Chapter 56: Ear Collector

I swear that William Oh kid is hiding something. I’ll get to the bottom of it no matter how long I have to- Yes, I understand that I’ve only just joined, but – yes, I also understand that I have guard duty, but – can’t I at least investigate him in my free time? I’m telling you, there’s something about him that just…feels weird. No, I don’t have a crush on him!

-Ria Smith, level 32 City Guard

***Reggie***

“Well, looks like we’ve got nothing going on while the ‘leaders’ figure out what we’re doing next,” Reggie said, suddenly nervous now that he was alone with the blonde-haired vision of beauty.

Am I standing too close? Too far away? In need of something to do, Reggie awkwardly put his hand on his hip…then dropped it, waiting for Alicia to respond.

“…I guess.” She whispered.

“How about lunch?” He asked.

“I am hungry.” She mused, pursing her lips in thought.

She probably only likes fancy foods. I should probably take her somewhere fancy.

“How about somewhere fancy? My treat.”

Her face twitched into a frown.

“Something wrong with fancy?” He asked.

“Tiny portion sizes and people always asking me about my father.”

“Say no more,” Reggie said, taking her hand and leading her through the bustling streets of Akul. He didn’t really know where he was going, but all he needed to do was find a nice restaurant to take a girl to that wasn’t too fancy, but still fancy enough for it to be a date.

Assuming this is a date. Is this a date?

“There’s a restaurant around the corner over there.” She said, pointing at a grey stone wall. “Ooh, they serve beef stew and baked potato! And there’s a dance stage! And live music!”

That sounds perfect for a date, Reggie thought

Alicia took Reggie’s hand and pulled him forward, navigating down the street with that natural grace that he found impossible to replicate as people bounced off his chest like marbles, usually sending him mean looks afterwards.

“Hey, watch it!” The older Climber said, shaking his fist as they turned the corner.

“Sorry!” Reggie called over his shoulder at the man, watching him roll his eyes and go about his business.

When Reggie turned his gaze back forward, he stumbled in sheer horror.

5^th Floor Fantasies

Clothing Optional restaurant and topless bar.

The building had a sign out front with the silhouette of a woman dancing on a pole, that Alicia obviously could not see.

“Oh wow, their food is really good,” Alicia said, taking a deep whiff. “Whoever is cooking in the back there has a Class for it. I mean, look at him go!”

“I mean, maybe we should-“

“C’mon!” Alicia said, dragging him forward with a surprising amount of strength before he had a chance to formulate a reason why they shouldn’t go in…aside from the obvious.

The entrance spilled raucous laughter and music out into the street, and the two of them walked inside, the atmosphere engulfing them.

“Wow, this place is so lively,” Alicia said as they took a seat at a table, glancing around with wide-eyed wonder.

“Mmhmm,” Reggie said, staring at the menu in front of him.

“What can I get for you two?” A cheery young woman asked, approaching from the side.

“…Can I get the beef stew!?” Alicia asked, raising her voice above the music with a bit of difficulty. “It smells amazing.”

“And you, handsome?” The woman asked, turning toward him.

“S-same,” Reggie said, shielding his line of sight with the menu until the waitress plucked it out of his hand.

Then he just stared at the table.

“Your boyfriend is cute.” The waitresses said before sauntering off.

It was Alicia’s turn to blush and stare at the ground.

“Boyf-…is this a date?” She asked, glancing back up at him.

That prompted Reggie to look back up to meet her gaze. With every fiber of his being, he attempted to keep his full focus on her face.

“I was…kind of hoping?” he admitted.

“Oh. Wow.” Alicia said, her face turning even brighter red than before, taking a long pause to start speaking again.

“Well…I like the restaurant, at least. The ones my father always took me to were so quiet and intense, and everybody always stared at us the whole time.”

“Well…nobody’s staring at you,” Reggie admitted. They were all staring at how flexible Candi was.

“Isn’t it great?” Alicia said with a blinding smile. “This is the best date I’ve ever been on.”

