The group of seven friends chatted for around fifteen more minutes before Feral returned. He refilled glasses and mugs, left, and came back a minute later. This time, he had a large tray filled with food. He set it down on a nearby empty table and passed out the plates.

“Here is the coconut shrimp platter, complete with two dipping sauces. The red one is sweet chili, and the yellow one is pineapple.” Feral laid down a large silver plate in the middle of the table.  

The shrimps still had tails, but they were fried a beautiful golden brown that was crispy and most delicious. The red sweet chili sauce was spicy at first, then became slightly sweet. Momo frowned since she knew it was too spicy for her tongue. She did, however, eyeball the yellow pineapple sauce. One of Momo's fondest memories was when she would sit and eat pineapples with her grandfather on warm summer nights. She was only a kitten then,  but if Momo closed her eyes, she could still remember the sight of him chopping into a pineapple and giving her the first slice. Of course, she wasn’t with him now, but she was with friends. 

It won't be the same, but it'll kinda be the same, right? Does that even make sense? 

“Next, we have the porterhouse, cooked rare, with fries and creamy mashed potatoes...” Steam rose from Silverado's steak.  Momo internally groaned at the reddish appearance.  It was just a bit too bloody for her. The fries were golden brown, and the potatoes smelled heavenly. Garlic and herbs radiated from it, and Silverado licked his chops.  He didn't dig right in, instead choosing to wait for his friends to get their food.

“Here is a rib platter with fries," Feral announced. He couldn’t remember who ordered it.  

“That’s me!” Desperado stood up and sat right back down. He was on his third mug of mead. “I can’t drink on an empty stomach! Haha!!” He laughed while Feral sat the plate down. It was a hefty rack of ribs with white bones sticking out at the ends of each one. Covered in a tasteful barbecue sauce mixed with a little bit of honey, Desperado started picking at his brown fries while waiting for the rest of his friends to get their food.  Unlike his silver-scaled friend, Desperado did not wait.  

He was just a little bit drunk.  

“Next is the 700g ribeye, medium rare with fries.  Two of them.” 

“Aye! That’s us,” Riki pointed to him and his cousin.  

A few moments later, two plates sat in front of them. A large ribeye, with fries and a small cup of the steaks’ juices, was next to it. It was beautifully cooked, with grill marks that tantalized the two Dwarves. As if they had practiced it before, the two Dwarves grabbed their respective cups of juice and poured them on their steak. Without waiting for their friends to get their food, Riki and Rakkire started to peck at their fries, choosing to finish off the side dish before getting to the main event.

Momo licked her pink lips.

Dang, I should've gotten that.  It looks so good!!!

“Next is the half rack of ribs and chicken. I believe this is yours?” 

“Yeah. It smells and looks even better than I thought it would." Servi moved her glass of tea out of the way as Feral sat it down. The ribs were the same as Desperado’s but smaller. Her chicken was grilled, and she even received fries with it. It was something she didn’t expect to get because it wasn’t on the menu. Still, she wouldn’t look a gift potato in the mouth.  

“Thank you.” Servi smiled at her beastly friend.

“You’re welcome. Now, the spring chicken?” 

“Umm… That’s mine…” Srassa bravely looked up at the beast. He smiled, showing off his sharp teeth, and sat her plate down.  

“Thank you…” Srassa made eye contact for the briefest of moments and turned her gaze back to the impressive amount of food in front of her. It was grilled chicken with mushrooms, but that wasn’t all. Crispy bacon and onions were covered and smothered under a glorious helping of melted cheese, which adorned her chicken and mushrooms. A small cup of honey mustard sauce sat nearby.

There’s no need for me to be afraid of him. Srassa turned back to Feral and smiled before eating a few fries.  

It's...good. No, it's better than that. Jony's an incredible cook, but this is almost on a different level...

“And I assume this last one is yours?” Feral chuckled as he sat the plate down in front of the Singi. Her tail kicked into overdrive as she stared at the food.  

“Yep!” Momo answered. Her eyes lit up when she saw those steaming vegetables. The chicken was covered in a type of barbecue sauce mixed with a hint of pepper, but she figured it was mild enough for her oversensitive tongue. Even if it wasn’t, she would power through the pain if it meant she could enjoy something delicious.  

