There was a strange, sickly sweetness to Vee’s thoughts as he stomped through the snow toward Angelino’s. it felt a little bit like he’d drank too much coffee, or eaten too many sweets, and the [Ghost Maestro] briefly wondered if what he was about to do was truly wise. Certainly, he wanted answers and he trusted his instinct that Sacre was the person to get them from, but there was a question of tactics that Vee wondered if he should spend more time considering before heading inside. After all, if things went bad, he wasn’t exactly a mighty [Hero] capable of righting wrongs with his nothing but his fists.

Slowing to a stop, Vee looked at the dingy, worn-down door of the restaurant and pondered his next move. A trio of burly men in pin-striped suits loomed outside the door, and one of them looked over at Vee as he considered what to do next. Even compared to the brutes beside him, he was square and bulky, with a mean expression that reminded Vee of a hungry dog.

Boots clanking, Alforde stopped beside him and looked down. The armorsoul’s blue eyes were slightly harder to read than his old ones had been, but Vee could still see that his friend was worried.

“You okay?”

“I’m not sure what I’m going to do once I go in there,” Vee admitted, and his [Right Hand Man] visibly relaxed.

“That…might not be such a bad thing,” Alforde said quietly. “We can stay here for a while and make a plan first.”

That was true. However, if there was one thing Vee knew, it was that much like a reservation, making a plan wasn’t the hard part; it was the “sticking to it” part that was truly challenging. How many times in his life had he sat down and had serious conversations about what he wanted to do and walked away energized to go after it…only to find himself in the same place a few weeks – or months or years – later?

Too many times.

But still, self-improvement was like that old saying about the longest of marches, and while the thought of making yet another plan was matched against another old saying about the definition of insanity, Vee decided that having a gameplan before going into Angelino’s wasn’t a bad idea. At the very least, having one meant that he’d have something to laugh about after things went belly up. Provided that nothing catastrophic happened, of course.

A gust of cold wind chilled his skin, and Vee looked up at the sky with a skeptical expression.

[You have unlocked the Guy-Who-Repeatedly-Tempts-Fate class! Would you like to take it?]

Vee snorted as he dismissed the notification. Taking off his hat and letting the wind tousle his hair, Vee looked at his companions and said, “Alright, how are we going to do this?”

***

Reginald couldn’t help but worry as the [Bodyguards] outside Angelino’s used [Pat Down] on Vee. Not because he worried about them finding any sort of weapons or anything like that, but because of the way the guards acted as they did it. Their eyes snapped back and forth, and their mouths were drawn tight as they checked Vee’s pockets. It was like they were nervous about something.

Looking closer, Reginald noticed that all three of their pinstripe suits were freshly cleaned and pressed. That was strange. Had it just been one of the stocky men, he wouldn’t have cared, but all three meant that there’d been an order for everyone to look nice. Otherwise meatheads like this wouldn’t have coordinated their cleaning.

As he had a tough time imagining why Sacre would care about such a thing, Reginald figured that something was up inside the restaurant, and whispered a warning to Vee as the [Dungeon Master] walked inside.

“Be careful, boss. Think twice before you say anything, yeah?”

“I know. Don’t worry, I know the plan.”

The [Core Spirit] wanted to say that wasn’t the problem, but was distracted by the way the world went a little blurry. He looked around and saw the source right away: a raven-haired woman in an emerald dress walking toward them with a trio of menus in her arms. She flashed a [Charming Smile] – no, it was too bright for that; it had to be a [Radiant Smile] – as she gestured to the dark hallway beyond.

“Good evening. Table for three?”

An alluring scent filled the air, and Reginald closed his eyes. None of that now. Reaching into the depths of his thoughts, Reginald worked his consciousness around Maluw’s lock. It was always a bit of a tricky thing, but eventually the hat found the skill he was looking for.

[[Negate]].

[??? - ???]

