Chapter 4: Lucky Saves

Izuku's arms flailed wildly, trying to grab onto something, anything. He could only stare up at the branch above him as it shrunk away, the tiny form that had startled him appearing over the edge. He heard both girls shouting and he slammed into a pair of burly arms. But even they weren't enough to stop him, as he barreled into his savior's chest, knocking them both to the ground and sending him rolling onto the grass.

Izuku blinked, propping himself up and patting himself to look for injuries. To his shock, he didn't find any. He was still alive. His console hadn't been destroyed! He let out an eager breath as he watched Alicia give her brother a hand up. Recognition dawned as Izuku stared, "Y-you saved me." He stammered.

Martin glanced over at him, brushing off dirt and grass, "You're welcome by the way." Alicia gave him a light punch on the shoulder and he shook his head, "What happened up there? You acted like you saw a ghost."

Izuku blinked looking back into the tree, "There was something up there–" And there she was, still lingering on the branch he'd fallen from, "There! A really tiny person!" He pointed her out even as the fairy began to wave her arms.

"Where?" Alicia asked, peering into the branches, "I don't see anything."

"Me either." Martin agreed.

"But–" He watched the figure facepalm before ducking behind the branch. "–she was right there…"

"Ah," Carpenter interjected, "I thought I saw something too?" Izuku turned to face her, catching the uncertainty there, "But then you started to fall and…" She trailed off, looking embarrassed.

Izuku felt his shoulders fall, wondering if he had bumped his head after all, but a voice from just behind his ear almost made him jump out of his skin, "NPCs can't see or hear me." He whirled to come face to all of Reona.

He blinked, blushing at her scantily clad form, but then focused more on her wings, "How–"

She put up a hand to stop him, "Save it. Your NPCs will think you're weird for talking to someone who isn't there."

"But–"

"Hero?" Alicia asked with a forced smile, "are you… talking to someone?"

Reona folded her arms, "Told you."

"Oh!" Carpenter cut in quickly, "Maybe it was a fairy? You know, a tiny person with wings who can use magic to confuse people?"

"A fairy?" Martin arched an eyebrow, "In an apple tree?"

Carpenter folded her arms, "Well, fairies need to eat too."

Alicia blinked at her explanation before looking at him, "Is that what you saw Hero?"

"Y-yeah!" He nodded quickly, "There was this little winged person and she startled me, I, uh, I thought I saw her again just now, but she disappeared." He laughed nervously, "M-must have been some of the magic Carpenter was talking about…" He trailed off, hoping his argument would be accepted.

Reona gave a desultory clap, "Smooth."

Alicia and Martin exchanged another look and Martin scratched the back of his head, "I guess it's possible. It's not like he'd fling himself out of a tree."

Alicia nodded slowly. "How about I go up for the next bushel?"

"So what you're saying," Izuku whispered as he watched Martin catch another apple, "is that this is the lame tutorial area and that I should already be heading out?"

"Pretty much," Reona replied, watching from his shoulder in boredom. "It's to make sure you're synced in and all that jazz. It's not really worth the coppers you'll earn from it."

"But I'll earn some money?" Izuku asked, perking up slightly.

Reona rolled her eyes, "Yeah. Kiwame Quest is the top when it comes to realism. If you need some chump change there are always odd jobs around, but you should focus more on progressing." At that, she stretched, and he averted his eyes in case her costume slipped. Did it have to be so revealing?

A last apple filled Martin's basket and he moved to set it aside. Izuku stepped up, catching an apple before Carpenter could get close. She gave him a look, and he swore her eyes drifted to his shoulder before looking away. He swallowed, "Does she know you're here?"

"Who? Carpenter?" She looked at the other girl and rolled her eyes, "Yeah, she's another player."

Izuku blinked and almost jumped as another apple bounced into his basket, barely holding onto it. "Pay attention Hero!" Alicia called from up in the tree.

"Sorry!" He shouted up after her, making sure to watch for her next toss. Still, he couldn't help but think about it, "Do you two know each other?" He asked, catching another apple.

"Yeah." Reona waved dismissively, "But she really isn't interested in leaving Ted, so I kind of gave up on her."

