“Alright, there we go!” Alora sighed as she finished typing out a message on her commlink, before scrolling through her social media feed. “Updated my MyFace page to let everyone know we’re alright and that though we were around Cypherport and got into some trouble we weren’t responsible for destroying the town. I’ve mentioned that The Redeemer and the Order of the Infernal Harmony were the ones to ambush us and that they shot up the place.”

I agree it is best to not try and lie about us being there. Chiyo nodded as she checked her news feed. A flood of worried messages lit up her screen from friends, all anxious after spotting them in the recent news broadcasts, and Chiyo sent a few quick replies, keeping her responses light and teasing to wave away any further concern. Means we can set the story straight in our own way rather than try to deny it.

“We’re going to get some heat for this either way,” Nika reasoned with a shrug as the Kizun splashed her tail gently back and forth, causing waves to ripple along the comforting water of the hot tub. “But I think we’ve done the best we can for now.”

“A few posters have already linked us to when the Redeemer attacked us the first time,” Sephy added, looking up slightly from her own commlink. “And they know who we are from the Clan Bharzum remembrance service. Like it or not, we’re getting a reputation.”

“Not great if we need to work in the shadows, right?” Jack asked, and Nika gave him a shrug.

“Yes and no. We saw it with the Corvin Executive that hired us,” the Kizun began, not going into too many details around their friends. “Remember how they agreed to meet unusually quickly? Chances are we’ve ended up on Corvin Enterprises approved list of groups or something. It can be good and bad, with better job offers and rewards from clients that want something but it can also mean greater risks too.”

In our line of work, you’re going to anger someone at some point! Chiyo added. And if they’re powerful and know who you are…

“Then they’ll take revenge,” Jack deadpanned, remembering The Redeemer, The Cult of the Destroyer and House Mal’Kar in particular. “I’ve noticed that a few times already.”

“Yes, but at least we won’t be going on any big jobs for a while,” Alora noted, grinning unusually mischievously as she quickly snapped a few candid photos of the group, catching several of them off-guard with surprised expressions. “Eventually, interest in us will die down if we lie low for a bit.”

“I doubt that’ll happen for all of them,” Nika pointed out. “But like with the drow, some know when to call it quits. Others are too fanatical for that, but if they don’t get an opportunity they might turn their focus onto something else.”

“So that’s the plan from here?” Jack asked with a relieved smirk. “We’ve just got to lay low and try and act like good upstanding citizens?”

“Well maybe not that last part!” Sephy grinned widely, the first genuine grin the Skritta had given since Luvia had shown up. “Nothing wrong with doing the occasional milk run to keep you sharp!”

“Or maybe use that free time you now have for a better cause?” a voice purred from behind Jack as Luvia whispered sensually into his ear, her flickering tongue tickling it as she did so. She shifted slightly as her claws lightly traced a pattern on his lower stomach, teasing him as he turned almost as red as her.

“Ummm!” Jack exclaimed in an unusually high pitch that caused several of the girls around him to scowl, though he noted that Vanya was grinning like a lunatic at the display, the Chuna having joined them on seeing there was space. “What do you mean?”

“You promised me a date, did you not?” Luvia teased, as Jack suddenly felt the mass of stares from the others weigh him down as he sank lower and lower into the water.

“I…um…yeah,” Jack finally managed to gulp out, remembering the events of the last Religious Studies class he, Luvia and Alora had attended together. “I guess it could be fun to hang out at some point, but I’m pretty sure the others wanted to show me parts of the city first...”

Sephy smirked at that, and although Jack couldn’t see Luvia’s expression behind him, he felt the dragon’s arms wrap around him slightly tighter, almost possessively.

“But I want to heal up first,” Jack hastily added. “I can’t really think about any of that kind of stuff right now after a Run, and I haven’t really experienced what passes for ‘normal’ in this city yet.”

You will eventually, Chiyo assured. We just need to see how this corporate war will go, and then everything will go back to being quieter.