The powerful skill activated and the world went back to normal. Vee jerked as if he’d been abruptly awakened, and Reginald smirked with satisfaction as he paid the price of power with levels. That was just how it went. A worthwhile sacrifice, the diminished [Core Spirit] thought. Levels could be earned again – By Gawain he knew that for a fact! – but Vee needed to keep his cool now, and having wonky thoughts wasn’t the way for him to do that.

“Sorry, I’m actually here to talk to Sacre,” Vee said calmly. “My name is Vee Vales, and we do some business together.”

“I see,” the woman said, trying to use [Radiant Smile] once again. Unfortunately for her, [[Negate]]’s effect tended to linger for some time, and so her skill failed. “I’m afraid Mister Sacre is busy this evening with an important meeting so that won’t be possible. Can you come back another time?”

“No, I need to speak with Sacre tonight,” Vee replied. “I’m fine waiting as long as necessary.”

Without giving the woman a chance to respond, Vee walked over to the small bench on the far side of the room and sat down. They’d anticipated the early stonewall and so far Vee had stuck to the plan. Reginald let his smile widen as Alforde walked over and took up his position as silent sentinel next to the [Dungeon Master]. The armorsoul’s cape of frost and snow manifested behind him, and the room got a little chilly.

Looking every bit the part, they waited.

***

Alforde shifted back and forth, wishing that he had a book to read as one hour became two. Several suited goons came in and out of the restaurant, looking increasingly frustrated as the night wore on, and the armorsoul wondered what they were all so concerned about. Whatever it was, it certainly didn’t seem fun!

He tried to peer into the darkness, hoping to get a better idea of what was happening back there, but couldn’t properly see anything. Darn! If only he could actually go and look, but he had to stay where he was and look intimidating. Stupid plan.

Sometime later, there was a loud thunk, and the muffled sound of yelling filled the restaurant. The woman in the emerald dress looked concerned for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. Unfortunately, the yelling intensified even further, and the [Hostess] veritably jumped into the air when a door slammed open somewhere in the hazy sea of cigar smoke behind her.

“I’ve had enough of your double talk, Sacre! Clearly, my coming here was a waste of time for us both. We’ll see who gets through that damn golden door first, huh?”

A group of kitrekins appeared a few seconds later, bedecked in flamboyant suits and draped in expensive jewelry as they stomped down the hallway. Alforde recognized some of them – Big Simon was among their number, as were Atlas, Aris, and Smore Whiskerkins – but the one in the center was a kitrekin he’d never seen before.

The unknown kitrekin was impossibly fat, with bright beady eyes that glittered like emeralds. He wore so much jewelry that his companions might as well have not been wearing any, and the buttons of his suit were on the verge of giving out. Still, his most prominent feature by far was his tail, which was almost as thick as Alforde’s arm. It curled at the end and hugged the kitrekin’s back, and any doubt Alforde might have had about the kitrekin’s identity vanished then and there.

It was Don Curlytail himself.

The [Dungeon Champion] felt his own realization mirrored through his bond with Vee. His friend sat up a little straighter as the corpulent gangster turned toward them and flashed his fangs in a surprisingly friendly smile.

“Evening,” he said in a silky voice. “You’re Vales, right?”

Vee nodded. “That’s me. How’d you know?”

“Not a lot of blue-haired fellows with armorsoul companions in the city, ” the kitrekin replied, holding out a singly hefty paw. “My name’s Curlytail. I’ve heard good things about you from my friend Simon here. We should talk some time. I think there’s some things we can help each other with.”

Vee took the don’s hand and gave it a shake. Alforde worried at the sight of another manic glint in his friend’s eyes.

Thankfully, Vee handled it well.

“I’d be happy to do that,” he said with a smile of his own. “I’m sure there’s lots we can talk about.”

Alforde also a faint glimmer of blue around [Ghost Maestro]’s shoulders, and he wondered if the snake-dragon was whispering in his friend’s ear. He vaguely understood the basic idea of what the Expectation expected from Vee, but seeing the spirit manifest before his eyes was still more than a little unsettling. However, Vee said it was fine and in all matters of the ethereal Alforde had long since learned to trust Vee’s judgement. He’d do so here, too.

