Forgetful Days

[Nayt]

"O-oh, roight," Daniel coughed.

Leave the dog questions for later. Right. Flit really would light him on fire if he started with those kind of questions, probably. Daniel was more than ready to just avoid asking them altogether, if only because of that. Hey, he had to protect his skin somehow. Curiosity may have killed numerous canines, but Daniel was no mutt! He'd keep his questions to himself and leave it at that.

At the question of George, though, he didn't quite know. It seemed like they were both looking for the same man--though, Flit was a bit more aggressive about it. Daniel simply had a few questions to ask, and then it was a matter of waiting for Everett.

"George? I haven't seen him. Actually, oI'm waiting for him and Everett so we can repay him by taking a stroll through town, or something," Daniel itched his cheek as he trailed off, already forgetting some of what he was supposed to be doing for George. Walk through town, call it a day--that sounded about right.

Wait, he can read my mind?

[Lemon]

Taking a stroll through... huh. Well, maybe that makes sense I suppose. His scent goes off toward town, it was still pretty fresh, and you guys can't enter the town without someone special so... maybe he expected me to take you. Hah, in that case I'll help myself to the reward.

Flit hopped off the bar top and rooted his snout into the storage beneath. Certainly there were some things that not even a dog would drink--smelled like paint stripper and could probably fuel some sort of flame-spouting device--but in the back, beneath the liquid napalm, was a twelve year old scotch. Aged perfection. He grabbed the neck of the bottle with his teeth and dragged it through the mass of other bottles in the way. Damn, so, it had a cap. But he had no thumbs. Fucking humans. No! Wait! Haha--no, flammable liquid. Shit. . . . He reared his head back and smashed the bottle on the floor. Triumphant, he lapped up the distilled liquid, allowing its soothing ethers to intoxicate his mind.

[Nayt]

"Reward?"

That part was a bit puzzling. Flit was going to "help himself to the reward." What type of reward was he talking about? A nice, similarly sized female dog? A biscuit? His manhood returned to him if he had already been neutered? To see exactly what Flit was talking (or thinking?) about, Daniel peered over the bar to keep an eye on the flamethrowing dog to hopefully catch a glimpse of whatever "reward" Flit was going to partake in. It turned out to be a liquor of some kind, which Daniel was originally tempted to offer to open for him, seeings how dogs had no thumbs, but it turned out that such an offer was unnecessary. Unfortunately, that would be a lot of booze wasted.

"Whoa, that's the reward?" Daniel asked.

How come I don't get a reward?

Still, Daniel had failed to give much thought to some of the more important things Flit had mentioned--like the fact that only special people could enter the town, or the fact that he was amongst the few when it came to normal people that Flit had seen, or the implications of such. No, Daniel just wanted something to burn his throat clear of inconsistencies for a little while.

[Lemon]

If George expects me to deal with that little bitch, a word which was not really an insult coming from a dog, upstairs then yeah this is my goddamn reward. Bad enough he didn't bother tossing out any scraps last night, I had to dig through the trash bins again. Found a whole steak though, so we're even in a way.

While much of the aged liquor seeped into the wood floor, the greater majority was lapped up into Flit's gut. This would give him an infinite amount of patience, which was probably only barely enough to deal with the girl. What the hell was her problem anyway? . . .

So what the hell's with the girl, anyway? You two uh... mating? Gotta tell ya I wouldn't put up with someone like that if I wasn't getting pups out of it. Come to think, though, I guess I did back in Cizok; she was this pure-bred albino retriever named snowball. Craziest fucking bitch in the world, but my mixed-breed ass was all over that tail for the better part of a month. Apparently she was sterilized or something, but the sex was fun.

[Nayt]

"E-eh?!" had Daniel been drinking anything, he'd have spit it out immediately.

He was at first tempted to come to Everett's defense regarding the bitch comment. He didn't think of her in that light. Every time Daniel came close to thinking it, she did something cute and completely ruined the negative appeal for the time. His opinion up to this point had just been a series of spikes--extreme like, extreme dislike, moderate like, but the caring remained the same throughout: he wasn't going to let her go off into the wilderness alone, regardless of how much he either liked or disliked her during a particular moment in time.

That didn't mean he was mating with her in any way, though, and quite frankly the idea seemed preposterous in every way! Everett may have thought he was trying for it last night or this morning, but in no way was he trying to get that close to her! Firstly, they were too damn young, and secondly, that would mean he'd have to find some place to settle down, because he liked to think of himself as a responsible young man, even if he forgot his responsibilities at times. That wasn't his fault, though--there was just something off in his brain. Whoever he wound up with would just have to bear with him a bit.