Izuku nodded slowly, "Is there a reason she's normal and you're not?" He hadn't seen any options to be another species. Did she acquire it through a magical item? Was it a quest reward? Come to think of it, if she was invisible to NPCs did that include monsters?

"Earth to Midoriya," Reona said, waving a hand in front of his eyes, "jeez, you really do go into your own little world, don't you?" She shook her head and folded her arms across her chest, something that was an immense relief if Izuku could admit it. "Anyway, this avatar is a special store perk. Only shop employees get it."

Izuku blinked, "Aren't perks normally for customers?"

"You already know that Kiwame Quest plays differently from other games. The perks they gave out let store employees act as support." She smiled at him, "Anyway, you were right, monsters can't see or hear me either."

"That's good." He offered, not sure what else to say.

"So, as I was saying, you should wrap this up. I know most of the better item shops where you can buy starter equipment."

"There was a sword in my room." Izuku offered, carefully omitting the fact that he'd tried and failed to draw it on Alicia.

Reona snorted, "That thing is a hunk of junk, sell it for scrap and get something worthwhile."

He blinked and looked at her, "Isn't it supposed to be–" An apple collided with the side of his head and he dropped his basket, spilling his collection all over the ground.

"Hero!" Alicia shouted, giving him a disappointed look from up in the branches.

He winced, but Carpenter shook her head, "Sorry! I distracted him!"

Alicia didn't look like she bought it for a minute, huffing as she decided to crawl down. Carpenter set her own basket down and quickly approached to help him gather his fallen collections, shooting him a quick look before she started. "You owe me lunch for covering for you."

"Sorry." Izuku winced again, bending down to help her even as Reona sighed.

"Just don't let her eat all your money, will you?"

Izuku looked around the marketplace as they entered it. Booths lined the walls of the plaza with merchants hawking their goods to potential customers. The food looked western in origin, just like the buildings. He shook his head and followed along behind Martin and Alicia, holding his basket as well as one of Carpenter's… who was carrying another three.

"You really are a sucker for girls, aren't you?" Reona asked, causing him to blush.

"Oh! Over there!" Carpenter stopped and motioned for them to follow, "We should head to Johnny's booth instead of Derek's. He promised a little extra if I make sure to get a variety of sizes rather than the big ones Derek asks for."

She immediately veered off, leaving Izuku staring. Alicia and Martin exchanged another glance, "I think we'll be heading to our regular booth. But if you want to try your luck Hero…" Martin offered with a shrug.

Izuku looked at them for a moment before glancing after Carpenter as she approached another booth. "I think I'll go with her suggestion." He offered, "Besides, I still have one of her baskets."

Alicia smiled at him, "Okay Hero, tell us how it goes! If she's right, we may start going to Johnny instead."

He gave a quick nod and hustled after Carpenter, careful not to spill any apples. As he approached, he saw her in a heated discussion with the merchant.

"Four geld and eight kupfer." Carpenter said, motioning to the baskets and relieving him of the one he'd been carrying.

The merchant frowned, "Are you trying to beggar me, child? Four geld and two kupfer."

She picked up a pair of apples, one large, one small, "You know you can move the small apples easier. They're keepers."

A breath came through the merchant's nose, "Four geld and three kupfer."

Carpenter frowned and shook her head, "Four geld and six kupfer."

The merchant rolled his eyes, "Four geld and five kupfer."

Carpenter smiled and nodded, reaching out and shaking his hand before receiving four small silver coins and five copper coins in exchange for the baskets. Then Carpenter, with a smile on her face, motioned to him, "Also, my friend here wanted to sell you his apples as well."

The merchant sighed looking into his basket, "Nine kupfer."

Izuku blinked, "But you gave her…"

Carpenter placed her hands on her hips, "That basket is worth at least a geld and two kupfer." She stared the man down until he sighed.

"Fine, fine. A geld and one kupfer, my final offer."

"Deal!" She took the basket from him and accepted the cash, passing it over to him with a smile, "Now, time for you to get me lunch!"

Author's Note: So Reona almost ended Izuku's adventure prematurely, but at least it turns out that Izuku isn't alone in Kiwame Quest. This and the next chapter or two might be Bakugo light, but trust me, we'll be seeing more of him soon enough. But we'll get to know a little bit more about Carpenter next chapter. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!