The XP: Chapter 5

The cloth armor shop was owned and managed by a player. They had a wide selection of styles but apparently really enjoyed the color purple. Trart followed Bob around the store as she went through to visualization options to see what he would look like with each item she showed interest in. “Trart If I gave you a pink and white polka dot dress with legendary stats, would you wear it?” She asked him as she browsed.

Trart shrugged his shoulders. “I guess, I mean legendary stats is legendary stats.”

Bob shook her head. “The correct answer is ‘no’. Part of gaming is looking bad ass, and IF you wanna look bad ass you gotta have your own style.”

Trart looked himself over. “I have style.” He protested.

Bob shook her head. “Let me rephrase, I am not running dungeons with a French clown that looks like he drank himself colorblind then got dressed for work.” She handed him a tunic.

Trart took the tunic and added to the pile of clothes she had already given him. “You could’ve just said ‘I don’t like the way you’re dressed.’” Trart pointed out.

Bob stopped searching through armor and looked at Trart. “I did.” She pulled another tunic and handed it to Trart. “Lets go over to pants and boots.”

Trart’s shoulders slumped “You mean we’re not done yet?” He moaned.

Bob shook her head. “We’re just getting started kid.” She smiled, looking through the available pants.

It look almost an hour but Bob finally got Trart into a set of cloth armor that nearly tripled his stats.

Trart looked at his avatar’s set up and had to admit that he liked his current gear a lot more than what he had previously been wearing. “Wow Bob, thank you, I look bad ass!”

Bob shook her head. “Nah, you look decent, which is infinitely better than you looked an hour ago.” She clarified.

Trart looked around. “Where’d Blackout and Stygian go?” He asked as they came through the front door of the shop.

“Perfect timing.” Bob said with a rare smile. “Did you get it?” She asked.

Stygian nodded. “This thing kinda makes me want to start a Rainbringer.” He replied. Pulling a massive chain gun out of his backpack.

Trart’s eyes nearly exploded out of his head. “What the heck is that?” He nearly yelled in excitement.

Blackout waved his hands in front of the weapon as if he were show casing a game show prize. “The Spray and Pray One Thousand. The best Player built Rainbringer weapon without a level requirement. Maximum ammo capacity of one thousand rounds, capable of multi target memory, firing enchanted rounds and increases experience gain by ten percent up to level forty five. Because Rainbringer's are the only class that can hit the S.P.O.T”

Trart was all smiles. “Oh man you guys. I don’t know what to say, thank you so much for all of this.” He accepted the gun from Stygian. And held it almost lovingly.

Bob clapped her hand on Trart’s right shoulder. “You can join us on a trial run of the Hall of Shattered Memories. We’re gonna run it till you pay back the five thousand, seven hundred and twenty four gold you owe us.” She headed for the door.

The smile dropped off Trart’s face. “I should have seen that coming.” He said stashing the gun in his inventory.

Stygian nodded. “Don’t worry it’ll only take fifteen or sixteen runs, and it’s the fastest way to earn that kind of cash. Besides it’ll be good training, by the time you’re running the Halls like a pro you’ll have a good handle on your class and you’ll be ready for some of the harder content in the game.”

“Yeah but I’ll be poor.” Trart said following Stygian and Blackout out of the store.

“Just think of yourself as rich in social capital.” Blackout quipped as the door closed behind Trart.