[Faith +1]

“Excellent. Until then,” Curlytail purred as he turned back to his posse. He nodded, and the kitrekins left the restaurant. Before going through the door,though Aris looked back at Alforde and flashed his fangs. There was an unspoken challenge there, and the armorsoul tilted his helmet in acknowledgement.

Some other time, yet again.

Was Aris the first member of a future rogue’s gallery? Or was he simply a rival? Either way, Alforde was gleeful at the prospect. He’d read so many stories about those things, and they always sounded so cool!

His cape billowing behind him, Alforde imagined dramatic music playing in the background.

***

“What do you think the don and his cronies were doing here?” Vee asked as they were finally led toward the back. They’d all lost track of the hours that’d passed since arriving, and their stomachs rumbled as they followed the woman in the emerald dress. Maybe they should have gotten food first after all.

“It’s hard to say,” Reginald answered. “Him and Sacre aren’t friends by any means, but now and then they can work together when something big happens. Like, there was a really bad tornado here about fifteen years ago, and the two of them suspended hostilities and helped repair the damage.”

“That’s good of them, but I heard something about a golden door,” Alforde said. “It sounded like they were both trying to get it open. Anything like that ring a bell for you, Reginald?”

The hat’s brim tightened around Vee’s head. “I…yes…no…I don’t think know,” the hat admitted. “A golden door sounds vaguely familiar, but when I try to recall the specifics, everything goes fuzzy. My recollection isn’t what it should be; Maluw’s seal is interfering with my memories.”

“It’s fine,” Vee said. “At the very least, I think that gives us a good idea of where Thien might be now. We can assume the door is out in Westown somewhere, so even if this meeting is a bust, I can have my fiends start looking more seriously.”

The trio fell quiet as they stepped into a room filled with hazy, purplish smoke. Sacre was hunched over his table, lighting a cigar. Other than the furious furrow in his upper brow, he looked totally calm, and he even smiled lazily as he gestured for Vee to sit down across from him.

“Been a while, kid,” he said. “What brings you by? Didn’t you just pay Walnut earlier today for this week? Hopefully you’re not here trying to renegotiate your terms, huh?”

He laughed, but there was no mirth in it. Vee met his gaze, enduring the weight of the [Honest Businessman]’s Intimidating Presence. “No, it’s nothing like that. I’m here because I’m hoping you can help me find someone. Her name is Thien.”

Sacre blinked twice in surprise but recovered quickly, raising an eyebrow as he leaned back. “Looking for someone? Why come here, then? You think I’m a freakin’ [Private Eye] or something? Sorry, kid. You’re going to have to go somewhere else. The [City Guard], maybe.”

The [Dungeon Master] shook his head. “For almost anyone else, that’s exactly what I'd do. However, it’s different for Thien. I’m here because I think you’re the reason she’s missing. Or at the very least, you know where she is.”

“And what makes you think that?”

Vee leaned forward and steepled his hands. “Call it a hunch. In addition to the person I’m looking for, there are other metal workers that have all gone missing. Most of them worked near here.”

“So what? So do plenty of other people. That’s not much of a reason to suggest I know anything about this, kid.”

Vee braced himself as the weight of the Intimidating Presence got even heavier. The Expectation lifted its head and nuzzled his ear, and Vee pressed on with a grim smile. They’d expected this too, and he’d been careful to lay the trap that would hopefully give him the upper hand.

[Guts +1]

“By itself, sure. But when you add the fact that you and the don seem to be racing to open some sort of golden door, it starts making a bit more sense, doesn’t it?”

Sacre took a long drag from his cigar before exhaling slowly. “Maybe? What’s this all to you, anyway? What do you need this [Gold Smith] for?”

Vee’s smile widened.

““Ah, but that’s the thing. I never mentioned that she was a [Gold Smith]. Kind of a weird thing for you to know if you have no idea who she is, isn’t it?”

Sacre fell quiet and Vee pressed his advantage.

