Author's Happy Place: Hiya folks. I know I'm a little late on this chapter but it's longer to compensate. There's a lot of dialogue and characterization in this chapter but this is probably the most dialogue I'll do for a while. I'm planning to jump into more action VERY soon. Thanks for reading.!

Ps. If you are offended by the utterance of certain monosyllabic or disyllabic words in the English language, you should reconsider your values and read this anyways.

Virtual reality didn’t really come as a surprise to people, or rather, World Sprawl Online didn’t come as a surprise to people. From the early Oculus Rift prototypes, to the low grade Crucible Immersions, to Full Sense theaters and movies, the growing capabilities and use of AI, developments in quantum computing and even Workstation pioneering digital time inflation- World Sprawl Online was merely the logical progression of the march of progress. However, World Sprawl Online was different, and not in some sentimental, romantic fashion either.

“Face, or rather, Hale-”

I held up my hand to Rainmaker, then removed my mask, gesturing for them to follow.

“Let’s avoid our real names. Even though this is just a game, we’re not here to play. Also, habits have a nasty way of manifesting themselves.”I said.

“Then explain yourself, Face.” Rainmaker said. “And speaking of faces, exactly what did you do to your face, Face?”

“Just a little virtual surgery to make me less recognizable.”

“Face!” Sparky urged. “I’m literally about to urinate myself in anticipation!”

I looked all of them in their eyes. They weren’t stupid, these were properly thinking people… usually… at the very least, none of them had any resentment or ill will about them. After following my genius plans for six years, they seemed to trust me. So I told them.

“We are going to acquire the greatest real-world superpowers and and much more! I said. “And we will do it right here, in this very game!”

“That is… well-” Bones trailed off.

“Face… what are you even…”

“First of all, if anyone else told me that I’d nicely tell them they were a blundering, mentally addled, idiot” River said. “Second, I’d like you to show us why you’re not of those people.”

“Then let me tell you about me experience in the World Sprawl closed beta.” I said.

“Wait, hold on? You were in the beta?”

“Impossible.”

“How come you’re still so weak?”

“A leader leads best side by side, not from the top.” I said. “Also, I made a lot of stupid choices in my previous build…”

“Basically, you were an idiot…” River sighed.

“It was an experiment!” I said. “I knew it would flop!”

“Idiot.”

“A gnostic idiot.”

“Moron.”

I cleared my throat and stood up. Silence reigned. Peeking outside the curtains, I grabbed a dense loaf of barley bread from my inventory before taking a large bite..

“I knew the build would flop.”I said, staring off into the distance. “That is, until it didn’t.”

“What do you mean?” they asked me.

“The beta was just the tip of the iceberg. Right now, we are going to do something amazing.”

They all leaned in. I followed suit, pausing for a few beats.

“You see-” I started.

“Just get to the point!” Rainmaker and Bones yelled together.

“Fine!”I grumbled. “I got in the beta late, I only had two weeks real time and the time slowdown was only 3x instead of 6x. But I managed to find significant changes in myself after two different experiments...”

“Tell us!” Bones said.

“Stop delaying, you bastard! I know you’re enjoying this!” Sparky huffed.

“Hehe. Alright alright. Speed Reading and Charisma!” I said.

“What?”

“I found Speed Reading skills and Charisma had a significant effect on reality, as opposed to many of the other system-assisting, or physical skills.”

I continued on talking about how stats like charisma which affected a person’s general presence or aura, were likely to carry into the real world to, at the very least. a minor degree. I also mentioned more obvious things like developing muscle memory and reflexes and eventually being able to join a revolution for practice.

“Now that my plan is clear, let’s catch some sleep early and we’ll meet again at 2 0’ clock. Zephyr 8! Scatter! Rainmaker, you’re staying with me to talk turkey, you too River”

Rainmaker and River nodded while Bones seemed satisfied if a little put out. Someone else was worrying me. Sparky hadn’t left to her room yet. She was crossing and uncrossing her legs constantly, her eyes unopened, chewing on her lip.

“Umm… Sparky?” I asked.

She met my eyes with a hard stare.Sparky walked up to me and slapped me in the face, or almost, I managed to intercept the blow at the last moment, my arm bending under the force.

Health decreased by 3

Looks like ten years of Krav Maga training might’ve paid off.

