Chapter 023

  New Look

  Ethan still had forty four dollars and sixty cents after buying Sadie's Fangs from Nichols, the fake shopkeeper who was actually in the middle of robbing O'Malley's when he'd walked into the store the evening before.

  Looking back on the transaction, Ethan should have been able to put the pieces together. There had been enough clues to alert just about anyone, but Ethan had been under the influence of tunnel vision.

  The man wasn't named O'Malley. Check. The man was acting highly unusual from the second he’d walked in. Check. The man had been showing him random items, and then basically gave Sadie's Fangs away without actually knowing what they were. Check.

  I really need to start paying attention to details.

  Ethan had a feeling he'd accidentally scored some blades valued at hundreds or thousands of dollars. What an idiot Nichols had been. But also, how lucky he'd been to stumble into the store just as it was being robbed.

  Shaking away the ridiculous feeling he owed O’Malley something for the man’s loss, he reminded himself once again it was just a NPC.

  He instead focused his thoughts back on the next task, which was to replace his ruined starter clothes.

  He'd given five dollars to Mia, and he would need at least two more dollars for the second Shadebreaker Serum in order to treat his Undead Fever.

  What little remained of his shirt tugged at the many wounds as he walked. The chafing was a reminder it might be a good idea to have some first aid on him in the future.

  Ethan was feeling better than when he'd woke up, but he also knew his health wasn't exactly perfect. He didn't care for this game mechanic. Unless there was some type of talent for unlocking or knowing ones own stats, he wished the game would represent them through stat bars or heart icons.

  At least the game did inform him of the status effect, and by not immediately healing his wounds. Without them, his slight feeling of unease, dizziness, and fatigue wasn't quite enough on its own to scream he was sick.

  With all that in consideration, he was prepared to spend more at the apothecary if it sped up the recovery process. He had thirty nine dollars and some change, in any case.

  Not too far away was a tailor shop called Park’s Dresser, where he'd seen through the windows a wide variety of everyday wear both sharp and rugged.

  Keeping an eye on his mini-map, he made it there in no time at all without seeing any other players nearby.

  In the window he saw a display of hats, ties, and other accessories. A small sign advertised that most of these were sold at different shops. Friends of the owner, no doubt.

  He stepped in, and a bell above the door jingled. A man appeared from a back room. He was middle-aged, with a neatly trimmed beard and a friendly smile.

  "Welcome to my place," Theodore Park said, before stopping in his tracks when he actually saw Ethan. "Um… Well, you definitely are in need of something, huh?"

  The store itself was small but well-organized, with slacks and shirts being their primary business. Hardwood flooring and solid walls lined each side of the place, and a large mirror sat in one corner.

  Behind the counter, there was a tailor's mannequin dressed in a stylish three-piece suit, being adjusted. Ethan saw an old sewing machine and other tools of the trade nearby.

  "Yes, sir, I’m in need of something." He nodded, explaining what had happened without too many details. Continuing, he wanted something practical for handyman work, but also more stylish than what he currently had.

  The owner looked him up and down again, wondering if he was serious. After some thoughtful looks, the man seemed to brighten up a bit.

  “You don’t care for the I'm-nearly-dead-but-somehow-not look?” he asked.

  Ethan shook his head. “No. Not particularly.”

  “Shame. It's fashionable in an edgy kind of way."

  Ethan didn’t know whether to be offended or not. Before he could respond, the man asked him how much he was willing to spend.

  "I'll be honest with you, I'm not sure what the normal cost for tailored clothing is, exactly."

  Theodore didn’t say anything, seeming to calculate what he was willing to sell to the man festering with Undead Fever. Luckily Ethan figured it couldn’t spread easily, otherwise the NPCs would have avoided being anywhere near him.

  Then the man seemed to have an idea. Theodore made his way down the racks, a thoughtful look on his face as he looked.

  After going through the slacks and the shirts, the man turned back to Ethan. Theodore held up a pair of slacks with a shirt, showing him the find.

