Hell Hath No Fury - Book One

The Bender v.1

AN: Hopefully will get around to publishing all 3 or 4 parts of The Bender by tonight! Let me know how you are enjoying my story! my twitter is habitdyke if you want to interact w me! 

They all made their way inside and immediately Ava was hit with a dense cloud of smoke and heavy sweet-smelling air. It didn't look like any bar Ava had frequented on her travels. Instead of tables and chairs, there were long couches and sitting pillows strewn across the floor. There were vases with pipes coming out of them and people smoking from them. Others had small cigarettes filled with a mystery herb. Some even had long wooden pipes like the one Theo had the time they had Dragon's Breath. It wasn't a regular bar, Ava had figured that much. It seemed to be a place not for spirits but drugs.

Once everyone was inside Theo walked in and pulled out a handful of coins from her side and placed it in front of one of the workers, "We'll take the room in the back. We'll start with a sample tray."

"I'm sorry," the man said, "that area is off-limits."

Theo simply laughed and made her way forward, heading towards the off-limits back room.

The worker stepped forward to stop her but Xyra stepped in the way, "Mate, you don't want to do that. That's Captain Theo. Best take the money and go let Grogon know she's here."

The man paled and grabbed the money without another moment of hesitation and muttered his apologies. Ava watched as the man comically rushed away, presumably to find Grogon. The way that at the drop of a name, the whole context changed was almost comical. It looked like Theo had a strong influence here, and other places too, Ava concluded. It gave her a rush to know she was around such powerful people. Ava wanted to know about Theo, what had she done to command the respect she did? She was not well versed in pirate lore or the current politics of the illegal underworld as it was not a subject readily taught by her tutors. She would have to ask Cooker if there was anything on that topic.

The group made their way into the private room in the back and Ava looked around to scope out the best spot. The room was dimly lit, just enough to see. There were two couches, tables scattered about, and many pillows large enough to sit on spread out across the floor. Ava managed to find a place on a couch wedged between Theo and Xyra. The couch was crowded enough that she and Xyra were touching, it was the closest she had been to the intimidating first mate. Xyra looked over at Ava staring and flashed her a confused smile, which Ava reciprocated.

The same boy from earlier that had taken Theo's money opened the door with a large tray in hand and set it on the low table in front of them. Ava listened as he pointed to each different thing on the tray and explained briefly what it was. Theo looked uninterested, sparking up a conversation with Oceane who was on a pillow next to her. Ava was a little bit worried at the sight, wouldn't Theo need to know what was on the table if she wanted to take it? Xyra, on her right, nudged her.

"You okay?" she asked.

Ava was a bit surprised at the gesture, Xyra hadn't shown too much of an interest in her at all, "Aye, I'm okay. Why do you ask?"

"You've got a face," Xyra pointed out with a small laugh, "Is it the place? If it's too much for you one of us will be happy to step out with you."

Whatever face Ava was making had certainly gone away and it was replaced with a grin. Xyra was being... nice? Not mean, not standoffish, not neutral or civil, she was being nice.

"I'm okay," Ava reassured Xyra, "Just concerned that no one seems to be paying attention to his explanation of how everything works. How are we going to know what to do?"

This time, Xyra let out a louder laugh, "We've been doing this since we were ten. We know a thing or two about Grogon's."

"You did drugs when you were ten?" Ava asked, bewildered.