Following the commission from earlier, the Player, Wise, and Belle got to enjoy the rest of their day in peace. Wise and Belle helped ease the Player into their work cycle, showing him the basics of what it was like working at Random Play.
The Player learned why Wise and Belle were the best in the business. They could find any movie a customer asked for, even if the customer didn't know the name of the movie but could remember an actor in the cast. They even had imports from overseas and a section for kids with movies grouped by age and popularity.
Watching Wise and Belle work together was quite an experience. They were a great team, working off of each other's strengths and weaknesses when it came to genres.
They attracted new customers by making basic summaries sound exciting, and they provided in-depth critiques for their movie enthusiast customers that often lead to them renting movies they already watched to pick up on the details the siblings pointed out.
Wise and Belle put a lot of effort into making Random Play a success and their hard work made the Player want to learn more about New Eridu's movie culture.
Eventually night fell and it was time to call it a day.
Wise's Room, Random Play
9:45pm
The Player entered the room drying his hair. "Yo, Wise. I'm done. The shower's clean and everything, so you can jump right in."
Wise was in the middle of attaching Eous to his charge station when the Player entered. "Okay, great. I was just finishing up with Eous," once he was done with Eous, he went to the drawer to get some clean clothes.
The Player was fascinated by the unique charging method for Eous and examined it while Wise was getting his night clothes in order. In regard to Eous, he was left suspended in the air by a pair of mechanical arms that had a set of gloved hands that just held him by his head.
"Hey, Wise. What exactly are Bangboo? Are they robots or something?"
"Robots? Mmmm... It's a bit more complicated than that. They're mechanical in nature, but they have a wide range of personalities and quirks. Some people treat them like tools, but, for Belle and I, they're companions."
"Oooh, I see. Man... They're so cute," the Player gave Eous a gentle poke on his forehead, careful not to disturb the charging process.
Wise snickered as he left the room. But before he went to the bathroom for his shower, an annoyed "Aaw! Come on!" came from Belle's room, prompting Wise to stop and turn to the bedroom door.
The door opened, and in walked Wise. He found Belle gaming, and she was wearing a competitive glare.
"Belle, I was about to get in the shower, but I remembered you haven't gotten a chance to go in yet. I thought I'd ask if you wanted to go before me so you can get it out of the way."
"Nah, it's okay. I'll go after you, bro," Belle's eyes never left the TV.
Wise's expression fell flat. "Where have I heard that before?" He wondered aloud.
"I will, Wise! Just... Just leave me to the game! I'm trying to get the WR on this water temple run. I'm on a good pace."
When Belle is in tryhard mode, there's no point trying to reason with her. Wise sighed and closed the door, leaving his sister to chase her World Record.
Back in Wise's room, the Player sat on the couch and turned the TV on.
There was a news broadcast discussing the two Companion Hollows around fourteenth street and the measures being taken to contain them.
The reporter on the scene mentioned that there was a significant reduction of Ether within the last few hours for Companion Hollow FSCH-C1, the same Hollow where the Player and Anby encountered Farbauti. Because of the reduction, the Companion Hollow shrunk a considerable amount, making the containment easier.
Everything that was being discussed was still quite foreign to the Player. But that didn't stop him from trying to understand it and make sense of it.
His phone began vibrating on the table and he grabbed it to check his messages.
Anby
Are you sleep?
Nah, just got out of the shower.
I'm taking it easy for now.
What's up?
Anby
How's your math?
Math? It depends.
Anby
*sigh* NVM...
I've done the math over
and over again,
and it won't change no matter
who does it
Do you want me to call you so we
can properly talk?
Maybe we can solve
it together.
Anby
It's nothing, Player.
Sorry for bothering you.
Goodnight.
It's no trouble at all.
I won't pry if your mind's made up.
I hope things work out.
If you need anything, let me know.
Anby
I will. Thanks.
No problem.
Goodnight!
The Player laid the phone down and gently exhaled from his nose. He wondered why Anby needed help with math so late at night. Could this be related to Nicole's infamous spending habits? He hoped she hadn't blown a good chunk of the Cunning Hare's budget on junk food...
Whatever the case may have been, there was no point in staying up all night worrying about it. It was time to rest, but he was going to make certain he'd check on the Cunning Hares tomorrow.
The Player laid down and eventually fell asleep...
Random Play
July 6th, 8:25am
Early the next morning, everyone was up and at it. Wise, Belle, and the Bangboo staff were getting things situated downstairs while the Player was wrapping things up in the bathroom.
Once he was done, he went downstairs to meet with the others. "Yo, gang," he gave the siblings a wave.
"Well, well, if it's isn't the Secret Agent Man," Belle playfully pointed finger guns at him.
"And the greatest proxy in all of New Eridu, Phaethon," he smirked. "Live and in the flesh." Once the Player reached the bottom step, he aimed finger guns back at Belle.
Wise snickered as they fired at each other. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm good. Can't complain," the Player answered.
"Aside from the mild amnesia, right?" Belle teased.
"Oh... Right. Aside from the mild amnesia, I'm good."
Wise gave Belle a disapproving flat look. "Should we really be making light of that?"
"Oh, come on, bro. He knows I'm only playing."
"Yeah, it's cool," the Player assured with a chuckle. "It'll all come back to me in time, so I'm not really worried about it. In the meantime, I think it's time we start discussing work. As in me working at Random Play. I want to put some hours in and help you guys."
"You don't think you do enough with the Proxy side of business?" Belle asked.
"That's different, isn't it?"
"Not really," Wise answered. "You do all the fighting in the Hollows and we get paid. That's a job."
"Not to mention you fought a massive Ethereal yesterday. You should be resting."
"But I'm fine. Fit as a fiddle! I'm sure I can do both. I just want to help you guys in your day-to-day. It's the least I can do. Besides, it' not like we'll be Hollow raiding on a daily basis, right?"
Wise and Belle looked at each other and smiled when they realized they had matching expressions. Wise inclined his shoulders as a show that he had no objections and Belle nodded in agreement.
"Okay! How can we say no to such an enthusiastic worker?" Belle took out an envelope from her pocket and handed it to the Player.
"What's this?" The Player noticed a date on the envelope next to his alias.
