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[Memory] Humble Beginnings

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 7:42 pm
by Rickter
Humble Beginnings
Searing 15th, 112th Year, AoS

Another question stemmed from Nnerka as the spider-woman asked him of his job, inquiring specifically as to what other reason brought him onto Madame Lunaria's very doorstep. The wolf's eyebrows furrowed at the question when he heard it, his eyes faltering as he recollected that very day in particular...
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Sunlight bore down on the huge red building that was the establishment known as The Velvet Cabaret, the young wolf looking up at the many windows on it's exterior as people passed him by in the street. The smell of the port still clung heavy to him as his eyes faltered from where they lingered, having fallen on the entrance to the building itself as he bit his lower lip self consciously. Everything he wanted to know was waiting for him... Right beyond the threshold of those double brocaded doors. Checking the flaps of his vest with his hands, he gave out a low exhale through his nostrils before approaching it, and gave one of the doors a pull in order to slip within the premises of the establishment.

Right away the scent of burning incense and ordorous sweat assailed his nostrils, giving the wolf cause to raise his eyebrows as he peered about the main lobby beyond the foyer. Red velveteen curtains covered the windows to bar the natural lighting, while the rooms were exquisitely decorated with lounging furniture and tables set for gambling. Though activity seemed rather minimal during this time of the day, there were patrons both men and women alike pandering for their favorite courtesan. Scantily clad women walked about with feathered scarfs and embroidery on their outfits, generating suggestive themes with their breasts and thighs as they advertised themselves to those throughout the hall. The very room beyond the front desk echoed with music as gentle laughter became an ambiance from beyond, followed by a few loud whistles that were enough to cause the wolf to wince.

"Well hey there suga," A petite woman whose outfit was that of a leathery corset and shorts came around from behind, brushing a finger up along his right bicep when he looked down to gaze at her suspiciously, "like what you see?" The woman had auburn hair color tied back in a pony tail, allowing Rickter to gaze at her face and neck when she arced back a bit. Moments later his eyes traveled down from her face to her form, the wolf only able to briefly admire it before looking away in turn. "Aaawe, a shy one are we?" Rather quickly the courtesan brought that same hand up to his face, pressing only a couple of her fingers on the side of his chin, so that she turned his face back toward her while his eyes still remained averted. "Come now, there's no need to hide from me. My name's Ruby, what's your's handsome?"

He remained stiffened as his eyes avoided her altogether, not wanting to be distracted by her impressively alluring charms. The woman had confidence in her the wolf couldn't ignore, even so much as found it alluring, though he hadn't quite the audacity to entertain such frivolous inclinations at the moment. Seeing how he remained stoic even with her advances, Ruby couldn't help but lightly chuckle at him with a grin to boot. "Looking for a lady that works here." He gruffly remarked to her after, finally, after keeping silent for the minute she'd flirted with him. Ruby looked up to him with her eyebrows raised, the playful smile curving higher as she leaned closer toward him.

"Oh really? Well, look around, hun!" Ruby then gestured an arm out to the lobby itself, pointing out the many courtesans found entertaining their guests of the day. "We've many women to choose from, though I'll be sad if you don't pick me." Ruby started to play with the buttons of his vest then, running a finger down from his sternum to just above his waist, the tip traversing through the trail of hair that led down to the hemp of his breeches. The wolf's eyes moved from her finger to her then, a stern pair of blue eyes fallen on her rich red lips as her smile remained.

"A Hytori." He then added with a glance to her ears, the expression he still wore unyielding when he expressed the query. Ruby sighed then with her eyebrows lifting, gazing upon him wantingly as her hand drew back to rest at her hip next.

"You have a thing for them. I understand! Really."

"That'll do Ruby," Another voice weighed in as the one who carried it approached, the somewhat melodic tone matched by a finely dressed woman whose curves were accentuated by her dark flowing dress. She looked to be a bit on the heavier side than some of her fellow courtesans, but it was the sharply pointed ears that drew the wolf's attention to her quickly. The courtesan she dismissed curtsied to him and the Hytori woman, her eyes quickly appraising him as she held a clipboard to her side. "So, you looking for a particular Hytori, or just invested in renting one for a bit?"

"Neither." The response brought the new lady to raise her eyebrows at him, the top corner of her lip puckered a little before she broke into a grin.

"I'm sorry, if you're not here to pay me for sex, then why the hell are you even in my cabaret?" Now it was Rickter's turn to raise an eyebrow, a suspecting gaze now on the Hytori as he brought his arms up to cross them.

"You run this place?" To that the woman nodded, her lips puckering once again as though the observation was too obvious, so much in fact that it might've actually pained her on the inside.

"Something I can do for you? Or you just here to oggle at my clientele and whores?"

