New System, Who Dis?

Friday, April 5th, 2069

Just like that I was back in another mall. This time I went to Tecumseh Mall, so I could keep up with my lie. I had told Willa and my father that I’d gone through a great deal of second-hand picks to find mine the previous day, and wanted to avoid any awkward questions tomorrow. Strangely, that and the subsequent lies wasn’t exactly what was weighing on me.

No, it was the far bigger lie I was about to tell. I realized I needed to spend an appropriate amount of money at the mall and get my father and Willa to transfer the money to me later. That meant I had to buy something. I needed the receipt. That of course led to me needing to buy something from a store that sold mining equipment, and depending on the itemization name on the receipt it might even mean I needed to purchase a pick. A second-hand pick that was inferior to what I would get from the Demonic Vault store.

That was a huge waste.

Currently I stood at the entrance contemplating how small lies were slowly growing into something that kind of bordered on a large moral grey area. Sure, I was providing my father with a pickaxe that was worth more than the five thousand-ish I was going to try to spend, but that didn’t mean buying something else with his money was completely fine either.

“Gahhh,” I grumbled.

“What are you so moody about?” Smegma asked as he floated out of a nearby store. I looked around to make sure no one was giving me strange looks after my incoherent noise of frustration. Luckily, I was just inside the double doors of the malls entrance and off to one side.

[I don’t feel right about buying something with my dad’s money. It feels dishonest.]

“Then don’t buy something?” Smegma both answered and asked. His voice carried a question of my sanity.

[I need a receipt to show them!]

“Okay, but who’s saying you must keep the item you purchased. I’ve been seeing return counters in most stores, and many people seem to return items for their money back.”

[Usually, second hand things are final sale. Plus, there is still the problem that I’d have to do this twice,] I answered but began considering his proposal. His answer was surprising considering he knew less about this world than I did, but I hadn’t thought of it first. Then again, I was very close to the problem, which sometimes made it harder.

“In theory you have ten thousand to spend right?” Smegma asked and my eyes narrowed but I did nod. “What if you purchase two used pickaxes, return them instantly, after a phone call—while still at the counter or something, and then buy a higher-grade monster core to sell using Demonic Trader.”

My eyes narrowed this time. While the plan was fantastic, his slightly excited tone over the higher-grade Monster Core made me suspicious. I decided to treat his ‘slyness’ with some of my own. [I can’t spend the whole ten thousand today though. I don’t have enough mC to purchase two Miner’s Picks.]

“We won’t know until you check what’s available,” Smegma countered. That response came far too quickly, which made me think my suspicions were correct.

[I guess you’re right…] I mentally mumbled, hoping my internal voice carried the weary feel I was going for. I wasn’t exactly an actor, but I’d had a few lessons thanks to my attempts to be a Swiftgram influencer.

Well my continued, attempts… I realized I should probably document my trip to the mall in some way to my followers. There was probably a Venice Vici Hunters store in here, right?

My slyness seemed to work because Smegma followed in my wake as I made my way to the Venice Vici for a picture and then the Wallsmart store. Wallsmart, again was another long standing chain with a ton of buying power. I didn’t bother with the second or third floor and made my way right to the first. There I found the Monster Core section.

Like HBC, Wallsmart had a room that was enclosed with thick, likely magic-proofed, glass. The interior reminded me of a glasses store with small pegs sticking out from peg boards, atop which rested Monster Cores of all kinds. I pushed the button at the door and waited for the clerk inside to come greet me.

A young teenager, probably fresh out of high school looked up at me, gave me an up and down before his face fell. I could tell that he didn’t want to bother with me, but since our eyes had met, he didn’t dare provide subpar customer service. Not at a place like Wallsmart, where a complaint could cost him his job. The only other sign I got that he was unwilling to get up and serve me was a glance to another section of the room, at two people standing there examining Cores. That’s when I realized there were two clerks inside, and one was already helping another customer.

The teenager stood up and made his slow walk to the door. Just before he opened it, he fixed his face into a terribly fake smile. Did the idiot not realize that the whole front of the room was glass? He pushed a button beside the door and then swung it wide in an overly exaggerated gesture. “Welcome to Wallsmart Cores, what can I help you with today?”

“I’d like to take a look at the E-grade cores,” I answered. I debated about acting a part, and perhaps treating him poorly in turn, but I had worked retail in the past. It wasn’t pleasant at the best of times, and even worse if you worked on commission. On top of that I didn’t want to draw too much attention.

“Absolutely,” the kid, whose name-tag read Brad, answered. His fake smile slipped slightly, and I couldn’t tell if he was surprised or excited by the notion of me purchasing an E-grade core. “Follow me,” Brad said his voice finally revealing that he did have a bit of excitement now.

