Pulchra would receive a message from Burnice on Knock Knock:
[text] Remember when you told us about your ex who saved you from the Hollow?
[text] I think she just came by my bar today!
Pulchra coughed harshly a few times, hastily pulling a cool bottle of water away from her lips and setting it down somewhere as she stared at Burnice's messages on her phone. While it still bothered her that she would continue to call Liv her ex despite correcting her numerous times, it was more important to her that the lemur had been spotted recently.
There was no fanfare, no last rites, no final words before the Rogue Angel pulled the trigger, her latest victim becoming unrecognizable as she sent him to oblivion.
Liv will be dependent on Pulchra in terms of city life. Liv hasn't ever been to New Eridu, having gone to the Outer Ring before the fall of the Old Capital. Even though Liv will do her best to hide it, Pulchra will notice how nervous she is as they go through places like Sixth Street and Lumina Square.
Liv will insist that she doesn't need anything fancy such as a fur care day or mani-pedi. She'll say it's impractical and a waste of money, but at that point Pulchra will know what Liv really means: She doesn't think she'll live long enough to need one. That sentiment will become more apparent as time goes on, and Pulchra's desire to make up for lost time will push her to insist on treating Liv. Because it's Pulchra, Liv will give it a shot. This will in turn lead to Liv...living a little more. One spa day will change her life.
Liv will say she doesn't care for gossip, but her ears perk up every time Pulchra shares anything about Wise, Belle, the Sons of Calydon, or anything else. Liv, in her near deadpan voice, will ask for juicy details, and unlike Wise, she doesn't have to pay for Pulchra's info.
Now, onto Mortym:
Mortym is insecure about his state as a sphynx, being hairless. I don't know if Pulchra will outwardly say she's not interested in him partly because of that, but it will be in his mind regardless. Little does he know that Liv thinks his pink, hairless skin is really hot, wrinkles notwithstanding.
Mortym fears even touching Liv accidentally, thinking he'll lose a hand or worse if that were to happen. However, when that does happen, Liv just goes silent, and her mask hides how red her face gets. She realizes just how attracted she is to him and goes into an almost tsundere-like internal panic. Fortunately, she doesn't act aggressively towards those she likes.
Mortym sees Liv's alcoholism, aggressive survivalism, and harshness and thinks, "I can fix her." Liv sees Mortym's attempts at humor to mask his insecurities and harsh luck in the city and thinks, "I can fix him." Their mutual desire to improve the other's life makes for a surprisingly wholesome relationship.
Unleash six close range knife attacks, the final hit propelling Liv backwards with a backflip, dealing Physical damage. Each successful hit regains 1 Big Iron shot, with a maximum of 6.
Dodge: Eleventh Hour
A quick dash dodge. Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
Dodge: Celestial Celerity
While tilting the joystick, hold Dodge to activate: Summons Ethereal wings in a high-speed movement state. Steer with the joystick, and release the joystick to stop.
Dash Attack: All In
Press Attack during a dodge to activate: Shoots enemies in front with a revolver, dealing Physical damage. Does not consume Big Iron shots.
Dodge Counter: Ringtailed Retribution
Press Attack during a Perfect Dodge to activate: Shoots enemies in front with a revolver, dealing Physical damage. If there's at least 1 Big Iron shot left, attack is upgraded to a frontal shotgun attack, dealing Ether damage. Character is invulnerable during this skill.
Quick Assist: Halo Effect
When the active character is launched, press Assist to activate: Swoops down and shoots enemies, dealing Physical damage at 0 Big Iron shots or Ether damage with at least 1 Big Iron shot. Character is invulnerable during this skill.
Evasive Assist: Wide is the Gate
When the on-field character is about to be attacked, press Assist to activate: Flies backwards to dodge an enemy attack and activates Vital View. Character is invulnerable during this skill.
Assist Follow-Up: Broad is the Road
Press Attack after an Evasive Assist to activate: Fires two revolver shots, dealing Ether damage. Skill does not consume Big Iron shots.
Special Attack: Four Coffins
Press Special Attack to activate: Fires revolver shots forward, consuming Big Iron shots to deal Ether damage. If there are no Big Iron shots left, Four Coffins instead deals Physical damage. Press and hold Special Attack to sacrifice a portion of HP to refill all Big Iron shots.
