Mateo wakes to a gently snoring Natalia. He gives her a quick pat on the head before stepping out of bed. She stirs a bit in her sleep but doesn’t wake. Mateo exits his void palace ready to check out his new vendor Lustiana. It seems she has decorated her shop, unaccordingly.

  Before Mateo resides the blockbuster looking building, but it is now adorned with a more creative sign. The outline of two very curvy female fawns in provocative attire point toward a large banner that reads ‘Lustiana’s Lustful Engagements’.

  “Godsdamnit, why can’t anything be relatively normal here?” Mateo sighs rubbing the back of his neck.

  Reluctantly, he heads into the new store where he is greeted very unprofessionally by Lustiana who is lying across a glass display full of items in a provocative manner. Her expression seems somewhat, bored, and her apparel is that of a student. Button up shirt and a pleated skirt played up by a square frame set of spectacles.

  “Excuse me, what exactly are you selling here?” Mateo questions again rubbing the back of his head.

  Lustiana perks up at the sound of a potential customer’s voice her barb tipped tail darting about in anxious anticipation. She turns an excited gaze toward Mateo a few buttons on her shirt popping into the floor at the slightest addition of pressure from her large bosom.

  “Voidlord Ryusane, you grace me with your presence, for you I am willing to sell almost anything,” she replies running her finger over her now nearly exposed breasts.

  “Good, I’m looking to add some enchanted jewelry to my status sheet, it says here I can have one amulet, two bracelets, and ten finger rings,” Mateo says.

  Lustiana sits up on the glass spreading her furry legs. Mateo does his best not to look, but he is only a man, and not a bright one at that. Fortunately, Lustiana is a fawn of class and is sporting a pair of silk boy shorts under skirt.

  “What, you think I was going to put everything on display for free?” Lustiana questions hopping off the counter to approach Mateo.

  The barb on her whip like tail flips about excitedly as she steps forward almost as if strutting across a stage toward Mateo. Every movement she makes every breath she takes fills the air with seduction as her desirable form approaches him. Mateo near falls to her charm as she draws him in her lips so close, he can feel the heat of her breath, the warmth of her touch.

  “I just want to buy some equipment,” Mateo says pressing his hands to her shoulders haulting her advance.

  She recoils, hurt and angry, she lets off a shrill screech like a banshee wale and then laughs unsettlingly. Placing her palms on the glass counter she coughs to adjust her composure and her clothing changes from that of a giddy schoolgirl to a long flowing split leg kimono.

  Mateo chokes down his lustful desires, ones increased by the fawn Rachel after she ‘accidentally’ sent him a bunch of provocative pictures of varying states of undress that were allegedly meant for Okami. To this day he still hasn’t told Serenity. Some secrets one must take to the grave.

  Lustiana steps around the counter giving Mateo the same fake smile that every retail employee struggles to keep up for eight to twelve hours a day.

  “Welcome to Lustiana’s Lustful Engagements, a member of Sahara Enterprises LLC.”

  “That’s a nice kimono you’re wearing, is it enchanted, I noticed your legs look different in it?” Mateo asks.

  “Yes, my kimono is enchanted to make me appear as a more humanoid fawn, some don’t like the fur,” she explains.

  “Lustiana, you don’t have to wear weird shit to run a store here, wear something that makes you comfortable,” Mateo says.

  “Are you sure, my name is Lustiana, the attire I am comfortable with may seem, naughty,” she replies.

  “Just wear something casual, you’re selling weapons and equipment, not, um, pleasures,” Mateo argues.

  “Fine, and weapons and equipment bring much pleasure by the way,” she says snapping her fingers.

  Lustiana’s apparel changes again, this time to a sports bra and short track shorts that compliment her tail. Her legs are once again covered in fur, which makes Mateo smile a bit.

  “This good enough?” Lustiana sighs.

  “You look fun.”

  Lustiana perks up at the concept of being ‘fun’, something that might not have translated correctly.