“Yeah…” Nika added. “The current conflict doesn’t show signs of publicly escalating, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Myrodin and Shaskasaki got some unofficial help from the others. Corvin Enterprises are getting way too powerful these days and are making a lot of people nervous.”

“Indeed,” Luvia spoke up suddenly more seriously. “The local Red Legion on the Ring have major concerns about them. It is believed sensitive information about our movements have been leaked to them, though we don’t have any proof of the matter.”

“Damn…” Nika cursed under her break. “Still, they wouldn’t have any reason to outright attack you, surely? Maybe they’re just selling the information to the drow or something? But hey, once it all cools down and Corvin Enterprises starts hosting the next BattleDome show, I’m totally taking you to see it, Jack!”

“Something violent to take a break from all the violence?” Vanya spoke up from where the Chuna was relaxing next to Sephy. “Sounds about right for you!”

“Hey it’s not a problem if other people are doing the violence for your entertainment!” Nika grinned. “Besides, it’s not like it’s Hell Ring! They’re just stunt pros and actors putting on a show!”

“I guess that’s not so bad then!” Jack chuckled dryly. “Sounds a lot like Pro Wrestling from where I’m from! My parents didn’t like me watching that kind of stuff, but I guess they can’t complain here…”

“Certainly not where I’d take you for a date…” Alora scoffed under her breath.

“Oh?” Sephy asked with a raised brow. “Where would you take him, princess?”

“I-” Alora flushed, the question catching her off guard. “It’s a surprise!”

“There’s no pressure!” Jack nervously spoke up. “It’s just me!”

“I certainly have a few ideas if you need them, Alora…” Luvia spoke up teasingly as she poked her snout over Jack’s shoulder, her warm breath tickling the side of his cheek.

“That won’t be necessary.” The Eladrie shook her head, somehow managing to keep her flowing silver locks above the water. “It will be something meaningful that we can both enjoy.”

“Sounds overly complicated.” Luvia chuckled. “Though I know nothing of Jack’s species, there are things almost everybody could enjoy…”

“I’m right here you know!” Jack snorted from his perch, making an attempt to move before Luvia gently held on to him, pulling him back.

“I am quite aware.” The dragon giggled, getting handsy with him once again as Jack squirmed slightly from embarrassment.

“To be fair, I don’t know anything about your species either,” the human pointed out after he got comfortable and relaxed again. “You’re the only dragon at the…Scion of Wyrmwalker right?” He asked curiously, hoping he remembered the name of the Red Legion base he had gone to with Kritch a while back.

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“That’s correct, and the only Red Legion Dragon for leagues around,” Luvia noted with a nod that Jack felt more than saw. “Fosterage in distant lands is common for draconic lines in Red Legion territory, especially those of my bloodline. I was sent here to learn and spread my roots, and reside outside of the local Red Legion command structure.”

“But there are other dragons around, right? Not with the Legion?” Jack asked, and Luvia nodded.

“There are several other dragons I know of that reside on the Ring, and a handful within the influence of the city.” Luvia sighed, her scaled body shuddering as she did so, the soft scales massaging Jack’s back with the movement.

“Oh?” Jack asked, trying to force his mind to focus on the conversation rather than what was happening under the waters.

“Yes, they’re not affiliated with the Red Legion, at least for now, but all of them within the city are powers in their own right.” Luvia shrugged, holding onto Jack and readjusting him on her lap.

“Want to tell me about them? Jack asked with a smirk, wanting to distract Luvia.

“I certainly can, who better qualified?” Luvia snorted with an air of haughtiness. “What have you learned about my kind since you arrived here?”

“Well, you’re the only dragon I’ve met so far.” Jack shrugged. “Apart from you I’ve only heard of Blighttooth-OW!” He suddenly cursed as Luvia’s claws suddenly dug into his flesh as she involuntarily jerked in shock. At least he thought it was involuntary…

“I’m sorry, Jack,” Luvia apologised in a remorseful tone as she retracted her claws and began rubbing the area where she hurt him. “But Nalestrixxondraal is not a dragon like myself, despite deeming themselves the ‘Plague Dragon’”

“So what are they then?” Jack asked.

