Chapter 51 - The Barkeep's Massive, Throbbing Tips!

The detective trio was coming ever closer to finding their culprit.

Akira, seeking more details about this "upper crust" of Mithil, returned to the Amrita with Kanna and Ai in tow to consult with the locals.

As the two approached the bar, the Barkeep winked at Kanna—causing her to bristle.

"Welcome back, Pinkie." She teased. "So, how's that hangover treating you?"

Kanna made a face, pointing her finger. "SCREW. You."

Smiling, Akira gently rested a hand on her contentious companion, moving her aside.

"I've received a tip that Madame Lakshmi is something of an...aristocrat." Akira fumbled, to find the right choice of words. "A...noble. Someone of higher...status."

The Barkeep leaned in closer, prompting Akira, Ai, and Kanna to do the same.

Her voice had fallen to a whisper—barely audible above the din of the club patrons.

"I wouldn't go sniffing around in the business of the Ivories, if I were you."

"Basically...here in Mithil, you've got the 'Ivory' class of players, that get to live luxuriously in their own comfy, clean little section of the city..."

"They're the blue collar types: Politicians. Priests. City guards. Scholars. The 'elite' citizens."

"On the other hand..." She sighed, rolling her eyes. "There's everybody else. Average people like us, called the Ebonies."

"The factory workers, prostitutes, street criminals, the homeless..."

Akira watched her massive mammaries heave and sway with her movements, as she spoke.

'I swear, they've only gotten bigger since we first met!'

They tauntingly spilled and sagged across the counter, like a pair of overfilled water balloons, just within grabbing distance.

The Barkeep quickly caught on to where Akira's gaze was directed, with a knowing smirk.

"I take it you'll stop at nothing to find the Madame." She said.

Akira, returning to the seriousness that the situation had demanded, gave a nod.

The Barkeep, scratching her chin in contemplation, slyly leaned off the counter such that her milk-swollen breasts were placed on full display.

She yawned—in what Ai viewed as a clearly obvious, fake way—before continuing:

"If you like, I can certainly help you get into the Ivory District..."

She crossed her arms in front of her chest—subsequently causing the eye-poppingly magnificent pair of twins to squeeze together.

"Only, I'm a firm believer of quid pro quo...and could really use an extra set of hands."

"My back is really starting to hurt, if you know what I mean, and--unlike the other FLOOZIES that work here--I don't let just anyone touch me." She explained. "I may not be an Ivory, but I'm still a high-class girl who'll only cater to the most affluent of customers."

Ai huffed. "High-class girl?" She turned her head. "I know garbage when I see it."

Fuming at this slight, the Barkeep added, "Your girlfriend can help, too, if she's willing to put the past behind."

Akira slammed her palms on the table suddenly, startling them both.

"Woman..." She growled, through clenched teeth, with her tail perked up as a sign of aggression. "As your new boss, I DEMAND you to take me to this Ivory District!"

Ai watched in awed silence, as a warm and tingly sensation grew inside her.

'That's right, Akira!' She thought to herself.

'Give this slutty bitch a taste of the kind of man you really are!'

The Barkeep had a terrified look—by this point realizing she'd played too close to the fire: a CHIEF EXECUTIVE fire—one that didn't fall for such cheap tricks.

As Akira continued her outburst, patrons of the bar were beginning to take notice:

"I don't owe you ANYTHING, after you drugged my wife and helped kidnap my other wife!"

"You're lucky to even still have a JOB, after what you've done!"

"So...here's my final offer." She said, her voice lowering from a furious shout to just a malicious murmur.

"Either help me clean up YOUR mess, or—"she pointed to the open door—"you're FIRED!"

A period of silence set in, following Akira's final words.

Everyone that had gathered at the bar, along with Ai and Kanna, stared at the wide-eyed Barkeep expectantly, awaiting her answer, until at last she fumbled her lip for a bit, swallowed it briefly, then sighed.

"Okay." She whispered, drooping her head in surrender.

"Meet me here, first thing in the morning."

"I'll take you as close as we can possibly get to the Ivory Quarter, and maybe then you'll finally see how hopeless this little quest of yours really is."

...

Night had fallen, and the fog across Mithil's deserted streets had grown especially thick.

En route to their hotel room, Kanna had walked with Akira, clear of the Amrita, to a distant trash-scattered alleyway, where they could talk in privacy.

"For a moment there...I was worried you'd fallen for that girl's tricks." Kanna said.

"I used to know a lot of girls like that." Kanna chuckled. "She probably preys on wealthy customers all the time."

"Wanted you wrapped around her finger, bleed you for all you're worth, then toss you out."

Akira, in a mischievous mood, glanced at her with suspicion.

"Sure you're not just a little bit...jealous?"

Kanna winced. For a moment she stood frozen, incredulous.

"What!? Jealous of who? HER!?"

"Yeah." Akira nodded. "Because she's...bigger?"

Kanna blinked, frozen yet again.

"What!?"

"You heard me."

Kanna buried her face in her hands, sighing.

"I seriously can't believe—"

Akira smirked. "It's okay to admit it, Kanna-chan!"

"You're having one of those competitive urges of yours right now, aren't you?"

Kanna turned on her, flustered.

"There's more to a woman than her breasts, you know!"

"Besides...I'm NOT going to admit to something that ISN'T true, PERVERT!"

Yet still, Akira and Ai kept up with their taunts, even as Kanna grew progressively more angry:

"I had no idea you were so frail about your femininity, Kanna-chan!" Ai said.

"It's okay if you only have average-sized breasts, you know!" Akira added, flaunting her own impressive pair. "Maybe work out less, and you wouldn't have a body like a man's!"

Kanna's increasing anger was only motivating them further.

"Grrr....!" She at first resisted: smiling while grinding her teeth, fists clenched, her whole body shaking.

However, it was only a matter of time until she reached her boiling point.

"Shhhhut it!" She erupted—drawing out her [Windhammer], in a wide swinging arc.

Akira, shocked by the sudden attack, swerved aside to narrowly avoid the ensuing twister as it soared past her, ripping through the stones of the wall of the nearby building like a spinning saw blade, casting about a shower of [Small Chunks] and [Stray Pebbles] in all directions.

Akira and Ai, laughing in surprise, ducked behind a dumpster for cover.

"I'm s-s-so sorry—" Kanna blurted, only to be cut off by her own bout of laughter.

They were having a good time, laughing together; when suddenly, this much-needed respite was interrupted...by a sound of someone else's—a woman's—harsh laughter.

Startled, they both turned toward the mouth of the alleyway...where a figure had emerged.

"Am I interrupting...a bit of a lover's spat?" A familiar voice greeted them.

As the floating dust and debris cleared, they got a better look at the figure as it walked forth gracefully, on a pair of stiletto heels.

"I had no difficulty following you—what with all the NOISE you Ebony RATS make!"

A faint ray of moonlight, streaming down into the shadowy alley at just the right angle, revealed the figure to be none other than the [Suckretary]!

She smiled at their confused expressions, in that faintly wicked way that she had before.

However, there was something...different about her.

There was a shine in her eyes, and the pupil and color was all wrong.

The Suckretary's eyes had become distinctly...CAT-like.

"I warned you both to keep your noses out of Madame Lakshmi's affairs..."

More figures appeared behind her—claws drawn, with flitting ears poking out of their heads.

"There is much that goes on in this town, that you mustn't disturb."

Akira and Kanna had only faced this adversary once before, but there was still no doubt in either of their minds what stood before them...

It was an army of Rakshasa, hungry for blood....and there was nowhere to run.