“Now then, I’ll be back in a moment to refill your drinks." Their waiter held the silver tray under his massive arms and walked away.

“Well then, shall we dig in?” Desperado asked.

“You fool, you’ve been digging in since he laid your plate down! Bwahaha!!” Riki replied. He let out a belly laugh and downed his cup.  

He was drunk as well.  

But everyone began to dig in. The air went quiet and still as hands moved to transport food from the plates to their mouths.  No one talked or whispered a single word because the food was too delicious.

The shrimp was crispy and crunchy, and the sweet chili sauce was spicy and hot, perfect for a Koena or Dwarf’s hardened mouth. Servi tried two, enjoying both sauces. The pineapple was her favorite, as its coldness enhanced the crispy texture of the shrimp. 

Silverado's steak was thick and juicy and came apart like a hot knife through butter. It was so tender and soft. Going against the normal, the mad man dipped his steak in his potatoes and popped it in his mouth. Juice squeezed out as his tongue was assaulted by potato, garlic, a genius mix of herbs and spices, and the meat of the steak. It was almost the most delicious steak he’d ever eaten.  

In his drunken stupor, Desperado had a bit of trouble pulling the delectable goodness off the bone. He held it to his mouth and ripped the meat off using his teeth before chewing. The sauce hugged his lips, but he used his pink tongue to clean them after swallowing.

Riki and Rakkire both cut off a piece of their ribeye and ate it. As Dwarves, they were well versed in steak and meat. It took a lot of calories and protein to maintain their hardened bodies. While it wasn’t the best they’d ever had, it was up there.  

Srassa stared at her monstrous meal in front of her. She only expected chicken and mushrooms, not the bacon, onions, and cheese. It wasn’t a problem since she liked bacon and onions and cheese; she just wasn’t expecting it. That, and she never tried all three at the same time in a single dish. Using her delicate hands that had the beginning stages of calluses, proof she was working hard and exerting herself to the fullest, she cut off a small piece of chicken using a knife and a fork. Dipping it in the strange yellow and orange-like sauce, she nibbled and chewed.  An explosion of deliciousness attacked her pink tongue, coating her taste buds in ecstasy. Smiling, she ate the rest of the chicken on her fork.

“How is it?” asked Momo. She had a piece of steamed broccoli on her fork.  

“It’s wonderful. I’ve never had this type of sauce before. Honey mustard, it was called?” 

“Yep,” said Momo. She popped the broccoli in her mouth and swallowed it. It was so soft she didn’t need to chew.  

“Maybe I’ll ask Jony if he can pick some up,” this time, she cut off a piece of chicken that had bacon, onions, and cheese. She never knew that such a strange combination of food could taste so good. But it did.  

Momo turned to Servi and saw she was three ribs deep, with two more waiting to be eaten. Her chicken was untouched, and her lips had some sauce around them.  

Momo giggled and pointed to her mouth, causing Servi to go red in the face. She dropped her half-finished rip and meekly went for her white napkin.  

“Sorry.  I guess I was hungrier than I thought I was.” 

But why am I hungry? I don’t understand… 

“There ain’t nothing to be sorry about. We all worked up a mighty appetite. Bwahaha!” Riki laughed. He grabbed a handful of fries and stuffed them into his mouth.  

Feral came back over with another tray of drinks and refilled everyone. Then he sat down seven tickets.  

“I’ll be back in a few minutes to see if you need anything,” then he turned and left. No doubt he had other tables to wait on.  

It was like time stopped. Everyone froze up and stared at the piece of paper. It was the dreaded bill. 

It’s funny. I could probably pay for everyone here to eat the most expensive meals every day for the next ten years and still have millions left over. Do I really need that much money? Why did I even want to rob Parrel? ...Can I even spend that much? Servi asked herself. She turned the paper ticket over and discovered it wasn’t that expensive. Well, everything was inexpensive to her.  

Bill can wait.  I gotta eat first.  She grabbed the ticket and placed it near her plate before getting back to her ribs and chicken.  

