Effect: Resistant to adhesive substances and abilities with adhesive effects.
Effect: Adapts fit to the wearer, within a certain range.
“Well?” asked Gary, familiar with Jason’s ability to examine items.
“I like it. I like it a lot.”
“It’ll probably cost more than you should really spend,” Gary said, “but you should always spend a little more than you want to on armour. It’ll keep you alive.”
“No wiser words have ever been spoken within the walls of my establishment,” Gilbert said.
Gary took on the job of haggling the price down, both he and Gilbert seeming satisfied with where the number landed. The price was in bronze coins, unusual for iron-rank equipment, but Jason had no issue for the quality of the product. He had only seen a handful of epic-quality armour in all their browsing, none of which met his needs so well as the one he finally purchased.
After paying for the armour, Jason placed it into his inventory. He pulled up the outfits tab, slotting the armour into a new outfit. He then tapped the equip button and obscuring smoke suddenly surrounded him. It cleared a moment later, his clothes gone and the armour in their place.
“Very impressive, sir,” Gilbert said, without apparent surprise. “And might I say, it suits you well. Please, do see for yourself.”
Gilbert pointed Jason to a standing mirror in the corner, where Jason admired himself in the dark combat attire.
“I think I’m having a chuunibyou moment,” Jason said.
“My apologies, sir,” Gilbert said, “but I’m not sure I grasp your meaning.”
“We find it’s better not to ask,” Gary said.
Jason’s shadow cloak appeared around him, merging well with flowing lines of dark armour.
“I’m definitely having a chuunibyou moment.”
They left Gilbert’s Resilient Attire For the Discerning Gentleman with Jason back in his street attire.
“I like how loose it feels,” he said. “I wasn’t sure about all the really loose clothes they wear here, but once I started wearing armour I really missed it.”
Jason had long ago bought fresh clothes, discarding those he looted from the Vane Estate. Daywear in Greenstone wouldn’t look out of place at a tropical resort, with bright colours and loose fits. Eveningwear was more fitted and formal, with flaring frock coats in dark, sober colours.
“I like it too,” Gary said. “Finding clothes comfortable over fur can be a pain. You should see what they wear where I come from. It’s basically just underwear and a bunch of belts strapped over everything.”
They were making their way through the crowds in the direction of the exit, but Jason stopped when he spotted a stall.
“What is it?” Gary asked.
It was a large stall selling recording crystals. Jason’s eyes fell on a box of crystals being sold in bulk, which he pointed out to the bored-looking woman behind the counter.
“How much?”
62
Have Some Damn Adventures
“Hello,” Jason said, waving at the crystal floating in front of him. “I’m not sure if—or when—you’ll be seeing this, but I didn’t die, or whatever you think happened to me. You probably know that, since the only way you’re likely to see this is if I give it to you.”
He let out a dissatisfied groan.
“Maybe I should have scripted this. Oh, well. Where should I start? It’s been about two months since I arrived here. Where is here? That’s complicated. I’ve made some friends. I just got a new job, although I haven’t started yet. They’re meant to be sending my ID over today. The application process involved sort of a week-long retreat, which I got back from a couple of days ago.”
He took a deep breath.
“I suppose I should start with that complicated question of where I am. Right now, as you can see, I’m in an expensive hotel suite. It isn’t actually mine; that’s across the hall. This one belongs to some of those friends I mentioned. They went three-bedroom, which came with this nice, open living area.”
Jason had purchased recording crystals that gave him a lot of control about how they moved. He got up and led it out to the balcony, where he panned it over the ocean view.
“Nice, right? One of my new friends is kind of a big deal, so he got the best room in the house. We’re on an artificial island, which is pretty crazy, given the size. At some point I’ll do a tour video. The subways here are amazing.”
“Jason,” Farrah’s voice called out from inside. “Who are you talking to?”
Jason went back inside. Although he hadn’t been out on a job yet, having passed muster with the Adventure Society prompted Rufus to declare Jason ready to guide his own training. Although he and the others would provide occasional guidance, the hours of intensive oversight were a thing of the past, leaving the others with more time for their own pursuits. Farrah and Gary had been working on the rune tortoise shield they were going to sell off, while Rufus was preparing to expand his family’s interests into Greenstone.
“I’m talking to my family,” Jason said as he walked back inside. Farrah and Gary had just returned.
“Your family?” Farrah asked.
“It’s a recording stone,” Jason said. “I’ve decided to make a record of my time here. Something I can show them, if I ever get home. Family, this is Farrah and Gary.”
“Er, hello,” Farrah said, giving the awkward, home-movie wave that apparently transcended realities.
“Hey!” Gary said, waving enthusiastically. “Hello, Jason’s family!”
“Didn’t the goddess of knowledge tell you that you definitely would get home?” Farrah asked.
“I’m not wildly trusting of authority figures,” Jason said, deactivating the crystal. He took a carousel out of his inventory, full of recording crystals in little trays. He stowed the crystal away in an empty slot and returned the carousel to his inventory.
“You do realise the Adventure Society you just joined is a world-spanning organisation, right?” Farrah asked. “A global authority.”
“I’m anticipating the odd bit of friction,” Jason said. “I know I’m not to everyone’s taste, but coming to this world is a chance to be who I am, take it or leave it.”
“Even if it kills you,” Gary said cheerfully. “You decided to keep the thing that’ll randomly send you home, then?”
“I did,” Jason said. “I could always change my mind, but being here has given me some perspective on what’s really important. I hadn’t seen most of them in a long time.”
“What happened between you?” Farrah asked.
“The love of my life cheated on me with my brother, then they got married and my mother basically told me to shut up and take it like a man.”
“Harsh,” Gary said.
“We never really got along,” Jason said. “My brother is everything she ever wanted in a son. It was kind of the other way around with Dad. It was always him and me, but after the way things were, I didn’t see him so much.”
There was a knock on the door and Gary let in Vincent. They all sat down in the lounge area and Jason put out a tray of snacks he took from his inventory.
“You just had those ready?” Gary asked, picking up a candied grape.
“Turns out my storage space maintains freshness and temperature,” Jason said. “Which is lucky, because I had that tyrannical pheasant meat in there for almost two months.”
“You mean, the meat I had the other day?” Gary asked.
“That’s the one,” Jason said.
“Is that why you didn’t want any? Were you testing it out one me?”
“It wouldn’t worry me,” Jason said. “I resist poison.”
“But I don’t,” Gary said.
“You’re bronze rank,” Jason said. “It’d be fine. If you’re worried about the food I make, you don’t need to eat any of these snacks.”
Gary looked at the candied grape in his fingers, then put it into his mouth.