Vinny

Location: Old Dale's Pub, 86 Sylvan Avenue, Kenton, Floor One

Date: July 16th, 304 PS (Post System)

Time: 9:32 PM

"Hey, Vinny!"  Connor waved at me with an excited grin on his face.  Thomas looked over at the new patron, and his face dropped - what was a smile turned into slight fear.  I scowled slightly and walked over to the table Connor had reserved for us.  "This is Garth; he said he's only in for the night.  He's an Adventurer from Floor Eight.  What're you doing down here again?"  I squeezed past tightly packed groups of people who stood around the pub holding their drinks and sat across from the man I had met not long ago and stared at him; he looked uncomfortable.

"I had to meet with someone to sell some high ticket items,"  Garth said.  He was looking down into his ale.

"Vinny's family runs a shop, did you sell it to him?"  Connor asked, hoping to help make connections.

"You look familiar, have I met you before?"  I asked the man I thought of as Thomas.  "Your name isn't Thomas?"

"I go by either,"  He said.  "Garth is my first name, and Thomas is my surname."  I didn't quite believe him, but I went with it for now.  I shrugged.  Connor scowled in confusion.

"So, you did go to Hallow's Adventuring Shop?"  Connor asked and ran a hand through his bold red hair.  Garth nodded unenthusiastically.  "Cool!  It's a small tower, isn't it?"  I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, what a coincidence that I happened to go to your shop, Vinny, and then meet Connor here,"  Garth told the two teenagers.

"What did you buy?"  Connor asked me.  My eyes darted to Garth and then back to Connor.

"It was a few books and some knives,"  Garth said to Connor.  Connor nodded and told me he wanted to check out the books before I sell them.

There was a moment of silence, and at that moment, I peered around the pub.  The pub was so full of people that servers had to use telekinesis to get food and drinks to the unruly patrons.  A hint of beef was in the air.

"Smells like tonight's special is beef stew,"  I said in a delighted tone.  The aroma made my stomach growl, and I remembered how little I had eaten today.  Glancing near the kitchens, I made eye contact with a familiar girl, Greta Gantz.  I held up a finger and mouthed the word stew.  She nodded turned away to talk to one of her coworkers.  "Greta's here today."  I nudged Connor's arm, and he cringed in embarrassment.

"Hush it, jerk,"  Connor whispered to me, his face turning as red as his hair.

"Oh, someone has a little crush?"  Garth asked and gazed toward the kitchen.  When Garth got Greta's attention, he motioned for her to come to their table.

"No, no, no!"  Connor said, hiding his face even further into his hands.

Greta commanded the crowd to part - when someone didn't, she would send a shock from her finger to alert the patron.

"What can I do for ya?"  Greta asked Garth.  Garth patted Connor's back a few times and replied.

"My friend here would love to have dinner with you,"  Garth had a sly smirk on his face.  Greta smiled sincerely.

"Connor?"  Greta asked.  Connor slowly raised his head.

"Well, y-y-yeah,"  He replied with a stutter.

"How does tomorrow at six o'clock sound?"  Greta asked the redhead.

"That would be great!"  Connor responded with a raised voice.  His smile was about to rip his cheeks open.

"I like Chinese food, by the way,"  Greta winked and walked away.  Connor sat there wide-eyed - he just landed a date with his childhood crush.

"Some times, a man just needs a bit of prodding,"  Garth said, chuckling.  I shook my head.

"Yeah, he's right,"  I retorted with a grin on my face.

"I should have my Dungeon Trial conquered by then,"  Connor said in a relaxed manner.

"You're only now telling me this?"  I asked, standing up and raising my voice.  "This is a pretty big deal.  I thought we agreed we would do it together?"  Connor looked off to the right of my face.

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"My mom told me I have to start growing up,"  Connor replied.  "If I don't do it now- while they are paying for it, then mom and dad are going to kick me out."

"Kick you out?"  Garth asked with a confused look on his face.  "That's a little extreme."

"His parents lead the Yaeford Guild.  They wanted him to become an Adventurer a year ago, but Connor agreed to wait for me."  I told Garth.

"Sorry I'm only now telling you,"  Connor said, locking eyes with me.  "They signed me up this morning, so I didn't get much of a heads up either.  I spent the afternoon sharpening my sword and polished my armor.  My dad bought a bunch of potions from your dad this morning before your shift started."

"Where are you going after you pass your trial?"  I asked in a dull tone.

"My mom get a caravan together.  I'm going to head to Stronghold Academy on Floor Two.  It's free to me since my family runs it; they train our newbies to be stronger."  Connor said with a twinkle in his eye.  I wanted to tell him I would be taking my trial tomorrow morning as well, but I didn't want to put Garth in a tight spot.

"Hopefully, I'll be able to join you before you graduate.  How long does that training take?"  I asked.

"Usually takes a year,"  Connor said, scratching his cheek.  "Unless you get a rare class, then it could take longer."

