Nefira

"Ahhhhhhh," Ami stretches as she walks into the trade sector city. It was an odd city to her, for it to be mixed it had quarters in it, the closer it got to the border of the other factions the more you saw the people of those factions and less of the other factions. The area she had just entered was often called the beastman quarters, because people from her faction resided there and, like Ami herself, they had animal like physical qualities. She looked around in awe though, while the shopping areas and some of the buildings clearly had the makings of her faction's culture there were quite a few tall silver buildings that reached to the sky, and she could see more off in the distance of the other sectors. As much as she would have preffered to stay in the beatman quarters though, she was going to the trade sector for schooling and the place she was stationed to live was in the heart of the trade sector. She knew it would have more of the Western culture to it, as they were the ones that founded and built the city and as a trade city and universal law most technology had to be accessible to the other two factions in the trade sector if they so wished to have it.

She walked along the streets as they started to change from the cobble stone she was so familiar with to a hard silver surface of an ore that was imported from the Lyreece people. People were walking in the main streets and on the side areas she noted people on a moving walk way, she knew how it worked but she was always a bit too intimidated to get on one and also saw it as a bit lazy, though it was more effective time wise. Slowly almost all traces of the Florin culture dispersed as she made her way into the heart of the city, it was about a fifteen minute waly but the whole time she was looking around at the buildings as they went from wood and brick to metal and glass. Hollographic people appeared shooting out from displays infront of shops, to advertise for the shop, some bigger ones were in the sky seemingly reporting some news update that she didn't bother to listen to.

There were people everywhere selling and buying, talking with friends and bartering for trades. A loud cluster of noise danced around everywhere. It was more crowded than her home town, Aquios, the capital of the Florin Faction. She shifted through the crowd trying to touch as few people as possible. She looked down at a piece of paper with directions on it and smiled to herself as she saw that now she could get off the main road, she squeezed through the crowd and made it to a side, alley way like street. She patted down her long flowing off red hair. It was off red for it seemed to be right between a deep red and slight pink, it had gotten messed slightly as she brushed against people. Her deep purple eyes scanned the much less populated path way and then feel back to the map she walked down the pathway and it lead her to another area in the heart of the trade sector. There were less people in this area than the first road she had gotten off of but still more than the pathway she was leaving now. The area had large hills that she started to descend as she read the map more. She came to an area where the road spiraled upward away from the ground to the second level of the city which was built above the first level and held up by the magical technology of the Western Cytrex people.

Ami then looked back at her map with dismay as she slowly took slower steps to the levitating road like walk way and started to walk up it. After another minute she was at the top of the walk way and clung to the edge railing as she leaned over it slightly to look at the first level below her. She sighed away the shaking in her knees and gulped down her fear and started to walk. She wasn't afraid of hieghts nor the technology holding up the levels of the city, but more she was afraid that something would go wrong with the core generator holding up the levels and they would all collapse. She walked along the pathway lined with neon lighting and read her map again and started to look around. Finally, she found a building with the words 'Appartmnet Living Station 6B' it was a tall building with six floors and made of metal on the outside. She walked in and was instantly greeted with warm colors that shocked her eyes as they transitioned from the cool grays and silvers of the outer city. The tiling on the floor was different shades of creams and whites, red carpets lead to the main area of the lounge, the first floor hallway, and the stairs leading to the upper level.

There were a few other people in the lounge sitting on a couch and in chairs around a deep brown oak coffee table near a fireplace sipping some drinks and chatting about something she didn't bother to listen to again. She walked up the stairs to the top floor, as far as she knew she was the first inhabitant of the top floor. She walked down the moderately light hall as she looked for the door with her number on it. The only sound breaking the silence was the ruffling of her side skirts and the soft pit pat of her steps on the red rug. She looked down to see deep dark brown wooden flooring, the walls were a plain cream with a small light hald orb sticking out near each door, the doors were a dark brown that matched the flooring, they each had a three numbers on them made out of gold lettering.

"613 613 ..... Finally," she mumbled as she walked up to the door with 613 in it. She held out a key and unlocked the door and walked into the appartment. It was as she suspected, to her immediate right was a closet, from that wall was the entrance into the kitchen, from where she was standing she could see that the wall of the kitchen facing the living room was open and formed a half wall, the kitchen was a complete kitchen, the living room was spacious but still not overly large. To her immediate left was her room she walked in to see it lead to the bathroom and closet. A queen sized bed, the color scheme like that of the hall way. She sighed and put her things down and stretched again, happy to finally be at her destination.