EX Special Attack: Divine Decree
Press Special Attack to activate: Fires shotgun blasts forward, dealing massive Ether damage. Enemies hit with this skill receive Anathema status, suffering a debuff in Defense for 15s. Skill does not consume Big Iron shots. Character is invulnerable during this skill.
Chain Attack: Golden Ladder
When a Chain Attack is triggered, select the character to activate: Unleashes a dual-trigger shotgun blast, dealing massive Ether damage. Applies the Anathema status. Character is invulnerable during this skill.
Ultimate: Kingdom Come
When Decibel Rating is at Maximum, press Ultimate to Activate: Fires a quick barrage of shots forward with both revolvers and a double shotgun blast, dealing massive Ether damage. Applies the Anathema status. Character is invulnerable during this skill.
Core Passive: A Hundred Highways
Liv sacrifices X% of her health to refill her Big Iron shots. Anathema decreases enemy Defense by X%. ATK, CRIT Rate, and Ether DMG increase by X%.
Additional Ability: Battle Hymn
When another character in your squad is an Attack agent, has the Physical attribute, or can perform an Aftershock attack: Squad ATK and CRIT Rate increase by 25 percent for 10s when triggering an Aftershock. The squad ignores 25 percent of Physical resistance. When any squad member triggers an Ultimate, all squad members receive a 20 percent bonus to ATK for 12s.
🐛 - An intense nightmare that made them wake up in a cold sweat (For Caesar)
The reports were true; Kasa was dead.
Billy told Caesar several stories about the sheer barbarism of Senatus mercenaries. Kasa's body hung from a noose around her neck, the rope hanging from a sign that read, "Welcome to Blazewood!" Seeing Kasa like that made Caesar's blood run cold. Only one person could have been responsible for such a display.
Blazewood was a ghost town. Footprints were scattered throughout the sand, broken glass glistening on the ground. Caesar rode in with her crew, looking for signs of anyone still within the town. Everyone kept their weapons in hand, moving slowly and sweeping the area with their eyes several times over.
Pulchra approached Caesar's side and pleaded, "Once we find Liv, please let me talk to her. She has to have an explanation for this..."
Before Lucy could say anything in protest, the crew heard something land behind them.
"No need," said Liv, her purple and white wings appearing on her back. Caesar didn't even see the lemur draw her revolver before a gunshot rang out, Pulchra's body going limp as she dropped her blade guns. She crumpled to the ground, blood slowly flowing out of her forehead.
From that point, it felt as though the world moved in slow motion. While everyone gasped at Pulchra's sudden death, Burnice screamed out, "PULCHRA!" The blonde woman's eyes filled with tears as she dropped to her knees in despair. Another shot from Liv's revolver disfigured Burnice's face instantly.
The surviving members of the Sons of Calydon all rushed her, but the monstrous lemur drew and fired her weapons with an ungodly speed. Lighter fell as an 11 Opus round left his eye hanging by a bundle of nerves. Lucy choked and grasped her profusely bleeding throat before collapsing. Piper dropped her saw after a round hit her in the chest.
Caesar tried to run, but someone or something slowed her down. The more she ran, the further away she got from her fallen comrades. Several spectral hands were dragging her back, Caesar somehow knowing that those were the souls of Leaps and Bounds employees whom Liv killed. The spectral hands left Caesar once Liv shot her in the knee, right below where Caesar held her shield. Caesar shrieked as extreme agony shot throughout her leg, stumbling and moving slower than before.
Liv disappeared in a velvet-purple mist, appearing at Caesar's left and drawing her shotgun. Before Caesar could react, Liv fired, blowing Caesar's prosthetic arm clean off with the shield still attached. Caesar thought back to that day when she originally lost her arm, crushed between two large pieces of rubble as the Calydon gang violently disbanded before her eyes. Now bleeding from her stump once more, Caesar gritted her teeth and swung her sword downward as a last act of defiance against the treacherous Thiren.
Liv sidestepped Caesar's blow and fired her shotgun again, hitting Caesar square in the chest. Lead and shrapnel pierced Caesar's heart, the human flying backwards from the blast as several trails of blood left her torso, head and agony all throughout her body like dozens of hot needles poking through her at once.
Caesar stared into the high noon sun, trying and failing to get up as she began to black out. She cursed the lemur under her breath, fighting to stay awake and within the mortal realm. She had to if she stood any chance to avenge the citizens of Blazewood, avenge Kasa, avenge her family.
