Lisa was standing outside Yaroslav’s ordinary small old house, having a puff on her pipe as she contemplated the trip itself. Sure, she was having a decent enough time, but it could definitely have been better. “Just look at the bright side…”
Yaroslav himself proved to be an excellent guide in a country whose language Lisa didn’t speak whatsoever, save for a couple words. She knew just how much she needed him when she tried pulling open a door that, to others, very clearly said push. At least she got herself a new hat, one to warm her ears when it was needed. The next day, she would finally get to see that museum she was all too excited for! “Would still be better with Rox…” Sure, she was happy to finally be able to do that, but it just didn’t feel the same.
Her thinking was interrupted by the opening of the surprisingly ornate front door.
“Hey, what’s got you so glum?” The bear asked with his usual cheerful and booming attitude. Lisa had to admit, he did make her feel better most of the time.
“I was just thinkin’.” She put on a smile and made a slight shrug, only to be met with a chuckle.
“Oh, that can be dangerous!” He remarked and patted her on the back.
“And that’s because?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Whatever it is, don’t overthink it, friend.” He said, softer. “Saying that is easy, but give it a try.”
Overthink... No, she wasn’t overthinking! Her concerns for Solomon were completely justified! Even if her feline girlfriend can protect herself, Lisa would much rather do that for her after what she went through. To just be around her and keep her safe from whatever dangers may lurk, it was as simple as that! She would cut down whatever assailant she needed to, just so her girlfriend didn’t need to get her corrosive hands dirty! And then to just talk to her and hold her oh so closely at the end of the day, that was enough to make any of her days so much better.
“Yeah, yeah.” She uttered and blew little puffs of smoke.
“You miss her already, don’t you?” He asked bluntly.
“That’s NOT where I was going, you know that!” Lisa casually retorted.
But miss her, she did. Her cute little face, her lessened anxiety when she was around Lisa, her soft fur… She wouldn’t admit it, but she missed her dearly. Or rather, she was upset she couldn’t be there with her due to the decisions of someone else.
“You’ve been together for how long? A couple months?” The bear asked. “I’m happy for you, but that isn’t a long time.”
“Oi, I still love her!” The wolf exclaimed. “It ain’t too much time, yeah, but I just know she’s different. I’ve gotten to know a lot about her!” She said, looking from side to side awkwardly.
“It took me a while to find my wife too.” He let out a soft chuckle. “Oh, what a day that was…” Upon seeing Lisa’s furrowed brows, his tone became more serious. “I’ve seen a friend so madly in love before, it reminded me of you.”
“And why is that a problem?” She inquired, admittedly getting a little fed up.
“It isn’t. I just don’t want to see a friend go through a heartbreak that bad again.” He explained with compassion in his tone.
“Don’t worry, Yaro.” She smiled. “That won’t happen. Besides… I don’t think I could find another “one” if things don’t work out. I’m turnin’ 34 next month, I’m way past my prime.”
“I married at 38.” He remarked with a laugh. “There’s always time, my friend.”
“Okay…” Lisa paused. “I have my reasons, alright? Like this whole magic thing… It would be a pain in the arse to explain to a regular person, yeah? It has to be kept a secret, I recognise that.”
“My wife knows about mine.” The bear shrugged, returning to his jovial voice. “She never thinks to share it.”
“Well ain’t that great for ya?” She said, putting away her pipe. “At the end of the day, I just want it to work out, finally. I don’t want to fuck it all up somehow, y’know?”
“I do know.” He put a hand on her shoulder and nodded. “One mistake, one argument, not the end. But if you see that it’s getting bad… Don’t be afraid to leave. I don’t wish that on you, oh, God no! But keep it in mind.”
Lisa knew, she just knew that it wouldn’t have to come to that. There were plenty of things that did make her quite livid at times, she didn’t want her girlfriend to be one of them.
“Would be pretty sweet to get to know her parents, I guess.” She changed the topic. “Far as she’s told me, they’re nice.”
“Why don’t you introduce her to your parents? Or your old friends?” He suggested.