Hey purple eyes glew bright in the dark as she looked around one last time before deciding she needed a drink. She had seen a bar a few building back so she grabbed her money bag and left her room locking the apparement behind her. She walked down the stairs and out the main lobby, he tail swayed in the opposite motion of her hips as she walked. She was happy to finally be walking wihtout carrying too much extra weight and happy at the thought of having a drink. She walked down the path way to the first building she had seen on the second level it was indeed a bar. She walked in to see not many peopel in there, she wasn't surprised it was the middle of the day msot were out doing trade business, working or in school, or just thinking it's too early to walk into a bar. She had started to walk towards the main counter when a rather large man bumped into her and knocked her money bag out of her hands.

"Sorry hunny," the man said apologetically as he stumbled out of the bar clearly a bit too drunk for this time of the day. She didn't let it bother her though as he had indeed apologized and she was sure it was an accident. She started to look around the dimmly light bar as she scanned the floor looking for her bag. She saw a slightly gleam of the silver encrusted design on her bag and she walked over to the table it had been kocked under and kneeled down and moved under the table to grab it as she thought about what she was going to order and hoped they had the signature drink of thr Florin faction.

Heridan let out a yawn as his horse trotted beside the wagon carrying their trade goods. While he regretted being away from the family, he always brought back nice things for them, and hell, let’s face it. He had a good time himself, usually, despite the occasional skirmish with another faction member. As they drew up into town, he looked around himself with a slight smile. The silver and metallic colors of the ore around them sorta reminded him of the mines, which was nice. At least they weren’t being totally drowned out here. He patted his own gem pouch with his spoils. It was no secret he was living up to his name when it came to his luck in the mines. This haul would make for a good shopping spree, that was for sure. Maybe he could even grab another gun. He laughed a little to himself, and caught his friend’s attention, “What are you so cheery about, Lucky?” Kael asked, pointing at the bag of gems, “Aside from that I mean.”

Heridan simply laughed, “Nothing, just thinking of what I might spend all this on. Might grab Lynny a new necklace or something.” He said, knowing how much his sister loved ‘foreign’ jewelry.

Kael simply laughed, “’Ey, your sis is a mighty fine one, you know. Might think about taking her around the city a bit myself, once she gets rid of her current man.” He said, to which Heridan simply rolled his eyes and knocked him off his horse with a telekinetic push, “’Ey, ‘ey. Mr. Testy!”

Heridan shook his head, “Like she’d be interested in you, ‘Weasel’.” He replied, and Kael frowned. Weasel wasn’t nicknamed that because he was an unsavory type, or a thief; just because he was a miner and happened to have some weasely features about him.

“Come on, Lucky, I thought you said you wouldn’t call me that anymore. We had a deal.” Kael muttered, getting back onto his horse and acting offended. Heridan simply laughed, and before long, the two of them were laughing heartily. Finally, though, they cashed in their spoils and were left with hefty purses of coins instead. Some of the older men had business elsewhere in town, and soon it was just Heridan and Kael walking through the streets.

“Hey, Kael, I’m gonna grab a pint and a plate if I can, you wanna come?” he asked, knowing the answer to that already.

Kael rolled his eyes, “Real funny, Lucky. You know I don’t drink that shit. I am going to go find something to impress the ladies back home. Maybe even your fine sister.” He said, sidestepping the swipe Heridan made at him and danced off into the crowd, laughing as he did. Heridan simply chuckled and rolled his eyes. Before he went to have a few drinks, though, he wanted to grab a new weapon. He was fascinated with the technologies of the West, despite them being a different faction. As he browsed the weaponry, his eyes alighted on something that definitely caught his interest; a weapon that fired scattering projectiles, but required two hands to wield. After inspecting the weapon for a moment, he looked at the coins in his hand. He had more than enough, but it wouldn’t leave him with much for the family…After wrestling with himself for a little while, he decided to hold off on buying cheap trinkets such as jewelry or some such nonsense, and purchase the beautiful weapon. With a grin and the gun strapped across his back, he decided that he would have to test fire it a few times before heading home.

With another yawn, he proceeded up the street, casually letting his eyes pass over the crowd and the diverse peoples within the crowd. With another yawn, he found what he was looking for; a nice looking pub that was in the middle of the trade sector, so there wasn’t likely to be too many overzealous faction supporters there that he’d have to test his new weapon on. He noticed a drunk stumble out of the building and scoffed. “Idiot.” He muttered. The only thing getting flat out drunk like that here got you was a picked pocket and waking face down in your own vomit. He shook off the thought and stretched his neck, listening to the satisfying crack as he walked inside.

The first thing that caught his eye in the place was how stark empty it practically was. Although this shouldn’t have surprised him much, he found it somewhat disheartening. Usually bar folk had good tales to spin, no matter what faction you were part of, and usually after a few drinks, they weren’t as shy about sharing them. The second was a kitsune on her hands and knees under a table, apparently searching for something. He was now glad that his goggles were down so that nobody could see the sneak peak he was taking at her butt as he walked to the front of the bar, using just his eyes to get a look. ‘Not bad at all.’ He thought with an inward smile as his face stayed casual. He sat just right, so that he could still see her out of the peripherals of his vision, without looking too obvious. He tapped the counter and waited for the barman to acknowledge him. His stomach growled a little from the long trip. All they'd had to eat along the way was travel rations, which sucked when you were used to cooked meals and good food, as opposed to dried jerky along with some fruit.

