Oscar

As Oscar drew ever closer to the quest location, another wolf appeared. It seemed he would have to fight just to make it to the boss. Fitting, really. A boss was, after all, a test of all the skills you'd learned. Najarala's gilded edge glowed with a purple light as he stepped forward and delivered a combo of slashes to the wolf. Blow after blow thundered down upon the poor wolf and shredded through its health bar like a hot knife through butter. A final vertical chop dashed the wolf to bits. These creatures had extremely low health. He had to wonder just how much health the boss would have if its minions were being defeated in a single Sword Art. Regardless, he and Gob-Gob pushed forward. They were so close to the boss's location now. Just a little farther now and all of Gatsly's troubles would be gone, sliced apart by the edge of Oscar's blade.

Attracted by the smell of the meat, a wolf slinked out of the underbrush. He was getting close to the location where Gatsly's caravans were being hit. The wildlife here would be especially aggressive. Oscar drew his blade and rushed in. He delivered a fast combo of slices to the wolf, depleting its health bar by large chunks with every swipe. Once the wolf was down to ten percent health Oscar dealt the Coup de Grace. A powerful vertical chop bit deep into the wolf's back. The creature exploded in a burst of crystalline shards. It was too weak to give loot, but he saw that his quest tracker updated. Apparently he needed to cull the local wolf population and defeat the boss to pass this quest. If the wolves were this weak, it shouldn't pose that much of a challenge. Then again, he was right at the edge of the recommended level for this quest. He expected he would have an easier time because of that.

Oscar followed his quest tracker to the forest outside of Urbus. He wandered about, Gob-Gob following along behind him. The forest was serene, juxtaposing the dangers that lurked within. The azure-clad man was giddy with anticipation. This was the first real boss he would fight. Other than, of course, the Gemini. But he hardly counted. Oscar had cheesed that fight with Thorns and an Immolation Potion. No, this would be his first boss fight. He would rely on nothing but the damage from his weapon to complete it. As he walked, he munched on his Chili Dog with Chili Fries. He felt the power coursing through his veins with every bite, but his mitigation was lowered as a result. No matter. He had more than enough Evasion to deal with any oncoming attacks. But, just to be safe, he washed it down with his Steel-Infused Hot Dog to bring his Mitigation back up to 18 points.

Oscar had two hefty orders to fill. One was mostly done. He could fill it with food he had already crafted. So long as the client got the buffs he wanted, he probably wouldn't care about what the actual food was. But the second order was the real issue. He didn't have any of it crafted. So he had to start from scratch. Try as he might, Oscar could only craft a single item for the order. He didn't let that get him down though. It might take him a bit, but he would slowly but surely fill that Mitigation food order.

It wasn't often that Oscar found himself on Floor 5. After all, his house was on Floor 7 and his shop was on Floor 1. Not much reason to go anywhere else but there unless he was doing a quest. But today was different. He felt a little spontaneous today, with just a dash of wanderlust. He wanted to really take in the sights and enjoy himself today. The moment he stepped off of the teleportation platform, he instantly regretted the decision.

Floor 5 was hot. Being from Boston, Oscar loved the cold. The same could not be said for the heat. He absolutely loathed it. If he had the ability to sweat, he would have begun to do so as soon as the wave of torridity washed over him. But he was stubborn. Not only that, but he caught a glimpse of the fiery crimson hair that belong to his favorite depressed child, Kirbs. In spite of the hotness, Oscar followed her out to one of the Outposts. She looked absolutely destroyed. Had she slept at all? He wondered if she needed some company. Maybe that would move her just a bit in the right direction towards relief.

When she stopped, he approached and tapped her on the shoulder. He plastered his widest smile on his face, even though he was miserable in the baking sun. "Heya Kirbs! What brings you out here?" It was at this point he noticed the other girl trying to comfort the red-haired maiden. He gave her a polite nod in greeting. He would have like to warn her that Kirbs didn't take lightly to anyone needling her about her mental state, but that would have been rude to discuss in front of Kirbs. She'd learn quick though.

Hoo boy would she learn.

