Ch 17 Shopping
Porting home, I check the time. 7:23pm. I pulled my phone and called Lucas. After a few rings a response.
"Something happen?” He sounds tired.
“Sort of? How are you and Mikey doing?”
“Little shit thinks he's some murderhobo now. Camped out in the dining area. I think he's gonna be our regular walker.”
“Walker?” I ask
“To walk non-fighters through. He was enjoying that way too much.” I laugh as he says that. I can just imagine.
“So, I made a deal with the hospital people. They will send people our way once we get the guild set up? Any progress on that?”
“A bit yeah, Kate started making flyers, they look, uh, nice? Very realistic. Maggie bought little Jamie here. Damn kid is a whiz with that laptop. Set up a website to manage for us. Says we need to name the guild though before he could launch it?”
I think about it for a minute. We’re a little bit mercenary, but we are trying to help people. Coming up with a few ideas, I pick the one I like the most, that’s doesn’t sound like I'm trying to kill all the humans.
“Yeah, I have an idea for a name. What do you think and Wands & Words?”
“Eh, kinda rhymes? We use wands primarily. Words are the triggers. So yeah, I guess that works. Just hope someone doesn’t think we are trying to scam them.”
With a little hesitation I asked him. “Are there still trucks coming in?”
He huffs. “Not really. Seems those in the factories and midlands are leaving in droves. I knew it would happen. I expected it. But damn if it doesn’t hurt.”
Yeah, losing your life's plan always sucks. I'm trying to help him get a new plan though. Hopefully it'll work.
“So set up with people coming to us to run through, they buy a wand or two. We loan armor and they buy auto size. They pay credits at the end of the run. We only run one person at a time. I've got some more wands for you and Mikey to use. Called Sealants. Basically, best of bandages, to prevent death. If we can get injured out of dungeon, we can get them to a healer I think.”
There a few minutes pause, while he thinks to himself. “We charging just credits or cash too?”
“I was thinking only credits. So only those 20 and up could run. But they have to agree to buy wands. Otherwise, we won't run them.”
“Is this part of your marketing campaign?” he grumbles.
“No, the wands are like guns. Point and shoot. Little training and anyone can use them. But they register to one person only.”
“Fine, agreement to buy a wand or two to be eligible to run a dungeon. Maybe we should buy a van or something? Kate can be the driver at least.”
That might be good, the shop isn't that far from the dungeon, but we can have people park at the shop and then we drive them to the dungeon. Also.
“The first clear reward. It’s a personal interface. I don’t need a bus stop anymore.”
“Well shit. That’s handy. We can have people gear up at the shop then we drive them over.”
After agreeing with him, we said a few pleasantries and hung up.
Sitting at my desk, I look to Raven. They float in front of me, silently. It feels like judgement for some reason. Maybe I should ask.
“Any helpful hints or tips for me?”
“Notice, Lvl 0 user dungeon entering is 10 hours. Lvl 2 user dungeon entering is 6 hours.”
I blink, then exhale sharply. Well fuck. I, just. Fuck. I didn’t even think that the time would have changed. I didn’t even think. Shit, I can be missing so much because I don’t think about it.
“anything else?”
“Notice, mana regeneration is dungeon is 50 times higher than outside dungeon.”
I feel like Raven is glaring at me. Like an ex girlfriend was cheated on. Which is oddly specific.
“I knew it was a lot higher but not the ratio, why is that important?”
“Notice, crafting outside of dungeon is wasteful of mana use.”
I stop. Just freeze in place. Is the dungeon for fighting monsters? Why did I think it was only for that? It was pointed out the first day people were practicing their skills in the dungeon. I have no excuse. I could have been finished with all the projects I wanted to.
Glancing around my apartment. Food, Shelter, Water. That’s all someone needs to survive. Social, Enrichment, and Entertainment. That’s all we need to thrive. I look at Raven. I study the little being in front of me. I think of how I've gone without speaking more than a dozen words in weeks. I look at my clothes. I glance at my couch.
I don’t need it. Any of it. I have everything I need. I can just pull everything into my inventory and hermit inside the dungeon. I can live inside the dungeon. That, that feels momentous. How many people realized this? I would only come out for supply. Load up on food and dowels, sharpies and tools. And just not leave.
“Raven, what would happen if I slept in the dungeon?”
“Nothing. Monsters only spawn when dungeon opens for new party.”
