As the trio approached the counter, it became obvious the shop worker was nowhere to be seen. "Hello! Are you in the back room? We managed to find a costume for our friend... Hello?"

"Where are they?" Attempting to get their attention didn't seem to do anything either. MC climbed over the counter, thinking perhaps they wanted to avoid speaking with someone, because that had happened to him once in the past.

Smiling and joking, MC spoke to the others. "Weird. I thought she would have had that grandma staring from the windows energy after we tumbled through, heh."

"When did you see them last?" Horace asked, curiously scratching at his face. "As we entered the shop. What about you, Dillee? Did you see anything?"

Dillee shook his head; he was too busy staring at the Arachne costume in his hands. He better look after that damn costume. I'll be livid if he ruins it.

"Well, I'll carry on looking around. I'm bored just standing here."

"Have fun, kid. Don't do anything to bring the mall feds here, though."

"Screw you," Horace piped as he made his way towards the door of the shop.

"Could be here for a while, little buddy. Is there anything you would like to do after we finish up with the purchases?" MC asked, slapping Dillee across his tips. Mmm, fragrant. The scent of allium covered his hands, and he started thinking about what would taste good mixed in with it. Mmm, allium bread with some sort of stew... droolicious!

Dillee broke from his trance a little bit, looking up at MC, who saw the slight twinge of a transformation in his eyes. "Ey, don't you bloody attack me. I'll send you to the chopping board."

"Such awful words, sir!" Shock crossed his face as he gasped, his leafy digits touching across his yellow face. "I would never ever harm you, sir. You are the truest in all the land."

Alright buddy, I wouldn't say that, ha.

"Well, we've seen little action as of late. Perhaps that may spark an idea or two? Something to get the ticker pumping always works for me!" The smile forming on Dillee's face gave MC the willies, and he turned away in fear.

His head lowered, and he smiled as he did so while maintaining eye contact. It screamed at him, "Come to this bin in the dark alleyway, MC. Nothing bad will happen."

"Stop creeping me out. It's weird when you do that. Don't make me take your outfit away!"

"Sorry, sir..."

Dillee snapped back to normal, standing up straight with hands behind his back again, awaiting MC's response.

"Alright, when we catch up with Horace, we'll take a trip to the three-star dungeon that's not far from here."

BANG.

"Hey la, you going to Cygnil the unwarranted, are ya?"

The lady came bursting through and broke the door as she did so, speaking loud enough they could probably have heard the overtly loud tone from Hawkestown.

Dillee seemed to be unbothered by the event. MC turned pale, jumped and screamed, "MAMMMMM!" Frightened by the unexpected events, he went off on one. "You scared the shit out of me! What the fuck was that all about? Do you do that with all your customers?"

"Ey la. Calm down, calm down! I thought you adventurers had a bit more grit than that? What an unusual accent; I've never heard anything like that on Maliterr or Terra

MC was certainly peeved and wished he could respond how he wanted. Only a handful of people on Maliterr probably didn't know about the infamous non-sent, and he was hesitant about revealing that to people. Still though, he tried to make it passable that he wasn't that person.

"Yeah, well, you know what? I'm tough as nails, but it doesn't mean I don't get spooked. I'm not too high a level." Trying to be a big man in the moment, Dillee began looking at MC, which earned him a stare-down.

"Sir?"

"Not now, bud."

"Ehhhh whatever, la. You taking this one then? Didn't know I still had one of these, to be honest... It's been years since they were in fashion." The shopkeeper began to try folding it up, but Dillee stopped her, putting his hand on the costume.

Her face began to twitch as his leafy digits accidentally brushed against her hands. "...Ey, touch me again and I'll fookin' nut ya in the gobber, ya leeky twat."

Dillee, unfamiliar with modern politics, accidentally opened a can of worms. "Sorry sir, what's a leek?" His naivety was going to be the death of MC.

"Sir? Is he having a laugh?" Her face had turned red; blue veins formed, pulsing to the surface with bad blood. MC began to panic.

Fucking hell, Dillee... I'm gonna get slapped here. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. He's new to the world, miss. Like literally weeks old, special case. Don't mind him, haaa~"

"Mind him? I'll chop him up and serve him to the giganto-roaches! He's a cheeky fooker, this one."

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Nobody near the counter had noticed Horace return back into the store, but he certainly made himself known as he bellowed at the top of his lungs, LAMBACARDLEY, IS THAT REALLY YOU?" Horace charged towards the group of people arguing; they all turned to look at him as he rushed over. The shopkeeper's face began to light up, and the cogs deep within MC began to whirr. Lambacardley... I've definitely heard him mention a girl named that once or twice. Is this her?

"Horace? Fook off! Is that really you, la?" Lambacardley jumped over the counter, kicking MC in the face and sending him to the floor. He cupped his hands over his mouth and nose, looking up to the faded purple and black star-riddled ceiling. All he could muster in response was, "Ow, that hurt, ya git!" as a purple bruise began to form across his right cheek and nose.

Horace and Lambacardley met each other. Arms wide open, they embraced, jumping together. It was a lovely moment for the pair. Both began to shed a tear, something MC had never seen of the lad before. Despite his pain, he smiled at the two calming down and swaying close with each other.

Dillee had yet to grasp the concept of love, friendship, and mundane things. He simply walked over to the changing rooms to put on his new outfit. I'm sure one day, our fair sir will educate us all on the concepts centred around bonding, but today is not that day. 'I am become the Spider-Veggie-Monstrosity-Man,' he thought as he approached the changing room.

