An Unlikely Party 6: The Ladies' Door

          The journey to Talama had been fairly uneventful after their escapade with the wyrms. In Talama there was no such thing as a simple, normal tavern to stay at. Everything was a club, stripper joint, or both. Rede let out a sigh, “Well then, where shall we stay?” He asked the party as the stood in the very center of town.

          “I’ve heard The Ladies’ Door is quite good.” Walker told him.

          Rede slowly turned to face him, “And what kind of place is it?”

          “Full of strippers that are mostly whores as well.” Walker smirked, “Friends always said they made damn fine burgers too.”

          “Your friends, huh?” Rede questioned him.

          “Hey man, I hardly ever left my home city.” Walker shook his head at him, “Plus, I could find all the whores I wanted where I was.”

          Rede rolled his eyes, “Anyone else have a say?’

          Shade looked over at Gorgos for a second, “Don’t care.” He said.

          Callie shrugged, “Can’t say I even knew this city existed. So nope.”

          Rede sighed heavily shaking his head, “Alright Walker, where’s this Ladies’ Door?”

       
  Walker shrugged and walked up to a random passerby, “Excuse me, sir!” Walker said loudly getting his attention, “You know where we can find the entrance to The Ladies’ Door?”

          The elf glanced down at him and pointed down a street to his left, “Yea just head down there; should be on the right sooner or later.”

          “Thanks, man.” Walker nodded at him respectfully and turned around holding his arms out towards Rede, “Shall we?”

          Rede rolled his eyes, “Whatever.” He said as he walked past him.  Walker chuckled and fell in step with them as Callie passed him.  “For a red light city I don’t see many prostitutes around.” Rede commented. He was right; they hadn’t spotted a single one since they entered the city.

          “It’s because they all work out of all of the joints around here” Walker told him, “They don’t need to work the streets.”

          “Safer that way I’d bet.” Callie spoke up.

          “And easier too.” Walker said after her, “Honestly it’s a much better system than what many other places have. Legalizing it as a legitimate business to get it off the streets is a fantastic way to not only make it safer, but to make insane profits.” Walker chuckled to himself, “Of course, you humans in the kingdom would rather make them suffer.”

          “It’s an immoral practice that we should not be-“

          “Oh shut up!” Callie hit Rede’s arm, “You’ve slept with many a whore, just like anyone who was in the army. Don’t play the high and mighty role.”

          Rede grumbled at her, “Fine! Fine. You win.”

          Walker started laughing, “Exactly what I’m saying!” He exclaimed, “If you guys just embraced your inner sexual wants it’d be a lot safer, but noooooooo. You’re all too worried about your image; well guess what, no one fucking cares.”

          Rede was about to yell at him, but quickly decided to take a deep breath and calm himself down, “Whatever, Walker. I didn’t need to know how many you’ve been with.”

          “For your information, since I stayed in the same city I stuck with the same three.” Walker pointed out.

          “At once?” Shade asked him.

          Walker shrugged, “Not usually, but sometimes they were feeling frisky for it.”

          Rede shook his head, but quickly looked up as he saw a sign swinging not far above them. The Ladies’ Door. With a sigh of relief he pointed at it, “Tada!” He said loudly, “Found it.” Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary about it, besides the fog that was rolling out from under its door.

          Wait up,” Walker told them. They all stopped to look at him as he reached into his backpack, “Alright, guys, you go in there and you enjoy yourselves.” He pulled out small bags of coin and handed one out to each of them, “It’s on me.”

          “Ooooo!” Gorgos smiled as she took the gold.

          “Thank you.” Shade smiled wide, “I’ll use this well in your name.” Walker chuckled back.

          Callie chuckled, “You don’t have to give me your-“

          “Shhh.” Walker silenced her, “Just spend it well won’t you?”

          “You got it.” She nodded at him.

          “What…is this for?” Rede asked him last.

