The Market

She backed herself against a tree waiting for clear identification when a voice from behind asked, "Hey Vanessa. We found the market. Wanna come"?

Vanessa fell screaming and wailing her hands in the air for a few minutes until she realized it was Andres in full camouflage.

Laying with tears on her face, Andres asked her, "Are you okay"?

"I thought everybody was dead," said Vanessa.

Logan appeared in full camouflage and said, "Yeah. It's a game. We just respawned".

Vanessa stared with a dumb embarrassed look on her face as Andres offered his hand to help her up. Logan led the way as Andres spoke to Vanessa about the game.

"You alright," he asked, "You know it's just a game just like larping, right"?

Vanessa gave an embarrassed smile saying, "To be honest I forgot. Like when it happens I see blood and your eyes go hollow, and is all so realistic".

"Believe me, we know," said Andres as he placed his arm around her shoulder. "But don't worry, you will get used to it".

"So how do you guys get back here," asked Vanessa while removing his arm.

"I honestly don't know what to tell you except we respawned," answered Andres. "Here is how it works. Each month there is a different theme. You know that. But the way they run the theme in each month is also different. Sometimes they run scenarios at a team level like in June. Sometimes it is open survival world like this. Sometimes it will be an open community-based theme. Sometimes we must progress to each level by traveling the world. Sometimes it is by accomplishing certain tasks. Now when you die, you do not necessarily return to where you left off. For example, I did not respawn on the cliff where I died. Instead you typically either one, respawn on the same level at a pre-designated point. Or two you respawn on a previous level at a pre-designated point. Selected by the game. Now you can not respawn on the same day unless you spend player points, also known as stunt points. Which is what Logan typically does. That is why I found and joined you guys today instead of last night. Logan has a bunch of player points to use and thus if he ever gets killed early in the day he will use points to respawn".

Vanessa continued asking about the other members. Andres answered that Hakim felt sick and Jeff likely is waiting for Dani before he heads home for the week. In fact, Jeff and Dani rarely played as the rest of the team does.

"Oki," nodded Vanessa as another girl walked past her.

"Hey hey Iku, I see you," said Andres. He pointed at the girl who had passed by and said to Vanessa "That's my girlfriend. So I gotta go".

Logan turned around with his head bowed, "Welcome to the marketplace".

Before Vanessa could ask about the marketplace, Logan explained, "The marketplace is essentially a checkpoint. Sometimes it's a part of the game. Other times the players have to make it. We come and exchange goods and information. We may even make deals with one another for player points or for real money by taking on 'side quests'. This is where you come in".

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Vanessa couldn't help but realize how expressive Logan was with himself and his gestures despite being such a scrawny guy. It was a confidence that most boys their age didn't have.

There were a couple of immediate problems with Vanessa that Logan was aimed to fix. First was her beginner's weapon. They needed to either purchase or forge a new weapon. Weapons typically carried effects such as Andres' machete giving strength boost and Hakim's ring giving fire and magic boost.

The second was her abilities. Vanessa had learned self-healing from her monk pathway. But more was needed to be a player. If a player did not obtain abilities from their job class, such as black mage, warrior, cleric, thief, etc, then they must venture through the game to find new abilities to be added to their tree in the 'research' section. The time ability was sadly missed by The Wild Bunch the prior month due to failing the time theme.

Logan walked Vanessa through the crowd of people in the marketplace until he reached an old man sitting on a wagon next to a hut. It was Oaka the merchant weapons, armors, and other goodies available in the game. Oaka greeted the pair, showing them a menu of weapon choices.

The list was short as it was to which Logan instantly scrolled down to the bottom for the better and more expensive weapons. "What do you think Vanessa? We have speed, strength, or these super cool gauntlets that can extend batons out of them".

"Uhm, these are kind of expensive. I like the one with the batons, but how am I going to get it" asked Vanessa.

Logan purchased the gauntlets for 200 stunt points. Oaka reached into his wagon to get a pair of gauntlets for Vanessa that was able to extend batons from the inner wrist. After sliding on the gloves, Vanessa realized they covered her entire forearm.

The System spoke out to give a tutorial explaining that in order for Vanessa to extend her batons, she must call out the command "extend" and "retract" to pull them back in. The system further explained to be cautious of extending and extending the batons as they can cause serious harm.

Vanessa held her arms out and called out, "Extend" to which a baton on each arm extended allowing Vanessa to wield them in her palms.

"Oooh, sooo cool," said Vanessa as she was gushing and clapping in excitement. But Logan was not done. He purchased some basic rust armor for her safety as well.

Walking alongside Andres was his girlfriend. She had a disappointed look on her face asking why they still had her dressed like a homeless bum. Everybody else was suited in nice armor or overly fashionable. Iku herself was wearing red capris with red heels and a dark red jacket over a white tank top with red earrings to match.

They went behind a bush where Iku began explaining how outfits worked. It was simpler than weapons. There were no prerequisites. The game in fact allowed you to dress as you pleased as long as you were out of danger.

Vanessa started off by calling out a "reality check".

A screen popped out of her chest, allowing her to see her many wardrobe options. It was pretty neat having an endless closet at your fingertips. Iku swiped the screen at the top to go to the shop. Not only were there so many cute outfits to pick from, but they were so cheap in comparison to the weapons.

"So what do you want" asked Iku, "I will give you 100 points to spend".

With widened eyes and a dropped jaw, Vanessa began searching for clothes to buy. After some time, Logan and Andres came by. Logan held a short sword with shurikens on his hip while Andres now had a different sword and a shield.

"Hey, we have a mission to slay a wyvern. Let's go," said Logan.

"Looogan, can you help me?" cried Vanessa, "I wore my pink hair today, but I love light blue. Iku gave me 100 points to spend and I don't know what to do".

Without even responding, Logan swiped through the galleries and purchased many outfits and accessories for her. Troubled by Logan's initiative, Iku helped Vanessa pick out shoes that would match perfectly with her.

"Can we go now" asked Logan?

Vanessa was a little embarrassed as she turned to Iku and asked, "Is it okay for me to change here". Iku nodded her head, yes, causing Vanessa to squirm once again.

After choosing her outfit, Vanessa started to glow for a short period of time as her ragged peasant clothes morphed into a light blue shirt with sleeves that were not attached at the shoulder top and fell down her arms. A long skirt that came down to Vanessa's knees morphed from her hip. long blue hair to replaced Vanessa's pink hair. Vanessa's gauntlets even turned light blue. Lastly, Vanessa's makeup turned into a light blue theme with matching clogs.

"Wow, you look beautiful," said Andres.

"That's right" added Iku with a smile.

Vanessa was smiling and blushing until Logan asked, "Can we go now? It's bad enough that we are abandoning the main story this month".

Iku was displeased by Logan's rudeness. But Andres knew that completing the mission was all that was on Logan's mind. Andres, Logan, and a cheerful Vanessa had headed out to slay a wyvern.