"Your share from the commission yesterday. Your first payday!"
"Oh. Nice!"
Wise grabbed another envelope from the front desk. "And a little something from us to help get you started in New Eridu," he walked it over to the Player and handed it to him.
"Wait... More money?"
"Think of it as a sign on bonus for Random Play."
The Player looked down to the two envelopes and smiled. "You know what? I'm beginning to like it around here already."
Wise and Belle snickered.
"And now that you have money, you can take the next step in settling into your new life in New Eridu!" Belle clapped her hands together in excitement.
"And what's that?"
"Shopping!"
Wise groaned.
"Shut up, Wise."
"Shopping?" The Player questioned.
"Yeah. You can't walk around wearing tactical clothes all the time."
"...Oh yeah. Good point."
As the Player was inspecting his clothes, Wise was curiously eying him from the side.
"I don't mean to pry, but what kind of training have you undergone?" Wise asked. "Your clothes look like something you'd wear in the military."
"I suppose you could say I have some military experience. Before I got myself wrapped up in this Hollow fiasco, I was part of a spec ops unit and received special training to protect the sovereign of a distant land."
"...Whoa. You were protecting royalty?" Belle was genuinely surprised.
"Yep."
"Not gonna lie, I wasn't expecting that bombshell," Wise said.
"But it explains why you're so capable in a fight."
"Yeah, my instructor was, admittedly, a badass. She taught me most of what I know. I received CQC training, firearms training, driver training, and I even learned some control tactics."
"Were you a cop at any point in time?" Wise asked.
"Nah. I was basically just a free agent in the sovereign's vanguard. She understood I had other obligations, so, unless it was an emergency, things were pretty lenient for me... There are five other members in the unit, so even though I'm here, in New Eridu, I'm not too worried about being gone."
"Wow. Just... Wow," Belle chuckled.
"And, go figure, I don't even remember my instructor's name. Starts with a P though. P... Pa... I dunno."
"Not being able to remember must be a pain, huh?"
"It's pretty annoying, yeah. Eh... Oh well. It's not worth stressing over. It'll all come back to me eventually. So, about those clothes?"
"Oh!" Belle exclaimed. "Right, shopping!" Her face lit up with delight as she realized what she had to do. She reached out and grabbed Wise by the collar of his jacket after he tried walking away as though he hadn't even been part of the conversation.
Wise groaned again...
"To help get you started, we're going to the Lumina Galleria," Belle continued.
"What's that?"
"It's a mall in Lumina Square."
"If we get there in the morning, we won't be leaving until midnight," Wise said, dreading having to endure Belle's shopping habits.
"Don't listen to him," Belle dismissed her brother with an unbothered smile.
"Okay. Sounds like fun," the Player said.
Wise hung his head.
"Great! I'll drive!" Belle offered.
"I don't think so," Wise denied.
"What? Why?"
"Because there will be nowhere to park and parking spots are expensive when you're in the city for hours on end."
"We won't be long! It'll be a simple in and out," Belle assured.
"We're taking the metro," Wise said, staring at Belle with a deadpan expression. He was clearly not interested in discussing the matter any further, knowing his sister's shopping habits.
The Player watched as the siblings bickered. He didn't want to interrupt, but they weren't getting anywhere with the debate. "I don't have a problem with taking public transport," he said. "It'll be good for us. Well... It'll be good for me, specifically. That way, I can get familiar with the transit route."
"There. Two on one," Wise gloated with a smug look.
Belle gave the Player an unamused look and marched up to him with her finger pointed at his face. "You were supposed to be on my side," she playfully glared.
"I-It's not about sides though," the Player eased his face away from her finger.
"Yeeeeah, sure. You're treating me to a meal later."
"Huh?!"
"It's only fair since you're siding with Wise. You guys decide on how we get there, I decide what we eat."
"But... It's... I wasn't siding with-"
Belle turned her back on the Player's words, a complacent look on her face. "I'm thinking seafood," she said, and started walking ahead of the boys. "18, you're in charge until we get back."
"Ehn-nah-na," Bangboo 18 seemed to comply.
The boys watched as Belle left out the door. There wasn't much to say, and the Player was still trying to process how everything had played out.
"...What just happened? And Why do I feel like I was played like I was with Nicole?"
Wise gave the Player a friendly pat on the back. "Oh, don't worry. You'll get used to it," he spoke from experience, then continued on his way, following Belle.
The Player stood there, concerned for his wallet should he cross Belle in the future...
Sixth Street
8:33am
Belle waited by the arcade, tapping her foot impatiently. "Come on, guys! What's taking you so long?" she called out when she saw them leaving the store.
"Yeah, yeah, we're coming," Wise said with a gesture of his hand requesting patience.
The Player wasn't too far behind Wise. He made sure the door was closed and began jogging after him, but stopped as he was passing the news stand where he briefly engaged in a stare off with Howl.
He still couldn't fathom the dog running his own business.
Wise had to come back and pull the Player away to get him back on track.
"Come on, if we hurry we can catch the 8:40 train," Belle said, taking the lead now that the boys caught up.
"Where's the fire, Belle?" The Player asked as he and Wise waved at General Chop. "We could always catch the next train, right? Why not finish showing me around Sixth Street?"
"The earlier we get to Lumina Square the better. We don't want to wait until the lines start piling up."
"You haven't finished the tour?" Wise turned to the Player.
"Nah. I've only been to the Gadget Store, Waterfall Soup, and the Newsstand."
"Oh, so you haven't even been to Godfinger."
"Godfinger? Nah. Is that some kind of massage parlor?"
"No, but there is one in Lumina Square!" Belle interjects, making Wise roll his eyes.
"It's an arcade. We just passed it actually."
"Really? Cool. Let's make that the first place we visit when we get back."
"Sure. Asha will be happy to hear she's going to have a new customer. "
"More like a new top scorer. I plan on beating everyone in that arcade."
"Is that right?" Wise said, giving the Player a challenging look. He didn't say it, but he had every intention of defending his number 1 spot on a few of those leaderboards.
"You think the 'player' is just an alias? It's what I do."
"I guess we'll see."
"Oh, we shall."
While the boys were playfully exchanging banter, Belle remained focused on getting to Lumina Square as quickly as possible. She ignored the Player's challenge and continued leading them to the metro.