  “You want charms then, I have a few, you can also request items be stocked in the store using my Sahara Enterprises access account, but I’ll have to be present when you use it,” Lustiana explains.

  “That sounds great, so, what do you have for sale?” Mateo asks.

  Open shop: yes/no

  Mateo: yes

  Lustiana’s Lusty Engagements

  If we don’t have it, it’s because we sold it to someone else. HJ’s or Healing jams are half off for members. BJ’s or Buff jams are half off with the purchase of any piece of armor over 10,000 DD. RJ’s or Revival jams are discounted for repeat customers but limited to one per thirty days as supplies are severely limited. Receive a free sample of ‘horny goat weed’ when you become a premier customer, purchase 25 items.

  Inventory-

  Ring of Heal, 12,000DD

  Every five seconds heals 1% of health for three hundred seconds.

  Ring of Steel Will, 13,000DD

  +.5 to Constitution.

  Blood ring of Sucking, 24,000DD

  On attack, drains .5% of enemy vitality.

  Ambidextrous Ring of Double Handed Ambition, 200,000DD

  When dual wielding weapons, the weapon with the highest proficiency determines the proficiency of both weapons.

  Bracelet of Fawning, 5,000DD

  You are the Demon Lord. Fawns, void touched creatures, and demonesses find you more attractive. Interacting with them will grant additional dialogue. Resting with Succubi no longer afflicts you with ‘morality drain’ and instead grants one stack of ‘well rested’. I think we all know what ‘resting’ means.

  Cardigan of the Untouched, 38,000DD

  As long as you remain maidenless you gain a +5 to the personality and classy sub skills. This thing is pretty ugly, a goblin probably wouldn’t fuck you if you were wearing it. Perhaps that’s why it’s a hot ticket item in goblin infested regions.

  Ivory Jacket with Gold Scorpion, 350,000DD

  This cuirass grants the ‘Drive’ buff. You can have up to three stacks of ‘Drive’. Each stack of Drive offers a 5% increase in attack strength. Stacks of Drive are granted after causing critical damage. Each stack of Drive falls off after sixty seconds. Each stack has its own timer.

  Two Chains, 500,000DD

  That’s not one, but two chains! Equipping this amulet allows you to equip two amulets! Wow, isn’t that stylish! Note: This amulet is a passive item and does not use an equipment slot. Only three passive items can be equipped at once.

  Milk of the fawn, 150DD

  Milk from a fawn, it restores 10% of vitality when vitality is lower than 100%. Let's be honest, you know where this milk comes from. Fawn’s milk is enchanted and does not spoil. However, it is best served chilled.

  A large grin spreads across Lustiana’s lips as Mateo stops to read the description for ‘milk of the fawn’. He notices and hurriedly moves to the next item. The upward curve of her lips folds downward into a disappointed frown.

  Cardinal feathers, 75DD

  Feathers of a cardinal. Used for crafting air-light assault shafts of penetrating, or as the boring people say, arrows.

  Murder bee honey, 1500DD

  The sweet nectar of a buzzing bee with a massive stinger meant to turn the living into the undead. Effects are unknown, please add information to the bestiary in order to identify this item.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “Natalia, why can’t I read the description for the last item?” Mateo asks.

  “You don’t have an entry for murder bees, so I don’t have anything to go off of,” Natalia replies.

  “What about Ana?” Mateo questions.

  “What about Ana?” Natalia scoffs rolling her eyes.

  “Sorry Mateo, I don’t have any information on murder bees either, perhaps if you were to observe one, I could identify its properties,” Ana states.

  “Ok, besides that, what can I afford, and what is a DD?” Mateo asks.

  “Um, well…,” Natalia says waiting to be saved by some unforeseen force.

  That’s when Okami enters the shop.

  “DD are double dahlia, the currency used throughout Gottes, they are a coin displaying on one side a dahlia, and on the other, well, also a dahlia, thus the name double dahlia,” Okami explains.

