Chapter 5
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Q rubbed his chest, his clothes dripping water onto the rocks.
"Display all stats."
Q
Level 10
Base Class:N/A TAP Class: NPC Assassin
Rank:TAP Class Step 1
Skills: Unknown
Statistics
Strength 20
Endurance 26
Intelligence 22
Agility 21
Luck 6
Charisma 5
He noticed a blinking icon on his hud and activated it.
System Message: TAP skill discovered
TAP: NPC Assassin
Skill Name: Hiding in Plain site.
Description: Enables character to assume 3 basic NPC identities, Guardsman, Shopkeeper and Dock Worker. Character cannot initiate or take part in combat while using this skill.
System Message: TAP skill discovered
TAP: NPC Assassin
Skill Name: The Quest Giver
Description: Enables character to give low level quests to other characters. Use of this skill is restricted to Hiding in Plain site.
"Hmm. so I can only activate the second while using the first."
System Message: TAP Skill discovered.
TAP:NPC Assassin
Skill Name: Natural Leader
Description: Players and NPCs who have a favorable impression of you will be given
the option of following you.
"Display all stats again."
Q
Level 10
Base Class:N/A TAP Class: NPC Assassin
Rank:TAP Class Step 1
Statistics
Strength 20
Endurance 26
Intelligence 22
Agility 21
Luck 6
System Message: Default for this class is Anonymous. Please state preference.
"Hide all class information including skills. Hide location information. Display name and statistics only."
Q inhaled deeply and took a seat on one of the benches near the fountain. The warm sun on his face and the peaceful sound of water trickling made him feel sleepy. "Most people play this game when they sleep, how does that work if you fall asleep in the game? Kinda makes you think."
"You can't fall asleep in the game, the most you will be able to do is feel drowsy and have a quick daydream. In a few minutes you will be completely refreshed."
Q looked up. It was a new comer who had spoken. The only other player he had seen all day. "Oh I see." Q closed his eyes anyways completely ignoring the other player. Q felt himself fade for a few moments and then his eyes blinked open, he did feel completely refreshed.
The man was still there, he had taken a seat on the fountain bench also. "Hey, why is your backpack covered in blood? "
Q looked at the man warily as he opened up his backpack and started removing rocks, when he was done he closed it and stood up."
The man looked somewhat surprised at being ignored, however it didn't stop him from further conversing. "Why was your backpack full of rocks?"
"I filled it with rocks of course." Q gave him his best -leave me alone look- and stood up.
"Wait a moment friend. I don't understand yet."
"No offense, but do I need to explain myself to you?" Q turned away and started walking.
"Hey, hey.. I'm just a bit nervous, I'm Bo Jangles. You understand right? " The man laughed knowingly.
Q stared at him for a moment. Damn, the way he was dressed. He wore brightly colored silks of all colors and had a mandolin strapped to his back. His features looked slightly feminine and his name..Bo Jangles.
"Fine fine." Q scratched his head before continuing. " I'll give you some advice. First.. Don't dress like such a dandy, you already look too much like a woman. Secondly petition for a name change, or else everyone will call you BJ as you level up. And lastly, don't use the 1000 credits of start-up money for a weapon. Just fill your backpack with rocks and use it to kill the wolves. You can pocket that 1000 credits. It's win-win."
Bo Jangles stared at Q as he spoke. His face going through an entire gambit of emotions. Finally when he finished Bo Jangles threw back his head and laughed heartily. "Oh shit…. Hahaha.. You used a bag full of rocks to kill the wolves in the beginner quest?"
He seemed to calm down after a few moments but then completely lost it again and sat back down gasping for air.. "you're going to kill me.. hahahaa."
Q gave him a deadpan look. "Well, advice is free of course. Since you know about the quests you must have already finished them."
"Hahaha… oh shit.. damn." His girly face was split into a wide grin as he spoke. "Don't you know who I am?"
"Yeah, you told me remember? Bo Jangles... Is there something wrong with your head?" Q strung his backpack over one shoulder and started to to exit out.
"Hey wait.. You are leaving?" Bo Jangles stared at him, his face suddenly solemn.
"Yep, I have things to do." With a wave of his hand he clicked the exit option."
A message popped up in on his hud, "Do you wish to Exit?"
