Gemwright Ch 03

In no time, we're outside of Karmm. I park outside of town this time. I don't particularly want to pay for a hotel. Entering the city is just a matter of paying a fee, and it's cheap, so I don't change my mind.

The first order of business is a mattress for Hana. She's amused and claims she will never use it, but I really do want her to feel she has the option. "Besides, this way we can make love in your room for a change of pace."

Hana blushes slightly, and play-punches me. "You wolf, you would say that."

I ask around, and there is a store in town that provides mattresses. The prices are a bit eyebrow raising, but there's no issue. I connect to Hana. ¬pick the one you like most. I may upgrade mine as well. Cost isn't an issue here)¬

¬no problem I'll find the best ones then# but will they fit¬

¬a good concern# getting them in will be fine I'll just open a hole in the side# overall size may be an issue so try not to go overboard)¬

The mattress shop fellow, perhaps its owner, looks upper class. We don't, so he's a bit dubious of us. I flash several silver and one gold from my purse, and he shifts immediately to jovial and kind. Smart man.

Hana happily tries every mattress the owner recommends, and more besides. It turns out that she prefers a softer mattress while I prefer a firmer one. After she's satisfied she has found "The perfect one! It's so comfy." I let him know we'll buy this one, and he has a worker haul it elsewhere for us. Next, I try to pick out a mattress for mine that is halfway between her preference and mine, but she marches over to me and jabs her finger on my chest ¬no way# this is

your

mattress# get one that suits you)¬

¬but we will both be sleeping on this mattress most of the time right£ don't you want one that's comfortable for you too£)¬

¬don't wanna hear it= there's only one thing I care about in your room and that's you# the rest of it should suit your preference)¬

¬I guess but)¬

¬no buts# you will get the other mattress and that's that)¬

I give a lopsided smile, and then turn to the presumed owner.

Owner, "A telepathic couple, eh? That's cute. Not too many of you. I take it you lost that argument. Shall I get the firm mattress you liked?"

Hana answers, "Yes! That's the one he's going to get."

I grin, "As she says."

He grins too, and claps my shoulder as he walks by, leading us back to the front.

After agreeing to a few sets of extra sheets he recommended, I pay with coin. "A bit unusual, but you're an unusual guy huh? Where would you like these sent?"

Me, "I've got a small caravan outside of town. Can they be delivered there?"

Owner, "Hmm, that's also unusual. But you paid up front, so there shouldn't be any issues. The hauler will charge you extra, and it has to be up front also. How far out are you?" We discuss the finer details and I hand over a little more money.

He shouts "Koh!" to the back, then turns back to us. "Unusual though you are, you've likely never met a Kengen. Try not to be surprised, he's a good sort."

Curious, I watch the door to the back. From it emerges a man who had to be 7 feet tall, and his skin is nearly pitch black. He's dressed well, in similar garb to the owner, but he's built thick, entirely with what appears to be corded muscle. He has to weigh 300 pounds at least.

¬he's huge=)¬ Hana is as surprised as I am.

Owner, "Koh here will deliver your mattresses to your encampment."

I try to school my face and voice. "Pleased to meet you, mister Koh."

Koh responds with a gravely voice, "Likewise, sir."

The owner explains the task to his employee, and Koh effortlessly picks up both mattresses and carries them under his arms. Neither mattress touches the ground. "If you would lead the way, sir and madam."

We walk a bit. It's probably okay to make small talk right? I've never heard of Kengen.

Me, "So, mister Koh. I've never been to Kengen. What kind of country is it?"

Koh, "Mother Kengen, very far from here. It is brutal place, honor and strength are all. Valuable customer, do not visit. Your arms, torn from your body. Your woman, taken from you. Unless ((())) eats you before then. Unless scythe weed open your belly before then."

Geez, what a vicious place. What was that first part though? It was some gutteral pronunciation that was clearly foreign. I consider telepathy to get a better unders-

¬he's talking about a native beast that eats humans# my love please do not attempt telepathy with others today# let's talk about it later)¬ I pick up no urgency from her mind, so I simply accept and do not attempt telepathy with Koh.

Me, "Duly noted, thank you for the warning. If I may ask, how did you come to be here?"

