Caspian once outside released a sigh as he massaged his head. His brain was overload with that massive info dump and he would not have believed half of the things Charles had told him if he had not seen the creatures and their weapon change himself. He realizes that he could not get back home and even if he did was anything left of it? Likes let's say time flowed the same here as his original world then it has been a week since that demon has appeared. Nothing was left in its wake so whose to say that it stopped only at his city.
"You ok Caspian?" asked Hope placing a hand on the tall teens shoulder.
"No... Not really but what can I do about the situation you know?" answered Caspian a tired smile on his face.
"Let's go to the mall and get you set up" said Valentine also worried for Caspian.
"Lead the way" said Caspian as he followed the pair of girls.
As the trio was walking around Caspian just looked at his surroundings families of people were around doing their own thing, some were in a park playing with their kids while others were in restaurants busy eating together, the kids had permanent smiles on their face as the parents laughed with them. The teen had a blank look on his face as he looked at the scenes while others would smile at the heart-warming scene Caspian had no reaction to it.
"Oh, that's right!" said Valentine suddenly causing the trio to stop.
The girl started to pat her body before she released a "Aha" and took Caspian's black book out from her pants pocket.
"This was in your back pocket when you arrived at the medical word it seemed it has have had better days as its pretty wore out but its heavy you must have written a lot in it" spoke Valentine out handing the black book back to Caspian who gently took it back feeling the familiar black leather material under his thumb as he glided it over the cover.
The teen then gave Valentine a soft smile as he looked her in the eyes.
"Thank you, Valentine it is very important to me," said Caspian softly.
Both girls had one thought going through their head at the same time.
"So cute!" thought the both of them as a small blush appeared on their face when they saw Caspian's genuine smile.
"A... Anyone c'mon let's go we almost there" stuttered Valentine as Hope cleared her throat.
*************
It took the group another ten minutes before they arrived at a row of hangers, groups of people holding different chef equipment came out of them all as they bragged with one another about whose weapon was bigger. When Hope heard the group of people, she merely rolled her eyes and snickered to herself sensing their Stock Energy levels.
Valentine led Caspian to an open hanger where he could see people stand in a row in front of a table. Sitting by a table was a Woman who appeared to be in her late thirties. She wore a pair of black denim jeans with a pair of hiking leather boots, on the upper half of her body she wore a dark grey turtle neck woolly long sleeved shirt. Her skin complexion was a healthy white not ghostly pale. Her hair was a deep crimson red as it was loosely hanging on her shoulder blades, her eyes was a light brown and a cigarette was hanging from her lips which had a dark purple lipstick on them. A black piercing was in her nose as she had a bored expression on her face.
"Alright next" she drawled out take a drag from her cigarette as she held a hand on the chest of the person in front of her desk.
A dark yellow glow engulfed her hand as she held it there for a few minutes before taking it back.
"Your Stock Pot has been opened I'm guessing you will reach 2 stars," said the woman.
"Thank you!" shouted the guy before running away a huge smirk on his face.
"I'm guessing she is Baba?" guessed Caspian as he walked to the back of the line.
"Mmhm she unlocks your Stock Pot and then she gets a vision of your potential" answered Hope resting a hand on her hip as she and Valentine stood next to Caspian out the line.
"Potential?" asked Caspian.
"What Rank you will reach in the future my Potential was a 3 star and I'm currently at 2 star" said Hope smirking afterword's.
"Ahh, I see" replied Caspian nodding his head.
It took the teen an entire half an hour to reach the front of the line and by the time he reached the front Hope had long left saying she has a nail appointment she cannot miss making Valentine his only company.
"Alright next" said Baba taking out another cigarette and light it up taking a deep drag.
"Hi miss Florance" said Valentine happily waving a hand.
"Hmm? Oh it's you uhm... Palentine?" said Baba not remembering Valentine's name.
"Haha you so funny silly its Valentine not Palentine" said Valentine laughing.
"Anyway, General Charles wanted me to bring Caspian here to you so you could unlock his Stock Pot" explained Valentine.
"Oh so he was a personal order from Charles? Interesting" answered Baba.
"Names Florance Baba nice to meet yah" said Florance holding a hand on Caspian's chest.
"Caspian Noir" introduced Caspian back.
Florance closed her eyes then her hands started to glow yellow. Inside Florance head she appeared in front of a spinning dark purple mass. Her ability allowed her to travel inside a person's body giving her free access to the persons Stock pot.
"Geez look at the size of this Stock Pot" muttered Florance as she floated towards the mass and saw Chains were wrapped around it a lock keeping it all together.
She placed her hand on the lock and it slowly started to dissolve as the lock was dissolving the entire surrounding suddenly burst into darkness.