"Wait. Wait a moment Q. Sorry I don't want to hold you up." He smiled to himself as he rummaged through his huge and brightly colored pack.
"Thanks to you I've been able to properly adjust my condition." He withdrew his hand from the bag and handed Q a small golden card. Q accepted the card without really looking at it.
Bo Jangle shrugged as he shouldered his pack. "That's a rare drop, use it correctly and you will receive something nice." Jangle gave him a creepy smile. "I'm scared of needles myself."
Q stared after him as he walked away, "with any luck I won't have to deal with you again."
************
With a quick flick of his hand Jangles deactivated his anonymous setting.
Bo Jangles
Base Class: Troupe Master
Sub Class:Bard TAP Class:Rockstar
Level 91
He sighed tiredly as he remembered what today was. Today he was headed to the arena to fight his two best friends. The three of them had started out together, having a lot of fun and living the good life. TAP meant fame, endorsements, even record albums for a bard like him. The wealth and prestige wasn't something he was ready for.
At first it was easy. His girlfriend loved to play, his best friend love to play. The three of them were a great team. They built the biggest guild together. The three of them owned deeds to land that took up half of a continent.
Then it slowly came apart. They started losing guild-wars, wipes on raids became a regular thing. The three legends were failing. Sometime during these events they had gotten together. Bo gritted his teeth as he tried to be calm.
Now they would fight. The two of them against him. They offered to let him have a teammate, but he knew he didn't need one. It was winner take all. All the land, all the in-game currency and control of Concert Hall--the biggest guild in TAP. The loser must forfeit everything and receive a life time ban from TAP, never to play again.
He quietly unslung his mandolin and started lightly strumming the strings. With light steps and heavy heart he made his way to the arena. The entire world was watching. Well.. everyone but that kid. A smile once again played on his face as he strolled into the limelight.
*************
Q took a look at the gold card Jangles had given him. It felt metallic to the touch. One side was a dark gold, while on the other was a drawing of a beautifully tattooed woman. The words at the top of the card said, "The Painted Lady."
Q grinned to himself,''was that pervert passing me smut?"
System Message: Do you wish to activate the Painted Lady?
Q rubbed his chest where the coin had slammed into him. "Yes."
The world around him disappeared. He found himself in a brightly lit tent, there was a padded table placed in the center. A golden book sat on top of it.
"Welcome." Without a doubt, it was the woman depicted on the card. She had long silky black hair that flowed down her back. Her dark brown eyes watched him cautiously as she walked towards him..
'Damn... Q hadn't ever seen something so impressive.' Every part of her was covered in tattoos. She wore a thin white veil draped around her, it did nothing to hide her womanly attributes. He looked away quickly, but it took a lot of effort.
Her laughter filled the tent. "You shall only see me once in your life, there is no need to look away."
Q nodded, but didn't look at her any further. Instead he walked toward the table.
She followed him slowly, walking past him when he stopped, she brushed against him, much the same way a cat would. "Please.. take a look at the book."
"Hmm?" He opened the book, carefully turning the pages. Every page was filled with intricate drawings of different tattoos. "Wow, you can do all of these?"
"Those are the ones I have already done, I never repeat the same tattoo."
There was one other piece of furniture in the tent, a small round table with stacks of drawings on it. He glanced through them, "these wing drawings, make you fly?"
"I'm creating those for some nonhuman friends." She placed a hand on his shoulder, "What do you think abut my tattoos?"
"Well... that's a shit-ton of tats.' Q smiled innocently. "How do I leave this place?"
She gave him a confused look. "The door will take you back to where you were, but you haven't made a choice yet."
Q smiled, "yes I have, I'm choosing not to get one."
She sat back on the table, letting the veil fall to the floor, it caressed her painted skin all the way to the ground. "Even if it means spending time with me?"
Q's grin widened. One certainty.. when something sounded too good to be true, it wasn't true. "You may think you made the choice harder, but actually you made it easier."
Her eyes seemed to cloud over as he walked toward the entrance. "You are leaving?"
"Yep! Nice ink by the way." He ducked through the tent entrance and it vanished around him.
There was no sign of the gold card when he reappeared in the market place. He checked the game time, 'that interaction with the Painted Lady actually took two hours?' "I swear I was only in there for five minutes."
Q shrugged and put the drawings he had 'borrowed' in his inventory. "That damn Jangles, for some reason I feel like I was in serious danger."
