Melody Lane Wonderland

A mess was what it was when Iota started. What it ended up being was one of the Premier Brothels in the West Rukon, rivaled only by the high class ones in districts Two and Three. For District 67, it was a paradise. The whole lane, renamed Melody Lane after the brothel Thirty years ago, benefited by the people brought in. It still was obviously in the lower districts, as one could never forget when one lived in Rukon. Taking up several differing stories and seven buildings worth, the Melody Lane Wonderland boasted it own large kitchen and restaurant style food, high class entertainment and an occasional party. (The kitchen was a recent add on, requested by the workers.) The ladies and men weren't hard on the eyes either.

It was all owned by the Lady Birgitte, a mysterious and vaguely familar woman, who barely looked like she should be out of High School. Living on and working on the entire top floor, she had made a name for herself in the business.

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The compound and nearby area

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The layout for the first floor and building was fairly easy to navigate. There was the entrance and greeter, followed by the bar area/restaurant type area. This area was large and was occupied by those who wished to party with others, and of course the company of the lovely ladies and men here. This took up the whole part of this building (Which was originally two), but Birgitte had bought nearby buildings on this side of the road in all directions. Knocking down the outer walls, she built pavilions that connected all the buildings and walkways for the upper floors. The next building over for those who wished for privacy, with smaller rooms that were reasonably sound proof. It even had its own special entrance. Some of the larger rooms for special parties were available but expensive to rent for the night. This building was to the east of the main building, and dubbed the East Building.

The building to the North of the main building was the kitchen, recently added about Fifteen years ago and about time really. This was where the cooks prepared the food and the ladies and men of the house received it for giving to their companions. Waitresses from the North Building come in to grab orders as well. It was generally called The Kitchen.

The building to the west were the Four stories where all the workers and Special Ladies and Gentlemen lived. Living quarters were fairly nice and very customizable. They were also very private affairs, as Birgitte believed her people should have a place to rest all their own since most of the rest of the time they spent it in strangers company. However, a nice familial atmosphere permeates the whole housing complex. So if one doesn't want to be alone one doesn't, and sometimes certain individuals will share rooms with each other in a rather dorm like setting. However its not perfect, there are fighting and loudness sometimes like all families.

The the top half of the building to the east of the main building were the Companion rooms. These were where you retired to enjoy the company of your hired company for the night. The rooms were comfortable, but not well appointed. There wasn't much in them because they were normally used for one specific purpose...

There are two buildings to the northeast and northwest in the corners where drinks were stored in proper containment. Nothing too interesting here.

Now the second floor of the Main Building is the start of Birgitte's realm. Most people aren't let near the stairs up to her rooms, but the special few are honored greatly by being allowed up. On this floor are several rooms for her own entertaining, each with a different theme. One is subdued, one is flamboyant colors and decorations. Some are water themed, and a few fire but all have their own flare. However at the end of the hallway is her favorite entertaining room. The one she shows the important guests, leads right to her stair case into the upper rooms of her house. A balcony lays near the small receiving table, able to look out on Rukon as the second floor is higher than most second floors. Sometimes you can catch a glimpse of the Mistress herself from this balcony, but rarely. The room is cozy enough, not too big or small. Enough room for someone to stretch out in and then some, and it is quite softly padded with carpets.

The stairs lead up to Birgitte's house, the entire top floor. It is Lavish and well appointed.. Her house is one large room with separate areas determined by sheer cloth hangings. Her bed is just a pile of cloth and pillows in a corner on a platform with a thin matress underneath to support it. One area houses all her clothes, another houses her vanity and beauty supplies. And one area is her comfy zone where she can relax in style with her recently acquired chinese style pillows. Now of course these can easily change when the mood strikes her, so I can't specify what side of the room they are on until I post there.

Now her favorite spot is the balcony here, looking out over the street. Most of the time she can be seen on this one, not the one below it and to the right. She has a comfy chair to sit and drink to the stars. She gets food and drink from downstairs, and no fire is brought up here.

All in all, Melody Lane Wonderland was the perfect place to relax and forget.

"Help! Somebody, anybody, HELP ME!"