“He is a Linnorn.” Luvia scoffed. “Likely a Scourge Linnorn specifically, especially considering their penchant for pestilence. They possess some similar traits to my kind, but Linnorns are mongrel monstrosities in every way that matters!”

“Right…” Jack nodded, detecting a lot of bias in Luvia’s words. He looked to Chiyo, who gave him a look indicating as much.

“Well, that aside, you wanna tell us about the…um…’proper dragons’ that are around?” Jack asked, changing the subject.

“Certainly. Once I arrived on the Ring I was expected to acknowledge the local elders, even if they are unaffiliated.” Luvia shrugged. “The most notable in the city I’d say is Blaaftautenzahn, an Amethyst Dragon who has a modest area of territory in the South and is something of a patron of the arts. They’re the ones who own a few of the local news stations here that you saw earlier and are something of an eccentric. He only started it so he could host ‘DracoTalk’ every couple of months.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Sephy chirped up. “It’s a great show! The dude just basically rambles on about whatever is on his mind and doesn’t pull any punches!”

Very informative too! Chiyo added. Last year he gave a very detailed presentation on the horrors of the Verdant Plane that had the Etheria Grand Library calling him up during the show!

“Gods, it’d be a wish come true to get involved in something like that!” Vanya sighed dreamily. “The Big B’s got so many fans!”

“And people love him because he doesn’t sell out either!” Nika added. “He’s had offers from a few of the Megacorps to bring him under their umbrella, but he’s turned them all down. Corvin Enterprises are apparently pushing the hardest, since they want the monopoly on media.”

“That’s a scary scenario.” Alora shuddered. “Imagine so many news organisations under the control of one man and his family…”

“Perish the thought,” Jack agreed. “Any other local dragons I need to watch out for?”

“There’s Telendarevstrix.” Luvia continued. “Probably the oldest and strongest one around Naganai. She’s a pretty awesome Silver Dragon! Runs several districts in the East as an orphanage and is well known for being a guardian of orphaned children.“

“I stayed there for a little while when I actually managed to get there,” Sephy added with a soft, reminiscing smile. “And Grandmother Tel was able to get me a place at the school. It was pretty hard for me to adjust, but I owe her a lot!”

“Don’t ever piss her off though!” Nika added with a grim grin. “She really wants to kill Dr Grine for torturing and experimenting on kids!”

That’s a good point, Chiyo spoke up. If anyone knows the most about Dr Grine outside of his associates, it’s likely to be her.

“I don’t see why she’d withhold information,” Alora agreed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she lent her efforts to the coalition looking for him.”

She’s known to be somewhat reclusive, unless there’s a threat to her charges that needs to be dealt with, Chiyo pointed out. She apparently cooperated with Myrodin the last time Blighttooth attacked and managed to wound him severely.

“So you’re saying she’s a sleeping giant?” Jack asked, and the group nodded. “Damn, well at least she doesn’t seem like a bad person.”

“No.” Luvia shook her head. “But Kharvaalakruun certainly is. He’s an Obsidian Dragon that rules several districts to the West of the city as its dictator. The ‘King of the Black Throne’ is little more than a common bandit ruler, but he’s known for cooperating with organisations like Nyteskai Synergies and Infernus Ventures.”

“Yeah, he’s got a bounty on him, but it’s not high enough for most people to want to bother with,” Nika added with a grimace. “He keeps to himself and doesn’t try to expand, though you hear stories from people who escape from his territory about the truth of the ‘Beloved Supreme King’. Shaskasaki humbled him by taking over about half his territory a few years ago, so he takes great pains to stay out of conflicts for the moment. I doubt it’ll last though, he has far too much ambition for that, though fortunately it isn’t matched by intelligence.”

“At least he’s a manageable problem.” Jack shrugged. “Sounds a little bit like a North Korea situation or something like that…”

“A what!?” Luvia asked, but Chiyo rolled her eyes.

