Chapter Twenty One: Power, creeping and seeping.

“Not enough of that humour these days.” Shadow, as usual, was phased out by Waynev as she rented the book and walked to the lounge.

Her coin purse holding ten made the pull on her belt more manageable but still felt like a constant reminder.

Plopping down on one of the barebone chairs it creaked in practice surprise, then went silent as Waynev buried her head in the contents of the book.

“Alchemical ingredients, herbs, monster parts, demon parts, aquatic pa-” Shadow went down the long list, which unfortunately was not alphabetically ordered.

As she went through it she couldn’t help but think it’s the little things that make a big difference.

“Start with the slime, move onto the root and then the ribcage.” Shadow whispered, subtly listening and watching a certain heckler.

“-was a murloc!” Laughter rained past the noise barrier in response.

Too tired to think Waynev began droning through the pages, thankfully the content pages gave her a place to start but it was still a long way to go until the bliss of sleep could wisp her away.

In the background Shadow’s eyes continued to scan the people around her, unknown to Waynev Shadow had already begun scanning other people’s gear.

Looking at a large reptilian looking dragonkin chugging down what looked like a mug o’piss she checked his platemail.

Dragonkin Enhanced Platemail

DUR (Durability)

1 = About to break.

10 = Better than new.

4.5/10

ATT (Attack)

1 = Worse than bare fists.

10 = A mediocre weapon.

100 = ???

0.00

PRO (Protection)

1 = Nearly threadbare.

10 = Mediocre armor.

100 = ???

6

UPG (Upgradable)

Unique equipment =Possibly upgradable?

(Locked)

She had made her own assessments of what the different stats meant based on lots and lots of data. Mainly from the people in the guild. So her data was slightly biased however when it came to durability and protection the adventurer’s around her, especially their gear wasn’t ignored.

Peering around Waynev’s peripheral vision, Shadow stayed as far away from the text as she could. Even a Shadow needed a break every so often so after she was done with her rough estimates Shadow let Waynev work her way through the text.

Pretending to work and be focused when in reality she was paying attention used to be difficult, so much so that she annoyed Waynev whenever she could back on Earth.

Being assigned tasks like a slave.

Feeling her emotions leak she instantly calmed.

Waiting, watching, expecting any reaction from Waynev’s end.

Thankfully being sleep-deprived and exhausted did things to the young woman's brain, allowing more freedom than usual. Like listening to the heckler at the back of the inn.

Even in the reception she could hear his ‘hilarious’ puns.

“-enjoy olive them!” Holding back a giggle she kept her eyes and ears locked on him.

“-nce got into a bar fight with the number 1!” He hollered to the clearly drunk audience, already laughing despite the punchline yet to be delivered.

“His friends, 3, 5, 7 and 9 showed up to help him, so I guess…” Face red from drinking he looked around with wide arms.

“...The odds were against me!” Laughter flew from their direction, Shadow couldn’t help laugh at the joke, it was so ba- so good that they asked him to say it again.

This time Waynev heard him, her face scrunching up as she closed the book and her eyes simultaneously.

“Man alive. What a guy, eh?” Shadow’s satisfied voice felt venomous to Waynev but she knew it was just her perception… and irritation clouding her judgment.

“Alright. I’ve memorised which floors the materials are,” Waynev whispered, still repeating some of the words to herself to prevent them from flying away in her dreary state.

“Each of them have the floors listed for the ingredients, two of them are on the same floor. Hell the same passage, but,” She stopped whispering as she approached the desk and returned the book, her name removed from the logs as she beelined for the exit.

The adventurer’s inn was cheap but the Stabler’s Inn was quiet.

And right now that’s all she wanted.

Flowing through the streets with a practiced inconspicuous gait, she meld with the Shadows.

Though they appeared empty Kresley had warned her about always staying in groups at night, especially near the inn but…

“Technically we’re two. Technically we’re one. Mentally, physically, does it matter?” Shadow’s words whispered and yet only the cold wind from gloom replied.

The atmosphere in the town was gentle with a slight biting sensation, or was that the mosquitos?

“Wayne, I know it’s been a long day but what were you going to say back in the shield?” People influenced others easily, words and colloquialisms helped fit in.

“Back in the shield?” Waynev paused in her stride, catching her breath in her hurried pace as her mid struggled to process the request.

“Oh right, the Bone-root and Royal slime can be found in the same passage but the imps… apparently the demon floors are heavily patrolled. We’ll need to sneak in if we want a chance at the ribcage.” Waynev’s melancholy voice combined with her slacking posture and bags under the eyes made a sickly combo.

Sneaking past a group of drunks she went through another side-alley, finding her way to the inn with the T shaped alleyway leading her close.

“We don’t have to worry about getting them tonight,” Shadow whispered as Waynev became just another Shadow in the night.

“That’s not what I’m worried about. It's the group.”

“Would they follow me to the new passages?”

