Chapter One-Hundred and Twelve: Khajiit has Skill Stones if you have coin.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake sat up, a beam of light from the crack in his tent’s entrance alerting him to sunrise.
<span style="font-weight:400">It had been the first time in weeks he had decided to sleep through the night, and it was well worth it. He finally felt refreshed, and considerably so.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake raised his arms, looking curiously at his reced right arm for the umpteenth time a smile on his face as he flexed his fingers, not having to manipte them any longer to do the gesture.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good to have you back Vanessa,” Drake joked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Did you really name your right hand Vanessa?” Natto said, rising from the adjacent bed, and rubbing her eyes to remove her grogginess.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don''t disrespect my ex-girlfriend like that. We may have broken up but she treated me very well I’ll have you know,” Drake continued sarcastically.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I am assuming this is some kind of joke or reference. And I certainly feel like I do not wish to understand it,” Natto answered with her face going even.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It certainly is,” Drakeughed, “But now to start the day! Lots to do, many people to beat the shit out of!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What about food?” Natto asked expectantly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, food too. I got a lot of good stuff left over, and I have a feeling I can get a bunch of new stuff from Shigure’s camp today if I can get some people to trade with,” Drake said, feeling someone move outside his tent suddenly.
<span style="font-weight:400">Raising his brow he got up and began to move to the front of the tent, Natto hopping onto his shoulder and merging with him once again, his hand moving the tent entrance as a flood of the morning sun bloomed into the room, momentarily blinding him.
<span style="font-weight:400">Blinking a few times he saw the hulking figure of a familiar walking mountain as it waved at him, holding a meat skewer.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Rise and shine bro, thought you would never wake up,” Bjorn grunted through a mouth full of boar meat.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why are you here so early in the morning? Don’t you have like Shigure camp things to do?” Drake said, scoffing.
<span style="font-weight:400">“He certainly does, but I can not get him to stay and do them since you are here now,” a shorter ck-haired teen said from his side.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, you’re here too? It’s just a party now, or should I say a trial? You aren’t going to try to kick me off yourwn now are you Shigure? And shouldn’t you be doing camp leader stuff?” Drake said exacerbated.
<span style="font-weight:400">Shigure coughed but answered nheless.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I am taking a day for recuperation. I also had some things to discuss with you,” he said in an even tone.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Kid wants to fight again. He’s all twisted up about losing that hard bro,” Bjorn chuckled.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake smirked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, he’s going to have to take a rain check. I have some things to do, namely breakfast before a certain someone stabs me.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is food awake yet…?” a dazed voice called out, a hand moving to open a tent across from Drake’s.
<span style="font-weight:400">Stepping out of the tent was a woman in a in white T, with no pants, her hair a mess, and her cracked sses nted in a very weird way.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sherry…. What have we told you about walking around like that?” Drake said shaking his head, walking to the woman, and pushing her back into her tent.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You said it was hot… What about food?” she answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“True, but I also said to stop doing it. I can only take so much visual stimtion….” Drake mumbled before coughing, “I mean I said it’s udylike. And dress up first and brush your hair okay? Then I’ll have food ready I promise…” Drake sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjornughed loudly as Shigure turned his gaze downward his face going crimson.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You have some real quirky people in your group bro. Where did you pick them up? Also, like the new digs. Are they from the questpletion?” Bjorn asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake smiled, happy to be in Bjorn’s friendly and casual presence once again. The pressure of being a leader lifted as he felt the man’s unobligated friendship.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It’s a long story, but the armor and stuff is kind of from it. Do subsequent quests prior to the big one count?” Drake asked, answering Bjorn’s question with another.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t worry we got a good 90-sum days left bro, I gots time. And suppose it does? Seems like you got a good haul from everything. Mr. Number One.” Bjorn jabbed, finishing off his skewer, “So what exactly are your ns? Anything I can tag along on, I’ve been pretty bored since the tutorial-wide quest ended.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake pursed his lips but quickly took him up on his offer.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Actually yeah, and that also includes little angst-filled super teen here. Do you guys trade for stones? I need some food and possibly some rare stones to fill out some people''s skill trees before I go out again. And I’m also looking for a person, or well people maybe,” Drake answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">Shigure’s mouth opened to argue but quickly closed as he took in a deep breath.