“Ouch! What was-”

“Stop hiding the final piece!” she yelled.

“What final piece?” I asked innocently. “And stop slapping me! I thought you were a boxer! Don’t give me some sissy little slap!”

She threw a sharp right hook, I ducked under it and stepped in, shoving her with two hands. She stumbled back, catching herself by seizing my collar and drawing her fist up. Her eyes were fiery, the glint in them promising death and destruction. I couldn’t stop smiling. I looked around at their eager eyes, their chest holding in breath and I asked:

“Have you guys ever heard of savant syndrome?”

“Savant syndrome?”Sparky asked.

“Yeah,” Rainmaker replied. “Basically people with savant syndrome are geniuses but in weird ways…”

“Correct. They’re the one’s that can do absurdly difficult mental math based on the way a number ‘looks’ or remember what’s happened to them every day of their life or feel what another person is feeling when that person touches them...”

“We’re going to become savants?”Sparky asked.

“Precisely.”I said. “Through this game we’ll get abilities on par with savants. I don’t want to get your hopes up too much, as it still seems like a longshot but I can tell you if this works, we can go beyond legend. Now get some sleep. We have a two 0’clock wake-up call for reconnaissance.”

Sparky punched straight at me, stopping an inch before my nose. She stumbled. I’d swept her leg, but only half-heartedly.

“I’ll explain more in the morning.” I chuckled. “It’s not good to quickly cram in so much information. Spaced repetition, my dear. Or something like that…”

Sparky tilted her head a little bit, let go of my collar and grabbed Bones by her hand, dragging her out of the room.

“That woman never fails to surprise me with her fierceness.” River said.

“Fierce?”I said. “She’s just a little excitable. Besides, isn’t Bones more fierce?”

“Not exactly.” Rainmaker said. “She’s more about gritty, cold and dirty violence. Makes sense when you think about where she hails from.”

“Fair enough.”River said. “Are we ready to discuss business and affairs?”

“Right you are.” Rainmaker said. “How long has it been since we’ve sat down together

like this?”

“Must’ve been a few months.” I said. “We’ve been getting sloppy.”

“I agree. We should make it bi-monthly,” Rainmaker said.

“It was seven months ago.”River said. “I remember it was sometime in December when we last talked.”

“Wow. Before we address the London issue, tell me Rainmaker, how are Zephyr 8’s finances? Last I remember, we had a maximum budget of $200,000.”

“The London issue?” Rainmaker asked.

“For instance,” River said. “The fact that you bought a strapless dress and a hairband for Bones and insisted that she wear it when she was with you.”

“That’s because she would intimidate my contacts otherwise! More importantly, you guys did something in London.”

“Like I said, we’ll address it last.”

“But I don’t-”

“Rainmaker!”

“Yeesh! Our assets are doing quite well. 200k was our total asset value during early spring. We have $220,000 in assets right now.”

“That’s incredible Rainmaker, good work.”

“Thanks, Face.”

“And how much available money do we have for use?”

“Right now?” Rainmaker asked.

“Yes.”

“We have $7000 immediately available. But I can easily liquidate another 30k if you give me 24 hours notice.”

“That’s not a terrible large sum...” River said.

“Our expenses are fairly low, so we should be able to manage.”I said. “How about your end ,River? How’s our public image and media presence?”

“The Zephyr 8 Youtube channel hit 300,000 subscribers a month ago and we’ve done three media appearances, excepting London three days ago, since last December.” River had a big sloppy grin all over his face. “Frankly, we’re in a great position to make it big with the London Debacle. we’re going to be huge within a week.”

“The London Debacle?” Rainmaker asked. “What the hell did you people do while we visited London?”

“Shh!” I said. “Let him finish. What happened with the other media pieces?”

“There were two local, one in New York City and the other one in Atlanta, Georgia. The most recent was two months ago, it was fluff piece by CNN.”

“What was the incident covered?”I asked.

“The message at the Lincoln Memorial.”

“That one?” I said. “Makes sense I suppose.”

“But there is a… mild issue.”River said.

“What?”

“Slips told me both the NSA, and MI5 are keeping tabs on us. Same with the North Korean State Security Department.”

“The SSD too? It was only a friendly DDOS attack...”

“Never mind the Koreans! What about MI5?!?!?” Rainmaker asked. “Does this have to do with what happened at London?”