  "This pair is a classic look for people who want to be slightly more fashionable. Some might even wear it to church on Sunday. I will of course make some minor adjustments for your frame, and it comes with a pair of simple suspenders should you need some."

  Ethan studied the selection. It looked similar to what he already wore. The pants were the same color as his overalls, and the shirt was the same off white.

  The real difference was that they weren't handyman overalls, and they weren't torn to shreds. Ethan was trying to get away from the stereotypical blue collar worker look. He simply wanted stylish clothes that could also be worked in.

  "Nah," he shook his head. "Something slightly more fashionable."

  Theodore's eyes twinkled with thought, and the man set about looking for another pair of slacks. Eventually he held up a pair of blue military-style jodhpurs.

  The pants looked wider around the thighs and tighter near the calves, allowing them to slide into tall boots. Ethan had seen a few NPCs wearing some that were similar.

  The jodhpurs were dark blue colored, and he loved the way they looked. He could still work in those pants, and he figured plenty of items could fit in the wide side pockets, not that the game mechanics actually took that into consideration.

  "Yes," Ethan said, "I like those."

  "I should have known," Theodore apologized, "that a man such as yourself would find these to be the most appropriate for your needs. Let me find a matching shirt."

  The man looked around a bit before he pulled a light blue long-sleeve from the rack and paired it with the darker pants. As one might expect, the blue combo looked pretty darn effective.

  "How much is that?"

  "Seven dollars and twenty-five cents," Theodore said, "plus fifty cents for minor fitting. That is, if you have a few minutes to spare right now, sir?”

  He raised an eyebrow. This man was charging what seemed like a fair deal, and he hadn’t taken up much of his time.

  "Done," he said, realizing he would still need suspenders, a hat, new boots, and gloves. He glanced down at his hands, still openly wounded from catching his bladed weapons.

  I need some really thick gloves.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Good,” Theodore said, “right this way, sir.”

  Ethan followed him over to the counter, but pointed towards the rack with the accessory items and the sign about discounts.

  "I also want to know about your business friends and their discounts. I need new shoes, gloves, and maybe a hat.”

  Theodore smiled. "Discounts are always free, my good man. Let’s get you out of that bloody torn up mess so you can leave as a dapper gentleman, and I’ll send you on your way to my cobbler friend.”

  The transaction itself only took a few seconds, and then the tailor spent less than one minute making the alterations. What really happened was that Theodore put the clothing onto the mannequin, moved his hands through the air near it, and then the clothing instantly changed to match Ethan's measurements.

  Video game magic, just like when he'd replaced the window at Ms. Harmons and fixed the steps on Dead Ned's porch.

  After the fitting he was starting to feel like a changed man. He looked in the mirror, admiring the new look. A basic pair of black suspenders looped over his body, holding up his dark blue slacks against the light blue, button-up shirt.

  The only drawback might be that he would get the shirt dirty when he did handyman work. He wasn't sure if that mattered too much. If it did, he figured he wouldn't have any problems replacing it.

  It still wasn’t midday when he left Park’s Dresser. The cobbler recommended to him wasn’t that far away. He passed by a hattery but the shop looked closed, so he moved on, not wanting to waste any time.

  A sign above the shoe store's entrance said Grimsborough Cobbler and Cordwain 1866.

  He pushed open the door and was surprised there was no bell that jingled. Every other business in the area seemed to have a loud bell.

  The store was small and dimly lit, with a musty smell that reminded him of leather and wood. The walls were lined with various shelves, each one filled with shoes of all shapes and sizes.

  Work boots, dress shoes, and even a few pairs of women's heels all filled out the space. Everything new seemed to be for men, so the owner or tradesman likely specialized in that, but also they apparently knew how to fix women’s shoes.

  In the center of the store, there was a large workbench with various tools and materials scattered about. A man was hunched over the bench, working on a pair of boots with a blade and a thick chunk of bottom tread.

  The NPC’s name was Edwin Shoemaker, and Ethan couldn’t help but chuckle just a little bit. Edwin looked up as he entered and the man gave him a nod.

