so I go by Ann.”

“It sounds sophisticated. Are you from the south?” The knight asked to which the serpent's scales darkened and she laughed wholeheartedly.

“I am. The name and accent must've made it super obvious.” Ann said as she fanned over the giant computer science nerd like a high-schooler.

The newfound southern belle was giddy the entire conversation and the teenager felt like a huge third wheel. The brunette stood there awkwardly as the pair flirted. It was like she had walked into the middle of their date and sat down right when they were discussing moving in together.

She found herself scooching away after a while with Sprinkles cooing at her loudly. A few people looked over at her and she laughed, hoping that they didn't ask if the slime was for sale.

They were selling some and her poor rainbow goo was calling out to them to play. It made her heart hurt to see the baby ask to be with its kind and not understand the fate awaiting them. It was painful.

“WEREBEAR kebabs for sale! Come get your kebabs!”

“Would you like a collar for your slime? It has a built-in tracker!”

The teenager was bombarded by hundreds of cries and hands waving food in her face. There were bowls of delicious steamed meat covered in a bright sauce that made her stomach growl. Her mouth watered when she had some wraps filled with delectable cheese and peppers shoved in her face.

The girl was starving in-game and in real life and she was struggling with it. Smells and images danced in her head making her want to faint from the ongoing overstimulation.

Thankfully, she had Sprinkles to distract her as the slime was bouncing around like a caffeine-crazed toddler. Elizabeth giggled at the sight of the creature moving back and forth with chirps rapidly coming out.

“Hey! Don't go running off like that.” The teenager turned to see Jake running over to her. He stopped while wheezing. “I lost you over there.”

Elizabeth scratched her head, realizing she'd walked a good distance away. “Sorry about that! you were flirting and I didn't wanna eavesdrop on you.”

The knight blanked and then laughed nervously. “God. I was, wasn't I?”

“Is she around your age?” Elizabeth asked, flipping the older man's way of questioning he'd given her the man's way.

Jake just rolled his eyes as they walked out of the crowded market with his sharpened sword. “Yeah, she's thirty and a fun-employed southern gal.”

“Funemployed?” Elizabeth had never heard of something so ridiculous.

“She's bouncing from job to job as a creative. She's looking for her calling and I respect that. When I mentioned I was going backpacking this summer she offered to come with me. She has plenty of free time to camp and hike.” It was clear to the brunette that he was deep into his newfound crush.

He was practically swooning as he spoke about her. The rest of their day at the CRYSTAL CAVERNS was pretty eventful. They met numerous players of all ages and appearances who were eager to speak to them.

Elizabeth had a ton of fun but her body was exhausted. She had to log out and get some rest as she was struggling to focus the longer the game went on. Jake was understanding and she took her headset off with a weight lifted off of her chest.

The teenager looked around her room to see that the sun had set and it was a quarter after midnight. Elizabeth had been playing for hours. She sighed, running at her eyes as she realized her mother must've made dinner by now. They'd have to talk later and she'd make sure to explain herself.