The next day, Zee skipped up the stairs, humming a jaunty tune. She casually waved at the princess, walking between the couches in the living room to the kitchen. Allison narrowed her eyes at Zee from across the island table, giving her an inquisitive look.
Zee poured her own cup of tea, bouncing on her toes as she did. Allison lifted a steaming cup of tea to her full lips, taking a sip, all the while never looking away.
"What?" Zee asked, uncomfortable at the stare, taking a seat across the table from the princess.
"What has you so excited?" Allison asked, her tone accusing.
"It's a beautiful morning. Why wouldn't I be excited?" Zee asked, stirring some honey into her tea.
"Uh-huh. You are a bad liar. Something has definitely changed. Otherwise, you would still be moping around the mansion." Allison accused.
She furrowed her brows at the princess, disliking how easily the woman could read her.
"Okay fine. I am excited because I am going to go shopping for some supplies for the tournament," Zee said, taking a large drink of tea.
"So, this has nothing to do with Bastion and Greg?" Allison asked.
Zee sputtered, tea flying from her mouth onto the marble counter. "How did you find out?! I only learned they were here yesterday." Zee stammered.
Allison smiled, seeming amused. "Duke Drakus had to cash in some serious favors to get Bastion and Greg temporary citizenship. By now everyone knows you two have struck some sort of deal." Allison said.
Zee sat back in her chair, chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully.
"Why am I not surprised? Of course, Duke Drakus would go bragging about our deal. I am pretty sure all the nobles are a bunch of slimy, gossipy, two-faced lizards." Zee said..
Allison laughed, her serious expression falling from her face, revealing a more concerned countenance.
"Just be careful alright," Allison said.
Zee smiled. "I am always careful. It's why I got us two new teammates for the tournament." Zee said.
"OH? Really? Surely you didn't convince Drakus to come along?" Allison asked.
"No, of course not. In his own words, he has no intention of heading into that death trap. He was too cowardly. Still, I did convince Duke Drakus to get a spot in the tournament for Bastion and Greg." Zee said.
Allison's face scrunched up in thought. "Are you sure that's a good idea? They are not even peak F rank. They might not be strong enough to join our team?" Allison said.
"I am uncertain. I have never actually seen them fight." Zee said, chewing on her lower lip.
"You should invite them over, so I can spar with your boyfriend," Allison said.
"Bastion is not my boyfriend," Zee said, her cheeks flushing.
Allison grinned. "Says the girl that went on a moonlit picnic with him out on the river. If that isn't a date, I don't know what is. You even dressed up for it." Allison said, bobbing her eyebrows suggestively.
The flush on her cheeks deepened, crawling down her neck. "As I told Bastion, I am not looking for a relationship right now," Zee said.
Allison saw her weakness and went for a different probing attack.
"There are still two weeks before the tournament. If you are not looking for a relationship, I can hire a male worker for you. Plenty of time for you to get some stress relief with no strings attached." Allison said, with a cheeky wink.
The way she put it made Zee's face burn, her mind going to all the wrong places at the idea. Seeking comfort from a professional seemed insanely embarrassing. The fact that Allison would state it so openly made it even more awkward.
She was incredibly thankful that Dern was off working with Yukna, and wasn't here to add to her embarrassment.
The universe must have shown mercy as there was a sharp knock at the door, giving Zee an out. "Oh thank all that is holy." Zee muttered, relieved.
Zee set her half-empty cup of tea in the sink and fled towards the door much to Allison's amusement.
"As much as I enjoy this conversation, I best be going. Let's talk about this never." Zee said, fleeing through the door as though an angry lizard were on her heels.
Allison smirked, taking another sip of tea. That's what Zee got for all of her teasing her when Yukna was around. Revenge was truly sweet.
Zee quickly shut the door behind her, looking up to see three people. Bastion, Greg, and a regal-looking butler in white pants and an immaculate grey vest. Still flustered, she strode past them, towards the front gate.
Baffled at her sudden appearance, the three stood there watching her go for a few seconds.
"Hey wait up! Why are you in such a hurry?" Bastion asked, jogging to catch up.
Zee didn't answer him immediately, trying to put her racing emotions back in check.
"What's with the flustered look?" Bastion asked, slowing to a quick walk next to her.
"Nothing. So, how was your trip?" Zee asked, desperate to change the subject.
"It was okay I guess. Well at least until we were discovered, and captured." Bastion said his tone suddenly defensive.
Relieved to change the conversation she said. "I thought you said it would be no trouble to sneak into Carden?" Zee asked.
"I may have underestimated the security aboard the barge on the way here," Bastion said, his tone sheepish.
Zee gave him a sidelong glance as they walked through the gates out onto the bustling street. The handsome man's short curly black hair was in a haphazard mess, looking like he combed it by running a hand through his hair.