I lean back in my chair, staring at the ceiling. I blink slowly. All the commitments I made. Seem so distant now. I wouldn’t level. I'd still make credits with the wands. Time passes differently. No matter how long id spend there, it would still be only half an hour. 30 minutes.
“Raven, do I age in the dungeon?”
“Negative. Aging only happens in time relative to the planet”
So, I have to be relative to the planet. Not in a pocket dimension. My breath shudders. I feel like I'm sobbing. Everything. Just all of it. I could spend an eternity inside a dungeon. And come out in 30 minutes.
For some reason that thought bothers me so much. An eternity alone. I don’t think id last a month spending it alone. Unless maybe.
“Raven, do computers work in dungeons?”
“Human technology will not work in dungeons. Compatible technology is available in system store.”
Of course. Of fucking course. I could buy future tech and live like a basement hermit.
I don’t know if I can do this. Just hide in the dungeon for days on end crafting. Would it be days? Just wake up, eat, craft, sleep again. It feels like a montage. But I could. I could make so much and get so much done.
I’ve decided. I’ll do it. I live in a dungeon. I'll craft as much as I can possibly make. To my heart's content. I just need to prep a bit first.
****
The store is closed. Because it 9pm on a Saturday night. Because of course it is. I chuckled. So much for my determination. I pull my phone out and check for any other store within an hours drive. I've got money in the bank so I might as well.
I found another big box store about 20 miles from me. Getting back into my car I start driving. I wonder.
“Raven, is there any table in the store that would fit into my inventory?”
“Negative, all current available are prohibited by carry weight.”
That’s far, they probably weigh a ton after that side table. I need to pick up a bigger folding table then. What else do I need to make this actually livable. I have a shower, I'll make a toilet. Need some more clothes. Maybe a nice chair.
“Raven, what would happen if I had to pee in the dungeon? Would it be absorbed like the monsters?”
“Confirmed, all waste is reabsorbed by the dungeon to be reused to remake dungeon spawned monsters.”
I feel like Raven is nagging. Maybe. Maybe the future tech would have books, or the internet? I'd have to check.
“Raven, start a list of future tech that would work like a pc or tablet for me? Such as downloading books and connecting to the internet and playing games on or watching movies.”
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
“Confirmed. Current available human compatible items include tablet, laptop, desktop, phone, and e-reader.”
Okay good, things I’m familiar with. Maybe a laptop and tablet? If I'm going to be spending all my free time in the dungeon, I want to be able to have things for fun. Thinking for a moment I call status
Name
Level
Experience Gain
Credits
Arthur Turner
2
36.4%
6065
Hopefully that's enough to get what I want.
“How much is a laptop? Does it run on mana? Do I have to charge it?” I asked Raven.
“Human comparable System Laptop is 300 credits. Functions based on mana. Uses credits to purchase digital content. Can use instance of Earth internet.” Raven explains.
Hah. Earth internet. So, I can browse the web in the dungeon. Thats awesome. And a little creepy. Imagining all the basement dwellers living through their computers suddenly becoming dungeon dwellers.
“Instance of the internet?” I ask, confused by the term.
“Frozen instance at time of entering dungeon.”
That makes more sense, since it's a pocket dimension.
“How much is a tablet? Or could i get a laptop with two screens?”
“Laptop is customizable per order.” Raven says.
Sweet. Now to think of my dream laptop. What would I want it to have, to look like? I have more than enough credits, I think. Maybe I don't need a table? I need a bed though, could I buy a system bed or get an air mattress?
“What are my options for the laptop?”
“Appearance and upgrades. Base laptop is comparable with low-end computer.”
Well shit. Definitely need an upgrade then. “How much is a high-end laptop?”
“Comparable to current available 700 credits.”
“Can I get something that's not comparable to what is currently available? Something better than humans have?”
“Confirmed. Current best available based on competence lvl is comparable to what would be available in 20 years.”
“How much would that laptop cost?” Shit, 20 years ahead of time? Is that with or without system interference?
“Cost 2500 credits.”
Holy shit. Thats a lot. Would it be worth it to have future tech? Nearly half my credits gone? I know I’m making more but I won’t be while I'm in the dungeon. I’ll come out every now and then to sell crap but still. I still have to stock up on food and gear too.
How much would it cost to stock up on food for me for a month from the system? A full meal is 2 credits. Times 3. Times 30. 180 credits for just me to get different meals three times a day for a month. Go for three months 540 credits. Craft as much as I like.
“Can I buy non system products from the internet while in the dungeon?”