His surroundings had become a blur ever since he ran barefoot from the previous trash heap to the next. He knew nobody would come to his aid, but that was not why he screamed.

When the large man finally caught up to him, his tattered rags that were tied around his waist like a skirt would be torn off quicker than a bolt of lightning. Tears ran down his face and flew behind him to further tease his predator. It was a game to see how long he could fish out the excitement of the chase, faking stumbles along the way to make the other man's heart skip a beat. Hiroyuki was getting hard just thinking about the frustration building up in the other man's loins. He had led him through labyrinthine alleyways and vaulted obstacles just to tinder his primal lust.

At last his own heart couldn't take it anymore, and he tripped on solid ground, landing face first in the dirt. The chase stopped there, on the street that could be observed by Birgette's balcony. He turned around, prone, legs spread wide as he shuffled himself backward like a terrified crab. He shrieked as loud as he could.

Birgitte leaned on the railing to get a better view of what was happening. Shrieks this time of night weren't unusual, what was unusual was the source. From outside the compound there was screaming and she wasn't sure if it was the good or bad kind. Still there had been a "help" or two in there and the lamps hung around to light up the streets showed enough. A soft looking hand waved to the guard in the room to head down as she leaned over the balcony. "Take care of it. They've caused enough ruckus this late and bring them both to me."

It had been a slow night and in the semi quiet of the late night/early morning this had been rather noticeable occurrence. Even now the lamps further down the street were being put out to signify that the entertainment was coming to a close and most of the patrons were either leaving or had left. It was as quiet as it could be... Until those two had interrupted.

Birgitte watched as three guards hurried out of the compound, without distinguishable uniforms other than the required swords. One went for the one who was being attacked while the other two pulled out their swords to hold off the one chasing. She waited to see what would unfold, knowing the other guards would be close by. It HAD been a slow night. They were bored.

Shit, thugs thought the prone man, Hiroyuki, as he saw the armed men exit the compound that he hadn't seen before in the rush of the chase.

"I should have known you would lead me into a trap, thief." said the chaser. Should have also known that he didn't work alone. He drew a sword from the sheath and his shield from his back, taking a defensive stance. "Hand over the money you stole and nobody has to get hurt."

But Hiroyuki saw that glimmer in the chaser's eye, of excitement; he secretly wanted a fight. Hiroyuki had pegged him as a do-gooder, someone with a thirst for justice. When the man had disclosed to Hiroyuki that women prostitutes weren't exciting him anymore, Hiroyuki understood it was more than just a matter of sex. He had seen the ways women sold themselves: submissive, mock good. Excitement comes in various forms. Hiroyuki wanted to help the man embrace the darker side of himself, and experience what it meant to pursue something.

It just didn't end the way Hiroyuki wanted it to; he had overdone his act. He would have told the man everything once he had been caught, that it had been a trick to raise his heart level and get his adrenaline pumping, that the reward of the chase would make the sex all that more gratifying. He didn't know if it would have made his pursuant mad enough to kill him or simply leave, but it was a risk he took because he knew in his heart that the act was what the psuedo-paladin clad in sexy dark brown leather needed in his life.

Hiroyuki sighed and spread his legs more in front of the guard that was approaching him, exposing a small coin-purse tied around his upper thigh with string. He breathed heavily, tired from the chase, and too helpless to really move. He eyed the guard and then his thigh, as an invitation to come and grab the sac.

Guard 1 and Guard 2 made sure there were no breaks in their defense as the man. They didn't care what the other man was saying about thieving, their orders were to break this up whatever its cause. Guard 1 kept his hands on his sword but kept himself steady. He had a typical topknot and dark hair and he spoke calmly. "Buddy I would put that sword away. You are in very civil territory, the Melody Lane, and Lady Birgitte don't stand for too much fighting here."

Guard 2 nodded his agreement, a smile on his face. The two were of a pair in looks, they could have almost been brothers. He kinda hoped the other man wouldn't listen so he could get a fight. He was too new and hadn't had enough fighting, which normally the guards did get quite a bit of. It was in the worse off parts of the Rukon afterall, if a dozen fights didn't break out a night it was slow. Which it had been. This was just what he needed...

