Frontier Town Nina's Place

[Jackie Cat]

For many working 'mon, work earned your keep, home cradled your rest, but the place you drank with friends was where life was lived.

What lively frontier settlement was complete without a classic, affordable, everymon's drinking venue? Residing on the same road as Traveller's Haus, well-positioned to service the working-class 'mon of the west side and the seasonal influxes of patrons in temporary accomodation, the aesthetic of Nina’s Place positioned itself between the high-class allure of the Sun Stone and the dilapidated state of the Wanderin' Zera. Its humble exterior, adorned with timeworn window paper, belied the clean and well-maintained interior that awaited within.

The decor was unmistakably shoddy in nature, though some might have dared to call it "kitsch." The chandelier overhead, once a source of elegance, now hung solemnly, casting a dim, warm glow over the space. Paired with its mismatched wooden furniture, slightly wobbly chairs, and faded tapestries clinging to the walls like relics of a bygone era, there was something about the ambiance that carried an undeniable rustic charm and an air of authenticity.

Behind the bar, shelves were lined with an array of standard libations: club soda, pale ale, whiskey, and a selection of fruit ciders. However, the true gems of the menu were the sangrias, sometimes spiked with dungeon berry excitement or served over ice if the establishment could employ the services of an ice-type Pokémon or a proficient ice user. The menu offered straightforward pub fare, and for those with simpler tastes, there were smaller bites like salted nuts, eggs, biscuits, and dried fruit. To accompany one's drink or to satisfy caffeine cravings, there was a modest selection of tea and coffee, sweetened either with honey or milk to suit one's palate if a hard drink wasn't something they were looking for.

The air inside carried a distinct aroma—a blend of hearty food, aged wood, and a faint hint of tobacco, as smoking was permitted indoors there. At the heart of this establishment was its namesake, Nina, a girafarig in her sixties who had dedicated her life to keeping the place running; she had been working at the establishment since she was a teen. Her weathered face and no-nonsense demeanor reflected a lifetime of hard work and an intolerance for nonsense. Asshole patrons got steeper bills. She had no issue upcharging those she couldn't be bothered to deal with. One rule stood above all others in this haven: no weapons of dungeon origin were allowed within these walls. If someone brandished one, the last thing they would see was Nina's hoof as she kicked them out the door.

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Many thanks to @Sinderella for assisting with the writeup.
Many thanks to Pen for her Heartache-canonical gift-fic, No Quarter.

 

[AdamArtDraws]

Felin hummed a tune to herself, one she'd picked up during one of her adventures. She'd made herself comfortable on a wobbly chair that caught a lot of the warm chandelier light. The first thing she'd ordered was a bottle of whiskey, followed by a jug of milk. A moment later, she mixed the two into half a glass to form a curdled mixture. Felin spared no hesitation and took a huge gulp. It tasted about as good as one would expect. Yet Felin brought her glass back down with a satisfied sigh.

"I must say, the drinks here have a taste I very much fancy," she said with a chuckle and refilled her glass with more of her unusual cocktail. The sweetened scent in the air tingled her senses. She took a deep breath, delighting in it. "Something tells me I'll be coming here next time. Don't know about you, but consider me a regular."

 

[Hap]

Drinking as a mimikyu was more complicated of a task than Ridley had initially anticipated. Thankfully the bartender had been very polite about pouring his cheap beer into multiple smaller glasses which could more easily slipped under his disguise, but Ridley suspected they were cursing him for the extra washing-up all the same.

He tucked another glass up under his disguise, casting an eye over the other patrons. He hoped to see someone who looked interesting to talk to, or at least he recognised from the Traveller's Haus; it felt lonely and somewhat pathetic to drink alone.

 

[Sinderella]

Odette hated to admit it, but having a residency at Sun Stone had left her a little spoiled. She hadn't looked twice at The Wanderin' Zera (more because it looked like the prime place for someone to try and pick a fight with her, and she was trying to remain amicable), and she'd walked past Nina's Place quite a few times before finally unruffling her skirt and going inside. It wasn't glitz, but there was an air to it that felt homely and comforting. Truthfully, it felt like what she needed. A break from the gilded poshness.

Guzma would like it here, she said. Thinking of him made her start to herself, and she placed a hand over her heart.

Fuck that guy. Why was he on her mind?

Hau would like it here, she corrected herself, sauntering over to the bar and ordering herself a cup of black tea.