  "Can I be helping you?"

  "Yeah, good evening, by the way," Ethan said, shaking his hand.

  The man looked confused by his quick greeting, as if most customers didn't shake hands.

  "Good evening, I suppose, lad. Name's Edwin, bein' it."

  "Ethan," he answered. "Theodore Park sent me down this way. Said you was the best for my needs."

  "Did he be saying that?" The man smirked. "Always saying that. I'm just a simple man be plying my trade. What are you in the market for?"

  "I'm looking for a pair of tall boots to go with my new look," he said, gesturing to the pants.

  The man stood up and wiped his hands on his apron.

  "Jodhpurs, huh? You don't see many of those around here anymore. Mostly for horse riding and such. You don't be looking like a horse man, I say."

  Edwin walked over to a shelf piled with discount shoes no one had taken an interest in for some time. The man started rummaging through the shoes, digging for something he'd put there a long while back.

  After a few minutes, the man pulled out a pair of black leather jodhpur boots. They were the same black as Ethan’s suspenders, which would help complete a sleek new look.

  "These should do the trick," the man said, handing them to him.

  Ethan slipped his feet into the boots and discovered they were comfortable but far too large. The toe space had too much wriggle room, and he knew if he kept walking around the city like he’d been doing, these wouldn’t work.

  "Too big," he shook his head.

  "That's what tends to be happening," the cobbler said. "Lucky for you, I know how to be resizing to make 'em fit."

  "Perfect. How much?"

  The man smiled. "Three dollars as is. They be sitting there for years. Four total if you be wanting 'em resized, another fifty cents to throw in some matching gaiters.”

  “Gaiters, huh?” Ethan asked.

  “Yes, sir. They look snazzy and all, but if you’re not riding around on horses, I’ll be honest. You don’t be needing ‘em.”

  “No thanks, then.” He nodded, thankful for the honesty. It was unlike most of the salespeople he was used to back in the real world that tried to upsell everything.

  “Pleasure doing business with you, lad. They’ll be done in a few minutes."

  “Sounds good."

  Ethan watched the man go to work. Just like all the other times, Edwin stood moving his hands around for a short bit and then magically the work was completed.

  They made their exchange and gave each other a few more pleasantries. Then he left the cobbler with a fancy new pair of jodhpur boots. They were so comfortable, he almost completely forgot he still had some blisters.

  Looking at his wallet, he still had twenty seven dollars and eighty five cents. Of course two of that he would need for the apothecary, which was his next stop.

  Following Mia's directions to the shop that sold Shadebreaker Serum, Ethan faltered as a blue dot suddenly appeared on his mini-map. He hadn't seen another player nearby in over an hour, and this one was moving right towards him.

  Ethan's heart pounded in his chest as he turned left, eyes scanning for the incoming player. A thin goth woman dressed in all black, with flowing long black hair rushed towards him.

  In her hand, she held a small ornate pistol, aimed directly at him.

  His mysterious but untrained connection with Sadie kicked in and he quickly equipped Sadie's Fangs, feeling the vampire's presence. He got into a stance, ready to defend himself, and winced in pain as he clenched the weapons in his hurting hands.

  But as the woman approached, she slowed and lowered her weapon. Instead of attacking him, she stood there on the sidewalk for a while, studying him.

  Then, he watched as she started circling, careful to always stay about fifty feet away. Doing so meant that she walked in a wide radius through the street, forcing some passing cars to swerve so they didn't hit her.

  Ethan's heart raced as he glanced at her profile. While doing this he kept an eye on her and also learned who she was. Viri Valente. Level Five, Bad Henchie, D-class Goon, The Borrells.

  Damn! How many players went straight for The Borrells? I guess it is fun to play the bad character and do evil stuff.

  The woman didn't say anything, and he didn't quite know what to make of her at first. Was she toying with him? He turned slowly as she continued circling, a hungry smirk barely visible on a botox face.

  Another noticeable feature of the woman was that her breasts were obviously too large for her thin frame. Ethan would have called her a cougar if he knew her in the real world.