Koh, "Traveling mage. His arm, weak, but magic, terrible. He, feared and respected. One day he produces ritual. To bring treasures, food, and weapons from the Jensin Kingdom. Chief wishes me guard him. I laugh, who would dare attack him? Who would invite sure death for themself?. But I guard. Ritual goes wrong. Fire takes mage. I know I will die. I begin my prayer to Tekek, God of Death, when I am taken. But I wake up here, Jensin Kingdom."

He pauses. "Things happen. I bear deep shame of

pity

and

charity

from those who are not my clan. And now I work. Honor demands debt repaid, or Ghith torment me in death. I return to Mother Kengen one day."

Me, "Interesting! It is indeed honorable to repay ones debts." He nods. "Since it's too dangerous for someone like me to visit-"

¬do not refer to it as mother he will not appreciate it# we aren't natives)¬

I cough, "Excuse me. Since I can't visit your homeland, would you tell me about your favorite parts? Beautiful views, or places of cultural significance?"

He considers it. He mentions an overlook where his coming of age ceremony took place. The view overlooks a deadly mushroom patch that will kill you from the inside out if you come to close to it, but the way they glow from a distance was supposedly incredible. He spoke of the ceremony ((())), another indecipherable word, where the strongest fought. The top man would be the the new leader, and would be the mate to many women. Runner ups would receive other honors and attract fewer mates.

He speaks sadly of another unpronouncable-except-by-him event where many people came together to hunt large beasts. It happens once a year usually, but the leader could call an extra one or even two if the beast population was out of control. Koh himself had done several, but he would be missing the one this year. He would accumulate no honors while in Jensin.

I don't know what to say to that. But his face returns to impartial soon afterwords as he talks about the food he missed. He misses some nuts and meats he grew up eating. "But when I return, will long for honey and bread. Honey in Mother Kengen, guarded by very dangerous bees. Not so here. And, no bread in Mother Kengen at all."

We arrive at my caravan. "Koh, I'll take one mattress from you, please?" He gives me a curious look, but loosens his grip on the left mattress. I take it with telekinesis, and place it on top of my home.

Koh sees them and his expression becomes complicated. After a moment, he takes the other mattress and holds it out in both arms so I can easily take it. I do so, and put it on top of Hana's cart.

¬I guess he doesn't like magic users)¬ I comment to Hana.

Me, "Koh, thank you for the delivery, and for teaching me about your homeland. May you find your way to your home soon," and I hand him a silver. A bit heavy for a tip, probably, but I got some interesting information out of him.

His expression eventually settles back into professionalism. "Thank you sir. Please come again." A bit odd, but the grammar was right. He turns and goes back to town.

Me, "So, what did you want to talk about? Is telepathy a Kengen taboo or something?" I connect to Sentral and start ripping the side of my cart open.

Hana, "No, nothing like that. We just need another telepathy lesson before you go talking to strangers."

Hana continues ¬after contact you try to merge deeper than is necessary# it's probably my fault because I encouraged you to do it with me# but if you try to do that with strangers they'll get really angry)¬

Sentral lifts my old mattress out of the hole I opened in the wall, and switches it with the mattress on top of the roof.

Me, "Huh. So, how do I fix that?"

¬after you connect don't scramble# you have this idea you need to grab more after contact or you'll slip off somehow# try not scrambling so you can see it won't happen)¬

She closes and knocks again. I let her in. I do indeed feel like I'm slipping, but I force my... 'hands' to still.

¬how I can explain this# it feels lonely)¬

¬this is how most people talk via telepathy# I talk to everyone besides you and my mother like this)¬

I am still connected to her, but I couldn't feel her emotions at all. The feeling of closeness, of warmth that I was used to feeling from our connection was replaced with...

¬this is what Sentral feels like to you, isn't it£)¬

Hana switches to verbal. "Similar, yes. For me, when you connect to it and me, it feels like you've moved me from a warm bath, but dipped my cheek into something gross and cold. It's why I reacted poorly last time. Now that I'm familiar with it though, I can brace myself and it's not bad at all, just slightly unpleasant.

"Anyways, here's the important part. Connect with me this time." She drops the connection.

I knock, and she lets me in. I can't help but to scramble, but now that I'm aware of it, I slow it down and stop. She bluntly shuts down my attempts to deepen the connection. Logically I understand, but it stings a little.

She gives me an incredulous look. "Don't give me that look! You're making me feel guilty! Like I just took a puppy's toy... We were just connected not 10 minutes ago."

I didn't think I'd let it show... Maybe she's just perceptive. "Please let me back in, it's cold and rainy out here."

