Inside the shop

As the nervous operator returned to the store, he was almost bumped into by another customer leaving at a run - a teenage girl in casual clothes who grinned and offered him an embarrassed apology and a wave before running off. The store seemed well frequented today. At the counter, Suitachi looked to the new arrival and his eyebrow quirked at the top of a wry expression.

"There some sort of busting tournament on here today that I missed? All these kids and their repeat visits all at once... Well, what can I get you this time, young sir?" He eyed Eric up and then his PET, while the boy placed his order. The corner of a knowing grin twitched at one corner of his lips as Amy filled in the extra blanks, though curiously, Suitachi had already been reaching below the counter as she spoke, almsot like he had known in advance which ones they'd need.

"Sounds about right. One second... Ah... here we are." He stood again with a neat pile of slim packages, each securely sealed, and slipped them into a larger paper bag with the store logo on it. "Enjoy your upgrades, and good luck out there. Come back if you need anything else." Payment was exchanged and the bag crossed the counter towards Eric and Amy.

Eric GET: HPMem v2&3, PU v5&6
Eric LOSE: 3850z

Eric again thanked the man, took his purchased goods and raced back to the squad car. The whole ordeal had again put knots in Eric's stomach, but this time the nerves weren’t as bad. Perhaps in time, these feelings really would subside.

But what was that comment about a tournament all about? And he hoped that the girl he’d ran into didn’t think him rude; she’d at least offered an apology, while he’d been completely silent, too occupied with his task to really pay attention to proper etiquette until it was way too late.

"So, install the parts now, or later?" Amy spoke up from his pocket.

"I'll fit the parts in the car, don't worry," he responded, even though he was the one worrying about installing them correctly, in a moving car no less.

----------

Upgrades Acquired!
HP Memory x2, Process Upgrade x4
Zenny: -3850 (5020 >>> 1170)

HP Memory: 1 >>> 3
Max HP Increase: 170 >>> 210

Process Upgrades: 4 >>> 6
Signature Pool: 240 >>> 320

Level Up! HP Memory x2
Amity.EXE: Level 4 >>> 6

{>>> To ACDC Town: NetPolice Precinct, ACDC Central >>>}

Making her way inside the shop, Stephine would plop her card down and push it towards Suitachi as she poured over her PET.

Hey Suitachi, had a terrible encounter earlier and I need...Process Upgrades 13 through 15. I'd buy more, but I don't have the extra cash for a bunch of NaviCustomizer expansions and programs therein. That's gonna be 4200, right?" She asked bluntly, continuing to pour over the info from Jazz's busting run.

Buying: PU13-15
Cost: 1300+1400+1500=4200z
Have: 10,732z
Remainder: 6,532z

The shop-keeper appeared from the small door leading to what most people would probably presume was stock room, carrying an assortment of small packets that swiftly got filed into drawers behind the counter. IT took him a moment to notice Stephanie but he gave her a greeting not as he stood upright again.

"For those? That's right..." He didn't even seem to pause to think about the math as he moved part way along the counter to another hidden shelf. "Rough busting run? Well, it's like I always say, when your funds are tight, it's always best to focus on the core, and don't worry about chips until later." He grinned at her as he retrieved the upgrades, in between back-handedly shilling his business. "Let's see... theses ones. Here you are." In short order, the upgrades were pushed across the counter to her while he took care of her card, handing it back a moment after.

"That's all taken care of. Have a good day and stay safe with your navi; A healthy customer is a repeat customer. Do come again!"

==

Stephanie GET: PUv13, 14, 15
Stephanie LOSE: 4200z

She inhaled as she gingerly took the upgrades and her card. Believe me, it wasn't the chips that were the problem...I'd keep an eye on the net if you can, there's some...really freaky ass things out there, even on the top-most parts of it. She spoke, trying to find the right words. Thanks, maybe we can talk more sometime when you're not busy. She said a moment later, slowly wandering out as Jazz slowly righted and readied himself for whatever came next.

Destin Obscura walked into the Navi Shop with a list scrawled on a piece of paper. He waited patiently in line and then placed the paper on the counter. It was clear that he had done the math mostly by hand with a pencil, as there were plenty of erase marks:

Quote (List)

Current:
HP Memory v10
NC v8

8 + 10 = 18 x 250 = 4500 + 1000 = 5500

v11 - 5500
v12 - 5750
v13 - 6000
v14 - 6250
v15 - 6500
--------------
Total: 30000 (+5 Levels)

HP Memory v10 --> HP Memory v15
Level 55 --> Level 60

Current:
Process Upgrade v52

52 x 100 = 5200 + 100 = 5300

v53 - 5300
v54 - 5400
v55 - 5500
v56 - 5500
v57 - 5500
v58 - 5500
v59 - 5500
v60 - 5500
------------
Total: 43700

Process Upgrade v52 --> Process Upgrade v60

30000 + 43700 = 73700

84880 - 73700 = 11,180z

"Greetings, I hope you are doing well? If I did my math right, I will owe 73,700z for the listed items," Destin says as he takes out his debit card.