Unfortunately we haven’t yet been able to train Jack in the art of providing context that makes sense to people not from his world! The Ilithii giggled.

“I’m sure I can whip him into shape!” Luvia rumbled, as she ran one of her claws up his chest playfully, causing Jack to involuntarily shudder.

“Tempting!” Nika grinned teasingly at Jack’s awkwardness. “He keeps doing it on purpose!”

“I like to do a little trolling…” Jack shrugged with a smirk as suavely as he could manage, though he fought to not choke from the embarrassment of being manhandled by Luvia.

“What about the other Dragons you know of in the city, Luvia?” Alora asked.

“Fine, well I only know of two more dragons of note.” Luvia snorted. “Dynarrothwyr founded and operates Dynatech Holdings, which focuses on strategic investments and acquisitions. He’s a Storm Dragon, known as ‘The Golden Sovereign,’ and works closely with Myrodin, being a big investor in the company.”

“A dragon controlling a megacorp.” Jack snorted. “Why am I not surprised? And the other?”

“That would be Fimordariynnth.” Luvia chuckled.

“Wait, you know her?” Sephy perked up curiously.

“Yes, we’ve met!” Luvia smiled slightly at seeing the Skritta address her. “Fimmy’s the closest dragon in age to me and she was very nice to welcome me when I first got here despite her wild reputation! She’s a Mist Dragon and one of the most popular NetTubers in the city! She’s managed to get millions of followers and loves getting up to mischief!”

“How so?” Jack asked with a smirk. “We have influencers on Earth too, but many of the top guys are pretty cringe and full of themselves.”

“Well, she is a dragon, so that last part’s covered!” Vanya spoke up, smirking as Luvia gave her the stink eye. “But apart from that she’s one of the good ones. We’ve definitely got to catch her next stream when she goes live! That time when she managed to sneak into a Myrodin Magical Security convention undetected, stole a bunch of food from catering and dropped a stinking cloud into the main briefing hall was pretty funny!”

It was! Chiyo agreed. There was also that time she polymorphed herself to look like a member of the Shaskasaki family, bluffed her way into their marketing department by telling them there was an ‘inspection’, and next thing we know thousands of Shaskasaki billboards across the city are showing videos of her polymorphed as the Shogun in full lingerie putting on a softcore porn performance while shamelessly adding her channel links. I still can’t believe she got away with it!

“Indeed.” Luvia chuckled. “But that’s all the dragons in the city I know of. I have no doubt that there are more, but they likely live their lives hidden or are in hibernation.”

Several moments passed as the conversation died down, and everyone simply relaxed in the waters.

“Speaking of hibernation, I could totally stay in the tub forever!” Jack sighed contentedly a few seconds later as he leaned back, and Luvia opened her legs slightly so Jack could slide down between them onto the seat as the dragon ran her hands, slowly tracing over his bruised shoulders, and moving to his chest.

“You know…” Luvia whispered playfully, her voice taking on a teasing edge. “I’ve always wondered how you’ve managed to stay so…sturdy.” Her fingers trailed down his chest in a slow, lingering motion, brushing dangerously close to his waistline.

“Umm…” Jack spoke, his voice a full octave higher than it should have been. “Sorry….ah…this isn’t a good time to be doing this.”

“You don’t have to act so modest…” Luva purred as her hands got lower. “I’ve never been one to shy away from getting a closer look…”

“Woah!” Jack suddenly exclaimed as he suddenly panicked and abruptly got to his feet, wincing slightly as he backed away from the dragon. “I…I’m sorry, I can’t.”

“Sorry, was that too much?” Luvia asked innocently as she looked at him with gleaming eyes. “Maybe instead we can take this…”

“No. I-I need a minute.” Jack shook his head, his face turning beet red as he got out of the tub and headed to the house as he avoided making eye contact with any of them.

“Jack! Wait! I can explain!” Luvia yelled out as she quickly got up herself, following after him.

“Damn it, Luvia!” Alora swore.