"How can I help you today?" She asked like we didn't just have a fighting match. The shaking she had when her mask was off completely disappeared now that it was back on. While she is dressed like the purple cloaked bastard that took Cuu, I decided to at least hear her out. Also because it seems like this is her shop and I really want one of these weapons.
"Uh hi, sorry about the whole kicking you across the room thing," came my awkward reply.
"It's no problem!" she quipped, "People usually freak out when they see my cloak. I don't know why though." She tilted her head to the side in thought.
"I think it has to do with how similar it looks to the cloaks that a cult that has been causing havoc wears," I answered, "I thought you were one of them, so I guess I went in attack mode." While I talked, she walked back to the other side of the glass display case.
"Water under the Orc if you know what I mean." I didn't know what she meant. "I don't get a ton of customers thanks to my hitchhikers warding people off, so I learned not to hold grudges against those that come in. Though I do tend to try and escape when people get mad."
"Oh, by hitchhikers you mean those people in front of the alley? No wonder you don't get many customers, they were blocking the entrance all afternoon." She froze when she heard me. I couldn't see her face, but I could tell she looked a bit shocked.
"You saw them?" She whispered out. She was silent for a second, like she was processing something.
"Uh yeah, I did see them. They said something similar to that as well before they let me through." I gave in response finding the silence a bit awkward. Upon hearing my voice again she shook her head.
"Oh forget it, sorry, I'm still getting used to being a shop owner. Once again, welcome to Frantantein's Monstrous Weapons, from sharpening to crafting to selling, I can do it all. What can I help you with today?" She said in a professional voice.
".... how long did you practice that in front of a mirror?"
"Eh! Why would you think that? I will have you know I have been in business for two months, I know what I am doing." She said proudly.
"And how many customers did you have in that time period?"
"....five," she gave after a second.
"Out of that, how many stayed after attacking or confronting you while you try to escape?" I continued to interrogate her.
"Just you.. okay, I spent a little bit of time practicing the line, but not in front of a mirror!" Frantantein tried to defend herself, it didn't work.
"Okay, okay, anyway, I am here because I need a weapon, and yours look amazing." It could've been my imagination but it seemed like her mask was blushing.
She got professional again, "If it is a weapon you're looking for then you won't find any better in the World. I have weapons ranging from swords to daggers, from claws to spears. What kind are you looking for?"
"Wait, daggers? Spears? Claws? Where are they? I only see swords and maces," I questioned. Instead of answering, she strode over to the lever I saw earlier and pulled it. Almost like magic, the bottoms of the cases started revolving up to take the place of the weapons that were originally shown. The change now displayed an even wider variety of weapons with just as high quality. The swords were replaced by daggers and short spears.
The daggers had a deadly gleam to them, each giving a different type of ominous aura. The light danced off of them that gave them the tag of being too sharp while at the same time making them darker than the surrounding area. Again there were daggers that even I could tell were just for decoration, but the ones made for combat had a hidden presence. I wouldn't be able to tell they were there if I wasn't looking right at them.
The spears had a similar build, but instead of a sneaky, hidden aura, they gave off a proud and sturdy presence as if to say 'I Am Here' to its enemies. Though another difference is that there were no decorative ones. It makes sense, if you wanted a pretty weapon to show off why would you want a short spear?
All of the weapons on this side were excellent, but at the same time none appealed to me. I didn't think of it before when window shopping the swords and maces, but none of those particularly held my desire. When all were perfect, none really stood out to me.
"I see nothing is holding your attention here, why not take a look at my other wares?" Frantantein suggested as she held out her hand towards the other side of the shop. I walked over and examined the other set of collections. There were less of each type of weapon, but a wider variety. I saw staffs for clerics, arrows of interesting designs, and even whips. Once again the glamour of it all was astonishing, but what grabbed my attention were a pair of ordinary leather gloves at the end of the table. Unlike everything else in the store, they didn't have any shine or presence of power.
"Frantantein, what are these gloves doing here? They don't seem like weapons."
"Ah those," she began, "rest assured, sir-"
"Oh, my name is Dtiedro," I interrupted.
"Rest assured, Dtiedro, they are very much a weapon," She answered. "These are special, well, an experiment if you will. This weapon does not exist anywhere outside of this store. A Monstrous Weapon Original if you will. I call them the Porcupine." As she continued explaining, she opened the case and took the gloves out.
"I still can't see how those are weapons outside of protection for punching."
"A demonstration is in order, then." She put the gloves on, even though she was wearing gloves already. Despite the gloves she wore, the Porcupine were too big for her hands, but to my surprise the gloves shrank to fit her fingers. "They have a magic property to them that allows them to fit any hand that tries to put them all. One size fits all and all that. Now, I know they look like ordinary gloves, but watch this."
She gave her right hand a quick flick to the right and brilliant edges of curved steel popped out behind the fingers. She continued, "As you can see, with a flick to the side, the spines of the Porcupine flash out and settle in. They will stay like this until you release them with a back flick like this." As she said, the blades slid back in at the sudden movement.
"Woah, that is really cool-" I started before she interrupted me this time.
"Don't be too impressed yet, dear customer, the demonstration has just begun. Watch, fist your hand and then extend your fingers quickly to release the claws on the palms." More blades appeared from the palm that were really shaped like claws. "These can be used to climb, or, if you are daring enough, can block and catch a blade for you to then use the spines to cut your attacker."
She had me grab a sword from the display to show me what she meant. I was nervous but followed as she requested. I swung with all my might, but it was all for naught as the swing was cut short by the claws as they deftly blocked the blade. Even more than block, the curve of the claws completely shifted the momentum of the sword and caused me to lose balance. In the opening that opened, Frantantein grabbed the blade with the spines and dragged them up the blade. The move completely stopped me from bringing up the sword to defend myself. The death promised by the gleaming blades rushed towards my face, and just as they were about to connect they stopped barely a centimeter from my eyes.
Staring down death itself, with my heart strangely calm, the hand backed away and flicked all the blades away.
"Now, for the most important part," she said casually.
'There's still more!' I screamed internally. This weapon is already a messenger from death, why must there be more? Frantantein moved over to that lever again, and instead of pulling it she twisted it. The back wall started to move as squares of the wall flipped around to show targets plastered there.
"Okay, hold on. What is with this shop? Everything is able to shift, it is getting ridiculous at this point," I stated.
"This is all just machinery I put together to make use of my lack of space. You haven't seen anything yet," was her response. I officially give up on trying to understand her inventions. "Now watch this." She angled her body towards the targets and pointed one of her hands forward. She then bent her elbow to bring the glove across her chest. She released the spines and claws before she shot her hand forward. The movement propelled the blades towards the targets and shiinged right into them. "These glove allow the launching of the blades, and throwing your hand up makes them return." Once again she she moved as she talked. Frantantein did a little hand flair upwards and I saw the blades stuck in the wall start shaking before they flew out of the wall back to the glove. "Just make sure to keep your hand open to avoid cutting yourself," she finished.
At this point my jaw has been dropped for at least two minutes. Only one question remained in my mind.
"How much?"
End of Chapter 10
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