[SP-F1] <<Earning a Living>> Just...Tap It?

[Necryptonix 0]

Necryptonix wandered through the Starting City, the daze of sleep wearing off and her head clearing the nightmare dust from her mind. There were still quite a few players on the first floor, although most of them appeared to be younger children who couldn't, or wouldn't, go on to the next floors due to the danger of being killed. An older female player was shepherding a group of them along now, and one boy in the group was screaming and being rowdy but none of the others seemed too keen to join him. Nix shook her head and kept walking. Who in the world would let kids so young play a game like this?....Of course, she knew she couldn't be too hard on their parents. No one could have guessed that SAO would become an all-too-real death game. 

She stopped when she saw a window showing off some halfway decent gear. One of the weapons displayed was a two-handed assault spear, and Nix absently touched her own assault spear as she compared the two weapons. That one looks like it's more durable, if a bit heavier than I would like....the balance on it would probably be terrible, but I bet it does more damage than this piece of starter crap....Nix grimaced as she finished that thought, deciding she needed to try and get her hands on a spear like that.

Edited January 8, 2017 by Necryptonix

[Necryptonix 0]

"Well, I'll never be able to get it if I don't ask how much it is!" She spoke to herself with a mockingly cheerful tone, a smirk on her face already as she imagined the exorbitant price the smith would probably charge for such a shoddy piece of work. I have no Col, so really it's a moot point, but I should at least start getting an idea of how much work I'm expected to do for this bare minimum of quality. And besides, this is only the first floor, it's gotta be better higher up, right? Necryptonix shrugged to herself and stepped towards the shop's door, a hanging sign with a picture of a hammer striking an anvil with a spark swung slightly in the breeze. Nix opened the door and was glad to see that the shop was brightly lit on the inside, not nearly so dreary as the general merchant's shop had been. She softened the smirk on her face, not wanting to appear immediately haughty to the NPC  smith, not that it probably matters. Do they know or care what we look like? How we act? A genuine question, one she decided she would find the answer to today as soon as she asked the price of that spear.

[Necryptonix 0]

"Hello there, miss! What can I do for ya?" A busty female NPC walked to the counter, wiping her hands on a grimy towel before stashing it back in her belt. Necryptonix's eyes widened slightly despite herself as she took in the smith. I was expecting some old guy not...this. She blinked once, then mentally shook herself and stepped up to the counter.

"Hi, yeah, I was wondering how much you charge for a low-quality two-handed assault spear?" Necryptonix stood straight and tall and clasped her hands behind her back, as she was taught to do when speaking to a stranger. Her mother had told her that doing so made her appear more imposing and respectable, and in a way, would help keep her safe. People who stand straighter are less likely to get randomly attacked. Or so she had always been told. 

"Low-quality? Are you trying to tell me that my work is low-quality?" The NPC smith glowered at Nix and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You know, that's no way to speak to someone who might sell you an item you need! Honestly, do you have no manners?" Necryptonix's eyes widened in shock and she raised her hands defensively.

"No! No! That's not what I meant at all! I just meant that this work is not the sort of work one would find on an upper floor, ya know?" The smith's eyes only narrowed further, and Nix winced as it occurred to her that that would probably sound like a thinly veiled insult as well.

Edited January 8, 2017 by Necryptonix

[Necryptonix 0]

"Oh, so my work isn't good enough to be on an upper floor. That's it, huh? Well, why don't you just go to an upper floor then and buy something there!" The smith huffed and turned to stomp angrily to her back room.

"No, wait! Your work is great! It's so great that I actually came here to beg you to teach me!" Necryptonix had blurted the words out before she could stop herself, thinking only of salvaging the encounter. The smith paused and turned slightly to look back at Necryptonix, who was standing with her arms out as though she was considering trying to physically grab the smith to keep her from leaving. The smith's face was still full of suspicion.

"It's great, huh? Then why did you come in here asking for "low-quality" work?" The smith cocked her hip as she waited for a reply.

"I asked how much you would charge for a low quality piece of work, I never said that your work itself was all low-quality. Really, I never intended to insult you." Necryptonix spread her arms in an apologetic gesture, a contrite expression on her face. The smith mulled this over for a moment, and when she seemed mollified Nix continued, "The truth is I have no Col to spend on any equipment, so I thought I would ask how much you would charge for your lowest quality two-handed assault spear and then maybe earn that Col and convince you to teach me how to make it myself."

