Blue Mountain Sect’s market floor was like the market in Tower Ten, except rowdier if you could believe it. Perhaps it was ego, or perhaps there was a different etiquette in SeeSee. All the same, James couldn’t quite believe his eyes.

He was watching two cultivators in dark blue robes. They stood in the way of another group of cultivators in indigo clothing. To James, it seemed both sides were trying to humbly brag about their accomplishments while at the same time trying to dismiss their opponents feats through backhanded compliments.

“Collecting diametric element grass is surely an impressive feat for one with such low cultivation,” one side would say. “It is almost as worthy as our acquisition of Cinnabar Rhinoceros Horn.”

“A grand exhibit of power, to be sure,” the other side would answer. “To ones such as yourselves I would consider it a great exploit indeed. Almost as grand as our capture of a Jade Simian.”

“I gotta say, I’ve never seen a more convoluted way to insult someone,” James said to his master.

“It is tiresome, petty, and below true cultivators,” Nadia said with distaste. “The two groups you see before you are children of powerful merchants on the floor, guaranteed to succeed their respective companies. They care nothing for the journey and only for the destination. Now, come.”

James followed his master as she walked into a storefront that spanned perhaps a third of the street. Inside, cultivators haggled with each other over all manner of items. James saw furs and dried plants alongside microchips and gears.

Nadia brought him deeper into the store. The furs and dried plants gained copper lines etched across their exterior. These were obviously worth more than the goods outside. The buyers and sellers were less animated as well, as if both knew the exact worth of the item and were just trying to work out a few extra details.

“Over here, disciple,” Nadia said.

James looked to see his master holding a curtain of beads open. Not beads, James realized as he walked through, but pieces of scrap cast in resin. They jingled as Nadia lowered the curtain.

“Aliah, are you here?” Nadia asked.

“In the back!” A gravelly voice shouted.

James walked past stacks of unused motherboards, piles of storage drives, and a smattering of other items James didn’t recognize. Most were stacked haphazardly, but a few were placed off to the side in protective boxes.

Past the stacks were some desks, a woman stood next to one. One hand held a soldering gun steady while the other guided it over a piece of technology. She wore attire completely different to those outside. The upper portion of her robes were not on her arms, but tied around her waist with her belt. A pair of long, sturdy gloves ran up her arms while a thick pair of denim overalls protected her torso. Her long dark hair was tied back in a messy bun that looked to be styled with grease.

There was a spark, and then a curse.

“Blasted junk!” the woman said. “I told them using threads from Eon Ginseng wouldn’t cut it for repairs! Stupid idiots!”

Compared her vocal outburst, the woman’s physical actions were rather mild. She calmly placed the soldering gun to the side and removed a pair of magnifying glasses before taking a step back. Then she slapped a well-worn rubber duck off the table in a rage.

“I’m going to have to rework most of the internals and then the client’s going to complain about the aesthetic or something! I just know it!”

“Hello Aliah,” Nadia said.

The woman jumped. “Junk, Nadia! Why do you always have to be so quiet?”

“I did announce myself,” Nadia answered mildly.

“Yeah, but you don’t make a ruckus like Seok or the others,” Aliah said. She saw James. “Oh, this the kid?”

“This is James,” Nadia said. “I need a few protective talismans for him.”

“And you came to me, a repair lady,” Aliah said.

“I did,” Nadia said.

“Trouble with the others up on high?” Aliah asked with a knowing look.

“James has a unique constitution that the others covet,” Nadia said. “They have barred my attempts at teaching him previously. I make the assumption that they are still doing so. From spite at this point I would guess.”

“Harsh,” Aliah said. “That’s why I don’t get involved in all that politics nonsense. It brings nothing but trouble.”

James thought that was pretty easy to say considering she wasn’t the one the politics was focused on.

“So, talismans,” Aliah said. “I’ve got a few sitting around. Nothing grand, though. Scrapyard quality, really.”

“As long as they work,” Nadia said.

“Of course they work,” Aliah answered. “I’m the best repair lady in the sect, almost the best repairman as well.”

“I have no doubt,” Nadia said. “I believe a simple smokescreen and a protector are only needed for the moment. However, if you have anything special around…”

“Yeah, I think I have something,” Aliah said. “Give me a second.”

The woman turned and rummaged through a few piles, leaving James alone with his teacher.