Momo, meanwhile, took another sip of her water before trying a shrimp. She bravely went for the red sweet chili sauce. But even as mild as it was, it was too spicy. She hastily drunk her water while she winced in pain. But the shrimp was good. She liked the crunchy texture and the coconutty-flavor.

“Too hot?” asked Rakkire. He grabbed a shrimp and dipped it in the red sauce.  

“Just a little bit. My tongue is super sensitive. I can’t handle really spicy or hot stuff.” 

Momo reached out to take another shrimp and dipped it in the pineapple sauce.  "But this I can eat.  I love pineapples."

“See, that’s a shame you can't handle the hot stuff. There’s some good Dwarven liquor that burns like fire going down, but it’s good an’ strong.” 

“The Durieagr Gruntle, yes? It’s only reserved for special occasions, right?” Srassa asked.

Riki was surprised. “Ye know of it?” 

Srassa ate a shrimp covered in the cold pineapple sauce before responding. Unlike at the beginning of dinner, she wasn’t as nervous. She wasn’t totally fine, but she felt like she didn’t have anything to worry about. “Yes. Father told me about it when he visited a friend in the city. He told me about when I was learning about Dwarven history and culture.” 

“Oh ho, I didn’t know we had a scholar,” Silverado's scaley mouth curled into a teasing grin. He had no more mashed potatoes left, and only a few fries remained on his plate.  

“Oh, I didn’t mean to brag or anything. My father taught me--” she quickly added.  

“Bwahaha!! Just having a bit of fun here,” It wasn’t Silverado but Riki, who responded.  

Srassa and the two Dwarves and Silverado chatted amongst themselves for a bit while sneaking a few bites of their food. Desperado, by now four or five mugs of mead deep, was still going strong. He inserted himself into the conversation whenever he had something to contribute.  

It gave Momo and Servi the time and opportunity to quietly chat. 

“I’m glad you asked me to come,” she smiled as she ate another piece of broccoli. “I’m having so much fun!” 

“Me too,” Servi cleaned her mouth and drank some tea. It was still so cold and delicious and not overly sweet. “It’s nice going to dinner with friends.” 

I don’t know if I’ve ever done something like this before. I can’t remember.  The Human with the red eyes thought.

I’ve always dreamed of this. A nice dinner with friends. Thought the Singi with pink hair.

The group of seven continued to eat their dinner and drink their drinks while having a blast. But such a good time had to eventually come to an end.  

“Oh, by my beard, I can’t eat another bite.” Riki sat back in his chair and rubbed his stomach. His plate was empty, and only two shrimp sat on the platter. The two sauce cups were empty.  

Rakkire reached out to the platter. He still had a tiny bit of space left.  

Getting some food in his stomach managed to sober up Desperado. The only thing left on his plate was the sauce from his ribs. He took a deep breath before finishing off his cup of mead.  

Silverado, meanwhile, went for the last shrimp. Somehow, he still had room for more food.  

Servi was the only one of the girls to have finished their plate. Finishing off her tea, she glanced at Srassa and Momo, who struggled to finish their food.  

Momo had two bites of chicken left, and Srassa had just one. In the end, they shamefully put their forks down and went for their drinks.  

“Was it good?” Momo asked, noticing that Srassa didn't have any honey mustard left. 

“Very good. I’ll have to tell Jony about this honey mustard.” Srassa sat her drink down and reached for her bill, prompting the rest of the table to do the same.

24 dupla was the cost of Servi’s meal. With a six dupla tip, it came out to an even 30, which didn’t seem to be too bad. She had a lot of food, after all.  

As Servi reached into her pocket to take out the dupla from her ring, Momo and Srassa retrieved the coins from their bag and purse, respectively.  

The Singi’s meal was 17 dupla, and Srassa had to pay 25 to cover hers.  

The Dwarves’ meals cost 25 dupla each, while Silverado's cost 22. Desperado had to pay 23 to cover his food.  In addition, everyone gave a generous tip as a way to thank Feral for his excellent service.

While they waited for Feral to come back to take their payment, the friends talked about the upcoming tournament.

“So, are you all excited for the tournament?” Riki started off by saying.