The one who headed for the fallen man had short cropped bright yellow hair, their outfit a little looser and had muscles on them built for strength, not show. Her sex apparent as she spoke softly, she held herself with strength and assurance. She would not be easy to trick or fight. "I heard the man speak, but I want your story. You can close you leg, I won't touch that. You can take it off yourself inside, come the Lady wishes your presence."

She held out a hand and arm, the muscles rippling as she tense expecting the man to flee. She cared not for whatever these two had been doing, but it seemed like it had had some sexual connotations. She had worked at this brothel for years, she knew the signs. If the man looked up he would see a flash of a brightly colored robe on the balcony above him and shimmer of green as the person who was up there headed away from the edge and spectacle. Over her shoulder, the unnamed guard yelled to the other two. "Bring him if he wants to come in and sort this mess out. It can be all settled peacefully and quietly. Don't provoke him either, the Lady will know if you did."

The 'pseudo-paladin' gaged them and their stances, and their defenses were impressive. It would be a two versus one fight, which he didn't like either.

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"Buddy I would put that sword away. You are in very civil territory, the Melody Lane, and Lady Birgitte don't stand for too much fighting here."

"Friend or foe, I can see by the way you two stand that you are not mere thugs. Very well." He sheathed his sword and flung his shield over his back. "You may take me to your Lady, but if I sense any deception, I will not hesitate to make you rue the day you crossed paths with my destiny."

Meanwhile Hiroyuki was relieved that the man wasn't stupid enough to fight for him. He was too out of breath to say anything. His head was mostly still swimming with endorphins produced by the chase; he just nodded in agreement. He closed his legs for the assertive muscular woman and raised his arms feebly, shaking from the blood pumping through his veins. If she were kind enough, she'd at least help him up. He had no intention to struggle. He was already fucked if this Lady wanted to torture or enslave him. If only he had ran in a different direction, the chase would have ended differently.

"If we lied to you, you would be the worst of our worries." The two men looked at each other, the one sighing and pointing the way. The gates were still open and the lamps that lit the main walkway to the doors of the big building were still lit. However, more and more were being put out inside as the whole compound was shutting down. Still, the main section was lit brightly. There could be no ambushing, it was plain to see unless she had ninjas waiting on top of the covered walk. They both sheathed their weapons with one leading the way inside, not as if it was hard to figure out the way but trusting slightly in the man's honor.

If the Paladin man headed inside, the younger one would follow behind him. They shouldn't be careless just because he SEEMED honorable.

She would help him up, gently so she didn't snap his twig arms but still in a firm grip. He was the one who was accused of being a thief and had all but given confession. The woman kept a firm grip on his upper arm and if he needed to lean on her, he could. "This way."

She led him at the rear as they entered the building. It was warm and brightly lit, very clean with only a few workers to be seen. It was large, with quite a few tables and what looked like a large bar. A dais which looked like it could hold a band or several dancers was raised slightly above one section. There were a few guards in the room, some by the door as they headed past and some workers of several varying stages of dress. Two ladies in rather loose clothes sat on seat cushions at a table discussing something that might have been make up techniques, which stopped as they turned to look at the intruders. One man who was rather well built wore a loincloth as he fanned himself near the door, an eyebrow raised at the entrance. And last a lovely man dressed up like a perfect doll served sake to a woman seated at one of the small tables. Her green hair  shimmered in the light as she lit almost golden eyes on the two men.

A small smile formed on lips that had some sort of gloss on it, also shimmering in the light. She wasn't very large or tall but her smile brought all attention on her. Her clothes were vibrantly colored in green and gold in a leaf and branch design, complimenting her coloring. The woman waved one arm to the two seats in front of her near the end of the table. Her eyes betrayed nothing, her smile still small, she spoke softly but forcefully. "Sit, it shall hurt my neck to stare up at you both like this. What were you doing in my territory at such an hour, making a racket even the Shinigami must of heard from the Seireitei?"

A snap sounded as the man dressed like a doll hid a grin behind a fan he had hanging from his wrist.

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"If we lied to you, you would be the worst of our worries."

Do they really think of me that lowly, or their Lady that highly? the Paladin wondered. He also wondered about the bright light while in the main walkway; it did occur to him that this could make guests feel more at ease to open an ambush opportunity. If this place was really a den of thieves, then having it dimly lit would be expected, as would the ambush.

