"Our fishing boats are over her." Matilda motioned for Alaric to follow her.
"My shop is a flipping business. I buy up beat up boats, fix them up a little, and then sell them back. I get a lot of ships from the navy and fishermen." After a major naval battle, there are a large amount of boats that are either outdated and damaged. They don't bother fixing them up so they sell them to people like me." Matilda explained.
Alaric licked his licks in excitement. This smelled like getting a good price. He couldn't repair the ships by himself so this was going to be his best bet for him to succeed.
He considered his luck. This was a perfect shop to find at this moment. But luck wasn't something to feel cursed with or guilty about for having it play in your favor. The universal constant of luck kept one in check. It could destroy someones life until they were left as a blob of goo, or it could build someone up as a tower stretching to the heavens. Luck is fair in being universally uncontrollable.
"Ehh, this isn't that lucky. Boat shops aren't that crazy. I'll save my luck talk for later hopefully. " Alaric was hoping that luck would come out more while he was fishing, rather than when he was buying boats.
"Take a look at these." Matilda motioned towards three boats in ascending size.
The first boat was a small boat, humble. Made of wood. It was a basic paddle-boat and it had an oar in it. It had enough space for him to keep his supplies in it. It would definitely suffice in terms of practicality, but it didn't really speak to Alaric.
But it would likely be cheap. If it was bought more expensive fishing gear could be bought.
"I should never question my mental dialogue. If my gut feels like it is wrong, it should be wrong." Alaric rubbed his gut gently, pondering. It was too boring.
"This one is alright, let me pin it. It's just a functional boat." Alaric told Matilda.
That one was clearly a fisherman's boat.
"This next one is a little bigger." Maggie said pointing to the next boat.
This one was more interesting. It was a sailboat. It had a large sweeping sail that would allow it to be quick. This one was about speed.
Alaric considered its advantages. Speed wouldn't be important if he would be staying in place at a fishing hole. But it would be nice for getting out to more obscure locations as well as traversing the world.
"Yeah this ones cool, you know what, i'll pin it too." Alaric continued a pinning trend.
"This one's nice too." Matilda pointed to the final ship. The largest one.
This one was clearly a warship. It was covered in spikes on the outside, and had a single cannon on it. It was large and plated with metal.
It was converted into a fishing ship a little. It had less bulk than a normal warship, and had some fishing additions.
Again, there were pros and cons.
It would be slow and clunky, and wouldn't be effective for travel.
But it would be intimidating and would provide protection from any dangerous fish.
"It's alright. Lets get into prices. What are we talking about for these three?" Alaric began negotiations. It was time to make a decision.
"250 for the first one, 300 for the second, 320 for the third." Matilda said.
Alaric was slobbering in his mind. They were all under his budget. The rat even seemed to pick up on Alarics chemical emissions that signified how happy he was. The rat let out a little chirp.
Now was decision time. Because of the reasonable prices he decided there would be no negotiations. He would buy it at market price.
The choice was between price, speed, or strength. This was truly a scenario like red hair and the three giant badgers, except in this case all off the oatmeal was good. He would have to just decide.
"You say you do repairs right? For ships?" Alaric clarified.
"Yes. All ships really." Maggie responded.
"Well how about this, I'll take the first one, but you help me mod it a little." Alaric decided.
Despite his gut feeling, that was just towards the base boat. Once the price was revealed, things changed. But the first boat was a perfect blank canvas. The other two already had their strengths, but flexibility was a great ability to have. If he could customize this ship to his liking with his remaining budget, he would be able to make a worthy vessel.
Sometimes money was the best cure to a gut ache.
"Deal. I'll bring it into my workshop and i'll see what I can do. " Matilda shook Alarics hand.
The boat was then rolled into her workshop.
The workshop was full of tools, nails, hammers, saws, things of the like.
And there was a massive pile of scrap wood and supplies.
"Ok so my vision is to be a little more durable. Speed is less important to me right now. But I don't want to be insanely slow. And lets make it a little more livable, can you get a little roof bit?" Alaric requested.
"So, metal plating and a small structure on it. I will expand it a little to help out it's flotation. I'll install a sail too. I've no other jobs right now." Maggie said.
Alaric got the image that she did this for the love of the game, not for money. A massive, extremely massive benefit for him.
Alaric looked around the workshop and something caught his eye.
"Can I have this harpoon too?" A metal spear attached to a rope caught his attention. It was created in a manner that would allow it to be attached to the boat.
"Sure. An extra a hundred charred for all the mods." Matilda finished.
Alaric took out the amount of money for the service.
"What do you want to name the boat?" Matilda said.
"Ignatius." Alaric stated. It was a name dear to him.
Thus Ignatius went into the shop to be modified.
With the remaining money he would now go out for his fishing gear.