"Log-Off TAP."
Q sat up stretching, he left his VR headset on. "Log-On Exodus."
Exodus Interface Acquired: Destination?
"Gaming Hub, Exodus Academy."
Q walked in through the doors of the Academy, down the hall on the right was the service window, where he had first been issued his Fodder bracelet. There was a cheerful looking girl in an Exodus uniform sitting in front of it. She had a gold nameplate pinned to her right breast pocket that read Tai. "May I help you?"
Q removed his Fodder bracelet and sat it down on the counter. "Quinn Riley, terminating the Fodder contract."
If the girl was surprised she didn't show it. She held the bracelet over her hud, an image of Quinn popped up. She seemed a bit surprised then. "You've done a lot of work for us in the past Mr. Riley, almost 900 raids in three years."
"Yep. Thanks for the employment, but I'm done being a Fodder." He gave her a quick wave and walked away. The smile on his face growing as he approached the door.
"Log-Off Exodus."
Tai watched him log-out and then reopened her hud. The screen stayed black, audio only. "You asked me to let you know if a certain person made any moves. He just terminated his Fodder contract."
"The dossier you sent me earlier is everything?" A male voice asked in a hushed tone.
"Yes, listen this information is confidential. I could get in a lot of trouble." Tai looked over her shoulder for the third time since the call began.
"Concert Hall will have a position for you when Tap joins Exodus, let me know if you hear anything else."
"Understood." Tai cut Com and leaned back in her chair. "All this for a B Ranker?"
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Q rubbed his chest, his clothes dripping water onto the rocks.
"Display all stats."
Q
Level 10
Base Class:N/A TAP Class: NPC Assassin
Rank:TAP Class Step 1
Skills: Unknown
Statistics
Strength 20
Endurance 26
Intelligence 22
Agility 21
Luck 6
Charisma 5
He noticed a blinking icon on his hud and activated it.
System Message: TAP skill discovered
TAP: NPC Assassin
Skill Name: Hiding in Plain site.
Description: Enables character to assume 3 basic NPC identities, Guardsman, Shopkeeper and Dock Worker. Character cannot initiate or take part in combat while using this skill.
System Message: TAP skill discovered
TAP: NPC Assassin
Skill Name: The Quest Giver
Description: Enables character to give low level quests to other characters. Use of this skill is restricted to Hiding in Plain site.
"Hmm. so I can only activate the second while using the first."
System Message: TAP Skill discovered.
TAP:NPC Assassin
Skill Name: Natural Leader
Description: Players and NPCs who have a favorable impression of you will be given
the option of following you.
"Display all stats again."
Q
Level 10
Base Class:N/A TAP Class: NPC Assassin
Rank:TAP Class Step 1
Statistics
Strength 20
Endurance 26
Intelligence 22
Agility 21
Luck 6
System Message: Default for this class is Anonymous. Please state preference.
"Hide all class information including skills. Hide location information. Display name and statistics only."
Q inhaled deeply and took a seat on one of the benches near the fountain. The warm sun on his face and the peaceful sound of water trickling made him feel sleepy. "Most people play this game when they sleep, how does that work if you fall asleep in the game? Kinda makes you think."
"You can't fall asleep in the game, the most you will be able to do is feel drowsy and have a quick daydream. In a few minutes you will be completely refreshed."
Q looked up. It was a new comer who had spoken. The only other player he had seen all day. "Oh I see." Q closed his eyes anyways completely ignoring the other player. Q felt himself fade for a few moments and then his eyes blinked open, he did feel completely refreshed.
The man was still there, he had taken a seat on the fountain bench also. "Hey, why is your backpack covered in blood? "
Q looked at the man warily as he opened up his backpack and started removing rocks, when he was done he closed it and stood up."
The man looked somewhat surprised at being ignored, however it didn't stop him from further conversing. "Why was your backpack full of rocks?"
"I filled it with rocks of course." Q gave him his best -leave me alone look- and stood up.
"Wait a moment friend. I don't understand yet."
"No offense, but do I need to explain myself to you?" Q turned away and started walking.
"Hey, hey.. I'm just a bit nervous, I'm Bo Jangles. You understand right? " The man laughed knowingly.
