Becoming Monsters: I'm Blue 11

Becoming monsters is the creation of AiLovesToGrow, setting used with permission

This idea comes from Amethyst Dragonfly. Amy and Dawn are her characters, as well. Quiverbow is the creation of Domochevsky, used with permission, as is the Rail Cleaner shotgun described here. Incidentally, that weapon is a real, if floam-flinging, weapon you can buy from him at GenCoMegaweks. Suri, described in passing here, is the creation of XelArtz, used with permission.

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Chapter 11: Back to Reality

Justin's dreams were really nice that night. Armful of girlfriend, big reduction in stress, a couple of easy Internet searches showing videos of what they'd nearly been witness to the tail end of... honestly, it was too nice to let a little insistent beep disturb. Without really waking, he reached over and slapped the alarm clock to snooze it.

At which point he found himself in a heap on the floor, somehow, said girlfriend giving him a look that could melt sand into glass faster than his Class Abilities. "Don't you dare, Justin! You already played hooky for one day, I'm NOT letting you go two in a row!" He might have been more irritated if she hadn't also been getting up.

Or if she hadn't joined him in the shower to make sure they both got clean. That helped.

It really struck him as he put on the morning coffee how little chance they'd had to do this. The little domestic things. They'd grabbed some groceries on the way back home. Through the magical doorway in his dorm room. Slowly, they were moving what few personal things they owned over to the seaside manor. Eggs were frying, sausage sizzling. The oven and range had simply appeared overnight one night, the coffee pot one he'd brought over. Nothing else had changed in the mansion as far as they could tell. At least, not since the day prior.

Well, one thing. Abbey no longer needed to pay him to make her coffee.

They were ready quickly. Almost quickly enough to make the walk to his first class unhurried. Almost. Justin would never say this out loud, but he was truly grateful for her rather insistent way of literally pushing him out of bed when need be. Like this morning. If he'd hit snooze one or two more times, it would have been a choice between having breakfast and getting to his desk in time for Literature.

It was sometimes odd to think about the life experiences of the people writing what he was now studying. Today's lesson would start off a short autobiography of a man who was born a slave, but managed to escape that life and become a celebrated leader. The more things changed... or Changed, as it were... the more things stayed the same. People were still people.

Literature did not often veer directly into world events, but between the ongoing caste meltdown in India and the Chinese Civil Wars, it seemed inevitable. More than ever, anyone could change the world. The trick was getting there. The step in front of him would be to pass the unit on this autobiography. Justin started taking notes, and remembered enough to marvel just a bit over how different his level of organization was now.

He would have been rather shocked to know what his girlfriend was up to. She, too, was doing some research this day, before her shift. Hers was just a bit different, though. She got the advanced knowledge of where exactly the new door led in the beach house, so she went and got a bribe in the form of a bag of jelly beans and got her blue behind over to Camp. A brief conversation along with the application of those jelly beans to a certain Workshop Aelf in one of the administration buildings got her easy directions and access to a few things.

First, a quick listing of the biggest rules of the Guild Hall. When she realized that there was going to be a LOT more there than a quick scan would let her learn, she picked up a book containing the rules. Didn't even cost her anything, the main Admin hall giving them out for free as a public outreach and press cooperation kind of deal. The person who gave it over to her gave her a knowing kind of smile, Abbey realizing a moment later that it was the same one she'd asked to get the Marshal a few days prior.

And likely one of the people who had researched her, and therefore who knew about the job offer.

From there, it was a very quick step to get back to Admin and find a map and a person. Now, there was something she actually used from her Class. As a Mariner, she could not become lost so long as she had an accurate map. No matter how confusing the area, as long as the map had the info she could find a dime blindfolded in a five-acre maze. Finding a numbered building on Crafter's Row was a cakewalk.

The sounds from there on a weekday morning were focused kinds of things. Hushed voices going over plans and schematics. Louder ones haggling one sale or another. A half-cybernetic Collie girl taking a break to grab a snack and stretch her hands (which didn't have obvious muscles to stretch, but there was no telling). Though interesting to her, they weren't her target and time was limited. No, Abbey was looking for a particular permanent structure, which a particular Enchanter used for her shop.