"Oh, Horace, it's so good to see you again, La!" A great big smile formed across her face, and Lambacardley began to glow rosy pink in her cheeks.

Horace was shaking as she pulled away from him. He stuttered, "It's so good to see you too, Labaley. It's been forever~" Their eyes met, his shaking slowed, and his tail began to wag.

MC, feeling like a third wheel, began to slowly move away from the scene, only to be caught midway through his escape by Horace's keen sense of noticing a foot in the corner of his eye moving out of sight.

"MC! Meet my old friend from the remerge, Labaley. She's from Earth. Like that Callie girl."

Dammit, I thought I'd made it out in time. MC pulled himself up off the floor. His nose had erupted with blood, which he only noticed as he leaned over and slowly dripped to the floor. Pinching it tightly, he lifted his head while reaching into his inventory for suitable aid. "Hiya, Labaley. Horace mentioned you before. Pleasure to meet you." He let go of his nose for a moment, and an iron-flavoured waterfall gushed down to the floor.

Labaley barged past him and into the backroom. "Sorry!" MC said, as he returned to pinching his nose. Horace clicked the nose back into place, causing MC's eyes to water in pain. CLICK in the air, as Horace pressed down hard and fixed it up, a soothing salve treating the bleeding.

A mop and bucket came flying over the counter and began cleaning up the blood spillage of its own accord. "Sorry, la. Still paying off the floor in here. Hope your nose is ok. Don't have the best eyesight. You'd be surprised how often I've done that. Anyways, Horace, how come you're talking like a madlad right now?"

MC held his tongue thinking, 'You could have just walked around the counter, you clown.'

"I set off a throwable indoors and fried my head."

"Oh, ok."

"You own the store?" MC followed up, realising she had said something about payments.

"Yeah. I only bought the store a year ago. I spent most of my time in the Far East after Horace and I parted ways back in the day. Had built up a fair bit of stock and thought, 'Sod it, the rent's cheap.' Maybe I can get a bit more on this side than over that way."

Dillee had reappeared, googly-eyed, Arachne costume and all. His dangly, wobbly legs and mad eyes were hard to take seriously as he spoke. "Oh, you spent time in the Sotir lands? How wonderful. I've read all about it. Truly a magnificent place. I hear Eyron Bruu enjoys frequenting the location."

Pinching herself to stop laughing, Labaley spoke up. "Yeah, that's right. Dotangstan, actually."

"Fascinating, sir… MISS. I've heard much about it. The home of the fabled riding beasts."

That was too close. Don't you trigger me now, ya scented little bugger.

"You know your stuff, dangly-head. My tutor placed me there. Didn't mind it really, 'cos I love being in hot places. Was like a seven-year holiday."

Horace and Dillee both looked at her in confusion. "What's a~" Horace tried asking. MC interjected. "It's something you do to rest, recuperate, and have a good time. Something I need about eight years of for myself. By the way, Labaley, can I interest you in a fine cooking ingredient?"

She began to approach him curiously. Horace grabbed her by the hand, pulling at her. "No! Labaley, I can't do that to ya. Pick someone else, MC!" Horace shouted. MC grinned as he was denied a chance at selling the drool. Alright then, heh.

"Oh, ok... well, I tell ya what. I actually need more Booffal leathers and Arachne silk. You can get some easily if you go to that three-star dungeon. It's easy for synthing costumes, and I'm running low on materials."

Horace beamed at her. MC wanted to make this a request, while Dillee posed on the floor, staring deeply into a mirror. Everything changed when I put on the mask, he thought, admiring his new look.

"You GOT IT, Labaley!"

"Thanks, la."

"Hey, we didn't discuss this?"

"MC, I gotta DO this."

"Alright, fine. You can go get all the containers on your own, though. We'll meet you outside."

***

Horace gathered several plastic containers as MC and Dillee ventured outside.

Dillee drew several scared and excited looks, which was better than his previous scared and grossed-out ones. "Hey look, Mum, it's Spedro-Boy!" shouted a little kid, causing Dillee to pose and smile, pointing at Dillee. "Oh shut up, Mummy's… EW gross, that outfit needs a wash!"

Other customers met him with an equal number of scared and cheery looks. "I think you picked a good one, buddy."

"You noticed me, Sir-pai!?." MC slapped his dangly head in response and carried on walking to the entrance.

***

Horace took a while to appear. MC had fallen asleep while waiting, and Dillee leaned against him, still wide awake, like a demented guard dog. When Dillee spotted Horace, he woke up MC with a gentle rocking and helped him stand.

Horace and MC exchanged the containers, ready for later, and they began walking west to Pit-N-Stop Chapel.

It was a flat and barren road to the chapel. The only sign of life was the sight of Eagle the Unbroken Duck, filling most of the sky up as he flew over, blocking the BOF out for a brief moment and turning the region cold.

"Haven't had many interactions with the colossi in a while, have we?"

"Not really. Not SINCE VIV."

"We should try and say hello to Eagle or Lipatuá when we see them next."

Dillee had noticed the chapel in the distance and charged off with excitement. Shouting at the top of his squidgy lungs or stems... I am still not sure how he functions.

Dillee's "Leonardooooo Jerkins~" triggered confused stares from the other two.

"What WAS THAT?"

"No fucking idea, lad. C'mon, let's get there before he ends up going in solo."

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