Ch. 24 – Proper Introductions
Proper Introductions
When Damien and Aurora got back to town, they headed towards the guild to turn in their request and meet up with the others. As they were about to enter, out walked...Carleen. Followed by her teammates, Baurus, Sevana, and Rufius.
Carleen immediately reacted, “Damien! And...oh! Is this your fox summon?” she asked, blushing slightly with a knowing grin.
“Carleen! I can properly introduce myself now. I am Aurora,” Aurora replied with a slight bow.
Carleen giggled. “I know, but it is nice that we can properly talk now that you've transformed.”
Baurus seemed to be eyeing Aurora, then gave a 'hmpf' and walked off.
Carleen sighed. Looking back at Damien and Aurora, she asked, “Should we get dinner to celebrate? I don't know if this is new or not.”
Aurora nodded, “Just earlier.”
Carleen smiled, “Then we must! Go turn in your request, and meet us at the same tavern again. You all in?” she said, turning back to the remaining members of her party.
Sevana had mysteriously disappeared during the conversation, and was nowhere to be seen.
Rufius gave a haughty laugh. “As much as I'd like to, I don't try to pick up taken woman,” he replied looking at Aurora.
Carleen raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“No, of course I do. But, I wouldn't try to steal our friend here's women. I doubt I could even-”
He was cut off by someone nearly knocking him over running past.
“Aurora! You're so pretty!” Bluey shouted jumping at her.
Aurora caught her, smiling and hugging her back. “Bluey! It's so nice I can hug you now.”
Bluey held her hands. “We can talk now too!”
Bluey and Aurora held hands and spun in a circle while Betty walked over, blushing and looking at them. “Aurora is pretty. I assumed she chose that herself?”
Damien nodded. “Yes. Do you recognize the outfit?”
Betty shook her head. “Should I?”
“Not necessarily...”
Rufius, seeing this, pulled out his lute, singing “Girls, filled with beauty, Damien collected them easily, and every night made merry, until he fell asleep weary.” After he finished, he bowed, and walked away.
Carleen laughed, while Betty blushed (Aurora and Bluey were still spinning).
Carleen looked at them. “Well, I guess it's just me, but let's celebrate anyway!” she said.
Damien explained to Betty the conversation before she joined.
Betty smiled, “Of course! Come on, let's turn your request in and go.”
“You can go now if you want. I should probably introduce Aurora to Liz. Well, introduce again.”
Betty nodded, and she, Bluey, and Carleen started towards the tavern.
Aurora and Damien waited in line.
“This feels different...”
Damien chuckled, “Well you are taller now. Although you did stand on my shoulders, occasionally.”
Aurora blushed, “I will miss that.”
“Well, I can still pet you, if you want.”
Aurora's ears twitched slightly, so Damien scratched behind them.
“Piyuuu...” she let out.
Damien decided to stop before anyone looked at them weirdly.
After a few minutes, they got up to Liz.
Liz blinked twice, then smiled when she had a realization. “Is this Aurora?”
Aurora did her formal bow again. “It is nice to see you, Liz.”
Liz blushed, “Oh my, you're so proper.” Her eyes were drawn to Aurora's tail, which was wagging a bit from side to side.
Damien handed over his guild card for processing, and Liz looked behind them. They were the last in line.
Liz said, “Come around the side,” she said, closing her window.
Damien and Aurora looked at each other, shrugged, then went to the side, where Liz opened up a door to let them in. She brought them around a corner, then looked at Aurora. “Can...can I touch it?”
Aurora blushed, “Wh-what?”
“Your tail,” Liz said, watching it go back and forth.
Aurora blushed harder. “I...I guess.”
Liz jumped forward, carefully holding up Aurora's tail in one hand and gently brushing it with her other.
While Aurora seemed surprised at first, she started to relax. “Wow...this is really nice...”
Liz blushed, “I like petting the stray cats around town, so when I saw such a fluffy tail, I couldn't resist...
Damien watched, nodding. I need to remember to do that...
