For a friend V2

The search for a decent bar around town had been no easy task, as they served either piss weak drinks or were just full of creeps. Four bars hadn't slowed Illhia down however, as she knew damn well that in a city of trade as big as Yri, there had to be one bar worth getting wasted at. A patron at the last place had informed her of a bar hidden amidst the other shops of the trade district. At the back of an alleyway, with just enough space for someone to walk through without brushing the walls, was a door.



“The Shattered Mug…” The small woman muttered to herself, tracing a hand over the small metal plaque, little bits of rust clinging to the edges. She shrugged to herself, finding it strange that she could hear nothing from the interior of the bar. With a shrug, she entered anyways. The air was muggy, and a miasma struck her, smelling of blood and sweat. The taste of iron settled itself on her tongue slowly, as she noticed a half naked woman covered in runic tattoos fighting a much larger opponent, an orc by the looks of it, in a pit that had been dug into the ground in a remarkably smooth circle.



"Huh." She mumbled as a man with green skin and goat horns approached her and sized her up.



"Welcome to the Sha-a-a-tered Mug Ma'am. Don't cause trouble outside the pit." And with that, he winked at the smaller woman and went back behind the bar, behind the pit. She made her way slowly around the pit, watching the spectacle while trying not to fall in at the same time. The woman with the mouse features had the advantage over the larger orc, her movements confounding and confusing to watch. The runes blurred her visage, and forced Illhia to look away. The feeling of vertigo lingered for a moment before fading entirely. Taking a seat at the bar, she waved the horned man back over.



"She here often?" The man smirked and pulled a mug out from under the counter, pouring some foul smelling golden-brown liquid into it and setting it behind him, onto a metal grate with coals under it.



"Yea-a-a-ah. She's a regular." Illhia dropped a small silver coin on the table, prompting the man to swipe it up quickly, and stow it with surprising speed. He picked the mug back up and set it on the counter, preparing a similar drink with practiced grace.



"How can anyone watch the fight with her in there?" The apparent goat man stroked his goatee thoughtfully before speaking.



"By keeping their eyes on the opponent instea-a-d." She looked back into the pit, the entire bar built around it, with tiers of tables having been set up to see the spectacle. She tried to focus on the orc, and as she did, the mouse woman came more into focus, but the instant she tried to see her, she became more blurred. The headache quickly returning, she swirled back around on her stool and took a long drink of the foul smelling liquid she'd been served.



"Woah." She proclaimed, holding the mug up for a moment.



"This tastes really good, even if it smells bad." The man stopped stroking his goatee and burst into laughter before trying to stop very quickly.



"Just wa-ait until the house blend hits you." He took the drink off the hot grate, setting it on the bar next to her. Illhia scrunched up her face, staring at the drink for a few moments before drinking again from her own.



"This one isn't for you." The bartender spoke, and her attention was torn from the drink for only a moment. Yet, as she turned back to look at it, there she was, satchel sitting on the bar, still half naked, and greedily gulping down the sweet tasting liquid. Illhia took a moment to examine the strange mouse like woman. Her sun kissed skin was neatly contrasted by the pure white tattoos that seemed to touch every part of her body. The woman was still drinking, and drinking, and drinking, until she slammed down an empty mug. Illhia took that moment to take another sip from her mug. The woman wasn't panting. She wasn't tired from the fight or out of breath from chugging?



"Slow down there pint-sized. You'll wear out before the rest of us get a chance." The woman slowly turned her gaze, a pair of faintly glowing orbs coming to rest upon Illhia's own green spheres. A slow smirk grew into place across her features.



"What, you looking to rumble?" She asked, motioning for the bartender to serve her another drink, which quickly came. Illhia had to respond quickly.



"Nah, I only rumble with people I can bear to look at." She gave her a little wink before moving to make her drink. This caused the other woman to take a swig and take a look at Illhia through her peripherals.



"So what kind of people CAN you bear to look at?" Illhia's face brightened, and she reached into a small pouch on her belt. With a quick motion, she pulled out what appeared to be a magically captured image card in her hand. She handed it to the other woman, who took another long drink while inspecting the thing from the corner of her eye. She stopped suddenly however, and spat up a little bit of her drink onto the countertop. She handed back what was now very clearly a mirror, and smiled as she wiped the spittle and wasted alcohol from her lips.



"You cheeky bitch." The two continued bantering well into the night, a friendship forming quickly between them.