: HP = 72/78, PP = 18/34, EP = 46/54, Status = Excited, Armor at 35/60 TP being repaired Smidgen: Taken 27 damage. Smith at Ferlies Ironworks - still owes 9 denarii
(Gain 2 XP)
"Yes it is~ All you are, belongs to me now..." The demon would growl in response to Leona's defiant declaration, only for Smidgen to interrupt them.
"No! You fuck off! I said it first!" Smidgen declared, before smacking the demon in the leg with her club, causing the thrust going into Leona at the time to go somewhat deeper than usual and particularly stretch the pinned lioness. The demon, growling in irritation, suddenly pulled out and away from Leona, leaving her feeling woefully empty... Only to then melt into shadow and slide across the alley in a wave. It enveloped the downed hellhound, and an echoing voice declared; "Fuck it, you aren't worth the trouble! Pray that we never meet again!" And then the wave of darkness slid up one of the nearby walls and vanished from sight, going who knew where.
"Fuckin' stupid prick," Smidgen grumbled, before looking to Leona. "You okay there?"
Being suddenly stretched even more caused Leona's eyes to widen as she grit her teeth and winced. Yet just as quickly her pussy was vacant as she was unceremoniously dumped on the ground. Growling as she muttered obscenities, she fixed her clothes and stood up.
"When I see that piece of shit again, I'll rip his throat out...!" She cursed. After composing herself slightly, she turned to Smidgen. "Have you remembered the right way to the inn, or do I need to try and lead us?"
: HP = 72/78, PP = 18/34, EP = 46/54, Status = Excited, Armor at 35/60 TP being repaired Smidgen: Taken 27 damage. Smith at Ferlies Ironworks - still owes 9 denarii
"Yeah... Unless he's wearin' another form next time. Coward prick like that'll probably change the way they look. Yer better off tryna recognize the hound, if ya got to see it when it wasn't all covered in shadows," Smidgen advised grumpily; She didn't seem any happier about the demonic shapeshifting ability than Leona likely was. When Leona turned to confront the goblin, Smidgen was actually a bit visibly taken aback and nervous, "uhhhh.... Y-yeah! I can figure it-errrr.... I know where we're going! Just... The streets get changed up sometimes, so I must'a taken a wrong turn..."
"Right... Look, just get us to the inn... Today's been fucking exhausting..." Leona grumbles as she straightens out everything and keeps her sword resting on her shoulder. She wanted a nice obvious deterrent for any other handsy bastards.
: HP = 78/78, PP = 34/34, EP = 50/54, Status = Excited, Armor at 35/60 TP being repaired Smidgen: Taken 27 damage.
Smith at Ferlies Ironworks - still owes 9 denarii
Melva Celeste
Nodding, Smidgen would wander back out into the street, moving with a slight limp but making haste back towards the main roads. It was... Hard to tell if the goblin was actually quite aware of where she was going, as she occasionally paused and rubbed her chin while looking around. Eventually, however, the sign for their destination - The Wet Witch - came into view, the letters aglow in neon blue and displaying a feminine figure in a sensual pose. "There is is! Told ya's we'd get there eventually!" Smidgen replied brightly skipping towards the entrance and getting the door for Leona.
A man was summarily thrown through it, the fortuitous timing ensuring that the door wasn't smashed down or inwards. They were short, stout, and... Oddly buglike, with a thick looking carapace, wings, and a big horn with a crest at the top of it. The figure landed on their front about ten feet out from the door, and immediately after them came another strange figure, of similar stature - the two were both closer to Smidgen's height than Leona's - that landed on their back on top of the first one to get thrown out, and both of them were heavily bruised and clearly too dazed to move much at the moment. The second one was scaled in green and gold, with hooked claw-like feet and almost as bug-like features.
From behind them emerged a woman with a brilliant mane of golden hair, currently alight with what seemed to be blue fire that didn't burn, that hung all the way down to her waist. She was lithe, also fairly short, and her eyes were glowing the same color as the heatless blue fire emanating from her, which flared around her limbs as she strode out of the opened door to survey the two battered patrons, giving Leona and Smidgen only a momentary glance and deferential nod. She was clad in a tight black dress that frilled out at the waist, white knee length stockings, and white gloves that ran to her elbows, the outfit displaying the woman's slim figure.
"I'm sure that's enough Melva!" A bright and bubbly voice called from within the building, and after surveying the downed figures imperiously for another moment, the woman's fiery glow would begin to fade out, and she swirled on the spot and went back inside. "Told ya this place was good," Smidgen declared mischievously, and followed her in. If Leona went in as well, she would find herself in a wood furnished tavern common room, not altogether different from what she might expect anywhere out on the road, though it was notably cleaner. There were a decent number of patrons in the fairly spacious room, scattered throughout the dining area and the bar, and most had already lost interest in whatever they were doing before the ruckus happened. The girl who had thrown the other two weirdoes out - Melva apparently - would sit on a stool by the door and cross her arms, and the one who had spoken to her proved to be a prodigiously busty blonde woman - human by all appearances - in a tight blue robe that was cut so as to expose a lot of cleavage and a fair bit of leg, plus a stereotypical wide brimmed, conical hat with stars, cats, and mushrooms sewn onto it. She had a pleasant motherly bearing, and looked to Smidgen and Leona with a warm smile.
