[SD:FS] The Secret About The Beds - Chapter 8

Calling what June saw in front of her “just an inn” did a disservice to the establishment. Now, the locals weren’t as keen on tall buildings as people were irl and so it wasn’t too tall. Only four stories with an unknown number of basements.

Those four stories spread out over multiple blocks as one continuous building. Oh sure, it wasn’t a literal solid block of architecture, but it was all connected with skyways and what not. Just enough so that they could see the numerous parks and training fields between areas.

June turns to Gem, “For some reason, this doesn’t feel practical. Oh, and expensive.”

Gem smiles with their canines poking out. A purposeful affectation as their teeth aren’t normally that long.

June rolls her eyes, “What am I missing?”

Gem pulls her off to the side, “Well, this was a little unfair of me. See, we simply need to go around the side and you’ll notice the truth.”

Of course, the building complex is so large “just around the side” still takes time to get to. Though once they do, it reveals a much less airy and more compact set up. Sure, there are still open areas, but they’re all dirt training areas.

Gem gestures, “And this is the region we’ll be staying in! The third floor specifically, as that’s the cheapest. Seems people don’t like staying too high up or they want to be at the very top. Which leaves the third floor as a bit of an odd one out and perfect for us.”

June sighs, “A little gloomy, but we don’t plan to stay long.”

Gem laughs, “If you think it looks gloomy now, wait until you get inside and see the rooms! Bare minimum is their philosophy and goal. They’ve cut everything back so much I’m surprised the beds have sheets on them.”

June, “Well, I can tell where all the effort went.”

Gem shakes their head, “You would think that! But no, we got a brief tour of one of those fancier rooms and they aren’t any better. Though with them, the assumption is that someone who can afford that is in for the long haul and will furnish it themselves. Not that they won’t rent them by the night.”

June sighs, “Well, let’s get to sleep. The less time we spend here the better.”

And ain’t that the truth! The party soon finds out the sheets on the bed aren’t the inn being nice. Rather, they’re hiding the fact that the “beds” have more in common with planks of wood than anything soft. So everyone ends up awake bright and early the next morning.

Emrys stretches his back, “Why am I sore? This is a game, I didn’t sign up for back pain!”

Gem laughs as they twist at their waist in a mock stretch, except they are turning way too far. “Don’t know what you’re talking about! Besides, we sort of did sign up for this. Rented the room and everything!”

Samuel throws the peel of an orange at them. “Not all of us have minor shape shifting powers or whatever your gimmick is.”

Gem shrugs, “Don’t rightly know myself. It isn’t on my status, I think it’s a racial feature. Oh, and I can’t just shapeshift as I like. Seems to work on impulse instead of control. Fun though!”

June sighs, “Of course it doesn’t work on control. You’re a Chaoskin. Don’t expect it to make sense.”

Emrys waves their fork around with a bit of fried egg stuck to the end as he makes his point. “That sounds very much like the kind of power the SAIs in charge of the FIVR games like to keep hidden. Interesting, quirky, and requiring a lot of personal discovery to make use of. A classic randomizer boon. Cursed and lauded by all!”

June shakes her head, “Not like they’re a problem. Quirks like this aren’t ever broken. Sure, a someone who chose random and becomes a catkin might get activistic claws, but they aren’t going to slice apart the heavens or anything.”

Emrys laughs, “Not by themselves, no. However, those who roll with their powers have a statistically significant chance of finding amazing synergies.”

June, “That’s because they’re outside of the usual categories when it comes to powers and such. Even if it improves something by a little bit, stacking four abilities will be better than stacking just three.”

Samuel, “That is true, but you have to want what it gives you in the first place. I actually went random at first. Ended up as some sort of golem with the ability to eat money for power. Already spending enough as it is, can’t feed an appetite like that! Especially when you had to eat at least some gold to stay at full power, let alone any boosts!”

Gem laughs, “That sounds amazing! I bet if you had stuck with it something amazing would happen. Besides, did you try to eat other metals?”

Samuel shrugs, “And spend even more money? Gotta save that up for the late game gear upgrades. All you have to do is look at the other game! Proper personal shields cost magnitudes more with each improvement.”

June shrugs in return, “Well, I guess it is your decision. Though in my opinion you’ve lost out.”

Emrys, “And I never heard of this. Though I can’t really judge since I didn’t even go with random.”

Gem laughs, “Well, I guess you just have to wait till you find your alignment to get a fun race!”

Emrys shakes their head, “Not everyone gets lucky and is locked in from the start. I expect the rest of us will be unaligned for a good few years.”

June nods, “Gaining an alignment is supposed to be special. Something that raises you above others in an unfair way. That’s the real cheat you can get with choosing random. Though not everyone who is locked in gets to start as an evolved race. Gem, you’re simply a step above right from the start.”

Gem shrugs and finishes up their breakfast. The others take that as a hint and do the same. Which means soon enough, they’re gathered at Silverwhiskers wagon once again.

 Merchant Silverwhiskers glances over at them, “A bit early, aren’t’cha?”

Emrys laughs, “I don’t think my back would survive any longer in that bed!”

Silverwhiskers glances between the four and laughs, “I’ll let you in on a secret! Or rather, you survived a bit of hazing and I’m letting you in on the joke. No one actually sleeps directly on those beds.

