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“Wasn't that shirt covered in blood?” Soapy asked as the trio rode the main elevator down to the Sabu-kai’s lower floors… which were technically the Great Library's lower floors. Supposedly as old as the structure itself, if not for the obvious renovations done over the centuries.

“It was,” Movva commented, idly swaying on her paws as the elevator took them down… and down… and even further down. She still had the same outfit as she had earlier during the fight. A white cropped ‘Pynk Tigress’ t-shirt, suspenders, and cut shorts of a strange blue fabric from the humans called denim… or were they called daisy-dukes for the fabric…? Either way, they were definitely a bloody mess after the brawl eight hours ago.

“Do you just have extra pairs or…?” She led, trying to make small talk over the dainty elevator music filling their ears. It was just them in there, because the hosts only allowed one group on the elevator at a time… For safety reasons.

Tobby’s ears had been flicking between the two as they struggled to go back and forth, but it seemed he had the answer to that. “Soda water and baking soda.”

Soapy blinked at the mention of cooking ingredients, “Huh?” Cooking was always more BB’s thing, whereas eating said cooking was hers.

Tobby lit up, seeing an opportunity to be a know-it-all; she’d allow it. “Thanks to the carbonation, you can often use soda water before the stain sets in to get it out.” He said excitedly, tapping his claws together as Movva nodded in agreement. “Baking soda technically does something similar, but is more effective than soda water once the stain has had time to set. If it’s really sticking, you can mix in some hydrogen peroxide from any medicine cabinet and-”

Sweet spirits, it was like the museum all over again. It was cute when he got excited, but it also meant he was on the verge of a tangent. Likely about the long and colorful history of baking soda or something. “You know, I'm pretty sure most people would be creeped out by the fact you two know how to remove blood stains that easily.”

“And you don’t?” Movva asked, flicking an ear.

“Don’t really need to? I usually just stick my clothes in the washing machine up in the residential part of the clubhouse. If any are still stained, I just run them two or three more times, and that usually works. How many times did you do yours?”

“Once~” she said rather proudly.

“I doubt that…”

“But it's true.” Movva shrugged. “After I got my nose uncrunched and a baggie of my emergency blood put back in me, I put them in the wash, and when they were done, I put them back on and went to pick you two up.”

Tobby quirked his ear and brow, doing some mental math. “You had your laundry going for six hours?”

“Not… exactly,” Movva said, continuing to sway on her paws, innocently.

“I wouldn't question it any further, Tobby…” Soapy tried to warn, but it seemed his radar ears went deaf in the face of curiosity.

“What were you doing to your clothes that would possibly require them to be in the machine for over an hour, much less six?” Too late.. He’d asked.

Movva hummed, not making eye contact as she looked at the mirrors on the ceiling of the old elevator instead. “Do you want graphic details, or is me saying it involved Jek and the washing machine being conveniently waist high enough for you?”

Soapy facepalmed as her assumptions were correct, but Tobby’s innocent bean brain took a second. “Pinky!” There he goes… “For six hours?!”

Movva shrugged a little defensively, if not nonchalantly. “What? We took breaks. I’m failing to see the issue here.”

Tobby clearly saw the issue. “How many times do I have to tell you not to leave your clothes sitting in the washing machine. I didn’t spend my weekends helping you pick them out just so you can let them sour in the wash and forever smell like mildew!”

Well… nevermind. He wasn’t upset for the reason Soapy thought.

DING!!

The gilded doors of the elevator slid open, revealing the ‘foyer’ of this year's Sabu-Kai. It was day two of the event, which meant almost all of the gangs present got to dress far more casually, as the next three nights were basically their opportunity to mingle and party without territorial lines. In reality, all of this was just to keep them busy while the bosses argued upstairs.