  “So, the coins that Serenity had a lot of because she was a princess and we don’t have a lot of because she is gone?” Mateo questions.

  “Yes, those coins, but we do still have coins from our quests and bounties, allow me to give you a better understanding of the currency system,” he takes a short bow before continuing, “that is if you are interested.”

  “Yeah, that’s good information to know.”

  “The base and lowest representation of currency is the silver double dahlia or SDD, crimson double dahlia are worth fifty SDD, golden double dahlia are worth one hundred SDD, diamond double dahlia are worth one thousand SDD, rainbow double dahlia are worth one thousand diamond double dahlia, any questions?”

  “I think that covers it,” Mateo says turning toward Lustiana.

  “I’ll take the Ambidextrous Ring of Double Ambition, the Blood Ring of Sucking, and Two Chains,” Mateo says slamming nearly all of his double dahlia on the table.

  “Is that all, this is your palace, if you wanted something else, I could simply put it on your tab,” Lustiana says with a seductive grimace twirling her long dark hair with her finger.

  “Give me Ryan Gosling’s jacket too,” Mateo replies.

  “That gets you half off a HJ, or maybe you’d like a BJ? Only one RJ per customer for now,” Lustiana proposes.

  “I’ll take the Revival Jam, and a couple of Healing Jams,” Mateo replies.

  “Awe, are you sure sweetie, you look like you could really use a BJ,” Lustiana says biting her fingernail lustfully.

  “I’m fine, Stitches does a good job of buffing me,” Mateo replies.

  “Ah, I see, well just sign here and I’ll prepare your order,” she says acting more professional.

  “Um, thank you?” Mateo replies.

  “By the way, who is Ryan Gosling?” Lustiana asks typing his order into a monitor.

  “He was a blade runner, like Harrison Ford, but I suppose he’s just Ken now.”

  “And what is a ‘Ken’?” Lustiana questions.

  “The ideal man toy for a teenage girl?” Mateo replies rubbing his head.

  “That sounds excellent, where would I be able to acquire a ‘Ken’?” Lustiana questions longingly.

  “Well, where I came from you just bought them off the shelf in the toy section,” Mateo replies.

  “You could just buy attractive men off of a shelf? And they were considered toys?” Lustiana questions her eyes alight with excitement.

  “No, no, not men, they were toys of men,” Mateo explains hoping it translates correctly.

  “Oh, so not actual men you could buy as toys, that’s much less exciting,” she pauses, the luster in her gaze increasing, “you wouldn’t happen to be selling any men, would you? I would give you a good price for them, a decent trade even.”

  “No Lustiana, I am not selling any men.”

  “Fine, your order is ready,” she replies disapprovingly.

  The items appear in Mateo’s inventory almost instantly. His User Interface now displays a negative balance of 350,000DD for Lustiana’s Lusty Engagements. Something he hopes doesn’t show up publicly. Who knows what people would think he paid for to owe so much.

  “Hey Lustiana,” Mateo says with a smile.

  “Yes Voidlord Ryusane?”

  “The snack vendor is single, and I bet he wouldn’t mind having a little company that is familiar,” Mateo says.

  “Ladarius, but the pixie told me to stay away from him,” she questions.

  “I’ll bet she did, if he’s making snacks for you then he won’t be making snacks for her, will he?”

  “I’ll look into it, if you say he’s worth my time then I trust your judgement, Lord Ryusane.”

  “Just call me Mateo.”

  “Ofcourse, mi amor,” she replies with a bow and a cunning grin.

  “Where did you learn that?” Mateo questions.

  “Being under your employ gives me access to information about you, which includes what languages you know that aren’t translated, I feel this is one of the reasons your pixie selected me from a long list of equipment dealers, or perhaps, she knew I was just as mischievous as her,” Lustiana says waving Mateo away.

  After leaving the shop Mateo returns to his room.