---

The shopkeeper took a moment to puzzle over the scrap of paper, squinting one eye as he traced the figures. He glanced up at Destin a couple of times in between.

"Let's see... So, you're navi's at..." He frowned and tilted his head the other way. "Right so that's nineteen to twenty three on the base, as Hp," he mumbled mostly to himself as he seemed to switch to his won way of thinking about the upgrades. "And then... Right." With a nod he set the note down and ducked behind the counter, shuffling for a moment, then retreated to the back room to elicit more sounds of stock being moved. It took another few seconds before he finally emerged with a stack of small, similar-looking items, slipping them all into a single bag before sliding them across the counter.

"That's quite some high end stuff your navi is up to... I'd say be careful out there, but it looks like you know what you're doing. There you go and have a good day. Come back if you need more!" He chatted as he ran the purchase through and returned Destion's card, before giving him another nod and a small wave off.

==
Destin Get: HPMem v11-15, PU v53-60
Destin Lose: 73,700z

"Yeah, he's had quite a journey," Destin chuckled as he gathered together the bag of goodies. "I'll make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble. Thanks again and I'll be sure to come back when I need anything further," he promised. "Anyways, have a great week. Stay safe."

With that Destin headed out the door.

---

((From -> A Nearby Cafe, only a few minutes later again))

Outside the shop, Jenny paused for breath and ran fingers through her hair. Her legs were starting to feel the stairs between the hydro-terrace and the Navi shop, but she told herself that it was all good exercise. Her mind, instead, was preoccupied with the increasingly intense behaviour that her navi was expressing as his run continued. This had originally started as something light, just to stretch out and help him focus... now, it was all shady mafia business again and she didn't even know what else. She shook it off and pushed into the shop, moving to the counter as she double checked the list and totals.

“Hi there... back again!” she waved to the shopkeeper as she pulled out her purse. “Found a neat cash cache... this time, it's... one sec... right... I need the FastArmour part, and I'll need customiser expansion updates fifteen through seventeen to accommodate it, and then, process upgrades fifteen through seventeen as well. All up I think that's nineteen two-fifty, right?” She handed her card across as she spoke.
==
Buying:
FastArmour NCP (5000)
NC 15, 16, 17 (4500 + 4750 + 5000 = 14250)
PU 15, 16, 17 (1500 + 1600 + 1700 = 4800)

Total: 5000 + 14250 + 4800 = 24050z
Courser's funds: 26360z
Funds remaining: 2310z

Turning from a shipping manifest he had in his hands, the man behind the counter gave her a nod and smile as he quickly grabbed the requested upgrades for the young woman and gently slid them up towards her, taking the card and giving it a swipe, he nodded as the recipt printed out. Ripping the piece of paper out of his register and sliding it along to Jenny, he gave her a nod. "Have a great day, kiddo. Just hope you and your navi aren't doing anything too dangerous, I'd be a shame if you lost em." He spoke simply with a smile, before turning around to back where he was a moment ago.

Jenny Lose: 24,050z
Jenny Gain: FastArmor NCP, NC 15-17 and PU 15-17

Jenny tried to wave quickly, card held in her mouth as she collected the new upgrades with hurried motions and struggled to put her purse away.

"Mmph! Yep, we're being careful! Gotta get back now, see you later!!" She passed out of the shop, slinging her back over one shoulder, then started running again as she headed back towards the cafe.

((Return to -> The Cafe))

((From -> A Nearby Cafe, once more))

As Jenny darted in through the shop doors again, for the umpteenth time that afternoon, she paused to take a breath and grinned towards the counter. Her leg muscles were really starting to compain about the number of times she'd run up and down the flights of stairs between the navi shop and the terrace cafe now, but she tried to focus away from it. Courser needed her to be really quick this time, and it sounde dlike he was at the serious end of whatever he was wrapped up in.

"Hi again! Last time this evening, probably, I think. Whew... Okay... one second, here..." She caught her breath and walked up to the counter properly, producing her card and reading the list carefully. Not enough for the list he'd set up, but just enough if she dropped out number twenty-one... soo...