The foyer itself looked as fancy as any upper-end hotel lobby, but unlike said hotels, the odds of all this stonework being real were far higher. It was also the closest thing to a central shaft between the top and bottom floors that the ancient tunnels had. A series of ornate staircases and elevators were in place to ferry sha-kai to whatever floor they desired, and Great Library staff were on claw to make sure things stayed civil. In fact… there was more staff down here than she ever saw upstairs in the actual library.

“You have no idea how hard it is to get mildew funk out of clothes, do you?” Tobby asked as the group stepped out of the elevator, and Soapy tuned back into the conversation.

“Yes, I do, moooom!” Movva groaned, throwing her head back dramatically.

“I know you’re not listening to me.” He huffed, folding his arms to emphasise how much he was glaring at her.

“Just send me to my room already! It’s not like you’re my real mom anyway,” She groaned louder, slumping as she really went for the bit. She imagined this was a very common sight for the two… Reason and impulse, best friends.

Amusing as the display might be, Soapy idly reached over and pinched one of the event maps from the back pocket of a passing thug and unfurled it. “Let’s see… what all do they have this year?”

The map reminded Soapy of the cheap and colorful ones they gave out at amusement parks, not that she’d ever been to a proper one, seeing as most closed down ages ago. Primarily just a 2D view of the Great Library underground in proportion to the Nyathen’s Mesa. Each region had a color and a subsection about the amenities provided there.

“Sooo, what are we doing first?” Movva asked, her head suddenly over Soapy’s shoulder, and more importantly, all up in her personal space.

“Ah!” Soapy flinched away from the pink exotic and crumpled the map in the process. “Shihere’s tits, don't sneak up on me like that.”

Cue Tobby, standing on her opposite side already looking at her like ‘really?’ “Oh, so it’s okay when you do it to me, but not when someone does it to you?”

“Yes! I mean, no… I mean…” She glanced between him and the crumpled map before opening it back up. A perfect way to change the subject. Admittedly, she didn’t make it this far the last time she attended the Sabu-kai, ‘cause of slashing Clard's face and all. So this was all new to her.

“I'm thinking we start high and work our way down,” Movva said, having already reclaimed her place in Soapy’s personal space, head over her shoulder.

Tobby, following Movva’s example, took Soapy’s other shoulder. Despite how utterly violated her personal space felt, she looked at the map.

B0: Foyer, ballroom, meeting chambers, and exit elevators.

“That’s where we are,” Tobby commented.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious.” Movva quipped.

“You’re welcome, Sergeant Sarcastic.” Tobby snipped back. Yep… lifelong friends.

B1: Main clubhouse, fifteen different bars, and a dance hall. Bands include:...

“Hey, Soapy, ever seen Tobby drink before?” Movva smirked.

Now that Soapy thought about it. “No… Never actually.” Which was weird given how much of the stuff he handled on the daily.

“Don't encourage her,” Tobby grumbled with the veracity of someone with a virgin liver.

B2: Casino, Sha-tal & Bap-tal ring, sports betting, and another bar. All bets are final, money up front.

Soapy felt two pairs of eyes looking at her. “What? Just cause a place has a bap-tal ring doesn’t mean I’m scratching up the walls trying to get in it.”

Movva nodded. “True, but I am shameless enough to try and reverse psychology you into getting in that ring, and I’m also sure a little peer pressure from Tobby will help too.”

“Don’t get me involved in this,” Tobby protested.

Soapy could only sigh. “Tomorrow. I’m all brawled out for today. For obvious reasons.” She started before, briefly glaring at Movva: Baleful Destroyer of Innocent Shi’s Panties.

B3: Spas, salons, and massage parlors with techniques and talent sourced from all over Salafor… and beyond! They’ll fix things you didn't even know were wrong! There’s also a bar!

Soapy's head snapped to Tobby. “Not. A. Word!” she growled.

“I wasn’t going to say anything! I just thought you enjoyed the last one I took you to-”

Movva snickered. “Oh, tough shi actually enjoyed the trip to Pretty Pebbles?”

