Biim, Boom, and Buum rolled into Aria City with a vengeance. Biim looked to the skies, spotting a spaceship crash into the station entrance, sliding in by the skin of its teeth.
"Cy, they just reached, they should be at the station." Biim reported.
"I was watching. Lucky cat isn't he." Cy cackled. "What an interesting man, as if he expected you three to be waiting."
"Let us have a go at him, brother! I can't let him go free." Boom barged into the conversation, sticking his face to Biim. Biim pushed him away. "We are on our way to intercept them right now."
"No." Cy rejected. "You'll be coming back to the office."
"Brother! We have them where we want them!" Boom exclaimed.
"Don't make me repeat myself. Boom." Cy said no longer jovial.
Boom threw his hands in the air, walking away from the two. "Why can't we intercept them, Cy?" Biim asked.
Cy blew air out, coughing right after. " Blue Lightning's leader was spotted. He was spotted in town for two hours before heading to the station around when you called." A tapping noise, a huff, a blow, coughing. "If this man's a veteran, he's a well-connected one."
"Blue Lightning!!! Their guild leader is here to pick them up?" Buum chirped.
"It'd make sense if he was a veteran… even if it's just conjecture."
Boom returned. "Who cares! We are better aren't we, brother? Blue Lightning is nothing in front of us and Ophis."
"Come to the office. Now." Cy said, stern and coughing right after.
Biim closed his eyes, flexing his eyebrows. Mouth scrunched. "Understood." he let out.
Biim cut the call. Boom faced the other two. "We can't just run with our tail between our feet!" he stated, determined.
"Yeah! With our tail between our feet!" Buum followed.
"I…" Biim pondered. "Guess that's technically right." Biim scratched his head. "Boom if you wanna charge one of the strongest men in the game in front of hundreds of people you can go right ahead. I just hope you understand how Cy will react to that." Biim made it clear.
"So, we go back to the office?" Buum asked.
"Yes. Let's just go and see what Cy says. I want to confront them too." Biim clenched his fists. "But Cy is right." he freed them.
"Shit!" Boom kicked an invisible rock, storming away. Biim sighed, walking behind. Buum followed without complaint.
***
Clark. Zein. Monkey. Clark. Zein. Monkey. They all stared at each other. The monkey, in Zein's palm, was in a battle with Clark's finger.
"Zeizei, can I name him?" Clark asked, unrelenting in his attempts to poke him.
"No." Zein shut him down.
"Cmon please please please please please-" Clark shook him.
"You won't be naming him!" Zein pushed.
"Oogie!" the monkey agreed.
"Goku."
Silence. The monkey looked at Zein. Zein nodded. An understanding formed. He climbed Clark's armour. He used it as a pedestal, standing straight. Slap. Clark couldn't speak as he held his face. Zein's face contorted. The monkey returned to Zein.
Clark shed a tear. "And so the son takes after the father." he hiccuped sadness. 'But I still love you." he giggled, mood shifting.
"oogiee…" he sighed. The monkey camped himself on Zein's shoulder, hiding from Clark.
"He does not like you." Zein grinned.
"I'll earn his love! Just like I have yours, Zeizei."
"Is that right. In any case, I have thought up something."
"Oogie!" The monkey waited, expectance pouring out of his eyes.
"Wu."
"Wu!?"
"Oogie?"
"Like the hip-hop group from the movie?"
"Oogie…" the monkey mumbled, disappointed.
"No…" Zein denied, annoyed, confused, and disgusted. "Like from Sun Wukong the Monkey King."
"Goku is so much better!"
Hearing this, the monkey took a moment to think about both names.
"Oogie!" The monkey flashed a thumbs up to Zein. Clark's mouth fell out of his face. Zein raised his hands, triumphant. Wu brushed Zein's fur.
"This… was not how it was supposed to go…" Clark fell to his knees.
"Yeah. Yeah. Let's get going." Zein tapped the back of Clark's head. Wu jumped to Zein's other shoulder and tapped too. Clark moved into a squat and pushed himself up. Two became three as they continued their walk after a brief pause.
Tangents, lead to tangents, lead to tangents, lead to thirty minutes flying by. "Tell me about the cave raid?" "How didn't they beat they beat the slime?" "Why did you ignore all my messages?". During these tangents, the trio greeted the old nurse, delivering medicinal herbs. They greeted the gruff blacksmith, delivering slime slabs and deteriorated weapons. They greeted the proud general, delivering leather. They greeted the bored banker, delivering coins. They greeted the innkeeper, delivering Clark's keys. In return, they received coins, coins, coins, a bank card, repaired weapons, and Clark's bedroom.
Deciding it'd be unfortunate if Wu remained level 1, Zein moved to the open fields of Aria. Clark followed by his side.
"Ah, I haven't checked his skills yet. Check skills: Wu."
"Oooh what he got, what he got!" Clark asked, excited.
"Monkey's Blessing. Increases attack damage and agility by 10%. I wonder how much it'll scale by with each level." Zein scratched his chin.
"That'll be exciting! I can't wait for him to buff me." Clark tapped his fingers against each other, giggling.
"Yeah... My head's starting to hurt though, I should log out soon." Zein commented with a yawn.