“Correct,”I said.“I suppose this is what happens if you screw around near Buckingham Palace.”

“Buckingham Palace?” Rainmakers eyebrows were raised. “Out with it. What did you lunatics do? And why am I still completely in the dark?"

“He kidnapped the Queen’s dog and then drove away in a rental Aston Martin.”River said.

“God,”Rainmaker sighed. “”Every last one of you belongs in an institution, including me for hanging around you lot.” He placed his hands over his face, sucking air through his teeth. “I must say though, using an Aston Martin was in good taste, though.”

“Rainmaker?”River asked. Rainmaker looked up at both of us, his hands still on his face.

“So what happened?”

“I put a mic on myself and the dog while the police chased me.” I said. “Then I fervently asserted how the 40 million pounds the Royal Family receives each year isn’t enough for them to feed themselves.”

“But why the dog?” Rainmaker asked.

“I told the Londoners I stole the mutt because they can’t even afford their dog anymore.”

“You’re a madman, you are.”

“It gets better,”River said.

“So, Sparky lights up a whole crate of fireworks a block from where I was, then Bones and Boxman broke into a few stores and blared God Save The Queen from their speakers. While I somehow escaped, sneaked into a pound and put the dog in a kennel.”

“And I,”River cried, “Somehow managed to get enough cameramen to film it.”

“How could you- what, wait… wait- shouldn’t we be world famous by now?”

“River and I haven’t finished editing the video.” I replied.

“You haven’t- finished the…Good grief,”Rainmaker said. “I’m going to bed.”

“But don’t you want to know-”

“I’ll pass. Unless it’ll make us rich?” he asked hopefully.

“No. It was a great symbolic victory though…”

“River. Face.”he said, nodding to us both. “Good night.”

River and I laughed at the poor fellow.

“I think I’ll turn in as well.” River said.

“Very well. You two will be with Bones tomorrow and I’ll take Sparky. Oh. Rainmaker, one last thing...”

“What is it?”

“Be sure to tell me how your deals in London went as well. And also what happened with Bones.”

“Of course, Face.”

“Sweet dreams, gentlemen,” River cooed, before shutting the blinds and pinching the flame out of the candle.

POV Shift to Sparky!

“So?” I asked Bones, fiddling with my new tinderbox.

“So what?” she said lazily, typing into the in-game internet.

“How far have you gotten with Rainmaker?”

“Well, just recently I…”

“Yes?”

“Bought him groceries for the first time.”

“Great. So you took his groceries virginity.” I said. “Has there been no progress at all between you guys?”

“Groceries are pretty intimate.”

“Come on!” I groaned. “He’s like a merchant prince and you’re his dark and mysterious bodyguard! It’s a perfect match! You two even live together!”

Bones sheathed her sword, running a hand through her brown hair.

“I don’t really see it working out between us… I don’t even like him all that much… although in London...”

Dammit. Dammit all, she’s doing it! She’s doing what Face does… Oh! This illegal robber crook villain!

“Say it right now, woman, or I swear I’ll travel all the way to Detroit just blow up your grandmother’s trash cans!”

“Alright! Cool it, chiquita!”Bones said, raising her hands in surrender “He bought me a dress and a headband while we were in London. They were both some designer brand and too pretty for a thug like me to wear. So I told him, ‘I can’t wear this!’ It was really nice of him, or so I thought...”

“But?”

“But then he went and said,” she adjusted her voice to a rough Oxford accent. ‘Nonsense. You must wear this! I can’t have you meeting our contacts today in those rags!”

“Wow. I don’t even know what to say...”

“Then let me tell you what he told me next.” she changed her voice again. “This is my gift to you. I look forward to a long and mutually relationship, Bones.’”

“You were right.”I sighed. “It’s crazy to expect anything out of these guys.”

“Mhmm.” Bones said. “I shouldn’t have forgiven that insensitive little prick.”

“You forgave him?”

“He got me flowers and chocolate, saying he realized what a jerk he was.”

“And you forgave just like that?”

“He also bought me a bunch of new gear and holsters that fit under my new armory of dresses. Plus he took me out to dinner and got us VIP access to a museum of modern combat. So yeah, I forgave him.”

