E and Brock entered the room they rented. It was humble. A small bed on either side of the room and a toilet behind a small privacy screen. No windows, just the one door, and fairly well heated. E put down his belongings, he'd grown accustomed to the feel of the weight. With a good stretch and a yawn he sat on his bed. Brock looked around the room inspecting every nook and cranny seemingly looking for something.
" What's up? What are you doing?"
" I just.. This is all new to me. Thanks."
E hadn't thought about it but considering that Bean had zero attachments, it's likely he had never been in a bedroom. " How old are you? I don't know how to gauge a goblins age.
"I'm 22. But for goblins only the first year is spent in infancy. We grow to our full size by then."
" Oh whoa, that's kinda cool. I'm 19 and I guess for me I'm not done growing til 25 but I'll likely stay that way for awhile. My mom said I'll likely live longer than the average human but not even half the length of an elf's lifespan. My mother may still out live me. Strange isn't it haha"
" My mom is already dead. And who knows who my father is. Goblins don't usually live a loving relationship. They're pretty cruel. I left to seek out somewhere on my own because even though I'm smart and bigger for a goblin, they out number me and would still force their rules on me. Many times I've been beaten by a bunch of them just so they feel better about being small."
" I'm so sorry. Well hopefully you never go back. If it makes you feel any better. You're kinda.. my first friend. I grew up as an only child in the Forest. This is like the third time I've been to Brackbush."
Bean kind of looked surprised at E's words. He'd never really had a friend either. Images of goblins "befriending" him passed through his head. They'd always act nice only to try and lure him to a beating, or steal his food. He didn't sense that from E, it brought him a sort of peace that he was finally away from all of that. E interrupted Beans thousand yard state at the wall " Well hey let's go shower up, then you can come back in here while I go get us the clothes I had made. Have you looked at your Class menu yet?"
Bean somewhat hesitated to answer but then did. " I actually don't know how to read. We as goblins had specific roles and I was never taught."
" I figured as much from the guild hall. I could try to help you learn simply at first. I'm not going to pretend it's easy, nor am I probably a great teacher but I will do my best. Let's not worry about it right now though. Let's go shower."
They left their room on the upper floor back downstairs. Going into a hall to the right of the reception desk they found access to a community shower. There was a towel rack against a divider for the male side and female side. After grabbing a towel each they entered the male side. They were met with a long room that has a approximately twenty by twenty foot heated pool on their left and a few rinse showers to their right. A few men were soaking in the water already. A man in the water them look up to them, " Hey! Don't you dare get in this water looking like that! You both better rinse the grime off you ass over there first." He pointed to the showers. E and Bean looked at each other then separated. After a quick rinse the two both hopped in the large pool of water in a corner without anyone else.
E noticed a few men by themselves seemingly messing with their Class menu's. You would see the occasional point in the air and a blank stare at the water in front of them. He look over at Bean and even he brought his menu forward. E tried to activate his Skill surveyor skill and look around the room. To his surprise a few of the men in the room his skill failed.
Skill Survey - Failed
Skill Survey - Failed
Skill Survey - Failed
Mp Depleted
" Son of a bitch, why did it fail?.." E didn't understand. He started to feel exhausted and began to daze a bit, then splashed water on his face. E regained his composure and began to look more intensely at the gentleman around the room. He noticed a trend. " Their vets. These guys must be in their second class already. Or at least high level first stage. I wonder if that's why. Hmm perhaps. I'll try again tomorrow on some more rookie individuals." After awhile of staring E started to get some strange side eye's and he realized he was staring at a bunch of men bathe. Quickly he turned his head and got out of the bath embarrassed. Brock got out while E got dressed. They both went back to the room together. Brock was back to his natural pale shade of green.
" I'll head out and see if our clothes are ready. Go ahead and hang out here I'll be back soon then we can get some dinner."
Brock nodded and lie down on his bed, feeling quick comfort. E left the building. He head over to the stall of the man making their clothes. It seemed as if he was waiting for him, as he waved at E as he approached.
" Hello, thank you for being patient. I have your things right here. Please tell me they are to your liking"
E opened his shirt. A dark shade of blue almost black short sleeve shirt he flipped it back and forth and noted it was actually quite nice. He held it in front of him as the merchant came around the table. He quickly pulled out a knife and slashed at the shirt in E's hand. " Whoa what the" E was caught off guard.
" As you can see it will not tear easily. A simple slash of a sharp blade will not cut this. It is not magical but if you look closely at the fabric you will notice something I did that is very unique."
E pulled the shirt close to his eyes. He could not discern what the difference was. It felt normal to the touch. He look back at the merchant. " I don't know, it looks normal."