"What the hell?" asked Florance herself as she looked around seeing nothing but darkness the lock had only dissolved about half way away.
As she looked around, she couldn't help the feeling of being watched so she cautiously looked around sweat dripping down her forehead.
"Is anyone here?" shouted Florance knowing that no one else could enter this place only her but she did this to comfort her from this feeling of dread she was getting.
There wasn't any response as the woman released a sigh of relief. The lock was about to be finished dissolving and she was about to leave when something happened that sent a chill down her spine. A hand suddenly grasped her shoulder causing her entire being to freeze up. She slowly looked to the left and saw a snow-white hand rest on her shoulder it had dark purple painted nails.
"Oi you can't just wake me up from my nap and then leave" said a male voice which sounded like Caspian's voice except far more sinister in the woman's ear.
The voice sounded brimmed with madness as waves of bloodlust and killer instinct assaulted Florance's body.
"W... What are you?" stuttered Florance out.
The voice suddenly burst out into a manically laughter which echoed in the abyss it would forever be imprinted in Florance's mind as a nightmare.
"I'm..." started the voice only to be cut of as the sounds of chains breaking interrupted him showing that the lock had finally dissolved.
Florance didn't wait for his answer as she pulled herself back to her body in the real world. But right before she left, she saw Caspian's potential and it was shocking. It showed Caspian with his back turned to her and above him was a haze. Now usually she would see the persons Star rank as a star would appear above them yet Caspian's star amount wasn't shown due to the thick haze. What had seen like an eternity for the woman it had in fact only been a few minutes in reality. Caspian looked at the woman confused for a second before she gasped loudly and stepped back. Her pupils were wide as she looked frantically around.
"Uhm, are you ok?" asked Caspian.
Florance with a shaking hand took a massive drag from her cigratte looking Caspian in the eyes.
"What in the hell did I just experience this kid isn't normal" thought Florance to herself.
"Your Stock Pot has been unlocked you can leave now" answered Florance quickly starting to set her table up as well.
"Come back tomorrow everyone I'm done for the day" shouted the woman as the people behind Caspian groaned out and reluctantly walked out the hanger.
"Uhm Miss Baba what's Caspian's Star Rank?" asked Valentine looking at the woman in concern.
"I.... Its 3 star" lied Florance as if she had told the truth the entire base would have wanted to kill Caspian as he is far superior than they ever could be.
In all her 10 years of unlocking Stock Pots she has never experienced what she just had with Caspian. That thing inside of the kid she has no idea what it was and the sheer size of his Stock Pot was also massive some would think if they saw it the kid was 4 stars already!
"Yay congrats Caspian that's awesome!" said Valetine patting Caspian on the back.
"Y... Yeah thanks" answered Caspian a sweat drop behind his head.
"Right onto getting your equipment! Thank you miss Baba!" shouted Valetine as she grabbed Caspian and ran off dragging him away like a ragdoll.
Florance took one last look at Caspian's fading form and a chill went down her spine remembering that voice.
*************************
The duo walked next door to a different hanger and once inside Caspian was amazed. Massive machines and equipment were everywhere people were walking around talking to one another and pointing towards different equipment and stuff.
"Each person only gets one equipment and its quite rare if someone gets two, I've only seen that happen once before so don't feel down if you only get one," said Valentine.
Caspian wordlessly nodded and followed the girl as she walked deeper in the hanger before stopping at a man who was busy sharpening a butcher blade.
"Hello!" greeted Valentine cheerfully as the man stopped what he was doing and placed the google he was wearing on his fore head.
The man appeared to be in his early twenties. He wore a tight brown vest with showed his defined arms and body as he wore yellow gloves, on the lower half of his body he wore a blue overall that had grease stains here and there plus black construction shoes. He had a light black stubble on his face as he had slicked back black hair. His eye color was an icy blue. He had a dark chocolate complexion as his eye brows were raised at the sudden intrusion.
"Yeah what is it?" asked the man looking Valentine in the eyes.
"Head Builder Jaune, General Charles wants you to give Caspian here his equipment." answered Valentine.
The now name Jaune scoffed and placed the butcher blade he was working on a nearby work station and motioned his hand for the pair to follow him.
Jaune walked through all the showers of sparks and dodged beams of irons as the duo tried to follow him fearing for their lives. After a few minutes they arrived at a giant silver cube. It had glowing orange lines in it that pulsated every few seconds like a heartbeat.
"This is the Factory it's the alien item that gives you your equipment" explained Jaune as he stood next to it and crossed his arms.
"Come here kid and place your hand on it" spoke Jaune out.
Caspian walked slowly towards it and placed his hand on it.