“You’re supposed to use your sleeping mat. Most people don’t even bother with the sheet. They just lay their pad out on top of everything and sleep like that.

“Now, while I did say it was a secret, don’t feel like it is something you actually have to keep. If you want to tell someone about it, feel free. However, it is a relatively harmless bit of fun that teaches people to investigate a little beforehand. Which means there is the caveat that if someone asks you about it, tell them. So yeah, don’t volunteer it unless you want to.”

Emrys, “Doesn’t seem like much of a secret then.”

Silverwhiskers shrugs, “I’ve talked to enough of you travellers to know you have your own bits of fun. Left-handed wrench? Snipe hunts? Bah, it’s all a good bit of harmless fun. Leastwise, this has a lesson behind it.”

Gem laughs, “If someone actually wants to know, they will. Anyway, do you need us to do anything?”

Silverwhiskers, “I had everything packed up last night. Can’t exactly leave product out and about. If I’m honest, we’re waiting on you know who again. I asked around and it seems his father paid a decent chunk of change to accompany this caravan.”

Gem shrugs, “Well, I’m going to go look around.”

Silverwhiskers nods, “Fair enough, just stay around the caravan. Already running behind so no one is going to want to wait for you as well.”

Gem nods in agreement, though some of the effect is lost, seeing as they have already started walking away. Not that they plan to leave the caravan. There were some interesting bits and bobs they had wanted to check out and hadn’t gotten the chance to.

First on the list was only a couple wagons over. While most of the caravan used horses or a stocky, short-tailed lizard. This wagon was being pulled by a single bison looking being. Though it had three sets of horns and an almost complete lack of fur.

And they had the cutest little hats! It was a marble white bowler hat held on by the top pair of horns. A delightful contrast against their skin, which looked like burnished black bronze.

Gem stayed at a respectful distance, but was clear in their interest and it wasn’t long before an insectfolk of some sort walked over.

The insectfolk put the hands of their bottom set of arms into their pockets. “So, uh, see something that interests you? We’ve seen you around the caravan and Silverwhiskers seems to be good for you, so don’t take this as me being suspicious. But uh, yeah, you do look it.”

Gem laughs, “Fair! I’m just interested in your pack animal. New traveller and all. Looks like something from our world, but only in broad strokes. Well, not that the lizards aren’t, but there are a lot of them and I can ask about them whenever.”

The insectfolk tilts their head to the side, “Well, this fellow here is a diggerhorn, no prize for guessing why. They’re native to where I’m from, the Deep Caverns. Now, this one isn’t from there. It comes from a bloodline which was raised for surface work. As you can tell by the fact it isn’t shock white. Anyway, not sure who else raises them. They’re a bit of a specialty for us antfolk.”

Gem nods, “Yep, yep! They sound fascinating, but you’re missing the important part. What about the hat!” And Gem smiles wide, though the antfolk doesn’t react like most humanoids had to their extra wide grin.

The antfolk actually chuckles, “Well now, I did say this fellow comes from a bloodline meant for surface work. However, some things don’t exactly adapt as well as others. The eyes of a diggerhorn are designed to see in low-light conditions and that big ol’ sun up there? Not kind to them. Now, most folk just have a generic sunshade to protect their eyes, but where’s the fun in that?”

Gem laughs, “No kidding! That would be boring. Besides, you have those horns to help hold whatever you want on their head.”

The antfolk nods, “You should see some of the hats at my home nest! Mother inspired us all to compete on our diggerhorn hats. Acts as a bit of a trademark for our traders. Sure, we aren’t the only ones who have nice hats, but we go the hardest. Oh, and did I mention they’re proper items? That hat is only a five C, but they can get pretty fancy on that end as well.

“Though those are mostly by my crafting focused sisters. The hive is primarily into the whole merchant gig so we won’t spend all that much money to buy the hats. However, if we can make it ourselves or bargain among ourselves? Well, it just displays the skill of our crafters.”

Gem, “Somehow, I suspect a bit more money than intended makes its way into those hats.”

The antfolk shrugs their upper arms, “Everyone needs a hobby and when you’re around an animal long enough? Well, they can become your hobby. And if you have some spare cash? Well, what else are you going to spend it on?”

Gem softly claps their hands, “Brilliant! Now, you did say that hat is magical. What does it do?”

The antfolk nods, their antenna bobbing, “Quite the handy bit of magic there! Many of my sisters go for the option of improving the sun shade effect. But my thoughts on it are if the regular sun shades already work, why waste magic on it? So instead, I’ve got my cuties hat to keep him clean! It won’t do anything for the hooves. That is a little too caked on, but he won’t be dusty by the end of the day. Oh, and a secondary effect to keep away mundane insects.”

Gem raises an eyebrow, “The first effect is great, but I’m seriously jealous of that second effect.”

The antfolk tilts their head to the side, “Can mundane insects even do anything to you? I understand you’re new and all, but I’m pretty certain as an aligned race you should be pretty much immune to such mundane things.”

Gem frowns for a second before their eyes go wide, “Golly Gosh! I think you’re right about that.” They let out a full belly laugh, “Thank you for clueing me in on that! Best benefit yet!”

The Theme Is "Cat" - Chapter 7

Squirrels - Chapter 9