“Negative. Items cannot cross dimension without personnel.” There goes that hope. So, I’d need all my crafting supplies first too.
Do I really want to stay in the dungeon for three months? I mean I can. Get all the crafting I want done. I should probably wait til morning to stock up on everything though. All the dowels and paper I need. Get more clothes. Buy anything, I can think of to make a shower and sink. Everything I'd need to embroider. Do tomorrow morning's dungeon run. Park my car at the shop. Set a teleport beacon at the shop. Buy anything, I want. Including a better chair. And maybe a couch likeness. A bed.
Realizing I've been sitting in my car in the parking lot for half an hour contemplating I get out and head into the store. Grabbing a cart I look around. First, I head to the crafting section. I see a bunch of different kits for different ages. There's a clay molding one. I snagged it. A beading one, snag it. Melting plastic one, snag it. Para cording one, snag it. Make a birdhouse one, snag it. Weave looming, snagged. Macrame, snagged. Quilting, knit looming, knitting, bouncy balls making, felting art, origami, soap making, windchimes. Most of the kits were designed for children. But I knew I'd be able to figure something out with them, or maybe just learn how to do something new.
Anything that I can use to make enchantments I will. Make a quilt with a warmth charm. Make a paracord with feather fall. So many things i could do. I suddenly remembered. I never spent my skill points.
“Raven do I still have skill points free?”
“Confirmed. 30 unspent skill points, would you like to look at skill store now?”
Shaking my head. “I’ll look when I get home.”
I continue to browse the store. Looking for wood working tools, I look at a few different knives. Finding a set, I put four different sets into the cart. That should do me. Grabbing all the dowels they had, of varying lengths I cart them too. Most stick out. There's at least 50 of them. I looked around for another saw, finding none. I’ll have to go to the camping isle then.
That covers the wands. Now I need paper and sharpies. Walking to the office supply section I grab reams of printer paper and several rulers. Ten packs of black sharpies get added. Thinking for a moment, I also grabbed a few composition notebooks and several packs of pens. I need to start taking notes sometime.
Now fabric. And thread. I’ll finally get to embroidering. Maybe even sewing. Should I give it a shot at making my own clothes? There's a thought.
“Raven are clothes for sale in the store?”
“Negative. Only armor or equipment is currently available.”
I circle back around to the section with all the designs in packets. Looking through the books I settled on several plain designs. Simple tshirt. Simple button up. Simple pants. Simple knee length shorts. Simple knee length skirt. Plain boxers for men, plain under wear for women. The most basic sports bra for women. Then I go on a spree for fabric. Any plain color, I pull. I stack them on the table where they cut them. And keep stacking. Blues and greens, yellow and red. Black, white, orange and purple. Two or three of each color, a light a dark and a middling. A worker came to help me, asking how much of each I wanted.
“All of it, of each of them. I just need them measured out. Please.”
She gave me a startled look but got to work. “I'm grabbing more things, I'll be back.” I told her. I go for scissors grabbing ten pairs. Then needles. Packets and packets of them. Three measuring tapes. Buttons galore. Zippers by the dozen. The to the thread isle. I didn't particularly care about matching, but I didn't want it to be garish, so I picked out somewhere near the same colors.
So many threads, I chucked spools into my cart. Just entire rows of colors. In the cart it goes. My cart was threatening to overflow. So, I wheeled it back to the worker measuring fabric.
“I’m running out of room. So, I’m going to go grab another cart real fast, be back quick.” She gives me a side-eye and nods. I nearly ran to the front and back again with an empty cart. Smiling at her.
“Think I’ll need a third for the fabric?”
We stare at the piles of fabric and chuckle. “I hope you have a car big enough for your project.” she says to me.
“One thing I love about the new System? I got an inventory. Can store anything I can carry.” I told her.
She winks at me.
“You ok here? I need to grab stuff from camping.” I ask.
“Go, this will take a while.”
“No need to rush, lots to buy still. I’ll leave my cart here and take the second with me.” I say. She waves me off. Still sorting the fabrics into piles and measuring them one roll at a time. There's at least thirty.
I hurried to the camping department. Looking for an air mattress that was pretty decent. “Raven are there any beds in system store I can carry into the dungeon?”
“Negative.”
“Is there a way for me to air up this mattress in the dungeon?” holding up the chosen air mattress a full-sized deluxe queen.
“It is possible for battery operated items to run on mana with enchantments.”
Ok, I'm sensing a but. “But?”
“Those enchantments do not yet exist for humans.”