¬geez what am I going to do with you# I thought you were a wolf but you're just a puppy dog in the end# come on in# but only for a little while= you need practice)¬ the connection deepens again. It's pleasant. I want to feel it more.

Hana laughs, "You're so needy!" So she says, but she's enjoying it too, so it's hard to feel insulted.

Me, "Alright, that's enough of that. Let's do this thing." I break the connection, then re-initiate. She accepts.

¬no scramble good# now let's hold on to this level for 6 hours)¬

¬you are a cruel taskmaster)¬

¬break time is over slave# finish up with the mattresses=)¬ with no emotional overflow, I can only assume she's joking around as well. But she stands on her tip toes and kisses my cheek. Then she whispers, "You know, I could feel your desire even after we made love this morning. If you can make it until tonight without deepening the connection, we can try out the 'blowjob' I saw in your mind. Would you like that? To see my sharp eyes gazing up at you, while my lips glide back and forth across your mating rod?"

The 180 degree turn threw me off, and I actually dropped the connection entirely. Her giggling didn't help my aroused mental state at all.

Me, "This is going to be a long, long day." I reconnect, determined to endure as long as it takes.

- - -

It doesn't take long for me to finish replacing our mattresses. She jumps on hers as soon as it's in place. I laugh a bit at her as she flops around. I'm a bit lonely at not being able to feel her joy, but that's life. "Are you having fun?" I ask, and she jumps off the bed and puts her shoes back on as I close the hole in the wall.

Hana, "That's the last time I'll get to use that bed for a long time you know! Unless you mess up before tonight that is."

I swallow and refocus myself on whatever needs to happen next. Um. That would be...

Me, "Alright... So my goals are.. get gems while in town. I want to make a sweep around town for dust; it's worthless to others, but perfectly usable for me.

"Next, maybe make more money. I want to push a little more on that front now that I have some power if things go poorly. Perhaps craft large gems from small ones and sell it, or make a Diamond coated steel sword, things of that nature.

"Third, I want to look into the idea of mass teleportation so we have an option in an emergency. If we're against a force I cannot fight, I don't want to abandon my caravan unless there's no other option.

"Fourth, After we leave, or perhaps while we're still here, I want to make more birds and perform some searches. Either gemstone veins, bandit camps, or dragon lairs.

"Lastly, I've been thinking about making a Rhodonite ring, just in case. I'll bring the gems along and make one in case I ever need it." I'll leave it fused to Sentral most of the time, but whenever I'm at the caravan I'll be able to swap it out. I order the materials from Sentral and fuse a mess to my finger for now, leaving behind the Diamond.

Hana, "Well then, shall we start after lunch then?"

Me, "Sure. Did you see any restaurants you wanted to try?"

- - -

We went around the city looking for jewelers. There were a few, given the proximity to the mine we just came from, but the Rhodonite mostly flowed elsewhere. I offered to buy any gem dust and uselessly small gem chips they had. If they told me to fuck off, I upped the offer. This stuff was valuable to me, who cares if they think they're taking advantage of me? The rest simply sold me their garbage gems for cheap. The story was the same as before, a no-name alchemist's experiments. Hana confirmed what I suspected, such an endeavor is widely considered to be a waste of time and money. But, few would turn their nose up at being the recipient of said wasted money...

After a lot of walking around, we walk into another jeweler. "Ohanel's Gemworks", according to a sign out front. The storefront is nothing remarkable. No other customers just now, so I walk up to the counter. A bell on the door summons the owner, presumable Ohanel himself.

Me, "How are you. Hey, we're looking to buy gemstone dust and chips for our insane alchemist friend. He, and thus we, are paying more than it's worth."

He looked curious, and seemed to consider. He happened to look at the rings on my fingers, professional interest I suspect, then did a double take. "Sir, is that.. I must know, who did the work on your ring?!"

What the hell? Did I mess up? They're all black.... Except the one I'm working on. The internals are completely exposed. There's Amethyst, Rhodonite, and Jet in a half finished state, but with various hard edges. The problem is the curves that interlock with other gems in ways that are, in nature, impossible. I pocket the ring. "A friend of mine. Whose identity is, regrettably, a secret."

Owner, "Regrettable indeed. Pray tell, are those Jet rings you wear pure Jet, all the way through?"

Damn, he's a sharp one. "Let's go with a 'yes' on that one."

Owner, "I see."

He glares at me for a long while.