If Everett was that girl, that'd be one crazy life. N-no! No thoughts about the future, you'll just get your hopes up!

"U-uh, um, er . . . n-no, w-we're not," Daniel coughed awkwardly, "oI'm, er, uh . . . she's, uh--w-we're a little t-too young t-to, er, y'know. Loike that. Too young to go, er, mate. Yeah. oI'm not ready to settle down or anything and don't even remember where the hell oI'm s'posed to go and--er, yeah. Uh. Heh. Roight."

Though they weren't fooling around or anything, albeit something he certainly wouldn't mind, there may have been some relationship prospect there. Maybe. He wasn't really tying for it or anything, but he wouldn't have complained at all. Well . . . he wasn't trying hard, at least.

"I, uh, couldn't complain about having a girlfriend or something, though. Uh. Yeah. Well . . . you know--we're just, er, friends, though?" Daniel laughed uncomfortably.

Wouldn't complain about the sex, either.

[Lemon]

Flit smiled inwardly, the alcohol fueling some of his less tasteful habits. He deliberately walked back around the bar, the puddle on the floor quickly demolished between his tongue and the thirsty wood floor.

Y'know, I wasn't really talking about uh... marriage? Yeah, that's what humans do, innit? Canines live freely, we don't mate for life like your type. There's absolutely nothing wrong with seeking a little tail, amirite? He belched from the very bottom of his soul, a small wisp of flame escaping his jowls. Being very careful not to topple over, he walked over to Daniel's stool and leaned against the boy's legs for support. Y'know she's bathing upstairs right now? With that maid, Belle. Heh. The door to the room is unlocked and you can see the tub easily from the hall, if you peek. He yawned, letting his tongue unfurl and stretching out his entire body length. Flit curled up beneath the stool and closed his eyes.

I won't say a thing, kid. Ain't nothin wrong with peekin. 'Sides, ain't like we can go nowhere til she's done.

[Nayt]

"W-well, er, uh . . . oI, uh . . . oI'm not talking about marriage, either," Daniel muttered, "oI'm not ready for that yet, either. I was just, uh, talking about, er, you know--a girlfriend."

This whole mating for life stuff was getting a bit too heavy for him. Daniel didn't want to think of marriage and children and the like--that all could wait until he was an adult, whenever that time came. Then, he'd have some sexy wife to settle down with in a large mansion of a home, never have to work because he owned property and all that junk, and have a bunch of people (one particular one named Greiz, possibly!) doing everything around the house for him. When that time inevitably came, he'd think about children.

For now, he'd think about a couple of attractive young ladies in a somewhat small tub together, sudsing each others backs and washing together a little closer each time--maybe intimately close.

"W-wait--wait a sec'!" Daniel needed a second to think. To think--to think--wait, what was he thinking about, again? "So, er, Everett and the maid are upstairs, in the bath, and oI could see them with just the door open a bit . . . roight? And . . . okay. Okay. Hold on. You're serious? You wouldn't tell a soul?"

This idea seemed better and better with each passing second of thought. He wasn't sexing and running, he was just . . . peeking. Or would be, possibly. Man . . . Everett and that busty babe Belle. Oh, man. Oh man oh man oh man--and they're in the tub together . . .

Wait, where was our room, again? Oh, damnit!

[Lemon]

Top floor, look for the room at the end of the hall. When I left the door was wide open too, so that should make things easier. Whether you go up there or not, how would I know, kid? I'm just a dog takin a snooze. Heh.

In point of fact, Everett had slammed and locked the door to the bathroom, but not the room itself. Daniel should have no trouble sneaking in unnoticed, but as far as the bathroom went... well, the door was certainly an old one. It required a big, ornate key to open it from the outside. A massive key that fit into a similarly sized keyhole... Flit never did have much empathy for humans, but Daniel seemed alright. Hopefully the girl wouldn't kill him when she caught him.

... heh.

[Nayt]

"Uh, er, eh, ahem," Daniel coughed nonchalantly, "oI, uh, think oI'm going to look around the inn whoile we, y-y'know, whoile we're waiting for George . . ."

He was trying to act inconspicuous when in actuality it pretty clear what he intended to do. It was all just for himself, though--he wanted to make an excuse to himself to somehow justify what he was going to do. He had a bit of a guilty conscience, but it was easily put off!

Daniel traversed the inn with much confusion. He couldn't remember any of this. This whole layout was just crazy as hell, albeit simplistic and nice. Daniel just couldn't remember a thing about the journey down the stairs, that was all. He was a bit tired when going down the stairs, and his memory was pretty poor, anyways. So, it was fine and well that he didn't remember! No reason for shame. All the while, though, he was thinking about this impromptu "task." Was it immoral? Yes. Was he risking his life? Yes. Was it going to be awesome? Hell yes.

