Eugene completed the last of the side quests. He managed to acquire 2000 gold, adding up to a total of 7550 gold pieces, give or take. He meandered his way into the Inn with his dragon tail flicking left and right jovially. 

Something about completing quests made him feel better on the inside. Or maybe that was the one hundred percent completionist in him. Either way, he opened the door into their shared space to find both Alex and Cassidy enjoying some type of drink with bread. 

“Have fun?” Alex questioned, he had four satchels of stuff sitting on the table. Each person would need to be responsible for their own specific items, especially when they entered places like dungeons or dangerous locations.  

“Yeah, finished all the side quests while I was out. Made some more money for us. Here.” He tossed the purse over to him. “Divide it however you please. I would hate for a pickpocket to take our money all at once.” 

Cassidy gleamed at the sight of more money. “I can’t wait to get better armor. Ohhh, I wonder if they have glamours or things to change what your outfit looks like!” She gushed happily. 

Alex nodded, also intrigued with the idea of glamours. “I mean, the system automatically glamours the clothes when we go to different worlds? Is that what it is? Or is it like places in one world?”  He began to siphon the coins into equal piles, giving the most of the coins to Cassidy. The least amount of coins went to Magnolia, but again it was for a very good reason. 

“I don’t see Mags up.” Eugene noticed the form of the girl still curled around her pillow in bed. The soft, subtle breathing could be heard at the front of the room. Cassidy sipped her glass with poignant bliss. 

Cassidy then placed her cup down to stare at all their inventory laid out. “I never understood how RPGs played with characters carrying over thousands of different materials and objects. Now I think I know how it was possible. Dimensional pockets.” 

This earned chuckles from both of the men. “Please, it’s not like you didn’t have a Bag of Holding in our Dungeons and Dragons campaign. You all but begged Fynn for it.” Alex quipped over to the girl. The tiefling’s lip curled ever so slightly, giving her quite the mischievous and charming look. 

“I want one more. And I want to put that bag into another bag of holding. Wouldn’t it be fascinating?” Cassidy imagined the interdimensional pockets tearing each other apart and smiled once more. 

“I forget that you’re more chaotic then good.” Eugene replied with his hand on his hip. “Oh—before I forget, something happened when I was buying clothes.” And he quickly discussed the mysterious stranger to their group. He also mentioned the poison resistant gear that he was looking for as well. 

“Vormud is involved with this fellow? And the NPC said he was an adventurer like us?” Alex surmised. 

“And your concern about our beta friends not here. I also had the same thought. Wouldn’t we have run into them at some point along the quest?” She crossed her arms over her chest deep in her thoughts. 

“Also us not being able to log out is an issue.” Alex reminded their group. 

“Yes. That is a problem.” Cassidy scrunched up her face in thought. “I thought to log out prior to us sleeping, but I too was rejected from the system. You would think the programmers watching would be working to resolve this. Or attempting to make contact with players to inform them of the glitch.” She leaned back in her chair. “Just more things to write in the beta log test I guess.”

Eugene walked over to Magnolia’s bed to rouse her. He figured she needed to be involved in this discussion.  “Game logistics.” He motioned with air quotes,  and then started to peer down at the sleeping lass. “And it’s time for this one to wake up. We should finish our main quest so that we can be done in Mydalr.”

“You know she hates early mornings.” Cassidy grinned.

“Yeah, well she needs to wake up. We have important things to discuss.” He plopped down onto the bed, and poked her cheeks with his pointy talon. “You know you don’t need more than 4 hours to trance. Wake up Petals.” 

“Five more minutes.” Complained Magnolia and attempted to roll away from him. Eugene took the challenge of waking her seriously now as he leaned his head over, just over her ear, and whispered. “Don’t you think that pillow is a sad substitute?”

Her eyes shot open wide, and she immediately flung herself up from the bed. Her face as bright as a red tomato. Alex and Cassidy watched this strange phenomena with interest before one asking what exactly happened. 

Eugene started to laugh at her disheveled appearance, which only made her more embarrassed.

“What on Earth did you say to her?” The ranger gave up trying to guess, and went with the direct approach. 

“Well, you see Mags and I—” For a druid with poor physical reflexes and dexterity, she jumped so fast, he had to stop to think about what had happened. She had all but silenced him using just the pillow.  The male had to yank the fluffed contraption from his face just so he could properly breathe again.  

“Don’t you say anymore. The subject is taboo.” 

Eugene’s HP reflected that total with a negative 1 damage counter against him as the pillow moved away from his face. “Sorry, I took it too far.” 

“Okay, thank you for acknowledging it.” She huffed, getting up from her bed. The group could feel the palpable tension shifting in the room.

Cassidy cleared her throat. “Mags, they have a changing hall if you’d like to change.” Magnolia gratefully took the chance to leave the room. 

“Okay, don’t leave without me!” She ran from the room with her backpack in tow.

Alex closed his eyes. “Eugene we really have to work on your people skills. That downright sucked.” 

Cassidy nodded her head. “I know you two have history, but I don’t think she wants the world to know it yet. She’s always fearful your fangirls will tear her apart as it is.” She reached for her cup once more. 

“I understa—wait what are you two talking about?” He felt like they weren’t on the same page, and his fangirls would tear her apart? 

“You can’t just openly flirt with her because you like her mate. C’mon.” Alex sighed into his piece of bread, and Cassidy agreed. She placed her cup down resolutely. 

“We’ve all known you have a thing for our Magnolia, it’s probably not the right time for it.” 

“What? No, that’s not what that was about. She has this—” Before he could explain himself Magnolia had walked in to hear where the conversation headed. And once again she immediately silenced him by jumping onto his back and clasping his mouth shut with both her hands. They tossed and tumbled, vying for control until Eugene just gave up and collapsed on the floor. Magnolia smiled brightly, her raven hair a bit messy from the tussle.  

Eugene cringed,  moping on the floor now with Magnolia sitting on his back. “You promised you wouldn’t say anything!” She remarked angrily and he could only sigh.  

“We really need to work on your people skills Mags. Really.” The dragonborn just waited until she moved before eventually getting up. “C’mon, let’s go get some actual breakfast.”