Liv loomed over Caesar, inexplicably morphing into Pompey before he'd gotten corrupted. In his low, gravelly voice, he spoke, "You never had what it takes to be Overlord, kid." He lifted a boot and stomped Caesar in the face, making her black out.
Caesar shot up in her bedroll, breathing heavily. She wasn't in Blazewood, but rather one of the many campsites the crew had established. Everyone there was sound asleep, unharmed. Even Burnice had finally fallen asleep after her usual Nitro Fuel binge. Caesar silently panicked when she didn't find Pulchra there, only calming down as she recalled that Pulchra was traveling with Liv to treat the lemur's corruption. All she heard were the gentle breeze blowing throughout the land and the chirping of crickets in the distance.
She laid her head back down and closed her eyes, feeling the cold pool of sweat on her pillow. She never again would fall asleep for the rest of the night.
A song that fits with something not yet written in your WIP.
A song to describe how the MC feels at the START of the work.
The movie score that fits your work best.
You're getting Lethal Ether Redemption brainrot
This will play at some point in LER where the "redemption" part of Lethal Ether Redemption cones into play. If you played Red Dead 2, you might have a very good idea what'll happen.
As Liv wakes up, she realizes she has to leave the familiarity of Senatus territory and undertake the unknowns of the Old Oil Field district. While this song seems more suited for Caesar as she considers retaliating against The Rogue Angel, the story never would have started if Liv never crossed the border between Senatus and the Old Oil Field known as Rubicon.
Very apt that this song applies to Liv since she has a secret passion for westerns. In-universe, the movie is known as "A Fistful of Dennies."
Right now in the story, Pulchra finally found Liv again after eight years, and what did she use to find Liv again?
A crushed up fistful of Dennies that retained her scent.
Just like the Stranger, Liv is a lone vagrant with a proficiency for gunfighting, riding, and intimidation.
Paradise Lost: Liv's ATK increases by 10 percent when her health is below 25 percent, and an additional 15 percent if she's the only squad member left. Squadmates gain a 5 percent bonus to ATK at 25 percent health as well.
"I left Eridu before it fell. Bastards broke into my home and killed my parents. I didn't know how to fight at all, so I ran. I couldn't protect myself or my brother. That was the first time I'd ever been alone."
Her Mother's Daughter: Liv's Special Attack and EX Special Attack damage increases by 20 percent. Squadmates receive the same buff by 10 percent.
"My mom was part of the Eridu Defense Force when she had my brother. She went into the reserves to spend more time at home raising us. To keep her skills sharp, she did competition shooting, and she kicked ass. When Uncle Rai saw how good I was with a rifle, he said I reminded him of my mom."
Extreme Prejudice: When Liv defeats an enemy, she gains a 25 percent bonus to ATK and a 10 percent bonus to CRIT Rate for 7s. Continuous kills reset the duration, but once the time runs out, this buff can't be activated for another 30s.
"First time I killed a man was when I was 18. Someone grabbed my hair and yanked me back in an alley. I tried calling for help and getting my gun, but he put a hand over my mouth and nicked my revolver. When I knew nobody would help me, I swiped at his arm with my dagger, damn near cut his arm off. I kept stabbing him until he stopped choking on his blood."
Irresistible Disgrace: Quick Assist, Defensive Assist, and Chain Attack damage increase by 10 percent.
"I fell in love once, a year before I met Pulchra. Tried getting a job as a farm hand. I was never good with animals, but that didn't stop the farmer's son from falling for me. I tried keeping him at arm's length, but I was younger, more naive. I thought maybe he was the one. Some bastards I spared some time ago found me and started shooting up the farm. I learned two lessons that day: one, don't ever leave an enemy alive again, and two, that I can never escape mercenary life."
Flicker of Redemption: When Liv triggers an Aftershock, Ether DMG increases by 20 percent.
"I was ready to do all this alone. I didn't have any other reason than to get back at the bastards who tried to kill me, just like any other time. But seeing Pulchra and Mortym again, two people I helped save, two people who were...happy to see me again...it meant a lot to me."
The Seventh Seal: Liv's Ultimate damage increases by 20 percent. When she uses her Ultimate, all squadmates get a 15 percent bonus to ATK for 10s.
