Chapter 34
I grunted as I strained to get the armor on, the straps giving me a lot of trouble. There has to be an easier way!
Rosemary, who was just sitting on the bed, just laughed at me as I moved around the hotel room, grunting and whining.
“Don’t laugh at me,” I mumbled as I finally got the chestplate on. “I’m regretting picking this armor.”
She leaned back, a knowing smile on her face.
“What?” I asked as I frowned at her. “You’re acting like you know something I don’t.”
“Oh you know…” she said, playing with her hair all innocent like. “Just watching you do it the hard way is funny.”
“The hard way?” I asked, turning to fully face her as I wore parts of the armor. “There’s a easy way?”
With a wink she flopped backwards onto the bed. “Possibly, if you actually explored your menus you’d know that.”
Grumbling, I opened the status menu and looked it over, not sure what I was even supposed to be looking for. There were my stats, quests, personal inventory, standby inventory… wait. With a scowl I opened the personal inventory, finding there were a few more options in it, namely one labeled ‘Wardrobe’.
You’re kidding me… I opened the Wardrobe screen, finding that it was empty.
“Put the armor back in your inventory,” she said without getting up off the bed.
Doing as she said, I lifted up all the parts of the armor and my clothes, watching as they all faded away. They then all appeared in around a little image of myself.
“Just like a video game, huh?” she asked with a wide smile as she sat up.
“I don’t play video games,” I admitted as I put the armor I’d gotten on into the inventory as well, leaivng me with nothing on.
“Well, you can use this to instantly equip clothing and accessories,” she said as she smiled at me. “Can’t do it with weapons, but that’s not a big deal. So basically you can build a little loadout for yourself and equip it anytime you want. So there’s no hassle in putting on all that armor.”
“How convenient,” I muttered as I began to move the little armor pieces onto the image of myself, watching as it equipped itself. Once I’d finished, I frowned, as it didn’t look like something I’d normally wear.
My eyes drifted to the Laughing Drake’s jacket. A smile slid onto my face as I grabbed it and put it in the inventory along with the hoodie. I dragged the hoodie over and equipped it to the armor with no problem, but the jacket wouldn’t attach. It kept saying ‘Incompatible’, what ever the fuck that means.
“It means it won’t fit on the armor,” Rosemary answered, watching me with a smile plastered across her face.
“Then I’ll make it fit,” I said as I pulled the jacket back out and thought about it for a second. With a shrug I ripped the sleeves off, then tossed it back into my inventory. This time it attached to the little image of myself.
I examined the armor, content that it now at least looked closer to my personality.
As I started to put it on, I heard a knock at the door, causing both of us to look in that direction.
“Who the fuck?” I grumbled, as I walked over to the door and peeked through the peephole. Outside the door stood one of Rig Fanden’s men, looking very annoyed.
“Crap,” I cursed under my breath as I took a step back.
They banged on the door again, “yo, the boss has a new job for you. It’s non-negotiable.”
“What’s the job?” I asked through the door, not wanting to open it since I didn’t have on a disguise.
“Open the door.”
“Nah, tell me through the door, I’m busy,” I said back in my gruff voice.
I heard him groan on the other side of the door as he hit it once, really hard, “fine! Take this.” A little folder was pushed under the door, “read that, and get down there right now.”
“What if I say fuck off?” I asked, reaching down to take the folder.
“Then that’s breaking the contract,” he said simply, a smug smile clearly on his face.
“Fine,” I growled, walking away from the door.
I plopped down on the bed and opened the file, pulling out a few pictures. “Oh you got to be fucking kidding me…”
ooo000<^>000ooo
“So this is where they’ll be coming?” Domitor asked as he and Floria stood atop a building, looking down at a long stretch of road with buildings on all sides of it.
“Yep,” she confirmed, a cool smile on her face. “I’ve done my homework, and I know this is the fastest way out of the city.”
“What if they take a different route?” he said as he looked the area over, taking note of the many abandoned buildings that ran down the stretch of broken road.
She just gave him a confident smile, “they won’t. Trust me. These Government guys like routine, and as long as nothing spooks them they’ll continue down this way as planned.”
“Okay,” Domitor nodded as he glanced over at her. “So what’s the plan? Because there’s supposed to be, what, ten vehicles in this little convoy? With who knows how many Gloomers. How do we get this prototype weapon?”
“I’ve thought of a way,” she said as she leaned on the building, looking out over the area. “I called in a favor with Rig and he’s sending someone to help us.”
“Oh great, we’re going to be working with some kind of psychopath,” he mumbled, causing her to laugh loudly.
“Come on, Dom, we were working with one of the worst psychopath’s I’ve ever seen up till yesterday, and you killed him. No one can top that guy.”
The memory made Domitor shiver, as he’d still not come to terms with what happened with Lenrick. The guy, despite everything, had still been his first real friend.
Floria took notice of his mood shift and sighed, “sorry, Dom. Look here, pal!” she said as she shifted her mood into a high energy state, “we’re going to wreck this convoy tomorrow, and then we’re going to figure out a way to get you back to your father!”
“Great,” he said as he laid his head on the side of the building, looking outward. He wanted to see his father again, to see if he can earn his respect and love finally. But after what he’d done to Lenrick, he wasn’t sure if his father would accept him. Maybe if he lied about what happened…
“Heads up, our new partner is arriving,” Floria said as they looked over the edge of the building, seeing a figure approaching their location, coming down the street with a confident stride. “Ooo, fucker looks intimidating!”