“Damn it, Tobby!”

“What?” He shrank. “There’s nothing wrong with enjoying it. I kinda want to try this one, too.”

“Someone wants his ears ruuubbed~” Movva tittered in a sing-songy voice before shifting to a scandalous whisper. “Ear slut~”

Tobby, as expected, bristled up a little and tucked his ears back. “How many times do I have to say to stop calling me that?”

“More if it’s still so fun to say,” she taunted, but grinned deviously after “Or just ask Soapy to do it, I'm sure she won’t mind getting claws on with your radars.”

Both trilled at Movva for pushing them both under the shuttle ‘Mrrp!?’

B4: ‘The Silk Temple Cathouse’ Where every vice and pleasure is free for the Sabu-Kai’s discerning guests. Every size, every shape, and every color kin has been gathered to fulfill your fantasies. Ample private rooms are available, STDs will be scanned for at the door, and partners without pop-control implants are available at the signing of a waiver. Come do Xoso proud… also, we have a bar!

Why does this one sound like an actual sales pitch…?

The last thing Soapy expected from Movva at the offering of an all-you-can-plow cathouse was disappointment. “Damn it. The one time I could get with who knows how many guys without pop-control implants for free, I happen to be happily spoken for.”

Tobby squinted from Soapy’s other shoulder. “Don’t you have a pop control implant?”

“Of course I do, industrial strength no less, but it’s the thought that makes it hot though… Pretty sure any shi would say the same unless she strictly plays tiger,” she said matter-of-factly.

Tobby's gaze sloooowly fell upon Soapy, wordlessly reaching out for confirmation about this arcane shi knowledge.

“Don’t look at me.” Said an unamused Soapy.

B5: ‘The clubs’ Teaming up with the local nightclubs that reside in the valleys surrounding the Nyathens plateau, we’ve repurposed the lowest floors of the catacombs into venues for the younger attendees. Raves, strip clubs, drug dens, and bars all as seedy as the ones back home, but with none of the usual risks. Special guests include:...

Soapy didn't bother reading the list of DJs and strippers because she was never so immersed in ‘contamination culture’ as most were when she was a teenager. She wasn’t like the older generations, either, who felt that the Shasian identity was being corrupted by the slow and steady bleed of human and Galactic community pop cultures into theirs, but she never surrounded herself with it either. There was a stark difference between clubhouse swing and an electric rave. Electric swing was good though…

Aaaaand that was everything other than the clearly marked escape tunnels. AKA the emergency exits, in case anything goes horribly wrong.

There was an odd silence from Tobby until he said. “...Maybe we avoid that one?” He suggested sheepishly. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but they could at least check it out in passing. Well, maybe not ‘passing’ since there’s nothing beyond it to pass to, but still… they could take a look.

“Shall we get started?” Movva beamed, finally pulling away from Soapy’s shoulder and taking a half step towards the stairs. “We’ve got a whole night of bad decisions to make!”

Soapy heard a small whine from Tobby. “Please tell me she’s not our designated driver…”

“I’ll steal her keys if necessary,” Soapy assured.

Whiskers grunted as he settled into the leather seat of his booth, one of many that made up the council chambers of the Sabu-kai; they were all the same, but this one was his. If one had to compare it to the one used by the Galactic community, this was certainly smaller, less techy, but definitely had an air of pre-contact class to them. No, the booths didn't turn into floating pods, or come with state-of-the-art translation systems or even private atmospheres, but they had big leather seats, wood paneling, warm lighting, and cupholders.

A class one could see through the haze of cigar smoke and warm lighting as everyone took their seats. Sha-kai bosses from across Salafor gathered under one roof in the name of solving their shared problems. They could stop killing each other long enough to solve a crisis before getting right back to it; it was just their nature.

And while yesterday's crisis may have been what to do about all the young punks making it big on the newfound human merchandise. Today’s crisis was about how those same punks, now with greying fur and multiple ex-wives, were going to keep the good times rolling.