He led the way to the same wall the other customer was looking at, but instead of the far back corner we approached the section nearer the doors. A glance at the descending prices of Cores that led to the other clerk told me that was the F-ranked section. I guessed the excitement wouldn’t last long when I saw the prices of the Portal cores nearest the window. I moved down the row until I reached the section where cores started at twelve thousand dollars.

A sigh came from behind me, but when I looked at Brad, his fake smile was firmly in place. I calmed my slight frustration at the kid’s judgement by breathing in and out through my nose steadily. Mentally to Smegma I practically shouted, [Are these going to be worth eight thousand mC?]

“I can’t say for sure yet,” Smegma started to say, and thanks to my frustration I wasn’t willing to play this game anymore.

[Husk off dude, you’re as obvious as a virgin looking at his first pair of tits. I know that the one yesterday turned out to be worth more than you thought. So, I’ll expect some extra mC due to that as well.]

“This one here is a Thunder attuned Core from a Thunder Rock,” Brad explained as he picked up the most expensive one on the row I was standing in front of. The price tag was a whopping twenty-two thousand. “It’s great for Machine Enchanting, the lightning also lends itself exceptionally well to crafting Bombs, or Paralysis Arrays.”

“Alright idiot,” Smegma said while giving me a very pointed look. “If I’m being honest, I’m not sure just how valuable these cores are. However, I did seem to gain a great deal of energy from somewhere after the purchase. So, maybe my sect sent that on, as encouragement to buy more.

“Yet, as this other ugly ape just stated, they only have quite a bit of value in crafting. However, that wouldn’t be enough for eight thousand mC. It’s the possible uses that would interest my people. There is a small chance that an array could be created that would be powered by these Cores. The proposed array could then create a field of dense mana converted from the cores. That doesn’t—” Brad was staring at me as Smegma spoke and by his slowly falling smile he was getting impatient.

“I’m sorry but I’m not looking for something with Lightning attunement. I moved over here because this blue one looked like it could be Water, no?” I cut off Smegma, motioning to the cheapest E-rank on the rack. Brad replaced the Lightning Rock Core and picked up the blue one I indicated.

He began explaining what it was, and I turned back to Smegma who had paused in his rant. “As I was saying,” he continued. “That doesn’t mean that they will be valuable—in fact you’re probably just in a position to take advantage of us needing higher ranked Cores to test the theory. If possible, a Portal Core…”

I didn’t roll my eyes, because I figured Brad who was telling me about the Blast Turtle Portal Core, might take that the wrong way. [Okay, well with the credit from the Core yesterday and the value of this Blast Turtle Core, could you get me eight thousand mC?]

“—I’d suggest going with something more firmly Water attuned if you are wanting to craft something for consumption. Because this is a portal core, it has a slight Earth attunement. That will likely make a Bottomless Water Skin create water with a muddy taste, for example. We have a Fresh Water Sea Jelly Portal Core that—”

“I can only do about five thousand,” Smegma answered.

I waved a hand stopping Brad from going to collect what I guessed was going to be a far more expensive Monster Core. He looked back at me his fake smiling somewhat falling away, even as his eyes looked hopeful. “This is a purchase that is being made with a group. Can you place the Blast Turtle Portal Core on hold for me?” His face began to fall further. “I just need to step out check the prices on a few other things and make a call to my partners to okay the spending.”

“Yeah, yeah, go ahead, I’ll have it waiting here for you,” Brad said his voice and face betraying his skepticism about my return.

I felt my cheeks get hot, but turned and left, pushing the internal button on my way out. I wasn’t even sure why I had made up the excuse, but for some reason I felt the need to let the teenager down easy. I guessed I still had hang ups from my retail job. Still, Brad’s guilt trip made it worthless, which in turn made me upset. I would never have treated another person like that.

“Wait, wait—” Smegma shouted as I stormed off. “Surely, Willa and your father could spend a bit more money.”

[Nope, we’ll go with the buy and return option, and I’ll just have to get Willa one tomorrow,] I answered. Stomping away from the room. Thankfully there were signs hanging from the roof here which directed me to the Miner’s Section of the store. I worried in my current mood I might ask a little too sternly if I stopped a store clerk for directions.

“Hold up, if you were willing to promise a purchase of another Core later, I could treat the extra three thousand as a loan,” Smegma hurriedly said. I glanced back at him over my shoulder. This asshole was still lying, wasn’t he?!

“Nope, I’d rather not be in your debt,” I said and kept heading to the mining section. Smegma didn’t answer which surprised me, but since I was serious in my response, I figured I’d let him stew.