"I'm wondering if you knew someone who worked here years ago..." The statement led her to look at him, lost and certainly dumbfounded by the admittance. "A woman who worked here? She might've been a Rathari, and..." Now it was all making sense to her, a sudden smile beaming up at him as the Hytori looked to him rather sweetly. It was very disconcerting for the wolf, seeing as how she'd seemed annoyed by him just moments ago.

"Ooooh, how precious this is!" Somehow she giggled aloud and a couple of her spectating courtesans chirped in, leading the wolf to glance about nervously as the lady herself leaned with her free hand on her hip as well. "I know exactly who you are, my my what a treat you've become." In sharing this the Hytori used her clipboard to lift one of the flap's of his vest, eyeing the firm muscles found along his abdomen before he tucked to pull away. "Hm, well, certainly could do with some work though. What's your name?"

"...Rickter..." He shared gruffly with the stern expression still present, which somehow caused the woman to fuss eagerly over him before padding him on the arm.

"Oooo, I just love this whole candor you have! Strong but silent, good-looking man with a bad attitude. You say you wanted to find a Hytori earlier, well it just so happens that I'm your Hytori!" The burly woman gave a bow to him almost in a mocking manner, her lips curved deviously when she straightened back out to eye him once more. "You must have a lot of questions Rickter. Why don't we go to my office for a bit, I'm sure I can answer all of them there." With a turn of her back to him the Hytori looked to Rickter with a nod to follow, sauntering her way toward a set of doors on the western end of the main lobby. Though he remained apprehensive about it, the wolf did as prompted and walked behind her in turn, following the Hytori into a hallway that stretched incredibly far with a lot of doors; and even a couple of stairwells on each end of the wing.

Before too long the Hytori led him into a room beyond a backstage area, where performers scrambled to prep for their next bit as she yelled to them "Break a leg!" in their passing. When they finally reached the door to her alleged office, she turned to look at Rickter once more, her intense gaze still merged with the delighted sound of chuckles before she opened the way to enter. "Come now, come come!" The urges were met with a few waves of her hand, ushering the wolf to step inside with her closing the door behind them.
"Every side attacks you, when you don't take sides."

Re: [Memory] Humble Beginnings

Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2021 10:55 pm
by Rickter
Humble Beginnings
Searing 15th, 112th Year, AoS

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When he crossed the threshold of the doorway into her office the wolf's eyes panned the room, and the first of several things he noticed was the distinct velveteen furniture accenting the elm wooden desk and shelves. The scent of incense was still strong even in the room, though not as prominent as it had been before, as a blend of different smells filled the air. "Ugh, those hookahs just permeate the air when you walk by." The Hytori woman remarked as she sauntered her way around the desk, gesturing for him to take a seat as she wasted no time in getting comfortable with herself.

Rickter quietly did as she prompted and approached the desk, parking himself in one of the two chairs positioned in front of her. When he looked up toward her he noticed a furrow in her eyebrows, while her eyes still inspected him from top to bottom with an appraisal. "Right, first thing's first, I'm Madame Lunaria Zirnomei. I own the establishment , that we've covered, and you Rickter are here to ask about a courtesan that worked here in the past." The Hytori chirped astutely in a business-like tone of voice, her fingers folded together as she leaned forward onto her desk. "A Rathari woman you said?" Rickter's eyes averted when she stared directly at him, which led Lunaria to raise an eyebrow at him in turn. At a gentle nod though she grinned a little, raising her tented fingers to rest them underneath her chin when she inquired her next question. "What animal?"

"...Wolf..." He finally murmured after silently looking to her, avoiding direct eye contact as he tapped fingertips along his thumb indiscriminately.

"Wolf huh? Ironically there's actually a couple of those under my employment here, but from what I gather you're asking back to a time when I was just a courtesan myself." To that the wolf's eyebrows rose a bit, a reaction which sparked a short chuckle from the Madame. "You might find this hard to believe, but I actually know exactly who you came searching for."

"... Is it that obvious?" He gently inquired with a slight tilt of his head, Lunaria leaned back in her chair with a satisfied smirk, her own fingers drummed on the arms of her chair briefly before she responded.

"What would you say if I were to tell you, that it was actually me who had the luxury of watching over you, shortly after she passed away?" To that Rickter's eyebrows rose then, as he realized what Lunaria implied meant she was actually there in the beginning. She looked rather amused with his reaction, already tenting her fingers again when she started to carry on. "I take it you weren't expecting this then."

"And why should I believe you, for that matter?" He challenged then as he straightened out a bit, still gazing firmly toward the Hytori woman as he leaned further into his chair.

"Oh so now we're doubting? Fine." She seemed slightly offended but Lunaria didn't deter from her candor, her gaze observant as she began to elaborate on her role in the past. "The year was eighty-seventh of the Age of Steel, and if I recall, it was around the twenty-seventh of Ash." The wolf looked at her more warily now, slightly astonished to hear her bring up the very day he had been born. It was always something special that Rennei made a habit to celebrate, almost something of a holiday for Rickter only... it was supposed to be his birthday. Yet when he learned of his heritage and what he was, he learned then the truth as to how he came to be under the care of Rennei and Gregory. Yet never once did he have questions about his actual parents, because back then he didn't care about who or what they were, thinking that they had either abandoned him or perhaps worse.