  Mateo lays out his new equipment on his large bed. The right side of his mouth rises in a half grimace.

  “All of these items are ranked low, and yet they help me greatly, I wonder how much better the equipment gets, could I find a set of armor that grants one hundred percent damage reflect and just stand there while my enemies kill themselves,” he rubs his chin consideringly, “Blanco had spell reflect so I suppose it isn’t impossible.”

  The door to Mateo’s room creeks open and Beatrice steps inside. Mateo turns his attention to her.

  “Have you come to talk?” Mateo asks.

  “No, and put that jacket on, take everything else off,” she says pointing at Mateo’s new ivory jacket.

  A few hours pass and Mateo pulls a blanket over himself covering his exposed parts. Beatrice adorns a two-finger glove that covers her thumb and index finger as she pulls what looks like a rolled cigarette from her inventory. She snaps her fingers, and a small flame erupts between them. She uses the flame to light her rolled herb.

  “What are you smoking?” Mateo asks.

  “Peace tree leaf, you dry the leaves, crush them, and then pack them into a flammable instrument, this is a viper roll made from the shedded skin of a viper, I usually use a pipe or a glass apparatus for this, would you like a puff?” she asks her form seeming overly relaxed.

  Mateo scurries across the bed still covering himself with a sheet and holds out his hand. He glances at his new ivory jacket that now adorns the floor before returning his attention to the now dazed Beatrice.

  “Sure, why not?” Mateo asks.

  Beatrice smiles as Mateo takes a puff blowing blue smoke through his nostrils.

  “Not the first time you’ve smoked?” She asks her voice relaxed, but also curiously seductive.

  “No, me and Serenity smoked sometimes,” Mateo replies.

  “Look about-,” Mateo cuts her off.

  “I don’t want to talk about us, yet, I want to talk about our child,” Mateo says handing back her rolled herb.

  Beatrice lets off a long breath before inhaling deeply.

  “We’re both adventurers, that was kind of the plan, to find someone I didn’t have to compete with over who’s the best parent, in my own selfish way I just wanted it to be just me and my baby, but, I like you Mateo,” she pauses for a moment as a mountain of emotions washes over her.

  Time seems at a standstill as Mateo waits for Beatrice to continue.

  “If you don’t want to be around, I understand, you have quests and tasks to complete, but I would like my child to know their father.”

  Mateo leans over rubbing Beatrice’s back and she falls into his arms giggling.

  “That was so corny,” she says with an expectant smile. “You’re not thinking of kicking your baby mama off the team because you think she can’t fight, are you?”

  “No, you can stay on the team for as long as you feel comfortable, but I need to get this anxiety debuff off my stats, so we need to talk,” Mateo states.

  “Ok,” Beatrice says rubbing her shoulder, her aggressive act fading, “what do you want to talk about?”

  “I don’t want to be absent, I want to see our child, even if our hearts don’t align, I still like you Beatrice, you’re more than just my friend now, and I’m not going to abandon you when you need me most.”

  “I mean I don’t need you, but it would be nice to have you around,” Beatrice says letting off a sigh.

  “Still holding up the big girl act, don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything.”

  They leave the conversation at that and enjoy each others company for a few hours. Ivory and gold Scorpion jacket included. After their pleasantries Mateo exits his void domain to find Za’Rexkla standing by the wagons brushing Julia’s mane. Julia stirs at Mateo’s approach and Za’Rexkla unhooks her binding allowing her to pummel Mateo into the marsh.

  “Haha, I’ve not seen a hoaram act with such lustful aggression before,” Za laughs.

  Za moves to Mateo holding out a claw, his face adorned with a friendly smile.

  “Apologies for the misbehavior, Julia is a fine hoaram, you may not know this yet, but all sentient life in the realm of Gottes has a status menu, I have a special ability passed down from my mother Za’Xena that allows me to view the status screens of almost any creature,” Za says pulling Mateo to his feet.

