Chapter Eighty-Seven – Negotiations – Part Two

Was that supposed to blow up…

-WHA Hero Vella-

Dawn's first light is starting to creep up on the horizon, I can see it through the crack in the curtains. There's a hustle and bustle downstairs in the kitchen, hushed voices. Next to me fast asleep still is Cortez and Niva. Both look too peaceful to disturb. I slowly shimmy my arm from under Cortez's neck, replacing it with a pillow.

Sitting on the edge of the bed now, I look down at my hands. This isn't my original body, not really, yet every scar I had before is exactly where I left it. Everything feels the same, even tastes the same. Yet inside… I don't feel the same. So much has happened, so much that I wasn't prepared for. If Ulana hadn't given me that divine intelligence buff, I don't think Cortez would be here right now.

The whim of a Goddess is why she's breathing, that's a hard feeling to shake. I sigh slowly as I brush the hair from my eyes, I need a haircut, definitely out of regs. Standing, I walk to the window, moving past the curtains to step out onto the little balcony my dad made when I was a boy. Our initials are still carved into the wood, faded from time and weather, but not forgotten. Standing next to me now is that persistent Goddess, Sera.

"Your life is…" she pauses, clicking her tongue, "Rather boring."

I lean against the railing, trying not to roll my eyes, "Looks like you figured out how to talk like a normal person."

Her eyes glance at me for a moment, her voice slides into my mind.

Would you prefer this?

"I'd prefer if you just fucked off."

She smirks, looking out at the withered trees stuck in winter's embrace.

"If you think I enjoy being here, you're wrong."

I make no attempt to hide the sigh, "Why are you here then?"

She looks at me slowly, a wry smile on the edge of her lip, "Because it will upset her."

"For fuck's sake," I grumble, stretching, "You mind releasing my menu so I can talk with Sage and Terra?"

"I do mind, thank you for asking, Marauder."

I blink at her, rolling my eyes and leaning further on the bars, enjoying the crisp mountain air, "You know, I'm sure there's a better way to upset her. This way feels…"

She glances at me from the corner of her eye.

"Lazy," I finish with a yawn.

"Suggest something better, and I'll give an hour."

It's my turn to glance at her in the corner of my eye.

"I've got about thirty things you could do to piss her off."

She turns her head to squint at me.

"I'm going to want more than an hour though."

She crosses her arms, leaning against the wall, the curtain didn't ruffle as she moved, reminding me she's not actually here.

"What do you want?"

"I want you to fuck off."

She smiles, "I do like your brazenness, but I wonder…" she steps closer, measuring me, "Why would you help me?"

"Simple, you're going to do whatever you can to piss her off no matter what I do," I cross my arms, "I might as well get something for it."

"Pragmatic and brazen, two qualities that don't often go hand in hand," she leans closer, nearly grazing my ear, "Together, they're like a fine wine."

I gulp at the strange electric sensation running through my body in tingles as she brushes a finger on my cheek.

"Do we have a deal?" I ask, leaning back to look her in the eyes.

She nods.

***

"Yo, pass the bacon," Tran says at the breakfast table that is decidedly overpacked.

My mom loved inviting family for the holidays, but the table she and my dad made was not designed for this many people. Tran's sitting on a log turned on its end, so is Gilroy and Greymore. Everyone else is sitting on custom made wooden chairs and stools. Mom always did like making furniture, she used to sell the ones she really liked in town. When my dad would ask why, she'd say, if you really love something, let it go.

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I've never liked that quote. I always thought it should be the other way around.

"Dude you've had like ten slices, eat some eggs or pancakes," Barlow groans, pulling the dwindling bacon plate away from Tran's reach, "Jimmy hasn't even had any yet."

"Snooze you lose," Tran says, the air rushes as he activates his rogue class skill, quickstep.

"Goddamnit Tran!" Greymore roars, throwing a napkin at him, "I told you, no fucking quickstepping in the house."

I'd just finished my long conversation with Sera, the bargain we struck is still fresh on my mind. Looking around the table, there aren't any seats left.

"Over here," Cortez says, waving me down. She stands, motioning to her seat. I walk over to her, exchanging morning greetings with everyone as I do.

After I sit down, she sits on my knee, moving a freshly assembled breakfast platter in front of me. She kisses me on the forehead, then leans down to speak.

"Is she gone?"

"For now."

She wraps an arm around my shoulder, then brings a piece of pancake on a fork to my mouth.

I chuckle, "I can feed myself."

She smiles, and moves to leave, but I grab her hip with my offhand to keep her sitting. She gives a content look and leans against me.

"I saved you some bacon," Tran lies, gingerly pushing a plate with a few curled ends of bacon on it.

"Here," Barlow grunts, moving a napkin towards me and unfolding it.

A fresh mound of perfectly crisp bacon hidden in it.

"Just the way you like it," Barlow says with a nod.

"You dick," Tran says, eyeing the bacon, "You said all the crispy ones were gone."

Barlow shakes his head, pouring me a cup of coffee. Before it reaches me, Greymore grabs it, looking around for a second, making sure that Alveria is still in the other room talking with Fisban and her suits. He pulls out his trusty flask and puts a generous pour into it. Normally I'd say no to a stiff drink before noon. But today… fuck it. I down it in one go.