"Do they take Rune Scratchers?"  I asked with a hopeful look.  I already know how to be a Rune Scratcher, so if I acquire that class, I wouldn't need as much training.

"Yeah, but actual Rune Scratchers are rare right now,"  Connor said with a smile.  "If you get it, you better join us before the Scarlet Guild snatches you."

"Lad has a point,"  Garth chimed in.  "The damn Scarlets hand gold to Rune Scratchers.  Plus, they have most of the big patents so that Scratchers can make more money with them."

"Unless you discover a new rune pattern,"  I said.  There was a moment of awkward silence before Connor spoke up.

"Well, I'll be right back.  I need to pee,"  Connor stood up and walked back to where the bathrooms were.  Now it was just Garth and me.

"You found the book?"  Garth asked.  His tone changed from cheery to grim.  I nodded.  "Give it a few days before you start selling it - the Scarlets know I took it."

"I was thinking about reverse engineering it to see if I could adjust the runes so others can sell Monster Seals as well,"  I told Garth.

"Good luck with that, the Scarlet Guild has a tight hold on the Monster Seals."  Garth rubbed his temples.

The doors to Old Dale's Pub burst open, and a bearded man in scarlet light armor entered the building.  Garth reached into a pocket in his leggings and handed me something under the table.

"Take it and don't tell anyone you have it,"  Garth said in a hushed tone.  I grabbed whatever it was from his hand and pocketed it.  Garth stood up and walked toward the newcomers with his arms outstretched.  "Billy! How are you, you turd?"

"Roach,"  Billy mumbled.  "You have something of mine."  

"No need to call me that!"  Garth replied.  "I told you when you cornered me on Floor Three; I don't have it.  Have you asked Tracy?"  A woman peeked her head around Billy.  "Tracy, I was just talking about you!"  Garth shuffled his feet and adjusted his shirt.

"You know I don't have the ring.  You're the swine who took the ring."  Tracy said bitterly.

"Go ahead and check,"  Garth said, standing up with his arms up and spinning around.  "I guarantee I don't have it."

Billy held out a fist and then raised his index finger, then his pinky and chanted "Investigate."  A blue light emerged from Billy's ring and middle fingers, and he traced Garth's body - head to toe.

"The roach is right,"  Billy said before letting out a curse.  "Which one of these plebians has it?"  The Scarlet Guild member examined the room.  Every eye was on him.

"You aren't going to frisk my patrons!"  Greta yelled from the kitchen door.

"You aren't going to stop me, Native!"  Billy shouted at the worker.  I could hear my heartbeat - my nerves were on end.  Scarlet Guild members are known to be violent toward Natives.  Natives are the people who were created by the towers to tend the lands, run shops, and, most importantly, give quests to Adventurers.  People created by the towers have one ability that Adventurers usually don't - they can respawn.  Since Natives can respawn, Adventurers tend to use them as test dummies.  Billy pulled an orange crystal out of his pocket and threw it to the ground.  A red slime, which stood three feet tall, and a multitude of tentacles appeared where the crystal used to be.

"Cute Abslimrich,"  Garth said, with a smirk on his face.  Billy squinted his eyes and stared at Garth.  The Abslimrich's tentacles wrapped around Garth's body, his hands moved freely in the air.

"You have ten seconds to tell me what happened, or you'll get a hot welcome from my cute monster," Billy said.  His voice was beginning to become manic.  Garth looked calm, but I had a feeling that he was freaking out inside.  The mass of people fled the pub.  The mass hysteria was deafening, and it was difficult for me to hear what else Billy was saying.  

A few seconds went by, and I could see Garth shaking his head, and before I could get closer, Garth's body erupted in flames.

"No!"  I screamed.  I wanted to learn more - like where he came from and how he got a whole book of Monster Seals.  What I wanted to know right now, though, is what this ring was.

While Garth was still conscious, he held his hand out toward me and mumbled something.  A second later, my vision went black, and I saw double.  My head was spinning, and I felt as though I was about to vomit.  After what felt like one hundred rotations, I landed violently on a wooden floor.  Was I back in the pub?  No, I couldn't be; the room was quiet.  Once my nausea subsided and my vision straightened, I noticed where I was.  I had been teleported back to my family's shop.  Garth could teleport people.  That kind of skill was unheard of; I had never read about it at least.

My right thigh felt a burning sensation.  I patted my leg down, but there was nothing.  As my patting slowed down, I could feel something in my pocket.  Upon reaching into my pocket, I felt a piece of paper.  I pulled the paper out, and it was a note.

Vinny,

I am part of a rare class called Shade.  I can teleport objects and people.  I teleported away before I caught fire; what you saw was one of Billy's men.  Don't worry, I am safe, but you need to leave town ASAP.  Take one of those seals I sold you and get a class.  Billy will have figured out the names of everyone in that pub.  Don't go home if you know what's best for you.

Sorry for the inconvenience,

Garth Thomas