“You never explained what these talismans are,” James said.

“Protective equipment that slots into the sockets installed on your neck. They range from controller chips to virus scanners. The ones I have requested for you use your body’s natural abilities to create an psuedo-core effect.”

“What’s that mean?” James asked.

“The talismans give you a single use of an ability,” Nadia said. “The smokescreen, for example, mimics a cloud of mist that might come from a water core. To do so, it taps into your body’s sweat glands while also creating a field to quickly evaporate the water. The result is a small, and somewhat smelly, smokescreen.”

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

“I think I see why these are only a single use,” James said. He knew the dangers of dehydration from his time as a courier.

“Yes, so do not use them unless your life is in danger,” Nadia said. “And only if you have no other option.”

“There have to be better ones, though. Right?” James asked.

“There are, but they require extensive cybernetic enhancements. Not to mention additional medicines and materials to keep the talisman up to date,” Nadia said.

“Got them!” Aliah yelled. She jogged back to Nadia and her disciple. “Alright, got your generic smokescreen one. Make sure you have plenty of water on hand after using it. The protection one locks your muscles in place, making them stronger than pretty much anything out there. A three core cultivator couldn’t punch a hole through you without some specific cores. Then, this one here,” Aliah held the last chip up, “is for malware. If someone tries to hack your mind this will give them a nasty shock.”

“Hack my mind!” James exclaimed. “They can do that?”

“Not without directly connecting to you,” Nadia said. “Remember how the demonic cultivator attacked?”

James recalled the elongated cords that came from the man. “Okay, that makes me feel better. But wait, if they have to directly connect why would I need this?”

“You can’t always be prepared,” Aliah said. “This will stop sneak attacks and the like.”

“No, I mean,” James looked at his teacher. “She knows what I can do, right? Or at least what we think I can do?”

“Aliah is a rather distracted person,” Nadia said. “She likely heard and forgot about your unique constitution. Aliah, something else if you can find it.”

“Oh scrap you don’t need the antivirus? No wonder you’re the hot topic.” Aliah rummaged through her wares again. “Right, I’ve got another protection talisman, same as the first. Or…” the woman pulled out a slighty dusty chip. “Now this is old, almost out of date with the firmware, but it’s not junked just yet.”

“What is it?” James asked.

“Old temperature regulator,” Aliah said. “Shunts heat to less essential areas for a short period of time. It’ll burn if you use it too long though, which is why it fell out of favor. That and we found a frost cave forming on the lower floors. No need for a temperature regulator if you can install frost cybernetics, you know?”

James didn’t know but nodded along to the explanation anyway.

“We’ll take it,” Nadia said. She pulled her handheld out.

“Always a pleasure, Nadia,” Aliah said, pulling her own handheld out. “You’re the only one who actually pays me fairly, you know that?”

“Why not complain then?” James asked.

Aliah laughed. “And have the junkheaps above remove me from the sect? No thanks.”

James frowned. “Then, why not see who else is getting underpaid and work together?”

Aliah looked at him like he was a particularly difficult repair job. “What scrapheap are you from?”

“Tower Ten,” James said. “Agritower outside the city.”

Aliah gawked at Nadia. “Wait, you brought a tower kid to the city?”

“Don’t make an issue of it,” Nadia said.

“I’m not making an issue of it!” Aliah waved her arms frantically. “I just never thought I’d see the day when you of all people took a disciple! And now I find out that he’s from outside the city? Junk, Nadia no wonder everyone is out to get you.”

“It would not have happened if the sect honored its word,” Nadia said coldly.

Aliah backed off. “Alright alright. Didn’t mean to poke the generator.” She turned back to James. “So you have no clue how things work, do you?”

“I have some idea,” James said. “Mostly the idea is that every cultivator except Nadia is crazy.”

Aliah laughed. She grabbed the three talismans and dunked them into a mineral oil bath James only now noticed. “You aren’t wrong. Here, have your talismans. Place them on your handheld first to register them.”

James took the talismans, wiped them off, and registered them with his handheld. The device buzzed when the process finished.

“Good, now just stick ‘em in the back there,” Aliah said.

Once the talismans were slotted Aliah showed him how to run a quick diagnostic check.

“Right, everything looks good,” she said. “Come back about every three months or so and I’ll make sure the firmware is updated and such.”

