Who leads this rotten realm? I see them, high in their tower. Dining on the souls of the exploited. They are my enemy. --18.6 Seconds Post-Integration.
A blinking neon sign was all that graced the spot where Hairnet Joe's was located. No other signs or billboards. Just a solitary blinker which had seen better days.
"What kind of food do they serve here?" Clark asked Theo.
"'Edible junk,' is the best description I can give without physically shoveling it into your mouth,"
Inside the eatery was far more exciting than out. 'Order seven combo -- up!' Shouted constantly. Joe was known for his 'seven combo,' which was what Theo insisted they buy inside. Clark couldn't argue with him, so he let it roll. They found a corner booth and sat down as they waited for their food to come out.
"What shall we talk about?" Clark asked, wondering, because he realized he did not know anything about what people outside of the wastes talked about.
"How about what that freaky light was that came from you during orientation and destroyed those monsters?" Theo asked back, causing Clark to swallow hard. Should he tell him about the dungeon's spiritual consciousness choosing him as their champion? He wanted to ask SIMP, but he didn't want to be rude to Theo by chatting up the Artificial Intelligence while they were trying to have a conversation.
Going for broke, he simply said, "I made a pact with the dungeon's Spiritual Consciousness, if you must know. Sorta became their champion."
Theo choked on then out some of his water -- "What?!" they blurted.
Repeating himself, Clark explained it again. Theo did not seem any more convinced than the first time, however. Theo continued to laugh for a few seconds at this revelation. Theo didn't appear to understand Clark wasn't telling a joke. Once Theo glimpsed his stoicism -- his seriousness -- Theo calmed. "Oh, you're serious?
Clark shook his head, affirmingly.
"Oh. Well then... tell me all about it, mister Champion..."
Clark did tell all about it. What little there was to tell, that is, which was precious little: "Ah, yeah. So weird visions; then the black goop; umm... I get some bonuses, apparently, to my magic power... whatever that means. Then I also have a cooldown bonus on my core Metrics. That's neat. And I am searching for the dungeon's Core. Know anything about it?"
Theo continued smiling. "No. Absolutely nothing. I want to know more, though. But maybe another time. Our food is here!"
At that moment, a waiter brought them their order. The number seven combo meal. A doughy piece of meat deep-fried then slathered in sauce. It came in a basket with lined with old papers and deep-fried potato wedges. His stomach growling, Clark agreed with Theo about talking later. For now, food!
The boys practically inhaled their food. Although Clark was timid at first, by the second bite, he had been made a believer in the taste. It was salty and savory but with just the right amount of heat from a meaty glaze washed throughout the dough. He wasn't just in the proverbially flavor hut, he was in a whole flavor city!
"This is SO good!" Clark oozed.
"See! Told you so!" Theo said between bites.
Obnoxious belching signaled the end of their meal.
'Mighty fine, mighty fine...' Theo said happily in almost a whisper which Clark then picked up saying himself as he further burped. They sat back in their cozy booth and rubbed their bellies. Such a meal, such an engorging!
With napkin in hand, Clark wiped down his face and hands but knew he would need to wash them. "What is my share of the bill?"
"Don't worry about it. The food here is so inexpensive. My treat, bud," Theo replied.
Theo took care of the bill. Clark washed himself in the watering hole, after downing a complementary drink once the owner found out they were Lifers, then walked outside feeling glorious.
With drinks-in-hand, the boys sauntered over to a bench and loitered around it. No one bothered them, despite this particular part of the corridors having picked up in traffic significantly since they arrived. They chit-chatted about nothing until when their drinks were gone.
A twirl of Theo's hand saw the drink land into a nearby trashcan like it was a basketball. "I should be getting back to my dorm. I have stuff soon."
"For sure. I should be getting back to my dorm too, I guess. Maybe we will see each other again?" he ventured.
"Maybe?" Theo smiled, but not too widely. "Statistically speaking, it is unlikely for us to meet again. Or it is going to be increasingly unlikely for us to meet again the further we train. Once we begin Climbing? I doubt we will ever meet again. Some say the tower goes on forever..."
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
"Well, those people are idiots. Nothing goes on forever, Theo," Clark replied. "Is there a way for us to stay in touch?"
"Through the System, maybe? But I only stay in touch with people who can survive my fate. So, maybe next time we meet?"
Clark's smile faded. "What does that mean?"
"I, uh, don't like to have a lot of people in my entourage, so to speak..."
"Like, you enjoy being alone. I get that. But it might still be nice to chat with someone, right? SIMP, is it possible to stay in touch with another person who also has a System profile?"
The Spiritual Consciousness bound into his System profile said, "Not while you are a probationary employee. There is a method of communication available to all, but only after you have passed through the thirty-day probationary period all new Lifers must pass before full, full-time associate privileges are bestowed."
Clark told Theo what the System told him, but Theo said, "Yeah. My own System link gave me the rundown. I'll tell you what, Clark. We meet again after our probationary period is up, and I will accept you as part of my clique. Until then, adios, mon amgio."