"If your friend happens to come back at 6th bell to combine two of my gems like that ring you wore, I'd pay him 10 gold per work. And I have a lot of gems I'd love to combine like that."

That's an

insane

amount of money. I'm stunned.

Me, "Maybe he will..."

The owner's expression changes in seconds. "Ah, but you wanted dust didn't you? I have no use for it, it's yours. Let me gather it up for you. I'm sure your

alchemist

friend can put it to good use!"

¬looks like you got what you wanted# a good way to earn a lot of money)¬

¬seems that way)¬

He returns with the dust. I take it from him. "See you again soon," he says.

I blink, then smile, wave, and leave.

¬this'll be fine I'm sure)¬

¬he gave you garbage for free what better start to a business relationship is that)¬

¬oi# now listen here you little)¬

She laughs and laughs, and soon I am laughing as well.

- - -

After dropping off the day's haul at our encampment, I return and knock on the door of Ohanel's place. It's closed, but he opens the door. "Not gonna bother hiding it, eh? That you made it."

I step in. "Different guy. I'm his identical twin brother."

Owner, "Hmph. And your girl outside?"

I give him a grin. "Identical twin sister! So, what are we making?"

He shakes his head, reaches behind the counter, and pulls out a red gemstone, and a green one I don't recognize.

Me, "I don't know this one. It doesn't react to me. Sorry. The Ruby I'm good with though." I hand it back to him, reshaped into an octahedron. His eyes bug out. "Yeah I know it's a little sloppy, but come on, you haven't paid me yet!"

He pulls out a new green gem. My skill doesn't tell me anything about it, but I can reshape this one. "I want you to fuse these together into a sphere. Push streaks of each gem through the other, like you did with your brother's ring."

Easy enough. I set it up like I'm going to enchant a ring for myself, but as a sphere, and I half ass it so it can't enchant anyone. The effect is visually striking. 10 minutes later, I'm satisfied with it, and give it back to him. He analyzes it under a few tools and lenses. "It's the genuine thing. This

is

both gems, but they're fused so closely they might as well be just one."

Me, "I treated the Ruby as the 'base' and the green pebble as 'extension' in that little artwork. Just so we're clear, this is all form, no function."

Owner, "No function... Are you saying your rings have function?"

Me, "No comment. What's next?"

Owner, "Surprise me." He hands me 10 gold, then Emerald and a pink gem.

I try with the pink gem, no luck. "No feeling from this one. Got another?"

Owner, "How about pink Sapphire?"

I'm surprised. Sapphire can be pink? "Pink... eh, blue Sapphire reacts, but I've never tried off color. Gimme."

He hands it to me, and I look at it with my skill. This gem is too far off color to work in a golem or enchantment, it seems, but I can still mold it. "Yes, I can work with this."

I mash them together, into a cube. I envision a cube cut into 8. Each corner will be a different color than its 3 neighbors. However, in the center is a sphere where the two gems tangle freely and chaotically. Heh. Why not?

This ones a little more involved, so it takes me about 20 minutes.

Me, "I made something cool, so I'll give it an edgy name to help you sell it to the kids. 'Order and Chaos'. Heh, man I'm good."

It's still pretty small, but so we're the gems he gave me. I can't work miracles. However, the look on his face told me he disagrees.

He puts 10 gold onto the counter with shaking hands, and moves my two hack jobs out of sight. "Heh, so ugly you don't want anyone to see them? And yer shaking so bad because I'm ripping you off so much."

Owner, "Yes, that's right. After all, it's not like I'm watching my life's work be made an effortless mockery of."

I could be kind, but I don't think it would help, and I decide I'm having fun so I stick with my stupid character. "Tell me about it. So many tiny gems in stupid shapes." I casually levetate one of the larger, expensive looking Diamonds out from the display, breaking the glass. "What the fuck even is this shape hahaha!"

He flinches. "It's my masterwork. I spent dozens of gold on the raw. Consulted my former master's books, paid experts for their opinion on ideal shape. Then I spent days cutting it to perfection, and another carefully polishing it until it shone radiantly. I could sell it for three hundred gold, perhaps more, but I keep it because it reminds me of the beauty I hope to draw forth from every gem that passes through my hands."

Fuck. I was gonna use it for the next work. I settle for verbal abuse instead.

"You're weird. Whatever man." I hand him his life's work back. "Gimme more gems. Raws are fine, I don't know why you're giving me shit it looks like you've worked on.