“Crestheart is out of rewards for victorious adventurers and I want her to make more. Now that we’ve dispensed with the act about you not knowing her, why don’t you tell me where she is?”

“Make rewards? That’s it?”

Vee shrugged. “For now.”

The [Honest Businessman] tapped the ashes off his cigar and thought for a moment. “Fine. What’s it matter, anyways. She’s finishing up a job for me right now, but if you go visit her shop in two days she should be there. Now scram.”

Reginald’s brim tightened, and Vee decided that he’d gotten enough. Nodding, he stood back up and gestured for Alforde to follow.

When he reached the door, though, Sacred called out, “It’s a dangerous road you’re walking, kid. If you keep following that thing on your shoulders you’re going to find yourself without many friends. The city can be dangerous for a guy with no friends, you know.”

Alforde turned around and glowered at the [Honest Businessman]. “Not so long as I’m here.”

Chuckling, Sacre shook his head. “Hope you don’t have to find out, Frosty.”

Without another word, the trio went back outside – with Alforde pausing briefly to reclaim Slammy from the goons’ custody, which seemed especially important given the not-so-thinly veiled threat – and the armorsoul fell into step next to his friend on high alert.

“You don’t have anything to worry about for now,” Reginald said. “But if you’re going to keep butting heads with Sacre it might be a good idea to start taking some precautions when we’re out and about. What are we going to do about Thien, Boss?”

“Yeah. I know. We’ll visit her shop in a couple days, but until she can make us some replacement prizes, we’ll need to come up with an alternative to use in the meantime,” Vee said. “Anyone got any ideas?”

The three bounced ideas off each other as they headed back toward Sculla’s. Vee was too hungry to think straight, but unfortunately, since it was so late, they couldn’t come up with anything.

“We’ll come up with something in the morning,” the [Dungeon Master] said as he wearily climbed the steps to his room. “We always do.”

He pondered the implications of the night’s visit as he collapsed onto his bed. Somehow, he had a feeling that this was only the opening number in a much longer dance.

Main Character Sheets:

Vee Vales

Primary Class: Ghost Maestro (Locksmagister University), Level 29

Secondary Class: Dungeon Master (Oar’s Crest), Level 20

Tertiary Class: Guy-Who-Takes-Things-WAY-Too-Far (Self), Level 5

Might: 13

Wit: 32

Faith: 21

Adventurousness: 7

Ambition: 14

Plotting: 19

Charisma: 14

Devious Mind: 22

Leadership: 17

Guts: 14 (+1)

Intimidating Presence: 10

Citizenship: 20

Public Relations: 5

Determination: 2

Persuasiveness: 1

Alforde Armorsoul:

Primary Class: Hammer Afficionado (Self), Level 22

Secondary Class: Right-hand man (Vee Vales), Level 14

Tertiary Class: Dungeon Champion (Oar’s Crest), Level 14

Additional Class: Glaciernaut (Sacha Silverblade), Level 5

Might: 41

Wit: 12

Faith: 28 (+1)

Adventurousness (Bound – Vee Vales): 8

Endurance: 20

Intimidating Presence: 12

Heart of a Champion: 8

Citizenship (Bound – Vee Vales): 8

Vigilance: 6

Vanity: 2

Reginald:

Primary Class: Core Spirit (Unknown), Level ??? (-???)

--~%@(%[email protected] &% (*$ #&#e !i$$ (#$%#$%#[email protected]!)~--, #[email protected]& ????

Secondary Class: Loudmouth (Self), Level 38

Tertiary Class: Majordomo (Vee Vales), Level 15

Additional Class: Announcer (Vee Vales), Level 8

Might: 1

Wit: 33

Faith: 14

Ambition: 27

Greed: 22

Deceptiveness: 27

Manipulativeness: 37

$#&*[email protected]!!

Loyalty: 46

Patience: 8

[#&%%%@%!#@__--#%]

[email protected]#!! @#[email protected][email protected]#

@#[email protected]%%^

Citizenship (Bound – Vee Vales): 7