NOVEL NEXT Cycle 9 (Director)
As the cycle reset, the Director pulled Nikki into her office.
The green-haired chef blinked, looking around, then smiled. “Oh, you’re the Director!”
“I am,” the Director said. She motioned to the chair across from her. “Please, have a seat.”
“Thanks!” Nikki bounced into the chair. “Hey, I need to ask, can we keep stuff we make in our inventories when the cycles reset? That would be super epic.”
Somehow the phrase super epic grated on the Director’s soul. She blinked, keeping her face neutral.
“I mean, not magic stuff or super expensive stuff,” Nikki continued. “Just the basic stuff. Like these!” She pulled two cupcakes out of her inventory and set them on the Director’s mahogany desk. “I made them in an oven, and I didn’t have time to give them all away before the reset, so they’ll be gone when I get back to Floor 1. That’s just a waste. And there are other things, too, like crafts and jewelry that has sentimental value. Losing everything is just kinda sad, y’no?”
The Director was fascinated. This child had absolutely no sense of danger. She watched her for a few seconds, debating.
Nikki apparently took the silence as a sign to keep talking. “In our old dungeon we got to keep one weapon and one defense item, no matter if it was magic or not. That was really useful. And then the Admin gave us a special shared inventory that let us keep one extra magic item. If you wanted to do that it would be totally awesome.” She beamed.
The Director realized she’d forgotten what she’d brought this girl in here for.
“Actually, I guess the cycle is resetting, so here,” Nikki said, pulling more cupcakes out of her inventory. “I’ve got a couple other things, too, if you’re hungry. Do you like pizza?” She pulled a pizza out and set it on the desk as well.
“I’ve never had pizza,” the Director said slowly.
“What, seriously?! Ok, I need to make you like a dozen types of pizzas. What else haven’t you had? Sushi? You know what wasabi is, right?”
“I don’t care for sushi.”
“Oh, ok.” Nikki squinted at her. “You like Italian food, don’t you?”
“I-”
The chef pulled two half-eaten lasagnas out of her inventory and set them on the rapidly filling desk. “Ok, this one is beef, and this one is cheese. Which technically makes it vegetarian, but some people don’t like it when I label things as vegetarian.”
The Director gave up. She summoned Admin 6 to the office.
He appeared with an iced coffee in his hand. He blinked, took in the situation, and grinned.
Nikki saw him and flinched ever so slightly back, her eyes momentarily widening. And then she smiled again and picked up a cupcake. “Hi! Cupcake? It’s vanilla with peach frosting.”
Admin 6 bowed, accepting the offered dessert. He locked eyes with the Director, taking a bite.
He was going to be no help. The Director sent him away with a wave.
“Do you know why I brought you here?” she asked calmly.
“Uhh…” Nikki’s eyes traveled around the room. “No. Sorry.”
“I wanted to-”
Admin 5 appeared, a wild look in her eyes. “You have cupcakes?”
Nikki once again lifted a cupcake from the table. “Want one? It’s strawberry with peach frosting!”
Admin 5 made an undignified squeak as she lunged for the dessert. She bit in like a ravenous wolf, devouring it within seconds.
Nikki, looking absolutely thrilled with this reaction, silently offered her another one.
The Director watched this display with mixed emotions. “Didn’t you say they were vanilla?”
“Yeah, I have two flavors,” Nikki answered. “After all, variety is the spice of life.” She handed Admin 5 a third cupcake.
The Director waved her subordinate away, clearing her throat. “As I was saying-”
Admins 2 and 4 appeared.
“Cupcakes?” 4 asked.
Admin 2 focused on something else. “Pizza?”
Admin 1 popped in. “Cupcakes?”
The Director sighed, sending Nikki back to the dungeon.