          “Well, either buy yourself a girl with it, or tip them well. I don’t care.” Walker told him, “Now come on, no dilly dally.” Walker led the way to the door and pushed it wide open. The thick fog came up to his short gnome chest as he strode into the place. Callie grabbed Rede by the hand and drug him into the place while Shade and Gorgos trailed in at the end. The place was much larger than they had expected it to be. On the far wall they could see a huge bar set up that could classify at as its own little joint. To the side of that was a large stairway leading upstairs. In between them and the bar area was multiple different stages for strippers to dance on. The place was already fairly busy and every stage was in use by multiple strippers; guys and girls alike. Everything up until the bar was completely black with colorful party lights darting across the floors and walls. Shade and Gorgos immediately found a seat near one of the cage dancers while Callie drug Rede off to another stage.

          Walker quickly made his way over to the bar and pulled himself up on one of the empty stools. He took a deep breath and smiled as he relaxed slightly. The younger, more energetic, bartender came running over to him, “What can I get ya, Mister Gnome?” She asked him enthusiastically.

Walker chuckled, “It’s been years since I heard about this recommendation, but do you still make the double creampie?”

          “Oh hell yes we do!” She smiled at him, “Recommendation you say?” She asked him.

          “An old friend.” Walker told her, “Would swear up and down by this place.”

          “I’ll make it a triple creamy for ya!” She licked her lips, “Third shot’s on me.”

          Walker whistled, “I like you already.”

          She giggled as she started to make his drink, “That’s the main job of being a ‘tender! Good ol’ Pascal,” She nodded towards the older bartender on the other side of the counter, “He keeps the older patrons entertained. My job is to enthrall the new ones.” She flipped a bottle high into the air while she added ice into his drink.

          “Glad to see you can do that without taking the clothes off.” Walker told her. She wore nothing to try to attract attention to her curves, just plain clothes.

          She caught the bottle as it finally came back down and poured it into the drink, “That’s the strippers’ job. Can’t have guys wanting to take me upstairs. I need to run this show.” She topped off his drink with some cream and slid it over in front of him. “One triple creampie.” She winked, “Don’t worry; it’s not as salty as it sounds.”

          Walker took a sip and his eyes opened up wide. The drink was sweet, but not too sweet, and the smoothest thing he had ever drank. He put the drink down leaving a white ‘moustache’ on his lip. “That…is…phenomenal.”

          “Glad you think so!” She told him as she started making more drinks for other customers.

          “So, which one of you two ‘tenders know more gossip?” Walker asked her.

          She stayed by him as she made more drinks, “I’ll know all the gossip of the city, but Pascal’s the guy you’ll need if it’s a personal message. He helped build this place and won’t let me handle the more questionable parts of being a ‘tender until he feels I’m ready.”

          “You plan on sticking around in the bartending business, hm?”

          “Oh yes!” She said exclaimed sliding a finished drink down the bar. Not a drop spilled and it stopped right where it needed to be, “I love it! Been doing this since I could hold a bottle.”

          Walker laughed, “Well you’re the girl I need then. Ain’t no one gonna leave me a personal message anymore.”

          “Well, whatcha asking about?” She finished a second drink and leaned back on the bar in front of Walker.

          “Heard any rumors, no matter how slight, about a mimic in the area?” Walker asked her.

          She pursed her lips for a few seconds as she thought, “Nothing ‘mimicy’ sounding that I can think of off the top of my head. Recently at least.” She added in.

          “How long ago?”

          “Hmmm, 'bout a month or so Jenny would swear up and down that one of the dressers in Liquid Gold was a mimic. Finally she made enough of a ruckus about it that a horde of guys hauled it out.” She shrugged, “Left it somewhere on the hillside to the west if I remember correctly. Haven’t heard anything since.”

          “Hmmm…” Walker finished his drink, “Damn.”

          “Another?” She asked him.

          “Please.” Walker nodded at her.

          She grabbed his glass and started to fill it up again, “So, why the interest in mimics?”