His piercing orange eyes were amused, his full lips turned up in a bashful smirk. The faint stubble of a patchy beard peeked out on his strong jaw, as though he forgot to shave this morning.
The man was about half a head taller than her, all lean muscle. Notably, Bastion didn't carry any weapons, his knuckles and face covered in thin white scars. From what she could tell, the man was a pugilist, using his body as his weapon.
"It's a good thing that I was here to save you, again," Zee said, forcefully taking her eyes from the small scars on the man's face.
"I would thank you for saving our lives, but that seems a bit hasty. You signed us both up for a tournament on a blasted dead world. Those places are insanely dangerous. We could all die." Bastion said, giving her a glare.
"If you would prefer, you can stay here in the city, mooching off Allison's hospitality and lazing about for half a year," Zee said, waving a hand back towards Allison's large mansion high in the valley.
"I like the sound of that." Greg butted in from behind, his voice deep and heavily accented.
Zee glanced back at the big ranger giving him a bright smile. "Well then, all you have to do is convince Allison to let you," Zee said mischievously.
"Never mind." Greg grumbled going silent.
Bastion laughed, drawing the curious stares of several Allevark walking up the street passed them. Their group, of three uncollared humans, and one Allevark butler were drawing a bit of attention.
Though not as much as she initially feared. It was probably because the people who lived in this neighborhood were used to Allison and Yukna.
Bastion bobbed his eyebrows playfully at the three Allevark, causing them to look away. He then turned back to Zee, his playful expression falling, replaced by a more serious one.
"Are you serious about joining this tournament?" Bastion asked.
Zee nodded vehemently. "Yes. It's a great opportunity to grow stronger. It's exactly what we need if we intend on surviving out there on our own. That is if you still intend on accompanying me when I leave the planet?" Zee asked.
Bastion scanned the streets, eying the passers with a thoughtful look on his face. "It sounds like a death trap to me. Joining this tournament is a horrible idea, something only insane people would think of." Bastion said.
"OH, I see," Zee said, her tone rife with disappointment. Well, it looked like it would just be her and the princess.
Bastion's full lips turned up into a wide smile. "It sounds like my kind of fun," Bastion said.
From behind her Greg snorted.
"This is why we got captured. I still can't believe you tried to steal from the captain in his own quarters while he slept." Greg grumbled.
Bastion's looked suddenly bashful. "Stealing is such a strong word... I just wanted to borrow a few books to kill the boredom. Three weeks aboard a ship hiding away with only your snoring is more than I can handle." Bastion said.
It was hard to tell if they joking or not, so she turned to the silent butler walking along with them.
"Is that true?" Zee asked.
The butler gave her a small bow of respect. "We suspect he snuck in to steal books over half a dozen times before he was caught." The butler said, his voice calm, his expression hard to read.
"I borrowed them, no stealing was involved as I returned each to its rightful place," Bastion said defensively.
The butler glared at Bastion. "You fondled several works of art with your greasy fingers." the butler said seeming particularly perturbed by that.
"What... I get hungry when I am reading. Besides, It should come off the books." Bastion said defensively.
"What kind of monster reads books with greasy fingers?" Zee asked, appalled at his brazenness.
"Not you too! It wasn't that bad, only some butter that was on my fingers." Bastion said.
Zee looked back at the butler and in a foe serious voice said.
Her gaze snapped back to the butler. "Is it too late to cancel his citizenship? This kind of crime deserves your kingdom's harshest punishments." Zee said.
The butler shook his head. "Sadly it is too late, he is already a citizen, even if he doesn't deserve it." The butler said.
"Ahh, that's a shame," Zee said.
Greg who was walking beside the butler nodded sagely, adding his glare to the mix.
"I told you not to eat and read at the same time," Greg said.
Bastion glanced around, noting he was outnumbered three to one.
"Fine...I am sorry okay? I won't do it again." Bastion said.
"You better watch yourself, book stealer, I got my eyes on you," Zee said, glaring at Bastion with mock outrage.
The butler, whose name was Bertram, took them to various different high-class shops. The butler's presence opened many doors of shops that might normally refuse to cater to humans.
Their first stop was to get over half a year of nonperishables for the three of them. The stuff they got, wasn't exactly the tastiest supplies, as it needed to not spoil. Zee was inwardly dreading eating that dry, salted lizard jerky again.
She was hoping that the monsters in the planar space were edible, or the next half-year was going to suck. The only bright side was the fact that they had other nonperishables as well, like dried fruits, nuts, and dried vegetables.
Six months of supplies for three people could fill half an entire cart. The supplies would thankfully be delivered to Allison's mansion. They would need to find a lizard and cart to store it all and bring it with them.