“Yeah… Not sure about that, mate.” She chuckled, but it wasn’t genuine. “Ain’t seen dad since I was five.”
“Oh, I’m sorry…” He lowered his head slightly with a look of sympathy.
“Nah, he ain’t dead… I think. He kinda just disappeared? Left mum and I pretty fuckin’ devastated, to be frank.”
Yaroslav didn’t say anything in response, he merely patted her shoulder.
“Yeah… Then there’s mum.” Lisa went on, moody. “She’s always been a good mum, all things considered, but she’s a bit too old-fashioned.”
“Reminds me of your taste sometimes.” He argued, albeit more jokingly.
“I s’pose that’s fair.” She shrugged and took out her phone. She opened that last image Solomon had sent her to just look at it for a few moments.
“That pipe didn’t help calm you down, huh?” The bear chuckled.
“Bruv, let me tell ya…” Lisa put her phone away and looked him in the eye. “You don’t smoke a pipe ‘cause you need a hit.” She smirked. “You do it ‘cause you enjoy it.”
“I was just going to suggest taking off the edge, so to say.” He laughed. “The boys will be at the bar tonight, some of them speak English. You look like you could use a drink, friend.”
“I ain’t an alcoholic.” Lisa faked a frown, although the offer seemed pretty tempting.
“I know you aren’t.” He reassured her. “Drinking sometimes doesn’t make you one.”
“Got me there.” She smirked. “I guess you’re right… But you’re drivin’, yeah?”
“Naturally.”
Once the sun began to set, they headed off for the local bar. As Lisa walked in, the smell of alcohol hit her sensitive nose immediately. Looking ahead, she saw people sitting at the tables, almost all of them full. Soft Russian music was playing from a jukebox, which of course, she didn’t understand a word of. She liked the tune though.
Yaroslav shouted in Russian at a group of bears at a table, all wearing various streetwear, some more well-worn than others. If it wasn’t for his friendly smile, she would have thought he was trying to start a fight. They spoke back in a similar manner before she approached them with Yaroslav. She couldn’t help but notice that they took a glance at her before looking back to him.
Yaroslav then put an arm around her shoulder, whatever he said after included her name while he shook his head. A brown bear, about Yaroslav’s age, made an understanding nod and reached out for a handshake.
“Hello, Lisa!” He said with a similarly friendly look.
“Why hello there.” She smirked as they shook hands. “Yeah, sorry, I don’t speak a lick of Russian.”
“No problem! Just don’t try talking to Nikolai.” He gestured to an older-looking black bear, the rest giving her welcoming looks. “I’m Lev, good to meet you!”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“Pretty bloody splendid indeed.” She remarked as she sat down along with Yaroslav and Lev, then proceeded to shake hands with the rest of the group, a total of five male bears and a female.
“Nice hat!” The female bear remarked. She had just said her name, but Lisa couldn’t quite remember so many so fast.
“‘Preciate it!” She slightly lifted her new hat. “A good bit colder ‘ere, have to say.”
The rest of the people just chuckled at that.
Nikolai then asked something which Lisa couldn’t understand.
“Old dog Niko wants to know more about you.” Yaroslav translated.
“Well…” The wolf began to say. “Just your run of the mill investigator from Britain. Yaro’s a colleague and a good friend!” She patted said friend’s back.
“Yaro?” One of the bears whose name Lisa couldn’t remember questioned. “I thought only your wife called you that!”
“Wait, really?” Lisa quickly turned to look at Yaroslav.
“I don’t mind, it’s not like she would know that.” He chuckled with a shrug.
“So…” Lev said with a sly smile. “What can I get you?”
“I ain’t sure, whatcha got?” She blurted out. Although she would normally be hesitant to drink with strangers, having Yaroslav at her side certainly made her more comfortable.
