Chapter 34 Not as intended at all...
The Snarling Rotri was exactly as I remembered it, just as seedy and filled with the dregs of this city. In fact, it was a mystery to me that the town guard had not shut this place down, I am sure if they came in here raiding then they would find that literally have the vast majority of the cities criminals in one place…
The inside of the bar looked no better than the outside, dark cramped little tables, most marred and stained and pitted, a few even missing a few legs making them lean rather precariously. Seated at these tables was a number of interesting looking men. Not all of them were human, simply the vast majority. And none of them looked to be the reliable sort. Every eye turned toward us as we made our way into the bar proper, some looks weary, others gauging and some made my skin crawl…
“You two,” the man behind a bar polishing a very dirty glass with an even filthier rag growled at Sarena and I. “I remember you two, you broke my good table,” he slammed the nasty glass down on the counter and leaned over the bar at us with a narrowed eyed look. “I don't want you two here.”
“Good,” responded, leaning in towards him, matching him stare for stare. “Rin does not wish to be here, it would seem that she has something in common with you,” we stood there like that staring daggers at each other for almost a full minute before a smile cracked his lips.
“Backbone huh?” he asked, “fine, you can stay for now, but only because I am letting it, so don't get any ideas huh? The snarling rotri is my bar, and I will not allow a miscreant in.” I raised my eyebrow and pointedly looked around, another smile was on his lips. “These are not miscreants, they are customers, and I treat my customers well, very very well,” he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest, “So, what will it be?”
“She will take the strongest you have,” I said, slapping a single silver on the countertop, “two of them, and she has no room for change.” he looked at the silver and with a movement almost quicker than I could see he swiped the silver off of the counter and it disappeared into one of his apron pockets. Not saying a word he pulled out two immaculately polished glasses and a large green glass bottle that didn't even have a label, he poured two fingers in each glass and then pulled another bottle, this one also labelless, though it was made of extremely clear glass, covered over in silver runes, the sloshing liquid inside clear as a cold mountain stream. From this, he poured three fingers. The clear liquid sat on top of the green one, not mixing, one clearly more buoyant than the other. He walked over to the stove behind the bar and using a tong he pulled two glass thin glass rods out of the fire, and plunged each into the drinks, grabbing them only long enough to swirl them once, causing the now steaming alcohol to mix ever so slightly, a spiral of green up into clear and one of clear down. He then pushed them both my way and crossed his arms waiting. I looked over at Sarena and slid it to her, Seri caught the drink before it fell off the counter and to the old stained floors covered in straw and woodchips.
Taking a deep breath I picked up the steaming drink and downed it in one gulp. The bartender’s eyes opened wide as he watched me, he opened his mouth to say something but then decided better. Everything was fine, for a few brief seconds while I wondered why everyone was staring at me in horror. Quickly however it felt like someone had punched me in the stomach, hard.
The fire started there in my core and flared, pushing quickly into every limb leaving behind frayed nerves that started twitching and spasming. My large tale, already bushy enough as it was fully bushed out, causing it to look twice as large as it normally did, and the hair along my spine stood on end as the liquid fire ravaged my body and nerves. My muscles spasmed uncontrollably for a few seconds before I was able to lock them down. “You ok Rin?” Sarena asked looking at me over her own glass, from which she had only sipped a small amount.
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“RIn is fine,” I said, or at least that was what I attempted to say, what came out was more like ”whyareyoureyespurple?” I shook my head to clear it, because obviously it was not working, thought that was a bad idea, seeing as that set the room spinning. My hand shot out to grab ahold of the bar top, but somehow I seemed to miss it entirely, and I stumbled forward. Before disgracing myself by landing face first on the floor I stuck out my arms and placed my forepaws on the dirty ground. Blinking a few times I looked up, which was a mistake as the room was still spinning and I stumbled sideways slightly before spreading my arms and legs wider to balance myself better.
“Rin-” a set of warm hands hooked under my arms and began hauling me up, but I knew then and there that was a bad idea, so I used my weight to sit down, wrapping my tail around my legs as I did. For the briefest of moments I was lifted up, but as I twisted Sarena came down with me, causing me to land on my butt, hard and causing Sarena who still had her arms under my armpits to stumble down on top of me, as she did so we both slipped sideways, and somehow I ended up sprawled on top of her. Realizing where I was I started purring and rubbing my face against hers. “Get off me, you bloody cat!” my eyes opened and I realized I was not actually laying on top of Seri, but rather clutching onto the leg of a random person. I looked up in confusion before promptly vomiting all over the man’s leg. The man shrieked and jumped away from me, pulling free from my grasp and my head and arms fell into the snow.
Wait snow?
Opening my eyes again I realized I was not in the Snarling Rotri anymore, but rather out in the snow, and not even the snow outside of the bar. “Get her other side,” a voice said, and I rolled over to see Seri leaning over me and picking me up under my arms a bemused expression on her face. “You little kitten are not allowed to drink another sip of alcohol while I yet live,” she said, as she and some unnamed other grabbed me by my other side. Hoisted to my feet I tried to regain my sense of direction. “Even if it is the most hilarious thing I have ever seen in my life...” Now properly sure it was Sarena and not some random pedestrian’s boot I pulled free of the other person and wrapped both of my arms around Sarena, nuzzling her neck and purring.
“Serrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiii~” I moaned as I nuzzled my face into her neck.
“Rinmua, I am over here,” blinking my eyes I looked up at Sari, only to feel confused when instead of her dark-skinned perfection there was instead a stubble studded white skin in my view, confused I pulled back and looked at a rather embarrassed and uncomfortable looking Bartel. Letting my head flop back I looked over at Seri, who was attempting to not laugh at me.
“How many drinks did she have?” Bartel asked, and I attempted to answer, but all that came out was a rather foul tasting meow mixed with an even worse tasting burp.
“She downed an entire shot of devilspire in a single gulp,” Sarena said, “Here, help load her onto my back, I’ll carry her, but I'll still need your help opening doors and such.” I was promptly turned around and loaded onto Seri’s back, like a kit being carried by her mother.
“Rin loves you,” I purred as I nuzzled her in the neck, or rather that was what I tried to say, instead it came out like”Rinwuvooooooo~” it was odd, my voice really wasn’t doing what I wanted it to.
“Really? An entire shot?” Bartel asked he sounded like he was in awe, “and she is not dead of alcohol poisoning how?” Sarena adjusted my weight, shifting me up higher on her back, I helped her a little by wrapping my tail around her.
“I have no idea,” Sarena laughed, “Its the first time I have ever seen something like tha-” I blinked, where was I? I was no longer on Seri’s back, instead, I felt the soft comfort of a bed under me, and I felt a pair of hands attempting to pull off my clothes. My eyes opened wide and in a panic, I flailed at my attacker, hissing, and kicking.
“Nooooo! SHE IS SERI”S!” I spat, attempting to twist out of my assaulter’s grasp.
“Calm down!” Seri yelled, slapping away a clawing paw, “it is me!” realizing I recognized the amethyst eyes glowing at me in the dark I froze, “Honestly Rin, you almost clawed my face off!” she finished stripping me and then fell on top of me, or maybe she crawled on top of me I couldn't really tell. “You are definitely not allowed to drink ever again,” she muttered to herself as she wrapped my legs up with hers, entangling the two of us together, I realized the both of us were naked and attempted to move my paw down between our legs, but she stopped my movements and kissed me on the snout, “No little kitten, your to drunk,” she whispered before chuckling to herself, “Go to bed, lets sleep thi-”
I didn't get to hear what she had to say, however, seeing as for some reason she just stopped talking all of a sudden, and the lights vanished all around me.