At the top floor, though, he walked much, much quieter than on previous floors. Now he was starting to remember what room they had slept in, and the closer he got, the quieter he was. There was one creek, but it was no cause for alarm! Daniel slowly pushed the door open to get a better view, only to find the bathroom door closed.

Damnit! Flit said it was open!

It had already taken enough courage to creep up that far! He had just pushed the door open by an inch, and his heart had already been beating out of his chest--at this distance! Being any closer might have given him a stroke. But he was too far now to quit! Flit seemed to have faith in his survival, so . . . it was worth a try. Even if it were only for a moment, and that's all it'd be! Just a moment. A few seconds! His muscles tensed as he pushed the door open a bit more, trying to be as silent as possible as he crept closer to the bathroom door, almost crawling. If he was as silent as he hoped he was, he wouldn't be found out . . .

Assuming he was yet to be caught, Daniel would peer in through the keyhole . . .

[Mandaz]

It wasn’t so bad, now that she thought about it. The water wasn’t cold, at least. Now that she started, she should at least finish. Everett used the rag to rub the grime off a little more vigorously. She was actually quite pale, sporting soft, porcelain-like skin with a little pinkish hue. From underneath the dirt little natural specks of color could be seen on her cheeks, shoulders, arms, back, in fact she looked to be covered in the little spots. Freckles. They weren’t very noticeable before, since she was covered in the filth, but with it all washed away; it was easy to see that she was covered in the little dots.

Her little fingers scratched the water through her dirty blonde hair, rinsing away the muck. As it was cleaned, the color brightened to a bright yellow, with orange underneath, from the base of her neck. It would take a while to scrub completely, considering how dingy and matted it really was. It could have been much more of a chore had her hair been longer. Everett reached a few knots that would have had to been cut out. It had been a while since her hair was cut anyway; it might have been for the best.

“Can you…cut my hair?” She asked stubbornly, not really wanting to admit she needed help from anyone, but cutting the back of one’s own head was difficult.

The younger girl finished scrubbing the dirt from her flesh, emerging from the water a pristine white flower.

[Lemon]

The large brass tub was filled with two beautiful bodies slicked with moisture and clean like polished silver. Belle took the young girl's multitonal hair into her capable hands and slipped her fingers around a bottle of bath oils. Not terribly fragrant, a rarity for one of George's rooms, the lilac extract slowly but determinedly filled the room with its flavor. Belle was a veteran of knots, tangles, and dirty children; she had no need for scissors or the like, a few minutes work upon her stubborn companion's hair melted the knots away with little to no tugging or pain.

When she had finished, humming all the while, and Everett emerged from the tub, Belle clapped her hands and smiled warmly, impressed with the girl's transformation.

Flit, on the other hand, was preoccupied with a spinning room which insisted on periodically doing backflips like a trapeze artist on steroids.

[Nayt]

It went without saying that Daniel was going to feel intimidated by two attractive females in the room just beyond the door, in plain sight via this truly magical keyhole. He was intimidated to the point that he felt extremely disconcerted, with sweat starting to appear on his brow.

He couldn't see anything "indecent," though. Everett essentially had her back turned to the door, and only showed her side at best. He saw bare skin, and that coincidentally became the most he had seen of another girl, considering the fact that Everett was out of the water a bit more than Belle was, who had herself submerged enough that Daniel (regretfully) could not see the details of her breasts--they were partially submerged in water, and he couldn't make out the image of anything that was actually in water. Nonetheless, Everett had an easier time covering herself up while out of the water because she had less to cover, and therefore Daniel saw more of her than he did of Belle . . .

. . . and he didn't complain in the slightest . . .

In fact, if he had the opportunity to get a closer look, he would have in a heartbeat! But that opportunity would possibly never come, not with his luck. How would it have been to be with a girl with skin that smooth? Naked together in the same bed, not even fornicating--just laying there, pressed up against each other. How would it have been to lay with Everett, just like that? To feel her smooth, warm skin pressed up against his; to run his hands up and down her back, and feel every crevasse and bump--her spine, her ribs, her shoulder blades, every part of her body. It was in no way a perverse thought, not lustful--just . . . longing. Longing to be with a girl, a general acquaintance, in which he could know what it was like to run his fingers across skin so smooth.

Of course, his thoughts of longing were interrupted once Everett stood up, and while he still couldn't see anything especially immodest, he could still get an eyeful with the keyhole, and he felt the urge to drop over to the floor, maybe pass out a bit, maybe--just maybe--let his jaw hang open and just sit there paralyzed. Or fall over. Like he did. And hit the back of his head off of the floor quite loudly. Like he did.