“Yep! I’ve been training and practicing really hard for it!” Momo said.

“Same here!” Srassa pipped up. She was far more relaxed.  

“Who do you think will end up winning it all? Be truthful,” Rakkire asked everyone. He had a sharp look in his eyes, and it almost soured the mood.  

“Honestly, Feral might end up winning it,” Desperado spoke what everyone else thought.

Silverado added on. “If not him, then another Kobold.” 

“But I thought you said Servi beat him?” 

The girl in question answered Srassa. “I did, but only because he forgot he had a tail. Even if he didn’t, all he had to do was flail his arms. If he did that, I would’ve lost.” 

“Oh, you haven’t heard?” spoke Feral, the Kobold in question.  He had a small pen in his hand.

“Heard what?” Silverado handed the Kobold his bill and dupla. After counting it and making sure, he signed his name at the bottom of the tab to signify it had been paid.

“Us Kobolds will have their own tournament on the same day. That’s what I heard from Aunt Canary when I dropped my shield off. Servi, after this tournament, I would like to request another duel. Is that acceptable?” like always, he growled slightly. His large yellow eyes stared into a sea of red fire, and he shook uncontrollably for a brief moment.  

“That sounds good to me. I’ll be waiting for it,” the girl with red eyes said calmly. Feral continued to take the coins and the bills until he had signed each one.  

“If that’s the case, then my money is on Servi to win. None of us have yet to beat her,” said Desperado. Feral slightly adjusted his uniform nodded in agreement.  Getting up the courage, Srassa said a quiet thank you to him for the excellent service.  

“You are most welcome. I must thank you all for the tips. Now, I wish you a good rest of the night,” with one last growl Feral left them for good. If they wanted to, they could get up and walk out. All they had to do was show their signed bills to the person standing by the door.  

But the atmosphere was pleasant and relaxing, and it started to cool down. Silently, it seemed like everyone agreed to stay for a little bit longer.  

“I agree on Servi winning it all. She has this unique stance she uses when she only has her sword. I can’t even get near,” Rakkire said while looking at his hand. He thought back to how his friend broke his fingers.

“What stance?” asked Srassa. Servi didn’t have a chance to answer because Riki spoke for her.  

“It’s called hand-over-blade. Fisher says it’s strong for one on one duels, but it’s also dangerous.” 

“Why is it dangerous?” this time, it was Momo who asked. Once again, Servi couldn’t answer.  

“It’s kind of like this,” Silverado picked up his sauce-stained knife and handled it like a sword. Then, he turned it 90 degrees until he held it like Servi did. “You hold it like this with your sword arm, and your free hand is hovering above the blade. The general idea is to slightly turn and raise your sword to deflect attacks while attacking your opponent with your free hand.” 

“Aye. Servi broke three of my fingers that way," Rakkire added.  

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,” Servi muttered. She felt upset about it now.  

“It’s no problem. I’m glad you didn’t take it easy on me.” 

But you kind of did take it easy on them. Itarr quipped. It was her first time speaking in a while. Servi thought that maybe she was done analyzing the dinner and all the emotions that came out? If so, she probably learned quite a bit.

But knowing wasn’t the same thing as understanding.

“I hope I get to face you in the tournament,” said Momo. “I promise I’m going to win again.” 

“Wait? You’ve won against her?!” Silverado exclaimed.

“Just the one time. I actually threw my weapon at Servi...” Momo lowered her eyes to the table as if she was ashamed of how she won. 

With wide eyes, the four on the other side of the table turned to Servi for confirmation. She nodded. “I honestly didn’t expect it. She ended up tackling me to the ground, and I lost.” 

“Huh. Defeated by a thrown weapon. Too bad Fisher would kill us if we did that,” Rakkire shrugged his shoulders and turned to his mead.

“What do you mean? You can’t do that with him?” Asked Srassa. She went to drink the last of her water.  

“Nope. We’re supposed to treat every battle like we’re the first and last line of defense. Losing our weapons or shield is automatically an instant fail. But if we meet in the tournament…” Desperado trailed off.