Meanwhile, Hiroyuki nodded again when the woman indicated for him to come with her. He made himself extremely comfortable when leaning on her, being as close as bodies could without it being sex. He loved the sensation of completely and shamelessly surrendering on the strength of the woman, body wrapping around her, head nuzzling on her shoulder. The way he leaned was like that of a star-crossed lover.

Hiroyuki and the Paladin, once in the building, were both impressed with the layout of the interior. However, the Paladin was much less interested in the people that were about; he looked straight ahead to indicate he was all business, expression steeled like cast iron. Hiroyuki stole looks from the ladies that looked at him first, the hunk in the loincloth, and the doll-like man before his eyes met with the vibrant green and gold of the Lady.

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"Sit, it shall hurt my neck to stare up at you both like this. What were you doing in my territory at such an hour, making a racket even the Shinigami must of heard from the Seireitei?"

Hiroyuki did what he was told without hesitation like a good pet, although he didn't like parting with the woman guard, but instead of sitting, he essentially just collapsed near the seat sideways. His legs folded around the cushion until it eventually turned sideways and was wedged in between his thighs and butt. The Paladin looked at the cushion for a moment, and hesitantly sat, with as much noble, calculated grace he could.

"Your Ladyship," The Paladin began, "It was not my intent to encroach on your territory. It is obvious by your question that the thief is not in your employ, which is what I immediately assumed when your guards arrived." He chewed his lower lip. Being diplomatic wasn't his specialty. "I am only interested in taking back what is mine."

Meanwhile Hiroyuki just shook his head fervently, but was unable to speak, again from the exhaustion of the chase and because now he was panicking and silently crying at the same time. He really fucked up this time. The blame was completely his. In a futile effort, he ripped the coin purse from near his loins as though ripping off his own ball sack and violently threw it on the table. Coins exploded from the purse. His hands urged the Paladin to just take it and leave. He was perplexed.

"This is much more than what he stole." he said simply. He didn't know what to make of it, yet. It could be a bribe to avoid further punishment or it was a plea of a different nature, perhaps to listen?

The two guards hadn't done anything while they led the group in and neither did the female guard. She didn't react to the potential thief's advances or touches at all. She was as immovable as a stone wall. As the man left her to sit, the woman who still was not named moved around the table sat beside the doll like man. He poured her a small cup of sake as she watched the two interlopers with cold eyes.

Birgitte watched with careful eyes as both men either sat or...laid there. The one was obviously used to such pleasantries, he was polite.. The other looked like he would be blown away by a strong breeze or even a loud noise. Both were quite different in many aspects and Birgitte twisted her mind to bring forth what she would need to sense. The paladin meant no harm to her or her people, he also was no lying. This other man had taken things that belonged to the fighter and ran. Birgitte thought before speaking, a fairly clear cut case of thievery... But at the same time something wasn't right. Her sense called out to her about the other man. The small one, he hadn't intended for what happened to have happened. She didn't know if it meant he hadn't wanted to get caught (usual in thieves since the punishments could be awful and life threatening) or if it was something else.

There was something else going on and the owner reached out to carefully picked up all the coins that spilled from the thrown bag. The woman hadn't reacted to this display at all, but the female guard had one sharp knife in her hand while another quivered close to the thief's body, embedded in the wood. The reason she missed obvious as the doll man's hand on her arm gave another squeeze. "Let The Lady handle this. There is no need to be so jumpy Asher."

The guard eye's glanced at the doll man, and if one looked carefully they would notice a strong family resemblance between them. Maybe in the curve of the mouth or the eye shape, or even the strong noses.

Birgitte filled the bag with the money, gave it to the doll man who stood very carefully and walked around the table to bow and hand it over. He wore a full woman's kimono and moved like it was natural on him, which it was. Finally she spoke again as the man stayed properly bowed, her moments of careful thought over. "If you take this money and leave, we shall handle this man from here. He will receive judgement based upon his actions, of that you can be sure."

