Chapter Ten - Tavern Game

The proxy moon shines through the tavern sky-window.

I am not given time to process this strange game as with every new disclosure raises more questions. I don’t want to keep them waiting, so I prepare myself to play it blindly. Furthermore, a wizardly-dressed individual is brought up front and he waves a wand chanting, “Heal.”

My body quivers and I stand up to move around. I sweat profusely and groan at the pain I suddenly receive. My arm protrudes several fleshy tentacles, they intertwine forming bone, muscle, and skin. My arm is regrown in such a slimy fashion.

“Yeah, next time, I’ll just let it grow naturally.” I bare my teeth after the ordeal. I’ve been experiencing all types of body horror today, and at this point I just want the day to end.

Miraculously, the pain is gone and my arm feels genuine. There is a slight numbness, but I can ball up a fist. I’ll use this hand to carry the weights and leave my right hand to the coin handling. I scroll through my virtual wheel selection and choose the new world monkey.

[Spider Monkey Tail Equipped]

A prehensile long tail takes the place of my lizard tail. The furry tail is slightly longer and lighter than my regular tail. I curl it and feel this extension more like a third arm than a tail. This might be the first useful tail, but I am using the timer function of my magic to take note of how long I have this fake, magically-crafted arm. [14:47]

I crack my neck and approach the other two Otherworlders.

“I know what rule I’m adding.” I tell them.

“And what would that be?”

“All metal objects in the game are to be supercooled.”

“Supercooled?”

“Yeah, or cold. Extremely cold. Cold enough to almost cause frostbite.”

The two Overworlders face each other. There’s a bit of confusion with their stares.

“I forget, does metal expand when it's cold?” Aquastar asked.

“No, I believe it contracts. But either way, it’s an interesting rule, it should affect the way the coins behave in the glass.” Clover answered.

“Not to mention carrying the ‘supercooled’ small metal plates will add some sort of physics effect, no? Just what are you thinking Gabriela?”

“I think I know what I’m doing,” I say almost confused, “You’re a fish, so you’re cold blooded, an external ectothermic source should work against you. And, you Clover, like you were mentioning the contraction of metal, it should also work against your body.” I reply back. I don’t plan on keeping this information to myself, because it might be seen as common knowledge. Plus, I want them to think that I have no aces up my sleeve.

“I see. That is smart. Picking a rule that would give both of us a debility.” Clover says impressed. She holds a pensive pose while also smirking.

“That does leave you with one problem though. It is a double-edged sword,” Aquastar blubs, “You’re a lizard. You are cold blooded too. This affects you too.”

There is an air of intimidation, but I’ve worked in the education system. It’s all about standing your ground. When you are talking to angry parents or dealing with a misbehaving student, it is important to present some sort of self-dignity so you would not sway. It is difficult work, but a necessary function of society.

I think back on my human lineage and my fantasy life now. I am a product and a blend of two separate people, but I am my own person. I am not defined by those two cultural aspects, but a fusion of how my life came to be through all of my years of success and struggles. But today…

“I’m betting on my half-human side!” I proclaim.

I take a seat and watch as the preparation finishes. A cooler of some sort is placed next to our table. I feel some sort of mystical chilly air leave the container. I can tell that it is artificial ice and in some origin, magic. The stack of metal plates are placed inside along with the coins. and the game starts. The coins were then distributed equally between both teams. I have ten coins and they have ten coins.

“Since you are our guest you get to go first. Normally, it is the contested party that goes first, but since we suggested the game and in the spirit of giving, things will just go this way. So let the game begin!” Aquastar declares.

The crowd roars again, this time it is filled with more excitement. Like watching your favorite sports team in their home arena.

I look once again at the coins. They are comically ice blue and I can feel their chilly presence clash with the fireplace on the opposite side of the tavern.

“You said something about nanotechnology Clover?”

“Yes, yes I did.” Clover says with an authoritative voice.

“Cool, cool.”

Nanotechnology. I’ve read about it in the news, or at least the title of the news articles. But I do remember its applications in movies and comics. It is essentially an ability to craft technology with smaller technology. And the worst case scenario is that she can control objects she creates remotely.

I shudder and reach for a coin. The touch instantly sends danger signals to my brain. This is both physical and mental torture for a person that just wants to enjoy the tourism.

That is absurdly cold. It feels like my skin is going to peel off.

I think back to the regeneration ability I’ve been told that I possess. If my hand deforms anymore, it’ll just fix itself right back! I finish panicking before powering through the pain. My real hand grabs the coin with my thumb and index finger as I hover it over the filled glass. I shake and sweat. But manage to drop the coin into the glass without making a splash.

I take a look and lose it as I see the blank expressions of my two opponents. But I get it and I gasp out of relief as my fingers slowly regain their green color.

“Well, now I wish I went first. I don’t think I want to go after seeing that expression.” Clover says.

The audience gains more observers as word of the game and a new American have entered the fold. Also the drinks are served and all three of us chug at the same time with our unique limbs or abilities. We are given one steel plate from one of the bartenders with wooly fur. I hold the napkin-size metal plate with my fake left hand. The numbness is mostly gone, so I can feel the coldness of the metal weigh on my hand. The plate for Aquastar is placed on a flat surface of his back and he shivers. Clover also uses her left hand to hold the metal plate, but she does not react to the extreme temperature.

“Now it’s my turn.” Clover announces.

She grabs four coins from her stock. Her fingers on both hands gain an electric blue color as the coldness spreads rapidly.

“Hey, you go for five coins now! Just like the manga! What’s one more?” Aquastar cried out.

“Haven’t read that one either and I’m not confident in my ability to do that. I can’t just drop five and magically win.” Clover snapped back.

“Sure you can. You’ve played this game a dozen times. You should be able to do it now.”

“Ok, add in the fact that they are freezing cold and affect my body with the more I grab.”

They both bicker in a friendly manner. There is no malice or bad blood in their words. I think of it as healthy arguing. I shiver too, but not from the cold, as the coins fall into the glass and barely shake the beer off the glass. The alcohol hugs the edges of the glass refusing to drop.

We all take one more drink and chug it down again. At least I’m not forced to rapidly drink it. And I take my time to gulp it down. We are all given four more metal plates making the total weight ten pounds. I wrap my furry tail around my weighted arm as a harness to support the sudden weight. [8:23]

We go back and forth with one turn each and one more coin dropped from each team. More drinks and weights are accumulated to our bodies and I can feel my body turning more sluggish than lizard-ish. I am starting to feel an effect similar to scalding as the freezing metal feels like it’s burning me now. As it is my turn again, I choose three coins surprising my opponents and audience alike.

As I groan slightly and my skin peels off, the coins are successfully placed on top of the glass. But they don’t sink. And the liquid doesn’t spill over. They sit on top of the liquid, frozen liquid.

“Let’s go!” My plan has finally taken form.