Lunch break continued for the small group of work friends and the topic shifted to the dream world, a subject they often discussed recently when they managed to take lunch together. The changes that were happening on Earth made the dream feel like the more secure place to be. There was a static quality to it, a certain stability, unlike the rapidly changing events here in the waking work.

“Eren warrior princess, huh?” asked Mark. Eren had outted herself regarding her dream-life shenanigans.

“Yeah, I can only afford leather armor so that sort of fits,” said Eren. “Though, I suppose I have more thief skills than warrior stuff.

“Money isn’t that hard to get,” said Eric.

“No, but anything really good costs a fortune. It took me a month just to scrape up enough money to buy premium leather armor,” she countered.

“Hell, I’m still using ratty old crap that I find on monsters,” said Mark. “On the forums and stuff people are constantly going on and on about high level they are and their cool gear. It’s bullshit.”

“You guys still out at that tiny farm town?” asked Kenna. She took a sip of her drink what she waited for their answer.

“Yeah. I’m still surprised that we both ended up near there,” said Mark. “Nothing else is near there.”

Eren shrugged at Kenna. “Never seen him around, but I have heard the legends of his works.”

“We should all try to get together in the dream world,” said Eric. “Start a team…”

“Why?” asked Amanda, her eyes narrowing as the words left her lips.

“Can’t have my girls be lonely,” said Eric.

Eren said, “Eww.”

Kenna said, “Engaged.”

Amanda said, “Pickle Jar.”

“Hey, you’re a mercenary, right?” Kenna asked Mark. She hoped to change the subject. Eric wasn’t a bad guy, or even bad looking, but he could be a bit much at times.

Mark nodded to her while he took a sip of his drink. “Yeah, I don’t get much work since my equipment is shit and my level is low. If I were in a bigger town I’d probably starve.”

“Because you suck?” asked Amanda in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Yeah. I only get jobs where I am because I’m the only mercenary around,” he said. “Though, most of that is plowing fields or finding some farmer’s daughter or other who’s run off with a shady guy.”

“That happen a lot?” asked Eren. “I’ve never gotten that sort of request.”

“About eight times now. Never the same girl,” said Mark. “Seems almost like a repeating escort quest from a game.”

Mark raised up one hand. “Muh daughter’s durn run off with a shifty looking adventurer. Bring ‘er back and I’ll make it worth your while.”

Eren giggle at him. “They do sound like that around there.”

Amanda eyed Mark carefully. “Do they make it worth your while?”

“They pay me in cakes and pies… poor bastards,” muttered Mark.

“At least you get out and earn a pie or two. I’m mostly stuck in town,” said Kenna.

“That’s right. The monsters in your area are all like level twenty or higher, right?” asked Eren.

“Yeah, it sucks. I can’t hurt them at all, so I spend all my time wandering around town doing odd jobs or training my skills,” said Kenna.

“That’s good, though,” said Mark.

“Huh? How? I just made it to level two yesterday,” said Kenna.

“Two?” asked Eric, his eyes wide. It was as though he had seen a unicorn. “How are you even alive?”

“Ha. Ha,” said Kenna with a frown. “Not everyone can get the chance to level up. Most people in town who are guards or adventurers are low-level like me!”

“The guy who helped me get the mercenary profession title told me that my skills are more important than my level. Turns out he was right,” said Mark.

“Really? So, I don’t suck?” asked Kenna.

“Ask me nice and we can talk about It,” said Eric.

Kenna glanced at him but did not bother to show him her ring hand. He did not deserve such magnificence. “Eren.”

“Ewww,” said Eren, on queue.

Mark laughed a little then said, “Yeah, if you want to be able to fight properly in the future you need at least three levels in your combat skills per level, but should really shoot for five or more. So, if you can get your fighting skills to say, rank sixty, you can fight the weaker level twenty monsters even at level one.”

Mark amended his statement, immediately. “I mean, with shit weapons and low stats you won’t do much damage and need to dodge a lot or stay in the rear. Still, you could probably fight some of the weaker ones if you join a group.”

“Sixty? I’ll be old and dried up by then!” exclaimed Kenna. “Maybe if I could earn a level and get some skill points, but that’s the problem in the first place!”

“Eh. No. I said at least sixty. You’d want it closer to a hundred really,” said Mark.

Kenna’s left eyelid spasmed slightly in response. That was just a ridiculous thing to say. Why were his jokes so lacking in humor?

“Try getting in with a merchant group or something that is traveling to another town. It’ll take a long time to increase your skill levels if you don’t get to an area with weaker monsters,” said Eren.

“Well, I have saved up some pocket money from my odd-jobs.” said Kenna. She had actually considered that before, but she was nervous about traveling with people she did not know.

“Could just train here, too,” said Mark. “If you partner up with someone who has much higher combat skill, they can help you train faster.”

“What about you Amanda?” asked Eren.

“I’m doing alright,” replied Amanda in a casual tone.

“Make friends with any chipmunks today?” asked Eric.

Amanda glanced at him. “No.”

Eric laughed. “Who would have thought that you would go all Disney Princess?”

“What are you implying?” asked Amanda.

“Well, you chose to be some kind of singing nature girl, right?” he asked.

“I’m a druid by profession,” she said. “Not the same thing at all…”

“Yeah, you talk to animals and sing,” said Eric.

Amanda’s left eyelid began to twitch. She had no response to that. She was sort of like a Disney princess now that she thought of it.

***