The Smith tapped her lip thoughtfully as she looked Necryptonix up and down. "Okay kid, you got yourself a deal. But since I'm so generous, I'll teach you how to become a blacksmith for free!" The smith grinned and put her hands on her hips with pride.

[Necryptonix 0]

Great....I was thinking of being merchant or alchemist, but I guess this will do. Necryptonix carefully put a gleeful expression on her face and gave a little jump of triumph, fist pumping the air. 

"Yes! Thank you ma'am, you won't regret this!" Still grinning, she took a step forward and leaned onto the smith's counter. "Just tell me what I need to do and I'll do it!" The smith matched Nix's posture and leaned forward over the counter, eyes glinting wickedly.

"Well before I can teach you anything, I need you to go out and pick some things up for me. I can't work without the materials, and I have a few on order from some other merchants who have the ore and items that I need. Here, take this shopping list," The smith took a folded piece of paper from a belt pouch and pushed it over the counter to Necryptonix. "Now make sure you get every single thing on the list, yes? And I don't want this to take all day, so get back here in an hour. I have deadlines to meet."

Necryptonix took the paper and scanned it, face falling only a little as she realized the impossible task the spiteful merchant had given her.

[Necryptonix 0]

"Oh, ah, all of this? In only an hour?...." Necryptonix worked to keep from sounding concerned. She had managed to bullshit her way through most of this encounter, and she'd be damned if she messed it up now.

The smith, still smiling, nodded. "Of course! You don't think being a brilliant blacksmith comes easy do you? It takes a lot of materials! Now what are you waiting for? Get going!" The smith stood straight and shooed Necryptonix to the door. Nix pasted a smile on and headed out of the shop, the list still clutched in her hands. Once she was in the daylight again, surrounded only by random NPC carts shouting their wares to an empty street. Necryptonix allowed her shoulders to relax and a grimace curved mouth down on one side.

She took out the list again and looked it over as she walked down the street.

Spoiler

Iron Ore x 10

Wooden Planks x 20

Lily x 5

Cloth x 8

Olive Oil x 3

Leather Strips x 10

Spring Water x 10

The merchants that sell these are scattered all over the Starting City! I'll never be able to get all of this back to her in an hour! Well, at least now I have my answer. They DO seem to care how we act around them....Necryptonix shook her head and sighed and started jogging to the first merchant.

[Necryptonix 0]

Necryptonix caught her breath as she pushed open the door to the first shop, a happy-looking place with a single short merchant NPC. She quickly approached the counter and threw the shopping list down on the counter. "A smith on the eastern side of town gave me this list and said she had it on order. How much of it do you have on stock here?"

The merchant took the list and looked it over for a few seconds, before shaking his head and pushing it back across the counter. "Yes, she has this all on order, but I fear I only have the cloth and lilies in stock right now. Is that okay?" Necryptonix sighed and gestured for vaguely at him. 

"Yeah, yeah, just transfer it over to me and I'll head out again to the next place." Nix's foot tapped impatiently as the merchant made a show of gathering the cloth and lilies together before transferring them to her storage. He had only just started his wave goodbye when Necryptonix rushed out of the shop again, shouting behind her, "Thanks for the help! Have a nice day!" 

Back out in the bright sunlight, she noted that the sun's position had changed and she grimaced at the passing of time. Only 45 minutes left....

Spoiler

Iron Ore x 10

Wooden Planks x 20

Lily x 5

Cloth x 8

Olive Oil x 3

Leather Strips x 10

Spring Water x 10

And I still have five items to get....Oh please let this next merchant have everything in stock! With a determined set to her mouth she jogged a little faster.

[Necryptonix 0]

Arriving at the second shop took longer than Necryptonix would have liked. Just getting to this one had eaten up another 11 minutes of her time, leaving her with only 34 minutes left to complete the little shopping excursion for the blacksmith. Nix shoved open the door and took two quick strides forward before slamming the shopping list down on the counter.

"Hey! Merchant! A smith over on the East side sent me out to pick up some stuff she had on order. You got any of it?" Nix realized perhaps a little too late that she was acting rudely, but the NPC merchant seemed to not to care as he stepped forward to scan her list.