"I don't know what'll end first; me or the world. I just know I'm gonna make some Exaltist bastards hurt. None of them will live to see the new world they're trying to create."
It had been a week since the incident at Joseph’s tavern. The last Hollow incident left Liv broke, and Dino didn’t carry many Dennies with him when he forgot his wallet. She had to fuel up at some point, and when money got tight, she accessed caches left throughout the western half of the Outer Ring. Said caches were stashed under large rocks, within abandoned vehicles, and in corrupted buildings within Hollows. They contained Dennies, extra ammo, hardtack, and spare anti-corruption cream she spared during the many years she’d been on a bike. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to keep her going until she got to Blazewood.
Most nights she found a secluded spot in the desert and slept under the stars on a somewhat comfortable bedroll. If it got cold at night, her jacket and fur would be sufficient to keep her warm. She’d planned her route to hit every town that had a fueling station, getting a hot meal and cool water every time. Many within those towns recognized her, some regarding her warmly as Joseph did, others keeping a wide berth from her. The latter group would have done so without seeing the new Ethereal scars on her body. A few establishments outright banned her, one store owner saying, “You turned a bar fight into a bloodbath! Stay away from here!”
She showered at a truck stop, the first time she’d bathed since the day she woke up alone in the Hollow. It didn’t help with the itching in her neck and back, but she at least didn’t feel as dead as everyone else thought she was. As she dried herself off and looked in the mirror, she could see the purple cracks in her cheeks as well as her pixie cut turning grey, an inch and a half at the tip inexplicably having shifted in color. She frowned at herself. I’m 28…how many years did they take away from me? She was never all that concerned about her own mortality, and she knew that if she was competent enough in her job, she’d eventually get old. Did Horace’s injection accelerate the rate at which her body aged? How long did she have left before she couldn’t aim properly, couldn’t ride fast anymore?
Standing in front of a mirror wouldn’t provide her answers. When she looted Dino’s phone, the rest of the gang confirmed that their next destination was Blazewood. Some asked where Dino was, but Liv didn’t answer. Doing so may have tipped them off about her survival.
The route she took to Blazewood led her through several Hollows. Strangely, the itching she felt in her neck and back subsided when she was in the Hollow, replaced by a small tingling in her neck and back. While the relief was welcome, it also raised more questions. She’d never heard of anyone feeling better in the Hollow.
Blazewood was a quieter, friendlier town than the ones in Liv’s end of the Outer Ring. It was larger than Nero’s Butte, able to accommodate for more truck and bike traffic. The newest development that Liv could see was a restaurant called Cheesetopia, a long queue forming outside the saloon doors. She checked her pocketwatch. It was half past noon. The lunch rush was going strong, and considering the amount of children in line, it likely didn’t have what Liv really needed.
Cheesetopia was across the street from an unnamed bar. Liv parked her bike directly outside and arched her back, stretching after hours of riding. After hearing her back and joints pop, she took a long whiff, closing her eyes. There were dozens of scents to pick through, such as the various citizens traveling to and fro, the ingredients of the restaurants around, the materials used to build all the establishments around town, and the various fuels of bikes, trucks, and cars that passed through the streets. In the midst of all that, Liv could very faintly pick up familiar traces of a tiger and a dog Thiren in the area. They were here. Wait…another feline. Where have I smelled her before…?
It was inconclusive whether they were still in town, but she knew the trail was still hot. With her stomach rumbling and her throat parched, the lemur needed some sustenance before making her next move. The tavern didn’t have a door, just a bar table and a few smaller round tables on a wooden floor. There were four human occupants, including the bartender, a short, fair-skinned woman with blonde hair arranged in two ponytails. She had red eyes and a black leather jacket over a black crop top shirt, with a short black skirt and thigh high boots adorned with golden tips. There were red accents throughout her entire outfit, and her ponytails were held by two large golden hairpins that read “FIRE.” She had red sunglasses that were propped onto her forehead.
A bartender was as good a person to ask as any. Liv had to watch herself; there was no telling who all worked for the Sons of Calydon, whether as direct members or informants. The bartender likely was a biker based on her getup…
Liv walked towards the bar, taking a seat away from everybody else at the main counter. Immediately the bartender’s eyes grew wide as she noticed the lemur approach. “Awww, another Thiren girl! I never met a raccoon Thiren before!”