‘History repeats itself, my ass. It rhymes, badly! Sadly, I might not live long enough to see what all scenarios rhyme with ‘oh shit, the money’s on fire’ but I can try.’ Whiskers mused internally before glancing to BB and Kaykay standing to either side of him.

BB, as always, was a stoic brick wall when on the job and certainly dressed the part. Kaykay… say what you will about his driving skills and memory span, he was diligent, even if he looked like he desperately wanted to be downstairs right now.

Whiskers sighed. “Kaykay, I know you’re bored shitless, but please try not to wear it so openly. It’s contagious."

He wasn't even wrong about the contagious thing either. There were plenty of other bodyguards and advisors gathered around their respective bosses who likely felt pretty useless at the moment. Everyone was effectively disarmed except for the hosts, who in turn knew not to abuse that power, given it was these very gangers who kept the Great Library ‘properly’ funded. The instant they stopped being a neutral third party was the instant a lot of bad things started happening in unhealthily short order.

“I’m not that bored…” Mumbled the plains-kin who’d been a good three seconds away from drooling due to lack of stimulation.

“He’z just upset he’z mizzing out on all the virginz at the brothel thiz year.” BB shot smugly.

“Fuck yous, I’m not like that.” Kaykay dismissed, flicking his ear in agitation as the two maintained their ‘guard’.

Silence ensued between the two, and Whiskers rolled his claws on the leather couch as they waited for the proceedings to commence-

“Eyy boss, you, uhh… you don’t needs us tomorrow, yeah?” He asked with a sheepish, if not pleading smile.

“Told you.” BB smugged.

“Ey! I’m trying to get us both downstairs, wiseass.”

Now that Whiskers thought about it… Maybe Soapy and Tobby could cover for these two? If they aren't too busy with the ambassador. Honestly, what were the odds little sha was so close to the ambassador to Humanity? Well, Veylana knew those odds. But far be it from her to tell him these ‘little details.’

Those ‘little details’ did paint quite a picture, though. Especially after the little threat display Tobby put on yesterday. The fabled only son of the Centornis, suddenly appears at the most important Sabu-kai of the generation to guard Whisker’s latest stray. Not only that, but he’s openly on a nickname basis with the new ambassador to humanity, adorned Soaphine in a dress so priceless it could make a Mercanti blush, and shielded her from a confrontation four years in the making? He’s certainly good at pouring fuel on a burning rumor mill.

A rumor mill, Madame Shrell more than incidentally manned, thanks to Tobby putting five new holes in her scornful bastard’s wrist. Oh, and stood up to his father, too; that was entertaining. Mr. Shaquonan made it all the better with the mention of Tobby’s ‘needles,’ loud enough for others to hear, which were one of Veylana’s favorite tools. He likely wasn't even aware Tobby had a set of sewing needles tucked in his sleeve for emergency repairs on the dress, which was his mother’s excuse, too. Little sha would likely faint if he saw himself the same way others saw the crazy sun-kin threatening to butcher Clardonis. A distilled combination of his predecessors and what they were capable of~ Using the normally over-the-top myth of Xoso flesh cults as an afterthought to his threat only made it seem far more legitimate, Bravo~

‘Oh no, Whiskers brought yet another Centorni psychopath to the Sabu-Kai again, everyone panic, everyone stay away from the food, everyone assume old Whiskers is up to something nefarious. Hehehe~’ he chuckled, imagining the terrible dialogue whilst his current ‘guards’ bickered like the best friends he knew they were, a sly smile spreading on his muzzle. The best nefarious scheme is the illusion of a nefarious scheme.

“I'd question if they were staying out of trouble, but given my luck, something will go horribly wrong the instant I say it, and I’ll have to clean it up somehow. Hmmm… “he thought aloud, but elected not to jinx himself. “I’m sure they're fine- damn it. I just did it again.” Time to text and see if they're still alive…

–

B1: Clubhouse and bars!