“So thereis something going on between you two…”

“Oh, shut up, you.”she said. “We just happen to live in the same house and participate in the same revolution.” she paused a moment. “And I buy him groceries.”

“Did you know that liars are more defensive the closer you get to the truth”

“You’re full of bull, you know that?” she sighed. “Why don’t we talk about something more interesting…”

“Interesting.”

“I’ve been planning a heist. Just you, me and Slips will be in on it!”

“Just us girls?”

“Damn right.” Bones said. “We could make some serious cash, us three.”

“What’s the target?”

“We’re going after bank money.”

“Sounds pretty vanilla.”

“How about hitting 34 different locations in one night?”

“34 location?!?! I’m in. You’ve got me fired up already, you bitch!”

“Sweet! I hope we’re on recon together tomorrow so we can bust shit up!”

“You know it, Bones!”

POV Shift to Face!

BEEP beep BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEEEE!!!

Grubble bubble? Wahhh??? Prbrblbrl...pfft. Damn, it’s too early to be out and about. However, the timer I’d set via the in-game internet begged to differ, ringing angrily at me.

“It’s 2 o’clock. It’s 2 o’clock. Get up, you stupid body. I, the great Face, leader of the-greatest-revolution-the-world-has-yet-to-see commands you-”

“Shut up, Face.” Rainmaker mumbled into his pillow.

“Yeah.” River grunted .“I concur.”

I hit the snooze button. And then I hit it again. We all laid there, fully aware it was past 2 o’ clock, not moving a muscle that didn’t wedge us deeper in our covers. Then Rainmaker started telling us about what happened between him and Bones. I disabled the alarm.Now that I think about it, 2 o’clock was a little harsh… we can go a little later… yeah that’ll be…

BOOM! I jumped off the bed, pulling out a small wood carving knife I’d found included in my beginning set. The sound came from the door, maybe they were robbers. No, probably just the girls… I swear, they’re so energetic. Trying to break in... There’s no way they’d be able to kick down a such a sturdy, solid hunk of wood at their level.

“Yeah, yeah!”I said. “We’ll be there in a moment.”

BOOM! The door flung open.

“Geeetttttt UP!” Sparky hollered, barging into the room and skidding to a stop before stomping towards me. “You! It’s 2:23 already! And don’t look at me like that!”

There was a six-foot tall redhead-blonde in leather and chainmail glowering at me and all I could do was gawk.

“Why do I even bother trying to be surprised?” I yawned, pushing my bedsheet off me.

“Just shut up and get dressed!”she yelled. “Bones! Help me cure these bums of their laziness.”

“Right.”Bones replied, before walking towards Rainmaker. “Wakey wakey, sleepyhead.”

“Good morning, dear, you look lovely-” he said. “I mean, Bones. Uhh…”

“Your butt. Off the bed. Now.” she said, tugging on the covers.

“No! Don’t! Bad idea!”

“Give me one good reason why-”

“I’m naked.”0

“Oh!” she said spinning around. “Take your time.”

“You could help me get dressed if you really wanted to.”

“I’ll pass.”

“Are you sure? You looked so eager.”

“Can it, you filthy lovebirds.” I said. “We’ve got a mission.”

“We’re not lovebirds!” they yelled in unison.

“A mission sounds good.” a voice behind me said.

“Yeah! We can finally be back on the frontlines.” said another voice.

A mousy blonde wearing a masquerade style Guy Fawkes mask and a hunky orc in full plate armor wearing a mecha-robot mask were leaning against the doorframe. They removed their masks to reveal broad smiles.

“Oh yeah.” Sparky said. “We found these geeks waiting outside.”

“Slips! Boxman!”I cried. “I thought you two said you were busy with the next line of drones!”

“That was mostly Boxman.”Slips said. “I was poking a few holes in a remote server the FBI was using.”

“But you were helping me with the OS over voice-chat.”Boxman said.

“That too.”

“Never mind that.” I said. “Boxman, get out of that metal tuxedo! The less noise the better!”

“Wait, you’re really sending us out? Us?”

“Were you planning on reading a nice book?”

“Umm…” Boxman said.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get plenty of opportunities for reading. You'll probably be sick of books actually... For now, strip. I’ve got some black cloth in here somewhere…”

Boxman quickly stashed away his armor and started removing his shirt. I was still looking through my inventory, when I looked up to see if what I had would fit him. Slips was staring at him slack-jawed. I didn’t blame her because I was staring too along with the rest of the girls.

