Ch 20 Talking it out

Getting to the shop I see there are a few people eating. Not many but a few. Mikey is working with Kate. Lucas is probably in the back. I walk in and wave at them. Mikey gives me a wave back and Kate smiles. I go to the office and find Lucas going over produce sheets.

“Rough time, boss?”

He grunts at me. “By this rate we’ll be out of everything by next Tuesday. Maybe Wednesday. Definitely Thursday. I'll have to close shop for good.”

I wince. Really bad for him. “On the other hand, I can make enough to cover the shop until we get credits rolling in?” I try to cheer him up.

“What do you mean cover My shop? You don't even work here anymore!”

“Well about that, I was thinking, after you don't sell sandwiches what if you bought food from the system and sold it for currency? Youve got everything you need for it. And then people could bring their kids here? Or I could lease the place from you for the guild?” I ask him.

He gives me a dirty look. “aren't I part of the guild?”

“Well yeah, but you're going to be in charge of the administration. The whole running of the guild. Not the making money part, that's part of my job.”

Another dirty look, then he sighs. “Why a lease? And not buy outright?”

“One I can't afford too. Two I don't want to kick you out, and three I still have my apartment, four I can spend as much time as I want in the dungeon. Also, I was thinking, instead of a stock room we turn it into an office space?”

He looks at me and laughs. “Sure, why not. We wouldn't need to stock up on anything anyway. Buy everything from the system and sell it here. Run people through the dungeon and show them what they can buy here. I like it.” he sighs. “Still have to give up my shop though. Can't pay mortgage and bills on it in credits. Yet. Its due in a week and we haven't been making the customers we used to.”

I sigh. “It could just have been a slower week than usual. How much is due? I could probably make enough in a week? Hell, I made five thousand in an hour today.” I grin at him.

He looks furious for a second. Then backs off. “from the hospital, right?”

“Yeah, selling my wands to the hospital. They pay well.” I tell him.

“Need almost 20k, think you can make that in a week?” I asks me seriously.

I nod. “I can probably make 20 wands in two or three days if I did nothing else. A week should be easy. I'm going to be doing a crafting montage tonight. You can stay in the dungeon as long as you want. Monsters don't respawn. So I've got a tent, food, supplies, and a magic laptop. Gonna be there awhile.” I tell him quickly, getting excited once more.

“So, you going to be alone, for god’s knows how long, and you think this is a good thing?” he ask me.

I nod. “Unlimited mana to craft, no distractions of phone or work or people or anything. Just me and freedom to exist as I want to.”

He sighs at me. “And how much of this is your depression talking?” He gives me a look.

I think about it for a moment. I'm excited sure. But I've always been bogged down into doing things I don't want. This time I have in the dungeon will be like a vacation from real life. Thats why I'm so excited.

“I just realized, it’ll be like vacation. From real life. I even got a kiddie pool to soak in. I can leave at any time too. I have a lot of projects to do, and all the free time I want. I can laze as much as I want to or work as much as I want to. Sure, I'll be alone, but it'll be peaceful. I'll come out if I'm too stressed by myself.” I tell him seriously.

He huffs at me. “Sure. I know you. How much food are you taking with you a months' worth? Two?”

I awkwardly tell him. “I may have bought 11 months' worth? Of different dishes?”

He winces. “Please don't stay more than a month. You can go back in after coming out but come out. You need people in your life. You can't isolate yourself like that. Maybe think about taking someone in with you and spending the month with them?”

I pause. Spending a month alone with someone? There's hardly anyone I know well enough for that. I would take Kate but she's underage. I'd take Mikey but I don't think he’d want to sit still for a month. I think of the two brothers for a moment. Then the redhead Diane. Maybe those would go with me. If any of them have a crafting skill they could work on it. Then I think of Sorko and Retil. Either of them would be cool. Especially Retil he's pretty funny. I smile to myself. There are people I could spend a month alone with.

“I'll think about it.” I tell him, smiling to myself.

He sighs again, “That's all I can ask. Now leasing the shop, how would you want to set this up?” he turns serious.