Accepted

Thread Summary
3 SP
1 for Quest Completion
2 for Thread Completion
3200 Col
400 for Thread Completion

Loot Summary
Golem - ID: 121733 LD8, CD11
840 Col, Rare Trinket, 2 T1 Materials
Golem - ID: 121755 LD20, CD9
1260 Col, Perfect Weapon, 2 T1 Materials
Golem - ID: 121769 LD5, CD2
700 Col, 2 T1 Materials

After the hike, Oscar had arrived at the gates of Deepedge. A short jaunt later and his boots were clattering against the stone dias that was the Teleportation Platform. He headed down to the Town of Beginnings and made his way to the ghetto. He saw the Crusty Bahrnacle right next to his shop. He smiled, thinking fondly of his friend. Then, he disappeared inside his Hot Dog Stand. He hadn't had many customers, but hopefully that would change soon. After all, he didn't really see any other shops down here selling food. Gob-Gob sat at the bar while Oscar headed into the kitchen to start stocking his hot bar. There were a few regulars that came by looking for his delicious meat cylinders. He didn't really charge them too much for food. It was only the ones that had the good buffs that he would charge for. But even then, he'd rather set up a trade or just give it away. He crafted because it was fun, not to make Col.

The scenic route took them around a large lake. The mist rolling off of the surface was so beautiful in the morning sun that Oscar had to stop and stare for a bit. It was so peaceful. The birds were chirping, the breeze was whistling through the rocky crags. He smiled and patted Gob-Gob's head, who was flexing at his reflection in the lake. He wasn't exactly the smartest cookie. But he looked great at least. Oscar shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking again. Gob-Gob trotted on along after him. They had to climb a hill, but at the bottom would be Deepedge. His calves and lungs were burning by the time he reached the top of the steep hill. As he caught his breath, he looked down from the top. Deepedge sprawled out in front of him. It was still a little ways off, but he would be there soon enough. His breath finally returned to him and he started down the hill. In spite of the rough terrain, Oscar was enjoying the hike.

After cleaning the dishes and sweeping the fragments of the plate up, Oscar wondered what he wanted to do today. Gob-Gob's Training was finally complete. Perhaps he would go tend to his shop for the day? He grabbed Bloody Howl from its place by his bed and attached it to his hip. Then he beckoned for Gob-Gob to follow and headed out of his house. After locking up, Oscar decided to take the scenic route to Deepedge to teleport down to the Town of Beginnings. There was something about mountainous regions that just made him extremely happy. The cool air, the rocky terrain. The fine mist on the ground from the sharp, crisp air. All of it was amazing to him. He couldn't have picked a better place to call home. Oscar and Gob-Gob happily strolled along without a care in the world. Eventually they passed the spot where Oscar went on his Golem Rampage. He saw another one lying there and thought about engaging it. But then he remembered his last fight and thought better of it. So he went on his merry way.

Oscar listened to the boy's rambling. He almost laughed as Pinball asked whether stats and enhancements would save them. Did he forget that they were in a video game. Given the fact that Oscar was probably a one-shot to this man, he refrained. He didn't want to draw too much attention to himself while he was focused on Bahr. Instead, he let the boy make his speech and then went in for another Han'ei. He missed, naturally. Oscar was trying his best to help, but Pinball was far too evasive for him to land a clean hit on. He had to rely on a critical strike, but who knew when that would happen? Regardless, he'd push on. At least until it was completely unsafe to do so. Not that it was actually safe for him to be involved in this in the first place. But Oscar wasn't the type to abandon his friends in their time of need. But Bahr definitely wouldn't fault him for beating a hasty retreat if his health dipped too low. Dying in here meant dying out there after all.

He finally had an order! Now he just had to fill it! The client wanted a Churro with a Loot Die enhancement. And she would get a Churro with a Loot Die enhancement. He worked like a man possessed. Flour, cinnamon, and sugar flew in all directions. The sound of oil boiling could be heard over it all. He dropped the item into the oil and listened to the sizzle. While it cooked, he was even able to make another Focused Chili Dog with Chili Fries! He pulled the Churro out of the oil and seasoned it with cinnamon and sugar. He tapped the bell on his counter, a delightful ring filling his shop.

"Order up!"

Oscar had picked up a bill from the quest board on floor two. A merchant needed help slaying a beast that had been terrorizing his caravans. That seemed like just the job for Oscar. So, he headed to the meeting place and found the merchant sitting in a dark corner of the pub. He sat down and the merchant gave him a tired smile. He looked haggard. Like a man on the brink of ruin. These creatures must have done a ton of damage to his business by ravaging his caravans.

"You come for the bill I posted? I am Gatsly. I work as a merchant, making just enough to support me and my family, but lately all of my supply caravans have been destroyed or chased away by a ferocious beast." He looks down at the floor, "I don't have much, but if you could slay the beast, I would pay you."