Tobby wasn't sure what was worse: that he felt like the odd one out while the others were doing shots at the bar… or that he felt mildly intimidated by the behemoth of a daiquiri Pinky ordered for him. It was honestly bigger than his head and redder than blood.

“Should have known~” Soapy giggled, green eyes glancing between him and the massive daiquiri. He had to turn his ears towards her every time she spoke, to pick her out from the noise of the Sabu-kai clubhouse. It was big, it was fancy, and it was packed. There was a main room with two wall-spanning bars, a big brass band, and a dance floor to match. Not to mention the numerous pathways that lead to the smaller, more themed bars.

Judged Tobby felt judged. “What? If I’m going to drink something, I want it to actually taste good.” He defended, pulling the fancy glass just a wee bit closer. He shall not be shamed for his fruity drink! Nay, he shall defend its honor, and the honor of the silly straw poking out of it!

Soapy leaned on the bar, looking him up and down for a moment while her claws played with the empty shot glass. “I was more referring to you having a sweet tooth. The ice cream really should have been the first clue. The peach was likely a good second.”

“It’s not exactly something I get to indulge in all the time…” He said, idly taking the straw into his mouth and taking the first of many sucks it would take to slay the crimson beast. This thing would last him all night. “I… don't really get out much without Pinky around,” he admitted. “And last time I checked, the menu at Whisker’s was mostly hard liquor and not… erm…” he looked back to his drink, looking for the right word.

“Colorful?” She filled in for him, sealing his fate to be teased later. “What do you do whenever the pink menace isn't around, anyway?” She asked curiously, which now that Tobby thought about it… might be the first time she ever outright asked about his life outside of work or crime, rather than digging for it or trying to squeeze it out of him.

“Oh, umm… If Pinky’s not around, I’m usually doing stuff with my mom or looking for work… which I haven’t really had to do since Noah showed up.”

“So no time for hobbies?” She flicked an ear.

“Not really…” He shrank, feeling a twinge of self-consciousness in his soul, “unless you count the visiting museums, the library, watching Wanderlust or-”

“He has hobbies, just not ones he thinks are hobbies~” Pinky finally chimed in, peeking around Tobby to join the conversation. “Because someone had to teach him how to have fun, repeatedly, and sometimes with a cast-iron pan.”

Yes, Tobby definitely needed to remember that time a younger Pinky chased him around the yard with a frying pan until he fought back because she was bored. “You knocked me out for three hours.”

“You weren't supposed to catch it with your forehead, doofus. How was I supposed to know cartoons weren’t real?”

“You whacked him with a frying pan?” Soapy asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

“Don’t let him fool you,” Pinky said, giving him a poke. “Dain Bramage Ma’gee always fails to mention his role in the great pan-fencing incident.”

“Because I never intended to hit you! I was aiming for your pan, like they do in every Star-Claws laser sword fight ever.”

Soapy snorted a bit. “Well, that paints a drastically different picture. Do you have any idea how hard it is to imagine you running around with a pan on the offensive?”

“Speaking of fun…” Pinky said as the bartender dropped off another shot for the shi. “I think tonight’s a perfect opportunity to shake the fun rust off of Tobby here~” She grinned as she took him by the shoulder and turned him to face a surprised Soapy. “What do you think, Soaps? I think he needs it.”

“H-hey wait-”

Soapy's expression shifted to one of realization, and then an equally sadistic smirk to match Pinky’s. “She has a point. Someone should probably do something about that.” That part of his brain was screaming again… especially as she quickly took hold of his hands and pulled him up from the barstool with her. “You may be classically trained, but let's see if mommy taught you how to swing too~.”

“I mean, she did, but- mrrp!” Tobby trilled as Soapy used that tough-shi strength of hers to pull him towards the dancefloor. “Wai-wai-wait! What about my daiquiri?!”

“Fuck it!”