A Bear Walks Into a Tavern... (Open to all)

“Okay, okay, just bear with me,” Amai slurred as she sat at a table with a few other dragons. “So a bear walks into a tavern just like this one. He looks at the owner and shouts: ‘Give me…’ he stopped mid sentence for two minutes, then exclaimed, ‘...the strongest drink you have!’ The owner tilts his head and says: ‘why the big pause?’”

Some of the dragons at the table chuckled, but others just looked at her with confusion. “I don’t get it,” one of them finally said.

“Pause! Like...like it sounds like paws, but it’s--you know what? Forget it.” Amai took another drink.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Amara said in distress. “Can we go home yet? I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.”

“I seem to recall a certain someone saying that we could do whatever I wanted to do tonight, since we don’t have any big important shows coming up,” Amai accused, but still shot a pleading glance toward the other head since she knew full well that Amara had the final decision on how the night was going to end.

With a reluctant sigh, Amara nodded. “Fine, but no more drinking. I hate how it makes us feel.”

“That sounds like a deal,” Amai said before finish up her current flagon in one gulp, much to Amara's discomfort. “If you’ll excuse me gents. I’m gonna get some water for my beloved, talented sister.”

The hydra stood up and made her way over to the counter. Whilst Amai chatted with the owner of the establishment, Amara took a look around.

Tavern by the Sea is what this place was called. Resting on the coast of Magienta Ocean. The location was a hotspot for both land dragons and sea dragons. Not to mention one of the most accessible places for a creature without wings.

The atmosphere was very lively and fun, where everyone seemed to get along with everyone. It was Amai’s dream come true, and Amara’s worst nightmare. Naturally, there wasn’t really much escape from dragons who wanted to ask them about what it was like to share a body. Amara always found herself mouthing the questions she knew they would ask.

‘Who controls the body?’, ‘what if you two don’t agree on something?’, ‘do you two share thoughts?’. They’d been asked the same questions so many times that Amara practically wanted to behead herself so that this would be the problem of the two other heads that spawned in her place.

Regardless, Amara hoped there would be more pleasant company in this place. Perhaps someone with more intellect, or who knows a thing or two about theatre. Anyone who wouldn’t encourage Amai to keep drinking.

To say it was rare for rogues to build their own establishment by the seas was an understatement. Many civilized societies resided within tribe borders. A lot of rogues tended to live in much less... desirable circumstances. Also, Rapid wasn't entirely sure if this place... was Lakaran territory or not. It seemed that Lakaran borders were a bit all over the place, and she could never quite memorize where exactly they ended.

Now, one day, Rapid happened to find herself in this bar, after she had made her routine exploration of the local waters surrounding it. When she entered, she immediately was blasted with a fresh whiff of hardwood and candles, a cozy, warm and tranquil place. She decided then and there that she would probably like it.

That didn't mean it wasn't rowdy. Many draconiforms were cheerfully dancing to the music, or loudly shouting about who knows what. A good few were Lakarans. She couldn't tell this based on looks, since she didn't know a whole lot of people within her own tribe. rather, she knew by scent.

Cautiously, Rapid took a tentative step forward, glancing around. Her hackles were a bit raised, as well. She had never been to a place like this before. It certainly was new to her....

“I got it!” Amai exclaimed, slamming her fist down on the bar counter. “I just came up with something amazing.”

Still slightly in her drunken stupor, she looked around at the rest of the patrons in the establishment. Much to her disappointment, not a lot of them were paying attention to her at the moment. The rambunctious dragoness intended to fix that as soon as possible.

At the far end of the tavern, Amai  spotted a newcomer. A dragoness that seemed to have come here alone. She looked out of place, and perhaps even a bit nervous. These were two of the best signs of a dragoness who would be easy to engage in conversation.

The hydra stood up, and Amara looked to Amai with startled confusion. “What are you doing?” she said.

“Making a new friend,” Amai responded, walking toward the dragoness that had entered the establishment.

The two-headed dragon walked toward the newcomer, Amai wearing a broad smile while Amara looked very uncomfortable. They seemed to have a bit of trouble walking in a straight line, but nevertheless managed to make it over to her. “Hey! It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Amai, and this is my sister, Amara. What’s your name?” she gestured toward the other head who was looking off into the distance, as if trying to pretend she was anywhere but here.

“Also, do you want to hear a joke? I just came up with it, and it’s pretty amazing...and I need validation since I know Amara isn’t going to think it’s funny.”

Rapid meandered around the bar, looking overall confused and a bit excited by all the strangeness around her. Her tail wagged absently as she fawned over some exceptionally nice looking decorations. She awed at the massive antlers of an exceptional large elk skull. How majestic! Rapid herself didn't actually know what an elk was, and she had never seen a land animal skull before, so she thought it was pretty interesting.

A sudden voice spoke up, grabbing Rapid's attention. She turned, and to her surprise, there was a two headed... thing staring back at her. Blinking, Rapid's tail stopped wagging, and she tilted her head as the draconiform began to introduce themselves.... herself... itself? To be honest, Rapid had never seen a hydra before, and they were sisters? How could you be one animal and yet sisters? It confused Rapid, but she remained quiet.

Amai and Amara, huh? Rapid pawed at the ground, and offered a big smile to the two. It was quite the rush, and Rapid was still a bit confused by their sudden appearance, "Ah, uh joke?
Um.... sure." she said awkwardly, her winding body coiling up around her as she fell into a sitting position.

Amara let out a sigh and shook her head. She always felt a hot wash of shame whenever Amai behaved like this around total strangers. Some would say she was just being friendly, but to Amara she was just plain obnoxious.

“Great! So...what’s the difference between Scortia and an aggressive snake?” Before the stranger could respond, Amai continued excitedly, “one is a cold-hearted predator that needs to be exterminated, and the other has no legs!”

Amai burst out into laughter at her own joke, while Amara hid her face in her talon. She’d warned her conjoined sister that one day these jokes might land them in trouble, especially if told to the wrong audience. Regardless of her advice, the enthusiastic dragoness never listened.

With any luck, this newcomer wasn’t some sort of Ki’Shan loyalist.

“I apologize for my sister,” Amara said, solemnly looking at the new dragoness. “She tries really hard to be the life of the party.”

“I am the life of the party!” Amai responded immediately.

Amara ignored her sister and kept speaking, “I didn’t catch your name, by the way. You are…?”

Rapid listened patiently, though she found the stranger quite interesting to look at. And, once Rapid warmed up to the initial shock of being approached by someone she didn't know, she actually laughed a bit, "Heh, good one," she commented. She actually didn't know much about the Ki'sha, though she had heard reports that once a Ki'sha leaped off a cliff to chase after a taunting sea dragon. It was a funny picture, but also terrifying, and Rapid certainly wouldn't want to meet someone like Scortia in person.

She then turned to Amara, and dipped her head in apology, "Ah, my name is Rapid.
Nice to meet you." she said, extending a webbed paw to shake hands.