"I've got the ore, but that's all I'm afraid. Is that okay?" Before the merchant NPC had finished speaking Necryptonix was nodding her assent.

"Yeah, just transfer it over and I'll be on my way, thanks." Nix waved her hand impatiently at the merchant, who only rolled his eyes a little before complying. As soon as it was done Nix turned on her heel and jogged out of the shop, immediately turning left to head to the next nearest merchant. [censored], the next one is still ten blocks away....

Necryptonix scowled and kept jogging forward.

Spoiler

Iron Ore x 10

Wooden Planks x 20

Lily x 5

Cloth x 8

Olive Oil x 3

Leather Strips x 10

Spring Water x 10

Four things left, 30 minutes remaining, and it'll take me at least 12 minutes to get back to the smith's shop, that means I only have 18 minutes to get the rest of the items on the list...Necryptonix's eyes narrowed in determination and she started sprinting.

[Necryptonix 0]

Necryptonix skidded around the corner and sprinted down the nearly empty street, arms pumping in time with her steps, boots beating the cobbled stones in a steady rhythm. There! There's the next shop! Oh please have everything, please please please....Necryptonix slid to a halt and shot through the shop's door with a bang. She lunged towards the counter and shoved the shopping list at the NPC shopkeeper, a kindly looking woman.

"Why hello there, what can I do-" The merchant began.

"A smith on the East side sent me with this list to pick up things she has on order, you got any of it?" Necryptonix interrupted her, pushing the list closer to the NPC's face. The merchant's eyes widened at Nix's blatant rudeness, but she took the list and looked it over.

"Well, I've got the Wooden Planks and the Leather Strips, but you'll have to try the merchant shop down the street for the -" Necryptonix cut the merchant off again.

"Yes, great, that works, just give me what you've got and I'll leave!" Necryptonix forced her face into a cheery smile, but she was sure the expression didn't reach her eyes. The merchant seemed to huff a bit at the way Nix was speaking to her, but she complied, quickly transferring the items over and handing the list back. Necryptonix waved goodbye as she ran out, leaving the merchant grumbling about how rude players had become on the first floor.

Spoiler

Iron Ore x 10

Wooden Planks x 20

Lily x 5

Cloth x 8

Olive Oil x 3

Leather Strips x 10

Spring Water x 1

 

[Necryptonix 0]

She sprinted down the street, slid around a corner, and kept going to the merchant's shop the last NPC had mentioned. Only 8 minutes left before I need to high-tail it back to that blasted smith's shop. Ugh, I won't ever test out an NPC's judgment again. This is way more trouble than it's worth. Nix skidded to a stop in front of the merchant's door before lunging through it. The door banged into the wall when she threw it open and bolted forward, slamming the list down onto the counter in front of the merchant. Necryptonix was relieved to see a number of vials and bottles lining the shop's shelves. A good sign.

"IcameFromASmithOnTheEastSideDoYouHaveAnyOfTheItemsOnThisList?" Necryptonix blurted out the sentence as fast as she could, hoping the NPC's programming allowed it to still understand what she had said. The merchant blinked, and Nix could almost feel the NPC's programming working through her words. Finally, it picked up her list and read it over, before nodding sagely.

"Yes, I have both the Olive Oil and the Spring Water, give me a moment to transfer it to you." The merchant seemed to crawl as she picked her way through the bottles on her shelves, and Nix was caught between whooping with joy and beating her head against the counter from impatience. Finally, the merchant finished the transfer and gave Nix a closed-eye smile. "Is there anything else -" Necryptonix had already snatched the list back and run off, leaving the merchant to smile slightly and return to puttering around her shop.

Spoiler

Spoiler

Iron Ore x 10

Wooden Planks x 20

Lily x 5

Cloth x 8

Olive Oil x 3

Leather Strips x 10

Spring Water x 1

 

[Necryptonix 0]

Just one more block and she would be at the blacksmith's door. Necryptonix couldn't have appeared as much more than a blur as she rocketed down the street. 5 minutes to spare! I'm gonna make it! I'm gonna make it! I'm gonna - Before she could finish her last triumphant thought Nix felt herself pitching forward. She threw her arms out in front of her before she slammed into the ground and rolled. Her legs were tangled up in something else, something soft, something that groaned when Necryptonix tried to yank her legs free of the obstacle. Oh, crap....Nix pushed herself into a sitting position and stared into the tearful eyes of a young girl...I'm not gonna make it. 