Despite her silence, Belle reigned supreme on a few of those gaming cabinets as well. If the Player wanted a shot at being the best, he had to best Phaethon 1-on-1.
The Godfinger Wars were on the horizon...
Once the Phaethon siblings arrived at the metro, they walked the Player through the boarding process. It was fairly straightforward, requiring them to pass through an automatic fare gate. A single passenger can pass for 20 dennies, or you can scan your monthly pass.
The Player had no change, so he inserted a 20 Denny note from an envelope into the fare gate and bypassed it. Wise and Belle followed after him, and Wise got the Player a transit map to help with future travels.
The gang continued through the station and reached the boarding platform for Lumina Square. They were on time to make the 8:40 train, much to Belle's delight.
During the train ride, Wise tried to point out a few of the areas on the transit map. Unfortunately, New Eridu's unique language barrier proved to be a consistent hurdle for the Player so he wasn't able to consistently follow along.
Wise and Belle agreed to help the Player learn the language when they had time to sit down and help educate their new friend.
After a twenty-minute ride from Sixth Street, the train pulled into the Lumina Square station. The passengers disembarked, with the Random Play crew being the last to leave the train to avoid the heavy crowd of morning commuters.
While the Player and Wise were taking their time walking up the stairs to the surface, Belle was chipperly skipping steps ahead of them.
Being the first to surface, Belle inhaled the fresh air with her arms outstretched.
The boys arrived shortly after Belle and stood beside her. They all took a moment to take in their new surroundings.
Lumina Square
9:00am
Lumina Square is a famous central business district and entertainment hub in New Eridu. It's also a major commercial center and popular with the youth culture. Home to famous landmarks, restaurants, shopping malls, and cinemas, Lumina Square was constantly bustling with thousands of citizens, easily becoming one of the most populated areas in the world.
The district also had an active nightlife. The streets were brilliantly lit with digital billboards advertising clubs and other business dealings.
"Wow. This is a big step up from Sixth Street," the Player chuckled.
"It's nice, but nothing beats the homey vibe of Sixth Street," Wise said.
"I'm guessing I'll need a tour of this place too, huh?"
"Yeah, but we'll worry about that later," Belle said as she checked her phone for the time. "Come on, the Lumina Galleria is just across the intersection here. See that big building? That's our spot!"
"Oh, okay."
"Onward!" Belle declared as she led the charge.
The Player and Wise once again followed Belle as she took the lead. However, they were stopped at the pedestrian scramble by a Bangboo wearing an armored vest.
"Ehn-ne!" "Halt citizens!" The Bangboo held up its arm to prevent them from crossing.
"Aaaw! Look at this little guy," the Player smiled down to the Bangboo. "He's got a little armored vest on."
The Bangboo took a step forward to have the Player back up. "Nha-na! Na-na!" l "Hey, don't get too close to the street! Cars will be zipping by soon!"
"It's adorable!"
"Careful. It doesn't want you too close to the traffic," Wise said.
"Huh? It doesn't?"
"Ehn-na! Na-na! Ehn-na-na! Nah-na-ehn." l "Of course I don't want you close to traffic! It's dangerous! Safety first! The car's will be passing in a few seconds."
"It said traffic is getting ready to pass so we should stay back."
Shortly after, a holographic wall appeared along the crossing. The wall prevented pedestrians from crossing and allowed the cars to pass. The Player was surprised, as the Bangboo had predicted this would happen.
"Oh wow... Just like it said. Wait, you understand the Bangboo, Wise?"
"Mhmm."
The Player was visibly perplexed and looked over to Belle. "Belle, do you-?"
"Yep."
"Seriously? B-But... How?"
"It's not hard once you break it down," Wise smiled. "We'll just add that to the list of things we'll have to cover with you in our free time."
"...Yeah," the Player looked down to the Bangboo, still confused, wondering how it was possible to learn what sounded like gibberish. "We'll definitely need to add that to the list." l 'I wonder if it's possible to translate what Ethereals say as well.'
The gang wait for a bit before the lights change, giving them the right of way. The Bangboo thanked them for abiding the law and granted them permission to pass.
After crossing the street, the trio entered the mall.
Lumina Galleria
9:08am
"Finally!" Belle cheered.
"I don't think I've ever seen you this impatient," Wise said.
"You kidding? GameShop opens soon and we're going to be the first in line to get Rage Streets 2!"
"Oh yeah. I completely forgot that released today."
"So that's why you were trying to get here early?" The Player asked. "And here I was thinking it was to spend time with me."
"I mean... I still intend on doing that. Just after I get my copy of Rage Streets 2. I have it pre-ordered so it should be an in and out ordeal. Oh! I also have to pick up a few things from Stacy's. And I have an appointment at the nail salon at 9:15."
Wise had feared this very thing would happen. He grabbed the Player's shoulders and turned him in the opposite direction so they could both leave. "Have fun with that," Wise said. "We're going to stick with the original plan and get the Player some new clothes." Then he started walking away from Belle.
"Hold up, bro," Belle grabbed Wise by his jacket and prevented him from leaving. "I'm gonna need an extra pair of hands.
"Extra hands?" Wise looked over his shoulder.
"I won't be able to carry all my bags alone. Now come on."
Belle successfully pulled Wise away from the Player and began forcing him in the other direction.
"Wait! What about me?!" The Player exclaimed.
"You'll be fine," Belle assured. "Just have a look around. The Galleria is full of good places to splurge. You've got two checks so enjoy yourself. There are a lot of clothing stores on the second floor. Go up the escalator and you'll find Xiao Yin by Tai Zhu."
"...What?"
"They're good stores. A little north of there is my personal favorites Qi Cai Ji. If you get hungry, stop by the food court. Go down the escalator and walk west until you see Platinum Fountain-"
"I don't-"
"-pass there, you'll see Baozhen, Bai Hua Bai Huo, and Dragon Feast. They'll have everything you could want! You're still treating us to dinner, right? I think I'm in the mood for chāshāo and chāshāobāo so, if you can, order me some."
"I'm new here... I don't-"
"Great! Call us if you need anything. Let's go, Wise!"
