June 01, 2018, 09:30 AM, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America

Rex and I woke up to the sunrise and set about getting things ready, spent part of the morning getting some familiarity with the alchemical items that can be made on this work, and noted that I would be needing to get a LOT of rare and unique materials. I had resolved to not have cast any expendable spells before the interview in case I needed to do something special for it, so I resolved to work on getting a list of everything I would need to create something simple, since I could do so rapidly. Looking over everything I can think of it would seem that I need to find a way to manufacture the raw materials to make the alchemical supplies, to get any usage out of this. If I stay here long enough, maybe I will take up growing some sort of mystical herbs to be able to process them into the materials.

Rex and I got a good early breakfast with the rising sun, started on our daily work outs and exercises, and I got an early start on practicing the maps function on the cell phone. It looks like it will take me an hour to get to the place by walking, but only a quarter of an hour on something similar to what started to be the rage. I wondered if there are any places nearby that sell those things. I did a search on the map and could not find anything specific close by. Maybe I will check after the interview when I have more time. I grabbed what I could from the first aid kit that Sharon left me, and restocked my healer’s kit as best I could. There are some things that do not seem to transition properly between the two, but it seems to be good enough for now.

After everything was set up, I packed what I could without adding my armor to what I was wearing. I left it in the locked third room, with my crafting kits and other supplies. I decided that it would not help me to look like I was from this “Asgard” place when I went in for this interview. Other than that, and my crafting/other supplies, I brought with me what I would normally bring on my walking about tasks. When we were getting ready to leave, I decided that I would let Rex out to fly around, cautioning him to be careful. Rex nodded and I locked up the doors for this “safehouse.”

*****

June 01, 2018, 10:45 AM, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America

I walked my way to Bob’s Gun Shop, careful to look like I belonged, clothing wise, rather than the suit I would be wearing later. I ducked into a Tavern named “Zeke’s” and got something called a Chicken Teriyaki Bowl and a drink. It was mainly to have an excuse to use their restroom, as I needed someplace to clean up and “change” from the walk. Prestidigitation goes a long way in that regard, as I can clean my clothes and myself fairly thoroughly with it. The Chicken Teriyaki Bowl didn’t seem too bad either. After I had eaten and gotten changed, I checked back on the phone to see how much time I had left, finished up on my notes, and decided to “change” before heading to the Interview.

*****

June 01, 2018, 7:45 PM, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America

The gun-smithing position interview didn’t go too well at first. The interviewer introduced himself as “Doug” and greeted me with a handshake. The company had a copy of my resume(?) from where Jonathan had set it up and Doug started asking me questions about how many of different firearms that I had worked on. I was strictly honest and told him that I had never worked on any of the firearms that he had asked me about. Doug was about to end the interview and send me out when he asked, almost exasperated, if I had any evidence of ever working on any gun. I told him that I had the first gun that I had ever made with me, that I had to make it before I could be considered to have succeeding in passing the training.

Doug asked if he could see it, and I produced my revolver. I emptied the cartridges from it, and Doug’s eyes widened. He gently took the revolver and started asking me questions about my gun. I answered every one of the questions as I could, to his satisfaction, as he looked at the intricacies. He was especially happy with the engraving and etchings on it. I smiled and told him that I had done every single bit of the manufacture on this firearm, from a block of metal to this.

Doug asked me about what it was chambered in, and I kind of shrugged, noting that I had to make everything from scratch, including the mold for rounds. He then asked if I’d be willing to demonstrate the firearm at the indoor range. I told him that I would be glad to, and Doug handed me back the revolver. I took it back from him carefully and followed him to the range. When we got there, he handed me goggles and some muffs to go over my ears. I put both on and loaded the revolver.

I slowly took aim and fired, putting some rounds downstream. The were really close to the bullseye, and really well grouped. I cleared the cartridges from the chamber and checked the barrel for obstructions. Doug then thoughtfully asked if I thought that I could learn to work on more modern firearms. I shrugged and said that I had not had any problems working on any yet, and that I’d be more than willing to give it a shot if they were willing to give me a try.

We settled on me being here at nine forty-five, Monday morning, just to see how I would pan out. Doug noted that I’d start off at a certain amount an hour, but that if I can bring the skill in engraving and detail work that I show in my personal gun, and bring it to other, more modern firearms, then I could really make a lot. I thanked him and let him know that I’d be here Monday morning, and asked where I can place a bicycle when I get in. Doug kind of looked at me oddly and asked me why I didn’t have a car. I answered that I had not gotten around to getting one yet after yesterday.

Doug sighed when I mentioned yesterday and noted that he can understand after that. He showed me where I could bring a bike in to keep it from being stolen or anything but added that he doubted anything like that would happen soon, as there was a LOT of free things just lying around, now that a lot of people were gone. I thanked him again for the opportunity, wished him to have a good day, and started heading back to the safehouse. I then pulled up the map program and looked up bicycles in the area. About the only place that came up was something called a “CHKD Thrift Store” that wouldn’t have me walking a long way out of my way.

