I relax in the warm bathwater, sudsy after pouring some of the liquid I found in a vial next to the tub. It's an well-needed bath, admittedly, with waking up late this morning, and then proceeding to be used by two drunk men. Only my Ability has kept my appearance acceptable, but even this supposed magic can only be stretched so far—a trait I thought also applied to my ass, throat, and pussy, but has recently been proven to not be the case.
It must be [Durable Orifices] that let my ass handle Connor's massive cock without getting seriously hurt. What a disturbingly useful Ability for a [Courtesan] to have. It wasn't a simple task getting those mens' cum out of and off of me, mixed with whatever lubricant gel that Connor used on me. I wonder if that's my next Ability, "[Fluid Disposal]". I snort with a stifled laugh, disturbing the napping form of my familiar that lays on a nearby rug.
It—she? Do familiar's have a gender? It feels like a she to me, anyway. She appeared again shortly after the two men left. Well, I'm glad she didn't stay to watch actually—I don't think that would have been a good first impression on my familiar. I look at the cat, she seems to be a little more solid since I first summoned her this morning, though I can still make out the pattern of the rug that's under her. "You'll need a name, won't you?"
I think for a moment, "...Bluey? No, that's stupid," my face scrunches, cringing at my self. The ghostly cat's eyes looks into mine with that eternal gaze of casual uninterest that all felines share. Something tells me that this name isn't something so simple as naming the household pet that your parents just brought back from the shelter, that what I choose will have lasting impacts and consequences—both good and bad. Sliding deeper into the water, I look up at the ceiling and think.
Seconds pass, and I think. Then minutes. I'm not sure how much time passes before my fingers begin to prune and I give up, getting out of the tub and drying myself off and dressing before exiting back into the main floor of the Lounge, the sound of a cat's claws clicking on tile follow behind me. I see Gallae at the front desk, looking bored and dressed as proactively as any of the women that chatter to each other in the large foyer. They pay me and my familiar no mind as I pass by, either unaware or uncaring—who knows what is considered an unusual sight in this place?
Gallae, however, is keenly interested in the little blue cat trotting behind me. Noticing this, I turn to greet the Dryad who is already excitedly waving me over to him, "And who do we have here, new girl? A familiar? With a Human? Stranger things, I suppose," he nods to a woman behind me who takes his place behind the front desk, "So, what's its name?"
"I'm having a hard time figuring that out, actually. I nearly turned into a raisin trying to come up with a name for it..."
"A ray-zin?"
Shit! They don't have grapes here? I act like I didn't hear the questions and continue, "...I have a feeling that I need to be certain that I'm choosing the right name for it; that not just anything will do."
"And you would be correct. I wouldn't worry so much, though—it will come to you, trust me." He grins as a small animal that looks like some cross between a rat and a squirrel poofs into existence on his shoulder. Green, and fully opaque, it stares right at me and I get a discomforting sense that it's intelligent.
"Hello, Sarah."
"Gah!" the hamster-ish addresses me directly, making me jump in surprise. It's voice does not match it's body—deep and sophisticated sounding.
"Oh, never met a fully-matured familiar before? I'm Gimple, apologies for the startle, hoho!" he give's a deep, hearty laugh, somehow despite his small stature.
My surprise turns to skepticism, "you did not name him Gimple."
"I did, it means 'Trustworthy companion' in my language."
"Don't lie to woman, Gallae! Admit that you just liked the sound of it."
"You always ruin the fun, Gimmy!" Gallae flicks the little animal on the forehead and they begin arguing back-and-forth, seemingly forgetting that me and the rest of the lobby are watching. I take this as an opportunity to get lunch, well brunch anyway—I haven't had the chance to eat breakfast and I'm too hungry to wait for lunch. Is brunch a thing here?
It seems that it is. The dinning hall has a salad-bar like table filled with some identifiable meals: the equivalent to english muffins, poached eggs, and some bananas—though they're purple instead of yellow. There's also things I don't recognize: strange leafy greens with orange veins and fruits that look like an oranges that were forced to grow in an hourglass, to name a few. I realize there's the ingredients to make a sort of eggs florentine; some thick, yellow sauce, red fruits that are definitely tomatoes, and those greens might make a good substitute for spinach. Stomach growling, I assemble it all on top of one of the english muffins, topping it with the savory golden sauce.
That's it! It's Perfect! "Florentine! That's your name! I almost shout at the little blue cat that looks up at me curiously. I feel a shift in the air and suddenly the cat seems much more real, solid.
"Beautiful name, master." she responds back to me in a sultry, purring voice that makes me jump just as Gimple did minutes ago. I drop the plate in surprise, splaying my delicious meal across the floor.
"Shit!"
[Familiar Named! ---> Florentine!]
[Familiar Level 1!]
[Familiar Ability Gained! Anthropomorph!]
