Night had passed, and I slept like a log after taking a nice hot bath. I had asked the bath attendants to give me privacy while I bathed, admittedly I had felt a bit embarrassed after my first experience with them. So I had the whole place to herself. The warm fragrant waters had relaxed every bit of my body, it had been a few months since I had gotten to take a bat like this, in fact it had been since I left home. I was relaxed enough to pass out the moment I hit the bed. I didn’t know that day had come, and slept late into the morning, before a delicate young woman came knocking on the door. 

“Sorry to bother you, Miss Reli, but I’m here to bring you your breakfast,” she said shyly.

I let out a big yawn and stretch, “No worries, I was needing to wake up anyway.” I looked at the girl and gave her a wide toothy grin, “so what’s to eat?”

“Well, we have biscuits, smoked boar sausage, and vinebaubles,” the girl answered.

I looked at her, her eyes wide, drooling from the mouth, “vinebaubles!” 

“Yes, have you had them before?” 

I shook my head, “Not that I could remember, they were scarce back home,” I laughed a creepy hehehe, “they were my father’s favorite apparently so I have to try them!” 

The girl cocked her eyebrow, then smiled a soft smile, “Very well then, we shall start with the vinebaubles,”  she placed her hands around mine, softly, and urged me to lay my head on her lap. A bit bewildered, I placed my head down, and she stroked my cheek. Then she picked one of the purplish red orbs from a bunch, and slowly placed the fruit in my mouth, letting her finger linger on my lips. “Do you like them?” she asked, her nervous demeanor replaced by a coquettish playfulness. 

I chewed, and a burst of sugary sweetness, mixed with a tart aftertaste flooded my taste buds. “Eee!” I let out a high-pitched squeal of delight, “Sooo good!” 

The girl smiled, “I’m glad you like it,” she plucked another one from the bunch, and continued to feed me, completely rendering me unaware of the fact I was using her thighs as a pillow, as I happily ate the fruity treats.  

I let out a small, “Aww,” when all the vinebaubles had been eaten, and slumped back up, pouting.

“I’ll let the lady know you fancy them, she will be sure to buy you more,” the girl offered.

“But I want more now,” I whined, feeling a bit infantile.

The girl giggled, and leaned over, kissing my cheek, “there’s still more food for you to eat,” she said slowly bringing the platter onto her lap, “come, let me feed you.” 

I closed my legs tight, and buried my bloodapple-red face into my knees. “You, you don’t have to,” I said, peeking out from behind my knees.

“But your pleasure is my pleasure, miss Reli,” she said, lifting a stick-shaped biscuit to her mouth, “shall I feed you like this?” she placed the biscuit between her teeth, and closed her pink lips around it. She narrowed her eyes, and her lush lips curled slightly in an enticing smile. I sat there, gawking, taking in her features more intently than before. She wore a scanty white lace dress with light pink trim. The midsection was cut in a diamond, showing her toned slender belly, bearing no witch’s brand. Her hair was a brighter blonde than mine, cut in a cute bob. She wore a sparkly pink ribbon around her waist, and matching ribbons were wrapped around her long ears. Her face was long, but had a youthful innocence, clashing with her mature, lustful eyes. She had little to no curves, but her body was slender. Her bust was smaller than mine, which I hate to admit made me happy. In fact, her bust was not small, but non existent, she had no breast to speak of.

I continued to stare at the girl, pressure building in my  lower abdomen, before giving in, and brought in my head to take a bite of the biscuit. The food itself was only the slightest bit sweet, especially compared to the girl’s lips, which I discovered as she pressed in for a kiss. I felt a dampness between my legs, as our lips locked, and my face burned. I tried to chew the hard chalky biscuit, but found it more difficult with my mouth against another’s. After managing to swallow, the girl pushed herself on top of me, prolonging our kiss. Her tongue wriggled against my own, and soon it was like they were dancing. I never kissed anyone other than Miki, and I was unsure if I was even doing it right. Regardless, we continued, till the girl lifted her face up, a single strand of saliva stretching between our mouths briefly. She wiped her lips, still flashing a lusty grin, and gave a low giggle.

“Did you enjoy your meal?” 

I stared blankly, unsure how to respond. What led to this, I was very unsure, and once the shock wore off, I smiled shyly, “Umm yeah, it was nice.” 

“I am happy to have pleased you,” she said. Getting up, she placed her hand on her cheek, “Oh no, I seemed to have spilled your meal, I am so sorry miss Reli.” her demeanor shifted, her voice sounding timid once more.

