Vaudevillain

Dylan respawned somewhere in the city, the sight of airships riding on steam in his sight. A message box appeared a moment later.

For succeeding in your quest to protect Sir Worth, you have gained reputation! Your current reputation is now E. You will reach D rank after 3 more escapade(s)!

You have been defeated by Chromatic. For losing the fight, you have been docked reputation. Your current rank is now F. You will reach E rank after 1 more escapade(s)!

“Ah yes, good old janky reputation,” Dylan said. He’d stopped paying attention to it while he was Dr. Zlo. The character was already S rank. There was nowhere else to go after that.

A message from Jack appeared in his menu. Dylan opened it.

JackOLeen:

Hey the rest of us are alive. So’s the crafter.

Meet us back at the store when you can.

On my way.

Dylan looked up at one of the passing airships, a smaller model that looked to be for personal use, and transformed. Moments later a large airship took off.

He arrived at the store to see Jack and the others standing around awkwardly as Sir Worth flailed about. The crafter had apparently woken and was using all of his rather short body in animated conversation.

“The nerve! You’ll be lucky if a single tailor, dressmaker, clothier, or even a needleworker ever agrees to work with you once I’m through with everything! I’ll see it that you are blacklisted. Blacklisted!”

Dylan landed, transforming back to his heroic self a few feet above the ground and landing in a roll. Sir Worth turned, hands flailing in agitation.

“Another one, I see! Have you come to ask for a piece of clothing as well? Well, you will see not a single scrap! A single scrap of clothing!”

“Sir, please,” Dylan said placatingly. “You have survived a very distressing ordeal. You need some rest and possibly medical care.”

“I’ll tell you what I need!” Sir Worth said with a flourishing finger. “The watch! Yes! I shall have the bobbies arrest the lot of you for disturbing my peace! Not to mention the destruction of my property.”

“Dude, that wasn’t us!” Firestarter said tiredly. “We told you like, five hundred times.”

“Sixteen, by my count you liar,” Sir Worth said. “I knew you were a criminal! Lying about having a letter of recommendation to my poor staff member and causing no amount of distress to my actual customers.”

“I never said I had a letter of recommendation,” Dylan said.

“Aha! So it was you that started it all,” Sir Worth said. “Then, good sir, you shall pay for your crime. I request reimbursement for damages! I will see to it that you are drained of all your wealth and are left to squabble in the streets with the rats!”

Antonia and Mycroft chose that moment to saddle out of the store, their white clothing marred with dust. “Sir Worth!” they shouted.

The crafter turned. “Ah, Antonia! Mycroft! So good to see you! I’m terribly sorry about this entire affair, and I will see to it that these reprobates are behind bars!”

“But that’s just it, Sir Worth,” Antonia said. “These aspiring heroes saved us all. Why if it wasn’t for them Mycroft and I would be buried underneath the detritus of your elegant store.”

Sir Worth looked flabbergasted. “These cretins saved your life? Them? The ones that look like a fashion nightmare?”

“I know, I was as shocked as you,” Mycroft said.

“I do not look like a nightmare,” Mirror Mirror sniffed.

“No?” Sir Worth said. “Then you certainly walk with more confidence than sense. That dress is entirely impractical for your line of work!”

Mirror Mirror looked affronted.

Gameset stepped in. “That is why we sought you out, Sir. None of us are skilled in the manner of fashion and we heard you were the best.”

“Of course I’m the best!” Sir Worth said. “But I don’t work unless you have a recommendation.”

“Dude, we just saved your life,” Firestarter grumbled.

“And looked appalling while doing so, I’m sure,” Sir Worth said.

“Oh, Mycroft, we should vouch for them,” Antonia said. “After all, they saved our lives.”

“You’re quite right, Antonia,” Mycroft said. “It would be ungenteel to not offer assistance after they risked life and limb.”

“You’re too kind,” Gameset said.

“Then, Sir Worth?” Antonia said. “These are my saviors and I would be ever so happy if you saw to their dress.”

