As the woman and I release Fred, he and the other pig bolt down the street.

“You’ll pay for this ya brat!”[Fred]

“Ignore him, he and his brothers are always causing trouble ‘round here.”[the bear woman]

I turn my attention back to her, “Thanks for catching that pu-ARRGH!!”

A swift kick to that most tender of locations makes me double over onto the ground.

(Krolowa WHYYY?!)

{What?}

(Why didn’t you protect me?!)

{Oops, guess I forgot human genitalia isn’t retractable}

(I’m in too much pain argue with you about how you should always protect my genitals regardless of retractability)

I look up to the demonic hell bitch with tears in my eye, “You mashed my potatoes, why did you mash my potatoes?”

She looks me in the eye with a bemused smile, “You disrespected me. As a business owner it is my duty to disiplin troublemakers so new customers know to respect me and old customers don’t think I’m going soft.”

“Okay, that kind of makes sense but that still doesn’t explain WHY. YOU. KICKED ME. IN. THE DICK.”[I make sure to keep my voice low and serious, with a noted edge when I mentioned my short sword]

“Didn’t want people to think I actually needed your help. Plus I figured that you must have some big balls trying to defend me after I demolished Chuck, and I felt a swift pat with my boot was the best and quickest way to test my theory.” [she reaches out a hand to help me up]

I reach for her hand and realize that instead of regular nails they are replaced with bear claws, while her hands are just as butch and bear like as the rest of her. She wrenches me to my feet roughly as I stare.

“What, you’ve never seen a beast-kin before?”[she frowns slightly]

I wheeze while getting up, still trying to catch my breath.

“Sorry I’m new here, I’ve never seen most of the races in this in this world.” [I shrug and smile]

“The hell is that supposed to mean? Another world? Don’t be ridiculous.” [She rolls her eyes and grins smugly]

{I thought you were aiming for subtlety}

(Fuck it, maybe if I make enough noise Rei will come to me. Plus reciting the same boring lines over and over is a boring pain in the ass.)

{you know for someone who claims to be a doctor you sure are impatient}

(I just want to see Tim before he dies and meet my niece and nephew. I don’t think that’s too much ask.)

“You live in a world where gods’ exist, magic can summon lightning to strike down your enemies, and you’re half bear but the concept of worlds outside your own is whats unbelievable? Now who’s being ridiculous?”[I shrug and sigh, sometimes the people here are too much]

“That… is annoyingly accurate actually.” [She frowns again]

“Yeah, but it was rude of me to think you needed help earlier (Even if I was just trying to be polite!) and even ruder to stare, I’m sorry.”[I bow my head in apology]

“Ugh please don’t do that it makes it awkward, just raise your head, and tell me your name. I’m Bonny.” [She smiles at me and turns to open the door to the inn]

I nod in greeting and smile back. “I’m Jon, nice to meet you Bonny.”

I enter the inn after her and immediately my senses are bombarded by the sounds and smells one would expect from a tavern called The Inn and Out Bar.

But imagine if you can, a classic a fantasy tavern; with hardwood floors that have been well loved over a few decades, a multitude of round wood tables with loud happy customers occupying the chairs, a bar at the very back with a few men from the guard enjoying their down time, there are a few bards in a corner to my right surrounded by fangirls as they play some song about a famous adventurer.

Around the inn delicious smelling food is passed around by a couple of waitress while they elegantly dance between tables and grabby old men who have clearly had too much to drink. Behind the bar is a elvish man with a black trimmed mustache and suspenders. And behind him is another counter where a large bear, in chefs hat and an apron that says “Don’t ask what’s in the mystery meat”, works in a lively looking kitchen. In the far left corner there are stairs that I assume lead to the Inn section of the establishment.

As I look around I notice a few of the patrons are giving me the ol’ once over when Bonny taps my arm, “So Jon what will it be?”

“Um, how much to rent a room for the next two days?”

“One gold.”[Bonny replies straight faced]

I look at her with a raised skeptical eyebrow. (That sounds high, I know I have no concept of how money works in this world but it sounds high)

{That’s because it is. She’s trying to either swindle you or judge your character.}

(tips?)

{Just pay it}

“So does that include room and board?”[I ask pulling out a gold coin.]

She smiles, “Sure, why not?” [She relieves me of my money]

Bonny then turns to the man in suspenders and yells, “Hey Clyde can you toss me a room key? We have a customer!”

Clyde looks up from a glass he was cleaning and gives a thumbs up. He then reaches beneath the counter and tosses out a single silver key that easily arches its way over the crowd and smack dab into to Bonny's’ hand.

“Thanks Clyde!”{Bonny waves to Clyde, who just smiles and returns to work}

She hands me the key and points towards the stairs “Your room is at the very end of the hall the last door on your left, there is a basic dresser and mirror, a queen sized bed. If you need it there is a bathroom out in the back and a communal bath house just down the street that gives discounts to residents of the inn. Also breakfast is free from sunrise to midday, Dinner is sunset to dark.” Bonny then smiles, and slaps me hard on the back towards the stairs while she goes to the bar.

I head upstairs and walk down the hall, two right turns later, I open my door, and enter my room. It’s a fairly plain room, the bed is placed sticking outward towards the door, the dresser is directly to my right with the mirror hanging right over it. Also on the far wall next to my bed, there’s a single window with ugly plaid drapes that over looks the main street outside and allows me to partially see into a few buildings across the street. Over the city the afternoon sun tells me I only have a few hours before I can sleep ass naked in a real bed the way nature intended.

{Hey Jon?}

(Um yeah?)

{You haven’t seen your face yet right?}

(You think I should take a look into the mirror?)

{I think it would be healthy, yes.}

(Umm, yeah, no thanks, I’d really rather not)

{Jon we both know that you either do it now or you wait until you scare yourself to death when you see your reflection in the particularly shiny shield of an opponent, but regardless you’re going to have to learn what you look like eventually.}

(...okay,fine..)

I take a deep breath and close my bedroom door behind me. Just above the handle I notice a latch and I decide to lock the door….just in case. I then move to the window and close the curtain.

Once I’m done I look at where the mirror hangs.