Quiverbow Ranged Weaponry. The sign above the storefront seemed to glow slightly, the shop-stall style open to air with a service bell to one side. One might be forgiven for thinking it looked like it should contain a carnival game, with some TRULY outrageous prizes on the walls. There was a pale, redheaded woman behind the counter who seemed to match the description Justin had given her. Facing her, though, was a rather distinctive man. Easily eight feet tall, broad, and looking like he was carved from solid stone. Probably because he was. The Gargoyle's rocky skin was gold-flecked, a shield slung at his back and a sword at his side. On the counter between them was a contraption that looked like a cross between a shotgun, a revolver, and a nightmare, as viewed through a retrofuturistic lens. Its various bits shone oddly in the light, and the Gargoyle was looking it over with a pleased look in his eye.

"Das ist das Ding." The words sounded German, the normally-harsh tones of the language were not softened in the slightest by his gravelly voice.

"Das ist der Gerät." Her response was absolutely level, neither of the two's expressions cracking by a millimeter, but Abbey had the oddest feeling that she just missed an inside joke. The shopkeeper abruptly shifted back to English as one of her assistants emerged from a back room to hang a couple of longbows up on display, and take a couple of pistols off the shelves for reasons unknown. "I assume, then, that you want to pay in the usual way?"

"Of course, Quiverbow." He took a bag off of his belt and placed it on the counter beside her. "Half up front, half after the first opportunity it has to go Below. In this case, that will be tonight."

She immediately and without ceremony dumped out the contents of the bag, stacking Gold Coins with a practiced hand and sorting out bottles and indecipherable bits of material next to them. Though Abbey could not hope to identify the stones, the Coinage alone would have been enough to make her go get a manager if it had been handed to her at the Bank. She scowled. "This is not what we agreed on, Theodore. These materials are not refined. They will take time to be usable, and I will lose many of them along the way."

"I have given you fair value in kind for half the price of this weapon, Quiverbow. You get pre-purified materials if you sign on with Golden Age. You would be an Officer at the outset, as well."

"I have heard this argument from you before. I know better. All that would change would be that I lose both control of my shop and the right to sell to whom I wish. I would still be purifying my own materials, and you would still be dictating crafts. All this for the chance to ask you to try to get me things I need on occasion, if it is not too much effort."

"Then I look forward to the next time we can have this conversation. Good day." He picked up the weapon laying before him, turned, and strode off. To what goal, Abbey could not say.

The woman at the counter was putting the Coinage back into the bag, the materials into bins and baskets she pulled out of the shelving beside her. She seemed to feel Abbey's eyes on her and looked up sharply. "You have business with me, or are you a tourist?"

Well, that was direct. Abbey should likely have expected that after the conversation she just witnessed. "More the former than the latter. You grabbed my boyfriend for some lessons yesterday. I was following up on his story."

"The Shaper who did not know enough to charge for his work? Yes. He must have some hidden depths to him if you are the girlfriend he was talking about. One does not find a strong woman by wishing on a star."

Oh, if only she knew... "He makes amazing coffee, and beyond that is my business."

Quiverbow barked a short laugh. "Fair is fair. He will be worth the effort to teach, I think. Do you know what is holding him back?"

Abbey grinned slightly. "A lot's on his mind. Justin is finishing a degree, our own relationship is developing, we had a couple of scares yesterday, and he has an accidental drain on his mana besides. All I want to ask is that you don't push him too hard at the beginning. If he gets exhausted it could end badly."

"I will not lower my standards for anyone. He will either turn in the quality I expect, or he will not apprentice under me."

"That isn't what I'm asking. I know Justin, he'd never half-step something he wants to turn in. The pace is the problem. He is pushing himself hard on too many fronts. I need... HE needs to be able to take time that the world isn't giving him right now."

Quiverbow slid a couple of baskets and drawers back where they belonged. "One of the skills I most value is the ability to pace oneself. I will give him tasks which will stretch him beyond his present limits. If he is wise, he will complete them at a pace that will not kill him. You, in turn, will likely advise him. If he is wise, he will also heed your advice. We will both find out more of what he is made of, I think."

