Human!Reader in Phighting concept == "Cryptid of Crossroads" PART 7
This was delayed long enough. Time to lock in.
The sound of Zuka's shop was filled with the humdrum atmosphere of the humming from the air conditioning and the muffled thuds from the outside foot traffic.
Zuka himself was sitting behind the counter of his store, Da Shop, and was counting out certain parts that had just come in off the delivery truck to pass the time between his customers.
However, it may have been a little...too quiet.
A quick glance to the clock that hung on the wall was enough to make him mentally inquire on where his adopted son, Rocket, had gone off to-- as the Inphernal was scheduled to help Zuka with moving some parts and fixing up some gears that were left at the shop...
Yet, his thought process was interrupted by the sound of an irritating device that caused Zuka to let out an exhausted sigh.
It was that damn red phone.
Zuka puts down the small parts that he was working on counting, as the poor Inphernal had already lost his place on the second ring, and he walked to the back of the store to pick up the red phone.
"Hello, this is Da Shop. Zuka speaking. How may I help you?" The gruff Inphernal mutters out into the receiver and a voice rang out that made the older demon let out yet another tired sigh.
"Zuka~! How have you been, buuuddy~?" A jovial, yet VERY familiar, voice rang out on the other side.
"Oh...it's you again." The older Inphernal grunts out in disinterest. "What do you need this time?"
"Oh, nothing much~! I'm just calling to see about when those parts that my boss ordered will be coming in? I need to plan on when to send our little couriers to Crossroads to pick up our goods, you see." The overly-friendly voice on the other end explained.
Zuka could only let out a grunt of acknowledgement.
"Alright. Let me get the ledger and I will see when the shipment is due to come in. Hold on for a moment." Zuka huffs out before laying the receiver down onto the table and walking over to the nearby file cabinet.
However, as Zuka was shifting through the files with his order ledgers in it--he heard the front door to his shop open up and a familiar voice call out for him.
"Zuka! I'm back! I also brought Meds with me, as he needs to place an order for some equipment!" Rocket shouts out into the lobby of the store, and it causes Zuka to lean out of the doorway to the back to get a look.
The older Inphernal can see his adopted son standing at the front desk with his green-colored companion standing next to him, another member of their tightly-knit friend group (and the local doctor), and both seemed to be slightly nervous.
"Oh? Do you need more parts for your patients, Medkit?" Zuka asks while walking up from the back with the ledger file in his claws.
The teal-colored Inphernal could only let out a low hum.
"Not...necessarily. It's more for a...personal project that I am undertaking in my own personal downtime." Medkit admits.
Zuka could only nod in understanding while bringing up his ordering catalogue, but his keen eyes spotted the strange book that was stuffed under one of Medkit's arms.
Even from where he was standing, he could see the title poking out just a little that it was clear enough for him to read.
"Anthropology...?" Zuka inquires and it causes both younger Inphernals to jump. "Never heard that term before. New medical practice?"
Zuka sees Rocket giving Medkit a rather tense side-eye while the doctor's forehead creased a little in tense reactivity to his question.
What was going on with these two...?
"I mean...well it's...kinda like...it's LIKE a biology book...but..." Rocket stutters while still giving Medkit a side-eye.
"It's the biological study of fantasy creatures." Medkit coolly states, only giving a partial truth. "I'm reading it purely for entertainment..."
Zuka squints at the both of them in suspicion.
"I never really took you as the type to read fantasy, Medkit." Zuka admits, as he brings up the catalogue.
"Yes...well...Sword has been getting involved with those...cryptid hunts, as of late. I suppose his enthusiasm has proven to be a little...infectious." Medkit carefully explains.
The mention of the cryptid craze that was going on around Crossroads seemed to bring a little recognition to Zuka.
"Oh. I do remember that younger Inphernals have been talking about hunting something that has been seen around Crossroads by multiple witnesses. They've been calling it "The Cryptid of Crossroads"." Zuka reminiscences.