Liv’s brows furrowed with annoyance. She was about to correct the bartender, but decided against it. She crossed her arms, leaning against the counter in her seat. “Whiskey and the daily special,” she curtly requested, taking off her metal mask.
The bartender blinked, looking at the Thiren with concerned eyes. “Are you dealing with Ether corruption, friend? You need some anti-corruption medication?”
“I—” Liv stopped herself. She planned to cut off the bartender and tell her to focus on pouring her a drink, but there was no telling how fast the Ether would work through her. She had plenty of medication on hand, but it wouldn’t hurt to get more. “How much for that?”
The woman looked at Liv more closely, a smile forming on her face as her eyes sparkled with recognition. “Wait, you’re not a raccoon…you’re a lemur, aren’t you? Kitty told us all about you! You can get some for free!”
Alarm shot through her mind like an electric shock. “Who is ‘Kitty,’ and how do they know me?”
“Oh! There’s this cat Thiren named Pulchra who works with us. She told us that a lemur Thiren helped get her out of a job gone wrong a long time ago!”
Pulchra…It had been eight years, but the name brought back vivid memories of bones crunching, guns firing, and mercenaries screaming as a giant Ethereal nearly wiped out an entire squad. As far as she knew, she and Pulchra were the only ones who made it out. Most of the men who died that day may were mercenaries, but the Outer Ring had lost too many good people, all because of a stratagem employed by people Liv had been hunting ever since.
Since that day, she’d try to call Pulchra three times. It went straight to voicemail the first two times, and on the last attempt she heard an automated voice say, “The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and dial again.” She was 20 at the time, which would likely explain how naive she was in thinking that Pulchra would have been any different from the other mercenaries she’d worked with. Apparently surviving a run-in with a colossal Ethereal later dubbed Apophis wasn’t enough to sway Pulchra to keep in touch. Ironic, since Pulchra was the one who gave Liv her contact information unprompted.
There had to be a reason why Pulchra had cut off all communication with her, so much so that she moved from Senatus territory to Old Oil Field territory without saying a word to Liv for eight years. Last Liv heard, Pulchra was running her own business with a friend of hers. There was a chance the Sons of Calydon was outsourcing mercenaries, but in Pulchra’s case, it was unlikely. Would Pulchra leave the gang as soon as she got a whiff of Liv’s scent? Would she recognize it after so long?
Liv’s ear twitched with suspicion. “You’ve got the wrong person.”
“I dunno…you almost match Pulchra’s description perfect—”
“Listen.” Her tone and expression darkened, cutting through the air like a knife through butter. The lemur leaned forward on the bar, her face within a foot of the other’s. The purple cracks in her face and splotches in her eyes glowed slightly, just like an Ethereal about to attack. Her voice was not much louder than a whisper, just enough for the bartender to hear and nobody else. She balled her left hand into a fist, resting it on the counter, her right hand hanging low, ready to reach for her revolver if needed. The fur on her tail bristled. “I’m a stranger just passing through who’s willing to pay for whatever sedatives you have. If I say I don’t know who this Pulchra is, I mean it. Now, how much for the meds?”
The bartender blinked, her smile fading slightly. “Huh…well, even if you weren’t the Thiren she mentioned, I still wouldn’t charge you. You clearly need it.”
Liv looked puzzled, backing away slightly. “Aren’t you Sons of Calydon? How do you expect to turn a profit giving valuable meds for free? What’s your game here?”
The bartender snorted. “You sound just like Lucy! Our boss Caesar said that it’s our responsibility to help wherever we can now that she’s Overlord.”
It appeared Old Man Joseph’s information was accurate. Liv’s expression softened a bit, the fur on her tail returning to its normal look. “You’re not bullshitting?”
“Nope! Be right back!” The bartender headed towards the bar’s back room, Liv hearing the sounds of someone rummaging through boxes. After a short while, the bartender came back with a device that looked like an inhaler, sliding it across the counter towards the lemur. “May not be much, but hope this helps!”
Liv caught the inhaler, sniffing it to ascertain that it was indeed anti-Corruption medication and nothing else. She gasped, remembering the smell of whatever serum was injected in her not too long ago. There were a lot of similarities between the scents, but whatever the bartender gave her had more of a bitter scent compared to the sweeter-smelling injection serum. The anti-Corruption meds she just got were a lot fresher than the ones she kept in her caches.