The Quest Accept interface popped up and Oscar happily tapped the green circle. At that point, Gatsly told him about how the creature was deadly poisonous. He even gave Oscar and Antidote to counteract the effects of the poison.

"Next time you see me, it'll be with that beast's head. I promise you." Then, he rose from his seat and left the pub.

Oscar finished his food, despite Gob-Gob scarfing down his breakfast so noisily. He looked down at his empty plate and got an idea. It was a longshot, but perhaps it would work to help finish training the goblin. He grabbed a plate and tossed it into the air.

"Gob-Gob! Think fast."

Gob-Gob saw what Oscar did and quickly grabbed a knife from the counter. He took aim and threw it with all his might. The knife shattered the plate, causing crystalline fragments to rain down onto the counter.

"Nice one Gob-Gob!"

Oscar gave his familiar a fistbump and patted his head. He was so proud of the little Terry Crews goblin it hurt. But there was also the problem of the knife. Upon hitting the plate, it began to make a beeline straight for Oscar's face. His hand shot out and deftly grabbed the kitchen knife by the handle. He then stapped the tip into his cutting board and placed his hands on the counter. Today was shaping up to be a good day.

Oscar tossed the pancakes into the air, watching them flip like golden-brown coins as they ascended. He placed the griddle back on the heat. They descended, landing batter side down on the hot metal. They sizzled and cracked as the heat cooked the remaining batter. Oscar just wished that he'd had someone who could witness the feat of culinary dexterity. Alas, there was no one but Gob-Gob. Oscar plated their breakfasts and poured maple syrup over the pancakes. Then, he stood at the counter and began to eat. Watching Gob-Gob ravenously eat his meal with nothing but his hands made him wonder if humanoid familiars could be trained to use silverware? It was worth a shot at the very least. It put Oscar off of his appetite to watch how sloppy Gob-Gob could be. Housebreaking a goblin sounded like just the test for Oscar to undertake. Plus it would be funny as heck to see a goblin eating civilized with a fork and knife.

Oscar took a deep breath, steadying himself for what was to come. The sausages were covered next to the range, so that made the timing a little better. It also kept them away from the sneaky hands of Gob-Gob. He'd already caught the goblin trying to abscond with a sausage early twice now. He broke four eggs into a large mixing bowl. He added milk, salt, and pepper before whisking it up. Then, once it was thoroughly blended, Oscar poured it into a piping-hot pan. Soon after that, he dropped six pancakes on the griddle and watched them both intently, spatula in hand. The eggs began to set up first. They needed constant motion or else they would burn. Then the pancakes began to set up. Which made Oscar wonder. What if his acrobatic feats didn't just apply to the battlefield now? He grabbed the handle of the griddle and shook it in small circles to loosen up the pancakes. They were about to find out.

"Alright, what sounds good?"

Oscar scrolled through his menu of possible breakfast choices. After a few moments, Oscar finally decided a classic. Pancakes with sausage and eggs. With the press of a button, the ingredients manifested before him. Flour, eggs, milk, sausage. The works. First, he began to mix the batter in a large silver mixing bowl. The pancakes wouldn't take nearly as long as the sausage links, so he put those on to try first. The sound of sizzling fat and the smell of pork roused Gob-Gob from his slumber. He came pitter-pattering down the stairs, excited at the prospect of food. He hopped up on the counter and flexed happily at Oscar. The azure-clad man smiled and gave him a fist-bump before continuing to make their breakfast. The sausages were done. Now came the hard part. He had to juggle making the eggs and the pancakes in order to have everything done before the sausages went cold.

Gob-Gob and Oscar retired to bed for the night. The familiar slumbered peacefully at the bottom of the bed. Oscar, on the other hand, did not sleep well at all. His dreams were haunted by memories of Tyson and his own inadequacies. If he'd only pushed Tyson out of the way when he saw that boar. He had plenty of health left. He could have taken the hit. So why didn't he just take it? He tossed and turned, eventually giving up on rest and getting out of the bed. He wandered down to his Slime Farm, taking the time to watch the Slimes repopulate from his last use. The blue gel-like creatures underwent a process similar to mitosis to reproduce. They ate until they were big enough and then divided, creating two copies of the original. Then they began to eat and, when they were big enough, divided again. He just stared until the sun came up. Once it began to peer over the horizon, his stomach began to growl. Time for breakfast.

