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A month had passed since the tower came down. Brine had settled quite nicely into the rhythm of her new role in the Tusk Company - "sending the 'opps' a message". Anyone dared to step on his toes, she'd be right there with her bat, pinstripes in tow. (Someone had to keep an eye on her, after all.) Of course, her often "colorful" demeanor took some adjusting to amongst her colleagues. Not everyone was as receptive to her antics - most commonly observed at the Appleseed Inn during daytime hours. "You're not getting in." The large bouncer guarding the VIP lounge folded his arms as he loomed over the 5'0" girl. "Excuse me? I'm the new watchdog. That's as VIP as it GETS, see?" Brine snarled at him, baring a fang. "Swingin' your cute little toy around on the boss's dime don't make you VIP," the bouncer growled back. "Now show me your pass, or BEAT it!" "I'm about to beat YOU, you fat, bald--!!" Brine's continued insults were promptly muffled against the burly man's palm as she found herself picked up by her face, leaving her kicking in the air. Just then, a startlingly angelic voice rang out behind her. "She's with me, Gourdo." A woman stood at the top of the staircase, her cherry tint lips fixed in a gentle smile. She wore a long, red dress with a tasteful butterfly trim, along with golden rings on every finger. Looked expensive. The bouncer stalled at first - only to put the struggling Brine down when the woman raised her short brows at him. Even he knew not to defy one of Tusk's wives. The door slowly swung open, and Brine trudged into the lounge - now accompanied by this elegant, taller lady. The air inside smelled like chamomile. All the furniture looked like it belonged in a museum. A strange book sat open on a counter, the ambient sound of a Guqin drifting from its pages. It all felt rather divorced from the rest of the venue. "Thanks for... that." Brine uttered meekly, preoccupied with finding a place to sit. "Do you normally pick fights with the behemoths of the world?" The woman eyed her from the doorstep, quietly examining her movements. "Uh, yeah? Someone's gotta take 'em down a notch." The girl had paused in the corner of the room, her attention grabbed by a huge aquarium. The woman smiled into her hand. "You're adorable. Tea?" "I guess..." They sat down and talked, seated across from each other. The lady's name was Feihua, and behind that cynically foxy gaze was the closest thing to a human being Brine had met in a very long time. It was frankly quite jarring. They discussed theatre and Brine's distaste for onions. Confucianism and its consequences. Feihua talked about her marriage to King Tusk - without getting too much into how they met. In return (with some prodding), Brine told her stories from the time she got lost on Sakhalin Island. Even made her laugh a couple of times. Before the girl had realized it, an hour had gone by. Feihua was looking at her again. "I like you, little Brine. Are you happy at your current place? Comfortable...?" "Shucks... It's not the worst, see?" Brine blushed faintly and scraped at her cheek, pondering the question further. "... I guess I thought there'd be more for me to DO up here..." Feihua took a sip from her teacup. "I can help with that." The girl perked up at her words and blinked across the table, silently urging the older woman to go on. "There's always more points to be earned... Besides, even a darling "dog" like yourself could stand to learn a few tricks~." Her eyes had the same glint as Tusk's - but sharper. Maybe it was a fleeting moment of naivete, or Brine had simply learned to go with the flow. Either way, the woman had a point, and she knew this. She accepted Feihua's offer; soon after, opportunities came flooding in. | |