A few minutes later I turned a corner and found myself surrounded by familiar looking gear, as well as a great deal of pieces I hadn’t seen before. One aisle had boots, pants, chest pieces, glasses, helmets, and gloves prominently displayed on hangers or shelves. These looked like the loaners I used the last two days, but where mine were old and worn, these practically shone. Plus, the smell of new leather that tickled my nose almost sold the gear for Wallsmart.

The next few rows had pickaxes hanging from metal pegs. I could tell that these were the mass produced un-enchanted ones since they weren’t behind panes of plastic, like the following rows. This is also where I found equipment, I hadn’t seen on our job site. The opposite side of the row had baskets of wedges and hanging sledgehammers. I moved to the nearest basket and picked one out.

The tag claimed it was made from a Thorium-Steel, which was an alloy that combined a tiny amount of Thorium with Iron to create a metal that was harder than its original parts. From my understanding the Thorium took the place of the carbon that was used with Iron to make the far more common metal of Steel. Still, I wondered why I hadn’t seen these used when my father was attempting to get the ‘True Gold’ or when Willa was trying to crack Necrograph.

What sat beside the sledgehammers gave me the clue. Drill bits. Clearly made in different sizes that corresponded to the wedges I was studying. So, I guessed that you could drill holes and then widen them using the sledge. I only wondered why they weren’t used with my dad’s crew until I went to the next aisle. This one had the same gear but was enchanted. The wedges, and drill bits were far more expensive and made for higher grade metals—such as Necrograph. But on top of the purely metal pieces there were drills for sale here. Drills powered by Mana Crystal Engines.

Since I was on the first floor these would be the ‘cheapest’ drills, and bits available and they were already starting at fifty thousand.

Whereas new picks hung inside the case opposite, and they were also enchanted. In comparison they started at three thousand dollars for a pick with a Strengthening Enchant. The problem was that a simple Strengthening Enchant wouldn’t do much to help a miner, and the new picks only ramped up from there.

I also realized that buying all the drills, wedges and sledges needed would create a huge amount of equipment to lug around between jobs… I pictured myself carrying what equated to a truck bed full of the tools and felt my legs protest the imaginary torture.

Smegma scoffed at what he was seeing, but I didn’t bother engaging with him. I already knew that he’d just have more insults for humanity.

Instead, I exited the row of new picks and walked around until I found huge oak barrels. Sure enough, they were filled with used but still working pickaxes. They were organized by barrels and there were only three. One thousand, three thousand and a five-thousand-dollar barrels. I scanned the contents and chuckled when I realized that each pick had a single tag attached with one word on them, sometimes two but only in the five-thousand-dollar barrel.

None had accuracy written on them, but the majority had strengthening. Especially in the thousand dollar options. Almost ninety percent of them were strengthening. Penetration was the next most popular and it dominated the second barrel, as well as some particularly dented ones in the first. The third most popular was something called weight. At first, I thought they would be making the axe heavier but when I lifted one, I found that it felt no different. Smegma chimed in with an explanation, “When you swing it, it will strike with greater force. That enchantment should be called momentum, but since weight is a component of force, I guess they aren’t wrong.”

I found two good options in the most expensive barrel. One was ‘Weight+Strengthening’ the other was ‘Penetration+Resistance,’ which Smegma again explained. “Resistance means it will take less damage from mana, and since most ores and crystals are hardened by mana, it’s more or less the same as Strengthening.”

I nodded and chose the one with Resistance. It seemed rarer based on it being the only one with that label on its tag. I started moving back to the cash, when Smegma coughed politely. I just kept walking which made him blurt out, “Okay, I can do eight thousand mC for the Blast Turtle Portal Core.”

“Fifteen thousand, and you never try to pull this bullshit with me again, or no deal,” I said quickly, while spinning on the Imp.

“It’s already a stretch to give you eight thousand, dumb-dumb,” he said while glaring at me.

“See here’s the problem, and why I said you never pull this bullshit again. Whether you like it or not we’re stuck together—” a clerk peaked his head out of an aisle to see who was speaking so sternly to someone else. At his strange look I pulled my phone from my pocket and made a gesture with it, pretending I was using it. I then walked away quickly as I continued, “—and if I can’t trust your prices this is going to be a huge pain in the ass. I know you are selling things I can’t get here on Earth, but I need to be able to trust that you are giving me as fair a value on what I sell, or we’ll have trouble down the road.”

“You’re upset that a Trader is trying to get the best margins he can?” Smegma countered, sounding incredulous.