“After what they nearly did to us. They have to. “

“They’re in debt, they have to accept that they were inept.”

“That they overstepped. We can use this against the-” Shadow’s words, calculating cold slowly won over Wayn-

“No. Shadow their people, I won’t force them or-”

“It’s not forcing it’s manipulati-”

“No. I’m going to ask and I won’t guilt trip, gaslight or whatever else to get them to side with me.”

“I can’t.” Soft but not gentle, Waynev’s statement carried finality with no room to argue.

“Fine.”

Outside General Bills, 2 hours since dawn, the morning sun glistened in a bright yellow tone almost blinding the early woken with it’s beams.

The streets were as usual coloured in red and blue undertones.

Exiting the shop, she tucked away the leather bag filled with paper. Double the amount of paper, double the cost of the paper to hopefully make it last double the time as well.

“Maybe we should just jump into the paper making business… someone is definitely being ripped off here and I don’t like thinking it’s us.” Shadow mumbled unhappily, Waynev on the other hand was more or less indifferent.

Easy come, easy go.

Navigating the crowds Waynev swerved and thankfully didn’t have to sweep past too many people before arriving in the clothiers shop a street and a bit over.

Walking through the open door a large carpet met her dirty soles, thankfully the carpet was already long since ruined.

Coated in stains she ignored the ground and moved towards one of the vests hanging off the wall.

Kresley was coming in the next half hour but before then Waynev needed new pants and new underclothes.

Her bra had stopped it’s support roughly a day or two ago, and although it wouldn’t cause any problems immediately she knew the pains medivel women went through.

Specifically back pains.

Scouring through the small shop with the shopkeeper boardly sitting on a bench sewing what looked like an old workers-apron on his lap.

“Excuse me. Do you know where I can buy undergarments?” Waynev asked the old man and was answered with a blank look.

“Undergarments? Sorry miss we sell clothes here but no holsters or other adventuring gear.” Waving away the question he went back to his task, about to ask again Shadow whispered in a slight pained tone.

“Wayne, have you ever seen anyone wear undergarments here?” Feeling like she got shot, she swerved her head to all the shelves around her.

Rushing to the door she looked for any tell-tale signs of bra straps or panties in the random citizens.

Birdpeople, dragonkin, serpentfolk and humans.

All of them passed her by and yet all she could see was dresses, shirts, pants and armor.

Yet no straps or underwear could be seen, which technically was normal but in her panicking mind it seemed off.

“Wayne they do have underpants, for dresses I’m guessing but remember even Kresley didn’t…” A quick flashback from changing Kresley’s clothes to her surprise when she found out that going commando was normal, she didn’t want to think of stuffing just cloth between herself and trousers when it was her day of the month.

“It’s all in the details…” Waynev sighed for the first time in week-days.

In Temporous did the days go slower?

Or did so many things happen that even the seconds stretched into hours...

Walking back into the shop Waynev asked for small pants after finding out that ‘underpants’ were expensive and mainly used for noble ladies, since all they wore were dresses.

To Waynev it sounded like hell.

Even to Shadow it sounded uptight, after experiencing such movement-free clothes having to wear constrictive outfits wouldn’t allow her to sneak or st-

“It won’t be comfy but… it’s better than the alternative.” Shadow whispered as Waynev bought cheap thick linen cloth for her… time of the month.

“Well on the bright side,” Shadow heaved a sigh of relief.

“The term ‘on the rag’ is accurate pff.” Giggling to herself Shadow enjoyed watching Waynev’s reaction to her jokes, after living inside someone for so long it was nice knowing her so well.

“Another quick question…”

Walking out of the store her backpack a little heavier and bra gone, she already missed the fabric protecting her from the hateful linen cloth. It was good underclothes and had cost her only 3 silvers but she still had to buy armor and have enough money left to pay for her room.

“Hopefully it’s less than the geezer thought it’ll take.” Not liking the prospects of the new distraction during her nighttime escapades Shadow prayed along with Waynev about the sacrificed bra.

Walking away Waynev thought she forgot somethi-

Waynev

She stopped, listening to the busy streets. Suddenly a loud screech came from the was someone whispering her name-

“Waynev !” Kresley shout-whispered her name as she hopped towards her after clearly missing a step.

Catching herself before she fell, she looked up to her friend.

“Kresley! Sorry I forgot yo- forgot that I already bought my clothes, can you help me pick some armor?” Saving herself the embarrassment and Kresley the roast Waynev pulled and somehow led Kresley to lead the way to her armorer.

“Oh before I forget.” Shadow’s voice changed, a neutral tone dominated Waynev’s mind.

The crowds around the two young women suddenly eased as they found a suballey to the shop, Kresley was asking about her dark blue pants and whether they would last longer than her last if she kept being thrown to the ground.

A bit more teasing went on before Shadow finally spoke, her voice stopping her in her tracks.

“I found out what my ability is.”