Q stared at him for a moment. Damn, the way he was dressed. He wore brightly colored silks of all colors and had a mandolin strapped to his back. His features looked slightly feminine and his name..Bo Jangles.
"Fine fine." Q scratched his head before continuing. " I'll give you some advice. First.. Don't dress like such a dandy, you already look too much like a woman. Secondly petition for a name change, or else everyone will call you BJ as you level up. And lastly, don't use the 1000 credits of start-up money for a weapon. Just fill your backpack with rocks and use it to kill the wolves. You can pocket that 1000 credits. It's win-win."
Bo Jangles stared at Q as he spoke. His face going through an entire gambit of emotions. Finally when he finished Bo Jangles threw back his head and laughed heartily. "Oh shit…. Hahaha.. You used a bag full of rocks to kill the wolves in the beginner quest?"
He seemed to calm down after a few moments but then completely lost it again and sat back down gasping for air.. "you're going to kill me.. hahahaa."
Q gave him a deadpan look. "Well, advice is free of course. Since you know about the quests you must have already finished them."
"Hahaha… oh shit.. damn." His girly face was split into a wide grin as he spoke. "Don't you know who I am?"
"Yeah, you told me remember? Bo Jangles... Is there something wrong with your head?" Q strung his backpack over one shoulder and started to to exit out.
"Hey wait.. You are leaving?" Bo Jangles stared at him, his face suddenly solemn.
"Yep, I have things to do." With a wave of his hand he clicked the exit option."
A message popped up in on his hud, "Do you wish to Exit?"
"Wait. Wait a moment Q. Sorry I don't want to hold you up." He smiled to himself as he rummaged through his huge and brightly colored pack.
"Thanks to you I've been able to properly adjust my condition." He withdrew his hand from the bag and handed Q a small golden card. Q accepted the card without really looking at it.
Bo Jangle shrugged as he shouldered his pack. "That's a rare drop, use it correctly and you will receive something nice." Jangle gave him a creepy smile. "I'm scared of needles myself."
Q stared after him as he walked away, "with any luck I won't have to deal with you again."
************
With a quick flick of his hand Jangles deactivated his anonymous setting.
Bo Jangles
Base Class: Troupe Master
Sub Class:Bard TAP Class:Rockstar
Level 91
He sighed tiredly as he remembered what today was. Today he was headed to the arena to fight his two best friends. The three of them had started out together, having a lot of fun and living the good life. TAP meant fame, endorsements, even record albums for a bard like him. The wealth and prestige wasn't something he was ready for.
At first it was easy. His girlfriend loved to play, his best friend love to play. The three of them were a great team. They built the biggest guild together. The three of them owned deeds to land that took up half of a continent.
Then it slowly came apart. They started losing guild-wars, wipes on raids became a regular thing. The three legends were failing. Sometime during these events they had gotten together. Bo gritted his teeth as he tried to be calm.
Now they would fight. The two of them against him. They offered to let him have a teammate, but he knew he didn't need one. It was winner take all. All the land, all the in-game currency and control of Concert Hall--the biggest guild in TAP. The loser must forfeit everything and receive a life time ban from TAP, never to play again.
He quietly unslung his mandolin and started lightly strumming the strings. With light steps and heavy heart he made his way to the arena. The entire world was watching. Well.. everyone but that kid. A smile once again played on his face as he strolled into the limelight.
*************
Q took a look at the gold card Jangles had given him. It felt metallic to the touch. One side was a dark gold, while on the other was a drawing of a beautifully tattooed woman. The words at the top of the card said, "The Painted Lady."
Q grinned to himself,''was that pervert passing me smut?"
System Message: Do you wish to activate the Painted Lady?
Q rubbed his chest where the coin had slammed into him. "Yes."
The world around him disappeared. He found himself in a brightly lit tent, there was a padded table placed in the center. A golden book sat on top of it.
"Welcome." Without a doubt, it was the woman depicted on the card. She had long silky black hair that flowed down her back. Her dark brown eyes watched him cautiously as she walked towards him..
'Damn... Q hadn't ever seen something so impressive.' Every part of her was covered in tattoos. She wore a thin white veil draped around her, it did nothing to hide her womanly attributes. He looked away quickly, but it took a lot of effort.
Her laughter filled the tent. "You shall only see me once in your life, there is no need to look away."