Then she realized she was being an idiot. She could simply create spatial storage, and carry it all that way. Her undamaged earring or, necklace should work, both being of high quality.
That thought reminded her of the sentimental locket that Bastion gave her. She still hadn't done anything with it, as it was not the right material.
She would need to find better material to make him one, and give his locket back.
With that worry out of her mind, she focused on getting her money's worth from Duke Drakus. Zee was getting excited to see the choices of healing supplies available.
This was the capital city Carden, so hopefully, the alchemists would have some good stuff. The butler showed them to one of the best alchemists in the capital. The three-story pill house was in the upper quarter amidst the sprawling mansions owned by the nobility.
Large trimmed trees, covered in blooming flowers, and fruits grew out front, creating a stunning view. They approached the opulently decorated, red Dawn pill house.
The place looked more extravagant than most mansions, a truly beautiful place. And judging by the stream of richly dressed Allevark both entering and leaving the front door, it was a popular place.
The three of them were hardly halfway up the pristine marble staircase before they were noticed. A flustered-looking aide rushed to cut off before they entered the intricately carved double doors.
"What is going on here?" Asked the aide, glancing at the three humans trying to enter with some revulsion on his face.
Bertram gave the aide a half bow. "I am Bertram, the personal butler of Duke Drakus. These three are his honored clients." Bertram said, his words calm and professional.
The aide looked flustered. He frantically glanced around the street and staircase, noting several people had stopped to watch and listen in.
"I am dreadfully sorry. This establishment does not cater to the irreputable sort." The aide said, turning up his nose at Zee, Greg, and Bastion.
The butler gave the aide a sharp glare. "Are you suggesting that Duke Drakus would sully himself with irreputable people? This would be an insult, that my lord will not forget." Bertram said loudly, his tone hard. There were no weapons drawn, nor auras flared, and yet the aide flinched back, looking like the words were an attack.
The aide, looked suddenly panicked, clearly not liking how this was going. "No, of course not. I wouldn't dare question the esteemed Duke Drakus. I merely wish to maintain the integrity of the red Dawn pill house." The aide said.
Bertram swept his paw through the air in a cutting motion. "Keep your integrity then. We shall be taking our business elsewhere. Shall we go Viotti?" Bertram asked, emphasizing Zee's last name loud enough for everyone to hear.
It was a name that was very popular after the king's party, one anyone worth their fur would recognize. Zee smiled, what a devious butler.
"Of course honored Bertram. Do you know where their rivals shop is? Surely they will be more accommodating." Zee asked, with a shit-eating grin on her face.
"I know just the place, it's not far." Bertram said. They strode back down the stairs, and onto the street.
"Wait! Come back, I was mistaken." The aide from the red Dawn pill house shouted.
They ignored him, striding down the street without looking back. "Well now, that was exciting. Are you sure we shouldn't go back?" Bastion asked.
Bertram nodded. "The blue stream pill house is just as good, if not better then the red Dawn. After that little stunt, they will surely accommodate us." Bertram said.
"You did that on purpose?" Bastion asked, seeming confused.
Bertram's ears twitched in amusement. "Of course. Now we will be received with open arms, and be given good deals on all purchases. The blue stream pill house will seek to curry favor with Viotti, and to stuff this in the face of the red Dawn." Bertram said.
"That seems overly complicated to buy some pills and concoctions," Bastion said, baffled.
Zee smirked at his expression. "Welcome to the world of politics. I have been dealing with this crap for weeks. It's all backstabbing, and pushing to gain advantage over ones rivals." Zee said.
Bastion gagged, seeming repulsed. "Seems kind of scummy to me. I think I prefer backstabbing criminals to nobles. At least they don't pretend to like you while stabbing you in the back." Bastion said.
Zee laughed. "You are not wrong. Criminals at least have some honor." Zee said.
A few minutes later, the blue Stream pill house came into view, built just as fancy as the Red Dawn. Blue-marbled stairs led up to tall, carved double doors.
A short, well-dressed Allevark, greeted them at the base of the staircase with a wide smile. She had on deep blue robes, covering her perfectly groomed soft brown fur.
A fluffy brown tail danced behind her, spotted with brown and black fur.
"Greetings, I am Mila, head of the blue stream pill house." The woman said, giving them a respectful bow.
"You do us great honor pill head Mila. My guests are in need of your services." Bertram said, returning the bow gracefully.
Mila grinned, exposing rows of needle like teeth. "Of course. Come, I will show you to the top floor." Mila said.
They enter the pill house, and were led up to the top floor, where only the most revered guests were allowed. They enter a large, well furnished waiting room, and Mila bade them to sit.
Once seated, Mila personally poured them some delicious smelling tea.
"So, how can I help you today?" Mila asked, taking a seat in a plush velvet armchair across from them.
Zee pulled a crumpled paper from her pocket, and pushed it across the table.