“How about a game then?” Said a polar bear with a deep voice, who Lisa was pretty sure was called Igor, and took out a matchbox. “We put these on the table, you either take one or two.” He took the matches out of the box and haphazardly put them on the table. “If you end up taking the last match, you lose. Loser pays the round!” He then arranged them so that they wouldn’t just be in a pile and took two matches as the others cheered. “I go first.”
Lisa couldn’t help but chuckle herself.
“Really, mate?” She crossed her arms and sneered at him with disappointment. “You thought I wouldn’t know this game? C’mon, oldest trick in the book, it’s one you’ll always win.”
Igor took on a begrudging look before laughing, the little group cheered for Lisa this time.
“Not bad.” He put the matches back in the box.
“You want a real game?” Lisa said as she got an idea most devious. “‘Ere's a game the lads and I play back in Britain.” She reached inside her coat, took out her lighter and flicked it on. “We each put a hand over the fire, whoever lasts longer wins!” She said with a wicked grin. “Just be careful, don’t want to get burned too much.” Sure, it wasn’t fair at all due to the little help she had received from Solomon, but unlike an old bar game, what she was about to do would at least look impressive.
The female bear and Yaroslav seemed concerned by her suggestion for a game, but the rest seemed quite eager to challenge her.
“Nikolai!” Igor said as he turned towards him and after what he said, received a lighter.
“Ready?” Lisa asked with one hand over her closed lighter.
“Oh yes, I’m ready.” Igor responded.
The female bear then started speaking, only for Lev to interrupt her.
“I count to three, you light it up!” He said and was met with nods. “One… Two…”
Lisa looked the polar bear in the eye, both ready to see the other lose. He wanted to play a rigged game, so Lisa was going to show him a proper one.
“Three!” Lev uttered, both lighters lit up.
They firmly held their hands above the small flame, far enough so that the fur didn’t catch fire, but the heat was still felt. Of course, Lisa felt absolutely nothing. Igor, on the other hand… He was gritting his teeth after a couple of seconds. He pulled away soon after and shook his hand vigorously.
“Put some cold water on it.” Lisa suggested with more than a little sass.
“I don’t remember seeing a game like that back there.” Yaroslav remarked with a chuckle.
“You ain’t seen the proper after-hours.” She replied and closed her lighter.
Nikolai then stood up and spoke.
“Oh, he wants to play too!” Lev informed Lisa. “Davay, Niko!”
The black bear then sat opposite Lisa and held out a hand, much bigger than hers.
“This should be interesting!” Said Yaroslav. “Niko has some thick skin.”
“Noted.” Lisa smirked and locked eyes with Nikolai.
“One… Two… Three!” Lev counted, the lighters were lit.
Lisa had to give the bear some credit, he could hold his hand over a flame like that for over ten seconds before inevitably pulling away before her. It was met with looks of awe and surprise from the people present.
“She’s cheating!” Igor accused, Lisa then held out her lighter for him to inspect it. He took it, flicked it on, and pulled his hand away from it all the same. Finally admitting defeat, he handed her lighter back. He then stood up and left the table.
“Ain’t something you want to get good at, to be fair.” Lisa remarked, putting away the lighter.
“What’s your secret?” Lev asked excitedly while Igor got up from the table.
“Like I would share.” She shot back, she could only imagine what they would do if they learned what her secret really was. She felt a little bit guilty for playing such a game with them… But not too much.
“Yaro, what’s her secret?” Lev then asked.
“I don’t know either!” He shrugged, looking both impressed and entertained. “I didn’t even know she could do that!”
“Okay Lisa, you earned this one.” Igor returned with a tray that had eight shot glasses on it. He put it down on the table and handed Lisa hers as the others took one each as well, except Yaroslav.
“Why thank you!” She said and lifted the shot glass along the others while they looked on in anticipation. “Cheers, mates!” Figuring that she could handle drinks well, she swallowed it in one gulp, like the others. She then immediately regretted it, feeling like her throat was on fire. She tried to shrug it off, but she couldn’t help coughing and clutching her neck. As she searched for something to wash it down with, the others laughed.
“Not the burn you can handle?” Igor said with a viciously smug smile.