“Oy! Bawr-tenda’! I needs me anuther!” A fat man sat at the bar, slapping the red stained oak surface with the palm of his chubby hand, as he bellowed at Jack with all the force his lungs would allow. Jack’s forehead was lying on the bar counter, as his eyes popped open from a three-minute rest at the fat man’s voice. He lazily lifted his head up to the man, and furrowed his brows. “Why in the hell are you still here? You’ve been sitting in the same spot, drinking away like a fat hog, for at least eight hours.” Jack let out a sigh, and pushed up from the bar, spinning around and reached for another mug to serve the man another brewsky. He shuffled over to the beverage dispenser, the mug dangling from his fingers as he walked. He filled the mug, and set it on the bar in front of the man. “There... damn butter-ball.” He muttered his last words.

The man grinned, revealing his gooey gums, and yellow teeth. His eyes were fixated on the mug, whose head was fizzling over, as he grabbed the handle with a sense of pride only a drunkard would have. “Much appreciated, Frosty!” The man regarded as he let out a short cackle. Jack’s sleepy eyes rolled at the man’s comment, as he shook his head. “Yes, well I’m sorry to say that this is gonna’ be your last one buddy. I’ve been here all night and day, serving drinks to you and all your oinker pals from last night. I’m sure you have a pleasantly plump wife somewhere waiting for you to come home.” Jack crossed his arms and rested them on the bar once more as he lifted his right hand, and perched his chin atop his palm. He glanced over at the man, anxiously waiting for him to finish the drink and leave him alone. The only reason he spoke such insulting words to the man, was simply because he knew the oaf was too drunk to care, let alone smash Jack’s face in like any sober man would do.

The fat man gulped down the entire mug without hesitation, slamming the glass on to wood surface after he finished. “Ahhh! That was some night, ‘ay Jack?!” The man grinned once more at the weary bar tender. Jack gave the man a glare only the devil would smile back at. Jack was less than pleased with how his night had been. Though, he would like to say it was filled with beautiful women, it was bombarded by ugly men, former Lycreece miners to be more exact. They were former, because they all lost their jobs, but decided to intrude on this particular bar to drink away their misfortune.

Jack smiled at the man, and lifted up a finger to his face. A small flame sprouted from his finger, flickering about. “Get out, or else I’ll burn that grotesque snout right off your greasy face. Do we have an understanding?” Jack kept grinning at the fat man. The man’s eyes were crossed at the flame before him, as his expression turned to that of fear. “I-I didn’t know you were one of them westerners! H-Here’s your money for the drinks. See’ya!” The man set the sweaty coins on the bar counter, and quickly wobbled out, bumping into a customer on his way.

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The night before, Jack was tormented. He stared around the over packed bar room. Every table was filled, the burly men drinking to their hearts content, hitting on one of the beautiful waitress’ as they did The waitress uniform was a short, red frilly skirt, matched with a black open-chest frilly shirt, so one would understand it hard not to notice them. At first, Jack was happy that so many customers were attending. He even took the time to cool all their drinks, and light some of their cigars. Some of them asked for his special, the ‘Frost’, and those unfortunate souls passed out early.

The bar was filled with eight small circular tables, each made of oak and stained red, to co-ordinate with the bar counter. The bar counter was a long twenty-five foot, straight bar, with thirteen black, metal bar-stools. The walls were a crimson red, and the ceiling was black. The ceiling was lined with several glass lamp lights, featured in the style of a blooming rose. They could be dimmed, or brightened to set the mood accordingly with the use of a magic panel embedded under the bar counter. If Jack was speculating some lovely couple –discretely checking out the woman’s body-, then he would take it upon himself to offer them a drink, and dim the lights so his staring would be even less obvious. This way he was given the chance to engage in his ogling, while at the same time he would come off as the generous barkeeper that every upstanding customer would expect him to be.

Behind the bar counter, of course, is a various supply of alcohol, all the way from beers to bourbons, and as well as the ever classical scotch. Several different color bottles sparkled behind Jack as he stood behind the bar counter for the next twelve hours, serving drinks to the sweaty men surrounding him.

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Jack couldn’t help but cringe every time he thought about it. Jack watched the fat man knock over the customer’s purse under one of the tables. Jack gazed at her with overwhelming delight, and if he were not so prideful of his reputation, he would’ve burst out in tears of joy at the sight of this woman. It didn’t matter what faction the woman was from, when a woman was beautiful, she was beautiful, but he had a special place in his heart for girls with fluffy tails. He eyed the gorgeous Eastern woman as she knelt down, and crawled under the table, her big fluffy red tail twitching about, and enticing Jack every second of the way, to just tug on it!