Naturally, if the door was suddenly opened by a decent or indecent young woman or adolescent girl (neither of which Daniel would have minded a~~~t all), there would be no peeper, nor a sign that anyone was actually in the room, excepting the door slightly ajar . . .

[Mandaz]

“Thank you” mumbled the angry girl, running her fingers through her mess-free hair.

She hadn’t been able to pull her hand through it entirely for quite some time. It was a strangely refreshing feeling. A few stray hairs fell out with her fingers; the color she had almost forgotten was there. Everett had a very strange natural hair pattern. Bright blonde for the most part, but underneath where her neck met her head sat hair of a dull orange color. Though, to know her parents, this wouldn’t have seemed at all strange, in fact it would have been expected of such an eccentric couple to have an eccentric child. Her flesh and freckles actually made her look near identical to her father, but that wasn’t something she was necessarily proud of.

Everett stepped out of the tub and stretched, showing off her full body to the keyhole where an unsuspecting Daniel awaited. Shortly after her stretch she heard a loud thump, something that made her jump a bit in surprise. Was it that dog still? She didn’t want to risk going out there alone. She’s rather throw the maid in its path and run while it worked its massive jaws through her fatty bosoms. Everett quickly searched around for her ratty, dirty clothes to don once again. She wanted to be clothed to face the beast.

[Lemon]

Belle emerged from the bath shortly after the slender girl, exposing her pristine, voluptuous... face to both the fragile little Everett and any Gods peeping from the heavens above. She saw the girl looking for her clothes, but--for the first time today, and perhaps her entire life--Belle moved as swiftly as Daniel would have given the opportunity to partake in the 11 Saints' Vixens Viewing held once a year involving the barmaids, a copious amount of free alcohol, and an open stage upon which clothes were merely optional. Belle snatched up Everett's clothing and plopped it in the bathwater they had just emerged from, shoes and all. No sense in washing yourself and changing back into such disgusting things, after all, and even after their bath, the water was still more than clean enough to withstand the abuse of her dirty garments. Belle would just have to add more soap, that's all.

While the maid got to work on the filthy cloth and scuffed boots in her bare skin, she pointed to the wall where two bath robes hung, one small and pink and the other a medium blue. There were normally bath slippers as well, but whatever maid had made the room last seemed to have been too careless to return them; Everett would just have to walk about barefoot on the clean floors until her things were ready.

[Nayt]

Daniel had gotten enough eye-fulls for the day--enough to make him exceedingly nervous and paranoid. Of course, he had seen every detail of Everett's body before he fell over, which had--in fact--been the sole reason he fell over. It would have been difficult to believe if he told anyone else, but this had possibly been the first time he had ever seen a nude female body. Really quite a shame, too, to go so long without such a view. He hadn't caught a glimpse of Belle, however, as he had fallen over before she even stood up. As intended immediately after he hit the floor, Daniel got the hell out of the room as quickly as he could.

Fortunately, no one came out after him, so it wasn't like he was going to get into serious trouble in the very near future--but he still felt a sense of urgency, even while he stood in the corridor outside of the suite, back to the wall, eyes peering down the wall to the barely ajar door.

Moving to the door to close it would have been too risky, even though he had yet to hear the bathroom door open. Still being relatively close, he could hear that much. Leaving the door ajar was just as risky, but the adolescent failed to consider that at the time.

And so, with quickness and stealth, Daniel tip-toed to the stairs as quietly as possible, and once he was sure that he was out of range for the girls to hear, he proceeded to run as quickly as he could without risking the potential fall down several flights of stares. In truth, he was risking that anyways, because all the while, he had the image in his mind of Everett stretching her arms out over her head, completely devoid of clothing--a fairly pleasant image burned into his mind, even if she wasn't nearly as "gifted" as the maid that was bathing with her, or the maid that nearly killed Daniel while bandaging his wounds, or that gray skinned woman he gawked at so much around six months ago. That was an image he didn't want to forget . . .

Daniel nearly collapsed once he was back at the bar, requiring the bar itself to keep himself from falling to the floor, gasping for air and writhing in pain. The rush had made his injuries hurt a bit more than they had been, and now his body was starting to rebel against him because of those pains.

Expecting Flit to still be there, Daniel panted, stating, "N-nope . . . no . . . monsters upstairs . . ."

He had forgotten the excuse he had used before he started upstairs, and his mind defaulted to the possibility that he claimed he heard an inhuman growl and figured he'd check it out. Unfortunately, his original excuse was quite far from that--but that probably didn't matter.