[No, I’m not upset, I just don’t want to play these games.] I switched back to internal dialogue due to the looks I was getting as I passed people. Even with my phone pressed against my head. [I don’t like what it will lead to. These games degrade your trust with me. Right now, because of your actions, I’m wondering if the Cores are worth far more than you’re claiming. Because of that suspicion, I’m considering buying this pickaxe, returning it, and waiting until tomorrow night to get another one, but what if your people need another Core. Do you understand what I’m saying?]

“So, you’re willing to pass up on the deal I’m offering you out of spite?”

[Or you’re missing out on a deal that could save your people because you’re trying to nickel and dime…]

Smegma began tapping talons on his teeth, and I rolled my eyes. Sure, enough if the fifteen thousand I countered with required thought, he was trying to trim the margins in his favor. I spun again and began making my way back to the counter. Smegma stopped me by flying in front of me and holding up both hands.

“Wait, wait,” he said, “I see your point but I’m being honest with you. This thing could be worth nothing. I’m assuming my people will try for an array, but I have no real contact with them other than that surge of energy I felt.” He paused for a moment to let that sink in—then continued, “Or these Portal Cores could be worth far more. It’s a gamble and I can’t make it recklessly. My people only have what you see in this shop, and I can’t be giving it away because of an optimistic hope. We’ve lost so much already on those…

“Here’s what I can do,” Smegma continued after letting his last stated whisper hang in the air and garner my sympathy. “I’ll give you eight thousand now, and if I get another surge of energy from my people, I’ll make up the difference later. However, at that time you promise to come purchase higher grade ones. Deal?”

“Deal.” I spun back around and headed back to the barrels. I grabbed the other pickaxe I was considering and then made my way to the checkout. Ten thousand was charged to my credit card. I snapped a picture of the receipt and then made my way across the store to the returns counter. I purposefully picked the checkout counter furthest from the returns, so I was less likely to be questioned.

For another layer of security, I put my phone to my ear and began a fake conversation. At the end of which I attempted to sound defensive. “I didn’t know you had already bought two. I’m sorry boss. I’m still at the store so I’ll return them, geeze!”

“What the husk are you doing?” Smegma asked, causing me to blush.

[Trying to make my reason for return seem legitimate!] I said.

“Oh, cause that guy following you is going to figure out your plan?”

[There’s a guy following me?]

“No, you husking twat! No one cares what you’re doing. They all have their own lives to live. Just return them and go buy the Core.”

My cheeks grew hotter. He was probably right.

At the returns counter the clerk claimed that they were supposed to be final sale, which caused me to suffer a small heart palpitation. Thankfully she was kind and made an exception because of my story, the time stamp on the receipt, and the fact that I never left the store.

A quick walk later I was back at the Cores room. The second clerk I saw before, this one with a name-tag that read ‘Jeff’, opened the door.

“Welcome to Wallsmart Cores, what can I help you with today?” Jeff repeated the same greeting Brad offered me earlier. He also rushed to open the door and greeted me with a far warmer smile. Still, if they were on commission, I shouldn’t stiff Brad just because I liked Jeff more.

“I was in earlier, Brad put a Blast Turtle E-rank Portal core on hold for me,” I said. Jeff nodded even as his smile fell. However, his fell in a far different way than Brad’s had. This wasn’t insulting, but more an internal sadness that he would miss out on a new commission.

“Absolutely, I’ll get that wrapped up for you then?” Jeff turned the statement into a question with an inclination in his voice.

I nodded, and together we moved to the counter. Brad wasn’t in the room, and I assumed he had finished for the night or went on break. Jeff opened a drawer and blinked. Then he opened multiple others and began scratching his head. “You said he put it on hold for you?”

I tilted my head in confusion, and then slowly turned to look at the wall which contained E-rank cores. There in the exact same spot it had sat when I viewed it earlier was the Blast Turtle Portal Core.

That piece of shit… Jeff had pulled out his cellphone as I made this discovery and made to search through his contacts as he said, “I’ll just give him a quick call.”

“Don’t bother,” I said and pointed to it on the wall. “It’s right there, and I think you should take the commission.”

“Oh, I’m sure it was just a mistake on his part, I couldn’t do that—”

“I really think you can,” I said cutting him off again. “In fact, you’ll be saving him from a complaint if you do.” Jeff blinked in response and then seemed to connect the dots.

“Was he in a mood again?” he said sheepishly. I nodded and Jeff returned the nod. “Look, I know I should just shut my mouth and take the commission but Brad’s going through some stuff. His girlfriend just left him because he isn’t making enough, and his little sister is in the hospital. So, can I persuade you not to complain, and to let me put it in under his name?”

I sighed and nodded. As always life is far more complicated than what is immediately apparent. Now I just hoped Brad would pull himself out of his slump.

Husking empathy…