“Boxman. You look-” Bones started.

“Very-” I said.

“No guys, I’ve been holding back this whole trip here.”Slips sighed. “Let me explain this to him. Boxman.”

“Yes?”

“You are the sexiest orc I’ve ever seen in my life.” she stated.

“I’m probably the only orc you’ve ever seen.”

“No, Boxman.”she grabbed his shoulders. “When I look at you right now, it’s like I’m having a wet dream while I’m awake.”

“No.”he said. “You’re just creepy.”

“Fine. Look in a mirror.”

He did, flexing a few times and spinning around.

“I look pretty good I guess.”

“No, you don’tunderstand . You are literally so sexy, we’re going to need to wrap your face and your abs up with brown paper bags, just to keep the Japanese porn directors away.”

In all the commotion, River had finally woke up and Rainmaker turned around after sifting through his coinage.

“Hey guys what’s all the-” Rainmaker dropped his shirt.“Jesus Christ! Boxman! How did you get the Incredible Hulk as your race?”

“That must be at least a twelve pack.” River muttered. “No, that’s a sixteen pack… Eighteen pack? Boxman, I can’t count all of your abs!”

“You guys…” he said weakly. “Face, what are you doing?”

“I’m giving you my cloak.”I said. “Those muscles are too conspicuous. But more importantly, how long were you guys waiting outside?”

“Two hours or so?”

“Two hours sounds about right.”

“Why?”

“We wanted to surprise you!”

“He wanted to surprise you.” Slips said. “I just wanted to stare at this green sex symbol for as long as possible.”

“Don’t call me a sex symbol!” he said. “Jeez… this is why we don’t video chat anymore.”

“Settle down you two.” I said. “Give me a moment, because you deviants showed up, there’ll be a slight change in plans.” I sat down to think for a moment. “Okay! Rainmaker, Bones, River! I want you three to find of all the black market activities going on in this cities and to build affinity with dealers. Slips and Boxman! I want you both to canvass the town for good hiding spots, easy break-in points, and any structural defects. Sparky, you’re with me! We’re going to look for any revolutionary activities going on in this town. Any questions?”

“When’s breakfast?”Sparky asked. “We’ll eat at 8 and discuss our findings. If you get hungry before then, there’s always the bread in your inventory.” “You’re heartless.” Sparky said.

“Cruel.” Boxman added.

“Pure evil.”

“Yes! Starve like African babies!” I cackled. “Now hurry along, before I set your hair on fire with my new-” I pulled a long, oily baton from my inventory. “-torch!”

I sauntered out the door while swinging the unlit torch around. I peeked back in the room at six still, fully masked figures.

“What you are guys waiting for?” I asked. “Freshly ironed newspapers? A silk robe? Come on!”

The inn was cozy, to say the least. Warmed by feisty embers from last evening’s fire, the air crinkled with years of lightly roasted spice which sunk into the walls. The dark wooden floor lay underneath a generous covering of long hallway rugs, muffling our footsteps down the corridor and out the door. I sent out party invites to the rest of Zephyr 8 before starting a conference call.

“If you can hear me say ‘eyeball’.” I said.

“Eyeball.”

“Balleye?”

“Good enough. If you can’t hear me, call yourself an idiot.”

“You’re an idiot, Face.” they responded in perfect harmony. It’s truly amazing how close a few years of revolution can bring people together.

“Right then. Since we have a little bit of time before we reach wherever our destinations might be, I thought I might inform you guys about exciting possibilities I’ve uncovered.”

For a moment, the line sounded like it was dead.

“Or we can just do radio silence…”

I counted… three… two… one...

“Please tell us, Face.” River asked.

“First, the speed reading skill!” I said. “It causes a slight distortion of time while reading, although it doesn’t improve general comprehension. If we master it, we’ll be gods back in reality.”

“Doesn't sound too impressive…” Boxman said.

“I’ve calculated the time distortion will max out around ten times slower than normal.”

“Damn.”

“Bloody hell.”

“Exactly..” I continued. “Knowledge is power. Reading is already the fastest and most way to intake knowledge. But if we read with maxed out speed reading while in-game, via the internet… that’s sixty times faster. Imagine how much more code you could get through, Slips.”