“…then Fisher wouldn’t be upset or yell. Since it’s just a tournament and not a life or death situation,” Silverado finished up his friend’s sentence.  

“I’ll be looking forward to it if I get matched up with any of you,” a genuine smiled appeared on Servi's soft face, enhancing her red eyes as she pleasantly stared at her friends.

Srassa, meanwhile, realized just how far behind she was. How can I even win it if there’s someone who can beat even a Kobold? And now that Feral's not entering, I’m sure Servi's the one who will win. But I can’t give up! Come on, Srassa! In the end, she managed to convince herself that she had a chance of winning, even if it was microscopic. If Srassa kept thinking she lost the tournament before it had started, then everything she had learned from Dineria would have been wasted, and she didn't want that.

A chance was a chance, no matter how small it was.  

But the time then came to where neither of the seven could find something to talk about. The group of friends had been at the restaurant for a little over two hours, and it was no doubt getting late.  

The two Dwarves were the first to leave. 

“Sorry fer cutting so soon, but we’re about to head out. Training is bright and early tomorrow,” Rakkire groaned, stretching his tired arms and legs.

“Aye, it is. The blasted sun comes up way too early,” Riki complained about one of the celestial objects in the sky as he stood up from his chair.  Like his cousin, he stretched his arms. The five remaining at the table waved to them as they disappeared through the doors. It was then that Servi realized the party of 11 or so people who were there before had left. For the longest time, it was just the seven of them.  

Well, I guess it's just the five of us. Servi thought.

“If that’s the case, then I guess we’re going to head out too. Srassa, Momo, it was nice meeting you," said the silver Koena. Desperado murmured much of the same.

“And it was nice meeting you, too," Momo said.

Srassa echoed Momo's sentence but added on something to the end. “After the tournament, where am I going to meet up with you two?” 

“Hmm… How about two days after the tournament? Let’s say we meet up at Warden at 9 AM? That sound good to you?” Desperado asked.

“Yep,” Srassa smiled and nodded towards two who had the chance of becoming her very first party members.  

Then it was just Servi, Momo, and Srassa. They were alone in a big room, sitting at a table.  

“Are you two ready to leave as well?” Servi asked.

Momo turned to look at Srassa. “Are you ready?” 

“I am if you two are.” 

“Then I guess we’re leaving,” Servi said as she got up. Pushing her chair in, she walked over to the doorway and waited for her two friends. Once they came over, the three made their way through the restaurant to the front door. As they did, Servi realized that almost every table was full and packed.  

Maybe it seems this place gets fuller as the night goes on? Itarr asked. Servi just nodded.  

“Thank you for coming. I hope you three have a wonderful night!” a young employee said after checking their bills.

Servi nodded while Srassa and Momo said their thanks.  

Now outside, the sky was dark except for a single white moon. Not even the stars were out.  

A blanket of darkness spread over the city of Canary, but the sun would eventually come to rise.  It would grow ever stronger before passing away to make room for the moon. It was a cycle that was almost older than time, something that would always happen.  

The three started walking back towards the Warden office as Servi noticed the total amount of guards. It more than doubled.  

The way back through the dark streets filled with guards in shiny silver armor was uneventful. After talking for hours, the three couldn’t come up with that much to talk about. Perhaps they could after they allowed their minds to rest.  

Soon, the imposing Warden office came into view.  

“Srassa, do you want us to walk you back to the noble district?” Servi offered.

Srassa thanked them for the offer but declined. she shook her head. "Jony? Are you there?" 

“Yes, my lady?” A cloaked man who had just walked past spoke up. When he flipped his hood up, Momo recognized the person she saw as the man who was with Srassa's father.

He had grey hair, even though he looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. An ordinary cane was at his side, but Servi knew it was a weapon.  

“I didn’t even notice…” Momo exclaimed.

Jony smiled and bowed. “My sincerest apologies for not telling you, but I am required to keep an eye on Miss Flinn. Please, forgive me.” 

“Were you at the restaurant with us?”

“Yes, ma’am, I was,” Jony answered Servi's question.  

“Did you follow us from Srassa’s house?” Momo asked him.  

“Yes, Miss Momo, I did. I do hope you’ll forgive me.” 

