Chapter 16 [Drunken Pony]

I took a deep breath and grinned as we stepped onto the Fifth Floor. It was late at night and the usual ocean of Guild recruiters was nowhere to be seen. From the Fifth Floor onward, factions started to take control and manage the goings on in their towns. Some were more lax in their rules, but most tried to keep some semblance of civility.

This is it, I thought. This is where we start to make a name for ourselves. And… As promised, it’s time to open up a bit to the young lad and lass. I’ll talk to them first, then introduce them to my Summons… Once we’ve left town, at least. Before we go, I need to see if I can find any information on the Vladimir girl.

“Righto! Let’s find a place to chat and rest up for the evening.” I glanced at the two standing on either side of me. Nathaniel seemed to be fine, with only the space under his eyes a little darker than usual to show he was getting tired. Aurora, on the other hand, looked like she could fall asleep standing up. None of us had eaten a proper meal in the last few days, and we’d travelled non-stop after fighting the apes and looting the bodies and surrounding area. I couldn’t deny that I could use some sleep as well.

“As long as you put some real food in front of me you can chat all you want,” Aurora growled, already scanning the nearby signs and sniffing the air.

“Mmm.” Nathaniel nodded in agreement.

I scratched my chin and pictured the map for this town. The one I remember might not actually exist for another fifty years or so, but it isn’t often these towns on the lower Floors make any changes. There should be a few pubs and inns in the southern quarter.

“That’s fine, and tonight, the meal’s on me.” I started walking south, scanning the area for any signs of guards or patrols. There was nothing. Strange. I can’t recall any accounts of this town facing any problems in the future so I thought for sure it would be heavily policed.

The sounds of music and laughter could be heard echoing down the streets before we’d even reached the place. I picked up the pace, and the others followed suit, and it wasn’t long before we took a corner and saw signs of life for the first time since our arrival. The main street and few side streets they’d walked down were devoid of life, but here… the place was packed.

“That’s… a lot of pubs…” Aurora said. Then—looking at a large man stumbling nearby—she scrunched her face and added, “A lot of drunks, too.”

I laughed and made my way through the crowd, trying to find one with either more seating or less patrons. Most of the places had customers lined up and waiting outside their front doors, and I noticed that many were wearing matching uniforms with the town’s symbol. Ahh, that explains why we didn’t pass any guards on the way. Now which—hmm? Isn’t that…

“This one looks like a proper spot,” I called back over the noise and pointed my cane toward a nearby sign.

Aurora looked at me, then looked dubiously up at the sign. It had an image of an ass painted on it with bubbles coming from its mouth and a spilled beer by its side. “The Drunken Pony? Are you sure? This is the only one without people lining up to get in. And… that isn’t even a horse.”

“Heh,” Nathaniel chuckled once, surprising both Aurora and I, but he didn’t make any comment.

“Yes,” I answered. “The sooner we grab a bite to eat the sooner we can sleep.”

This is also the name of the place that Deacon I saved said he would be. That place was supposed to be on the Second Floor, though… and I didn’t see it while we were walking through town. In any case, it’s worth checking out.

The three of us entered the establishment and found that despite there not being a line leading out, it was still mostly full, with only a few tables open for new customers. We quickly took the one closest to the back before some other group could lay claim, and it wasn’t long before we were approached by a pretty young barmaid.

She passed around a few wooden planks with a several choices of meat and a couple of drinks listed in flaking white ink. “You lot here for drinks or are ya lookin’ somethin’ warm? By the looks o’ you young lady, these young men must have dragged you through the gutter.”

Aurora cut her eyes at me and smiled at the woman, “Close enough. Someone decided they wanted to rush through the latter half of the Fourth Floor.”

“Ohhh! So, you’re first timers!” The woman seemed to brighten up. “Well, welcome to the Drunken Pony. The meat we offer here is all cooked by my husband and his cousin, all freshly carved from Beasts slain here on the Fifth Floor. Might be a bit much if your Foundations are too low, but if you three made it through the Fourth on your own, you should be fine. We offer the normal drinks, along with a brew from the Guild that runs this town and one of my husband’s own drafts that’s good for the spirit.”

“Oh? Your husband’s an alchemist then, is he?” I couldn’t help but ask, suddenly interested in the second of the two drinks offered on the bottom of the page. Pony’s Spirits. Enough kick to drop a horse…

“That he is. Studied directly under a member of the O’ Connel Family before openin’ a pub on the Second Floor. Unfortunately, a drink that doesn’t get you pissed wasn’t in high demand down there.” She shook her head. “Had to borrow some funds to afford a place this high up, but these here are mostly Guilders, and they appreciate my husband’s work.

So, this may actually be the place. I looked at the woman’s bright smile. She was clearly proud of her husband and what he’d achieved.

“What a… unique description.” Aurora beat me to it. “I’ll just have water, please. And two orders of the Roasted Ursidae, and… a side order of Sweet Sprouts.”

“Someone has an appetite.” The woman giggled. “And for you, dears?”

“I’ll take the Grilled Swine with no side and a mug of Pony’s Spirit,” Nathaniel stated, handing the menu back.

“You mentioned that your husband’s brew wasn’t a liquor?” I asked.

“That’s right. You’ll feel a bit warm on the inside and may be drowsy later, but that’s from its Effects. It can speed up recovery and increase your movement speed for a short time,” she explained. “Parents who can’t afford to visit the Church often place an order to take back to their children if they’ve fallen ill. It helps them sleep and can handle most minor ailments overnight.”

Interesting. Why haven’t I ever read of this man? I handed the plank of wood back to the woman. “I’ll have the same as him. And… you said your husband’s cousin helps him out. Does that happen to be Nicholas, by chance?”

Her smile faded and her eyes narrowed. “How do you know about Nic? You one of the ones out to rat him to the Church?”

Did not expect that type of reaction. Perhaps the Church finally realized he left with his Deck. I leaned my cane against the bench and held my hands up. “No, nothing like that. He’s a friend and asked me to meet him at this establishment on the Second Floor. I wasn’t sure this was the right place since it moved, but I’m glad to know he’s doing well. Please, tell him Rowan’s here to see him. He’ll know who I am.”

“Fine…” she answered hesitantly. “If what you say is true, then I’m sorry for acting out of sorts. I’ll be back shortly.”

“What was that about?” Aurora asked as the woman walked behind the nearby bar and pushed open a swinging door.

I smiled and recounted the story of how I met Nicholas and Locke on the First Floor. Aurora giggled at my description of how I found the pair, but Nathaniel just raised an eye and twitched his lip slightly.

“So. The Ursidae, too, then?” he asked.

“The Ursidae, too,” I replied with a wink. “I’m not the type to miss an opportunity.”

“What are you two talking about?” Aurora looked between the two of us, obviously annoyed that we knew something she didn’t.

“Wha’?! Where?!”

We heard a loud voice coming from the back room, but it wasn’t Nicholas. The door swung open again and a young man rushed out slipping on the wet floor and nearly running into the bar. His long, unruly red hair flung about as he looked around the room. Eventually, a pair of golden-brown eyes met with mine, and a crooked smile pushed up the freckles on his cheeks.

“Bloody ‘ell, it is you!” He half-walked half-ran to our table, stubbing his toe on a chair leg halfway and cursing as he limped the distance and sat down.

“It’s nice to see you again, Locke.”