Gilroy slides his coffee cup toward Greymore with a hopeful expression. Greymore looks at me first, hand hovering over Gilroy's cup, "We doing anything special today?"

"Just making a new sport, doesn't have to be a sober day," I say, sliding my cup back over, "Tomorrow will be a work day though."

He nods, pouring into Gilroy's cup and then refilling mine, sliding it back over.

***

I'm in the middle of hearing about how Dorliac and Brussels met when I feel the sensation. My skill, Sage, it's active again. I lean into Cortez's ear, "Cover for me, I need to talk with Sage."

She nods, "Be polite."

I smirk, downing my strong coffee, "Always."

She gives me a discerning squint before she kisses me.

"You good?" Barlow asks, moving to stand.

I put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, "Yeah, I'll be back in a bit."

With that, I grab my heavy winter jacket and move outside past the agents standing at the door. They hold a hand up for me to wait, then talk into their cuffs.

"Seriously?"

"Stand down," Fisban says as she rolls her wheelchair toward them.

The two agents step back from the door.

"Where are you headed?" she asks.

"Just taking a walk, I'll be back in a bit."

She moves her jaw side to side, looking over her shoulder, Alveria is busy in a conversation with Cortez now. Fisban looks back at me, as though deciding if she should try to tell me no, "Okay, have a good walk."

"Thanks."

I step out into the cold air. I've always liked the cold more than the heat, you can bundle up if it's cold, when it's hot, there's less recourse.

After I'm about a mile away, I talk out loud, "Sage, can you hear me?"

A few moments pass. Then I hear him in my head.

Meatsack, how good to… oh no, oh… damnit.

I feel a buzzing sensation and get a pop up.

[ Skill Evolved: Sage ]

[ New Skill: Nexus Counsel ]

My eyes go blurry for a few moments. Then I see her, Terra, standing right in front of me. She looks around slowly, almost like she's surprised.

"What have you done?" Terra asks, but she's not looking at me, she's looking at something behind me, "What is the meaning of this?"

I spin, seeing him, Sage, but something is off… he's not wearing his normal attire. His head is back to normal though.

"What did I do?" he asks, slamming his hands on his bare hips, "You took it upon yourself to upgrade the skill, with no thought whatsoever as to what that would mean."

"I upgraded it so that I could use it as well, I was curious where you suddenly disappeared to," she looks down at him, tilting her head, "I see you were rather generous with the body you made, or should I say, rather inaccurate."

He looks down, covering his junk with his hands. He's slathered head to toe in soap bubbles, like he was taking a bath or something. Tucked under his arm is something deep yellow, with an orange bill…

"Is that a rubber ducky?" I ask, blinking at it.

"This is outrageous," Sage says, coughing, he snaps his fingers, the ducky and the suds disappear, his normal suit coils around him before settling, "I was in the middle of an experiment, I did not expect to be so…" he turns to Terra, "So, rudely removed from it."

"Why were you…" I pause, shaking my head, "Never mind that, it's good you're both here, it'll save time."

Terra is still looking at Sage, an expression I can't quite discern, something between impressed, pissed and curious.

"I want to know how the hells you managed this, dearest…" she stops, her face scrunching, I don't think she can physically say his name.

"Managed what?" Sage asks, dusting himself off, looking around, "Where are you, meatsack?"

"Family house, you can't see my map?"

"No, not anymore apparently. Some of the features are missing," he squints at Terra, "Seems like someone with an unskilled hand just waved an upgrade and traded all my little gizmos and custom tools."

"Oh please," she groans, "You're not even supposed to be doing this. If they found out, they'd be very upset."

"It's not against any rule, I checked four times," Sage says, straightening himself.

"Except it is."

"Technically, it's not."

"Is."

"Isn't."

"Definitely is."

"Definitely isn't."

I let out a long winded, "Okay, okay, enough you two. For fuck's sake. I have questions I need answered, then you can do whatever you want."

"Ask, meatsack," Sage says, staring at Terra with a judgmental gaze.

"His name is not meatsack."

"That's fine, I don't care."

"I do."

"Whatever," I groan, "First question, where are those tomes you promised? The ones that give a guaranteed good class."

"They'll show up in their treasure rolls, I can't just waltz up and give them to you directly."

"Okay, fair enough. Here's the names…"

I spend the next few minutes giving her the list of people that I want to get it. I still have some leftover, just in case I need them for later.

"What's the next question, meatsack?"

Terra gives him a sharp side eye.

"If I need to talk to Mythren, how do I go about doing that?"

They both stop their game and look at me fully.

"You don't," Sage says.

"And if I really, really need to?"

Terra moves her hand through her interface, "It's possible, he's now listed as the manager for his Respec skill. Which means…"

Sage sighs, "Okay, it's possible, but highly unadvisable."

"Might be fun," Terra shrugs.

"What's the last question?" Sage asks, rubbing his temples.

"That thing we discussed in private, I'm going to do it."

Sage's deep blue eyes glow a little brighter, a grin rolling across his face.

"What thing?" Terra asks, looking back and forth between us.

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