“Like a stand-up business. We use the lobby for Wands & Words, and you use the back for your shop. I use office space when I need a desk is all. So, I'm not out here doing paperwork. And so, I don't have to go home every time. We can edit the line for the products the system sells and have it ready to go when someone comes in to buy. Have a menu of items the system sells so they can see what they want to buy. Take pictures of everything and have it in stock in someone's inventory. Whoever is working the line I'd guess, and we just pass the food around. I can buy the startup plates and we just start taking pictures of them all and paste them everywhere. Or I make a bag of holding and it gets passed around. Or pantry of holding maybe. It's a work in progress. We can even be 24 hours for all workers. Just need one person here.” That's all I could think of for the shop part.

“For the guild we need regular walkers around set times, morning, afternoon and evening. Need a van to take people to the dungeon from here. Need to set up a book with pictures and details about the dungeon and what it looks like with dead monsters. Need to have loaner equipment and set up a place for people to change, just use the bathrooms, I guess. But they might want to store something not in their cars. So, lockers somewhere? Or just shelves they can set up on. Like they don't want to take their car keys into the dungeon would make sense. Should we set up a training are for the wands? So, can people get used to them before going into the dungeon? There's nothing behind the building besides an alley. Might be able to system reinforce the back wall to use as a target.” I had been rambling for a while. Lucas had been looking at me blankly.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Sorry, so many ideas for what a guild base could be is really cool. I wonder if we can make it a system building?”

He shrugs. “If we do, you’ll be the owner, as you’ll be the one with credits.”

I shrug. “Fine with me. But I'll never kick you out, this has been your place for years.”

He nods at me, grateful. We shake hands and I get up to leave. Kate was getting ready to go home.

“Heya, wanna be a gent and give a girl a ride home?” she asks flirtatiously.

“don't you usually take the bus?” I ask her

She nods. “Yeah, but you're here and it's faster with a ride. So, I figure id try. Besides then you can talk to Liv. Shes at my place tonight.” fair point.

“Sure, then just give me a minute outside.” I walk out.

There was a strip mall surrounding the subway, so I cross the parking lot to a sidewalk nearby. There were little to no landmarks which was a bummer. Having a thought pulled out a sharpie and drew an X in a circle on the ground. Marking that into my thoughts I superimposed it onto button #3. Once I had a good feel of it I walked back to the front of the shop. Kate was waiting for me, so I walked her to my car. We both got in.

“So where am headed?” I ask

She points me in the direction. As I drive, we idly chat about things, the system, the guild, her idea of uniforms for the guild. Which I almost like. If they weren't so revealing. Need more protection than that I tell her. We got into an argument over bikini armor. She was surprisingly all for it. Says it was a great distraction technique. I said not from wolves. Or goblins. She argued, the people that she needs to be distracted would be. I suddenly feared for her. She was young and pretty, living in a big city. Maybe she should pick up a self-defense skill. I tell her this. She said she took daggers. And has been practicing. I'm glad.

Getting to the high rise where she lives, I find parking down the road. I follow along as she goes into a side door. The elevator music isn't as bad as it could be, but Sinatra is still old. Getting to her floor she unlocks the door. Tt opens with a bang!

“Katey! You’re home early! And you brought home a guy!” a young woman sitting on the couch in her underwear exclaims. I avoid my eyes, looking at the ceiling.

“Liv! Why aren't you dressed! You know how I feel about body nudity!” Kate yells back. I’m merely standing in the doorway trying to pretend I'm not here for a moment.

“Thats why I said you're home early! I’ll go change! Just gimme a sec, would ya?” The now named liv hurried off. Kate turns to me, red faced.

“Pease ignore everything you just saw. She has no modesty. It always embarrasses me.”

I wave it off. “there's no shame without shame, I just didn't want to look. I know she’s taken.” I explain. Or try to. Kate looks even more embarrassed.

Liv comes back into the room with a long shirt on, no pants. Might have shorts on, but I doubt it. Kate gives her a hug which liv returns.

“Heya Katey-cat, how's things?”

“Good sis, this is Arthur, I wanted him to talk to you about something, specifically the dungeon and system.” Kate turns to me. So, I start.