"These are most of the things I think we need. Though I was hoping you might have some additional suggestions?" Zee asked.
Mila took the paper, her fluffy brown ears twitching as she parsed over the lizard scratches Zee called writing.
"Ahh, not a bad list, though you are underestimating the quantity you will need. You have also completely forgotten the antidote pills needed to survive on the dead world. The toxic atmosphere of Sphedhara is quite deadly if not treated properly." Mila said.
"What kind of toxic atmosphere does Sphedhara have?" Zee asked, nervously.
Mila gave her a motherly smile. "It has toxic yellow smoke covering the planet in a haze. For a few days of inhaling the smoke you will appear fine, though that is deceptive. If the toxins are not purged within a week of inhaling that smoke, you will suffer a slow horrible death." Mila said.
"And, you have the pills to treat it?" Zee asked, hopefully.
Mila smiled. "Yes, it is our best-selling item over the last few months. The herbs are hard to gather, as they need to be collected on Sphedhara, which reflects a higher price, than other antidote pills." Mila said.
"Let's get a lot of those. How many do you think we need?" Zee asked, not caring about the price.
"The pills are only safe to take every two days. And the effect of them slowly diminishes over time. You will need at least a hundred and fifty antidote pills each to be safe." Mila said.
"And what are the side effects?" Zee asked, doubting there were none.
"The meltwater pills are our highest quality, though they are still filled with impurities. It is not ideal, though its a price that can't be avoided unless you have a hidden node to deal with the toxic smoke." Mila said, shrugging helplessly.
"Well, that will be fun to purge afterword," Zee grumbled.
Mila smiled. "It is an acceptable cost, for months of safety. Once you return, you may come here, and we will supply a medicinal bath to clean out the built-up toxins from the pills." Mila said.
"That will be perfect. We will take a hundred and fifty each. What about healing supplies?" Zee asked, moving to the next things on the list..
"We have a wide selection of mid, and peak F-grade healing ointment, pills, and concoctions. They will heal everything from gashes and broken bones to a gut wound." Mila said.
"What about severed limbs, or poison?" Zee asked, knowing it was a strong possibility..
"Sadly, there is nothing the blue stream pill house can do about the severed limbs. To fix a wound like that you need E-grade pills or concoctions. For any of those, I would have to dip into my personal supply of E-grade pills which is dreadfully slim." Mila said, shrugging helplessly.
Zee narrowed her eyes at the woman, sensing where this was going. Saying her supply was dreadfully slim was most likely hinting that the woman wanted something more than money.
Zee could guess what she wanted, and after some probing questions, it turned out she was right. The question was, did she want to hand over another spatial storage? She bit her lip, considering. The ability to reattach or regrow a lost limb would be invaluable.
In the end, she was able to secure five such E-grade pills, with the promise that she would make a spatial storage for the pill head. It was a shame, that five E-grade pills were all she could get, despite haggling.
Zee only agreed because pill head Mila looked visibly ill, clearly pained to let so many rare pills go. The ill expression was probably because all five pills were given from Mila's personal stash.
They left the pill house a few hours after entering, with far better supplies than she had hoped.
The last stop of the day was an armorer. It may be the best damned armorer in the capitol, but they still didn't have any proper etched equipment.
The craftsmanship was excellent, but they sadly lacked an expert in etching to enhance the armor. It was a shame. Armor like this, even plate, and mail, was fairly useless against skill infused attacks.
Most cultivators relied on their own defensive skills, either creating barriers or imbuing their bodies with energy. It was why most soldiers fought in unarmored uniforms.
After all, what was the point in wearing heavy armor, if it didn't stop skill-infused attacks? In fact, heavy armor could be a detriment, as it slowed you down, making you clumsy.
With all that in mind, Zee wasn't too enthusiastic about getting some armor. She did get a pair of sturdy leather boots to replace hers worn pair.
Zee also got some reinforced vambraces to protect her forearms and wrists when she punched things. Bastion and Greg seemed more excited than she was, taking this chance to get some free stuff.
Greg got a massive longbow that was as thick as her forearm and over a thousand arrows. Lugging around so many arrows made the big Armenian look like a lumberjack who cut down half a forest.
Bastion didn't go so far overboard. He got a set of light, scaled leather armor, and new silky brown and green robes to go over it. Zee wasn't sure how effective the armor would be, but it couldn't hurt.
By the end of the day, she racked up a massive tab, that hopefully made Duke Drakus cringe. The thought made her smile. Now all they had to do was wait a few weeks, and the tournament would start.
Hopefully, they could get in some practice as a team, and learn each other's strengths and weaknesses. It wasn't near as much time as she wanted to train and prepare, but it should be fine.
It was going to be a change of pace to fight in a team, but she was kind of excited.