I headed there directly from Bob’s, taking the map program to where I needed to go. When I got there, I found that it is a place with a lot of different items. They did have a bicycle, which looked like it could hold me up. I grabbed it and looked around more. I was fascinated by how many different varieties of articles of clothing they had, including shoes and jackets.

There were books (listed as fifty cents each), miscellaneous items that run off of “electricity”, like “blenders” and “toasters” and “televisions”, and some other sports equipment. I found a sturdy backpack, since I had left mine at the safehouse, and started to grab a bunch of higher-level books. When I made my way to the register, it totaled up to one hundred and thirty dollars, which I paid by swiping my identification card badge thing over the card reader. The person behind the counter thanked me more than any other place I had been to. I asked her why, and she told me that with my purchase, they can really help some child in need.

I was a bit confused by this interaction but felt that it wasn’t the right time or place to discuss something like this, especially with a line growing behind me. I told her that I hoped that it did help, and that I thanked her for her work. I decided to myself that I would look into this for more clarity later. I got the bike prepared and loaded up everything that was acquired into the backpack I had gotten. I sent out an empathic message to Rex with a general feeling of homesickness, suggesting to him that I was heading back to the safehouse.

Once I got back to the house, I loaded the bicycle into the garage and locked it up behind me. When I got to the back porch, Rex was sitting there smiling wide. I got the feeling from him that he had been fishing in the river, and that he had gotten quite a few fish, at least from size of his distended belly. I opened the door, and he waddled in. I sighed and asked him if he at least had been somewhat sneaky about it. I didn’t get a response, which was enough of a response to say that he had not.

I unloaded everything I had gotten, right about now realizing that I could REALLY use a bag of holding right now and knowing that I don’t think I will ever be able to get one. I pulled out the various clothing items that I had gotten at that thrift store and set to work getting them closer to fitting me. I marveled at the precision of the stitches, until I realized that it must have been a machine that did it. I got everything stitched up right, to be serviceable, used the utilized some mending and prestidigitation on everything to make sure it is in pristine condition. I put away my clothes from my home world and got dressed in the clothing that I had gotten from the thrift store.

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They trousers had six pockets, two in the front, two in the back, and two on the sides of the legs. I loaded up everything that I normally take around in my various bags in all of my pockets and put the identification badge thing in my back pocket. I had seen people pulling similar things from their back pockets before and thought that it would be a good idea. The shirt had two pockets as well, and they were above the breast. I saw some people have pens in them, but I didn’t have any at this moment, so I decided to leave them empty at the moment.

Rex took a look at me, and I got the feeling of curiosity from him. I asked him what he was thinking, and he told me that it was just amusing that I was doing so much to fit in. I replied back to him that I didn’t know how long I was going to be here, but since it might be a decent period of time, I needed to “blend in” without a lot of magical effort. Rex shook his head and laid down to digest his large meal. I took inventory over everything that I still had remaining from getting sent here. I had my magical Healing Belt, Endless Bandoleer, Eyes of the Eagle, Badge of Life-keeping, Dastana of Many Garments, dark-leaf armor (with the crystal of energy protection), my special gloves, my revolver (with the crystal of return), my various kits, the masterwork manacles and fetters, my sneaking suit, the pair of Blessed Bandages I kept for emergencies, my bottle of Oldlaw (with the two Ice Crystals) – which was now half empty, my bedroll, a couple of journals, getting fuller by the day, the Ioun Torch that I haven’t pulled out yet, the sighting glass, the dark-wood expandable pole that I kept, and that special Lighter that I had traded for a while back.

With everything packed up that I could consider taking on a regular excursion away from the safehouse, Rex eyed me suspiciously. I informed him that I would be heading to a store to get more journals, pens, ink, and other supplies to hold me over, and some food items to enable us to not have to get food from Taverns after today. Rex nodded and curled up on some kind of reflective pad that he had gotten from somewhere. It must be reflecting the heat nicely, to make him that content. I got out to the garage after locking the doors to the house and locked the garage after getting the bicycle out.

I got my backpack on, the maps function capability on the phone directing me to a place called “Wal-Mart”, and I was about to head out. I got an empathic feeling from Rex that he’d like to come with me. I figured that I couldn’t really travel faster than he could fly, so I went to the back door and opened it up. Rex waddled out, and came over to the bike, while I locked the door again. I got back on the bike, and Rex jumped up to be on the handlebars.

I looked at him and asked him if he was happy, to which he smiled. I started my trek pedaling down the road as the people driving the fewer cars looked at him oddly. Since I had read the driving rules when I had a chance, I stopped at a stop sign, and a car pulled up next to me. A child in the back seat of the car rolled down their window and said that this was an awesome statue on the handlebars. I turned to face the kid, as did Rex, and I said thank you, cheerfully.

The kid’s eyes went wide before Rex, and I turned to face forward again. Rex and I rode off when it was appropriate, and the car moved as well, with the parents ignoring the kids. We got to the big store named Walmart. It was larger than any castle I had ever seen. I pulled the bike up to where they had a place for the bikes to be corralled and parked the bike. I didn’t have any locks or anything, but Rex volunteered to stay on the bike, curled up in case someone tried to abscond with it. I noted that I would try to be as quick as possible and told Rex to give me an emotional signal as quickly as possible if anything happens.