When the knife impaled itself on the wood of the table, Hiroyuki squeaked like a frightened little mouse, grabbing the seat wedged in between his folded legs and squeezing it in his arms. He couldn't hold back his tears any longer, crying shamelessly into the cushion he was holding.

He was in a dilemma that he didn't know how to solve. He had caused the man sitting beside him great pain and he didn't want to inflict any more to him, but what was more painful? To walk away without knowing the full truth of what was going on, or the embarrassment that came with the truth? It was also possible the truth would be rejected too, because no matter how many times he tried to say a complete explanation in his mind, the more  ridiculous the whole plan seemed.

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"If you take this money and leave, we shall handle this man from here. He will receive judgement based upon his actions, of that you can be sure."

The paladin pondered this carefully, taking a brief glance at Hiroyuki. Their eyes met, but Hiroyuki looked away. His lips pressed together in frustration before looking at the coin purse held by the doll man. He cupped his hand and slowly plucked it from the doll man's hand. He was about to stand when Hiroyuki took his face from the pillow and tugged at his arm.

"You deserve the truth." Hiroyuki closed his eyes and took in a giant, meditative breath through the nostrils and outside his mouth, and cast aside the cushion from him in an attempt to exert control over his emotions. "No matter how much it hurts me." It was a very fast paced explanation because it was panicked, with not much room for pause.

"You said women were no longer exciting you, which is why you paid for me. I wanted to please you. I saw in your eyes a boredom sex alone wouldn't satisfy. I stole your money and ran, that is true. I wanted you to chase me, to make you feel something you haven't felt in a long time, something rare for being such a stoic man, a chance to pursue a selfish desire. I hoped the chase would thrill you, but instead it just made you angry. I got carried away with my acting, and now we've wound up here, embarrassing you in the process. I would have told you everything as soon as you caught me, would have let you empty your frustrations inside me, to take what was truly earned. It was a stupid, stupid idea. You didn't deserve to be treated that way. I let my own selfish desires and ideas of what you wanted get in the way of what you simply wanted in the first place."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I don't even know if I'm making sense. I just can't. I just can't let you believe I lied to you because I wanted to steal from you because you're a good man and I'm just scum." Hiroyuki continued to breath heavily.

The paladin had his hand on his brow and rubbed his forehead to clear things up in his mind; that was an earful.

Blanca straightened up as the money left his hands, his face perfectly polite though Asher kept shooting him looks. Birgitte's golden eyes drifted from the paladin to the man who was sitting there shaking from the knife attack. Her heart twisted slightly in her chest and she almost got up and went over to the man. However his voice stopped her cold and her pretty mouth turned to a slight frown.

The whole area went silent, everyone stopping to listen. Loincloth man still in the doorway, the two ladies who had been joined by a third, the guards who were wary and watching shocked by the admission. Asher broke the sudden silence with a laugh as she fell over while Blanca snapped his fan open and then shut again. His soft voice a gentle reprimand to his sister, he went over to her and pushed her with his foot. "Stop it Asher, this is a serious problem to the man. Show some respect."

"I can't help it! This is so perfect!" Her boisterous laughs as she rolled were the only sign of emotions she had shown so far, though no one else joined in. Their eyes were on Lady Birgitte as she had stood up. Her clothes made a soft sound as she walked over to the poor scared man. She bent over and held out her arms to Hiroyuki.

"You aren't scum. Come here."

Hiroyuki's tears continued to flow down his face, only made worse by Asher's callous laughter. Now the Lady was moving to his side, with arms wide. He did as he was told, though he made no move to embrace her, complying only by shuffling on his knees and leaning into her head first into her arms.

The paladin grimaced for a moment, before it became a relieved worn smile, and with calculated presence, took two coins from the pouch and placed them on the table as symbols. "One for the truth, and another for the ten mile chase and obstacle course."

He then promptly got up and walked away towards the entrance, believing justice was done and that his stay was no longer necessary. Hiroyuki remained quiet as the mystery man left, making no motion to stop his leaving.

Blanca bowed deeply to the Paladin as he left, perfectly down to the millimeter in propriety. He spoke to the man's retreating back, not caring if he was given a reply or not. "You have our thanks and will be welcomed back anytime if you so choose."