While Liz and Aurora's tail were getting acquainted, Betty, Bluey, and Carleen were drinking and sitting around a table at the tavern.
“I was surprised by Aurora! I thought she might choose to look like Bluey, haha!” Carleen laughed.
Bluey replied, after taking a gulp, “I thought she'd look like Betty, actually.”
Betty blushed, “I am glad she chose something she thought fit her.”
Carleen smiled, then elbowed Betty, “You think they 'mated' already?”
Betty blushed deeper, “Probably...”
Bluey took a big drink. “Hopefully Master has energy for me tonight, it's been too long.”
Betty tried to shush her, while Carleen laughed. “You all are crazy. Much more fun than my team.”
Bluey looked at her, “If you don't like your group, why don't you leave? You could join ours!” she suggested, getting excited at the prospect.
Carleen smiled but shook her head, looking at her drink. “Even if we don't get along, we do get the job done on these requests. And as fun as you all are...our level difference is a bit much...” she added, smiling sheepishly.
Bluey nodded, “We just need to get out levels up.”
Carleen laughed, “Haha, sure! If you catch up to my rank I'll leave their sorry asses behind!” and took a few more gulps of ale.
Betty looked towards the door. “I wonder what's keeping them?”
Bluey asked, “You think they're mating again?”
Betty blushed, while Carleen laughed again, “You think they went to mate again?”
Bluey nodded. “Why not? It's pretty fun mating with master.”
As Betty just sighed, giving up trying to keep Bluey quiet, Carleen seemed thoughtful. “Is it really that fun?”
Bluey nodded vigorously and seriously, as if her position must be defended. “Of course! You would understand too if you had. You just need to try it sometime.”
Carleen seemed surprised, then laughed again, “Haha, you're just offering him to me? I don't think Betty would like that,” she added, looking at Betty.
Betty blushed slightly, then murmured, “I wouldn't mind...”
Carleen was taken aback.
Betty repeated. “I wouldn't mind. I...was actually going to offer it last time, but-”
Carleen raised an eyebrow, “Really?”
Betty nodded. “You seemed curious. I would be upset if he's with a random woman, but if it's Carleen, I don't mind...”
Carleen smiled, then scooted over and wrapped her arms around Betty.
Betty was taken aback, then just blushed and smiled.
“Maybe.”
Bluey and Betty both looked at her.
“Maybe?” Bluey asked.
Carleen took another big swig of ale and nodded. “Yeah, maybe. With how focused on Adventuring I am, though, I'm worried I might get distracted if I become as crazy as you two,” she added, giggling deviously before draining the rest of her mug. “Barkeep, I need another!”
Once Liz had had her fill, they started walking over to the tavern.
“Master...is Liz part of our party?” Aurora asked.
Damien shook his head. “No, she's our guild girl. She pays us and...does whatever else we need from the guild, like storing our stuff.”
Aurora nodded. “I'd like to see her again.”
Damien chuckled, “We can see her anytime. Well, as long as she's not busy.”
Aurora nodded, and Damien noticed her tail wagging excitedly.
After they reached the tavern, they spotted the others in the corner, and made their way over.
They seemed to all be at least one drink deep already, despite them having not taken that long with Liz.
He also noticed Carleen seemed to blush when he sat down. How much has she drank already!?
When Aurora sat down next to her, Carleen scooted over and hugged her.
Yeah she's drunk.
“What do you wanna eat, Aurora? I'll order anything you like!” Carleen half-shouted.
Aurora smiled and nodded. “Um...I'd like to eat some more owlbear meat. That was really tasty.”
Carleen laughed. “Haha, I don't think they have owlbear, but they probably have some regular bear meat,” she said, before walking up to go order some.
Damien whispered to Bluey and Betty “How much did you drink already?”
Betty blushed. “This is only our second, but I think Carleen is on her third...”
Damien was taken aback. “Is she just that excited about Aurora?”
Betty shook her head. “I think it's our fault...”
“How is it-” he started, but Carleen returned.
After that they made random small talk, buoyed by Carleen's enthusiasm, until the bear steaks came out.