 

[JFought]

Isidora was up to try a new place that day: she'd been eyeing this one for a while, and given all the ways her confidence had been shot the past couple days, it was worth treating herself. She walked on in and scanned for a place to sit, taking a seat up at the bar. A quick glance over the menu got her eye caught on something. Sangria? But that's an Osoten drink... She had tried an eastern variation of it on a couple occasions: it was okay. But just seeing it there implausibly on the menu in a completely different world, it made it more tempting. Or maybe she was just homesick. She decided to go for it either way, maybe she'd like their version better.

She took a quick glance around, and noticed a sprigatito that she vaguely recognized from the bulletin board (apparently trying to get hard drunk), the strange cleffa(???) she spotted once at the Traveller's Haus, and of course, Odette, not that far from where she was sitting. She tried to make herself smaller as she waited for her drink. This isn't like you. Why does the human always put you so on edge?

 

[Jackie Cat]

The saloon doors swung open and closed from time to time as folks entered and left the venue. The doors creaked to begin with, but sometimes, a new person would also hit the creaky floorboard just past the entrance, and get a dozen eyes on them as the regulars sized them up. Sometimes, someone who knew not to misstep, or was just especially light of foot, could enter almost without being noticed.

Other times, someone would kick the doors wide open, stroll in, whistle to the occupants, and snap their fingers at the staff, before asking for their usual with a wink and a smile.

Today was one such time.

"Nina, my darlin'!" crowed the Scrafty striding into the saloon, "I'll have a tall glass of single malt on the rocks with a rawst twist~! How are we all today, huh? Better now I'm here, I'll wager!"

"I'll wager you've forgotten you're on the blacklist, Prosper," replied the tired-eyed Girafarig from behind the bar counter. Even with the saloon being built tall, Nina's head brushed the rafters.

"Oh, c'mon, surely that were just a jest?" blustered Prosper, sauntering towards the table at which Odette, Ridley, Isidora and Felin were sat. "My money's as good as anyone's ain't it?"

Prosper seemed to genuinely believe what he was saying.

He had more trouble believing what had hit him, when Nina maneouvred around the counter and landed a hind-hoof square on his belly, sending him tumbling out of the swinging doors. There was a whoop from a table across the floor, cut short when Nina looked askance at the celebrant and asked if there was a tip coming with that cheer.

And that was that. It was just the four heroic spirits, without Scrafty Prosper to join them.

"Some folks jus' lack any kind of self awareness," remarked the fifth pokémon suddenly and inexplicably at their table. "Confidence is great, but you sure can have too much of a good thing, don'tcha think?"

The grinning Floragato tipped her hat to her table-mates, and clinked each of their glasses with her own in one deft motion.

"Cheers, guys and gals. I'm Sonora, and I'd love to make y'all's acquaintance."

 

[AdamArtDraws]

Felin lapped her drink with her tongue while she bore witness to the arrival of the bumbling scrafty. Her eyes went wide and a grin tugged at her lips as Nina swiftly made quick of him. What spledor! A chuckle escaped the sprigatito's lips. So distracted she was that she hardly noticed the new guest on the table until the familiar unmistakable scent of her kind pricked at her nose.

She shot Sonora a glance and in a few seconds dissected every detail she could off her. Her ears perked up and her whiskers straightened. Whoever this person was did not arrive to their table by happenstance. No doubt word's gone around of their unusual arrival and residence in Frontier. Did she want something from them? Nontheless, Felin smiled.

"The name's Felin Boots! And I do take kindly to a good drinking partner." She raised her drink, and a few milk-whiskey droplets spilled from the glass. "You look like you've been on the road a while, if I had to guess."

 

[Sinderella]

"Nina, my darlin'!" crowed the Scrafty striding into the saloon, "I'll have a tall glass of single malt on the rocks with a rawst twist~! How are we all today, huh? Better now I'm here, I'll wager!"

Odette had been enjoying her tea; something different from the bottles she put back when she worked. She was relishing in how surprisingly good it was when she flinched at the sound of an obnoxious voice echoing through the saloon. It caused her to splash some of the hot liquid on herself, and she grit her teeth in minute fury as she hastily tried to wipe it off. She shot a glare over her shoulder, fully prepared to tell the new guy to shut the fuck up herself.

No. Keep to yourself. No more fights.

With an exhale, she went back to drinking.