“Um, right,” James said. He looked to Nadia.

“You do not have to be perfect with it,” Nadia said. “Thank you, Aliah. I shall come to you again if I need something.”

“Of course of course,” Aliah said. “Always happy to have a well-paying customer.”

James waved goodbye as the two left the building. They passed the two arguing groups of cultivators again, their disagreement still unfinished.

The elevator took them up through the sect and back onto Nadia’s floor. Once they were out and in a more isolated area, Nadia turned to speak.

“Disciple, I shall have to leave you shortly.”

James started. “What?”

“Only for a month. Not long at all for a cultivator, but I felt it prudent to inform you considering your short tenure.” Nadia sat, beckoning James to meditate next to her.

“I have been tasked with a hunt. Nothing difficult for myself but likely deadly if you were to accompany me. As such, I shall have to leave you alone.”

“Is that why you were rushing the whole talisman thing?” James asked.

“Yes,” Nadia said. “If you are upset—“

“No, no,” James refuted. “I understand. But, maybe you should work on actually talking to someone before making a decision yeah?”

Nadia blinked. “I did not realize.”

James could tell she was serious. “Wait, you didn’t notice? Master, you tend to make a decision and then just go through with it. I trust you, but you have to see how it might look to someone who didn’t know you.”

Nadia closed her eyes to think. James waited patiently. Eventually, she looked back at James and bowed. “I must again ask for an apology,” she said.

“If anyone came in right now they’d think I’m the master,” James joked.

“James, please,” Nadia said.

“Master, it’s not a big deal,” James said. “You don’t need to ask for an apology.”

“Disciple, I must,” Nadia said. “Because you have shown me that I am not as separated as I wish to be from the more disappointing views of other cultivators. What difference is there in my pushing you into cybernetic enhancements and the experimentation Osman would attempt to perform on you?”

“My life, for one,” James said. “Really, master, you don’t have to apologize. If I was against it I would have said something.”

Nadia sighed. “If you insist, disciple.” She leaned back into a sitting position. “Still, I must thank you for showing me a bias I did not realize I had.”

“Hey, that’s what snarky disciples are for, right?” James joked.

“Snarky? Hardly,” Nadia answered with a grin. “Mildly grating, perhaps. Like a mosquito bite.”

“Well now you just made it a challenge, master,” James said. “I’m going to have to try harder.”

“You may try, disciple,” Nadia joked. “But in all seriousness, now that you have brought my oversights to me, I must reframe my earlier statement.”

The woman looked at James in seriousness. “I have been tasked by the sect to traverse the lower floors and hunt a particularly elusive beast that is stalking our younger disciples. From the description, we believe the beast to be a large snake or similar reptile. I do not perceive it to be a threat to myself, but due to its nature predating younger, less powerful disciples, I do not wish to take you with me. Despite my fears, I am going to ask anyway. Disciple, would you rather come with me on this journey or stay in the sect?”

“Which is more dangerous?” James asked.

“Physically? The beast on the lower floors,” Nadia answered. “While in the sect there is little chance of bodily harm. However, with my absence Osman and others will not hesitate to harass you.”

“Harass me how?” James asked.

“Challenges against your honor, duels for your spirit stones, or similar,” Nadia answered. “All would not be in your favor. Osman is a petty man underneath his stern exterior.”

“Didn’t you say that he went after my nodes before?” James asked. “Wouldn’t he do that again.”

Nadia frowned. “…You are right. It seems this is another thing I’ve ignored. I do not wish to believe the sect would stoop to dishonorable practices, and as such chose to ignore it. In that case, both the lower floors and the sect are an equal danger.”

“Even with you next to me, master?” James asked.

“Even then, disciple,” Nadia answered.

James thought about it. “What if I just leave the sect for a month? I know how to live on the streets. Or I could just stay with Tsukiko for the month.”

Nadia thought about it. “I have been trying to avoid using my family’s influence more than needed,” she caught James’s questioning look. “The more I use my family’s name the more the sect leaders would push back against us for fear that I would use the family name to usurp their positions. However, I doubt this would cause issue. I’m sure the sect already knows your girlfriend is staying at the Archimedes building.”

“Then it’s settled,” James said. “I’ll stay with Tsukiko for a month while you hunt the dangerous beast. We stay out of the sect’s way and everyone’s happy.”