There was not much to argue on that point, now was there? "I hope so. He will likely be asking you for your help or advice soon on a project. It is... important for him, though he probably won't say that. I would appreciate it if you give that help."

Quiverbow grinned, an expression Abbey found to be much more dangerous than her scowl. "You know how dangerous it is to be asking favors around here, yes? Still, I think it will work out to all of our betterments. I may need to ask you for one as well, and I think you will be happy to assist. Am I right?"

"That is a roundabout way of saying you would want a favor in return. I can agree to that."

"Das gut. Now, if you need one of my pistols, I believe I have some that will suit you."

Abbey shook her head. "I'm neither a Delver nor licensed on firearms, so I could not buy them legally from you."

"Truly? And yet, you are here. Many changes will be coming. Which they will be will be interesting to see. Have a good day, but I need to get back to work if you have no other business."

Just like that, she turned and got to other matters in her shop. Abbey was nonplussed, but out of time. Even accounting for the magical doorway, she needed to move if she wanted to get to work on time.

"Abbey? What are you doing here?"

She whirled on the spot. Walking directly towards her was the last person on Earth she expected to see at that moment: "Justin! I had some time before I had to get to work, so I decided to come around here to check things out. You got out of class early."

"The teacher for my portfolio capstone class got sick, so he just called it in to tell us what to have ready for Monday. I've already got it done, so I was going to ask Quiverbow for advice on the sword project."

The redheaded German mentor in question chuckled. "It seems that we are all busier than anticipated. Are you sure you need advice about a glass sword, or is it about how to actually talk to each other? I'm afraid I'm better at the former."

"I think we'll figure out communication over time, ma'am. Kind of glad Abbey is here getting a second opinion. I wanted to ask you what it would take to make a sword enchantable if it is made from glass. Here are my plans for its shape."

Quiverbow looked it over. "Feh. Youngsters. Always with the katanas. Never a dusack or flamberge. It will be easier to make a one-handed long sword well than to make this one pretty. You must make sure that it is purified to the greatest extent that you can, give it a solid core to hold what you need, and then I can have one of the others practice on it. Such a project is not practical for actual fighting, but I think this is not your intent."

"You're right, ma'am. It is an artistic piece that is usable, not a combat piece that is pretty." To Abbey's eyes, he seemed confident in what he wanted to do. To Abbey's experience, he was no such thing. She could tell he was terrified by the task and the person before him, but was trying as hard as he could to do better. To be better.

Quiverbow could likely tell. "This will not be quick, nor easy, nor cheap for one just starting. You will need three Gold Coins in order to have an anchor for what my people will need." She flipped the paper over and took a pencil out of her pocket. "One to form the core, it need be no more than a millimeter thick. Two for a latticework along the outside, in these places. Look to the notes for purity requirements of the glass itself. Again, do not rush this. Mit Gefühl. To try to imbue power in something with such a flaw would invite disaster. You have work to do, get to it!" And abruptly, she was gone. Back to the back room, where the sounds of work suddenly redoubled.

When the door closed with nobody out front, a shimmer appeared briefly in the air above the counter. Abbey and Justin had wondered how she could leave such valuable weapons hanging in the open. Now they knew. Given that the woman was infamous for the kinds of weapons she made, what might be backing up the security system was not something they wanted to witness personally.

Justin turned to Abbey. "I guess we both have jobs to go prepare for, huh? But... Abbey?"

Her heart was thudding in her chest. "What is it?"

"I appreciate you coming to check the place out. But... can you at least warn me before you go talk to a potential future boss? She's a bit blunt, and I really don't want to get off on the wrong foot."

"Make you a deal. Let's both work on trying to do that. I tell you when I'm going to do something like this, you tell me when you do things like exploring a new door in the house or when you make an appointment for me at the hospital?"

"I think I can live with that."

From inside the shop, a woman's voice yelled. "Excellent! Now do the rest!"