There it is. I can make them though. Maybe I'll just get a camp cot instead. Putting the mattress back, I go for the biggest cot. I tested the weight in the box. I can carry it one-handed. Maybe a mattress topper to be more comfortable? Later. Looking around I look for camp silverware, something I can put pristine on. Finding a decent set of a fork, knife, spoon, I grab it. Now for saws. Finding some i grab four. Different types might be good. Would a sleeping bag be good? Or a tent? To separate living areas? I go look at tents. A good cabin tent with blackouts? Thats nearly perfect since I don't think the light ever dims. It's 12x 15 ft. Not quite half the first room. Do I want a bigger one? Is everything in the tent? Or use it only for sleeping? Maybe get a few and have ‘rooms’ one tent for each dungeon room? Have a sleeping room, a working room and an entertainment room? A bathroom? Then an open space? That sounds nice. Maybe I can be there longer than three months?
Maybe I'll stay until I run out of materials. Or I can hit other big box stores. Tonight, and in the morning. See if there's a limit on my inventory. Just load up on meals maybe 2k credits for meal? A thousand meals. Spend 11 months in the dungeon? Could I?
I put it out of my mind for now. Focus on the here and now. What else do I want or need? To buy stuff for the laptop to do. After I finished running through the store. I look at the different tents. And just buy one of each of the four biggest. None of which is bigger than 20x 15. Which suits me well enough. Then look at camping tables. I want a bigger table to work at. Or maybe a collection of smaller tables? Where would folding tables be? Found them. I picked up a 6ft one. Not too heavy, can probably store it. I got six of them. And three of the four-foot tables. And then two of the two-foot tables. I just stack them on top of the cart now. Maybe I'll just get the mattress topper now.
Heading into bedding I find one I like. 4inches thick and twin xl to match the cot. Grabbing a set of sheets to match the cot size. I can use my own blankets. And pillows, I think. Do I want rugs? I feel a little silly like I'm setting up a new house. But the dungeon is bare earth and stone. So, rugs in the tents? Or just get some flip flops or sandals? Maybe.
“Tell me about the sandals in system store Raven.” I say out loud. I suddenly wonder what people think when they hear me.
“Available to purchase, slides, hiking, ankle.”
“I’ll take the slides then.”
“Confirmed. Cost 5 credits.”
Takes care of that. Maybe I'll grab a couple of rugs. Just for near my bed. Maybe a couple comfy chairs? I should get them elsewhere though. I shift the cart back to the fabric station. Looks like she’s done with it.
“I’m back to pick everything up.” I told her. She gives me a grumpy look.
“You better be purchasing all this and not just making work.” She side-eyes me.
“Yup. In fact, I'd like you're help getting it to the front please? I can get it to my car from there.” I give her my customer service smile in return. She smirks. And grabs the first cart. We start hauling them both to the front.
Thankfully it wasn't that busy, being nearly midnight, several open registers and we go to the closest. I thanked her for her help and the cashier gave her a nod.
The cashier starts ringing up the second cart and setting the tables on the floor, which I'm fine with.
“I'm gonna go grab a third cart, be right back.” I tell him. He gave me a nod.
Rushing to the near entrance, I grabbed yet another cart and hurried back. He’s still ringing up the second cart. I start piling things in. As I'm watching the total I'm a little astounded I have this much to spend. Thinking on it what do I want to do with my apartment? I'm going to be making so much money from the wands do I even need to keep it? If I can run the dungeon every six hours now, i can just spend that time at the shop. And shopping around the stores. Or napping in my car. Or just engaging in people after not spending any time with anyone for months on end.
The second cart is empty, and he starts working on the first so i shuffle the carts around and make more room in the third so everything is more balanced. I continue piling the rung-up items into the carts as he goes on. I pull my phone out and check to see if there are any other stores withing an hour's drive still open. There're two more 24-hour stores. I open tabs for them, so I'll have directions on them.
When he gets to the end, the total is nearly staggering me. I go to double check my bank account to make sure, yes, I have five thousand dollars and can afford to spend two thousand at a big box store.
The cashier looks a little frazzled, as I swiped my card. It goes through after several tense moments. My phone pings a moment later. Everything is piled into the three carts and I drag two of them and push the third in front of me.
The ping on my phone was a fraud alert, asking if I just spent 2k. I answered yes, it was me. What a night so far. Maybe I'll leave the other stores til the morning. It's time to go home. After I stuff everything into my inventory that is.