Book 4: Chapter 69: Patch 12.0

The next day, while all of the girls are offline, Fenrir and Rao head up to the city in-game to visit a certain version of Tabitha: the male version.

“Bro, aren’t we basically having our own guys’ night right now? But like, in the day? Guys’ day?” Rao asks.

“I’d say it’s more like a guys’ noon,” Fenrir answers.

“Same thing.”

“Then where’s the moon at? How come it’s so light outside?”

“Don’t be a smartass.”

“Don’t be a redhead who thinks that noon is the same as night.”

“Bro, I wasn’t talking about the time of day being the same. I just meant, like, is there a difference between a guys’ night and a guys’ noon?”

“Sure there is. For example, one is darker outside, the other is lighter outside.”

“Bro.”

Fenrir gives the back of Rao’s nearest arm a friendly smack before saying, “Guys’ noons are for lunches and… boring stuff. Guys’ nights are for drinking, having fun, and being stupid.”

“Aight, that makes more sense,” Rao says after smacking Fenrir back. “So, this boy you were talking about. He’s like some sort of engineer-type like the shortie?”

“Yeah, think Tabitha but with a dick.”

“I don’t want to think of the shortie with a dick. But, at least a guy should be easier to deal with and more chill.”

Tabitha, in real life, sneezes.

“This is why you’re single,” Fenrir says.

“Why?” Rao asks.

“Well… I mean, in your defense, I haven’t seen you talk like that around any of the girls. At least, not recently.”

“Yeah, isn’t it fine as long as it’s just between us bros?”

“I don’t know about fine, but it’s better.”

“It’s not like they probably don’t talk about us behind our backs,” Rao says and shrugs, continuing forward.

Then he turns around and notices that Fenrir is falling behind.

“Bro?” Rao asks.

“I… can’t believe I never thought of that before,” Fenrir says.

“Thought of what?”

“The girls talking about us. What do my girlfriends say to each other about me?”

“If you want to change plans, we can spy on them and find out what they’re saying! Then we’ll know if it’s okay to talk about them behind their backs. It’s okay to do it if they do it.”

“In this case, wouldn’t it be alright for them to do it since you do it?”

“You ask too many questions, bro.”

“We’re not spying on them. I’m just… curious now what sort of things they talk about when I’m not around. I was just sort of assuming that they probably talk about the same things as usual, but without me. Now, I’m thinking that maybe they do talk about other things. Girls like to gossip and talk about things when they’re by themselves, right?”

“Exactly! That’s why we should spy on them.”

“Even if I did try spying on them, you wouldn’t be invited.”

“Bro, why?”

“Because you’re you and they’re my girlfriends.”

“Yeah, that’s fair. So, you gonna do it?”

“No.”

“Whatever. Where’s this place we’re going to?”

Fenrir lifts a hand to point at the shop now that it’s within sight.

“What’s his name?” Rao asks.

“Uh… we never asked,” Fenrir answers.

“Seriously? You don’t even know the dude’s name who we’re going to?”

“You ask too many questions.”

“Fair, bro – hey, wait! That’s my—”

Fenrir walks into the shop while Rao complains about having his line stolen from him.

“Hey! What’re ya – oh, I recognize you,” the boy behind the counter says.

“Bro! Don’t just leave me while I’m talk—” Rao gets interrupted when the door shuts on his face.

“Yeah, hey again,” Fenrir says to the boy.

“Friend of yours?” the boy asks.

“You could say that.”

“Didn’t introduce myself last time, did I? Anyways, the name’s Taylor,” the boy – Taylor, says.

“Of course your names would both start with t.”

“What’s that?”

“Nothing. Anyways—”

“Damn doors,” Rao says, rubbing his nose as he steps inside. “Yo. The name is Rao. You?” he asks Taylor.

“Your nose is almost as red as your hair now,” Taylor says with a smirk.

“Bro, I already don’t like this kid. He reminds me too much of the shortie,” Rao whispers to Fenrir.

“Oi, who do I hear ya callin’ a kid?”

“Tch, and his hearing is way too good,” Rao whispers in an even quieter voice.

“I can still hear ya.”

“We need a rule where we only talk to people a certain height because all these short people are starting to suck,” Rao whispers, his voice now as quiet as it can be without being impossible to hear.

“Yep. Still hear ya.”

“I’m done,” Rao says before walking out of the shop.

“Couldn’t actually hear anythin’ he was sayin’ after that first time,” Taylor tells Fenrir once the door is closed.

“You’re definitely going to get along with Tabs. Anyways, do you have anything like rockets?” Fenrir asks.

“Rockets? Ya mean like the kind that go to space?”

Fenrir’s previous statement can’t possibly gain any more evidence to support it.

“Not that powerful. I’m thinking more like… bottle rockets,” Fenrir explains.

“Oh, yeah, that sort of thing would be easy. The game won’t let me make anythin’ too explosive, but I could definitely make some bottle rockets. Just don’t expect them to be too powerful or anythin’.”

“Great, and that’s fine. They don’t need to be that strong. So, do you think it’d be possible to get like… a hundred of them within a couple of hours?”

“A couple of hours? Ya really want to rush this, don’t ya?”

“If I’m right about you, I’m sure you could handle it.”

“Of course!” Taylor says with a proud grin. “Whatcha got to make this worth my time?”

“How’s some gold coins sound?”

“Gold doesn’t have much of a use around these parts. Ya didn’t learn that yet?”

“Yeah, but if I’m right about you…”

Fenrir brings Rao back into the shop and has him restore the chest in his pocket to its original size.

Taylor looks into the chest and sees the vast amount of gold coins just waiting inside of it. There’s enough in there that he could take a bath in it! Well, maybe not that much.

“That’s a lot of coins,” Taylor says.

“So, it’d probably be way overkill in any other part of the world, but how’s it sound?” Fenrir asks.

“Sounds like we’ve got ourselves a deal.”