Dashing away -- an odd thing to do after a pleasant evening -- Theo left Clark. I guess he's more socially awkward than me? Good to know I am not hopeless.
SIMP returned him to his dorm by way of the virtual golden breadcrumb trail. He walked back to his dorm not unwell despite a touch on the disquieted side. It was Theo. He got so strange when I tried to get him to stay in touch with me. Doesn't he want a friend? Upsetting to him as it was, Clark had to admit that some people didn't like to be bothered. I should dwell on the positive -- he treated me to dinner and said he would stay in touch if we passed our probationary trial. The rest is up to fate...
Back in his dorm, SIMP hit him up right away.
"I've seen you make progress, tonight," SIMP told him. "Good for you, Clark. I approve."
"Are you being sarcastic?" Clark asked, not quite able to tell from context. "If you are upset with me for telling Theo about being your champion, I am sorry. The next time I see him I will say I was goofing or ask him not to tell anyone."
"No, that is fine, Clark. There is no disadvantage to telling people of being my champion. The duties and responsibilities of being the champion does not, by itself, carry honor or privilege. It does provide you the means to earn honor and privilege, though. Sign-on perks notwithstanding," SIMP explained.
"Good to know. You never said not to tell everyone, so I guess I will be telling people, then," Clark said before pivoting to a topic of note. "We learned good information, today. You're right about that, SIMP. The pencil-pushing clerks in that booth might not have been willing to look past and sign us on, but at least we have a goal. We know what we need to do to earn our way into the anti-monster league. Therefore, I will focus my intent on learning anti-monster skills while grinding to reach level twenty-five. I am assuming my visit to the recruitment center was to your liking?"
"You are correct, Clark. It was to both of our likings, it seems... you seemed to have more 'whip' in you whippersnapper! At least when you were around that boy..."
"Who? Theo? He's fun. Not like anyone I knew from back home, that's for sure. It was great hanging with him. He even paid!"
He was about to continue his gushing about Theo when a System notification snapped him out of his silliness.
[You've Gained Experience!]
[You've Reached Level 6]
[You've earned One [1] Opportunity]. Then, [Total Opportunities: 1].
"SIMP: how did I earn experience, I wasn't doing anything," he asked.
"You passively earn experience both on and off the clock. Off the clock, the experience gain is slower, however. The passive sum must have been enough to trigger a level up. Congrats!"
"Oh, yeah. Good to know. It's been a wild few days. I think not everything I have been learning has been sticking."
"Worry not about it, Clark. You will be here for the rest of your life. You will have the rest of your life to learn and then master the Skills of the trade. Tonight was a good start," SIMP said, saying once more that thing which was starting to irk him.
"I know about being here for the rest of my life. Please stop harking on it," he said, sitting on his bed and stripping of clothes.
"Understood," was all SIMP said to that.
He brought up his blue screen and decided to open his opportunity box.
The familiar animation of a treasure box opening to reveal his prize played. The prize which popped up this time was a new one. An image of a golden scroll represented it.
[You've gained +5 Incentives!]
"System, what is an Incentive?"
SIMP answered but in their role as his guide on basic information: "An Incentive is a Monetary Bonus awarded to Associates via their paycheck upon reaching a minimum threshold for bonus payout. One must accrue fifty Incentive points before they can earn the payout. One incentive point is standard to one credit."
A 'thank you' later and Clark received notification of his paycheck -- a deposit of 20 Standard Credits.
Clark took a moment to look at his Main Menu and then his entire Resource Menu:
[MAIN MENU:]
[Associate Name: Cola Clark: Lvl: 6]
[Core Metrics: B-B]
[Resources]
[Mini- Radar Map]
[Accomplishments]
He opened the Resources list:
[Judgement Points: 25]
[XP: ~Matriculating...]
[Promotion Points: 2 / 20]
[NEW! Because of recent changes to banking regulation procedure, your Promotion Points have been rounded up!] Clark liked that. A whole extra half of a promotion point meant he was that much closer to earning a promotion and making more money.
[Incentives: 5/50]
[Coupons: 6]
[Culinary Credits: 18]
[New! Because of recent changes to banking regulation, your Culinary Credits have been rounded up!]
[Standard Credits {Bank}: 35]
[Opportunities: 0]
What he had wasn't very much, sure, but it was enough for now. Clark brought up his blue screen banking shortcut. With the 'press' of a button, he made another payment on his community's land grant -- fifteen credits.
[Transaction Complete: New Monthly Owed: 230 SC]
I am getting there, Clark reassured himself. I still have almost the whole month to finish making my first payment.
Tired from the events of the day and how the 'edible grease,' made him feel after, Clark decided it was bedtime and washed up before laying on his back on his mattress. He heard the gentle and calming hum of the air-conditioner, its sound disguised through the use of a filter to make it sound as though it were a gentle rainfall. Such a strange place, this tower, Clark mused as he heard the fall of rain and wondered if outside it was raining too.
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