"You can't log out! We haven't even hung out for this long in forever!" Clark cried.
Wu ran ahead, scanning the area. Target acquired. A slime hopped through the field. Wu charged, running on all fours.
"Yeah, yeah, I won't yet." Zein stretched his paws, the tip of his tail swinging. "Now that we are settled, tell me about why the ten are ignoring Skull Kidds,"
"I've asked, but no one wants to answer." Clark said monotonous. "Not even Himmel."
"Himmel…huh." Zein reminisced.
Wu scratched the slime's eyes, making it bounce away. Upon recovery, the slime squashed and launched itself at Wu. He leapt into the air and slammed his heel on the slime as he fell. Wu ricocheted.
"You got any ideas as to why though?"
"A few. Ophis has been gaining power real quick. They may raise to five in fact since they're on a guild-acquiring spree."
"Don't the other nine have multiple guilds under them too?"
"They do, but Ophis has been real aggressive with it. Everyone believes they planning something. Including me."
Zein stayed silent, studying Wu battle it out with the slime as he sorted his thoughts.
"Wouldn't this further incentivise them to act? Why are they so scared?"
"Cause they're cowards." Clark spat, venomous. "Why would we fight a war when the resources here are pointless." he mocked. "They'd rather gang up on you than protect the new players. Pricks."
Wu wrapped his tail around the slime and flung it into the air. He juggled the slime with his soles. "Oogiekekeke." he snickered.
"I guess so."
Wu ended the charade with a roundhouse kick, striking the slime between the eyes. The slime disintegrated, dropping a red gem and a slime slab. Ding. Wu levelled up. He skipped with joy, red gem and slime slab in hand. He waved them at Zein who returned the gesture, smiling.
"All out war though… I'm surprised Himmel of all people wouldn't act."
"Now that's cause, Zeizei, he's a coward too."
Wu returned with the items and handed them over to Zein. Zein patted him. Wu giggled. He returned to the fields, hunting for his next battle.
"What about you then? What would the leader of Blue Lightning do? Zein glanced at him.
"The leader of Blue Lightning… is a coward too." Clark laughed weakly. "Even if he wants to crush them… He simply does not have the power to make it happen." Clark's shoulders drooped.
Wu spotted the second slime. He wasted no time, launching himself at the unsuspecting blob.
"Unless you join me." Clark glanced back.
"Would I make that much of a difference?" Zein asked.
"You would." Clark said with conviction, he turned his body to face Zein. "You don't understand how good you are. Your game knowledge and mechanics are something people prayed for. You would make a difference."
Zein looked away, choosing to have his attention drawn by Wu. Wu fought the slime in front of a beginner summoner who attempted to make a contract with a baby vulture.
"Oh, that reminds me. Learn Skill: Summon. Summon: Wu."
Wu, mid-air and ready to punch, disappeared, and reappeared before Clark, landing a blow on his nose. -1. Clark pinched his nose as confusion grew on Wu's face.
"Wu! Why did ya do that? That was mean!" Clark wagged his finger.
Ignoring him, Wu turned to Zein. "Oogie!" Wu climbed Zein's arm and bonked his head.
"I'm sorry for summoning you during your battle, Wu!" Zein laughed. "Here let me help."
Zein picked himself up and clutched Wu. He aimed the little monkey like a javelin- gauging the distance between him and the slime as it attempted to hop away. Zein let loose. Wu soared through the sky, making himself a cannonball as he spun. Wu descended on the slime. Metres turned to centimetres, turned to millimetres. Wu whipped the top of the slime with his tail. It bounced into the air, letting him finish it with a strike to its face. Wu flexed his muscles as the items vanished before him, ending up in Zein's inventory. A lot of exp for Wu, a little exp for Zein. Zein sat back down, confidence filling his face.
Clark watched the whole ordeal in awe. "That accuracy was crazy! That's my best friend." Clark nodded.
"Alright, alright, enough." Zein barely contained his smile. He watched over Wu as he searched for his next fight.
"I'll join you. I don't like involving myself in stuff like this, but if I can help in any way, I'll do my best."
What that would entail? They would never know as they were interrupted by a man who wore skintight clothes, an overcoat, and leather armour. His head cosplayed a crystal ball and an SKG badge hovered above it.
"Kalel and Anodos. Our leader would like to speak to you at the Skull Kidds Guildhouse. Please follow me." The man spoke with a small voice.
"Wow! I did not see this coming!" Clark's hands moved with exaggeration. "Come on big guy, let's go."
"Wu. Come back. We need to leave." Zein and Clark took to their feet.
"Oogie oogie!" Wu complained.
"Wu." Zein's eyes narrowed.
Wu wanted to push his luck but decided against it. He jogged back, catching up to Zein and Clark as they headed towards Aria City.
***
In a little bar with neon lights flashing through the windows. A woman with a beanie and pink cargo pants sat on a stool, hands strewn across the counter. Ding. She shot up, her white tank top following her. An item sold.
"Finally! I wonder who it is… Anodos. Level 13 in Aria City huh." She giggled. "I want to see what my first buyer is like."
She jumped out of the stool and made their way to the exit.
"To Aria City, we go!"