“I’m already wet.”

“Imagine how many more documents and articles you could pore over, River.”

“You’re brilliant, Face.”

“You ought to be one of those infomercial men.” Rainmaker said. “You’d make a fortune.”

“So, what’s next?” Sparky asked.

“If we level it high enough, we might be able to apply the time dilation to everything else.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. It’s only theoretical but I’d give it a seventy percent chance of working.”

“You’re saying we can get bullet time?” Sparky asked.

“I don’t think it’ll slow down enough for bullets but yes.”

“Marry me, Face.” Sparky said. “ Actually, on second thought, that would be disgusting.”

“Hey! That’s rude!”I cried.

“What might be the other possibilities?” River asked, pleasant and light like a feather.

“Photographic memory. If we can get this, it’ll be huge.”

“My god. This just gets better and better.”

“Is it possible?”

“I haven’t done it but it should be.”

“What’s the catch? Photographic memory is way too good.”

“At the very least we’ll need to hold another Zephyr training camp-” At those words there was a loud unanimous groan.“-if we want to get the skill. Maybe even two or three.” I said. “But mastering speed reading will take longer than ten camps, that’s for sure.

“Okay. Forget photographic memory for now. we’ll do speed reading in chunks,” River said. “What other ridiculous mind-hacks can we get?”

“Those were my two big ones, but I was thinking there would be some sort of stat we could unlock that would make us absolutely unignorable . Something that would make the world perk up every time we land in the limelight.”

“You mean, Fame?”Bones asked.

“We’ll get fame just for doing the crazy things we do already.” I said. “River even told me we were on the edge of an enormous world debut. We don’t need more fame all that much… I’m not even sure if the Fame stat would even carry over into the real world”

“So what is it?”

“In the simplest terms possible, Stage Presence. Something like that…” I said. “I wasn’t able to unlock anything like it yet, but the opportunity will come.”

“Is that all?”

“No, I’ve drawn up individual plans for all of you. We’ll go over them during breakfast.”

“What about the old man?”

“For Galeforce? Of course I did. He sent me a text, said he’s away from his capsule and won’t be able to come for a few days.”

“Sorry, Face.” Rainmaker said. “We’ve just found a shady looking dealer in this alley.”

“Very well. Radio silence, unless you need backup. Zephyr 8, blow em’ away!”

“Blow em’ away!” they repeated.

A red button rippled on my finger like water but clacked like a typewriter. Their voices died off, leaving only our footsteps and the faroff snarls of beasts in the fields outside of town. I tossed my torch to Sparky. Her face screamed Christmas Morning.

“Call it an apology.” I said.

“Apology accepted.”

“Great. Let’s head down- Hey! Don’t light it now!”

Flames already took root on the torch. She examined it like a bouquet of flowers, concluding: “Very nice.”

“You realize this is a stealth mission, right?”

It vanished into her inventory. I sighed, grabbing her hand and pulling her into an alleyway, putting my hand over her mouth. I let my lips brush over her ears for a second, then pulled her behind a wooden trash bin.

“Guards.” I whispered, taking my hand off of her lips.

“You’re too close!” she hissed. “Don’t sully my pure maiden heart!”

“Pure? Pure violence, you mean?”

“Pure is pure.”

“Shh!!!” I said, putting my hands back over her mouth. She threw my hands off. At that moment I remembered my dear Lucy and kept my hands off of her.

“Stop it! There’s a bunch of creepy hobos watching us.”

“Can’t be helped. If we aren’t this close, we won’t fit behind this bin. Now stop kidney punching me and nibbling on my ear!”

“It’s biting!” she fumed. “I’m a boxer, remember. This is a perfectly valid move. Even Mike Tyson did it.”

“That’s not a good standard for validity…”

“Shut it. Now, let go of me! They’ve passed already!”

“Fine.”

As we got up, she it me in the sternum with a flicker jab.

Health decreased by 7

“Ouch!”

“Don’t complain. You scheming, maiden-molesting, drama-queen!”

“Keep yer’ flib flabbin’ mouths shut, you Reras damned brats!” an age-roughened voice muttered.“You’ll bring the guards over!”

It was one of the hobos. He wore a brown jacket and green pants, both of which were falling apart at the seams. He spun a rugged leather hat on his finger- a strange hybrid of a beanie and a WWII flight helmet- and tossed it at me.

