"Hey. Hope you're doing well. Need your help."
..
…
.
..
…
Ding ding. Ding ding. Ding-
"Zei! I'm good! What's up? How are you???"
"I'm alright, Skada. But, I need your help. I need your friend to make another gun."
"Sure! Tell me what you need. I'll let him know!"
"I need a double-action revolver for a level 27 cowboy. Make it real cowboy-esque. If there's a strength requirement, it needs to be less than 65."
"Level 27. Double-action revolver. Cowboy. Got it. Who's it for by the way? A girl? A girl cowboy! Oooooh I'm going to tell Kal!"
"It's for a child, Skada."
"Oh. Uhm. Sorry." Ahem. "I'll let him know so he can get started right away! Is your gun alright?"
"It was a bit heavy for the duel, but I guess I got lucky."
"Really!? I'm so sorry about that. I'm pouting right now if you need to know how sad I am like for real. I'll give him an earful when I talk to him trust me."
"You don't have to, but thank you. Send me the price when you can. I'll see you later."
"Bye byeee! I'll let you know as soon as possible!"
The impromptu call came to an end.
"I should start making my own weapons…" Zein thought to himself.
Wu woke from his slumber. He stretched his arms and yawned. Hearing Wu's little noises, Zein lifted him from his scarf.
"Wu!"
"Oogie?" Wu tilted his head.
"I will be putting you to work." Zein dumped Dutch's coins into his inventory and handed the
empty pouch to Wu.
"I need you to go out there and collect as many gems and items as you can in this bag alright?" Zein tied the leather pouch around Wu's waist. "Can you do that for me?" he asked.
"Oogie!" Wu nodded enthusiastically.
"Stay as safe as you can and don't make any noise okay?" Zein kept readjusting the bag, making sure it didn't fall."
"Oogie oogie!" Wu saluted.
"Hell yeah. Now, get going." Zein nudged the monkey towards the entrance, waving goodbye to his little friend as his journey began.
"Open Status Window: Wu"
A blue screen revealed itself in front of Zein.
"Wu's levelled up, huh. Level 19. Not bad."
Zein slept on his back. Staring at the night sky, stars glinting in the distance- calling out to Zein. Find us. Explore us. Zein slapped the sand and picked himself up, dusting his scarf and pants.
The town was built to form a semi-circle with a train station placed behind it. Looking straight ahead, a massive town centre two floors high had several people walking through its double doors. Orange beamed from the 10 front-facing windows. At times, it was graced by the silhouettes of working creatures. Along the town's arc, the inn, bakery, grocery store, and water tank fell to one side. A smithy, an item shop, an alchemist, and a couple of residential buildings fell to the other. Similarities were shared between the town's buildings. A narrow, slanted roof which didn't fall over the sides, the ends of the flat roof had a curved end, and a copper bell hung on top of the slanted roof. Sitting in the centre of Copperton was a bronze statue of a man with a pickaxe, looking into the distance. His misshapen beard, weary eyes, and torn overalls did not stop the feeling of hope it instilled.
Zein made his way to the inn, gently slipping past its batwing doors. Barren was its inside. Inhabited by a bartender and a friendly cowboy who chowed down on cactus stew.
"Johnny, how's the food?" Zein asked, pulling a chair beside him.
"Oh! Mister!" Johnny said with a full mouth. "You took some time to come so I wanted to try the stew." he swallowed his food. "Why is nobody here?" Johnny looked around.
"Well, it's currently midnight for them. They have to get to work right?" Zein leaned on the counter. "How's the stew? Does it make you feel stronger?"
"Yeah! I just know I can take Dutch down now!" Johnny spun Dutch's gun on his finger. A stern cough from the bartender made the cowboy fumble his weapon. Face flushing red, Johnny stored the weapon in his inventory.
"I look forward to that." Zein chuckled. "In any case, I've contacted a blacksmith so we can get you a weapon."
"Really!" Johnny's eyes lit up. "Thank you, mister!"
"No problem." Zein smiled. "How much money do you have on you?"
"Hah, a lot. I save up after… all…" the light in Johnny's eyes faded. He hurriedly opened his inventory to check his balance. 10 bronze coins.
"Oh oh…"
"Is everything alright?"
"Um… I have enough." Johnny's eyes darted. Darted everywhere but meeting Zein's eyes. "But, how much would it cost, possibly." he gulped.
"Around 200-300 bronze coins, if I had to assume." Zein estimated, tapping his thumb.
"Oh. Haha. Okay. I can pay. Yes." Johnny laughed awkwardly.
"Johnny. If you don't have enough, I'll pay for it." Zein offered, warmth danced off every word.
"Really!" light returned to Johnny's eyes.
"If-" Zein raised his finger. "You're okay with giving me that gun you got from the stranger." he pointed at the cowboy.
"It's all yours!" Johnny jumped with joy. "Hah! Sucker!" he let slip. "I mean, thank you for the trade." Johnny said, covering his mouth.