“Mate…” Lisa began to say after drinking some soda. “How strong is this exactly?”
“45.” Igor told her, the laughing around her unwavering.
“Fuckin’ hell, mates!” She blurted out, only to be met with more chuckles, all laughing with her. “You guys know how to party, eh?”
“You haven’t seen that yet!” Said Yaroslav, holding out one arm to reject a drink Igor offered.
“Come on, Sokolov.” He tilted his head, gesturing to join in.
“I’m driving, sorry.” He replied and was met with a shrug as Igor took the last one for himself, which started a conversation between Lev and the female bear.
Lisa then felt her phone vibrate. She took it out from his pocket and recognised the number as Shaquia’s. With vivid, but short-lived anger, she declined the call.
“So you guys were like, Yaro’s colleagues, yeah?” She asked as she was putting her phone in her pocket, only for it to ring once again. Shaquia once more. Declined.
“Yaro and I have been friends for all our life!” Lev said and took another shot without any problem. “If you want a building removed, call us!”
Lisa was about to ask about how that line of work was when her phone rang again.
“Oh for fuck’s sake!” She complained as she took out her phone to put it on mute. She then saw that this time, Solomon was calling her.
“Popular tonight?” Yaroslav asked jokingly.
“Sorry lads, have to take this one.” She informed them as she stood up. They understood just fine and let her go outside the bar. There, she accepted the call.
“Everything alright, Roxy? You never call!” She worriedly said into her phone.
“Lisa, I’m really sorry to have to ask you, but we need your help.” Said Shaquia’s voice, which practically enraged Lisa.
“Oh, you massive bitch!” She said, getting ready to hang up.
“Please, this is important!” The lynx begged in a desperate tone. “We’ll compensate you in any way, just please, you have to help us!”
Help them Lisa certainly didn’t want, not after what they pulled last time. She didn’t care that Solomon was basically working for them, Lisa owed them nothing. There was something however, a little sense of curiosity, she couldn’t help but wonder what could be so bad that they’d want her to solve it. Not to mention compensation…
“What is it about?” She asked, her patience rapidly dwindling.
“I know I have no right to ask you this, but we need you to recover a Bright One before the Lightborn get to him, we don’t have the necessary forces in Russia. Or if not, distract the enemy until we get our forces there. I’ll send you the location, you, Yaroslav, and one of our Mystic Ones will go and do your best.” She explained the plan.
“You know what that sounds like, mate?” Lisa began to say, softer at first. “Something that shouldn’t be my bloody problem! You want us to do your dirty work now? Eat my entire arse, Shaquia, I ain’t gonna do anything for ya just because you were too busy faffing around for two goddamn months!”
Saying that felt ever so cathartic. To finally tell off the head of the organisation she despised so much, it was simply beautiful. She couldn’t wait for her to hang up.
“Listen, I’m sorry, I hate having to do this and I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you…” Along with her defeated voice, a sound akin to that of a valve releasing pressure was heard. “But we hardly have anyone in Russia! I don’t care what you ask for in return, you can reschedule as much as you want, just please, we can’t let another Bright One fall victim!”
Lisa stayed silent for a moment, hardly believing what Shaquia said. She almost felt bad for insulting her like that… But not really. If she put it that way, however, there was a chance, although very little, that she just might accept it. If it meant that they couldn’t mess with her plans again, it certainly seemed worth it. All that pent up anger she held towards them, she figured she might as well release it somewhere else in the meantime.
“Lisa, are you there?” Shaquia asked with panic in her voice.
“I could look into it.” She finally said with a smirk Shaquia couldn’t see. “Don’t get me wrong, I still think you lot are a bunch of dickheads, but helping save a Bright One… I could do that.”
“Oh, thank you, thank you!” Shaquia said in a voice so relieved, she sounded like she could cry. “Was I… No.”
“I’ll ask Yaro, then you point us in their direction just this once, yeah? No more.” She spoke and leaned on her cane, figuring that because of the possible rewards she could get her and Solomon from this, it just might be worth it.