Fritz was slowly being forced out of his seat. All around him in The Resting Goose, half drunken beastkin sang, swore, and shouted. Two separate fights had already broken out that night. One fight ended with The People's Elbow shattering a man's ribs and the wooden table he was thrown upon. The other ended with the innkeeper himself knocking out two incredibly inebriated beastkin. A horrifying realization occurred to Fritz. He was getting used to the chaos.

Beside him, Ada was pressing in closer. Her wide gray eyes kept getting closer to Fritz's face. Drawing away, Fritz kept trying to escape. Yet no matter how far he leaned in his seat, Ada kept pursuing him.

"Fritz. Where were you?" She asked. Her face barely hovered above his.

"What do you mean?"

"Where were you?" She repeated. Fritz turned his face away. Neva had a bored look on her face as she watched the two. No sign of desire to help existed within her, as she swished a nearly empty bottle of firewater. To the right of Fritz, Marcelle steadily wrote a section of notes within her journal. The half-manic lamia had been recording every detail of her latest experiments with single-minded determination. Only after hours of experimentation was Fritz let go. He never wanted to create another dragon tooth ever again.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Where were you? I kept looking for you during try-outs. I didn't see you." Ada hovered above her wooden chair as she moved her face to get back within Fritz's field of vision.

"Well, it was a long day. Marcelle needed some help. And I didn't know where the UFL was. So...."

"So...." Ada's breath was warm on Fritz's cheek.

"I didn't go." Fritz admitted.

"I thought you'd be there. I was really disappointed not to see you in the stands. You missed a really cool knock-out." Ada said

"Let him be, Ada. It was just the tryout portion. Fritz, you didn't miss anything. Ada curb stomped some idiots. Now she can fight for real tomorrow. Tomorrow's challengers will no doubt present a real challenge for her." Neva said languidly.

"That's good." Fritz said awkwardly. Ada grabbed his cheeks, and moved his face to meet her gaze.

"What's good?"

"That you won?" Fritz searched for the right words.

"You should have seen it. I headbutted the instructor so hard, they passed out instantly. Another guy, I punched hard enough in the guts he threw up." Ada admitted. She never blinked, as she explained.

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"That's great, Ada." Fritz laughed awkwardly. "I can't wait to see tomorrow, then." A cute smile spread across Ada's face as she sensed her victory.

"He had to help me anyway. It was good he stayed. I now have a new experimental elixir. I am one step closer to alchemical god-hood." Marcelle admitted.

"So you'll be there tomorrow?" Ada asked. She drew away from Fritz's face slightly.

"Of course! So long as I can find it!" Fritz replied.

"Yay!" Ada's face instantly shifted, as a cute smile instantly warped her face. Throwing her arms over his shoulders she drew him into an intense hug.

"Marcelle, go with him. Keep him out of trouble." Neva said. Fritz froze slightly in his seat.

"Why me? Can't you take him?" Marcelle snapped.

"Fighters go through a different entrance. I'll be with Ada most of the day, and I don't trust these beastkin." Marcelle clicked her tongue. Draining the remaining bottle of liquor, Neva slammed the empty glass bottle on the table. Marcelle shut her journal.

"Oh, Fritz. Do you mind walking upstairs and getting me another bottle from your suitcase? My oh my, it's been such a long day, and a proper lady does deserve a drink after all. Wouldn't you say?"

"Fine. Fine. Give me a second." Fritz said with a sigh. Returning Ada's hug, Fritz was finally let go.

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The door to The Resting Goose was kicked in by a rather diminutive woman. Her brown, round ears twitched as her eyes quickly scanned the stunned common room.

"Cutey!" A somewhat familiar voice called out from the entrance. All manner of eyes swiveled to see who the newcomer was. Everyone except Fritz's table looked to see Brenn at the entrance. The inn returned to normal as Brenn started moving towards Fritz's table. Neva dutifully maintained her composure as she drained another bottle of whiskey ignoring the newcomer.

"Cutey!" A pair of arms wrapped around Fritz, startling him. Brenn's short height just passed Fritz's sitting head. "I was looking for you!"

Ada growled, as she shot out of her chair. Her fist clenched together as she stared at the strange ratkin. Neva's mouth fell open as if she was trying to remember something. Marcelle frowned as she instantly recognized the woman.

"Your back?" Marcelle hissed.

"Get your hands off him!" Ada shouted.

"Make me!" Brenn laughed.

"Are you following us? I thought I told you to leave us alone."

"Well.... I was until I met back up with him. It was just the two of us in a romantic tryst. Surrounded by nature." Brenn leaned in close to Fritz, whispering to him. "You know, I was thinking all about you. Especially how when I went down there, I saw two more of 'em. Just who the hell are you really?" Fritz grimaced as he remembered the events from earlier today.

"I don't care. You need to get your hands off of him." Ada grabbed the strange woman's wrist. Brenn's demeanor shifted.

"Don't even try it." The short ratkin said. Fritz could feel her muscles tense against his neck. His stomach sunk, as his mind raced trying to diffuse the situation.

"Brenn, is that you?" Neva asked. Her eyes blinked in confusion as she rubbed the scar along her cheek. "What the hell are you doing here? Don't you have a whorehouse to crawl into?"

"Neva?" Brenn asked hesitantly.

"You know each other?" Fritz asked.

"Yeah." Both said simultaneously.

"Wait how do you know, Fritz?" Neva asked. Stealthily, Ada grabbed Brenn's wrist and started prying it from Fritz's shoulder. The ratkin offered little resistance as she focused on Neva.

"It's hard to explain." Brenn admitted. She looked over to Fritz. He cradled his head within his hands. "Not really suitable for talking about here."

"Oh? Fritz what are you hiding?" Neva asked. Ada stealthily pulled his chair away from the strange woman.

"Minion. What did you do?" Marcelle clicked her tongue.

"Why don't we all head upstairs for a bit?" Neva suggested.