She brought the inhaler to her mouth, pushing the button on top to release the spray. The taste could be best described as cold black coffee mixed with vinegar and raw valerian, always threatening to make Liv gag every time she took it. She hacked a few times, the spray going down the wrong tube at first. She sensed the bartender reaching out in an attempt to help her and swatted her hand away.
Now suffering from the even more pungent aftertaste, Liv felt the itching sensations in her face and neck subside. She let out a relieved sigh, closing her eyes as she stretched her neck with several loud cracks. The glow in her facial scars subsided as the serum reacted within her.
“You feel any better?” asked the bartender.
No. I still haven’t gotten my whiskey. Such kindness was rare in the Outer Ring, and on the off chance the bartender, and the rest of the Sons of Calydon, were truly that courteous to strangers, she would have been remiss if she didn’t say, “Thanks for the meds. Now, about my drink…”
“Oh, that’s right! You said you wanted whiskey? How do you want it?
Music to my ears. The lemur’s ears perked up along with her tail. “On the rocks. Three-fourths whiskey and one-fourths cola.” Her tone got noticeably friendlier.
In a flash, the bartender took out a curved aluminum cocktail shaker and a cold can of cola from underneath the counter. She opened the fridge behind her, taking out four ice cubes. She tossed one ice cube after another like basketballs, each cube landing perfectly in the shaker, swirling around before hitting the bottom.
After getting a glass bottle, she twirled the bottle and can in her hands like a gunslinger twirling revolvers, small whooshing sounds accompanying her motions. She juggled them between hands, flipping them in the air. Liv stared at the woman intently, both because she wanted to make sure the bartender didn’t slip something in her drink and because she was honestly transfixed by her performance. Her eyes and head followed as much movement as possible, tail erect, eyes wide.
The bartender popped the top off the can and tossed it above the glass, flipping it. The can traveled in a perfect arc, the top aligning with the shaker just long enough for it to pour just the right amount within, the bartender not spilling a single drop as she caught the can in her left hand. She then poured the majority of whiskey inside before capping the open end. She shook it, the ice clack-clacking with her vigorous motions as she brought a clean glass to the counter. The bubbly, dark brown fluid flowed inside the glass, ice clinking against it before she slid the cup towards the lemur, beaming at her. “Voilà! Tell me what you think!”
Liv brought the glass to her nose, sniffing deeply. She wouldn’t have put it past the Sons of Calydon to try to poison her; it wasn’t as if they’d ever beat her in a gunfight. Still, there was something genuine about the bartender, something too honest about her to enable such underhanded schemes. Liv envied her; either the bartender never endured anything like Liv did, or somehow her naivete was instead hard-earned strength and wisdom.
The bittersweet smell of the cocktail burned her nose and throat, just the way she liked it. She took a long, slow swig, drinking half of the cup in one gulp. The burning worsened in her throat, yet the cool temperature was enough to quench her thirst. She let the cocktail linger in her mouth, her brows furrowing. It tasted like a normal cocktail, but with hints of…chili powder? Jalapeño? Liv couldn’t quite place it. Somehow, it didn’t detract from the overall taste too much. Perhaps riding in the heat all day made her more forgiving towards the bartender’s likely experimental concoction.
The bartender leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands and looking at Liv, eyes wide with anticipation. “Well?”
Liv gave her a blank stare, finishing the second half of the drink just as quickly as the first. She didn’t even give the ice time to melt into the drink, four full ice cubes clinking at the bottom of the cup. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you tried to poison me.” Even so, she left a small handful of Dennies on the counter. Nobody could say she didn’t pay what she owed at least.
The bartender chuckled. “That’s a Calydonian original! Mixed in several spices to give you the authentic Blazewood taste!” She slid the cash back towards the lemur. “It’s on the house!”
Liv tightly closed her hand around the bank notes. “If you won’t take it for the drink, take it as hush money. Nobody needs to know I was here.”
The bartender blinked at her, her smile still unwavering. “Are you in trouble? The Sons of Calydon can help you out!” she said, puffing her chest out proudly, her eyes closed.
When the bartender opened her eyes, she’d hear the Dennies uncrinkling on the counter, the sound like a rattlesnake shaking its tail to ward off predators. The lemur left the bar immediately, storming towards her chopper and driving off southward, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake. She looked at the bank notes on the counter for a moment before realization flashed in her eyes, taking out her phone.