  Mateo now stands eye level with the Ruksha warrior that was no shorter than nine feet when they met.

  “You got um, shorter?” Mateo asks.

  “Yes, the nine foot form you saw before was an ability of mine called ‘gozilla’ it allows me to increase my size,” Za explains.

  “What about your equipment?” Mateo further questions.

  “My ability alters the dimensions of any equipped object to fit my new form, however, if you have equipment with the ‘expansion’, or ‘contraction’, buffs you will receive additional bonuses.”

  Julia bunts Mateo with her curled horns demanding his attention and Za hands him the brush he was using.

  “I’ll grant you this gift as a token of my appreciation for your assistance in the coming battle, I will also grant you a piece of advice, in a few moments the apostle of Revival will approach you about the one they call Tesha, I have forward scouts that relay she is in no danger as of now, I trust you can get the young and voluptuous maiden to remain calm while we approach her holding camp, and maybe put in a few good words for a scaled friend?”

  “I’m sorry, what was that last part?” Mateo questions.

  “I must attend to important matters my friend,” Za says waving as he disappears.

  A moment later Silvia comes sprinting up to Mateo near collapsing onto him. Mateo catches her in his arms and Julia snorts audibly squinting her hoaram eyes.

  “Mateo, we must hurry to rescue Tesha, I’m afraid of what they could be doing to her, forceful suitors are probably casting their lustful desires on her, perhaps more than one at once,” she lays her head back the top of her palm resting on her forehead as she shivers lustfully.

  Mateo pulls her to her feet placing his hands on her shoulders.

  “Don’t worry, Za said his scouts confirmed she is ok and not being mistreated,” Mateo says.

  “I don’t believe words spoken with forked tongues, nor do I spare kindness to crocodile tears,” Silvia says in an unfamiliar voice as her eyes glow with a strange light.

  “Um, Silvia?”

  “No, Silvia is the vessel that I am possessing, I am the Goddess of Revival, Freyja.”

  “Ok poltergeist woman, why are you possessing Silvia to speak with me?” Mateo asks.

  “Though your scaled friend speaks the truth that Tesha is not currently in danger, she soon will be as Garren has informed me, therefore I came to speak to you formally so that you might move this quest to the highest of priorities,” Freyja replies.

  Mateo moves closer to Silvia’s body in a sensual manner. Freyja doesn’t seem to have a response for his intended physical affection. She remains still as if frozen as Mateo places his lips against Silvia’s. Her eyes open wide and she recoils swiftly as if trying to wipe the scourge of his intended intimacy away.

  “What are you doing you pervert!” Silvia yells.

  “Now I know how Natalia feels, sorry, you were possessed by your deity, and I made her go away by kissing you,” Mateo explains.

  “Who said you could kiss me?”

  “I did,” Natalia says appearing above Mateo’s shoulder.

  “Why!” Silvia demands.

  “Because no one has kissed you since the night you spent with Aureillius, and you’re angry, and you’re hurt because Freyja told you not to let him touch you, and you obeyed her, and now he’s gone, and he can never touch you, you can never feel him again,” Natalia replies angrily.

  Silvia falls to her hands and knees crying uncontrollably. Snot pouring down her face she cries out to the angry pixie.

  “Did he really love me, or was I just another trophy on his wall?”

  “Aureillius first started adventuring because his father told him he couldn’t, he was to be married off to one of the Theodin girls, and one of the lesser, he told his father that none of the girls should be considered lesser, as all women are beautiful, his father laughed at him as he left, two years later he’s fighting in the coliseum for merits and a woman approaches him, almost as if Fate meant for them to meet, he has feelings for the realm walker in his party, but this girl radiates an attraction he cannot ignore, and yet, after a night of pleasantries she denies him and returns to her room alone.”

  “He was with the realm walker after that?” Mateo asks.

  “Yes.”

  “Glad you got that out of your system, we need to go save Tesha now,” Mateo says.

  “You’re right Mateo, we do.”