<span style="font-weight:400">“We do trade, but that is only within the camp, so you will have to have Sir Bear or I do it for you. And what type of people may I ask? We do not do <em><span style="font-weight:400">that type</em><span style="font-weight:400"> of thing here,” Shigure answered, his eyes moving to Sherry’s tent.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Bro, please. I don’t need to pay, and I don’t shit where I eat, so I’ve never touched Sherry. If you like her I could tell you how to get to her heart, I’m sure it’s really hard to figure out but I’ll tell you the secret,” Drake leaned in and whispered, “It’s her stomach.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjorn chuckled lightly at their exchange, his face nearly a permanent smile since Drake arrived.
<span style="font-weight:400">“So who are you looking for then? Can’t imagine you need anyone in particr for your group, seeing how many members you have now. You have your regr old Uta as well with that mustache guy,” Bjorn said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, Theo?” Drake said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You called my Lord?” Theodore said, winking into existence.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah. How ya been Theo? Looks like you’ve picked up some new tricks.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“This one has been splendid, Sir Bear. Thou hast been in good health as well it seems? Thous armor is quite impressive, tis a quest reward?” Theodore asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjorn pped his chest hitting the ck matted armor.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Not exactly, grabbed this off one of the Goblin Generals. This baby though?” he said pointing to a purple iid ring somehow fitting around his thick sausage-like finger on his right hand, “This I got from the tutorial-wide quest reward. A real sweet piece to add to my fighting style.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake raised a brow in curiosity.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hmmm….Why do I have a feeling that your item is better than the one I got?” Drake voiced, staring at the item.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Just how it goes bro,” Bjornughed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake sighed, knowing Bjorn waspletely right, sometimes you just got the short end of the stick.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Anyway…. I’m looking for basically anyone with formal martial arts training or military training. Also, I’d like to trade or help out here if I can with the extra skill stones that I have,” Drake exined, looking over to Shigure.
<span style="font-weight:400">The teen thought over what Drake wanted for a moment, obviously thinking of several people.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What are you going to offer in return for these people? And what do you need them for? If you wish to spar we have plenty of people that would like to give you a piece of their mind, myself included,” Shigure said, his hand moving slowly to his sword.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Look, I know you probably want to reim your honor or something, but I just want to learn proper fighting. Like most people, I was just a normal guy before the tutorial and I have a lot of gaps in my fighting knowledge. As for what I can give? How about some of this,” Drake said, beginning to empty a fraction of the gear and stones he had umted over the past weeks he had been fighting.
<span style="font-weight:400">Shigure’s eyes went from pretentious to surprise, then to outward shock.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I knew you had killed many from the final count on the tutorial quest, but this is absurd….” Shigure muttered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“And there is more where thates from. Now about those stones I need and those people I want to see?” Drake asked, a smug smile inching its way over his face.
<span style="font-weight:400">Shigure nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I have a few people I will ask, but it will be their decision. If you have any alcohol that would be good,”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alcohol? Can’t say I’vee across any… Do you guys have booze?” Drake asked looking over to Bjorn.
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjorn shook his head.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I wish I had some. There is one guy in the camp that was a brewer before the tutorial and somehow got a ss for it, but he won’t share it with anyone. Damn shame too, I could use a good whiskey…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why would I need the slick and loose for?” Drake asked, turning back to Shigure.
<span style="font-weight:400">“We have a very… particr person who enjoys alcohol. We have had to stop them several times from strangling the brewer for refusing to sell him it. He is an ample fighter but refuses to do much without receiving the substance,” Shigure sighed, “If we had him fighting regrly we would have been able to do much more during the quest…”
<em><span style="font-weight:400">That''s interesting. You know anything about making booze Natto?</em><span style="font-weight:400"> Drake thought.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<em><span style="font-weight:400">I would be able to tell you roughly how to make rice wine, but unfortunately there is no substance here able to rece rice. You are alone in this endeavor, I am afraid,” </em><span style="font-weight:400">Natto said regretfully.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll ask about it with everyer, see if we can’t work something out. Now let''s get to eating some food,” Drake said, a head popping out of Sherry’s tent.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Food?!” she shouted, her hair still having ab in the tangled mess.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes food, Bottomless Pit Number Two,” Drake sighed, moving past her tent, with Bjorn, Theodore, and Shigure in tow.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Who’s number one?” Shigure asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake gave Bjorn and Theodore a look, both chuckling.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh you know if you know,” Drake said.