Q nodded, but didn't look at her any further. Instead he walked toward the table.
She followed him slowly, walking past him when he stopped, she brushed against him, much the same way a cat would. "Please.. take a look at the book."
"Hmm?" He opened the book, carefully turning the pages. Every page was filled with intricate drawings of different tattoos. "Wow, you can do all of these?"
"Those are the ones I have already done, I never repeat the same tattoo."
There was one other piece of furniture in the tent, a small round table with stacks of drawings on it. He glanced through them, "these wing drawings, make you fly?"
"I'm creating those for some nonhuman friends." She placed a hand on his shoulder, "What do you think abut my tattoos?"
"Well... that's a shit-ton of tats.' Q smiled innocently. "How do I leave this place?"
She gave him a confused look. "The door will take you back to where you were, but you haven't made a choice yet."
Q smiled, "yes I have, I'm choosing not to get one."
She sat back on the table, letting the veil fall to the floor, it caressed her painted skin all the way to the ground. "Even if it means spending time with me?"
Q's grin widened. One certainty.. when something sounded too good to be true, it wasn't true. "You may think you made the choice harder, but actually you made it easier."
Her eyes seemed to cloud over as he walked toward the entrance. "You are leaving?"
"Yep! Nice ink by the way." He ducked through the tent entrance and it vanished around him.
There was no sign of the gold card when he reappeared in the market place. He checked the game time, 'that interaction with the Painted Lady actually took two hours?' "I swear I was only in there for five minutes."
Q shrugged and put the drawings he had 'borrowed' in his inventory. "That damn Jangles, for some reason I feel like I was in serious danger."
"Log-Off TAP."
Q sat up stretching, he left his VR headset on. "Log-On Exodus."
Exodus Interface Acquired: Destination?
"Gaming Hub, Exodus Academy."
Q walked in through the doors of the Academy, down the hall on the right was the service window, where he had first been issued his Fodder bracelet. There was a cheerful looking girl in an Exodus uniform sitting in front of it. She had a gold nameplate pinned to her right breast pocket that read Tai. "May I help you?"
Q removed his Fodder bracelet and sat it down on the counter. "Quinn Riley, terminating the Fodder contract."
If the girl was surprised she didn't show it. She held the bracelet over her hud, an image of Quinn popped up. She seemed a bit surprised then. "You've done a lot of work for us in the past Mr. Riley, almost 900 raids in three years."
"Yep. Thanks for the employment, but I'm done being a Fodder." He gave her a quick wave and walked away. The smile on his face growing as he approached the door.
"Log-Off Exodus."
Tai watched him log-out and then reopened her hud. The screen stayed black, audio only. "You asked me to let you know if a certain person made any moves. He just terminated his Fodder contract."
"The dossier you sent me earlier is everything?" A male voice asked in a hushed tone.
"Yes, listen this information is confidential. I could get in a lot of trouble." Tai looked over her shoulder for the third time since the call began.
"Concert Hall will have a position for you when Tap joins Exodus, let me know if you hear anything else."
"Understood." Tai cut Com and leaned back in her chair. "All this for a B Ranker?"