Domitor frowned at the armored man coming towards them, not liking the look of him. The guy even looked right up at them, seeming to glare death right at the pair.
“Oh yeah, we got this,” Floria said excitedly as the man entered the building below. “If this guy is as badass as he looks, then we’ll wipe the floor with those Gloomers tomorrow!”
However Domitor wasn’t so sure, as he got a bad feeling about the guy. Something was off, even though he hadn’t seen the guy up close yet.
“I wonder if he has a Thorn too!” Floria said in excitement as they watched the door that led onto the roof.
A few minutes passed before the doors were thrown open and a man in demonic looking armor stepped onto the roof, holding a sheathed katana in his right hand. He looked pissed, but that could just be the mask he was wearing.
“Hey, man! Thanks for coming out!” Floria yelled in an overly excited voice.
“I’m being forced to be here,” the man said in a gravelly voice, which told Domitor this was probably a middle aged man who may have smoked a bit too much. He walked towards them, giving them a disapproving gesture with his left hand. “So don’t expect me to play nice.”
Domitor frowned at the man and the way he was acting, but Floria just kept up her cheerful mood, as she was used to people acting this way.
“Well alright then! You up to some high intensity action?!” Floria asked as she stepped right up to the man, meeting him halfway.
He just growled at her and shoved past her, walking right up to Domitor. The stallion frowned up at the man as he stepped up to him, standing above him.
“Can I help you?” Domitor asked as he glared up at the mask’s soulless eyes.
The man didn’t say anything, just seemed to glare down at him.
“Wait a minute, I’ve seen that jacket before,” Floria said from behind the man.
With a growl the man’s grip on his sword's sheath tightened, causing Domitor to blade his hindleg back.
“What’s your problem?” Domitor asked forcefully, raising up on his hindlegs to get face to face with the man.
As they glared each other down, a certain scent hit Domitor’s nose, a very familiar scent. His eyes went wide as he shoved the ‘man’ back forcibly. “Shayla?!”
“Domitor,” she growled in that strange masculine voice.
“Whoa, wait, that you crazy chicka?!” Floria asked in surprise from behind her.
Shayla stepped to the side and walked over to the ledge, leaning against it as she stared at the two of them. They looked absolutely shocked as they stared at her.
Finally, Domitor collected himself and cleared his throat, “erm, so… I wanted to apolo-”
“Shut it,” Shayla said forcibly. “We’re not going to talk about it, and we’re not going to even mention it. End of discussion.”
This brought a frown to Domitor’s face, but he gave a sharp nod in response.
“And going forward, I am Shane Beltosh. Got that?” she said, her grip on her sheathed sword tightening.
The pair looked at each other, their confusion clear on their faces.
“But, why are-” Domitor began, but Floria suddenly grabbed him and pulled him over to the other side of the roof.
“Look,” she began, glancing over to Shayla as she stared at them. “She’s gone through some terrible shit thanks to that prick Lenrick. And this is how she’s choosing to cope, so we need to just play along, for her sake.”
Domitor looked over at Shayla, a conflicted look on his face, “I’m not sure if I want to actually work with her though. I know it’s my fault she’s in this mess, but that doesn’t change my feelings towards her.”
“Trust me, it’s clear she feels the same about you,” Floria said, patting his shoulder. “Don’t blame yourself for Lenrick, that guy was his own little monster. There was nothing we could have done to prevent what happened without killing him earlier, and you wouldn’t have liked that either. So buck up, champ, and deal with the hand we’ve been dealt.”
He let out a sigh and gave a nod, thankful for her bluntness. “Alright, you’re right.”
“I’m always right,” she said with a sly smirk. “Now let’s get this shit over with.”
The pair walked back over to Shayla, who still looked to be overly pissed at the situation.
“Welcome aboard, Shane!” Floria announced, reaching out with her hand. “Past is all forgotten, so I’m looking forward to working with you!”
“Yeah,” Shayla grunted as she took her hand and shook it hard, squeezing way too hard in the process.
“Yikes, trying to break my hand, pal?” Floria laughed, rubbing her hand as she bumped Domitor forward.
“Let’s just get this job done, alright?” Domitor asked as he reluctantly held out his hoof to her.
She seemed to smirk as she took his hand and shook it, squeezing it even harder than she’d done with Floria.
“Fucking asshole,” Domitor growled as he ripped his hoof from her, rubbing the pain away.
“Now then,” Shayla said as she turned and looked out over the area. “What’s this grand plan you two have? I’m supposed to help you get some kind of weapon?”
“Yep,” Floria said as she leaned up next to her. “We’re going to be hitting a Government Convoy tomorrow, filled with Gloomers and all kinds of shit. It’s going to be a death trap, you still in?”
“I’m in,” Shayla grumbled. “I’ve got no choice in this matter.”
Floria blinked at her, a pained look flashing over her face. “You signed a contract, didn’t you?”
“Eeyep,” Shayla confirmed, not even looking at her.
“Well damn,” the Kejtdra woman said, a smile on her face. “Then we’re both fucked. Didn’t read the fine print, huh?”
“Nope.”
“Yeah, that’s exactly how he got me,” she said, trying to relate to the other woman.
But Shayla didn’t respond, just kept looking out at the city before them.
“Anyways,” Floria said, knowing they weren’t getting anywhere trying to be friendly with each other. “My plan is pretty simple, ready to hear it?”
“Go for it,” the mare said, slightly turning her head to the other woman.
A wide grin appeared on Floria’s face as she looked between the two. “Alright then, strap yourselves in, because this is a great plan!”