Asher calmed herself, her face slowly growing more and more back to its original stoic and rock hard face. Her brother had come back around to the side of the table she had been rolling around in, and thwapped her with his fan. "I suppose you need to be taught better manners, tomorrow report to my rooms."

The guard woman blanched and looked around, hoping someone would rescue her. But it was all for naught. No one would meet her eyes, so she slid to her knees and bowed with her head to the floor, full of contrition. "Yes Brother."

Meanwhile, Birgitte had wrapped her arms around the man and was patting his head gently. Her abilities activated, sending a soothing wave over the man. She didn't intend it to be intrusive, merely calming and soothing to him. The others felt the wave go out and relaxed themselves, knowing The Lady was taking of things. "Shh, its okay. You aren't scum, truly you aren't."

The Paladin had left without another word, but nodded without turning around. He might return, when the mood was better and he needed a release from the horrors of combating evil.

Hiroyuki didn't hear the concession made by Asher to her brother, only to his own heart beat. It had been moving fast, because of the ten mile chase, and irregular, because of the emotional strain caused by disappointing his handsome, rugged, client. Now it was different; Hiroyuki could feel a change as The Lady assured him that he wasn't scum.

Like... a drug. Hiroyuki's personal awareness spiked. When during his stay here had he been drugged? Was it because of the fragrance that seemed to come from the Lady? He felt violated as the calming and soothing sensation went through his body, and its unobtrusiveness only made Hiroyuki panic inside.

Still, it felt so strangely familiar, like a lost dream. It was by repressed memories from his exposure to all sorts of drugs while he worked for the Vulgaris Night Club on Earth, but all Hiroyuki could feel were the unidentifiable shadows of being. Hiroyuki could get addicted to the sensation that washed over him, as he embraced Birgitte with increased vigor. Violated, but he lusted for more. He didn't realize that he could be hurting her as his belief of closer proximity would amplify the effect of the drug.

The power was supposed to soothe the poor man so he could stop shaking and worrying, and also so he wouldn't hurt himself. Birgitte wasn't sure but she thought he might have been capable of it, and she wasn't willing to risk the consequences of what would happen if he was too high strung... However there had been some who had had a similar reaction to this power before and she cut it off instantly and stepped back as she pushed Hiroyuki off before he could cling more. "Ash."

As she did so, Asher stood quickly and wrapped her large arms around the man who hadn't been hurting the Lady, knowing what that tone meant almost instantly. Golden eyes filled with sorrow peered at Hiroyuki as Asher held him, placing a hand on his head. "You've been drugged before haven't you? What is your name and where do you hail from? Which house were you?"

Hiroyuki struggled against Asher's hold futilely if only as a symbol of his new trained, naturally made resentment towards the person that made him feel pain, made worse by his unconditional trust before in once fully relying on her strength.

The struggle ended abruptly when his eyes met with Birgitte's golden ones, and realized the drug sensation he felt had vanished. Was she the drug?! His entire head shook in fear, and he struggled not to look away from her eyes, and didn't, not even for a second, as a spectral image of red vampire eyes overlapped hers. It was what the powerful always wanted; to be looked straight in the eye no matter how scared the subject. He had to comply.

His head stopped moving when his forehead was touched, but not his eyes. The questions sunk well enough, but he was afraid of giving answers. He would be punished no matter how well he responded. It was the natural order of things. He took spastic breaths, gulping down his fears visibly enough to see the throat move, with primal intent to calm himself in a familiar way and subliminal intent to please his captors; like imitating blowing a dick and swallowing the cum.

"Some customers like it better that way. Makes them feel more in control."
It was also received as a treat for good behavior if given by an employer, even if he didn't want it.

"Hiroyuki..." Even as he said it, he felt dirty. It was his given name, but it was not his true name. It wasn't who he was. He had a different name in that phantasmal world, but he could not remember it. "I hail from what is vulgar and disgusting." He had no idea what the last question meant at all, so in his panic he took it to be an interpretive 'if you were an x, which x would you be?' question. "I am a house of cards."

His legs wobbled more and finally giving out, he pissed himself.

This was not working, not by any means. Birgitte regretted her actions, their haste ruining the situation entirely. She hadn't thought her powers could make someone react like that, they weren't strong enough by far. They had only been a push towards calmness and away from fear.

