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JULES
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“But I wanted to negotiate more,” Cyrus said. The Armorer pointed to another sign, just below the first.
> [No negotiating. All prices are final.]
Cyrus muttered something about a bullshit rule, Jules couldn’t make it all out, but he still forked over his Ryoku Crystal for the transaction. The Armorer smiled grandly and handed them their goods. Katarina came back around to them.
“Alright, this place is junk. Let’s go next door and buy some—Wait, what did you two get?” Jules and Cyrus showcased their Items, like the idiots they were. “Ugh, you morons. I told you we needed Enchanted clothing.”
“But that’s what I just got…” Cyrus protested.
“No, real clothes! Like that creepy guy from—” Katarina paused and looked around at the two strangers. “Ugh! We need to Forge and Enchant our clothes.” Jules and Cyrus looked down at their purchases, embarrassed.
“We’d like to return these,” Cyrus said.
“Oh, I’m sorry, lad,” the Armorer said and pointed to a third sign, below the second.
> [All sales are final.]
Cyrus cursed the Armorer's entire family. “Fine, here, if you want them so badly,” Cyrus said to the intruder, “you can have them, 10% off.”
“I’m good, but thanks, though.” The intruder walked behind the counter.
“Got a fresh load out back. Go ahead and stock up,” the Armorer said to the man, who must have been his employee. Jules was infuriated, but couldn’t help but laugh at his friend all the way next door, a building shared by both The Farrier’s Forge and The Enchanter’s Cove.
“What a freaking rip off,” Cyrus said.
Jules walked up to a man sitting at a sewing machine. He had a large assortment of fabric behind him and his portion of the shop. The man had a permanent grin stamped on his face, and his eyes were hidden behind the gleam of his glasses.
“Hello, good Sir,” Jules said. Try negotiating with politeness this time.
“Good morn, young master. To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked, still hiding behind those glasses. Eerie.
“Lemme cut to the chase, geezer,” Katarina interrupted. “We need armor. Tough armor. But we need to be nimble and able to move in combat, so we want Enchanted, Forged clothing. What are you,” she poked him in the chest, “gonna do about that?”
“Hmm…" The white sheen of his glasses did not falter. "I see. I can help you with this. I am but a simple Tailor as the Class I chose—”
Katarina snapped at her friends. “Next! We’re looking for a Forger. Let’s go, boys,”
“But I am also a skilled Forger, an official member of the Faction.”
Katarina studied him. “My father’s a Master Forger, so I’ll know the quality. You’re gonna make it for me, then I’ll decide if we’re gonna buy it or not.”
“Fair enough, but I will give you a price upfront, and you will not negotiate it. Take it or leave it.”
“Deal.” Katarina spat in her hand, and The Tailor shook it without hesitation.
“Challenge accepted." He titled his head forward, and light pierced his glasses to reveal two kind but focused eyes, enraptured in the deal. "Now, what does the lady require?”
“Form-fitting black bottom layer, two pieces, pants and shirt. With a white crop top. I want a green jacket to coordinate with my eyes, but that I can also wear down as a skirt. I want the jacket to protect me against,” Jules felt her eyes dart toward him, though she didn’t move her head, “the elements, and the rest to provide Light Armor protection. Black boots to match, and spiked metal bracelets and armlets.”
She said it all in one breath, and The Tailor furiously scribbled notes. He finished the last bit of information with a long slash to the side, well off the paper. The gleam returned. “I simply love a lady who knows exactly what she wants. Next?”
“Uh, an outfit. Blue and white?” Jules said.
For the first time, The Tailor’s smirk disappeared. “Could you be a bit more specific, good Sir?”
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Jules gulped. “A mix of a kimono and robes up top. Uh, baggy pants in the thighs but they tighten down on my shins. I like sandals?"
“Anything else?” The Tailor didn't bother to take notes on Jules' order.
Jules scratched his head. “It needs to cover my chest because—I just hit my System Unlock Day,” a lie, “and uh, I don’t quite have chest hair yet.”
“He’s really self-conscious,” Cyrus said. “Just please help him out.”
“Quite so. And you?”
“I’ll trust your judgment on what you think I’d look best in. But make it black and white.”
The Tailor grinned again. “You flatter me. Now, go over to the Enchantress. Tell her what you’d like each piece to be Scripted as. Just know our deals are separate, so keep that in mind.” The group moved over across the store to find a very cheerful and joyful lady.
“I see you’ve met Clay,” she teased. “Don’t mind him, he’s a bit of a head-case, but one of the few professionals in this town. Now, what can I do you for?”
They went over a wide assortment of options before deciding. Cyrus and Katarina chose to focus on Elemental, Piercing, and Blade protection. The former took a Magic Armor classification, the latter took Light Armor. Jules just took a focus on Piercing—No more bloody spears—and beyond that, Mixed Armor bolstering.
They watched the Tailor weave the final fabric for Cyrus' order. He’s a Master! He infused his creations with various Tomes and Scrolls beyond even Cyrus' knowledge. The room would light up sharply, then quickly fade away from his tattoos and eyes. The group transported each piece delicately to the Enchantress, who literally hammered Scripts into their clothing.