Bluey and Aurora devoured theirs, so Damien had Bluey go order seconds while the rest were still eating.
Once they finished devouring their meals, they continued talking about their recent adventures, recounting tales of fighting the owlbears and elementals, until eventually Carleen seemed to slump over.
Betty poked her. “Carleen? Maybe you should slow your drinking...”
Carleen looked at her, and gave a 'hic'. “Ugh...I'm feeling sleepy...” she said as she wobbled, grabbing her face with her hand.
Bluey giggled, “Carleen is like I was that time.”
Damien suggested, “You should help her up to your room.”
Bluey was about to, but then looked between Carleen and Damien. “I think Master should.”
Betty nodded.
Aurora looked between them like she was missing something.
Damien raised an eyebrow, looking between Bluey and Carleen. “Why me?”
Carleen smiled, her face flushed, “Yeah pick me up Damien.”
Damien blushed, then sighed, standing up and walking over.
He tried to wrap her arm over his shoulder to help her walk, but Carleen just slid into him, the side of her breast pressing into his side. He tried to scooch away, attempting to be considerate, but Carleen just pushed more into him, seemingly unable to stand up.
Deciding the best option was to just get her to her room, he started walking over to the stairs while the other girls giggled. Why are you putting me through this!?
As he got to the top of the stairs, he realized an issue – he did not know which room was hers. Turning to Carleen, she asked, “Which room?”
“Damien...” she said, with another 'hic'. “Pocket.” She leaned her hip into him, brushing against his.
Damien looked down, she was wearing her casual tight shorts that Bluey had copied for herself. “You really...” he sighed, then decided it was quicker to just do it. He reached down and grabbed into her pocket, trying not to feel around too much. Inside was...a few gold coins, but no key. “It's not there.”
Carleen didn't respond.
Maybe it's in the other? He reached around, careful not to touch her behind, and gingerly reached into her other pocket, which did have the key.
Now that he knew the room number, he started half-dragging Carleen again towards the end of the hall.
When they reached it, he unlocked the door and opened it. Inside was dark, only the lanterns from the hall sending light inside.
Suddenly Carleen stood by herself again, slowly walking into the room.
“Are you okay?” Damien asked.
Carleen turned her head, and gave a blushed, devious grin. “Da-mi-ennnn...”
“Wh-what?” he asked, taken aback at her sudden change in demeanor from drunk to mischievous.
Carleen started to lean forward. Damien thought she might be trying to kiss him, and wasn't sure if he should try to stop her or not. He decided he should gently grab her shoulders, but as she got closer, she instead went up towards his ear.
“You're cute,” she whispered, then giggled.
Damien blushed more, “Wha-”
Carleen then fell over backwards onto the floor.
Damien freaked out for a moment, but then realized Carleen was just asleep, and snoring.
He sighed, then lit a lantern in her room so he could see better. Carefully picking her up into a princess carry, he set her on top of her bed, making sure she was okay once more before heading for the door.
“Myuh..mmyyuhhh....”
Damien looked back, but Carleen had just rolled to the side, and was snoring again. He gave a sigh of relief, then put the key on the desk and headed out the door (locking it inside before closing).
Outside, Bluey was down the hall, and came running over, tackling Damien. “Master!”
Damien smiled and hugged her back, “What are you doing?”
“I was gonna come get you once you were done with Carleen. I didn't expect you to be out so soon though...”
Damien raised an eyebrow. “She fell asleep when we got to the room, so I just put her in bed.”
“Oh...” Bluey replied. “Well, you can mate with me now instead!”
Damien covered her mouth. “Bluey! We talked about this!” and then did a double-take when he realized what she had said. “Instead!? You thought I was going to have sex with her?”
Bluey nodded. “Yeah, we thought she might be interested.”
Damien remembered her mischievous grin, and the 'you're cute' line.
His thoughts were interrupted as Bluey pushed her breasts onto him. “It's okay though, I am interested.”
Damien shook his head, but smiled. “Let's just get to the room first...”