Belle continued pulling her brother along as he looked back at the Player in defeat. His expression was one of resignation, as if to say "Save yourself." Getting lost in the mall had to have been better than spending hours on Belle's shopping spree.
The Player watched helplessly as Belle and Wise disappeared into the crowd. He didn't know what to do and awkwardly stood in place as the reality of the situation sank in.
"Great," he muttered, his shoulders drooping and his expression falling flat. "That's just great. I can't read New Eridu's alphabet and I have a light grasp on the currency. Belle should be the one owing me food for this," he sighed and scratched the back of his head in a mild fit. l 'No point in crying over spilled milk... I might as well just walk around until I find something I like. Belle said the clothing stores are on the second floor, so I'll just browse up there for a bit.'
The Player went on his way and began exploring.
The mall had more than 400 stores, including luxury retailers. It was anchored by several major business chains that ranged from clothing, entertainment, sporting goods, and a diverse merchant mix.
The Player passed several stores on the second floor without paying much attention to them. But when he reached Qi Cai Ji, his interest was piqued.
'This is the store Belle mentioned, isn't it? Yeah... Qi Cai Ji. Gotta love the little sprinkles of English here and there. Best to check this spot out first.'
The Player went inside the store to browse.
He spent a few minutes trekking down the isles before finally being approached by one of the store employees who noticed he looked lost.
Employee: Hello, sir! Are you finding everything okay?
"Hello. Um, yeah. I think I'm finding everything well enough... I suppose. Heh... Actually, no, I'm not so sure."
Employee: Perhaps I can help? Are you looking for anything in particular?
"I think anything will do as long as it looks good on me, but the problem is I won't know what'll look good on me. You see, I'm new in town and I'm not familiar with New Eridu's fashion. A friend recommended this store, so I figure this was the best place to get my foot in the door."
Employee: Oh yeah? Well, your friend has put you in good hands. Qi Cai Ji is always on top of the latest trends in New Eridu. How about we start easy with street casual clothes?
"That sounds great."
Employee: Perfect! Follow me, and I'll show you the shorts and jeans we have in stock. We can then build up your outfit from there.
"Sounds good. I've also got a budget to work around."
As the Player talked the employee through his budgeting limit, it helped filter everything they were going to need for the right outfit.
Everything proceeded as normal, with customers coming and going. The aisles were filled with the watchful eyes of enthusiastic youths looking to capitalize on the newest designer release.
Among the high school and college students, a slender delinquent wearing a peculiar jack-o-lantern helmet and baggy clothes approached the store's security guard.
Before the guard had a chance to question the suspicious individual, he was given an unprovoked punch to the gut followed by a painful zap to the back once he slouched over.
The combo knocked the guard out immediately as it was revealed the delinquent was armed with a taser.
Once the immediate threat was dealt with, the delinquent sprinted through the confused customers and rushed the cashier, shoulder-rushing them aside to raid the register. When it was clear what was going on, some of the younger students screamed in horror.
Employee: What the heck was that?
The Player and the store employee were at the rear of the store when they noticed what was going, and just as they pieced everything together the delinquent was already running out the store with a pocket full of cash.
Employee: Whoa! What the hell happened?!
Employee#2: We just got robbed! Chai's out cold!
Employee: Calls NEPS!
Employee#3: Already on it!
"I'll be back," the Player didn't waste any time and ran after the thief, much to the employees shock.
The delinquent knew he had to run for his life. He had to beat the clock and escape before anyone could stop him. He ran past confused bystanders who got out of his way or were shoved aside if they didn't get out of the way quickly enough.
When he looked over his shoulder, he was surprised to see security wasn't the one in pursuit — once the Player had his sights on him he was locked-in.
Delinquent: Who the hell is that? Aaah, whatever. I'll lose him on the way to the hideout.
The thief lit a fire under his feet and picked up the pace.
"Stop! You're not getting away!" shouted the Player as he began running faster as well, determined to catch the fleeing suspect.
Skuld: Shouldn't you leave this to law enforcement?
"I'm going after him, aren't I?"
Skuld: ...Smartass. We're not from around here, remember? You're out of your jurisdiction.
"Where's the fun in standing aside? I've got this."
Skuld: And if the authorities catch you in the act of vigilante justice?
"We'll be gone good and proper once we get this guy. It won't take long."
Skuld: You're hopeless.
"And you love me for it!" He smirked confidently mid-sprint.
The thief was fast, but the Player was gaining on him with every step. As the Player closed in, the thief's concern grew. Using his quick thinking, he cut into a nearby department store in hopes of losing his pursuer.
He knocked over tables, racks, and ran down narrow aisles with large metal shelves to try shaking up his route. But the Player didn't relent, further demonstrating his combat training by using parkour to efficiently counter the obstacles in his path and keep his momentum; he rolled over tables, jumped over the racks, and used the gondola shelving as footing to get across any mess the delinquent spilled in the narrow path whenever he tried using the aisles to his advantage.
Delinquent: Holy shit! This guy won't give up!
Running out of options, the thief ran out of the department store and edged himself to the railing, looking down to see the exit on the first floor.
"Nowhere to run!" The Player caught up, much to the thief's worry.
The escalator was too far away, and the Player had the thief cornered. The thief had to do something, so he perched himself on the railing and jumped for the nearest banner hanging from the ceiling.
The thief grabbed hold of the banner and rappelled himself as far down as he could. Then he let go and dropped to the lower level without breaking anything.
"You've got to be kidding," the Player slouched with a flat look.
Delinquent: Ha!
The Player sighed, but followed suit. He didn't use the banner to get down, though. Instead, he jumped from the second floor to the first and had Skuld manifest an aura to keep gravity in check just enough for him to land without issue.
He reacted to the thief's shock with an amused smirk that bordered on smug.
Delinquent: Shit!
The thief ran into the streets of Lumina Square and the chase continued. He was in a frenzy, running like a character in some kind of slapstick cartoon. He was starting to regret his decision to steal the money.
As the chase continued north, a group of elders enjoyed a competitive board game atop the Coff Cafe rooftop. The elders were oblivious to the chase, which was drawing closer.
Elder#1: Look! Move here!
Elder#2: Just use your chariot!
Elder#3: Where?