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake went from tent to tent, waking up his group for breakfast. Surprisingly most were already awake or hadn’t slept.
<span style="font-weight:400">Almost all of them had formed the habit of having to stay awake regardless. The endless and random attacks at any time from the goblins over the two weeks had engrained it in them.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What’s for breakfast? Can we help?” ire asked, her hair tied to the side of her head in a single-side ponytail.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is it something new? Stew has been getting a little old..” Chelsea said, her double ponytails tied in front of her in a braid as she leaned over the table Drake had pulled out.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This time I’m going to try something a little <em><span style="font-weight:400">extra</em><span style="font-weight:400">,” he said smiling, “I had Hudson make a bit of tinfoil equivalent, so we can make a few cool things now with a bit of slow cooking!” Drake said excitedly.
<span style="font-weight:400">He began taking out a few ingredients, some white powder that looked like flour, and a bit of yellow mix that would rece the yeast as far as he knew from Natto’s exnation. And some eggs that had purple shells that he had looted from one of the Goblin General’s bags.
<span style="font-weight:400">Quickly mixing and kneading the mixture he plopped 20 evenly split pieces of dough to the side letting them rise.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Now for the protein,” Drake said, taking out thest of the boar that he had stocked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjorn looked on expectantly, as Shigure looked on in disbelief.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is he actually cooking?” Shigure asked whispering to Bjorn.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Damn straight. Man’s might be shit at a bunch of things, but he’s a wonder at cooking,” Bjorn answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake gave a sarcastic scoff from the table as he sliced the boar intorge roast chunks, cing each into a separate pan that stood on top of several firepits.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s some big talking from someone who came in seconddddd,” Drake said, elongating the word.
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjorn chuckled, “I’m still the highest level here bro. And don’t forget who lostst time,” he smiled back.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake deted remembering the events after Bjorn had left right after their fight.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ugh don’t remind me… I’ll have to tell you about what happened while I had your little debuff,” Drake said, sh-searing the pieces of boar meat.
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjorn winced slightly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oof, yeah sorry about that… Did something bad happen?” he asked, looking at Drake work the pans.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, nothing. You know, people getting tortured, meeting a mortal enemy. Nothing I couldn’t handle with a little spit and elbow grease,” Drake smirked back, taking the now-seared pieces of meat off the pans.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake then took out pieces of makeshift foil, as he extinguished one of the fires, using his earth magic to move the coals out enough to stay warm but not lit, then ced the roasts into the foils with some deer fat, and whatever veggies he could manage, tightly bundling them together in the wrapped foil.
<span style="font-weight:400">He then ced the bundles into the coals, erecting a cover of earth above them.
<span style="font-weight:400">Taking another firepit and doing the same, he then wrapped the fresh dough in foil and ced them inside as well.
<span style="font-weight:400">Wiping the non-existent sweat from his brow, he turned over to Shigure and the rest of the group looking on eagerly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ok we have about an hour till the bread and meat is done, so how about a little sparring session? It’s why you came along right, Shigure?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Shigure jerked at the mention of a spar, but his pride wouldn’t let him back down.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I-if it is what you wish for, I shall abide. Experience is a growing warrior’s most treasured ally,” he said shakily.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good! Then let''s get to it!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Both the men moved to a clearing beyond the tents as everyone but Sherry looked on.
<span style="font-weight:400">At the sound to start both instantly moved into action. But Drake was not trying to be shy this time around and quickly KO’d Shigure, knocking him unconscious.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Jacqueline! Clean up aisle two!” Drake shouted.