"Hello! Don't worry about all that, just one of our lovely employees taking out the trash! If you'd just like to sit at the bar, feel free and our bartenders will see to your needs! If you'd like to sit down in our dining area, wait right there and a server will see to you shortly. If you'd like any of our other services - a bedroom, a bath, or someone to share either with ya - I'm your gal!"
The lioness followed her goblin companion closely, making sure that any onlookers knew to mind their own business and back the fuck off given she wasn't in the mood for anyone else's bullshit. Once they did arrive at the establishment, Leona felt a grin forming as she saw the patrons getting tossed out. "Okay, this might just be my kind of place after all." She chuckled. Walking inside, she made her way to the busty woman behind the counter, listening to her explain the services provided. "Yeah, a meal sounds good to start with. I definitely want a room and a bath too." She explained, wondering just what that all would run her. She then remembered the items she'd gotten off those idiots that tried to jump her on the road. This woman did look more magically inclined...
"I've got denarii, but I was also planning on selling this stuff I got from some jackasses that tried robbing me earlier." She said, fishing out the Shorn Nectar and Darkhearts from her pack. "Speaking of which... That guy that just got his ass thrown out. What'd he do? You get problems often here?"
: HP = 78/78, PP = 34/34, EP = 50/54, Status = Excited, Armor at 35/60 TP being repaired Smidgen: Fine
Smith at Ferlies Ironworks - still owes 9 denarii
Melva Celeste
"Sounds like we're gonna have a wondrous relationship then!" The busty blonde replied brightly after Leona announced what she wanted. She gestured for Leona to head over to the bar, "go on and take a seat wherever, unless you and your lil friend would like a table! Do you think you'll be wanting company for your bath, or are you two an exclusive item?" The woman had a brusque but still friendly way of going about things, smiling sweetly at Leona and Smidgen all the while as she began to drift away, but when Leona brought up her findings and began pulling them out, she paused and watched with apparent interest.
"Oh? I hope you weren't in too much danger! It can still be pretty rough around Acheron sometimes, but, most folks are actually pretty friendly if you take the time to get to know 'em!" She replied brightly, looking over Leona's findings. "Got some good things here... Pretty common, but, I can use those!" She would begin doling out the money for them, and in the meantime replied to Leona's other question; "Oh, those two are just regular troublemakers! They like to try and ask for special favors and discounts, and sometimes they just get a lil pushy is all!" Smidgen, hopping up onto a stool to be more at eye level with the other two, interjected; "Yeah? They tryna get freebies or somethin' like that?" The woman nodded serenely, "Essentially! I wouldn't'a minded in my earlier days, before I took over the place, but now we're just so busy!"
After that, Leona and Smidgen would be handed a menu - for food and drinks - and a brochure with their room and baths services... The latter including a list of workers who could join them that were on staff for the day, with pictures... Which seemingly included the woman they'd been speaking to so far, who was seemingly named Celeste.
(Leona can exchange those for the usual rates listed here.)
With the two darkhearts and the shorn nectar, Leona is able to make a cool profit of 65 denarii. Pocketing the coin, she arches a brow at the woman's words. "Huh? I mean, I want a meal and a room, yeah, but why would I wanna share the bath? I'm just looking to relax after the day I've had. Gotta pick up my armor tomorrow too." She mutters. Upon sitting down, Leona's gaze quickly goes over the menu before finally deciding to have a nice medium rare steak and a side of ale. She also decides on a private bath and a room for the evening so she can rest her body for tomorrow.
With her plans for the evening decided and while chewing on a chunk of her meal, she ponders out loud. "Gotta figure out a plan to get into that tournament though... Need a sponsor or some jobs that'll get the notice of the city..." She muttered, putting a great deal of thought into how she should proceed. She refused to miss her chance at proving her strength.
: HP = 78/78, PP = 34/34, EP = 50/54, Status = Excited, Armor at 35/60 TP being repaired Smidgen: Fine
Smith at Ferlies Ironworks - still owes 9 denarii
Melva Celeste
"Mmmhhhh, well, sometimes one could enjoy some company to... Help them relax~" Celeste replied brightly, before handing Leona some coin only to reclaim some of it when she presumably paid for her meal and room key. "A regular bath is just one coin with a room rental, which is another three. Will you two be sharing?" She asked, and Smidgen bobbed her head rapidly. "Yup!" The bubbly blonde nodded with a bright smile still on her face, and continued; "What'll you have to eat?" When Leona gave her order, she took it down, declared that it'd cost five denarii, and then looked to Smidgen, who scanned the menu and declared; "Cheesy noodles! And bacon! Dark beer! And tater tots!" Smidgen would hand over some coins for her own food, and cover half of the room and bath costs, meaning Leona only had to pay a measly seven. With that, she'd be given a room key, and told that she could take her bath at will in bathroom four, after which the curvy blonde would saunter off to continue with her business.
While waiting on her meal and sipping their drinks, the goblin would reply to Leona's musings; "Yeeeaaah.... Could try going for the little arena fights. Get a name for yourself there... Or! Or, find out what the city needs done, get invited by the Queen! Otherwise, yeah... Gotta find a sponsor from the nobles, or make a whole lotta coin....We coooould go to the slums, maybe work out a sponsorship with a crime boss. That's kinda risky though..."
When their food arrived shortly thereafter, Leona would find that it was quite good, the steak being juicy and pink on the inside, and the side of potatoes that came with it made as she wished. Smidgen would, perhaps unsurprisingly, prove a very messy eater, digging into her assortment and of random foodstuffs with ravenous vigor and ending up sporting a goatee of melted cheese.