Abbey and Justin took that as their cue to get moving. Swiftly, or Abbey would be late. If it wasn't for the ability to cheat distances as hard as they did, she would have had no chance. As it stood, the only reason they got a break at all was because the next bus was going to arrive five minutes after they got to the stop. As they got to breathe, Abbey remembered one more thing. "Justin? Can you tell me how your Mana is doing?"

He got the slightly blank look that had become so well-known in recent days, as he read the words only he could see. "Looks like 42 percent."

"Then I need you to remember the doctor's orders. No Shaping. Work on your other projects. Heck, you can even research how much copper you want to add to the sand before you vitrify it. Just save your mana."

He sighed. "Not even a little test batch?" The question was thankfully rhetorical. "Yeah, I know. You're right. Unless my cup of coffee tonight comes with a shot of alchemy, I won't have enough in the tank to keep up while experimenting. That's not due for a while, anyway. Need to do a wildlife study this week."

"Hopefully it isn't in the BuckStar dumpster trying to eat you when you take out the trash." The bus chose that moment to arrive. "Gotta go, Justin. Have a good shift, and I'll see you at closing?"

"Looking forward to it, love." He kissed her on the cheek as she climbed up the steps to take her seat, and watched as the bus pulled away. More mundane matters would have to occupy his mind until his own work shift started. Homework. Studying. Planning. Lunch. He could at least do that last part first. Sandwich from the cafeteria in hand, he made his way back to the beach house.

Justin had half a mind to see if he could find a sea bird in a unique pose and was walking out to the beach to try to do so when his phone rang. His own boss, the Desk Jockey. Due to some arcane circumstance that surely made sense to someone else, Justin would not be needed for tonight's shift. He did not listen to protests that Justin needed the hours, but did confirm that this didn't mean a firing. The click at the end of the call was ominous, and put the young man entirely out of the creative mood. His steps resumed towards the shore line. This time, though, he found himself picking up rocks to throw instead of really looking around.

He felt odd. It was his first time out on the sand when he didn't have a giant Dragon to worry about. Except, maybe he still did. Losing hours at the shop was not a great way to save up to start paying for what the home would cost them. Agnes would be back again eventually, and unless he got luckier than he had any right to be... again... he'd need to be on the ball to hope to keep this dream together. Thankfully, he did remember to text Abbey that he'd be home and not slinging coffee this time. Communication, and all that.

There was a splash. Not exactly unusual at the beach while throwing rocks, but it sounded off. Different from the other water sounds. He looked out towards the source in the light of the setting sun, and spotted something new. People. Two of them, both humanoids, and neither he'd ever seen before.

One was an upright Fox. Her fur was gold and her hair red, the sundress she wore green to match her eyes. It also did nothing to conceal the curvy figure underneath. The other was a Unicorn... but also humanoid. The Change could be strange sometimes. Her fur was white, but with bright blonde hair and blue eyes. She, too, wore a dress in the same azure shade as her eyes. The Unicorn was much taller and broader than the Fox, built in a way that indicated either Racial Strength or a combatant class. Both were walking barefoot along the lapping waterline, seemingly there to feel the sand and nature.

They noticed him about ten seconds after he noticed them. Justin could hear exclamations from them in the distance, they expected him to be there about as much as he did them. A couple of moments later and they were in conversation range.

"Uh, I'm the new one here, so I'll start. My name's Justin, and the home up there belongs to my girlfriend and I. Her name's Abbey."

The Fox looked at the Unicorn, who nodded back. Her green eyes returned to Justin, her fox ears pointed his way. "I'm Amy, and this is Dawn. We live about half a mile back that way, around the bend. Long walks on the beach are our thing, so imagine our surprise when there's suddenly a dock in the way!"

"Yeah... for what it's worth, we weren't exactly expecting it either. Didn't even know we'd have neighbors at all. Can't see any from the house."

The Unicorn's voice was lower than her friend's. Made sense, since she was nearly a foot taller. "You have anything to do with that dragon that we saw?"

Justin couldn't help himself. His hand smacked his forehead. "You could say that. I... think I need to learn more about this place. Mind filling me in a bit?"