          Walker grumbled, “Got some…” He licked his lips, “Bad blood with ‘em.”

          “Sounds personal.”

          “It is.” Walker said bluntly.

          “Well,” She took a deep breath as she finished his drink, “Best of luck. They’re hard suckers to track down.”

          “HEYYYY!” Rede stumbled into the stool next to Walker, “What’s going on, buddy? Why aren’t you out there with us?”

          Walker shook his head, “What the hell did you take, Rede?”

          “Nothing, man!” Rede shouted at him, “Just having a good time! Like you told us to!”

          The bartender shook her head, “Looks like someone gave him some of the weeds that grow farther north. Fastinen’s what they call it. He’ll be having one hell of headache in the morn’.”

          Walker chuckled, “It’ll be good for him…So, what are ya doing over here?” He asked Rede.

          “Callie had to run to the bathroom,” His words were slurring into each other, “Can’t find Shade or Gorgos, so I figured I’d come bother your punk-ass.”

          A tall, slender, scarcely dressed stripper came up behind them, “Hello there, boys.” She smiled and lightly wrapped her arms around them, “Why don’t we take this back to the floor? Maybe even upstairs?”

          Rede was almost drooling as he looked at the stripper. Walker simply shook his head, “Not me, dear, but I’m sure his date would love to join you too once she’s back.”

          “Oh come on~” She teased Walker, “It’ll be fuuuun.”

          “Sweetie, I’m good.” Walker nodded at her respectfully, “But thanks.”

          She let go of Rede and started to sensually massage Walker, “Sounds like you just need to re-“

          “HEY!” The bartender shouted at her, “If my customer don’t want your services, then leave him the fuck alone!”

          The stripper slowly looked up glaring at her, “This is-“

          “My bar! You’re in my bar right now. My rules.” The bartender snapped at her. Pascal had noticed the argument by now and was watching from afar, “Take his friend, and go back to dancing.”

          The stripper hissed at her and lightly grabbed Rede, “Come on, let’s leave these plebeians behind.”

          Rede got back up, “You’re missing out Walker! Thought some ex-crime lord would love this!” Walker simply shook his head as they walked off.

          “Probably just the drugs as to why he’s being such a dick.” The bartender told him.

          Walker chuckled, “Oh trust me, it is.” Both of them broke out in laughter.

          Pascal had slowly made his way over, “Walker…?” He asked breaking their laughter.

          “Pascal!” The girl said in surprise, “Sorry about-“

          “You did the right thing, Para.” He smiled at her, “Walker…ex-crime lord?”

          Walker took a drink and nodded, “Long time ago yea.”

          “As in…Night Walker?”

          Walker’s eyes flashed in surprise for a fraction of a second, “The latter half.”

          Pascal licked his lips and smiled, “Just as it said you would respond. I have a message for you.”

          Walker stared at him confused for a few seconds before cautiously continuing, “What is it…?”

          “A friend says he done you wrong, wants to make up for it.” Pascal told him, “Said he’ll be in your old home every first Thursday.”

          “Who!?” Walker demanded.

          “Don’t know anything else, Walker.” Pascal smiled at him, “Hope you enjoy your stay.” Pascal went back to the far side of the bar to his customers.

          Walker sighed letting him go, “So much for the idea no one would leave me messages…” He chuckled to himself.

          Para, the bartender, chuckled too, “Well then, guessing you know what that means?”

          Walker shook his head, “Not really. One way to find out though.” He shrugged, “Another drink?”

          “You betcha!” Para smiled at him, “Want one of our legendary-“

          “Burgers?” Walker finished, “Oh hell yea!”

          “ONE LEGEND!” She called out back to the cooks as she made him another drink. She poured herself a small shot as well and held it out towards him, “To no personal messages?” She asked.

          Walker laughed, “To no personal messages!” He cheered as he lightly tapped her shot before drinking deeply.