"You're welcome, Johnny." Zein smiled. "I don't know about this stranger and its habits. If it's selling guns made of unknown metals…"
Johnny handed the stranger's gun to Zein. He placed it in his inventory. Ding. Ding. Wu learned Monkey's Paw. Ding. Ding. Zein smiled.
"So, mister," Johnny attempted to steer the conversation. "How did you get so strong?"
"You want the truth?" Zein asked, raising an eyebrow.
Johnny swung his head like a Russian doll.
"I'm from another world!" Zein mused. "An Earth-like world where guns are wielded by the youngest of children, to the oldest of men." he deepened his voice.
"Oh come on, mister, that can't be true! That sounds so boring! Other worlds are supposed to be special! Like having dragons and giant robots! Us using a gun isn't special. Even Ren used a gun!" Johnny huffed.
"Is that right…?" Zein's ears drooped. "You're right, it wasn't true," he admitted. "I used to play the game a lot when I was younger."
"Lying is bad, mister." Johnny nodded, agreeing with the sentiment.
"I guess it is." Zein smiled.
"But, if I play the game a lot, will I become like you?"
"Maybe, but first, you must overcome your fear of scorpions."
"Eugh, I'll do my best, mister." Johnny replied, finishing his stew.
Ding. A message from Skada. Zein gestured to Johnny to give him a minute while he read her text. With a flicker of his hands, Zein lost 210 bronze coins.
"Alright, Johnny, you ready to go?" Zein stood from his chair.
"Where we going?"
"The Serpent's base."
Standing by the town's entrance, Zein stared at the faraway sand dunes, crashing against towering buttes. Their reds and yellows were unrecognisable under the night sky.
"Oogie!"
Zein's head shot right. A dust cloud dashed towards him, speed ramping as it entered solid ground. At its centre, a Wu in tears.
"Oogieeeeeee!" Wu cried as a bed of scorpions was hot on his tail.
"Just 10 more metres Wu!"
"Oogie?" Wu searched for his friend's voice. "Oogie!!" Wu found his friend's voice.
The distance between Wu and the scorpions closed in faster than the monkey anticipated. The metres counted down, the metres felt too long. Wu gritted his teeth and jumped.
"Return Summon: Wu!"
A hair's breadth away, a second more and the monkey's fate was sealed. Wu teleported to Zein, hovering in front of his face. He hugged his friend, burring his head into Zein's neck- barely holding in his tears.
"I got you, buddy. I got you now." Zein patted Wu, lulling him to sleep. "Don't you worry, I got you now." he kissed Wu's head and collected the pouch tied around his waist.
Checking its contents revealed 20 yellow gems, a couple of scorpion pincers, and a singular scorpion tail. "Thank you, Wu. I'm sorry I made you do that. You did wonderful." Zein hugged the little monkey tighter.
"Ooogie…" Wu mumbled, smiling.
"Mr. Cat! I bought everything." Johnny waved a bag as he approached the entrance. "Oh, it's the little monkey! Hello!" he approached faster. " Ooh ooh ooh!" Johnny mimicked a chimp.
"Johnny, he's asleep."
"Oh! Right, sorry." Johnny hovered his hand over the monkey, looking for approval. Zein nodded. Johnny, hands moving like lightning, ruffled Wu's fur. "Here you go mister, I got some bullets for us." he handed Zein a pack of 30 single-action cartridges. "I got you the water as well. What's it for?" Johnny asked.
"Thank you, Johnny." Zein stored the cartridges in his inventory. "You'll see, It'll be fun." Zein grinned.
"Ooh okay! This cowboy is ready to go take down some serpents." Johnny finger-gunned.
"I don't know about taking down, but I like your enthusiasm." Zein chuckled. "Come now, let's go."
***
"Cyanide."
"Boss."
"Care to explain what I am watching?"
A video showed Jejj smashing a Skull Kidd amongst smoke as rockets and fireballs rained down. Some died, some attempted to flee, and none could fight back.
"I'll speak with-"
"Cyanide. I made sure to mention I wanted this cleaned up." Lucero interrupted, his voice calm, yet laced with anger.
"Boss, I can't control-"
"I-" Lucero paused, collecting himself. "Do not care, Cyanide. If I hear about this again I swear to god." he held himself back some more.
"I understand." Cyanide bit his lips, blood ready to spill at any moment.
"I don't know if you do, Cyanide." Lucero spat. "Do not test my patience any longer." he warned.
Before Cyanide could get another word in, the call came to a
distasteful end. Beyond the character. Beyond the screen.
Cyanide smashed his helmet against the wall- neither words nor sounds escaped him. He smashed his helmet again. And again. And again. And again. Until it was reduced to nothing but a dented shell. Cyanide closed his eyes, wishing for tomorrow to never come, hoping for tomorrow to bring him closer to salvation.