“Certainly is one way to do it,” Jules said. They're normally written in Ink.
She responded between grunts. “Yes, my family was full of Armorers, so when I decided to re-Class as an Enchantress, well, some things die hard. Think you’ll find my work to be solid, though.”
Jules and Cyrus smiled devilishly at each other. They knew, deep down they knew, that most of what they’d bought today was utter crap that wouldn't last past this first Shrine. But this stuff? This stuff? This is gold. The time finally came to pay and try on their new outfits. Jules was blown away by not just how good he looked, but by everyone in his Party.
> [Item: Tailored Clothing. Enchantment (1/4): Piercing Resistance Buff, +25%. Enchantment (2/4): Mixed Armor Buff, +30%. Two Enchantment Slots still available.]
Sharp, stylish, stretchy. What more could you want? “I could do the splits in these pants if I wanted to."
“But can you?” Katarina walked away. “Thanks. This was truly worth our time.”
Outside, Jules and Cyrus inspected their clothes, tugging on their sleeves and such. Cy seems satisfied for the first time today.
“What a freaking rip off,” Katarina said. “My father could have made clothes ten times better than this garbage.”
Cyrus looked himself up and down in the storefront glass. Confidence receded from his face. “Must be nice to have parents…”
She ignored him. "Though that Tailor did nail my style."
They continued on to The Rune Master.
“Finally, a store with a good name,” Jules said. They walked down the aisles containing stone tableaus, etched with Scripts, and inspected each one. They realized there was not a single Rune they didn’t all already know from their time with The Painter. They skipped to the Scrolls, where they didn’t find anything that would be of any immediate use to them, or in the long term.
“Well, he said we’d better stick to Runes, anyway,” Cyrus said.
“And there are no Tomes here, so you can’t get a sneak peek for what’s to come at 3rd Rank,” Jules said. They left empty-handed. “Don’t be sad, there’s probably another one five doors down.”
“Place was a rip off anyway…”
They walked into The Siren’s One-Stop Shoppe, a general store. Katarina took one step in and turned around. “Now this is a tourist trap."
“Now she realizes,” Jules said to Cyrus.
Cyrus dragged her back in by her new spiky collar. They split off to buy tents and sleep sacks. They’d probably be spending a lot of nights away from inns in the near future, as their notoriety would surely spread throughout the nations, or at least that’s what they said to each other. Jules grabbed Whiskers by his nape and pulled him in an opposite direction to buy food and water reserves.
“Wow, this is food, I guess.” Jules rolled around a can of terrible emergency rations. “Spinach, apple, and salmon. What a combination.”
"Any tuna? Huh?" Rukia asked. "Any. Tuna."
“Doomsday preppers,” Whiskers whispered on Jules’ shoulder.
“Hey, watch who you’re talking to.” Jules lingered in the food aisle.
“Jules, what is it you really seek?” Stop talking like that.
“Well, I was, uh, hoping you could help me find something.”
Whiskers showed his fangs. “For you?”
“Don’t give me that.” Jules looked around and saw the other two at the far end of the store. “Kat and I haven’t celebrated our birthdays in a few years, and we have a big one coming up—”
“Is this for the two of you, or just one?"
“Just—what’s her favorite cake flavor?” Jules took a sip of water. His throat felt suddenly dry.
“I think her favorite cake is one that you jump out of.” Jules spat out his water. Some other shoppers looked at him, disgusted, and moved away. Whiskers hopped down, walked in front of a strawberry cake, and sat down in front of it. Jules grabbed it.
“You better not be messing with me.”
Whiskers purred, so Jules bought it and the rest of his goods secretly. He shoved the cake into the deepest crevices of his backpack's Inventory. Then he thought about Rukia, and how hungry she was. He shifted the cake to his personal Inventory.
They all walked out of the store, fully stocked for a long adventure in the wild.
“What all did you get, Jules?” Katarina asked.
“Huh?" Jules asked nervously. "Oh—Uh, what a rip off."
Cyrus went to a souvenir shop alone, and the others hung around outside in the wonderful sunshine. Jules tried not to be awkward, which might have made it awkward. Thank Salvos, Cy is back.
“Lemme guess,” Jules said. "What a rip—"
“You know what? Not bad prices, actually,” Cyrus said, pleased. Katarina grunted. "Alright. Tonight, we're gonna make some Inked Arts. We'll start with Runes on paper, but we need to Forge Ink, then Enchant it."
"Why do we need Ink?" Katarina asked.
"If we don't use Ink, it rips off your flesh when you equip it." Jules and Katarina looked at each other. "Oh, right. Just Ink for me, then."
“What now?” Jules asked.
“Can we please please please eat again?” Rukia mumbled.
“I think we’ve prepared enough. Should we hit the Shrine?” Cyrus asked. Katarina looked at Jules.
“I think we all need a good night’s rest, for once," he said. "We attack at dawn.”
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