Dancing Fox Inn XIII- Luck Costs Extra

[Deathkeeper]

[Seeking The Heart]

Sam shakes his head.
”This choice is on you two. I dunno any of these folks. Uh, you don’t think I’m going to need armor, will you Alysha? My bauble isn’t perfect.” He’s noticed Alysha doesn’t seem to wear any. Just lots of accessories.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Seeking the Heart]

Alysha makes some more notes, delaying a moment before answering Sam with a shrug.

I have no idea. I don't know what we're gonna be facing, really. I mean, those cherub things I fought before, I don't know if they can go through armor easily. Heartless can. Most armor, anyways. I'd recommend bringing it if you think you need it. But... She shrugs again. I've never really used it. Lots of healing items. And since I became a vampire, I can dodge a lot.

She turns back to Raril and nods a bit. Okay, well, I'm thinking we head to Trog's and check that out first. If we don't find anything, then we can get in touch with Destro and Magtok. See if they know anything. That sound good to you guys?

[Artemis97]

[Seeking the Heart]

A flash of a pained expression cross Raril's face, but quickly is hidden behind a neutral mask. "Trog's, right. Sounds like a plan." The pushes his chair back from the table and stands swiftly. "Shall we?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Seeking The Heart]

Sam nods and stands up.
”Yeah, that sounds fine. Maybe I’ll look for an armored coat or somethin’.”

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Seeking the Heart]

Alysha quickly packs up her things before rising as well.

Yeah, let's head over there. Might as well get started on this as soon as we can.

She glances at Sam as she slings her bag over her shoulder. Would they have that at Trog's? I mean, I know it's got a reputation for being a bit random, but...it's still a bar.

Before she steps out of the shadowy corner, she'll summon her Keyblade to her hand again.

[Recaiden]

A seemingly-human woman trudges into the Inn and up to the bar. She's pretty nondescript but we can say that she has dark skin, fuzzy black hair, brown eyes, a curve or two. She looks pretty glum. The shining spaceship parked outside and the nice countryside she's passed over to get here have failed to cheer her up.
Her name is Aurani Meirhindaniacolanmastarania, but we can call her Mei.
As narrators, anyway. For other characters to do so would be excessively familiar.

"I'll take your strongest drink."

[Deathkeeper]

The foxperson behind the bar nods sagely. Reaching behind the counter, he pulls out a bottle of amber liquid, and another that seems to be glowing fluorescent green.
”Strongest within human limits, or strongest beyond human limits?” he asks. Mist, for obvious reasons, doesn’t assume anyone’s true species. But he has to be a responsible bartender and ask.

[Recaiden]

Mei looks between the two bottles.
"No limits. But why not both?"
The presumably-human-friendly one looks like a right proper drink, but the fluorescent green one seems like it suits her.
Somehow.

[Deathkeeper]

Mist nods. He places a tall cylindrical glass and a smaller, squatter one with a single ice cube on the bar, pours the green drink into the former and the dark one into the latter with arms crossed. With a flourish he drops an orange slice into the colorful drink and presents both to the woman.
”Enjoy.”

[Recaiden]

Mei chuckles briefly and takes the drinks.
"'Enjoy' is for lighter drinks, don't you think?"
She pushes the orange slice around the rim of the glass for a moment before taking a sip, at which she sputters and coughs, eyes wide.

[Deathkeeper]

Mist returns the chuckle.
”It’s what I’m supposed to say. Even if the reality is usually that.” Most people can’t handle stuff with the strength of Green Space Drink.

[Recaiden]

She almost laughs.
"Well, I got what I asked for."
With a moment of preparation, Mei takes another sip from the strongest drink in the house.
And then some of the human-strength liquor to cool off.

"The place isn't usually this quiet, is it?"

[Deathkeeper]

Mist shrugs, looking around.
”No, it usually is. Limited clientele, no big attractions or location. It’s how it is. It’s not a big deal, we do alright.” Mist has the money he needs to stay in business, and that’s enough for him.

[Recaiden]

"Huh. I remember it being different." Mei muses, draining the rest of the human-friendly drink all in one go.

"I oughta recommend the Dancing Fox to those little bipeds."
She peers at Mist, wondering if he actually dances, but not going so far as to ask.

[Deathkeeper]

”We serve bipeds, quadrupeds, and non-peds of all sizes.” Mist says, noticing the woman’s look.
”Do I have something on my shirt?” he asks.