Q rubbed his chest, his clothes dripping water onto the rocks."Display all stats."QLevel 10Base Class:N/A TAP Class: NPC AssassinRank:TAP Class Step 1Skills: UnknownStatisticsStrength 20Endurance 26Intelligence 22Agility 21Luck 6Charisma 5He noticed a blinking icon on his hud and activated it.System Message: TAP skill discoveredTAP: NPC AssassinSkill Name: Hiding in Plain site.Description: Enables character to assume 3 basic NPC identities, Guardsman, Shopkeeper and Dock Worker. Character cannot initiate or take part in combat while using this skill.System Message: TAP skill discoveredTAP: NPC AssassinSkill Name: The Quest GiverDescription: Enables character to give low level quests to other characters. Use of this skill is restricted to Hiding in Plain site."Hmm. so I can only activate the second while using the first."System Message: TAP Skill discovered.TAP:NPC AssassinSkill Name: Natural LeaderDescription: Players and NPCs who have a favorable impression of you will be giventhe option of following you."Display all stats again."QLevel 10Base Class:N/A TAP Class: NPC AssassinRank:TAP Class Step 1StatisticsStrength 20Endurance 26Intelligence 22Agility 21Luck 6System Message: Default for this class is Anonymous. Please state preference."Hide all class information including skills. Hide location information. Display name and statistics only."Q inhaled deeply and took a seat on one of the benches near the fountain. The warm sun on his face and the peaceful sound of water trickling made him feel sleepy. "Most people play this game when they sleep, how does that work if you fall asleep in the game? Kinda makes you think.""You can't fall asleep in the game, the most you will be able to do is feel drowsy and have a quick daydream. In a few minutes you will be completely refreshed."Q looked up. It was a new comer who had spoken. The only other player he had seen all day. "Oh I see." Q closed his eyes anyways completely ignoring the other player. Q felt himself fade for a few moments and then his eyes blinked open, he did feel completely refreshed.The man was still there, he had taken a seat on the fountain bench also. "Hey, why is your backpack covered in blood? "Q looked at the man warily as he opened up his backpack and started removing rocks, when he was done he closed it and stood up."The man looked somewhat surprised at being ignored, however it didn't stop him from further conversing. "Why was your backpack full of rocks?""I filled it with rocks of course." Q gave him his best -leave me alone look- and stood up."Wait a moment friend. I don't understand yet.""No offense, but do I need to explain myself to you?" Q turned away and started walking."Hey, hey.. I'm just a bit nervous, I'm Bo Jangles. You understand right? " The man laughed knowingly.Q stared at him for a moment. Damn, the way he was dressed. He wore brightly colored silks of all colors and had a mandolin strapped to his back. His features looked slightly feminine and his name..Bo Jangles."Fine fine." Q scratched his head before continuing. " I'll give you some advice. First.. Don't dress like such a dandy, you already look too much like a woman. Secondly petition for a name change, or else everyone will call you BJ as you level up. And lastly, don't use the 1000 credits of start-up money for a weapon. Just fill your backpack with rocks and use it to kill the wolves. You can pocket that 1000 credits. It's win-win."Bo Jangles stared at Q as he spoke. His face going through an entire gambit of emotions. Finally when he finished Bo Jangles threw back his head and laughed heartily. "Oh shit. Hahaha.. You used a bag full of rocks to kill the wolves in the beginner quest?"He seemed to calm down after a few moments but then completely lost it again and sat back down gasping for air.. "you're going to kill me.. hahahaa."Q gave him a deadpan look. "Well, advice is free of course. Since you know about the quests you must have already finished them.""Hahaha oh shit.. damn." His girly face was split into a wide grin as he spoke. "Don't you know who I am?""Yeah, you told me remember? Bo Jangles... Is there something wrong with your head?" Q strung his backpack over one shoulder and started to to exit out."Hey wait.. You are leaving?" Bo Jangles stared at him, his face suddenly solemn."Yep, I have things to do." With a wave of his hand he clicked the exit option."A message popped up in on his hud, "Do you wish to Exit?""Wait. Wait a moment Q. Sorry I don't want to hold you up." He smiled to himself as he rummaged through his huge and brightly colored pack."Thanks to you I've been able to properly adjust my condition." He withdrew his hand from the bag and handed Q a small golden card. Q accepted the card without really looking at it.Bo Jangle shrugged as he shouldered his pack. "That's a rare drop, use it correctly and you will receive something nice." Jangle gave him a creepy smile. "I'm scared of needles myself."Q stared after him as he walked away, "with any luck I won't have to deal with you again."