Sir Worth sighed. “It seems I must.” The crafter snapped his fingers at the group. “Come back in a day. By then I should have the building repaired and ready. It will also give you time to clean yourselves up for the meeting. You are downright filthy.”

“Getting down and dirty is punk, dude,” Firestarter argued.

“You might see it that way,” Sir Worth sniffed.

“Then, we will see you tomorrow,” Gameset said, pushing Firestarter away.

“See that you do,” Sir Worth said.

The crafter turned with a pretentious flourish and walked back toward his store.

“Well, that happened,” Of a Kind said after Antonia and Mycroft said their goodbyes.

“Dudes, are we sure we want this guy?” Firestarter said. “He’s kind of a pain.”

“Dang, Rip,” Sweet Dream said. “You must really dislike him.”

“Even I get annoyed when people don’t listen after the fourth or fifth time,” Riptide said.

“What do we want to do while we wait?” Dylan asked.

“There should be another Dr. Zlo quest here,” Oro said. “We could do that until tomorrow.”

“I’m down,” Jack said. “Oh, I forgot to check what we got from last time.”

“Shoot, I did too,” Dylan said.

Both players opened their inventories and navigated to a highlighted box. Once the box was outside their inventory it sprung open. Lights and gears swirled around the two in a circle before coalescing and landing in their hands.

Jack laughed. “It’ s a top hat!”

“Cute!” Sweet Dream said. She turned to Dylan. “What did you get?”

Dylan looked down at a pair of tap dancing shoes. “Aww,” he cooed.

“Dream got a suit and I got gloves,” Riptide said. “I think we can make a whole mini Dr. Zlo dudes.”

“I got a cane, so I think you’re right,” Oro said.

“Quick,, put them together!” Sweet Dream said. She took out her own piece.

Everyone quickly followed, placing the items together in Sweet Dream’s hands. The contraptions took a moment as they moved over each other, but eventually small gears appeared and interlocked with the pieces. Soon, a small Dr. Zlo stood in Sweet Dream’s hands, angrily shaking a fist at the heroes.

“I love it,” Sweet Dream said. “I wonder if I can give it new outfits.”

“Maybe we can get him a little cape and spandex,” Jack laughed.

“God, that is just weird,” Dylan said, staring at the robot.

“Why’s that? Don’t you have Zlobots?” Oro asked.

“Yeah,” Dylan said. “But it doesn’t feel the same? Like a Zlobot isn’t meant to be marketed. I don’t know the idea is weird to me.”

“We can take him apart if it makes you feel better,” Jack said.

“No, I’ll get used to it,” Dylan said.

He knew he would have to at some point. Dr. Zlo’s fame was still going strong despite Dylan’s recent break. It seemed a lot of people enjoyed his over-the-top character.

“Well, dudes,” Riptide said. “Let’s go see what Dr. Zlo has to offer next!”

“I bet its more shrink rays,” Oro said.

“I’m not taking that bet,” Dylan answered.

“So, where is this Dr. Zlo quest?” Jack asked.

“There’s two, actually,” Oro said. “Though we can only pick one. Either the Hambuck Palace or the Tower of Londinium.”

“Okay, they did not just rearrange the name of the Buckingham palace, right?” Sweet Dream asked.

“No, they did,” Oro said.

“God that’s lazy.”

“I mean, only some parts are lazy,” Oro said. “And besides, place names are lazy in real life. I don’t see why it can’t be in a game.”

“Yeah, dude,” Riptide said. “New York, New Mexico, anything in America with new in front if it.”

Jack laughed. “I say we do the Tower of Londinium. Continue with the tower theme.”

“Agreed,” Sweet Dream said. “I refuse the Hambuck Palace on the grounds the name is stupid.”

“Alright,” Dylan laughed. “Let’s do the tower.”

“Watch out, Dr. Zlo!” Riptide laughed. “We’re coming after you!”