As he gawked at the girl’s behind, Jack vaguely noticed another man step in. It was only until he spotted him shuffling toward the bar, and Jack, that Jack stopped staring, and quickly turned around to grab the man a clean mug. He chilled the mug as he filled it, and turned, facing the man with surprise. His eyes augmented at the sight of the man’s fire arm, as he set the mug in-front of him. “Sir, that ‘thing’ you have is not permitted in the bar. Please get rid of it, before I do.” He only smiled at the man, staring into his peculiar goggles. Jack extended his hand, and presented the drink before the man. “Because you are a new customer, the ‘Black Rose’ lounge offers you a free drink on the house. Thank you for coming... now if you’ll excuse me, I must go assist this damsel in distress.” Jack walked to the end of the bar counter, and stepped out. He briskly walked across the lounge, and stood directly behind the Florin woman, his eyes following every move her bushy tail made. Jack pressed his palms together, and rubbed his hands with excitement, as he grinned from ear-to-ear at the thought of what lustful crime he was about to commit. He bent over slightly, and slowly reached for the tail, his hand inching closer every second. Suddenly, he grabbed it by the end, and gave it a slight tug. “Excuse me, my lovely lady, is there something I can help you with?” Jack smiled as he stroked his fingers about over the glossy folds of the girl’s tail.

Ami was stretching her arm out as far as she could and had just grabbed her purse when she left someone tug on her tail. "Heke...," she couldn't think of any words right away as she felt the tug, and truth be told she loved with when people played with her tail, ears, or hair, but not strangers who oh so rudely grab her tail and tug on it. She quickly put her weight on her her right side and swung her left leg back wards, taking the man out by the back of the knees causing him to fall back wards. She crawled out from under the table with her bag in hand and pushed some of her hair behind her shoulder casually. "Maybe you should think before harrassing someone," she said and then stepped on the man's chest and walked to the bar. Her light weight wouldn't hurt the man at all but she did it to send a message, one that showed she didn't really care to show manners to people who didn't have any.

She sat down on a seat at the bar next to a man that had just walked in. The cold leather of the stoll felt good on the back of her thighs and she crossed her arms on the top of the bar counter as she waited for the man she pressumed to be the barkeep get off the floor. She looked up at the man sitting next to her, he had a fire arm with him that she eyed curiously before looking back at him. "Hi! I'm Amelia, I just moved here from Aquios." she said to the man deciding to introduce herself before indulging him in any sort of conversation. Judging by his clothing accessories, and build, he was a miner from the north.

She looked all around the bar a moment and sighed, it was a nice bar now that she took it in, but it seemed full of boring and badly mannered individuals. "Hey idiot! How's about you earn some respect from me and give me something that'll knock me on my ass!" she called over her shoulder. Despite what most would think Ami could hold her liguor unrealistically well. She often messed around with the liquors of her kind to make herself something strong enough to make her pass out after a hard day of family life. "Tch," Ami twitch her tongue against her teeth as she thought about her family. She had an intricate family past and a rather odd yet normal one at that begining with being teased for not having any magic at all to having a staticy relationship with her parents.

As the bartender told him that his new weapon wasn't allowed in, he didn't exactly know what to do with it. He could run it back to the caravan, he supposed, but that would take far too long. He wasn't going to stay long anyway. As the guy said he was going to "assist" the girl, he rolled his eyes behind his goggles, 'I bet.' Of course, as the bartender went over to the girl and pulled her tail, receiving a swift kick to the back of his legs, he nearly choked on the ale that the guy had handed him. Getting an unpleasant sting as the ale went up the back of his throat and into his nose, he hastily brushing his nose as the girl came over and sat next to him. He coughed once trying to get the alcohol where it was supposed to go instead, “Heridan.” He said, extending his hand out to her, “Friends call me ‘Lucky’.” She seemed friendly enough, at least for the moment.

“So what made you move down here? Never really been to Aquios,” he said, chuckling a little at his own little joke, even if it was a little stale, “I’ve only every visited this place. Don’t know if it’s really a place I’d like to live though. But that’s just me,” He said, pulling up his goggles to look at her without the glassy green. Besides, it was courtesy to look someone in the eyes, “Sorry about the goggles, it gets a little hazy down in the mines.” He said matter-of-factly as they dangled down with his mask. He noticed she had been looking at his weapon as well, so he took it off and set it on the counter. He couldn’t just throw it outside, this thing was expensive. If the bartender wanted to do something with it while Heridan drank, that was okay, he supposed. He only wanted one or two drinks anyway; something to lighten the nerves a little.