[Recaiden]

Mei looks about shiftily.
"Well, it's just the name of the place. Last time I was here, there weren't any foxes around. I think they were all hibernating? Not like now with their magic poems and mad science and making me look bad."
"So. Anyway. Do you dance?"

[Deathkeeper]

Mist raises an eyebrow.
”I haven’t met any foxes with magic poems or mad science or trying to make you look bad around here. And yes, but only with one person, and you aren’t her.” Mist also might say yes if his mother asked him nicely. She has a way of getting him to do what she wants.

[Recaiden]

Mei raises an eyebrow. Clearly Mist having a special someone to dance with is a personal commentary on her own lack of potential dance partners. How cruel of him.
"Trust me, they're around." Not literally in the tavern, but she's sure to run into them.

"Did you say all sizes?" He did.
In a flash she dispenses with her human guise, unfurling into a rather larger dragon. Electrum scales, horns that go around and around, wings like sails, a little tuft of red-brown feathers at the end of her tail.

[Deathkeeper]

Mist grins widely. He never gets tired of meeting dragons. Mostly, they aren’t as impressive when they’re family and you see them all the time.
”I did say that. Just be mindful of other customers behind you and tell me if you need a straw.” Many reptilian customers don’t have the requisite lips to use normal glasses. It’s very important to kee a stock of straws.

[Recaiden]

Mei neatly folds her wings in and flat and turns to look around for other customers she might accidentally sweep away.
Looks like the coast is clear.

"Yes, I'll take a straw. And what are you smiling like that for?"
Very suspicious, Mist.

[Deathkeeper]

”Nothing in particular, Miss.” the barman assures the dragon, dropping a colorful pink straw in her drink.
Nothing in particular. Just an extremely impressive shiny dragon in his store who will be drinking a fluorescent drink from a pastel straw.

[Recaiden]

This drink isn't radioactive, is it?

With some sense of what's up, Mei smirks as she sips the colorful drink through the new straw.

"You know, I used to get a lot of trouble for...this." A wave of the claws indicates her whole dragon-self.
"But here, no one cares what kind of dragon I am. Hardly anyone seems to care that I'm a dragon at all."

[Deathkeeper]

The drink it not radioactive, but it was made to be able to intoxicate beings with much stronger systems than humans.
"Well I can't imagine why you'd get in trouble. Dragons are awesome. Heck, my father-in-law and her wife are dragons. I don't exactly see any problems there." he says with a shrug.

[Recaiden]

"Yes, we are." Mei says, barely raising an eyebrow at the unusual family structure there. "But did they not have discrimination where you're from? There was no one else with scales like this."

[Deathkeeper]

Mist seems confused.
”Well I mean we did, but not for dragons. We didn’t have any. Probably. Do people not like shiny scales?” he asks. He doesn’t generally like to think about how he would be treated back home with his newer self.

[Recaiden]

"Didn't have any dragons? How awful."
Mei shivers at the thought.
"Only particular shines - pure precious metals and strong alloys. Not this." The ones who didn't like shiny metallic colors at all aren't worth mentioning. "Silly, isn't it?"

[Deathkeeper]

Mist shakes his head.
”Very. Keiko is black as night (I believe that’s the point) and she’s a goddess. I can’t imagine anyone making fun of her color. Not for long.” He’s heard stories about how she’s responded to people making fun of other qualities of her.

[Recaiden]

No, that wouldn't be a very safe course of action.
"Well, what am I going to do, eat them? I've never been good at snappy dialogue."
Mei shakes her head.
"Anyway, that's why its so good to have a disguise."
She pauses for a moment, where she would turn into a human again to show off. But it seems too hard.



"Do you know a lot of gods, Mr. Bartender? I've been thinking maybe I should visit the ones around here, but-"
A dangerous thing to do, sometimes.

[Deathkeeper]

Mist considers the first question.
”Where I come from it can range from anything between a minor annoyance to death or turning them into an embarrassing animal. So no help there.
As for gods, I’ve only ever talked to two. Message and Keiko. And Keiko is in a mortal body at the moment. That was kind of it. I know that’s ah, a lot more than most people. But it seems so much more normal than it is, one being sort-of married to you and the other being an in-law.”

[Recaiden]

"Embarrassing animal? Is that what happened to you?"

She leaves her drink alone for a moment.
"Well, now you've met a third. It can be difficult being a mortal in a god's circles too, can't it?"