"Something about different beliefs. And I mean nothing really happened much between the two.... Until yesterday." She coughed dryly, soothing her throat a second later with a sip of her drink.

As the fox walked in he didn't seem to notice Ian at the far corner of the bar. But after saying something to the terrier he was with he walked over to an empty table. The fox seemed tired.
"You sir," Said the wolf, who was now focusing his attention on the back shelf. Where dozens of brown unlabeled bottles stood neatly side by side. "Are in the great city of Cotopaxi, metropolis of travelers and unexpected adventures." The wolf smiled as he said the last part. "Least that's what it says in our brochure." He gave a hearty laugh. "Nah. Just kidding, we're just a small community of interesting people. Speaking of which. What brings you to our modest settlement?"
He then turned his attention the terrier Samaki was with, who sat himself down nearby.
"What can i get for you today sir?"

"Hey, Scraps I'm... gonna be at the tables." He made a half wave before making his way to an empty table in the corner and sitting down in one of the wooden chairs. After which he crossed his arms on the table and rested his head on them, promptly closing his eyes.
After speaking to the malamute that was seated near him the barman turned his attention to him. "What can I get you today sir." The grey wolf said with a bartender grin.

"Well, yeh knoow." The ferret walked out of the bar into the warm cave air. "Can't let chivalry die joost yet, now can ah?" Rom grinned and walked over to Scratch. He pointed down the eastward path. "Should take us in tah tha heart ah town."

No one responded to Harrison's calls. And the pounding of the door seemed to do nothing.

As the wolf/dog knocked he happened to glance down at the rusty doorknob and noticed there was no keyhole.

"The beloved town ah Cotopaxi." He grinned and looked around appreciatively. "Iss ah small town on the border of tha Ridge." He returned his attention to Scratch. "We're a lively bunch, but we like ta keep to ourselves. Keep tha meaningless political problems to tha politicians right? Especially now..." Ending with a somber tone.

[/color]

The wolf nodded. "I think I can spare some." He turned around and looked at the shelves of brown bottles. "Somewhere..." He scratched his head, looking from one unlabeled bottle to another. "Sorry. Haven't had anyone ask for water in... well." He looked down at the other end of the bar. 'Was it over there or...hmm" He cough, looking slightly embarrassed. "Err. Be right back. I'll get your water in a jiff (once I find it...)" Walking over to the front end of the long bar, looking at the shelves as he continued.
Leaving Scraps and Ian to themselves.

The ferret bit his lip. Then slowly shook his head. "Like ah said. Its noot our problem." He gave Scratch a small smile. "Look,I doon't realleh fancy gettin in tah that stuff. An ah got tha town to wooreh about as sit tis." He held his hands out and looked around. "Its a beaut-ah ful afternoon." Rom grinned. "Your a nice lass. Why doon't we just try and find yar jacket, ok?"
(Persuasion Opportunity!)

The handle turned with no resistance and the door swung open with a loud creak. The floorboards whined with each step.
There was nothing else in the room that Harrison couldn't see from the door. The red carpet that in the middle of the room lay there. The bookshelf loomed over the bed in the corner, its shelves filled with many books. And a table with a wooden chair was set up near the window (so when one sat down, he would be able to face the desk and look outside). The piece of paper and quill still sat undisturbed. As far as Harrison could tell, he couldn't see anyone in the room.
(cue investigation music)

Scraps turned to the malamute sitting next to him, "So uh...I take it you're a bit lost too?"

"that seems to be pretty common around here right now," Ian replied. "cruise ship?"

"apparently we're part of some sort of game... and I was told that Samaki's a virus in the game." Ian lowered his voice as he said the last part, hoping the fox wouldn't hear.

Scraps scoffed at the last part of the last part of Ian's sentence. "Well that "virus" helped me break out of jail earlier today. I'll believe he's out to get me when I see it. Lemme guess someone came to you in a dream and told ya about the game right? Any idea what the rules are or why we're playing? I never really got that far."

The canine looked around. As if she was nervous someone would over hear her. "Look, news travels fast around here. I don't really like getting into it but." She lowered his voice, moving her head closer to Flynn's so she wouldn't have to talk so loud. "What I've been hearing lately. Is that the some royalty from the Federation got.". She moved her finger across the front of her jacket covered neck, making the universal sign.

Rom looked grimly at the Raccoon, as if thinking about what he should do. "Well..."

The ferret sighed, his short tail drooping. "Fine fine...I guess I can tell you something." He took off his hat and creased the edges as he contemplated what to share. "Ook. So, yesterrdeh. Thars been roomers floatin around that... someone from the Federation Monarchy is dead. He shook his head, regretting he said anything. Rom waved his hand dismissively. "Look, as long as yah don't affiliate yerself with eithar of them. You'll be fine..."

"All I know is that there are seven of us playing, plus Samaki, who the sponsors don't like being here, he whispered, still trying to be sure that Samaki couldn't hear. "They actually want him eliminated, but I promised him we'd find our owners, and I'm not about to break that promise. that cat over there is with us too, too" he said, pointing to Flynn.

Scraps squinted and rubbed his eyes, "Holy ####! I know that cat we met when we washed up on the beach. Glad he made it away from whatever was chasing us. Any idea who the other four players are?

The canine nodded. "The red straw that broke the camel's back.". The canine was about to continue speaking when she spotted something. She nodded at something behind Flynn. "Speak of the devil.". At the table in the far right corner was a black fox who appeared to be sleeping. He dawned a light silver suit of armor and wore an iron helm that was clearly too big for him. Engraved on the helm were three rings looping through each other created the symbol of unity. "Federation soldier...". She also pointed down the back end of the bar at a terrier, currently speaking to a malamute. "There's another one.". The canine seemed to tense as she watched the two.