Elder#4:Heh... It's in the bag!
Six elders were present, and five were huddled behind the finalist in their game. Across from them, a petite young woman with green hair watched with a look of boredom as they discussed a game plan.
The elder had been pondering his next move for some time. Finally, he placed his piece on the gameboard.
Elder#3: ...Here?
Elder#1: That's the move!
Elder#5: Right, right! And if she does, you just move your horse and...
Elder#2: There, she won't dare take it now!
Elder#5: This is a tough one.
Elder#6: Let's see her move...
They finally captured the girl's undivided attention and they all go quiet in anticipation.
The girl put her finger on the single piece on her side of the board and moved it one space forward.
The elders studied the gameboard, trying to determine the girl's strategy. As the seconds ticked by, their enthusiasm dwindled until only disappointment remained. They realized that all their careful planning had been for naught.
Elder#1: ...That's game.
Elder#3: Come on! Twenty losses in a row!
The girl raised her head and smiled, exhaling calmly as she reached for the small teacup to her right. She blew the steam away and took a well-earned sip as the elders argued over what the correct move was.
As the girl enjoyed her drink, a single hair on her head stood on end. She also heard a faint ringing sound, but no one else seemed to react to it.
She got up from her seat and left the table without a word.
The elders were so busy trying to find a hole in the girl's gameplan that they didn't notice she quietly excused herself.
Elder#3:Hey! We haven't conceded yet!
The girl stretched her arms out and continued walking. "Another game nearby requires my attention," she replied.
Elder#5: ...Then don't forget this.
The elder grabbed something from under the table and skillfully tossed it to the girl mid-stretch.
"We can continue-"
She grabbed the flying object without even needing to acknowledge it, revealing that it was a riot baton branded with the acronym NEPS.
"-once I get back!"
Meanwhile, in the Lumina Square streets around that same time...
Delinquent: DUDE! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! AREN'T YOU TIRED?!
"Nah! This is sprint training!"
Delinquent: GODAMNNIIIIIIIT!
The thief ran until he reached the end of the pedestrian area. He turned right and then left up a small flight of stairs. The stairs led to a small, poorly developed playground where a gang of goons dressed in similar clothing were loitering.
Delinquent: Boss! Boss! We've got trouble!
Among the slender thugs, one stood out: a tall, muscular man. However, in contrast to his menacing appearance, he was sitting astride one of the playground's cute spring rider toys.
Bulky Enforcer: There you are. That was quicker than expected, you got the dennies?
Delinquent: Y-Yeah! I've got the dennies! But we've got a problem!
Bulky Enforcer: NEPS? No worries, we were just wrapping up. Boys, how's the withdrawal coming?
Thug#1: Really good, boss! It's raining dennies!
The thug was in the middle of harassing an innocent Bangboo they ambushed. He held the Bangboo by its ear and shook the dennies out of the wooden bank it had wrapped around its body.
Thug#2: Heh, heh! Halleluiah!
The Player arrived in time to see what was going on and snarled at the sight. "Hey!" He called out to the thugs, getting their attention.
Delinquent: Ah! He really followed me out here!
Bulky Enforcer: Who's this guy?
Delinquent: I don't know! He's been following me since I left the store!
"Put the Bangboo down!" The Player sternly demanded.
Bulky Enforcer: Pfft! Or what? You don't look like a cop.
"I'm not, but I'm much worse. Let the Bangboo go."
Thug#1: We'll let it go after we've squeezed every Denny from this piggy bank.
The thugs laughed at the Player and continued to shake down the Bangboo for its money.
"I warned you."
The Player rotated his neck and cracked his knuckles, a sure sign that he was ready to fight the thugs for Qi Cai Ji's money and the safety of the Bangboo, but, before they could get into a street fight, they were joined by a third party.
"This must be the place," the green-haired girl from earlier said as she entered the playground. Everyone turned to look at her. "Officer Qingyi has arrived on the scene."
Skuld: Great, law enforcement. l Bulky Enforcer: Great, NEPS.
"Are you with them?" Officer Qingyi asked the Player. She had briefly focused her attention on him after analyzing his clothes, which didn't match those of the nearby gang.
"Not at all."
Qingyi's eyes scanned the player's form, as if gathering data. "My apologies," she said. "I know the question was sudden, but I had to make sure you weren't involved with these miscreants. Now that I know you're not, you can excuse yourself. I'll handle them."
The Player snickered softly. "Negative. I owe them a fight. But, if you want to lend a hand, I won't say no. That just means I can wrap this up faster."
"Is that right?"
Bulky Enforcer: Pfft! You know what? I was going to let this slide, but I don't like their cocky attitudes.
The thug dropped the Bangboo and a handful of the gang began approaching the duo.
Qingyi turned to look over her shoulder and saw two more thugs coming up from behind them. The thugs were blocking the way out, and now Qingyi and the Player were the targets of their hustle.
At least the Bangboo was able to slip away and avoid the drama.
A civilian who wanted to fight and a gang of misfits who wanted problems, Qingyi could only sigh, but she saw enough in the Player to trust fighting alongside him.
Bulky Enforcer: Teach 'em a lesson!
"You youngsters," she configured her baton to expand in size, transforming it into a mid-range staff.
A handful of thugs rushed the duo from the front, the leading member speared the charge for Qingyi who patiently anticipated his nonsense; he jumped into the air and lunged at her with a diving stab of his steel pipe.
Qingyi dodged the attack and immediately went on the offensive. When she brought the staff around to strike, it changed form again, this time detaching both ends from the center grip like a pair of nunchucks.
She brought the weapon around and struck the thug's back, sending him flying.
The Player rushed for the incoming wave behind the leading assault, and immediately ducked under the first swing of a bat and countered with a roundhouse kick to the face, sending the attacker away in one strike.
After bringing his foot down, the Player threw a back kick from the opposite leg into the gut of an approaching thug attempting a sneak attack. The thug doubled over, but the Player wasn't finished yet; he rotated his body around and delivered another round kick, downing the thug with a two-piece.
From the rear, one of the thugs came prepared with a trashcan lid as a makeshift shield to approach Qingyi.