"Don't worry about that. You have no customers here and can relax, I will not use that again on you with such reactions. I've never seen someone have such an...issue before." Druggies yes, but this man must be firmly sensitive to any sort of stimulation in any regard... Her hand was the white of rice paper from the strain of clenching her fist in anger. She really truly did not like those means at all.

Hiroyuki? He sounded unsure. "We can call you whatever you like, if you do not prefer that name."

Birgitte's eyes were soft as she continued, his house of cards comment worrying her. The man couldn't understand basic speech? "Don't worry about where you come from then. You can stay here until you get back on your fe-"

She was cut off by the look of the man wetting himself, while she now rubbed her forehead. "Someone fetch a maid and also some clothes about his size."


Asher kept hold of Hiroyuki firmly, even as he reacted in such a manner as to void his bladder. She did wrinkle her nose a bit, as the loincloth man left the area and two guards ran out. They would soon be back with someone to clean it up but in the meantime there was nothing to be done. Asher supported him, while Blanca flipped open his fan and fanned himself. He wanted to slap the drugged man silly, but knew that The Lady would be quiet angry with him losing his temper like that.

"If you can be calm, we can let you go. I don't want you to go hurt yourself, all right?"

Despite her assurances, Hiroyuki was still very much on edge. He hadn't experienced anything like the drug effect that the Lady somehow administered to him. It struck in his memory like the call of siren. He wanted to feel that sensation again, now that he was aware of it. Having been verbally denied that was like snatching a treat right from his hands.

Names and origins had confused Hiroyuki because he wasn't asked about such things in his line of work. His mouth wasn't for talking, but for kissing, licking and sucking. People called him degrading, impersonal things that fit him better than his real name, and he had been so used to it that's what made him most comfortable. Now he was being fetched clothes, not completely stripped down to be appraised. He had expected to have been struck down physically for pissing himself, but no strike came. It wasn't that he didn't understand speech; he was too scared and confused at the same time to form fully coherent thoughts. He had been trained so thoroughly that kindness itself was strange and something always to be mistrusted as though it were a veil to cover something sinister.

He almost kinda wanted to struggle harder, to elicit a more violent response from Asher, to perhaps pin him down to the floor with her knee. To drop the whole charade and treat him like the dog that he was. He didn't. He nodded, and relaxed as he was told. All of his muscle tension gave up simultaneously. If it had been anyone else with a hold on him, he would have slipped right on through those arms like goo.

He hadn't spoken, had merely obeyed. This was definitely a broken man. Birgitte was furious, wishing to find his 'owner' and beat that person senseless. Well more than that, stab him and inject him with things that would make him cry for mercy and die screaming. Reaching into her sleeve, the green haired woman took out the fan she herself carried and snapped it open while she hid her face. No one else should see the grimace she made at her angry thoughts.

After a bit of time had passed a few half dressed, rather sleepy people ran into the room carrying a bucket and rags and clothes. Seeing the man held, smelling what happened and getting a nod from Blanca, they quickly went over to the poor man and started cleaning the floor and Asher. One of the people who entered spoke to Hiroyuki, gently but firmly as she stood nearby. "We have a bath ready if you can walk with us or Asher can carry you and help."

Another person stood behind this woman, holding the clothes that Hiroyuki could wear.

"What's a bath?" he blurted.

His distress still cost him the ability to think clearly. People were coming in to clean up the floor and Asher herself, which made him feel more like the filthy animal that he was. Hiroyuki wanted to be the one to clean the floor, and then remove himself. His eyes just stared at the spot he pissed on. It was such a nice floor; the floor was probably worth more than he was. The people who were cleaning were probably roused from sleep just for this too. He didn't want to inconvenience Asher any longer either, even if she did laugh at him, but couldn't bring himself to say a word. Making himself appear strong enough to go with them was nigh impossible from the run and felt like he was going to collapse; his legs still showed that, but he tried. His stomach also had the infelicitous timing of growling loudly.

