The pawnbroker came back out with an appraiser. He examined every valuable that Regan had placed on the table, and with widened eyes, he confirmed that every last one of them was real.
Regan was ecstatic, and Clam was rumbling with excitement. Regan could see his lips trembling, but he forced himself to keep up the act of a wealthy, nonchalant merchant who often engaged in these types of exchanges.
Regan and Clam left the pawn shop with huge stacks upon stacks of cash. It felt much too good to be rich, and the two couldn't stop laughing once they left the pawn shop. Their laughs sounded like money, and the air smelled like success.
They went back to the stand, and revealed the bags of money that they had received from the pawn shop, almost making Rose and Randi faint. Jinkota and Izgrim were not amused, and they quickly went back to selling the booze to many customers who came to the stand.
Regan and Clam took a handful of cash, and instructed Randi and Jinkota to watch over the rest carefully. Regan and Clam departed to find a clothing shop. They spent a good while walking into various districts and streets, until they found a luxurious building that was selling clothes just as distinguishable and sumptuous as the structure they were kept in.
They walked inside and found various clothes that matched their tastes. Regan took out a gothic attire that matched the fashion of upper-class Victorian society in his world, while Clam looked like an extremely rich pirate, a tricorne atop his head with feathers jutting out of it, and diaphanous waistcoat worn over his body, embellished by gemstones and intricate patterns of gold waves and gold lighting.
"How am I looking?" Regan asked, fitting a bow tie around his neck.
"Quite dapper," Clam said, cinching his pants with a belt that was adorned by crystals.
The two left the store looking like wealthy artistocrats. Regan found another store that was selling canes and procured one to accentuate his look. Clam went and bought a holster and a pistol with golden engravings on the wood.
They walked back to the stand, many eyes following them everywhere they went. The group didn't recognise the two for a moment, until Clam gave them that serious expression again.
"Clam? Dantes!?" Rose exclaimed, handing a plastic cup of booze to a customer.
"Aye. Indeed it us. You ruffians need a hand?" Clam japed.
"We're doing just fine." Jinkota frowned.
"What the hell are you two wearing?" Izgrim said, wheeling about the drum dolly.
"This that real fashion, you wouldnt know about it, bum." Regan laughed.
"What did you say!?" Izgrim shouted.
"Hey, hey! Stop that!" Randi demanded, pulling Izgrim away. "No fighting in front of the customers."
"Ain't nobody fighting but him," Regan said.
"We'll be on our merry way, just hand us one of the bags. Oh, put some of the treasure inside of it, too." Clam said, pointing at the stack of cash inside of a brown leather bag.
Jinkota threw it at him and demanded they hurry up and leave. The two nodded, and walked away from the stand.
"They're not too happy with our having fun here, huh?" Regan laughed.
"Ah, screw 'em. They'll get over it. We got bigger things to worry about."
"Yeah, like finding a ship builder."
Earlier, as they were making their way back to the stand, they had discussed finding a ship builder. Regan had talked about paying for the construction of a new ship with secret compartments to store all of their treasures more meticulously.
Clam loved the idea, as he himself needed a place to store all the new rifles and pistols that he would buy.
The two arrived at a shipyard. Regan was tapping his cane against the ground and observing everything in front of him. There were ships being built near the platforms, and some of the completed ones had been anchored. Many men were bringing sails onboard the ship, crates, barrels, and weapons.
"Where the hell do we start?" Regan said, amazed by it all.
"We start by asking around." Clam said, pulling Regan along.
They found a man with a hard hat on his head, and a waistcoat over his body. He was shouting down orders at some of the men onboard a ship that was being repaired.
Clam tapped him on his shoulder. When the man turned around, a string of eloquent words left Clam's mouth. "Good day to you sir, good day!"
"What do you want? Make it quick, I'm really busy over here."
"Much apologies for the disturbance, I have since observed you as a busy man. It is a worthy appellation, much to your character. My good sir, Dantes, why don't you explain our presence here?"
Regan cleared his throat. "We require a ship, good sir. A large ship at that, think a war ship, perhaps a ship of the line."
"Ship of the line!?" The man yelled, incredulous. "You have any idea how long that would take to build and how much it would cost!?"
"Time is a factor to consider, yes, but money is not." Clam shrugged.
"Indeed. How much would it cost?" Regan inquired.
"Cost? 500,000,000 berries! I—well, I'm not saying you people don't have that kind of money, but a ship of the lin—"
"And how long will it take to build it if we were to, let's say, add additional sums on top of what we owe for the construction of the ship?" Regan said.
"An additional sum? Why additional?"
Clam was just as confused.
"To speed things up. It may give your men an incentive. I will pay each man a hefty sum." Regan said.
"Sir, no amount of money can change the impossible."
"Two years won't suffice?" Regan asked, gripping his cane tightly as he pulled out a heap of cash and flashed some jewellery. He could feel his excitement boiling within him.
Two years. He could have the ship of the line ready in two years, and he could use that ship to begin his life as a pirate. He still needed a Jolly Roger, however.
"I-I'll see what I can do." The man said. Regan took out a stack and shoved 100,000,000 berries into his arms.
"Do you have a card?" Clam said.
The man dug into his pocket and pulled out a business card. Clam took it, waved it, shook his hand, and began walking away. Regan gave the shipyard one last look, and then turned away, a wide grin on his face.
Everything is falling into place