Qingyi used her nun chucks to jab the shield at highspeed. Her attacks easily dented the flimsy metal and overwhelmed the thug enough to have him drop his guard. With his face in sight, Qingyi brought her leg around and kicked him in the head with enough force to launch him off his feet and backflip into a faceplant.
For some reason, one of the thugs thought it would've been a good idea to use a war cry to announce his presence, immediately getting Qingyi's attention as he attacked from the side — charging at her with another trashcan lid as though he didn't watch what just happened to the other guy.
Qingyi took two steps back and swung her nunchucks on an incline, slapping the thug's protection away and skillfully using her weapon's nunchuck momentum to reconfigure it into its staff form — she lunged the staff into the thug's stomach to stun him and brought it back to dance it around herself so that the second, more powerful, lunge sent him flying across the playground.
Thug#6: Don't worry, guys! I got this!
The thug came in for a sliding sweep kick to get the jump on Qingyi as her back was turned, but she was already one step ahead; pulling her leg up from her prior stance, spinning with her staff and turning one end into its nunchuck form.
The thug realized his surprise attack didn't work and spun his sweeping leg around to perform a breakdancing windmill to recover.
Just as the thug stood himself up on one hand, Qingyi extended the other end of the staff by the thug's hand and squats low — he threw his steel pipe at the ground to balance his recovery since using one hand proved challenging.
What he didn't know was that Qingyi was already in position to counter his efforts, so when he stabbed the pipe adjacent to Qingyi's staff, she used her heel to sweep the staff's end against the thug's hand while also locking the pipe between her shin guard and staff, offsetting the thug's balance which ended in him faceplanting into the ground beside her.
He didn't have this.
The thug looked up from the dirt, and the first thing he saw was Qingyi's disappointed motherly stare. He knew he was in trouble. She flicked the weapon's nun chuck end into the thug's back and zapped him with a surge of electricity, revealing the weapon was equipped with elemental properties.
After a disciplinary shock, she rotated herself up and spun the nunchuck end into the downed thug once more, this time sending him over to the boss and his boys.
"Damn. You're good," the Player complimented.
Qingyi quietly chuckled. "And you're doing better than I was expecting."
The Bulky Enforcer was not happy with the results he was seeing and assumed a defensive pose.
Bulky Enforcer: A wannabe hero and some little girl thinking they can stop us?!
The rest of the gang huddled around their boss while he was still sitting atop the spring rider toy.
Bulky Enforcer: Formation!
They all tried mean-mugging to enhance their "menacing" pose.
The Player sighed and shook his head. It was difficult taking these guys seriously. "They want more?" He was genuinely confused while rubbing the back of his neck. "You'd think that beating would be a clear indicator on how this is going to end."
"Can you still fight?"
"Yeah, this is nothing."
"As expected from the Void Seeker," Qingyi smirked.
"...Huh?"
Before the Player could properly question Qingyi's comment, her attention was drawn to the playground entrance as a familiar voice called out to them.
Elder#5: Don't forget about us!
Although slow, they arrived just in time for the brawl.
The Player looked over his shoulder and saw the approaching elders and immediately expressed concern. "Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa. This isn't a safe place for you right now."
Elder#6: Save it, sonny! We've been dealing with punks when you were still in diapers.
The Player was silenced and visibly flabbergasted by the snapback.
Skuld: Pfft! Heh, heh.
The Player wasn't the only one surprised by their arrival, even Qingyi wasn't expecting them. "What are you doing here?" She asked them as the slowest elder on a cane completed the set.
Elder#5: Defending our community is just like playing chess. We won't concede!
It didn't matter if they were old, the gang wasn't going to take kindly to anyone standing in their way.
Bulky Enforcer: Rattle 'em, boys!
On the bosses command, the thugs charged.
Elder#5 tapped his cane on the ground and the others leaped into action immediately, once again shocking the Player with their newfound agility.
The two grannies took point; one hooking her purse to the others cane and spreading out to stretch the purse's strap.
Elder#1 jumped high enough to be able to divebomb toward the strap, face first. He hooked his chin to the strap and did a full 360 like a professional acrobat...using nothing but his chin to spin his entire being on the strap before using that momentum to launch himself toward one of the thugs.
Elder#1: Three Pawn Power!
He landed a successful triple kick to one of the leading miscreants before delivering a fourth kick strong enough to put him on the ground.
That obviously coordinated attack actually worked.
The Player fluttered his eyes in disbelief. Seeing that was so unreal that that he had to wipe his forearm across his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
After the attack, Elder#1 lead the charge with a somersault as the grannies followed.
"...I think I'm having a stroke," the Player casually said. "Is this real? I mean, I know it's notreal, but, like...is this real?"
Qingyi sighed now that the elders were fully engaged in the street fight, but, like she was with the Player, she wasn't worried about them because she knew they could be trusted in a fight.
"Best not to think too much on it," she rotated her shoulder before giving him a look. "You still gonna fight or do you have somewhere to be? We can handle it just fine."
"...I- Hmm. No, yeah, I'm still here to fight."
"Alright then," Qingyi ran ahead, going for the nearest thug. "My opening move!"
Like before, Qingyi was approached by a hostile using the high ground; jumping into the air with a steel pipe and coming down to clobber her head, but he was swiftly disarmed in the middle of his descent by Qingyi's uniquely versatile weapon that whipped the pipe out of his hand before he even touched the ground.
Once he landed, Qingyi brought the nunchuck back around and hit him in the face, bringing the thug to the ground. To add insult to injury, he got kicked in the face by Elder#5 and was sent rolling along like a ragdoll.
Two thugs were sprinting toward the Player charging at them.
The Player used one of the downed gang members as footing to jump up and deliver a flying round kick to the face of the closest thug rushing him, bringing him down in one strike.
The other thug went for the Player while his back was turned, but he got a spinning back fist to the jaw before he could even prep his weapon, putting him in a daze instead of taking him down like his buddy.
A third gang member attacked from the side just as the Player got his hit in, but he was fully aware of the danger; dodging the swinging metal pipe by backing his head away and then ducking under the second attack after the thug brought it back.
The Player retaliated with an uppercut into a hook and took the thug down.
A fourth thug came in for a hook of his own, but the Player blocked the hook with his forearm and checked him with a gut punch into a front kick, sending him back.