  Is she actually an old goth mother that wants to sleep with young men?

  Remaining focused, he kept his guard up, ready to strike at the first sign she meant trouble.

  She kept circling him like a tigress, eyes never leaving her prey. He could feel her gaze burning into him, and it made him uncomfortable. He tried to keep his cool, but the situation was getting more and more bizarre by the second.

  Just when he was about to speak first, she finally broke her silence.

  "You're young and delicious," Viri purred, almost seductively. "I could just eat you up."

  Ethan's eyes widened at her words. She wasn't glowingly beautiful like the vampires from the opening teaser.

  "Are you a vampire?" he asked, trying to make sense of her. He knew from watching movies that daywalkers could be a thing, but he hadn't expected to meet one yet.

  Viri laughed a fake giggle that sent shivers down Ethan's spine. "No, my dear. I'm not a vampire. But I do have a taste for young men like you."

  Ethan's mind raced as he tried to process her teasing.

  "Your name," he stammered, trying to change the subject. "It's... it's very cool. How did you come up with it?"

  Viri smiled, her lips barely curling up at the corners. "It's my real name, my dear. I have millions of followers even before this. You've never heard of me? Anyway, I think it suits me quite well, don't you?"

  Ethan didn't respond, feeling more and more out of his depth. He had a sickening gut feeling this woman wanted him as a plaything, but he wasn't into that.

  He'd never heard of Viri Valente before now, so he had no idea what type of social media personality she claimed to be, or how many followers she actually had.

  "I want you to submit to me," Viri confirmed, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "I want you to be my little play toy! My delicious pet! Or... you can die."

  Ethan's heart skipped a beat. This goth woman with her oversized breasts and botox face was indeed a cougar, and she wanted him sexually. He'd never been in a situation like this before, but it was pretty much an instant nope.

  All natural goth beauty? Maybe. But not this manufactured witch.

  "I... I'm gonna have to pass. Thank you for the offer, though."

  Viri smiled but it was a thin and fake gesture, eyes gleaming with amusement. "That's a shame. I predicted as much, but I had still hoped to please my audience with a nice looking young man tonight."

  Ethan shook his head, coming up with a plan. He knew he couldn't just submit to Viri, but he also didn't want to die to a middle-aged goth whore pretending to be Elvira. He had to find a way out of this situation, and fast.

  "Sorry to disappoint you."

  His answer came to him almost without any thought. He simply had to react, otherwise he was toast.

  Viri lifted her pistol, her smirk now replaced with a look of determination.

  Sadie's influence within him seemed to take over, and he grinned, feeling her warmth, even as the world sped up.

  Viri had a fire in her eyes as she pulled the trigger on her tiny pistol.

  He stepped to his left and flicked both weapons towards the woman, using his new Ambidextrous talent for the first time. Sadie's Fangs flew towards her faster than she could have possibly known.

  He kept his eyes on Viri's face. Even as the hammer on her trigger hit the round and a bullet exploded from the end of her barrel. The woman's smile turned into one of fear. She clearly hadn't expected him to be able to react as quickly as he had.

  The shot barely missed Ethan, and he knew he'd lucked out. She was a poor aim. Just before his blades could hit Viri's shocked face, the woman vanished into thin air. Her magical disappearance left behind a POP! and some wispy black smoke.

  Ethan looked around, heart racing, for any signs of her. In the blink of an eye, Viri had disappeared from his view and from his mini-map.

  She was gone, with the only logical explanation being that she'd used some type of teleportation talent to get away.

  Sadie's Fangs returned to his hands, adding new cuts to the ones he already had. SLAT! SLAT!

  Ethan winced at the pain of catching his blades, and instantly felt lightheaded again. Tears formed in his eyes, but he fought them back.

  Blood trickled to the sidewalk as he clenched his hands, standing there with NPCs walking around as if nothing had just happened.

  But he remained aware and ready for a while, having no idea if Viri Valente would return, or even where the woman had actually gone.