"Oh, so you were the other one we heard. not really, no. We'll probably have to find them, eventually[\color]"

Rom scratched the back of his head. "Eh, noothin much ta say bout it." He shrugged nonchalantly, but his voice sounded more chipper.
"Tha Ridge covers ah good deal ah territory. Towns, large cities, outer settlements, all strung tahgether by tunnels." He smiled. "Ah, but you should see tha cities out thar."
He looked like he almost swooned. "Tha capital. What ah beaut. Ya'know I only went thar once."
His smile waned slightly "But ye'know, yeh got yer crooks, vandals wanderin tha System too. Some ah them are nasty..."
The ferret looked over a Scratch. "The Ridge has herr ups and downs. But if its an advenchar yar lookin for. She'll never let yeh down."

Despite the canine's efforts, the wooden floor under him continued to creak with every step on his way to the table.
It was an ordinary square table. no drawers or compartments on it. The wood looked old and worn, and so did the paper (showing a tint of yellow on what should a pure white surface). The inkwell sat next to the paper quietly. The white feathered quill neatly dipped into it. The paper looked unused.

Scraps nodded " I guess I am. But we should probably find someplace to stay and whatever they use for money around here before we start looking for the other players. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to but I'm not exactly sure when we're gonna get home and we might have to hang around here for a while."

"You're probably right," Ian replied. "even if there's a way back, the sponsors will probably hide it from us until the endgame"

Tick tock goes the clock. 12P.M

The canine gulped down the last of the liquid from her cup before getting up. "Hey" She shrugged. "If your sure. But, you don't get that insignia on your helmet anywhere." The canine put her hands in the hoodie pockets and turned to Flynn.
From this vantage point(her standing up and him sitting down), Flynn could see somewhat under the hood, two violet eyes, staring back at him.
"And if I were you. I'd stay away from em."
And with that, she made a disdain wave and walked out the door.

Though... was it just him? Or... did she seem in a rush after she spotted the two?
Behind the bar the bartender was looking through the bottles on the shelf close to him, muttering. "Where is it...where is it..."

"Cotopaxi." The ferret corrected. Pronouncing it slowly for her (Co-tow-pax-e). "Well, as yah can see. We're a small town. On tha border of tha Ridge ourselves. But, y'knoow. If yeh want tah know moore you can probably ask tha cat who runs this herre fine town."
As they talked they walked past a small cottage. Stone steps led up to it.

The floor continued to creak as he made his way over the bookshelf, walking over the rug as he did.

*creak*, *creak*, *creak* went the wooden floor as he walked.
*creak*, *creak*, *creak*
*creak*, *creak*, *creak*
*creak*, *creak*, *thump*. ?
His foot stepping on the center of the round red rug.

Scraps nodded somberly, "Exactly, I doubt whatever put us here are going to be much help in getting us out. The better we establish ourselves in this city or wherever we have to go the better chance we have of finding a way out without it. I don't want to count on them or it or whatever got us here any more than we have to.

Flynn stood up from the bar and walked towards Scraps and whoever he was with.
"Good to see you made it out alive, Scraps" he said with a friendly smile. When he got close enough to whisper to him, he asked "what's with the guard get-up?" then he turned his head and saw the other dog. "Oh, Ian... I found water."

[Flynn stood up from the bar and walked towards Scraps and whoever he was with.
"Good to see you made it out alive, Scraps" he said with a friendly smile. When he got close enough to whisper to him, he asked "what's with the guard get-up?" then he turned his head and saw the other dog. "Oh, Ian... I found water."

Scraps watched Ian walking towards Samaki as he talked to Flynn, "I had to break out of jail," he took the helmet off and set it one the bar next to him, "I haven't decided if I should ditch it yet."

"Since you were talking to Ian, I'll assume you're part of this game, too. counting myself, you make five players that I know of, and one that might be. Her name's Claire. Pretty cute, but kinda strange. Could just be cause she's tired." he then reached into (wherever I put those coins earlier) and pulled out the copper (or bronze or whatever they were) coins. He put his arm over Scraps' shoulder as he showed them to him and said, "I also sold a gift from my "sponsor" to a suc...gambler to get some coin."

Samaki was sitting in one of tables in the far corner, resting his crossed arms on the table and resting his chin on his arms. He was wearing a light silver suit of armor and an iron helmet on his head, which was clearly to big for him (it was covering his eyes.). He didn't seem to react when Ian walked up to him. Maybe because-
*snore...*
The sound was light, but audible to Ian. The fox muttered something quietly before continuing his peaceful breathing.

The ferret shook his head. "Fraid I doon't know much. There arr ah few explorers out thar but none have found anything worthy ta drink to." Rom put his hands behind his head. "but y'knoow. There's this legend that floots round tha Ridge. Sort tov ah child's tale really.

"Good assumption. I don't have any idea what the game is or how to play but apparently I'm in it. And thanks for the heads up about the helmet, I'll ditch it before we leave. I don't need a bunch of revolutionaries after me if I can help it." He looked closely at the coin as he smirked at Flynn's slip in speech, "And you don't need to be coy about it. Never hurts to have a slick talker in the group. I'm not sure those two," he motioned towards samaki and Ian, "know too much about surviving the less savory parts of a city. I'm just glad you're on my side.

"Yeah, and If you escaped jail, then I'm glad to have you too," he said with a smile.
but if he comes between me and winning whatever game this is, he's going down, he thought.