“I got a good skill when the system came, I'm a crafter, more specifically an enchanter. I make items do things for me.” I pull a pristine tag. “This for instance is a tag I made, with a pristine enchantment. I can lay it on anything, and it will become as clean as it can possible be. May I?” as I gesture towards the shirt liv was wearing, with her nod I lay the tag on it and give it a little mana. The dust off the shirt startles the both of us. And it suddenly was a much brighter color. We look at each other. She giggles. I sigh. “Yeah, as clean as can be.” She laughs more loudly this time.

“As I was saying. Enchantments. I do more than just tags, I have also enchanted wands that do just as that does.” I pull my pristine wand and point it at the ouch. “Riposte.” and there is a bit more dust coming off it. It too is suddenly a brighter color. I give Kate a look. She looks at me sheepishly.

“What is was a garage sale find.” she says.

I roll my eyes. “Like I was saying. Wands. I do more than just clean things though. I have also made wands that can kill. Specifically, goblins. In the dungeon. I soloed the dungeon withing two days. With just my two wands.” here I pause for dramatic effect. “And you can too. I'm creating a guild. To walk people through the dungeon, let them experience the dungeon with a safety net. To let them get a feel for it before they decide if it's something they want to do. Or to keep walking them through so they have to put in little effort to reap the rewards. Would you like to join my guild?” I ask her turning suddenly serious.

She blinks at me. Turning serious as well. “What would be expected of me? What is the pay like, what would happen if I failed, or I was injured?”

I grin. “Most of that is to be determined. You would be expected to walk a single person through once a day at the time their choosing. To carry one of each wand and kill nearly all goblins without help as best you can. To wear armor and do your best to protect your walker. We are charging 50 credits to walk someone through, but they must buy a single wand to be walked through since they will have to use it at least once. If you are injured on the job, we will get you to a healer. If you fail and are still alive, we will pay all medical bills for you and your walker. We will likely try and hire a healer just for the guild as well. The first couple of walks will be you paying off your armor and wands, however. After that you're free to walk people and set up how you like. The pay is to be determined, based on if you want credits or currency. Or if you want stakes of the guild. Or if you want supplies from the guild. Or if you want room and board. So many things to choose from.” I say.

She gives me a nod. “We need a lawyer.”

“I agree, and I know just where to find one.”

**

Calling DMC, Carla answers.

“DMC How may I direct your call?”

“Hi this is Arthur again, I was wondering if Mr. Calloway is in? I have a few lawyer questions and he was the first I thought of.”

“Hello Mr. Turner! I can see if he is. He sometimes works weekends to deal with overflow. Let me check real quick.”

I wait a few minutes. She gets back to me.

“He's in and can talk with you, is over the phone good? I can connect you now?”

“That's fine, please do. Thank you for your help.” I tell her. As I wait for the line to transfer, I think on what exactly I want from Calloway. A basic contract or someone to hire? Or maybe just a lawyer on loan?

“Calloway here” I hear

“Hello, this is Arthur Turner, I had a few legalese questions come up, not with DMC, but with my guild. I was wondering if you or someone you could loan t my guild could help me write a contract?” I ask pleadingly.

I hear a quiet mutter. “The guild where you're going to be running people through the dungeon? A contract for workers or people running through?”

Shit two contracts then. “Er, one for each then. And an administration contract too. Sorry I didn't realize it would be so much.”

Another mutter. “there's a reason to have a lawyer on standby. How about this. I loan you a couple of grad students here and they walk you through it. I can send them to you tomorrow if you have a place?” he asked me.

“Yeah, I'm going to leasing the subway on 23rd. It'll sell food from the system for currency for people who don't run the dungeon. We're going to try and make it a system building. If we can.”

He hums. “Sounds reasonable I suppose. I'll send them there around 10am.”

“Sounds good, thank you for your help.” with that we say goodby and hang up.

Looking at liv and Kate, I tell them it'll be sorted in the morning.

“So, in the morning ill decide if I want to then.” Liv says to me, grinning. “I still have a good job anyway.” I nod to her statement.

I had a crap job, but I can support myself just enchanting, so it works out. I tell them goodby and leave. Getting into my car and head home. Maybe I should get a calendar? I pull into a nearby store and look for one, I find a yearly planner. It works just as well for me. I wonder if I need a uv lamp? Seeing a tiny desk uv light I pick it up and check out. Then I head home. It's time for a nap.