"Okay, so I need... NaviCust expansions, three of them, please... I'm up to... now... versions 18, 19 and 20. And then I need another copy of the Shield program to go with them, and then the next three tiers of process upgrades as well... um, they'll be 18, 19 and 20 as well." She double checked the list and her maths. "So... I think that's twenty-five two hundred, right?" She handed her card across while she gave her heart rate a chance to slow down again.

==
Buying:
Shield NCP (3000)
NC 18, 19, 20 (5250 + 5500 + 5750 = 16500)
PU 18, 19, 20 (1800 + 1900 + 2000 = 5700)

Total: 3000 + 16500 + 5700 = 25200z
Courser's funds: 26810z
Funds remaining: 1610z

Looking up from his stock lists, Suitachi lifted an eyebrow at the girl rushing into his shop for the third time in the same day. He lets out a chuckle as he began to grab everything she requested, placing them in a bag and sliding them over to her before picking up the card and swiping it, pretty much dumping 99% of her funds into his. "Haha, been doing well with the busting I see. Enjoy, hopefully your navi's doing well after all this. Have a good evening."

Jenny get: Shield NCP, NC18-20 and PU18-20
Jenny Lose: 26,810z

Jenny shuffled the new parts into her pack as quickly as she could, fumbling with her purse as she put her card away and waved with one hand as she made for the door.

"Hopefully! Thanks again!" She slipped her bag back over one shoulder and darted out of the shop, taking off running again.

((Return to -> The Cafe))

Stepping through the doors with a sigh, Stephine rubbed the back of her neck and let it pop, worried look on her face. Hooo. Hey Suitachi. Gonna make this quick, my navi's not feeling great right now so I left him at home with the programs. I need a Slashing Buster Effect, a Millions NCP, Navi Custom Expansion 1 through 4 and Processor Upgrades 16 through 19. She spoke, simply as she slid the card forward on the counter. After that mission, I should have enough for the upgrades.

Have: 23.5k
Buying:
Slashing Buster (1000)
Millions NCP (2500)
Navi Customizer Expansion 1-4 (2000, 2250, 2500, 2750=9500) (5 prior HP upgrades)
PU 16-19 (1600, 1700, 1800, 1900=7000)
Cost: 20k
Leftover: 3.5k

As Stephine approached the counter with her order, Suitachi paused and pushed some of his paperwork aside, nodding to the woman with a caring, serious expression. Displays of empathy were good for business, after all. Emotive duty fulfilled, he quickly retrieved the requested items from behind the counter and a couple of other places, before putting them together into a neat bundle.

"Hope the upgrades get your navi feeling right as rain again soon, young lady! Here you are, best of fortunes to you." He completed the transaction, pushing the product towards her as he returned her card. "Do come again if you need anything else."

==
Stephine GET: Slashing Buster upgrade, Millions NCP, NC Expansion 1-4, PU 16-19
Stephine LOSE: 20000z

She nodded. Thanks. This should cheer him up at least a little bit.. She spoke simply before leaving the shop and heading back to her apartment.

((From -> A Nearby Cafe, once more))

Less than a few minutes after she had left the shop, Jenny burst back in through the main doors in a mild panic and quickly began scanning the catalogue of products for something useful. What would help? There had to be something else she could sort out with the amount she had spare... What was best?

Without too much time to debate, she focused on one part that would at least smooth things, given the way she knew her navi liked to fight. Just in budget, but she'd have to swap some parts on the fly to make it work. Worry about that in a minute... She rushed across to the counter, breathless.

“Hi. Again. Um... I need a copy of that aqua adaptation custom part, with the silly name.” She handed her card over, fidgeting in her hurry to get back again.

==
Buying:
“I'm Fish!” NCP (5000)

Total: 5000z
Courser's funds: 8610z
Funds remaining: 3610z

Tilting his head, Suitachi blinked once before turning back to his stock, scanning her card quickly before returning it and sliding the requested part down into her waiting hands before letting out a sigh. "Navi about to bite off more than he can chew?" He asked simply, seeing how manic she seemingly looked.

Jenny get: Fish NCP
Jenny lose: 5kz
Remainder: 3610z

Jenny tried to grin, though her expression mostly ended up at exasperated as she accepted the part and immediately turned her PET over to begin swapping parts.

"Ah... yeah. You could say that! I've got to get back before he does something even more stupid. Thanks again!" Still clicking parts in and out, for integration, she spared one hand for a quick half wave as she fled the store.

((Return to -> The Cafe))