"The witnesses say that it's taller than any Inphernal, capable of causing blackouts, and that it has no horns at all...what a ludicrous story, right? Young Inphernals will dream up anything to have some excitement around here." Zuka softly smiles while turning away from the two to pull out a pen from a holder just behind him.
Blissfully unaware at how Rocket and Medkit look at each other in a guilty manner while his back was turned.
When Zuka turned back around, Rocket was sporting a nervous smile and Medkit seemed to be trying to stay neutral, despite the small droplets of sweat on his brow.
"Uhh...yeah! You know how dumb kids are! They just let their craaazy imaginations run wild! Something living without horns?? Pssh! That isn't possible! Hahah!" Rocket stiffly adds before he checks the clock on the wall.
"Oh! Would you look at that! It's time for me to get ready for work! See you later, Medkit!" Rocket states in a hurried manner before he speed-walks out of the room and disappears into the back.
Both older Inphernals merely watch Rocket skedaddle in silence before Medkit lets out a sigh.
Then, without a word, Zuka slides the catalogue and pen over to Medkit and patiently waits for him to fill out the order forms for the parts and tools he would need.
Once Medkit was finished with his forms, he wordlessly passes it back to Zuka, who took one look at the tools ordered and he couldn't help but arch a brow in response to what he was reading.
"A handheld gem cutter? A spectrometer?? A micro-centrifuge with a dust catcher???" Zuka read out some of the order in a confused manner. "Not the typical things I expect a doctor to order, that's for sure."
Medkit can only nod in understanding.
"It's...more for my side project. Sword had found some rather interesting "rocks" and asked me to help identify them. Yet, despite my history in the science field, I am rather limited without the proper equipment to assist me." Medkit explains.
"Still. Some of this will cost a pretty penny just to perform a simple favor for a friend. I hope Sword is willing to reimburse you on the price of some of this equipment..." Zuka remarks, pointing at the price tag on some of the tools.
Yet, Medkit didn't seem fazed.
"Don't worry. Sword has a pretty useful method to repay me for this endeavor." Medkit simply states.
Zuka can only stare for a moment before shrugging.
"I see. Well, I will go ahead and get you set and ready for your next shipment. You paying with bux or card?"
The transaction went rather smoothly, as Zuka had put in for the needed parts and tools that Medkit would need for his little "side project" and the doctor could only be relieved that Zuka wasn't prying him for an explanation on everything he was purchasing.
Yet, it seemed that Zuka's curiosity on the book that was tucked under Medkit's arm seemed to finally won out in the end, as he turns away from the computer screen he was filling in the order forms with to look back at Medkit.
"Hey, while I am filling in your order...what's with the book? You said you are reading it for entertainment, but I don't think I have seen that book anywhere else...is it a new release?" Zuka casually questions.
Medkit almost seemed to slightly jump in response to the book being brought up again, but he quickly regains his composure and refocuses on the topic.
"It's not necessarily a new release. Just...very hard to find." Medkit answers cautiously.
"That's strange. I suppose since it's a fantasy book on the biologies of fantasy creatures that you are looking at it to see if there's any inaccuracies?" Zuka lightly jokes before continuing to type away on his computer.
"Somewhat." Medkit merely replies. "It's more of an old hobby that I used to have in Blackrock. I used to enjoy reading old myths and legends in ancient archives that haven't seen the light of the sun in decades when I was an apprentice..."
Zuka almost seemed surprised by that.
"The Blackrock archives? With all the scrolls on the old myths and legends about the Swords and the origin of the Inpherno?" Zuka inquires, his memory jogging a little to bring him back to his old Blackrockian days as the legend he once was.
Zuka remained puzzled for a moment.
"Hmm...you know, if you're looking to find some more books about those things, you can see if the Crossroads library has some old records or archives of their own. This place used to be looked over by Firebrand after all, so it wouldn't hurt to go and check it out when you have time." Zuka offers.
Medkit can only silently ponder his proposal.
"If it helps you make up your mind, Firebrand is also the eldest of all his siblings and was once the leader of them all before the...you know. So, if there's a potential for something to be connected to the old world of the Inpherno...then it wouldn't be a bad idea to start with him." Zuka continues.