“No, you don’t have to worry,” I sat back up, “I wasn’t that hungry anyways.”

“No, no, I will get you more, it’s the least I can do,” the girl stood up quickly, cleaned the ruined breakfast, and promptly headed for the door, “Oh and by the way, Miss Reli, if you ever would like my services again just ask for Josie,” she bowed her head slightly and slipped out the door. 

“What was that?” I sat there confused. Feeling between my legs, my pants were drenched. I curled up in a ball. “I’m sorry Miki, I hope you’re not mad!” 

“I am not, my little Reli,” Miki appeared next to me, and stroked my hair, “though I have to wonder, was there some sort of mix up?”

“Weeell,” I  stretched my words, “you see. I asked for the breakfast special, but I didn’t realize it was ‘that’ special.” 

“My dear sweet naïve Reli, you must remember you are staying in a brothel,” she chided me, “anything with the word ‘special’ in it is probably going to involve sex.” 

I blushed, hiding my face in her lap, “I know, I’m a dummy.”

“You are not a dummy,” she assured, “though I would suggest you clear things up, les Lady Karakahl may send you more ‘special services’,” she laughed. 

“Actually,” I turned her face over, shyly peeking out at my familiar, “I kinda liked it,” I said before hiding my face again. 

“Well, if you liked it then I suppose there’s no harm then,” she stroked my hair some more.

“You’re, you’re not mad?” I peaked up again, my eyes big and teary.

“I’m not so insecure in our bond to believe you’ll be stolen by some common call-girl,” she lifted my chin with the tip of her finger, “In fact, perhaps I can learn more ways to make you happy,” she smiled as she brought her own face closer, and we kissed. 

For the next several days this would continue, Josie returned each morning with more food and we ate, among other things. And no, I don’t mean... Well Miki was still the only person, well Familiar, but she was the only one I had been with at that point. Though I will admit, kissing Josie did make me feel good. I know I was just a client to her, but every time I felt her warm pink lips touch mine, I’d feel... rejuvenated? I think that’s the word.

One day, after I spent my time with Josie, I decided to venture out of the brothel. I walked a few blocks, aimlessly wandering the streets, killing time till the evening. The city was busy with men and women heading to work or running their errands. There wasn’t much in the line of entertainment in Gold City, at least from what I’ve been told. Sure there is the brothel, and many many saloons. There were restaurants, even, but many seemed to not support witches. For a person like me, I knew that I had to make do with what I could find. The brothel was most certainly the highlight, though I would not normally consider paying it a visit. To be honest, I was so worried that I’d have had to, well, sell myself. I felt a great weight lift off me, when lady Karakahl said that it was not brothel work that she would have for me.

Now I found myself skipping down the streets, humming gleefully, my face rosy and glowing. 

“My love, you’re quite chipper,” Miki said, “it gladdens me to see you sing such a happy tune.”

“Things are good, life is good,” I responded, my cheeks just the slightest bit sore.

“That is good, and perhaps soon we shall find that pirate you seek,” she said.

I stopped for a moment, my smile fading a bit, “yeah, I almost forgot, the reason I came here in the first place.” I nodded with a sense of confidence, “Yeah, we’ll find the bastard!” 

    “Oh my, such language,” Miki mock gasped. 

“He’ll pay for what he did,” I boldly declared, my fist clenched, “and then momma won’t be sad anymore.”

“It’s not that simple dear,”

“Sure it is!” I chirped, “Besides, with you, and Miz Shana, and Lady Karakahl we should be able to do anything!”

“Such enthusiasm, you’re so infectious my lovely,” she crooned. 

I nodded, my grin growing bigger, and continued to explore, listening closely to the chatter and gossip of the streets. 

After some time, I saw Shana, leaving a shop in a huff.

“Well screw you too, you limp dick bastards!” she cursed as they closed the door on her. 

I ran over to my friend calling her name, “Miz Shana! Wait up!”

Shana snapped around, and gave me a cheesy smile, “Hey kiddo, what are you doing out here?”

“I’m just looking for some fun,” I half lied, “but what about you? Did you get kicked out of the store?”

“Yeah, the shoddy shit for brains said he won’t mend my poncho ‘cause he doesn’t work for witches,” she made a rude gesture with her hand towards the tailor’s shop.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I guess it’s hard to hide your brand now that your poncho’s ripped up like that,” my eyes dimmed. 

“I mean yeah I guess, not like we’re supposed to hide it anyway,” she shrugged, “it’s more about the sentimentalness behind it,” Shana sighed. 