Once the discs were finished, Oscar and Gob-Gob headed outside to finish the last of Gob-Gob's training. One more successful hit and the requirements in his Quest Log would be met. Oscar grabbed a freshly-cooked disc from the basket with a potholder. The heat seeped through and warmed his hand. Gob-Gob followed the disc with his eyes as Oscar threw it into the air. Gob-Gob let the javelin fly and it just barely missed its mark. Gob-Gob crossed his arms and sat down on the ground, looking absolutely dejected. Oscar gave him a warm smile and a pat on the head.

"It's okay buddy. You got this. We'll try again in the morning. It's starting to get dark."

Picking up the basket, Oscar headed inside with Gob-Gob in tow. Maybe a good night's sleep would help them both get more focused and ready to go.

The javelins were up first. Since he recently crafted them, they were in his "Recent Crafts" list. He selected the option for the javelins and started crafting. A stick, some thread, and a tiny tip popped into existence in front of him. He fastened the tip to the stick with the thread, making sure that the tip wouldn't fly off easily. Then, he tied the thread tight and sealed it with some wax. It wasn't the sturdiest item, but it would work. Oscar repeated this four more times. Five javelins should be more than enough. He added them to the basket and preheated his oven. It was time for the discs. They would need heat to be crafted and his oven would do perfectly. He didn't want the discs to be too brittle or too strong. He just wanted them to be durable enough to be thrown without shattering in his hand. He selected the option in his Recent Crafts for the discs and they were added to the oven.

By the time Oscar had finished preparing and plating the salad, the fish was done cooking. Each piece was placed on a bed of greens and drizzled with a lemon-based vinaigrette. This would enhance the flavor of both the fish and the greens. He placed one plate in front of Gob-Gob and one in front of himself after he killed the heat on the range. Together, the two of them ate at the counter. Oscar used a fork while Gob-Gob shoveled the food into his mouth with his hands. When they were finished, Gob-Gob helped Oscar wash up the dishes. With full bellies and a clean kitchen, Oscar gave a contented sigh as he opened up his crafting menu. He needed to make more tools for Gob-Gob to train with. A small perk of being a crafter of any type is that you could make vanity items. They provided no stats, but could be used as an override for your equipment. Or, in this case, provide a way to make tiny javelins and clay discs for Gob-Gob.

By the time Oscar had finished preparing and plating the salad, the fish was done cooking. Each piece was placed on a bed of greens and drizzled with a lemon-based vinaigrette. This would enhance the flavor of both the fish and the greens. He placed one plate in front of Gob-Gob and one in front of himself after he killed the heat on the range. Together, the two of them ate at the counter. Oscar used a fork while Gob-Gob shoveled the food into his mouth with his hands. When they were finished, Gob-Gob helped Oscar wash up the dishes. With full bellies and a clean kitchen, Oscar gave a contented sigh as he opened up his crafting menu. He needed to make more tools for Gob-Gob to train with. A small perk of being a crafter of any type is that you could make vanity items. They provided no stats, but could be used as an override for your equipment. Or, in this case, provide a way to make tiny javelins and clay discs for Gob-Gob.

Back home on the Oscar-Meyer Mansion, the azure-clad man made a beeline for the kitchen. He was starving. If he was starving he could only imagine that Gob-Gob was starving too. He grabbed some of the fish that Ol' Pete had given him and began seasoning it while the pan heated up on the range. Then, he added a drop or two of oil - just enough to cover the bottom of the pan - and added the fish, skin down, into the skillet. The fish sizzled, popped, and crackled as the heat began searing it. When he saw the fat begin to render and ooze from the meat, he used a spatula to flip it over in the pan, applying heat to the meat and sealing in the juices. As it cooked, Oscar began to craft a salad to go with the fish. Something light with plenty of greens to absorb the juices of the fish would be perfect. Gob-Gob had hopped onto the counter and was watching Oscar intently. He was definitely in his element right now. A far cry from the fight earlier.

Oscar grabbed a disc and Gob-Gob grabbed a javelin. Gob-Gob followed the disc as Oscar moved it around. Then, he finally tossed it into the air. Gob-Gob threw the javelin, but it slipped from his fingers at the last second and dug itself into the ground. Gob-Gob looked dejected as the clay disc fell from the sky and shattered on the ground, unharmed. Oscar merely patted his head and gave him words of encouragement. He looked down at the baskets and saw that he was out of discs and javelins. He would need to head home and make some more. Perhaps some lunch was in order as well. He picked up the baskets and handed beckoned for Gob-Gob to follow them. A nice rest after coming this far was a well-deserved reward. Gob-Gob would get there eventually, Oscar was sure of it. Until then, he would take his time, giving his familiar all the love and attention it needed to succeed.