Medkit gives it a little more thought before providing a subtle nod.
"I will try. Thank you, Zuka." Medkit responds in gratitude.
"No problem. Anyway. Here's your receipt for your order." The older Inphernal states while the printer next to his computer spits out a long piece of paper.
The shopkeeper hands over the receipt to the local doctor before they both said their goodbyes, and Medkit leaves Da Shop through the front door.
That's when Zuka decided to pick up his file full of ledgers and began to head towards the back room to place them back into the cabinet...
And that's when he noticed that the red phone was still off the receiver.
He feels a small jolt of fear jump through his skin.
He can only hope that HE didn't hear any of that.
Zuka then quickly scopes out the order invoice that the voice had requested, and locating the shipping dates for this particular "customer", and he hurries to pick up the phone.
"Thank you for waiting. Your order will arrive in the next two days. That's when you will be able to pick it up." Zuka coolly replies into the phone.
"Yeesh! It took you THAT long to answer my simple question? You're getting a little rusty, Zuka! Hehehe~!" The familiar jovial voice perks up on the other end of the phone.
"Yes...sorry about the wait." Zuka states in a tense manner. "Is there anything else you need?"
"Oh, not really. Oh, but I DO think I heard a familiar acquaintance visiting your shop! Looking for some rather odd equipment for some "side project" that he's working on, hmm? Holding onto a strange book, hmmm? Sounds like something is going on without the family knowing~!" The voice happily sleuths.
Zuka grits his sharp teeth.
So he DID hear everything. Shit.
"I will reiterate that all orders are confidential to their respective buyers. Whatever you overheard doesn't really concern you." Zuka firmly addresses.
"Oh, don't be like that, Zuka! Besides...I already heard everything I need to know."
"Thank you and see you later, Zuka~!"
The jovial voice disappears and is replaced with a dead dial-tone before Zuka manages to get a say in, and the older Inphernal can only feel bad for walking away and leaving HIM to readily eavesdrop on such a unique conversation.
Zuka honestly feels like kicking himself, but he can only hope that Medkit would not get wrapped up in dealing with that Inphernal on the other end of the phone.
He can only let out a defeated sigh, grab a nearby pen, and write out "PUT ON HOLD OR HANG UP" on a sticky note before slapping it onto the table surface next to the red phone.
He made this mistake once, and he won't make it again.
Then, his mind quickly grew occupied as a customer happened to walk into his shop and his day continued on like normal.
. . .
"It seems that Meddy is getting up to something without letting the family know, Father."
"Indeed! He's buying some rather expensive equipment and he is showing a rather sudden interest in the false gods of the Inpherno. Something about myths and legends and old archives...though, I don't understand why he would be so motivated to act upon his old hobbies all of the sudden..."
There's a hum of acknowledgement.
"There also seems to be a growing interest in some strange 'stones' that his bumbling red sibling has found...though, I doubt any regular 'stone' would churn up that much interest from old Meddy! There must be something about them that has managed to catch his eye...but they never stated what!"
". . .Do you think it must be something of value or interest to us?"
"Well, if he's paying THAT much for a 'side project', I can only hope so! But I am also interested in that "book" that Meddy seems to be carrying around with him. It was known as "Anthropology", if I recall? A book on the biology of fantasy creatures that he decided to pick up on a whim in response to the rumors floating about Crossroads about some supposed cryptid? How intriguing...!"
"Hmm. Yes...I have heard from my eyes in Crossroads that newspawns and young Inphernals have gotten stricken with a "cryptid craze" of some sort that is based off of "cryptid" sightings from supposed witnesses..."
"I agree...it seems that Crossroads has become a rather interesting place as of late. I wonder if it would pay for me to go give old Medkit a nice little visit~?"
". . . I suppose this will need investigating. You have my blessing to go to Crossroads. Try to find out as much as you can about our doctor's strange behavior and anything else from our scrying members that are in the area."
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