“I don’t think that’s a word,” I scrunched my face, “but I get what you mean. I’d be devastated if these boys ever broke on me.” I tapped my goggles

“Yeah, why do you wear those things anyway? I thought you did fire magic, but that’s like the opposite of the truth isn’t it?”

“I’m a mechanic, or I was anyway,” I answered with a proud gleam. “My momma and papa were both mechanics, before he joined the Navy. But my momma trained me as an apprentice, I’m quite handy with a wrench ya know.”

“Hey that’s pretty cool, my pops taught me his trade too,” Shana grinned.

“What was your father?”

“A train robber!” She said with no hesitation or shame, and Gabby sighed.

“Wow, so your father was a bandit too?” 

“Uhuh, no way were we bandits, I’ll have you know we never killed anyone who didn’t deserve it,” Shana waved her finger with conviction, “we are professional train robbers, simple as that. Sneak into first class train cars and loot them.” 

“Yeah Lady Karakahl said you were a real good robber, something about a big bounty?” Maybe I showed more admiration than I should have, she was a criminal after all. Then again, I just helped steal a whole train car, so I guess I was heading down a path to a life of crime myself. “I’m impressed, don’t think I could ever pull something like that off.”

“What are you talking about kid, we just did?” Shana patted my head, ruffling up my hair. 

“That’s different, sort of, we were stealing a train, not robbing people,” I pointed out, trying to pat down the hair strands she loosened up, “I don’t think I’d feel too good if I was actually taking money right out of folks pockets.”

“Gee kid, you calling me morally bankrupt?” Shana sounded a tad offended.

“Not at all, I just mean I would get real nervous. They would probably fight back, and I’m no good in a fight,” I must have looked really deflated as I said that, because Shana began to praise me with an overenthusiastic wave of compliments.

“Again kiddo, what are you talking about? You totally saved my ass with those Malefic,” She knocked me forward with a big hard pat on the back, “I’d be toast without ya.”

I hid my face and smiled, my cheeks probably as red as she made my back. “Aw, thanks Miz Shana.”

“Stop with the Miz!” she yowled. Is it wrong that I was kinda doing it on purpose at that point. Her reaction was always so silly. She may have put on a grumpy face, but I’m pretty sure she secretly liked it. A game, going back and forth, it had become our thing. I only knew her for a little bit, but I really had begun to admire her. She was everything I was not. She was tough, she was confident, she was beautiful. Honestly, she could probably take on the whole world by herself, though she would never have to. I’d be there with her. And lady Karakahl too. And of course Gabby, Miki, and Gentle would be there with us.

 “Oh, hey if you want your poncho fixed, I betcha Lady Karakahl has someone who could sew,” I suggested, “just maybe don’t ask for the ‘sewing special’,” I added, with a smirk.

“Huh? The what now?” Shana cocked her brow, “Never mind, it’s a good idea. Though I don’t want to ask too much of her.”

“Oh come on my love, I think a lady willing to sleep with you, will be willing to sew a poncho,” Gabby said snidely. 

“Sleep with you? Wait what?” Had Shana and Lady Karakahl begun some secret love affair? 

“Ignore that!” Shana snapped, “but yeah, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask.” 

While the two of us stood there conversing, a metallic clanking noise began to ring out in the distance.

“Shit!” Shana grabbed hold of my shoulder, gripping tightly, “We gotta hide,” Before I could respond, she pulled me into an alley between the tailor shop and it’s neighboring store, and hid us behind a trash pile. Her eyes were bewildered, open wide, but her pupils small. It was a kind of terror I hadn’t seen on her before, not even when the Malefic was on top of her. 

“What’s going on Ms. Shana? Why did you drag us back here?” my own voice taking on a  frightful tone to match Shana’s sudden shift. 

Shanna shushed me, her finger to her mouth, and pushed me lower to the ground. The strange sound of metallic crawling grew louder as it passed by the alley entrance. Shana’s hands grew clammy as she held my bare shoulder, pushing me lower to the floor. There was a vibration in the ground, almost as strong as the tremble in my friend’s grip. Soon enough the sound passed, till it was no longer in ear shot. Shana breathed a sigh of relief and let go of me, falling back against the wall of the shop. She was drenched in sweat, wearing her exhaustion on her face, if I hadn’t known any better I’d say she just ran several miles in the Wastes. It may have been just my imagination, but I could swear I heard her heart thumping like a stampeding herd.

“What was that Ms. Shana?” I asked, touching her knee to offer some comfort.

“An Inquisitor's tank,” she answered in a hush.