The dazed thug from earlier returned, coming in for another sneak attack.
The Player corrected his mistake from earlier and performed a reverse hook kick to goon's cheek, instantly taking him down.
Qingyi stepped on one end of her weapon in its nunchuck-form and threw the other end up via an axe kick to block the incoming skewer from a gang member lunging his weapon at her from the front.
The thug's weapon had two jagged edges parallel to one another at the front with space in the middle and a blunt obstruction at the center that clashed with the grip of Qingyi's nunchuck.
Qingyi spiked the end of her inclined nunchuck into the thug's head and downed him.
While he was on his back to marinate in defeat, one of the grannies pounced on him. "Cannon Barrage!" She yelled before mercilessly slapping his face with a leek and head of lettuce.
"Turn the Table!" Qingyi swopped in behind an unsuspecting member and struck with her nunchuck, sending him flying toward Elder#1.
Elder#1: Raging Horses!
The elder brought the thug's forward momentum to an immediate halt with a barrage of punches to the stomach and a finishing kick that sent him flying in the other direction.
Onto the next victim, Qingyi danced the nunchuck from arm to shoulder. "Hobble the Horse!" Using the energy she built up, Qingyi swung the nunchuck around and slapped one of the thugs with enough force to send him spiraling toward Elder#4.
Elder#4: Hmph! Hah!
She sent a palm strike to the thug's chest and stopped his momentum.
Elder#4: Two Pawns Come Knocking!
She palmed strikes the thug's torso multiple times with the same hand before using her dominate right hand to lunge her cane into his stomach and send him careening in the other direction.
After Qingyi dealt with one of the last standing thugs, she straightened her weapon into its staff form. "Pawns Siege the Palace!" She declared, swinging the staff around and slapping the Hulking Enforcer in the face, finally dethroning him off the spring rider.
The muscular goon hit the ground and rubbed his head once he got himself together.
Bulky Enforcer: What in the-?! Huh?
When he looked up, he saw Qingyi and the four elders in the sky above him.
"Moonlight Chase!" Qingyi cried out as she plummeted to the ground for a quintuple finish with the elders.
Everything for the Hulking Enforcer blacked out excluding his whimpering cry.
Several Minutes Later
The Player helped Qingyi and the elders round up the defeated thugs. They subdued them by tying them up and placing them in abandoned tires lying around the old playground. If there were no tires available, they were thrown into one of the many barrels lying around.
"And that's that," Qingyi brushed her hands after dumping the last thug into a spare barrel.
"I left the house to go shopping this morning... I did not expect this."
"Hmm. You did really well. I'm impressed."
"Yeah? Thanks. You're a really good fighter too. Um..."
"Officer Qingyi."
"Right! Officer-" l 'Oh shit...'
Skuld: I told you to leave.
The Player tried his best to keep his calm façade from breaking, but he could almost feel a sweat coming on. "R-Right... Officer, uh, officer Qingyi," he stammered.
"What were you doing to get caught up with them in the first place?"
"Oh. Um, I was just trying to get back some money they stole. I was chasing one guy, but the chase led me to the rest of his gang."
"I see. And your name?"
"Name?"
"It's only fair. I've given you mine."
"Eh, yeah. That's true. You can call me-"
Skuld: You're already in trouble. The last thing you need is to give out your secret identity!
'Right, right. I knew that.' l "TP," the Player answered confidently.
"TP," Qingyi repeated before going quiet to see if he would change his answer.
"Yep! That's what they call me around here."
"...Right. That'll be short for 'The Player,' I presume?"
The Player froze immediately and his expression grew with concern.
Skuld: What...? How does she-
Qingyi cracked a smile when she saw his face. "And you're not from around here," she said. "In fact, I think you just got here."
"I... I..."
"It's fine. I know you're just trying to protect your identity. I was just testing you. It seems you're already well acquainted with your role, so I can comfortably say we're in good hands."
The Player was drawing a blank, Skuld was too. They genuinely didn't know what to say and Qingyi's calm demeaner was actually pretty intimidating since she knew so much about him despite this being their first meeting.
As the silence between them grew, Qingyi looked aside and saw the elders setting up their boardgame nearby on one of the empty barrels.
"Well, you should go," Qingyi said.
"Huh?"
"Before the rest of Public Security show up. I'd hate to leave you in Zhu Yuan or Seth's hands."
"...Who?"
"All in due time. Don't worry, we'll meet again. I'm sure of it. By then, you'll be better acquainted with the path you're on."
She was still preaching cryptic riddles that left the Player speechless.
"...Qingyi... Who... Who are you?"
"Let's just say...an ally," she extended her hand to him.
The Player looked down to Qingyi's hand and then back to her smiling face. She seemed harmless enough, but the extent of her knowledge was concerning. He was meant to be under the radar after all, and the disembodied voice made it clear that his presence in New Eridu was meant to be sacred.
Just as he went to raise his hand, he hesitated. He couldn't shake this uncertainty and yet, part of him felt this wasn't a chance encounter.
Skuld didn't say a word because she trusted his judgement.
The Player's face became more confident and he went for it, grabbing Qingyi's hand and shaking to confirm the goodwill between them.
Disembodied Female Voice: Mindscape Achieved — Qingyi
"Nngh!" The Player closed his eyes and grit his teeth as a familiar feeling washed over him.
Qingyi smiled, and when she opened her eyes, they were aglow with a peculiar blue light. There were spinning rings around her irises, but when she blinked they disappeared and the Player opened his eyes again.
'...Again?' He thought to himself.
Since he was briefly out of it, Qingyi shook for them both. When she released his hand, the Player found a card in his grasp; a New Eridu Public Security report number with the Lumina Branch's address and business number on it. Qingyi's name and badge number were also detailed on the card.
The Player looked at her, perplexed.
"Just in case," she replied. "Now, enjoy the rest of your day."
"Right... Oh! Hold up a sec."
Before leaving, the Player went to the delinquent he was chasing earlier and fished the money he stole from Qi Cai Ji. With that secure, the Player bid Qingyi a proper farewell and began heading back to Lumina Galleria.
As the Player walked down the street, he saw a few NEPS officers running in the playground's direction.
Skuld: ...There's something about that Qingyi girl.