"Hey, hey, it's okay. That was my bad, I shouldn't have been sprinting without looking..." Nix trailed off as she finished untangling her legs and got into a crouch in front of the girl, reaching out a hand to help her up. The girl cried quietly for a moment and allowed Necryptonix to help her up, but then smacked her hand away.

"I don't need your help! I hate this place!" The girl started crying harder, and Nix's shocked face betrayed her as her hands fluttered uselessly around the sobbing child.

"I don't suppose you came from that lady's group I saw earlier? With a bunch of kids, and a rowdy boy?" Necryptonix desperately tried to latch onto a common ground between them, so she could convince the child to just go back to whatever orphanage they have set up here. I can't just leave this kid here like this, but damnit...I'm really not gonna make it now....She resisted the urge to sprint off again as the time showed her that she only had 2 minutes left to get to the smith's shop.

Edited January 9, 2017 by Necryptonix

[Necryptonix 0]

The little girl's face twisted into rage. "No! I hate them, they're awful!" The girl started to turn and run away, and Nix almost let her go, but at the last moment she grabbed the girl by the sleeve and pulled her back. 

"Hey, I don't know what happened with you and them, but you're just a kid and this is a big ol' death game. Unless you want to become a dead kid like the rest, I suggest you tough it out and go back. We all have to do things we don't want to do now, it's part of staying alive. You're young, and you don't know it yet, but there are things worth living for." With that, Necryptonix let go of the little girl and sprinted the rest of the way to the smith's shop, leaving the little girl staring after her, fresh tears streaming down her face. Sorry kid, but I don't have time to listen to your little dramas right now....I hope she makes it back okay though. Nix blew through the door and and slowed before reaching the counter. The smith was leaning on it, examining her nails. 

"Hey, I've got your groceries, and right on time too." Necryptonix smirked and brought up her inventory, ready to transfer the items over. The smith stood straight and completed the transfer, checking to make sure everything that had been on the list was there. When she was satisfied, she nodded.

"I'm impressed. You've proven you have the determination to be a blacksmith." The smith gave Necryptonix a small smile, then continued, "But the real work is only beginning. Being a blacksmith takes grit, imagination, curiosity, and of course," she winked, "charm. You must be able to convince the metal to bend to your will, like a stubborn child." Necryptonix grimaced, thinking of the crying child she had just left behind to get here on time. "But for now, your work is complete and I have all the ingredients I need for my dinner tonight!" The blacksmith grinned heartily and waved Nix away from her. "Now go! Come back here tomorrow and we will truly begin your training!" Necryptonix carefully composed her face into something amiable, if somewhat expressionless, and walked out of the shop.

[Necryptonix 0]

I can't believe I just did an NPC's grocery shopping...do NPCs even eat? Do they have programming for that? Or is this NPC just programmed to be incredibly annoying and difficult? Letting a scowl color her face, Necryptonix stalked down the street, sunlight still streaming down. Well I have the rest of the day to myself now, so I might as well find a place to stay for the night, and hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to knock this little quest out. 

As Necryptonix ambled down the street, she kept an eye out for the little girl. There was no sign of her, so Nix shrugged and headed to the nearest fair-priced inn to get a room and rest for a bit. 

---------------------

She had gotten a cheap room, furnished with nothing but a rickety bed and a wobbly nightstand, but it would serve it's purpose. The walls were plain wood, and a single window gave her a look at the silent street below. The sky was darkening, evening giving up it's hold to the night, and Necryptonix leaned against the wall and stared outside to people-watch. So far, she had only seen two other players go by. One appeared to be obviously over-leveled for this floor, but the other couldn't have been over 12 years old, and seemed to be a lower level. Nothing strange there. Necryptonix brushed her hair out of her face for what must have been the hundredth time, and she could feel it starting to fall back in her face again. With a scowl, she entertained thoughts of getting it all chopped off tomorrow. After a while even the NPCs carts appeared to be packing it in for the night, so Necryptonix pushed herself off the wall and got ready for bed.