"How this thing works is that it reads your Stock energy levels and then it produces an item for you that can handle the full energy of the Stock" said Jaune making Caspian nod.
For a few minutes nothing happened before the Machine started to shake, the orange lines were flashing extremely fast and the thumping got louder and louder.
"What's going on!" shouted Caspian over the loud thumping his voice being completely drowned out.
"I don't know!" shouted Jaune back as he tried to hold the machine down.
A few seconds pass and the machine starts to calm down steam is released from vents as a thick fog of steam covers everyone. After the steam dissipates the cube opens revealing something to Caspian which made Jaunes mouth drop to the floor. There hovering above the cube was a pitch-black roll with neon yellow rope tied in knots keeping it closed it had jagged purple lines that flashed every few seconds like lightning bolts.
"I... I can't believe it" muttered Jaune looking at the roll in disbelief.
"What is that?" asked Valentine.
"It's a knife roll" answered Jaune disbelief showing full volumes in his eyes.
Caspian grabbed the knife roll and the machine closed again as the lights slowly dimmed. The teen walked towards a nearby workstation and placed the roll on it. Jaune and Valetine wordlessly follow the teen. Caspian gently touched the neon rope and untied the knots causing the bag to roll out fully on its self. Valentine released an audible gasp and Jaune nearly fainted himself. There resting in black pockets were 5 cooking equipment's.
"Holy Shit" cussed Caspian as a look of shock was imprinted on his face.
The first knife was a paring knife just like Hope's except it had a jet-black handle. The second knife is a French boning knife, it had a thin curved blade where the base of the blade was thick but then moving towards the tip it arcs going thinner and thinner until arriving at the tip, it also had a jet-black handle. The third blade is a standard Chef knife like Toru's except it had a black and white handle which was in a spiral pattern as if the two was in a constant dance with one another. The fourth blade was a pastry knife, it was long and had a serrated edge, its handle was white with black zigzag pattern going around it. The final blade was a cake lifter, it was a solid piece of metal that had a round tip and was connected to a black handle.
"No way you got 5 blades!!!!" shouted Valentine.
"I thought you said the max a person could get was two?" shouted Caspian back.
"Yes, I also thought so!" said Valentine turning towards Jaune who was stuck in a thinking pose.
"Hey kid" spoke Jaune out and Caspian looked towards Jaune.
"Don't tell anyone about this if they ask what the roll is tell them it's a sheath" said Jaune in a hushed tone seriously.
"Why?" asked Caspian back.
"People are greedy bastards and that's been truer since the invasion than ever before, they will hunt you down like ravenous animals and steal this knife roll" said Jaune his eyes cold and serious.
"I... I understand" said Caspian he remembered the time at chef school where one chef student bought the most expensive looking knife set only for it to be stolen the exact same day, they brought it to school.
"Valentine please don't tell anyone "Spoke Caspian out softly looking towards the girl.
"My lips are sealed Caspy!" shouted Valentine happily.
"Caspy?" thought Caspian and Jaune at the same time a sweat drop behind their heads.
"Now get out of here before you drew more attention" said Jaune walking towards the entrance.
Caspian quickly rolled up his knife bag and carried it in his hand. As the trio walked towards the entrance, they didn't see that on the second floor of the hanger was a person standing there and they saw everything. The person released a "Tch" before walking off.
When the duo arrived outside alone as Jaune just walked away from them the moment they were at the entrance saying he needed time to compose himself. The artificial night lights started to turn on in the distance indicating that night time started on the surface and Valentine released a long sigh.
"Woow I'm super tired!" she said as she looked to her side and saw Caspian nodded with her.
"C'mon I'll show you to the chef barracks your room is there" stated Valentine as she jogged away Caspian jogging after her.
They jogged for a few minutes and Caspian saw the entire base started to move in their houses ready to sleep while the night life for some people started. Once they arrived at the barracks Caspian saw it was rows apon rows of small houses, Valentine lead the teen past a few houses before she stopped at one.
"This one is yours Caspy!" said Valentine happily.
"Thank you for everything Valentine really" said Caspian as he opened the door to his new house before looking at Valentine.
"Nahhh it's no problem besides I had a lot of fun today with you" answered Valentine a smile on her face.
"I'm gonna go sleep now so I'll see you tomorrow rest well!" said Valentine as she walked away past a few more houses.
"You too!" shouted Caspian back as he locked the door behind him.
The room was quite barren as the only thing in it was a bed with a room leading to a small bathroom that has a toilet, sink and a shower. In a small closet rested a folded up blue chef jacket and a pair of black chef pants his uniform. Caspian took his shoes off as he placed his knife roll next to the bed, he simply fell flat on the bed and the moment his head touched the cushion he was out. So much had happened to him today his body was drained physically and mentally.