"It is a large tub filled with water that allows you to clean yourself." Asher felt the man's legs wobble and groaned. Instead of letting him continue to hang in her arms, she bent him and herself over slightly before scooping him up bridal style. He weighed next to nothing. They'd have to beef him up a bit before sending him on to wherever he would be going. She started walking while carefully carrying the poor bag of bones, afraid she'd snap him with one wrong move.

Birgitte waved her fan at Asher and the cleaners, before heading up the stairs followed by two guards. Asher and the others went in another direction with Hiroyuki. They headed for the living quarters.

Hiroyuki's heart skipped a beat when he was swept off his feet by Asher bridal style, and became aware of just how light he was as well, feeling sexy again despite just pissing himself earlier. He didn't know how he could possibly reward her in return for such a heavenly feeling of being carried in her muscular arms. Caressing the chest tenderly would have been an option if Asher was a man, but he assumed that Asher would take offense if he put his hands anywhere near her breasts without permission.

He considered giving her an innocent light peck on the cheek too, but he still didn't know what Asher wanted. Maybe to laugh? Hiroyuki wasn't a comedian; the time he made her laugh was unintentional. He looked around, curious of what the living quarters were like, seeing as the rest of the place was a lot fancier than he imagined.

How much water was a 'large tub' anyway? Sometimes he'd be given buckets of cold water to clean himself up with, every month. Rationing water was a reality in the parts of Rukon he came from.

Asher had had to do this job before, albeit with women mostly, so she decided to treat Hiroyuki as if he was one of those waifs they ended up finding and taking in regardless of his sex. He seemed so scared and weak he could almost be a bunny or some other sort of small helpless animal. She liked strays as much as Birgitte and Blanca did, so maybe she'd take this one under her wing.

As they entered the living quarters, there was a noticeable shift in quality. Where before the wood and items and lights had been high quality pieces that accentuated well and was obviously part of a greater whole set, the wood and items here were haphazard. The designs on the walls and such showed a well lived in quality, less showy than the main area. It was less showy and more functional than anything else. It didn't mean it was in disrepair, not at all, but it was less meant for paying customers it was obvious.

Asher carried Blow into a room with a large tub and some pushed aside furniture. A door led to somewhere else, which was revealed to be outside when someone came in with a water bucket that they dumped into the tub while another person heated up water in the pot over the fire. "This is where we wash some of waifs we find. Its generally our greeting room for anyone who comes to visit us."

Asher spoke softly to Hiroyuki before setting him down in front of the tub. "Strip and we'll put you in. Its not hot, but at this time of early morning the baths aren't open even for us or the Lady's coin. You'll get in and get scrubbed down."

Hiroyuki reacted automatically to the word 'strip'. It was the one command so ingrained in his subconscious because of the abusive training he had endured in the past life he couldn't even remember existed and in this one. The rag around his waist was off in less than a second after Asher said that key word. No thoughts towards the action, because no context was necessary and he was always commanded not to think.

He didn't appear that well-endowed and it was flaccid, and the exposure to cold air made it shrink, but he knew most of his customers that asked for him were the pitching and not the receiving type anyway. Women poked fun at his less than average penis before.

He observed that they were heating the water, a procedure that puzzled him. Sometimes his employers would allow other people to throw buckets of freezing cold water at him just to get reactions and some laughs while also making a profit and calling it washing him down. Most often these throws were made point blank. At least it made them happy.

Hiroyuki didn't tell Asher this though; sob stories never made people happy.

"Here, I can help you over the edge." Asher noticed the large amount of grime on the man, but that couldn't account for all the dark marks. She gently helped him over the edge into the warm but not hot water. Already grime lifted from his skin as a man came forward with a washing cloth and what looked like some sort of soap bar. Asher stood right next to the tub, ready to help with anything Hiroyuki could want.

If he could read her mind he might be scared, or if her face showed her true emotion he might as well. But Ash knew how to keep her cool in such situations... It would surprise Hiroyuki to know that most people here had similar stories to his. Asher and Blanca's story, most of the guards and almost every one of the workers who plied the sex trade. Most knew nothing else, but had found a safe haven here.

Not sure if he would be one who left or one who stayed, they still treated him with the gentle coaxing of ones who knew his pain... Maybe not personally, but similar pains. "Blanca and I are siblings... He's the brains, I am the brawn."