************With a quick flick of his hand Jangles deactivated his anonymous setting.Bo JanglesBase Class: Troupe MasterSub Class:Bard TAP Class:RockstarLevel 91He sighed tiredly as he remembered what today was. Today he was headed to the arena to fight his two best friends. The three of them had started out together, having a lot of fun and living the good life. TAP meant fame, endorsements, even record albums for a bard like him. The wealth and prestige wasn't something he was ready for.At first it was easy. His girlfriend loved to play, his best friend love to play. The three of them were a great team. They built the biggest guild together. The three of them owned deeds to land that took up half of a continent.Then it slowly came apart. They started losing guild-wars, wipes on raids became a regular thing. The three legends were failing. Sometime during these events they had gotten together. Bo gritted his teeth as he tried to be calm.Now they would fight. The two of them against him. They offered to let him have a teammate, but he knew he didn't need one. It was winner take all. All the land, all the in-game currency and control of Concert Hall--the biggest guild in TAP. The loser must forfeit everything and receive a life time ban from TAP, never to play again.He quietly unslung his mandolin and started lightly strumming the strings. With light steps and heavy heart he made his way to the arena. The entire world was watching. Well.. everyone but that kid. A smile once again played on his face as he strolled into the limelight.*************Q took a look at the gold card Jangles had given him. It felt metallic to the touch. One side was a dark gold, while on the other was a drawing of a beautifully tattooed woman. The words at the top of the card said, "The Painted Lady."Q grinned to himself,''was that pervert passing me smut?"System Message: Do you wish to activate the Painted Lady?Q rubbed his chest where the coin had slammed into him. "Yes."The world around him disappeared. He found himself in a brightly lit tent, there was a padded table placed in the center. A golden book sat on top of it."Welcome." Without a doubt, it was the woman depicted on the card. She had long silky black hair that flowed down her back. Her dark brown eyes watched him cautiously as she walked towards him..'Damn... Q hadn't ever seen something so impressive.' Every part of her was covered in tattoos. She wore a thin white veil draped around her, it did nothing to hide her womanly attributes. He looked away quickly, but it took a lot of effort.Her laughter filled the tent. "You shall only see me once in your life, there is no need to look away."Q nodded, but didn't look at her any further. Instead he walked toward the table.She followed him slowly, walking past him when he stopped, she brushed against him, much the same way a cat would. "Please.. take a look at the book.""Hmm?" He opened the book, carefully turning the pages. Every page was filled with intricate drawings of different tattoos. "Wow, you can do all of these?""Those are the ones I have already done, I never repeat the same tattoo."There was one other piece of furniture in the tent, a small round table with stacks of drawings on it. He glanced through them, "these wing drawings, make you fly?""I'm creating those for some nonhuman friends." She placed a hand on his shoulder, "What do you think abut my tattoos?""Well... that's a shit-ton of tats.' Q smiled innocently. "How do I leave this place?"She gave him a confused look. "The door will take you back to where you were, but you haven't made a choice yet."Q smiled, "yes I have, I'm choosing not to get one."She sat back on the table, letting the veil fall to the floor, it caressed her painted skin all the way to the ground. "Even if it means spending time with me?"Q's grin widened. One certainty.. when something sounded too good to be true, it wasn't true. "You may think you made the choice harder, but actually you made it easier."Her eyes seemed to cloud over as he walked toward the entrance. "You are leaving?""Yep! Nice ink by the way." He ducked through the tent entrance and it vanished around him.There was no sign of the gold card when he reappeared in the market place. He checked the game time, 'that interaction with the Painted Lady actually took two hours?' "I swear I was only in there for five minutes."Q shrugged and put the drawings he had 'borrowed' in his inventory. "That damn Jangles, for some reason I feel like I was in serious danger.""Log-Off TAP."Q sat up stretching, he left his VR headset on. "Log-On Exodus."Exodus Interface Acquired: Destination?"Gaming Hub, Exodus Academy."Q walked in through the doors of the Academy, down the hall on the right was the service window, where he had first been issued his Fodder bracelet. There was a cheerful looking girl in an Exodus uniform sitting in front of it. She had a gold nameplate pinned to her right breast pocket that read Tai. "May I help you?"Q removed his Fodder bracelet and sat it down on the counter. "Quinn Riley, terminating the Fodder contract."If the girl was surprised she didn't show it. She held the bracelet over her hud, an image of Quinn popped up. She seemed a bit surprised then. "You've done a lot of work for us in the past Mr. Riley, almost 900 raids in three years.""Yep. Thanks for the employment, but I'm done being a Fodder." He gave her a quick wave and walked away. The smile on his face growing as he approached the door."Log-Off Exodus."Tai watched him log-out and then reopened her hud. The screen stayed black, audio only. "You asked me to let you know if a certain person made any moves. He just terminated his Fodder contract.""The dossier you sent me earlier is everything?" A male voice asked in a hushed tone."Yes, listen this information is confidential. I could get in a lot of trouble." Tai looked over her shoulder for the third time since the call began."Concert Hall will have a position for you when Tap joins Exodus, let me know if you hear anything else.""Understood." Tai cut Com and leaned back in her chair. "All this for a B Ranker?"