" I guess it would not be so easy to notice if you are not in my like of work. The task for it to be more durable made me think. Why would you need this, perhaps a tear or rip from a battle. Here let me show
you." He grabbed the shirt from E. He pulled on the shirt the length of his arm span. To E's surprise it stretched and snapped back to shape. " I made your shirt out of an elastic blend of material. Obviously my blade is not the sharpest blade ever, but someone would need an extremely sharp blade in order to cut this material. But here is the best part." He looked closer to the fabric and pinched it lightly and showed E something in his finger tips. " This is a A'pesh Spider mite. They will live in the fabric and feed off your dead skin. They are big for a mite but small enough to be unnoticed. They will replace and small rips and tears with their own web. They are pretty resistant to the cold, but heat on the other hand may cause you problems so put it in your bag in a desert with a cool water skin. They same goes for your friends clothes. So trust me when your money was well spent here."
E felt a bit of disgust thinking about bugs living on his skin and clothes, but had to accept what he payed for. He had to admit it was a nice touch and the clothes were still quite nice. He accepted the clothes.
" One last thing here is my business card. It was nice to do trade with you. I am Samut. If ever you need anything in particular you may use the guild halls carrier to send me orders."
" My name is Everest, Just call me E. I will certainly contact you again thank you sir."
E put the card in his pocket and went back to his room.
When he got back he had to nudge Bean awake he fell asleep in the few minutes that had passed.
" Here I got you some nice clothes you can save that shirt for another dirty job." E gave him the clothes but didn't mention the spider mites. Bean quickly put the clothes on.
" Wow E these clothes are super comfy. I've never had these underwear type before either. How much did they cost? They feel and look expensive"
E didnt dare mention the cost, he quickly changed the topic. " That's not all let's go next door and have some supper. I was told to bring you by from the barkeep. He's a cool old vet who I first met when I got in town today. We gotta have a drink to celebrate!"
E and Brock entered the bar are to a pleasant surprise. There was a bunch of people here, when they came earlier it was still quite dead. The room was loud and busy. Some folks were just drinking and singing some shanty to a light jig abreast one another shoulder to shoulder, there was an arm wrestling competition going on in a far off corner where an orc looking lady seemed to be winning, and other people literred the room just drinking or gambling at their own tables.
E and Brock went to the bar.
" Hey Jasper! Down her two drinks please!" E waved out two fingers to Jasper as he helped another patron, to which he gave a nod. E pulled out 5 Silver and placed it on the bar. The two sat there and waited. After a few drinks were poured Jasper came around. He placed two drinks in front of them. And gave a stern look to Brock, almost belaying to E that he had made a strange choice.
" Five silvers will buy you quite a few rounds boy, many more than I think you can handle. My drinks are 5 copper a piece." Jasper relayed to him upon looking at the coinage.
" That fine can we order some food with some of it? We'll use the rest on drinks til we can't, then you can keep the rest." E noticed some folks had been just leaving some spare coppers on the counter and wondered if this was a custom.
" Aye, good lad I'll send Sarah round with your food shortly."
E looked to Bean and raised his mug and they clanked drinks before they both to a large swig. Beans eye's lit up and he continued until he emptied it. E was shocked.
" Holy crap you can drink what the heck!"
Bean looked back at E with a raised brow and pointed to his mug.
" You want mine? I can have another made" E waved his two fingers at Jasper again who seemed to already be staring their direction.
Bean pointed at Jasper one finger while shaking his head. Jasper nodded to him
Bean looked back at E. " No you fool, Knock back your drink. The nights just began we will take it slower. You said we're celebrating right now need to end it quickly."
E was surprised and also kind of afraid his large swig already lit a fire in his veins, " I'm such a lightweight" he thought.
" Alright let's do this!" E began to glug back his drink suppressing the burn. E smacked his mug down on the counter rosey cheeked and let out a deep burp, immediately feeling drunk.
Bean looked back to Jasper. They both have each other a slow nod. What seemed like a almost rocky start for the two E made as smooth as sand. Jasper quickly brought over two drinks. One of which was a mug of water which he handed to E.
" You did good! Now take it slow and enjoy the ride it's still early in the night." Jasper walked away seemingly now averting his gaze to the rest of his bar.
" So how many.. *burp .. drinks have you had? You drank yours so quickly." E asked Bean.
" Haha goblins love alcohol. They make it whenever they can, I had my first drink at three!"
E was surprised. He started to feel the alcohol really hit him hard. He decided he should stand up. He started sweating. He looked at Bean " I think I'm gonna get sick"
Bean quickly slapped his small hands against E's face. " Man up your a damn Human, Think about how much I just drank!"
E sobered up briefly taken aback at the quick slap. His nausea disappeared and he drank some water. " Thanks, Sorry."
Across the room someone noticed this situation unfold and they came barrelling over. Before E or Brock could react the person quickly grabbed Bean in a tight hug and pulled him from his chair.