I took a look at the proffered map at the entrance to the store, noting where different things were located. It was like everything in the Bazaar of Sails was located in one building. I quickly rushed to the clothing section and found something similar in size to what I had acquired from the thrift store, as well as shoes, as I couldn’t get a good set similar to Doug’s at the thrift store. After the clothing section, I stopped by what they labeled home and office, to find large “sketch books”. The were ten of these dollars apiece, and the paper was a higher quality than the ones I had at home.

Thinking quickly, I grabbed a couple of frames that would fit the paper from the sketch books, and a couple of pens, for when I might have to make notes in public. Then I headed to the “Sports” section, where they had bikes and bike locks. I grabbed a bike lock, and then found two handy things, a basket for the front of the bike and a rear bike rack that can carry up to twenty pounds. I opted for both and then finished up with heading to the grocery section. I was amazed at the varieties of everything. There were maybe two types of anything like any of the food items back in Sandpoint, maybe three to four in Magnimar, but there were DOZENS of different types of just about everything here.

I picked out an assortment of staples: rice, beans, lentils, some chicken parts, and something called turkey. I’d go back for the pork or beef on a further excursion later. Rounding it all off, I felt a bit of apprehension from Rex, so I resolved to head quickly to the register, just stopping to see some large bottles of that Dr. Pepper stuff I remembered having in Sandpoint. At the register, I saw that it was coming to four hundred dollars. Sweating a little internally, I swiped my badge and it paid easily. The cashier muttered something a fancy swipe credit cards and I got everything into the cart.

I got out to the bike rack as a couple of people were getting close to Rex, holding what looked like clubs. I got a desire to feel big coming from him, and mentally sent back a positive affirming feeling. Rex leapt off of the handlebars where he was staying and expanded in size before roaring at the street toughs. Most of them stepped back, but one stayed close and looked to reach behind his back at his waist. Before he could pull out what he was reaching for, Rex burped up a flame at him, hitting his shirt and splashing the person with a bit of fire.

The pack of four street toughs ran off with the one that had been hit with the fire ripping off his shirt as it started to melt onto him. Must have been made from some odd kind of fabric that melted rather than burned. It had the number twenty-four on the back, maybe it was a gang sign or something? Just as well, the four of them ran off, somewhat scared it seemed. As they left, I could sense that the world had become open to me again, that I had gained a bit more insight into how things worked, and more things that I could do for myself, and with Rex.

I quickly added the basket between the handlebars, and the back carrier over the rear tire, and got set up with a large quantity of bags to fly quickly back to the safehouse. It was a risk, but I had purchased an awful lot of items, and even the basket, the two backpacks, and whatever I can manage to stuff into pockets, it was going to be a perilous trip. Once I made it home, Rex was waiting for me, back at normal size. I got everything unloaded from the bike and got it back into the garage. With Rex’s assistance, we got everything purchased into the house, and as a reward for what he had done, Rex for a fresh – frozen fish called a tilapia.

With all of the food and items put away, I decided to use up every bit of expendable magic that I could to get some more information and readiness in this area. I got out two sheets of the sketchbook to expend a minor lasting image of both me and Rex, strolling down the streets of Magnimar. One would face the front door, and one would face the back door. I expended my scholar’s touch ability twice on different sets of higher education books, specifically engineering and the history of this world, as well as a books on sewing. I needed to perform better on my tailoring so that the clothes didn’t look bad.

I also summoned up my ability to find out more about the young street toughs that went after Rex earlier. Apparently, they belonged to something called “The Nine Trey Gangsters” gang. Apparently, they focus their activities on robbery, drug trafficking, burglaries, car thefts, and assaults. Some of their fellow gang members had been convicted earlier this year, from what the rumors I had gotten. Maybe they are looking to assert themselves in the power vacuum. Maybe I was going to have to be what is known as a vigilante here if the gangs can’t be stopped long term.

There was a bit more, about how the shirt was some kind of sports jersey, and how now there were rumors of a Dragon from Asgard now in Norfolk, but such details were either inconsequential or already known by me. With my remaining bits of expendable magic, I fired up another usage of the ability to summon information from the libraries of the world, after of course getting a sketchbook ready with my transferal spell and got a bit of information about how Alchemy and the Crafting of Firearms work in this world. Useful tidbits of information, enough to allow me to reference what possible alchemical materials they have here. Not a lot to work with, but I will use what I can. I decided to spend a bit of time using my animation of tools to get the alchemy lab operating and the firearms crafting starting as well.

With everything set up, I got all of the kitchen utensils that were already here set up and started up having the potatoes, onions, and such set up to start making a large pot of stew. I got the beans set up to soak for a day to go into some Ham stew with chopped up potatoes. I heated up the leftovers from the first night, the chicken dinner, while everything else was getting ready. When I was finished with the meal, I got the stew and everything ready, setting up the stew with a pot on the lowest heat. I got all of my clothes cleaned, worked on getting Rex fixed up and cleaned, before getting a shower and setting myself up for the next day.