The two friends turned to look at Srassa, who sighed. She was embarrassed, sure, but she was also angry. Even though she had no reason to be. She knew Jony only did this because her father asked her to. But even if he didn’t, Jony would’ve taken it upon himself to make sure she would be safe.  

“My apologies, but I don’t believe I know your name,” he said to Servi as he held out a hand.

She took it, shaking it. “I’m Servi, though I guess you already know that.” 

“I did know it, but I’d rather learn someone’s name formally first,” he smiled back. Unlike most people, Servi felt something brutal and loyal coming from him. She knew he was a man who could be trusted, but it was more than that. Jony reminded Servi of someone. But try as she might, she couldn't get the memory to come back.

She was on the cusp of remembering, and it disappeared without a trace in the wind.  

“Miss Momo, Miss Servi, I do thank you for including Lady Srassa in your fun.” 

“Jony!!!” whined the embarrassed girl. Srassa threw her hands down by her side while her cheeks took on a crimson red hue.

“You don’t need to thank me. We’re friends, right?” Momo asked.

Servi nodded along. She didn’t know if she could call Srassa a friend, but Servi knew that she didn’t hate the idea of it.  

“Yeah, we’re friends. Besides, it was fun.” Servi added after a few moments of thinking. She ended up deciding that Srassa was a friend. 

“You guys…” Srassa started to say something but stopped. She twirled to Jony, locking eyes with him, and turned until her back faced her two friends. 

“Momo, I’ll see you at Levadia Woods tomorrow for our training. Servi, it was nice to meet you.” 

“It was nice to meet you, too.” Servi smiled as she spoke. Both she and Momo knew why their newfound friend had her back turned to them.  It was clear to both of them that Srassa was crying. If she was anything like Momo, and she was, the first night out with a new group of friends was emotional. It was likely Srassa had hot tears flowing down her face, and she didn't want her new companions to gaze upon her slightly state.

“Bye, Srassa. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Momo waved.

“I hope you two ladies have a good night,” Jony bowed once more before walking with Srassa, who was still crying a little bit.  

Servi and Momo stood side by side, watching the shrinking backs of Jony and Srassa until they couldn’t see them anymore.  

“What did you think of her?” Momo turned to her friend and smiled. The moonlight shone down on the two friends, making it look like the world was their stage. And as if fate was backing them up, there was no one else around. They had the streets to themselves.

“She was nice. You know, she kinda reminded me of you," Servi answered.

“Really?” Momo heavily yawned and went to wide her eyes.  

“Yeah.  Hey, are you tired?” Servi opened the door to the lobby, and Momo walked in.

“Yep. And sore too. I think I’m about to head to sleep,” Momo said after thanking Servi.  The two of them walked on the freshly cleaned floors and stared at the stairs. 

Momo walked up the stairs with heavy steps and growing yawns.  Servi followed behind in case her best friend accidentally slipped in her sleepy stupor.

“How many more days until the tournament?” Servi asked. She didn’t know, and Fisher never said anything of it. She could’ve read the newspaper, but she figured it’d be better to ask her friend.  

“About ten or so days. Are you getting nervous?” 

“A little bit,” Servi replied. They found themselves on the third floor. “What about you?” 

The two friends walked over to Servi's door.

“I'm nervous, too," Momo confessed.  Her pink tail stopped wagging and curled close to its master.

“Good night, Momo.” 

“Good night, Servi,” Momo gently smiled as she waved at Servi and started on the perilously short journey to the fourth floor.

Servi went inside her room and locked the door before pulling out the big, fancy bed. As she did so many nights before, she absorbed her clothes and laid down, pulling the blankets up until half her body laid covered in warmth.  

Are you going to sleep? 

“Yeah. I'm sorry we didn’t get to talk that much today.” 

Don’t be sorry. I feel like I’ve learned a lot from watching everyone. Good night, Servi.  I love you.  

“I love you too, Itarr.” 

A comforting blackness soon entered her sight, and she drifted off to sleep. Oddly enough, neither Servi nor Momo had any dreams that night. Their minds were exhausted, but that wasn't always a bad thing.