"I've excellent memory, if you must know, and that poor Rathari woman went into labor late into the night. Well into the morning hours actually, that poor woman had it rough the whole evening." Rickter's eyes began to water a little as Lunaria's smile lessened, her tone weigher now that she started to carry on with the story. "But after hours of waiting, she finally got to hold that little boy of her's, and she'd been so happy even in all her exhaustion... but that was the end of it, then wasn't it?" Rickter swallowed hard then as he leaned forward, pressing his elbows on his knees as he balled his hands together before his chin.

"You tell me." Silence then filled the air after his statement, the Hytori exhaled sharply through her nose, before averting her gaze to her desk in recollection of the story.

"Unfortunately, she'd had complications during labor. So not long after she had the pleasure of meeting you, her little pup, she had asked me to look after you until another would come. You're alleged father, I presumed, though that wouldn't happen for another seven months."

"...So you took care of me until then?"

"Oh no," Lunaria briskly shook her head, "it was a couple of the other courtesans we had, they were surrogates that helped while we took turns sharing. I was just the lucky one left to meet with the gentleman that came for you."

"Gentleman?" Rickter raised another eyebrow at the inquiry.

"Brilliant ginger hair, dressed in a sailor's uniform when he came asking about you." Lunaria "I had no reason to suspect he wasn't the one your dear mother waited for, particularly when he knew he should've found her at the cabaret specifically. I was left to assume he'd take you in and raise you, though from the looks of it that wasn't the case." Lunaria suspected as she looked to him rather thoughtfully.

"Nope." Rickter remarked with a soft turn of his head, his gaze lowered when he thought heavily on the matter. "Tell me about her?"

"Well, she had rich yellow hair, and the same feral eyes you possess." Lunaria elaborated almost with a hint of enthusiasm toward the end, which led the wolf to look up to her once more.

"Feral?"

"Proud and wild like the beast she was, she came to the cabaret needing only a place to stay. She and her lover worked a deal out with the previous owner, Pascal, while the man in question went away on some kind of journey. She didn't talk about him much, which to me suggests she had a secret worth keeping. Looks to me as though you're the product of that secret." Rickter bit his lower lip in thought as his eyes averted once more. "Lemme ask you something, Rickter, what did you hope to find in coming here?"

He looked thoughtful in his averted gaze before his eyes slowly rose to rest on the woman once more. "Truth... And now I have it." Lunaria looked at him with raised eyebrows then, as he shifted into a slow rise from his chair to a full stand in front of her desk.

"Oh, is that all then? Don't suppose I could offer you a job here then?" The Hytori shared while she leaned back once more, her eyes slightly squinted now with another smirk.

"A job... here?" Rickter checked with a hint of concern, gazing to Lunaria as though she were a tad crazy for suggesting it.

"You have the looks down, though we'll have to work on this broody look you always wear." The Madame remarked with a shrug and playful chortle, amusement in her eyes when he seemed puzzled by the observation.

"Broody?" He reiterated with doubt, even though the term probably applied more than he cared to admit.

"I think if you gave it a chance, then you might find the opportunity enjoyable." Rickter exhaled a sigh through his nostrils just then, hardly inclined to say anything since he seemed neither for nor against the idea. "Strange, men are usually quick to ask when to start. How about this, swing by again next week, and I'll personally show you the ropes on how things operate here. If you like it well enough, then you're hired. If not, well then it's been fun seeing how big you've grown." Lunaria's eyes lowered slightly in expressing this, leading Rickter to suspect she'd hinted at other variations of growth. The wolf shrugged in response which led the woman to raise a finger to him. "Think on it! And if I don't see you, no hard feelings. Okay?"

"...Okay." He reluctantly agreed as the Madame smiled heartily at him.

"Good! It's been fun, Rickter, I do hope to see you soon." Lunaria expressed as she gave him a wink, before pulling out one of her drawers to begin filing through parchments stacked within. The wolf took that as his sign to head out, therefore, turned to part from the desk as he returned to the doorway. Moments later he was out after opening it briefly, the door clicking to a shut behind him as Lunaria looked up to watch him leave. She paused for a moment before chuckling to herself, her lips curved into a smirk as she proceeded to focus on her paperwork.
"Every side attacks you, when you don't take sides."

Re: [Memory] Humble Beginnings

Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:22 pm
by Mirage
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Rickter

Lores
Investigation: Poking Around At Places That May Have Leads
Investigation: Looking For A Source of Information
Investigation: Seeking Out Clues For Your Past
Personal: Your Mother Passed From Childbirth Complications
Personal: You Were Fostered To A Family By A Gentleman

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A

Points 5

Comments: Aw :(