“If you’d compensate us with some change for the inconvenience…”

“We’d be much obliged.” Another hobo finished.

“And… If we don’t?” I asked.

“It’s real dangerous this time o’ nigh’. Might find yerself in an unfortunate situation.” the first hobo said.

I nodded slowly, then dropped a single copper coin and two pieces of bread in the hat. The hobos ranged from level 7 to 19. We were outclassed, and they knew it.

“Face! These punks aren’t worth it. I’ll take-” I put my hand in front of her.

“There you go, boys!” I said tossing the hat on the floor. “Now you won’t have to starve tonight!”

They stared glumly at the hat, reaching into their pockets, drawing weapons. They were well armed: a few daggers, short swords, batons, even a sling and a... folded metal bow?!? “Interesting hobos we’ve got here,” I mused aloud. Sparky pulled out a still burning torch from her inventory.

“Come on, boys! You wanna play with fire?”

“Sparky. Put that away.”

“But Face!”

“Sparky. Do it.” I said slowly, not looking away from the hobos.“Gentlemen. You’ll have to forgive us. We just came here to escape the harsh of eyes of someone else’s justice. But now, I have a question to ask you!”

“We have nothing to say.” the first hatless hobo spat.

I pulled twenty coppers from my inventory, spreading them out on an outstretched palm.

“That’s twenty coppers, you silly vagrants.” I chuckled, tipping my hand downward, the metal gleaming in the firelight. “Take a good look.” I flipped a coin into the hat. I flipped another one in, not looking at the hat but meeting the gazes of the ‘hobos’ instead. I put coin after coin in the hat, the pat of metal on leather was the only sound among all of us ten miscreants in the alley. When I had five coins left, I walked right up to the hat, picked it up and extended it toward the hobos.

“If I may be so bold to ask,” I said. “What do you gentlemen know about Revolution?”

Dirt and stitches covered their clothes, but their weapons were clean if not glittering and their smiles were wide and yellow and my smile followed as well. The hobos burst out laughing.

“Revolution?” a random hobo said. “Don’t know the meaning of the word!”

“That’s right!” the hatless hobo said. “Never heard of it!”

“Very good.” I said. “ Gentlemen. You really are what I’m looking for.”

“Is that so?” the hatless hobo cooed.

“Yes. Because words mean nothing in revolution. Only action.” I said, dropping the last of the coins into the hat. Their laughter stopped. The hatless hobo, picked his hat up, then signalled back to the other hobos, his eyes burning with roguery. The other hobos sheathed their weapons.

“Had a feeling you were a bit different, mask boy.” He said smoothly, in what seemed to be his normal voice.

“Call me Face.”

“I’m Rakes. If you’re looking to join, you might be out of your depth. You’re a little weak for a revolution, same with your lady friend.”

“You seem pretty smart, Rakes.” I said. “I wouldn’tve thought you someone to mistake weakness for a lack of strength.”

The hobos laughed heartily.

“Which is why I won’t stop you if you want in.”

Rakes, a local leader of a revolution, has extended an offer for you to join him. If you accept, revolutionaries in the surrounding areas will immediately become Friendly.

“Face!” Sparky hissed. “How the hell did you just do that?

“We’re in.” I corrected him.

“Of course.” he said, raising an eyebrow. “Both of you are in.”

“I’m afraid you’re wrong. You see, there are eight of us.”

“Eight? Ah. You lead a group?”

“Yes.”

“What is it called?”

“Zephyr 8.”

“Then, will Zephyr 8 join us for a delightful revolution?”

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I laughed, starting a conference call.

“Up and at em’, Zephyr 8!” I said into the call.

Seven players, covered in masks and darkness received a system message that set their mouths in motion.

“Already?” You’re a fiend, Face. A fiend!”

“He’s a devil alright. No. He’s worse than the devil. He must’ve sold his soul to revolution!”

“Face, you dog! How did you do- no. I don’t even want to know…”

“I would have expected nothing less from you. Good hunting, boss.”

“Zephyr 8!” I said, stroking my chin. “It appears that the winds of revolution will blow strongly here!”

Chapter Thoughts: I thought the POV shifts were a little clunky and the description a little sparse. Comment your thoughts! :grin: