Marvel: Impregnation System

"Welcome to Joe's Diner, what can Joe get just for you?" Irene asked with a warm smile, giving her customer the certified Joe's wink.

Life for Irene wasn't anything like she had imagined when she first stepped off the train at Grand Central Terminal. 

The roaring city of New York, its towering skyscrapers and bustling streets, was a world apart from the quiet Southern town where she had spent her entire life. 

She had arrived with little more than a barely zipped suitcase and a head full of big dreams, that longed to carve out a future in the neon lights adorning Broadway.

But her arrival in this great city was solely dedicated to her upbringing, which had been defined by strict boundaries and unwavering discipline. 

Irene was raised in a deeply christian, conservative household and had grown up under the strict, watchful eyes of her parents, who expected nothing less than perfection in both her character and her actions. 

Her father was a pastor, instilling the disciplines of the lord onto her from a young age and her mother, a dutiful housewife, someone who instilled the beliefs of being prim and proper at every occasion. 

But above all, they had made it abundantly clear that Irene's path in life was to remain pure, humble, and obedient.

But how could Irene's spirit settle for something like that?

She had spent her teenage years buried in books, using education as her only escape because for people like her, the ones with only dreams to cling onto, sacrifices needed to be made in order to achieve them.

By the dim light of a single oil lamp, she would pore over borrowed textbooks and handwritten notes, her delicate hands smeared with ink as she wrote late into the night. 

No one, not even her own parents, believed her diligence would stem into anything more than what she could give to God and family, but Irene's motives were far more rebellious. 

She saw education as a way out, a way to break free from a life that felt stifling, small, and suffocating.

The longing for freedom wasn't just academic, though. 

In the quiet hours of the night, Irene wrestled with a nagging ache, one to rejoice in the world beyond the walls of her room and experience the world her classmates at the one-room schoolhouse seemed to know so well. 

In school, they would whisper about dances in the barn, the thrill of sneaking a swig of moonshine without their parents knowing, and the dizzying rush of stolen kisses beneath the stars. 

However, for Irene, all these tales were glimpses into a forbidden world, one she had no place in. 

Her parents would never allow her to attend such gatherings, so she had tucked away her curiosity and doubled down on her studies.

But when that letter of acceptance came from a prestigious university in New York City, Irene's heart nearly stopped. 

Not only had she been admitted, but she had been awarded a full scholarship and for a moment, she couldn't breathe, her hands trembling as she reread the words over and over again. 

This was it, her escape.

That was, until she met Ricky.

It was just one wild night, just a momentary escape from the pressures of her studies and the upcoming exams. 

Ricky, with his charming grin and this confidence that was so unabashed, embodied everything her parents had never allowed herself to want. 

That night was filled with firsts: her first taste of real freedom, her first sip of whiskey from a stranger's flask, her first dance that wasn't carefully choreographed by the church youth group. 

Then, the biggest first of all, losing her virginity with the dim light of a city in the far away background that seemed alive and indifferent all at once.

It wasn't love, not even close, but it was thrilling. 

For a brief moment, she had tasted a life far removed from the one her parents had carefully constructed for her and yet, when the thrill faded and the city's noise quieted, reality crept in.

A couple of months later, Irene's world was turned upside down as she was late. 

Days turned into weeks of anxiety until she couldn't avoid the truth any longer. 

A doctor confirmed her fears: she was pregnant. 

The revelation hit her like a runaway train, threatening to derail the life she had fought so hard to build. 

She sat in her tiny dorm room for hours, staring at her textbooks and lecture notes, the walls closing in as the weight of the situation pressed down on her but no words registered within her hollow eyes.

The thought of giving her child away so she could stay in school was unbearable, yet the idea of keeping the baby seemed just as impossible. 

It was because of this reason, this decision, that she would sit on the steps of the college, hand resting on her growing stomach, tears slipping silently down her face as she watched her classmates rush past, books in hand, their futures ahead of them. 

Irene felt trapped, torn between the life she had dreamed of and the life now growing inside her.

The decision to leave college wasn't made lightly since she had worked so hard to get there, sacrificed so much, and now it was all slipping through her fingers. 

But she couldn't balance the demands of her classes with the reality of her pregnancy. 

But she just couldn't part with the life growing in her stomach, that piece of her, her child.

It was why she packed her belongings and boarded a train back home, leaving behind the city and the dreams she had once chased so fiercely.

When she arrived at her parents' house, she hoped for sympathy, or at least understanding.

Instead, she was met with cold stares and judgmental whispers as her mother's lips pursed in disapproval, and her father's frown deepened with every word she said. 

They were appalled that their daughter,a girl they had raised to be virtuous and god-fearing, was now carrying a child out of wedlock and worse still, she couldn't even provide a name for the father.

The ridicule began almost immediately as every choice she made during her pregnancy was criticized.

But a dark truth came to light on the day Irene gave birth to her beautiful baby girl, whom she named Susan. 

In what should have been a moment of joy, Irene instead found herself facing a betrayal that shattered what little faith she had left in her parents. 

She discovered that they had secretly made arrangements to put Susan up for adoption, seeing her as nothing more than a stain on the family's reputation.

Irene's heart pounded, she wanted to be angry but all she could muster up were tears, only able to confront them with a look of disbelief, all while clutching her newly born daughter in her weak arms.

When they refused to relent, when they tried to take her baby, she didn't hesitate, and ran out of the room right after birth.

Almost crawling to the nearest police officer, her hands trembling to hold Susan as she reported their actions. 

Within hours, she had gathered what little money she had saved and fled with Susan, vowing never to return.

The next few weeks were a blur of sleepless nights, hunger, and uncertainty. 

Irene wandered from one town to the next, clutching her baby in her arms and surviving on sheer willpower. 

Susan's cries often echoed through the cheap motel rooms Irene could barely afford, but she refused to let despair take over. 

But it was every time she looked at her daughter, she found a renewed strength she didn't know she possessed.

Eventually, her wandering led her to a small diner on the edge of a dusty road, its neon sign flickering in the evening light. 

The diner was run by a man named Joe, a kind-hearted but gruff older gentleman who took one look at Irene's exhausted face and knew she needed help. 

He didn't ask too many questions, just offered her a job on the spot and for the first time in weeks, Irene felt relieved.

Joe turned out to be more than just an employer, he became like a father figure Irene had always needed. 

He wasn't a man of many words, but his actions spoke volumes and when he noticed her struggling to find a place to live, he quietly made arrangements for her to rent a small, run-down trailer at a nearby park, covering most of the cost himself.

Irene, overwhelmed with gratitude, vowed to be the best of what she could be and threw herself into her work at the diner, determined to repay Joe's kindness in whatever way she could. 

She became the best waitress he had, moving with quick efficiency and a smile, even when dealing with the most unpleasant customers.

"Yeah, could I have one serving of you, sitting across from me over a steak, all on me." A trucker said, licking his lips and flashing a sleazy grin as Irene forced herself to hold back the wave of disgust rising within her.

"I'm sorry dear customer, but I can't-"

"Oh, don't be like that, darling. How about I give you the ol' lickety-split, if you know what I mea-ARGH!" The trucker's hand shot out, grabbing Irene's wrist and yanking her back as he wiggled his tongue at her so that she could see.

But before he could finish his sleazy act, his own wrist was seized and twisted sharply, forcing him to cry out in pain.

An old man, burdened by the wars this world had waged, stood with a piercing glare, his weathered eyes locked on the vile man who dared to lay a hand on a woman in such a way.

"Joe?!" Irene gasped, incredibly embarrassed as the old man smiled at her, releasing his grasp on the trucker.

"I'll handle this Irene, please attend to the other customers." Joe, in his well spoken form, smiled warmly at Irene, receiving a grateful nod from her as the old man side-eyed the trucker.

"I fought in the deadliest war, and even the men I stabbed my bayonet into never touched a lady in such a harsh way like you just did," Joe hatefully muttered, yanking the man out of the booth and pushing him out of the diner he built, brick by brick.

"I-I'm sorry-"

"No, you're not, you vile creature," Joe hissed, dragging the man into the back alley and throwing him into the garbage where trash like him belonged.

"She's a hardworking single mother, she doesn't deserve to be treated like anything other than the utmost respect." Joe washed his hands of the trucker, wagging his finger at the man still trying to regain himself.

"Now, if I ever catch you around my diner or around that poor girl, you're gonna find out how I stabbed the Germans, do you understand?" Joe asked, twisting his hand into the air in such a gruesome way that even the gesture made the trucker pale in fright.

"I-I understand."

Joe scoffed, turning away, his eyes softening as he glanced at Irene as she reminded him not only of his daughter but also of his own mother, who had raised him alone, with nothing but her strength and love to guide him.

"Oh Joe, I'm sorry-" Irene tried to apologize, watching Joe once again come in and save the day but he did as always, giving her a warm smile.

"Hey, don't apologize now, you haven't done anything wrong," Joe said, shaking his head and holding up a hand to stop Irene, who nodded quietly in response.

"Also Joe, I was wondering if I could pull a double today-"

"Double, I thought everything was alright?" Joe, sniffing money troubles, asked Irene who ducked her head in the utmost shame.

"I-I'm sorry, but Susan keeps ripping her dresses and I-"

"Hey now, you don't have to explain a thing." Joe smiled, shaking his head like a wise old grandpa and patting her ducked head.

"Here," Joe chuckled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a twenty as he handed it to Irene, who trembled as the bill was gently lowered into her palm.

For a select few, especially for Ricky, twenty dollars wasn't much but for the average everyday working man or woman, that twenty dollars was life-changing.

Something that in this day in age, could mean the difference between a week of meals or going hungry, a roof over your head or a night on the streets. 

With that shadow still looming over the country, wages were low, and jobs were scarce. 

A single twenty-dollar bill could cover groceries for a week or pay a rent bill in full, making it a lifeline for those scraping by.

For Irene, in her fragile position, it was more than just money, it was a sign that someone cared enough to help her hold on, even if just for a little while.

"Oh Joe, I can't-"

"Listen sweety, when I was growing up, I was raised by a single mother just like yourself." Joe stopped Irene who was about to hand the money back, revealing a little about himself.

"She did everything for me from working long hours, to double, triple shifts just to put me into school and give me a comfortable life, one she never had," Joe continued, his voice thick with emotion as a sad glimmer passed through his weathered eyes as the memories weighed heavy on him, the sacrifices his mother made for him lingering in his heart even to this day.

"But the second I got out of college, she died, dropped dead from overexertion, and it just broke my heart in two." Joe patted his heart, his gaze growing distant as he stared down, lost in the memory. 

The ache was still fresh, a reminder that no achievement, no matter how hard-earned, could ever be as meaningful without someone to share it with.

"I live with that regret every day, the regret of not even being able to tell her how much I appreciated her," Joe said, shaking his head as he wondered what those last moments had been like for her, alone, with nothing but the stillness of the air surrounding her.

"Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and just be there with her, one more time," Joe murmured, his voice breaking slightly as he cast his gaze back at Irene, who stood silently, her eyes filled with empathy but at a loss for words.

"Sometimes kids are so focused on themselves, being the best they want to be, that they forget to really cherish the ones who looked out for them," Joe said softly, his voice carrying the weight of experience. 

But it was from these experiences that he slowly reached out, gently closing Irene's outstretched hand around the twenty-dollar bill, a silent reassurance that it was alright, that she didn't need to say anything.

Sniff

Irene's eyes watered, her hands trembling slightly as she looked at the twenty dollars—more than just money, it was her lifeline.

"So, if this twenty dollars is enough for you to go home and spend time with your daughter, then that's enough for me," Joe said warmly, his voice steady with a silent resolve as he gazed at Irene, seeing the young mother in front of him, and for a moment, the regret that had haunted him for so long seemed to wash away from his eyes.

It was almost therapeutic for him, an old man too stubborn to admit his faults, to give back to a woman who found herself in every position his mother had once been in. 

Though it benefited him in its own way, it didn't diminish the care he felt for Irene. 

Joe wanted her to have a better life, a life with her child, free from the struggles that had weighed down his own past.

HIC

"T-Thank you~" Irene sniffled, rubbing her eyes to stop the tears from flowing as Joe gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder. 

Without a word, he turned and walked back to the kitchen, his steps steady, but his heart lighter than it had been in years.

"Don't worry about it, just come in tomorrow after you've squared away your bill," Joe said, waving her off with a towel as he slung it over his shoulder while Irene nodded, turning to walk back to the bus, her thoughts drifting to her baby girl, wondering what she was up to.

Meanwhile at the local trailer park,

TWACK

A boy tumbled backwards into another pile of children, his staggered eyes gazing up at a little girl no more than four.

She had frizzy, curly red hair and a freckled face, but it was the distinct pair of green eyes, slightly teary, that revealed who she was, Sarah, Irene's daughter.

"YES I CAN!" Sarah yelled at them, stomping her foot on the ground, her cheeks puffed in defiance.

"NUH UH!" One of the kids yelled back, sticking out his tongue, while the other, rubbing his cheek where Sarah had punched him, angrily gritted his teeth.

"NO GIRLY CAN EVER GO TO THE MOON-"

BAM

Sarah didn't even let the boy finish as her anger flushed her face a deep red as she ran up to him, kicking him square in the stomach, causing him to stumble back with a grunt.

"YES I CAN, YES I CAN, YESSSSSS IIIIIIII CANNNNNNN!" Sarah cried out, screaming at the top of her lungs as the other kids pushed her back.

"NO YOU CAN'T!" The kids in the trailer park roared, their voices echoing as Sarah gritted her teeth and bolted away, her fiery determination as colorful as her red hair.

However, the unruly girl didn't stop there as she suddenly halted, her eyes scanning the ground before she grabbed a green pinecone, still too under-ripe to slow down mid-air, but solid enough to act as a makeshift rock amd with a swift motion, she hurled it behind her, sending it skidding across the ground.

"YOU MEANIES!" Sarah screeched, her voice filled with a wrongness unbecoming of her actions as she hurled the green pinecone. 

It rocketed through the air, racing toward the boy, and before he could react, it smacked right into the center of his forehead, causing him to stumble back in surprise and pain.

"W-WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The boy immediately started to cry, clutching his forehead as tears streamed down his face. 

Sarah, not missing a beat and taking a page from her bastard father, bolted away, her feet pounding the dirt as she ran back to the trailer and slammed the door behind her with a final, defiant thud.

SIGH

All the while, Irene stood off to the side, her heart sinking as she rushed over from the distance.

Upon approaching, reality hit her as she was the one who would have to apologize, not the other kids' parents.

"Oh, Sarah."

10 minutes later,

"And you keep that wild dog ya call a daughter away from my boy, ya hear!" The woman roared, her eyes staring dagger and aggressively pointing all at Irene who nodded, expressing her deepest apologies for daughter before the crazed lady stomped back to her white trash den.

Sigh

Irene let out another sigh, closing the door softly behind her as she turned, her feet dragging as she walked toward the broom closet. 

Opening the door, she found Sarah curled into a tight ball, her small body trembling slightly as if she were trying to make herself invisible.

Crying, Sarah buried her face between her legs, her small body shaking with each sob. 

Irene bent down, her heart aching as she slowly untangled the mess of red hair, her fingers gentle as they worked through the knots. 

She didn't say anything, letting the silence speak for itself as she quietly comforted her daughter in her own way.

Sniff

Sniff

"They said I can't see the moon-"

Sniff

"And-"

Sniff

Irene's next words were cut off by Sarah's sniffling, her daughter more upset than usual as she wanted to be mad, to scold her for what had happened, but she couldn't bring herself to. 

Not when Sarah looked up at her, tears glistening in her eyes, silently pleading for understanding.

"Oh, honey, come here~" Irene whispered, opening her arms wide as Sarah crawled into them, slamming her face against her chest with a soft, desperate sob.

"It's okay, you'll go to the moon someday-"

"Then why do they say that, why won't they believe me~" Sarah cried, interrupting her mother who picked her up, kissing her frizzy hair repetitively.

"You believe me, right, mommy?" Sarah sniffled, her big eyes searching Irene's face for reassurance.

"Of course, mommy believes you," Irene smiled warmly, her heart swelling as she looked at her loving daughter. 

Sarah wiped away her tears, sinking into her mother's shoulder as Irene gently swayed back and forth, soothing her with each motion, the quiet rhythm slowly calming her down.

"And mommy believes that you'll make it to the moon-"

Bam

Bam

Bam

Suddenly, Irene's words were interrupted by loud banging on her trailer door as she looked out the window, her stomach dropping when she saw the one person she didn't want to face, her landlord. 

Hesitant, she opened the door, only to be greeted by Mr. Herlahe, the man who had relentlessly tried to use any means at his disposal to satisfy his own desires.

Even now, Mr. Herlahe wasn't looking her in the eye as his gaze lingered on her chest, where the apron she had forgotten to remove from the diner still clung to her body. 

Irene stiffened, feeling a wave of discomfort wash over her, instinctively stepping back slightly, trying to put some space between them.

"It's good to see you both again," Mr. Herlahe chuckled, his eyes still lingering on Irene's chest as she felt a surge of discomfort, her skin crawling under his gaze.

"And it's nice to see you, Mr. Herlahe." Irene forced a smile, Sarah turning her sniffling gaze to him only to give him a glare filled with the utmost hatred.

"So, do you have my rent? If not, we can always make another arrangement-" Mr. Herlahe licked his lips, looking upon a woman who had a kid but didn't lose her supple curves.

"This should be enough." Irene affirmed, pushing the twenty dollars towards Mr. Herlahe who was immediately taken aback, gazing at the money with a baffled expression. 

Unlike others who hid their perverse intentions behind closed doors, Mr. Herlahe was blatant with his harassment, his thoughts laid bare without the slightest attempt at subtlety. 

He didn't hide his lecherous gaze, and his words, often laced with thinly veiled insults, were as ugly as his appearance. 

Unlike the sleazy and charming face we all knew, Mr. Herlahe's presence felt like a tangible weight, his ugliness not just physical but oozing from his every action.

"So, another man got to you first, huh?" Mr. Herlahe sneered, his words cutting through the air. Irene flinched, caught off guard by the venom in his tone.

"Mr. Herlahe, what are-" Irene was repulsed, gasping and completely taken aback only for the man in front of her to boil with frustration.

"I would've paid 35-40 and you settled for 20, you cheap f*cking whore." Mr. Herlahe's comments made Irene very nervous, immediately trying to back away with Sarah still clutching onto her and closing the door, only for his foot to block it.

"I mean what's wrong with me, I own the trailer park and could've given you a decent life but you choose some random guy from the street-"

"H-How dare-"

"How dare me, HOW DARE ME!" Mr. Helahe's voice started to become dangerous, pushing the door open as Irene stepped back with a terrified expression, holding Sarah even tighter.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I WAITED FOR YOU TO BECOME SOME PAY TO PLAY B*TCH, DO YOU!?" Mr. Herlahe hands lowered, unbuckling his belt while throwing the twenty dollars into Irene's face as her legs gave out under her, slowly walking over to her with dangerous thoughts..

"I've been patient with you long enough, so scream all you want, it's better that way." Mr. Herlahe dropped his pants, his stained tighty whities showing tiself not only to her but to Sarah who was shaking in Irene's arms, the mother scrambling backwards into the closet but the man continued on with one set goal.

The only reason Mr. Herlahe could act so boldly was the same reason the trailer park residents had turned away by this point, closing their doors to hide their ashamed gazes.

Trash was only regarded with disdain, discarded into whatever could hold it before being tossed into the dumpster where it now lay, a dumpster.

Trailer parks weren't symbols of wealth but rather the epitome of hardship, where people with little to their name clung desperately to the fragile ideal of ownership that always seemed just out of reach.

The air was thick with desperation, a mixture of cigarette smoke, cheap alcohol, and the faint hum of televisions playing reruns. 

It was a place where hope flickered dimly, often snuffed out by the weight of unpaid bills and shattered promises and all that was controlled by Mr. Herlahe, the height of lows.

They weren't noble people; they were all castoffs, gathered together in the sh*t heap they had become, retreating behind closed blinds, shut doors, and eyes turned away.

"Now, open wide-" Mr. Herlahe chuckled, about to pull down his boxers until Sarah's angry eyes jerked towards him, before she rushed at him with that unbridled anger flaring in her hair.

GASP

It was sudden, something neither of the two adults could have imagined with Irene and Mr. Herlahe stared wide-eyed as Sarah delivered a swift kick right to his balls.

THUMP

His knees buckled, crashing to the floor as his hands instinctively shielded his groin as his face turned fiery red, the air seeming to vanish from his lungs as the suffocating pain overtook him.

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY MOMMY!" Sarah screamed, standing between him and her mom, crying the entire time, tears streaming down her cheek but showing she wasn't afraid of this big, bad man, the very same man who lost all of his senses at that point.

"YOU FCKING BTCH-" Mr. Herlahe breathlessly yelled, raising his fist to punch this little girl with the strength of an adult man before someone caught it.

Then, to the stunned onlookers outside, Mr. Herlahe's body was flung out of the trailer, skidding across the ground like a discarded ragdoll.

His body gradually came to a stop, and a different man in a suit looked down at him, shaking his head in disbelief as Mr. Herlahe's body came to a stop right before his feet.

"You f*cked up." Marino, who had been relegated from a guard of the Luciano manor to Ricky's driver, pulled out a cigarette while shaking his head.

"W-Wha happened?" Mr. Herlahe asked, the tumbling knocking out three of his front teeth and resulting in a concussion as Marino stepped on his face, pressing it down onto the ground.

"Did I f*cking stutter?" Marino asked, lighting his cigarette, his greaser hair reflected in the man's view.

"I said you f*cked up." Marino scoffed, completely annoyed with the guy and pressing further onto his face as he didn't like to repeat himself.

"Geez, am I speaking Chinese or something? Need me to spell it out for you?" Marino shook his head, tucking his lighter away and blowing smoke off to the side before glancing up at Ricky.

In the doorway, as if destined, sunlight poured over his figure, casting him in a radiant glow causing Irene's mouth to fall open in shock before she slowly covered it with her hand.

"I-It's-"

"BAD GUY, LEAVE!" Sarah screamed, swinging her fists and kicking at Ricky, only for his hand to reach out.

She was essentially swinging at the air as Ricky calmly placed a hand on her forehead, keeping her from getting any closer.

"It's you~" Irene whispered with a tinge of longingment, recognizing Ricky at a mere glance, with the man rubbing the back of his neck with a guilty expression.

"Yeah, it's me," Ricky said, feeling incredibly awkward as he stood there, facing not only the girl he'd knocked up but also the kid who had just tried to punch him in the nuts.

gasp

"Sarah, stop it!" Irene gasped, pulling Sarah back as the fiery redheaded puffball was yanked into her mother's arms, her cheeks puffed out as she shot an angry glare at Ricky.

"Aye, aren't you that mutant-" One of the trailer park residents rudely interrupted, calling out to him as Ricky's eyebrow twitched in irritation.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm the guy from the paper, but can you shut the f*ck up and let me have my moment?" Ricky snapped, turning to one of the trailer hicks before pointing back at Irene.

"Oh, alrighty." The trailer hick muttered, nodding as he backed away with surprising ease, clearly remembering how Ricky had tossed a man across the park like a sack of potatoes.

"Anyways, it's been a while, Irene," Ricky said, turning back to her with a sleazy smile as her face immediately flushed red, glowing like a ripe tomato.

"Can we talk?" Ricky asked politely, his tone a sharp contrast to the way he had manhandled their landlord earlier and Irene, still breathless, nodded her head in response.

Suddenly, her eyes widened in realization as she looked down at her waitress uniform, quickly covering herself as if she were naked.

"I-I NEED TO CHANGE!" Irene yelled, her face flushing with embarrassment as she realized that this moment, the one where the knight came to save the princess, had the princess wearing a waitress uniform.

Rushing to the only room in the trailer, she slammed the door behind her, then pressed her back against it, panting as she tried to collect herself.

'W-What do I wear?!' Irene thought, scanning her room before her gaze landed on the closet. She tore it open, frantically rummaging through it, desperate to find something.

"Weird," Sarah blurted out, beating Ricky to the punch as it was the first word that came to her mind, leaving Ricky momentarily shocked.

"That's what I was going to say." Ricky laughed, nudging the little girl playfully before letting out a holler and sitting down at the table.

Soon after, Sarah sensed there was no danger from the social cues and slowly climbed into the seat across from him.

They gazed at each other for a long time, the striking green in both of their eyes so identical that it left them both feeling a little lost.

Then, as if straight out of a movie, they both tilted their heads to one side, mirroring each other in perfect sync before repeating the gesture.

Finally, after the visual confirmation, Ricky glanced at the status screen that appeared when he looked at Sarah, completely confirming, without a doubt, that this was his daughter.

[Name: Sarah Jenkins]

Mother: Irene Jenkins

Grade: D

Template: N/A

Description: After that wild night of teetering the car, Irene found herself in the throes of motherhood, giving birth to a beautiful baby girl. The chaos of that evening lingered in her mind, but the details of your identity remained a blur, overshadowed by the tumultuous emotions of becoming a parent. Feeling the weight of responsibility and uncertainty, she made the difficult decision to move back in with her parents. In their familiar home, Irene sought the support and stability she felt she needed to raise her daughter.

Abilities: N/A

Skills: N/A]

"So, you're Sarah."

"Yeah."

"Do you know who I am?'

"No."

"I'm Ricky."

"I'm Sarah."

People like to think that children have these deep, meaningful conversations, but in reality, this is how most conversations actually play out.

Barely worded responses and replies, yet without lying, the complete and brutal truth unfolded with the minimal amount of words.

"So your mom never told you about your father?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Ricky scratched his chin, realizing just how easy this was as he looked at the little redhead furball in front of him, not bothering to hide his smile anymore.

"Well, I'm your dad," Ricky smiled, leaning his head on his hand as he gazed at Sarah. She took a moment to register this groundbreaking fact before finally responding.

"Oh, okay." Sarah copied Ricky's gesture, leaning her head against her little hand as she looked at the man who had beaten up the bully that always picked on her mommy.

Then, as if curiosity took over, she suddenly crawled onto the table, her little fingers reaching out to tug at his black hair.

"Why is your hair straight?" Sarah asked, confused by how their hair could be so different and before Ricky could answer, she tumbled forward and did a little somersault, landing in his lap.

"I don't know, genetics I guess?" Ricky replied, watching as Sarah looked back up at him, scratching her own curly hair in thought.

"What's that?"

"Uh, like DNA-"

"What's that?"

"It's makes you who you are-"

"Why?"

"..." Ricky stared plainly at Sarah before pinching her chubby cheek as she swatted his hand away with a pout.

"Because I said so," Ricky chuckled, watching Sarah pout as her curly red hair flared in the air.

Then, the door to the main room slowly slid open, revealing Irene in that same sundress from all those years ago, her cheeks tinted with a blush to match.

"Pretty!" Sarah exclaimed, tumbling off Ricky's lap before bolting towards Irene, who quickly scooped her up in her arms.

"The kid's right, you're smoking~" Ricky bit his lip, eyeing Irene, who had aged perfectly, with all the right qualities a motherly figure should have.

"Oh, stop it~" Irene laughed softly, curling the ends of her hair with her free hand, her blush deepening as she waved her hand to dismiss his comment.

"I mean, it's like, wow, you just keep taking my breath away." Ricky leaned back, his expression playful as his pants seemed to strain under her mere sight.

"Sorry for the mess, we weren't expecting visitors," Irene laughed nervously, glancing around before kicking one of Sarah's toys into the closet and sitting down in front of Ricky.

Irene's mind was in a daze, flustered by the sight of Ricky before her and nothing could have prepared her for this meeting, especially not at such an unexpected time.

All this time, she had wondered who he really was, knowing little more than his name, Ricky. 

But now, that same man was sitting before her with a warm smile, the mystery of him unraveling in a way she hadn't expected.

"He says he's daddy," Sarah tugged on Irene's dress, pointing at Ricky as she quickly hugged her tightly, a mix of surprise and confusion washing over her.

"That is your daddy-"

"Then why was he gone?" Sarah asked, her confusion evident. Irene immediately ducked her head, a pang of guilt washing over her as she wondered, for a moment, if it was somehow her fault.

"Honestly, it was entirely my fault, I should've come sooner," Ricky said, his tone straightforward and sincere, addressing both Sarah and Irene with a raw honesty that neither of them had expected.

"Once I pulled myself together and learned you existed, I started hunting you guys down, and here I am," Ricky said, spreading out his arms as he looked toward the two as Irene slowly raised her gaze, processing his words.

That list, the one Ricky had given Lucky before the trial, was eerily similar to Bumpy's, an array of names of all the women he had gotten pregnant before, when he couldn't even fathom the responsibility. 

But things are different now. 

Ricky wanted them to have a better life, a life where they didn't have to worry or live in a trailer park, where they could have something more than just survival.

"Hey Sarah, go pick up your toys, I'm upgrading you guys to a house." Ricky winked at her, the little girl looking up at her mom for confirmation before glancing back at him with wide eyes.

"Okay!" Sarah squealed, running off with her arms outstretched like a plane, and then she dove into her mom's room, scattering her clothes around as she played.

Sniff

Tears trickled down Irene's cheeks as everything felt surreal in that moment, it was all so fast in a world where everything always seemed to move so slow.

The grueling, agonizing work Irene had put herself through to provide for Sarah weighed heavily on her every day. 

She spent countless hours on her feet, working so many hours just to make ends meet, only to find herself back at square one each time. 

The worries about money never stopped, the bills piling up, the lack of food some nights, the constant fear that something would break or go wrong. 

Every time she thought things might get better, life seemed to throw another obstacle in her way.

It was why she had built walls around herself to protect her from the crushing weight of it all, but in doing so, she had confined herself to a space where suffering became normal, where she had learned to accept that this was her life, no changes, no relief.

So when Ricky reached out his hand, tearing down those walls with only mere words, it was hard for her to understand.

Ricky's outstretched hand felt foreign, almost impossible as the world she had created for herself felt too small to allow anything other than her own torment.

"I'm gonna take care of you both from now on, and I'm sorry you had to go through all that. But from this point forward, you don't have to work another minute unless you want to. Never again." Ricky's voice softened with genuine resolve as he spoke to Irene, hoping to offer her some comfort. 

But the words seemed to hit harder than he anticipated, and she broke down in front of him.

Sniff

Hic

Irene covered her face, desperate to hide the rawness of her tears, the ugly sobs she couldn't control. 

The weight that had always pressed on her chest, the suffering of being cast out by her own family, lifted just a little, as if Ricky's words had cracked open a small space for relief. 

He didn't say anything more, he just came over, pulled her into a hug, and let her cry, offering the only comfort he could.

"I-It was so hard~" Irene whimpered, her voice breaking as she finally let down the walls she'd built so carefully around herself. 

For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn't have to be strong. 

She didn't have to force a smile or pretend, she could just let go, allowing the tears to flow freely.

"You're gonna be fine now, you ain't have to worry about nothing from nobody," Ricky consoled her, whispering sweet words of promise and stroking her red hair.

Sarah stood off to the side, her teary eyes peering through the doorway, giving her mommy the space to cry like she always did at night. 

The little girl watched Irene cry for what felt like forever, her heart heavy, until finally, Irene slowly raised her head.

"D-Did you really mean it when you said that me and Sarah would live in a house from now on?" Irene sniffled, her eyes searching Ricky's, as if trying to make sense of the words since it all seemed like a dream to her, to escape this place, let alone have a home of their own.

"Baby, you're gonna live in a mansion," Ricky said with a sly smile, gently caressing her cheek.

Irene froze, her face flushing red as she became momentarily stunned, like a deer caught in headlights, as he leaned down closer.

Bam

"I FINISHED!" Sarah yelled, throwing her suitcase onto the ground and making both of them flinch before Irene pushed him away.

"C-Can you give us a minute to pack?" Irene asked, her face turning even redder than her hair, her voice soft as she tried to steady herself and Ricky glanced out the window, then back at her, his smile never fading.

"Sure, you do that while I take out the trash." Ricky chuckled, walking out of the trailer as Sarah ran into Irene's arms while the latter tilted her head.

"But trash day was yesterday."

15 minutes later,

Within the trailer park's office, Ricky sat with his feet kicked up on the desk, his eyes scanning a certificate in his hand.

"Wow, even the deed look like sh*t." Ricky commented, gazing at the deed to the trailer park that had greasy splodges on it.

In front of Ricky sat a battered and bruised Mr. Herla, his body marked with shades of black and blue. 

He was stripped down to nothing but his yellow-stained underwear, ropes wrapped tightly around him as he sat slumped in a chair, his posture defeated.

"Aye, respond!" Marino yelled, driving the bud of his cigarette into the man's thigh as his skin sizzled.

"A-Ah-SORRY!" Mr. Herla yelped, his voice strained as his bloodshot eyes flickered with panic, one of them swollen and half-closed from a detached retina.

"Alright, this is mine now," Ricky said, his voice calm as he looked at Mr. Herla, who trembled, the last shred of power he had over people slipping away.

"But don't worry, I know just what you're worth." Ricky's tone remained light as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a twenty-dollar bill. 

He crumpled it in his hand, letting the action speak louder than words and with expert precision, he threw it at Mr. Herlahe's face as it dropped onto his lap.

"Marino, break his legs," Ricky ordered, standing up and walking out of the office with a cold finality in his voice. 

Marino immediately moved, grabbing the crowbar from where it was tucked to the side, his expression grim as he approached the trembling man.

"B-But I did everything you asked, I even gave you-"

"Come on, man, what did you expect?" Ricky turned around, shrugging nonchalantly as he looked at the beaten and bruised man as he opened the door, the sound of it creaking echoing in the tense silence.

"You f*cked up, did you think you'd be able to leave in one piece?" Ricky genuinely asked, watching Mr. Herlahe's face become pale, his head slowly turning to Marino shaking hsi head. 

"I told ya, didn't I?" Marino tapped the crowbar against his palm, clicking his tongue as Ricky slowly closed the door behind him, the sound muffled by the heavy silence that followed.

"P-Please, d-don't-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The scream echoed from the office, but the barrier around it ensured the sound couldn't escape.

Ricky walked calmly over to Irene, lugging her belongings, and without hesitation, he picked them up with ease.

"Anything else?" Ricky asked, slinging the suitcase over his back effortlessly as he walked toward the car as he popped the trunk with a flick of his wrist.

"No, that should be it-" 

"WAIT!" Sarah, with arms filled with her favorite cheap toys, rushed over to them before tripping on her own foot.

Just before she could fall, Ricky grabbed the back of her shirt, preventing her face from meeting the ground with her face hovering inches from the pavement, the near collision stopped by his quick reflexes.

"Thanks!" Sarah laughed, sitting up and throwing her toys into the trunk before running into the back of the car.

"Um, Ricky?" Irene suddenly asked, watching Ricky turn back after opening the car door for Sarah.

"What's up, forget something?" Ricky wondered, his tone teasing, but Irene shook her head, her hands instinctively gripping the ends of her dress as she steadied herself.

"If it's alright, I'd like to make one stop before we go, to say goodbye to someone who helped me and Sarah a lot-"

Irene started telling Ricky about Joe, explaining how, despite being a good person, he was essentially filling the role that Ricky should've, taking care of her, making sure she was alright.

Ricky listened, his smile twitching, a hint of jealousy creeping into his chest as he processed the words.

"Yeah, of course," Ricky said with a forced smile, holding the door open for Irene who slid into the seat, settling the excited Sarah on her lap.

Looking back, Marino exited the office, gripping his bloodied crowbar, and headed toward the car as he stopped abruptly when he caught sight of Ricky's gaze.

"Wipe it off first, come on, Marino," Ricky sighed, climbing into the car and shaking his head, his gaze heavy with disappointment and because of this, Marino rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Sorry, boss."

Soon after, Marino drove the three not to Irene's new residence but to the old diner that had been her home for so many years.

Joe, wiping the counter as the sun dipped lower in the sky, glanced up at the three people stepping out of a fancy car as his eyes widened as recognition struck, not just two of them, but all three.

When she walked in, her uniform not on her body but folded carefully in her arms, Joe couldn't help but smile warmly. 

Watching her slowly place it neatly on the counter before him, and his gaze softened further.

It was such a miniscule act and yet, it spoke volumes with Joe picking it up within a mere second.

"Thank you, for everything Joe." Irene expressed her utmost sincerity, gazing at the man who simply wanted her to spend as much time with her darling daughter.

"You've got nothing to thank me for, honey. Just promise me you'll live a good life," Joe said, his eyes lingering on Irene. 

For a moment, he saw his own mother reflected in her, and as Sarah ran around the diner, she felt like a younger version of himself, full of energy and innocence.

"With all my heart."

It was such a short interaction and it would leave many confused as to why it wasn't longer but sometimes, sincerity doesn't need to be spoken in paragraphs to mean something, but with only a couple of words.

"Thanks, mister!" Sarah chirped, waving at Joe as she took her mother's hand and together, they headed back to the car, leaving Ricky behind to linger for a moment longer.

"So, the guy filling up my newspaper is the deadbeat who left that poor girl out to dry," Joe said, pointing his towel at Ricky who wasn't the least bit offended.

"Yeah, I know, but at least I'm here now rather than never." Ricky sighed, shrugging and receiving a stern chuckle from Joe who eventually nodded.

"That's a harsh way to put it, but even so, you'd better take care of her," Joe lectured, his stern and direct tone reminding him of Lucky which only made Ricky chuckle, reaching into his suit with a smirk.

"Don't worry, I will." Ricky said, then set a stack of money on the counter, causing Joe to freeze in surprise.

"Woah wait, this is-"

"Listen, Irene told me what you did for her, and from everything I've heard about you, you're essentially her guardian angel." Ricky tapped the money, nudging it toward Joe but it wasn't a thank you, but an offer.

"But that's my role, and this is me buying you out, capisce?" Ricky smirked, eyeing the stubborn old man, who just laughed in response.

"The nuts on this guy, huh?" Joe chuckled, gesturing toward his regulars sipping coffee at the side as he turned back to Ricky, still laughing.

"But man to man, thank you." Ricky nodded, then backed away, offering a small salute to Joe before walking out of the diner and once outside, he paused, glancing down at the wad of cash in his hand but it was the card that had his attention.

"The hell is this?" Joe muttered aloud, grabbing the card with a signature on it and one of the trucker guys from the side glanced over, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Holy sh*t joe, that was really Slick!" The man sprung to his feet, watching Ricky get into the back of the car as it slowly started to drive off.

"What are you-"

"He's the new head of the Luciano family, and that's a favor!" The man was gobstruck, a member of the Teamsters Union who knew all too well the hold the Luciano family had on the city, something Joe was oblivious to.

"Huh, so Irene and her kid are going to be alright in his hands?" Joe wondered aloud, slipping the card into his shirt pocket as the man shook his head, looking uneasy. 

"Alright? Ain't no one in this city, hell, this state will ever touch those two without going missing." The man shivered, already feeling the cold depths of the riverbed of those poor suckers who dared try to mess with them.

"Well, then I can rest easy and get back to work," Joe chuckled, grabbing the money and heading back to his safe but the regulars, however, were left speechless, still processing everything that had just happened.

Now, after threatening the families of the mob bosses and buying everything for pennies on the dollar, Ricky Profilio's profile has increased dramatically. 

More specifically, his real estate holdings had doubled, and he planned to use them to house all the women who had been knocked up by him.

Irene would be getting the house that Carlo had bought for his mother as a surprise gift for the end of the year, but now it would belong entirely to Ricky. 

Driving through this residential neighborhood, the house wasn't a glamorous mansion, but it couldn't be considered anything less than impressive.

Even the driveway was bigger than their trailer, and Sarah's eyes sparkled with awe as she looked at it, clearly amazed by the space and grandeur of it all.

"Aye, Marino, you did good. Take the rest of the day off," Ricky said, patting his shoulder before stepping out of the car and nodding at him.

"Yes, boss." Marino, who was about to go to the strip club, held up his thumb with the slobbering image of titties smacking his face.

"Oh Ricky~" Irene gasped, unbelieving in the grand spectacle as she covered her mouth upon looking at the house.

"MOMMY, THIS BUSH LOOKS LIKE A LION!" Sarah roared, imitating the fierce animal from the side. 

Irene, too stunned to take it all in, didn't even realize that all her bushes seemed to resemble zoo animals.

"Let's take a look. I was in a rush to get to you, so I didn't have time to check if it was furnished," Ricky said with a frown, knowing there should be furniture as he walked ahead to inspect, nodding his head once he saw everything in place.

"Oh good." RIcky nodded to himself, Irene peeking in only for her eyes to widen completely.

It was beautiful, something that only seemed to depreciate in stories, a fashionable paradise.

The white furniture, plush white carpet, and gleaming white marble tiles that covered the floor were illuminated by the crystal chandelier, creating an atmosphere straight out of a Cinderella fairy tale.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot, are you both hungry?" Ricky turned back to the star, struck Irene and the jumping Sarah.

"Cause I could eat."

30 minutes later,

"Sarah, stop it." Irene lectured, dabbing Irene's face which was completely covered in pasta sauce as it was smeared everywhere.

"You guys want breadsticks?" Ricky walked over with a pink apron on, holding a baking sheet of breadsticks as Irene wanted to refuse but couldn't help but cover her mouth.

SNORT

Irene snorted out a laugh, turning away in embarrassment as Ricky smiled, glancing down at the apron before looking back at her with a teasing grin.

"What? I really think I make it work," Ricky joked, adjusting the apron as Sarah looked over, then shook her head, clearly not impressed with his playful confidence.

"No, you don't," Sarah said bluntly, giving her honest opinion before she then turned back to her plate, devouring her food as if she hadn't skipped a beat.

"Ouch~" Ricky groaned, frowning as he took off the apron and tossed it aside before sitting back down with a playful pout.

"Hey listen, I know it was sudden and it's probably sh*tty to say this, but I might not be around a whole lot cause of my work." Ricky pulled up the chair closer to Irene, knowing that it was going to be hard for him to be around all the time.

"But I promise, if you two ever need anything, even if it's something small, just ask, and it'll be taken care of, alright?" Ricky said earnestly but before he could continue, Sarah jumped onto the table, puffing out her chest and raising her arms triumphantly.

"I WILL GO TO THE MOON!" Sarah proclaimed loudly, as if it were a grand mission with Irene quickly yanking her down, starting to wipe the sauce off her face with an exasperated sigh.

"Stop that-"

"Alright," Ricky shrugged, half-amused, half-serious, as he literally promised her the moon. Sarah's eyes sparkled with excitement at the grand proclamation.

"Really?" they both asked, Irene shocked and Sarah completely dazzled by the idea.

"Yeah, but don't you have to be an astronaut first?" Ricky asked, munching on a breadstick as Sarah started contemplating the logistics of her new moon mission.

"I didn't know that?" Sarah muttered, quickly resolving to become an astronaut right then and there.

Ricky licked some crumbs off his lips, staring directly at Irene as he did so as she blushed fiercely, turning her gaze down to avoid his eye contact.

"THEN I WILL BE THE ACRONAU-"

"It's called an astronaut-"

"MOOOOOOOOOOOON!"

The dinner continued, with it mostly revolving around Sarah needing her face to be wiped down or her sudden and unexpected outbursts but eventually, the night slowly loomed in.

"Honey, go get ready for bed-"

"VROOOOOOOOOOOOM!" Sarah interrupted Irene, making car noises as she bolted towards the stairs leaving her mother to only relent silently.

"Oh, I almost forgot, here." Ricky suddenly reached into his pocket, pulling out the folded deed and placing it in front of Irene.

"What's this-"

GASP

Irene immediately gasped, looking upon the actual deed of the trailer park which had marked her miserable tenure.

"It's the deed to the park, it's yours now." Ricky leaned back, smiling ear to ear as he just loved seeing that speechless reaction of hers.

"But I-"

"If you don't want it, you can throw it away. If you want to run it, then go nuts. If you want to burn it to the ground, I'll give you some matches. The main thing is that you can do whatever you want." Ricky stood up, giving Irene so much to think about as he was bombarding her with gift after gift.

"I'll go tuck Sarah in," Ricky's words whispered right into her ear, making her shiver and then flinch as Irene ducked her head again, her face flushed with a furious blush.

But once her gaze returned to that deed, she sort of froze and stared at it for a long time while Ricky ascended the stairs.

Eventually, he had found the room Sarah had picked as he looked at her suitcase already sprawled out on the floor, the contents dumped out.

"Story, STORY!" Sarah roared from the bed in her pink onesie pajamas, pointing relentlessly at Ricky who walked over to her side.

"How about a cool story about Alexander The Great?" Ricky asked with a chuckle, watching Sarah scrunch her brows.

"What's that?"

"Well, he was this general-"

Instead of talking about himself, Ricky for some reason started telling some of the tales Alexander would spew when he had too much to drink.

About him sailing the seas, conquering lands, and forging an empire that stretched as far as the eye could see. 

For a normal kid, they might have been intimidated, but Sarah was so excited to hear more that she eventually tuckered herself out, drifting off to sleep with a smile on her face.

Ricky sort of sat there for a second, caressing her messy red hair before slowly walking out of the room, turning off the light, and shutting the door behind him.

'Oh f*ck, I forgot.' Ricky suddenly halted, exiting Sarah's room before realizing that he had actually forgotten about Stephanie's rewards.

You know, for everything he was and everything he might become, at the end of the day, he was still human. 

And that simple truth, with all its flaws and complexities, was something that made him more real than anything else, he forgot, oftentimes a lot.

Burdened with everything that was laying on his mind, sometimes things seemed to slip and fall into the background, even if they were vital.

Ricky wasn't immune to this, he wasn't someone who could magically conjure up thoughts and explanations when his mind was already set on something.

His focus wasn't trained to be split, instead going about things one at a time and it was starting to show how it was getting to him.

Sigh

'Come on Ricky, you're supposed to be better than this.' Ricky messaged his forehead, pinching the bridge of his nose before looking at the screen he had been pushing away.

'And even when I told myself I wasn't going to take it for granted, I literally fcking took it for granted, FCK!' Ricky cursed under his breath, more than pissed at himself as the whole point of that realization back with Frances was to take advantage of the system, but he'd fallen right back into the same pattern as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

'Choose rewards and receive-oh COME ON!' Ricky cursed again, kicking himself as he remembered he hadn't even redeemed Frances's gacha either as the frustration only grew, knowing he'd let so much slip through his fingers.

His focus was so fixated on the notice of his system upgrading that he completely forgot about the 100 gacha just lying in his inventory, untouched and waiting to be redeemed as the realization hit him like a punch to the gut.

'Just calm down Ricky, just chill out.' Ricky let out a deep breath, slowly walking to a chair by the side and leaning forward as the system panel displayed before him.

It was then that a tradition would be born, a tradition that should've started much sooner but had only come about after multiple realizations and the frustration of his own sense of worth toward his greatest asset.

Instead of accepting the rewards outright, Ricky just thought about it, even if he wanted to pick Gacha over both these women's skills, he thought it out.

He thought long and hard about how Frances's and Stephanie's skills could benefit him, how they would contrast with the 300 gacha he was about to receive. 

After actually weighing the possibilities and the potential gains, he finally came to a conclusion, realizing the best course of action for his next move.

'Choose gacha.' Ricky thought, knowing that although France's skills weren't as valuable as 100 gacha, Stephanie's needed more consideration.

She was a woman who had built an empire from nothing, and although Ricky wanted to choose her skills, he couldn't ignore the potential of the gacha. 

Honestly, he knew that innovation was the only way to stay on top of the market, and he needed more products for his company.

Ricky was prepared to sacrifice Stephanie's immediate gains, hoping for a larger payoff in the future. 

After all, all he had to do was knock her up again to get her skills, at least that's how he rationalized it in his mind.

DING

Dexterity: 52→59 (Lower realm of Superhuman)

(Epic Skill) Profit Sniff: The ability to to recognize the profit of a proposal by merely sniffing the air around them. A sweet smell will give the user the ability to sense whether it would give him a profit, neutral smell would mean break even, and rotten egg smell for loss.

[Received: 

(Mythic Skill) Asura's Hands: These hands emerge from the user's back or sides, glowing with a mystical aura, and serve two distinct purposes: weapon binding and combat augmentation.

Power's & Abilities:

Weapon Binding: The user can bind a weapon to themselves permanently, marking it as an extension of their soul. Once a weapon is bound, it can only be wielded by the user; if disarmed or separated, they can recall the weapon to their hand instantly, regardless of distance. To unbind a weapon would be to detach it from the user's soul which is a gruesome process.

Spectral Arms: Upon activation, the Asura Hands manifest, allowing the user to wield additional weapons simultaneously. The number of hands depends on the skill's mastery level and each spectral arm mirrors the user's dexterity and strength, functioning as if controlled directly by their mind.

Aura Enhancement: Each hand is equipped with its own special aura enchantment, granting them an element. The arms exude an intimidating aura that can momentarily stagger or frighten weaker opponents.

(Legendary Skill) Empower: The user can transfer their own stamina to amplify the potency of another skill, temporarily boosting its power or effectiveness. This skill is versatile but comes with significant limitations in terms of the ranks and nature of the skills it can empower. The user cannot empower the skill itself, and as the rank difference increases within the empowered skill, the empowerment becomes progressively weaker.

(Legendary Armor) Impenetrable dot: This inconceivably small dot that grants its user absolute invulnerability within its influence. Despite its minuscule size, the dot can resist any form of damage, making it impervious to even the most devastating attacks. However, its size limits its effectiveness to a very specific area, meaning only what is directly within the dot's confines is protected.

(Epic Item) Waylon's Whistle: Grants the user the ability to dispel an oncoming magic attack. Can only be used once. X 10

(Epic Item) Tempest Horn: A horn made of enchanted bone that, when blown, summons a tempest of winds and rain. After being blown, the horn shatters and is no longer usable.

(Rare Skill) Art Appraisal: Gives the user a letter grade of whatever art piece they look at, making it easy to discern real potential from mere trash.

(Rare Item) Gem-Encrusted Chalice: Exudes an air of importance, possibly ceremonial.

(Rare Armor) Sturdy Shin Guards: A sturdy pair of shin guards that can block a decent amount of attacks from low-grade monsters. X 4

(Uncommon Item) Dryer: A machine designed to dry clothes using electric heat, bypassing the traditional need for clotheslines or natural drying methods. This appliance would feature a drum or compartment where wet clothes are placed, and once the machine is activated, it generates warm air that circulates to dry the garments quickly. X 10

(Uncommon Item) Electric Sewing Machine: A portable, battery-powered sewing machine that allows for quick and efficient stitching. It can mend torn clothes, craft intricate designs, or create new garments from scratch. With an adjustable speed dial, it makes repairs faster than hand sewing, but its use is limited by its battery life. X 15

(Common Item) Leather Wallet: Worn but functional, with a faint smell of old receipts. X 25

(Common Item) Broken Dice: Whenever rolled, it will never land on an even number and always land on an old. X 40

(Common Item) Silver Coin: A standard form of currency in the mythical city of Orgabanda can be used to buy simple goods or services. X 45

(Common Item) Water Skin: A leather pouch filled with water, perfect for staying hydrated during long travels. X 25

(Common Item) Tinderbox: A small kit containing flint, steel, and tinder to start a fire when needed. X 35

(Common Item) Wooden Shield: A simple, lightweight shield made of wood, providing basic protection in battle but vulnerable to heavy attacks. X 15

(Common Item) Stone Knife: A primitive, yet reliable tool for cutting, skinning, or preparing food; it has a simple stone blade affixed to a wooden handle. X 45

(Common Item) Candle: A small wax candle that burns for hours, providing a steady light in dark environments. X 25

'Feed-' Ricky suddenly stopped himself, catching himself from just throwing skills and other sh*t at his eldritch abomination skill.

After taking the time to read Empower's description, he realized that once he fed it to the Eldritch Abomination, it wouldn't be able to use it on itself.

'Sh*t, I think I'm gonna have to ponder.'

While that was going on, Irene slowly walked through the master bedroom where she would be staying, her gaze drifting toward the dresser. 

Her hands glided over the smooth silk fabric before halting at the display of diamond earrings and necklaces.

It all felt so surreal as she turned her gaze toward the bathroom, captivated by the gleaming marble tiles. 

She stepped inside, drawn to the luxurious shower, her curiosity growing and slowly undressing, she felt a compelling need to test the water pressure for herself.

It was such a strange thing to focus on, but for Irene, someone accustomed to one-minute hot showers that often faltered, it was a dream come true. 

Slowly, she shed the sundress, revealing her supple body, and with a quiet sense of anticipation, she stepped into the shower and turned it on.

There was literally no wait, the hot water drenching her skin as she closed her eyes all while Ricky stood in the doorway.

"Got room for another?"

Author's note: Sorry it took so damn long but I just got stupid busy for no f*cking reason, anyways hoped you enjoyed.