So it is a date? Reggie thought, his stomach assaulted by butterflies.

“…Is it also the only date you’ve ever been on?” Reggie hazarded.

Alicia frowned. “…Not telling.” She said, barely audible over the music and shouting.

“Here you go dears!” the waitress said, dropping two enormous bowls of hearty stew in front of the two of them.

“Mm, amazing.” Alicia said, her glowing blue eyes rolling in pleasure after taking a bite of the stew.

Reggie cocked a brow and tried some of his own, eyes widening in surprise as it turned out to be beyond excellent.

This place must be laundering money because otherwise the food would never be so good.

“We have to come here again.” Alicia said in perhaps the most assertive statement Reggie had ever personally witnessed her make.

“…Sure.”

“Would you two like a dancer once you finish your food?” A waitress asked, stopping by to refill their water.

“No, that’s-“

“That’s an option? Wow! Yes, please!” Alicia said, pulling a few ivory out of her purse before glancing at Reggie. “You know what, make it two. One for each of us.”

The waitress gave Reggie and Alicia an appraising glance as she slid most of the money back. “For a couple as pretty as you two it’s our pleasure.”

“Wow, thanks!”

Reggie buried his head in his hands.

“Just remember: No touching without asking first.”

Alicia glanced back at Reggie with an inquisitive frown.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

“Why would we touch them?”

Reggie felt his face heat up even further as he shook it, staring straight down at the table.

***William Oh***

“Bahahahahah!” June and Alicia were laughing uproariously when Will and Loth arrived at the Party meeting.

“That was so mean!” June shouted. “Reggie’s never even done the ‘clothes’ prank on you before! Turning it against him…that’s like kicking a puppy. You are some kind of evil genius. Remind me not to piss you off. Or even be nearby when somebody else pisses you off.”

“Mean!?” Alicia gasped, her body language collapsing in on itself as she began to whisper. “I was just ‘razzing’ him back like you said…At least before it turned into a date…should…should I apologize? Did I hurt his feelings?”

“Nah, he got a date and a good story out of it, so I’m sure he’s happy. Plus he got to see some-”

“Melons!” Travis shouted as he burst into the room, bearing a pair of massive melons in his arms. “You can literally get any food you want here! They can grow anything on this Floor! Meat! Soy sauce! Fish! Melons!”

“Bread?” Will asked.

“The freshest bread you could imagine. With any extras you want! Rosemary. Garlic. Cheeeeeeese!” Travis said, wiggling his fingers dramatically.

Will swallowed drool. Several weeks of climbing The Tower eating ration bars, weeds, and the occasional alligator gave him a deep-seated need for real food.

In this case bread. Or pastries. Or rolls. Buns. Soft, squishy bread. Preferably without rocks.

Will was starting to regret spending all his time figuring out their jobs while the rest of his Party was, by all accounts, enjoying their time shopping, relaxing, and in Alicia’s case, hazing Reggie.

Speaking of, Will thought, watching Reggie enter the room and sit down across the room from Alicia, staring at the floor with a hollow expression.

Wow. She really did get him good. I need to get the full story later.

Once Mason arrived, He and Loth went through the job offers while Travis cut up melons and passed them out.

“Okay, first up, we have sewer cleanin-“

“PASS!” Mason shouted, echoed by everyone else.

“Loth and I can probably handle that,” Will mused, flipping to the next one.

“Three offers to track down and maim various Climbers. The offers are high, but Steve tells me there’s a chance they could be traps designed to attract free XP to the ‘target’ of the beating. Can’t exactly go to the authorities if the ‘victim’ of our illegal kneecapping turns the tables on us…should we hire people to attack us? No, that’s silly.”

Will glanced around, finding most of the rest of the party staring at him over wedges of melon.

“We’ll put the kneecapping jobs down as a ‘maybe’.” Will said, making a note on the page.

“Underground fight tourney. Hundred Ivory just to fight. Ten thousand if you win.”

“Unarmed?” Reggie asked, finally waking from his stupor and joining the conversation.