'I know...'
Skuld: She knew everything crucial about you.
'...I know.'
Skuld: Do you think she knows about me? Or where we're from?
'I don't think so. You're kind of a special case, I doubt anyone here knows about you. Let's keep that it that way. For now, let's just keep a tighter lid on this whole Player thing. I can only imagine the drama that'll follow.'
Skuld: And you're not worried about Qingyi?
'...Nah. I think she's okay. Scary, but okay. Aside from her, I think Anby was the only other person who seemed familiar with me. It's strange.'
Skuld: ...And the AI?
'Right... Her too. I think if we just follow her instructions and do our best, I think we'll get through this without issue.'
Skuld: When have you ever been that lucky?
'Probably never.'
Skuld: Exactly.
'Pfft! Whatever, let's just get back to shopping.'
With their minds clear, for now, the Player carried on to the Lumina Galleria. Hopefully running into that gang was going to be the only excitement he saw for the day.
1st Floor, Lumina Galleria
11:05am
Wise and Belle were waiting for the Player by the Platinum Fountain in the mall's central court. Wise was sitting on the side of the fountain with six bags at his feet, all for Belle as she sat with one around her arm and a drink in the other.
"He hasn't replied yet?" Belle asked.
"He said he was on his way," Wise replied as he checked his messages. "In hindsight, it was a bad idea to leave him on his own. Hopefully he's not getting too turned around out there."
"We should've brought Eous to chaperone him."
"Or, and hear me out on this, we shouldn't have left him alone," Wise gave Belle a deadpan look.
"We aren't helicopter siblings, bro. It's sink or swim in New Eridu."
Wise rolled his eyes into a head dropping sigh.
After that exchange, the siblings were approached from the side. "Finally!" A familiar voice caught their attention and when they turned to the source, the Player was at attention in the new clothes he picked out for himself; a black V-neck t-shirt that he wore under a casual black/white/gray lightweight varsity-inspired jacket, a pair of jeans topped with black/white shoes.
He was carrying his tactical clothes and boots in a bag from Qi Cai Ji.
The siblings almost didn't recognize him at a glance, but were pleasantly surprised to see him in his new clothes.
"Oooooh! Look at this guy!" Belle pinched her chin and gave him an amused look.
"Does it look okay?" The Player asked, almost looking bashful.
"I like it! You look great!" Belle complimented.
"Yeah. It suites you," Wise added, he then noticed the brand on the bag. "Did all your shopping at Qi Cai Ji, huh?"
"Yeah. The employees were really nice. If anything, they're the ones who dressed me."
"Did you tell them I was the one who gave you the reference?" Belle joyfully inquired.
"...I, uh, I forgot," the Player regretfully admitted.
Belle pouted immediately.
"But I did say a friend recommended me... I just didn't drop a name."
"Aaah! That's no good. I'm not just any friend! Right?" She got up from her seat and stood tall before the Player, challenging his stature. "I'm the super talented and beautiful girl next door friend — Belle!"
"...Subjective," Wise debated.
Belle removed the bag from around her arm and dropped it on Wise's lap for him to carry alongside the six he already had.
Belle sighed in disappointment when she realized she wouldn't get a discount. But then she noticed the pendant around the Player's neck. "Is this new merch?" Belle held the pendant up to get a closer look. It was a silver half-heart with an inscription.
While Belle was still going over the Player's outfit, Wise was getting the bag's together.
"Okay... We're all here. That means we can start heading home. Player, can you take this half?"
"Heading home?" Belle questioned. "We're not done yet."
"We're not?" The Player asked.
"Of course not! You still owe me dinner."
The Player deflated. "You were really serious about that?" He was mildly surprised.
"Of course. You don't have to get Wise anything, you're just treating me. I also want to stop by Qi Cai Ji. I want them to know I was the one who referred you. Those discount rewards are serious."
The Player looked at Wise, whose face wearily sagged now that his worries from earlier that morning had been confirmed.
"But after that we can go home, right?" The Player asked.
"Yes. Actually, no, I still have to pick up some hygiene products. And there's a new scarf on sale that I want to get Eous. Oh! And there's this pretty ring I want you to see," Belle began walking along while still listing things on her to-do list.
The boys watched her off, silent, in disbelief that she was still going over things to do.
"I told you, man," Wise sighed. "I told you."
"I thought you were just being a brother and exaggerating."
"No."
"If I knew she was a shopaholic, I would've said-"
Belle: Hurry up, boys! Or I'm adding shoe shopping to the list!
Wise held out three bags to the Player and he took them without question. The boys gathered everything and followed the path of torture. It was going to be a long day...
A/N: Okay, this wasn't supposed to be as long as it was and it probably isn't the best way to introduce this new segment... But, let me introduce you to it; Interlude Chapters!
Interlude Chapters are going to be mini chapters set between major ones. I want them to focus more on regular slice-of-life stuff so you can breathe from the action featured in major chapters — Chapters 0, 1 and 2 had major battles in them, so you got an interlude to break it up so it wouldn't get stale. Sure, there was some action in this one, but it was a lot smaller in scale.
Interlude chapters is also a way, or rather an excuse, for me to get more content to readers.
My goal was to use Trust Events and expand them in my own way and make new ones, which also helps give characters more screentime and since every character has their fans, I'm hoping to scratch character itches that may arise... I'm still shocked by how well-received Tales from New Eridu is, so it makes me want to do right by everyone who supports me, and I feel I can do that by giving them more of their favorite characters
Before I go, I want to say that I wanted to keep the Player's new outfit inline with Wise and Belle, where he matches the siblings "They Have a Coat" theme. The Player's jacket is real and I have a picture of it, but I can't show it on this site. If you'd like, you can visit Wattpad and see it there, just look up Tales from New Eridu over there or look up my username Spitfire94 and it should be there.
What's interesting is that this coat doesn't belong to a specific brand or anything... Not that I can tell anyway. I just love the way it looks and wanted to incorporate it since it aligned perfectly with what I wanted to do for an outfit swap.
So, if you want to fit yourself with his New Eridu style, just pick that up XD
Well, I guess that's it from me. Expect the next one to be shorter. Thanks for reading, gang! See you in the next one.