"I'll wager you've forgotten you're on the blacklist, Prosper," replied the tired-eyed Girafarig from behind the bar counter. Even with the saloon being built tall, Nina's head brushed the rafters.

"Oh, c'mon, surely that were just a jest?" blustered Prosper, sauntering towards the table at which Odette, Ridley, Isidora and Felin were sat. "My money's as good as anyone's ain't it?"

Don't fucking come over here. Do not fucking come over here, she thought, her grip tightening around the handle of her cup. Of course, as the sound of nasty boots hitting the creaky wood floor grew closer, she felt her blood pressure spiking higher and the stem of her jaws twitching relentlessly. They wanted to free up. Badly.

Of course this guy was banned, he reeked of all things bad news. She eventually turned her head fully to watch him walk over. She was conservative with how much heat to put into her glare, but the pressure she was putting on her teeth was bound to crack one of them if she didn't let up.

Calm the fuck down, this is the fucking opposite of amicable.

He had more trouble believing what had hit him, when Nina maneouvred around the counter and landed a hind-hoof square on his belly, sending him tumbling out of the swinging doors. There was a whoop from a table across the floor, cut short when Nina looked askance at the celebrant and asked if there was a tip coming with that cheer.

And that was that. It was just the four heroic spirits, without Scrafty Prosper to join them.

Thankfully, she didn't need to bother with butting in. Watching Nina quite literally kick him out had to be the highlight of her day. The level of effortlessness in her swing was enough to make her smirk, and she rested her cheek in her hand while she watched him roll out the doors.

"Fucking brilliant," she muttered under her breath. Her contentment was short-lived, though, as she caught a sudden new presence in her peripheral vision.

"Some folks jus' lack any kind of self awareness," remarked the fifth pokémon suddenly and inexplicably at their table. "Confidence is great, but you sure can have too much of a good thing, don'tcha think?"

The grinning Floragato tipped her hat to her table-mates, and clinked each of their glasses with her own in one deft motion.

"Cheers, guys and gals. I'm Sonora, and I'd love to make y'all's acquaintance."

Gods fucking dammit, she thought, her patience waning. This woman didn't smell or look any better than the last guy, she could tell that much from the way she handled herself and spoke. Only someone who was looking to antagonize would willingly sit among a group of strangers the way she had. A group of strangers who had been dubbed part of the "world hoppers" no less.

Maybe this was part of the trouble that was set to come their way.

"The name's Felin Boots! And I do take kindly to a good drinking partner." She raised her drink, and a few milk-whiskey droplets spilled from the glass. "You look like you've been on the road a while, if I had to guess."

Staring Sonora down, Odette kept her expression neutral. She opened her mouth to make her response but was beaten to the punch by the sprigatito sitting nearby. Gods, was it just her, or were there a lot of fucking grass types in their group?

She had to refrain from slapping her hand to her face at the way the cat responded. The level of sickly sweet naivete in its voice made her want to take a bite out of the bartop, and maybe get a chunk of Sonora with it. Instead, she squeezed her eyes shut, exhaling as she dropped her hands to her garters and began to fiddle with them. The key to her jaw's lock ended up intertwined in her fingers at some point.

"Sorry, I already bought some narcotics off the last cat who fucked with my personal space today," she said politely. "But I'm sure there are plenty of others in here who would be interested."

 

[JFought]

Isidora was fairly unfazed by the overconfident scrafty, at least until Sonora's meow nearly made her jump. The unasked *clink* against her glass prompted the slightest glare, though Isidora had the sense to tip her hat to cover it, giving her a moment to put her head in order. It seemed like Felin, meanwhile, had absolutely no problem with their new guest. I have all the luck with cats...

Her and Odette were on the same page at least, though unfortunately she had the familiar feeling this 'mon wasn't taking no for an answer. Isidora tilted her hat back up and discretely placed a paw over her bag before addressing Sonora. "Not to be rude, but you don't think its a bit much to steal a seat and start askin' names from strangers?" She left unless you want something as an unsaid implication for now.

 

[AdamArtDraws]

"Come now, we're all friends on the drinking table," Felin said, brushing the others off with a laugh. Something told her they wouldn't think the same however. So, she tempered her laugh, eyes narrowing at Sonora as she took another sip from her drink.

"Though I must say, there's plenty enough tables here and you picked ours," said Felin. "Are we the lucky winners of the lottery or did you have some business with us?"

 

[Hap]

"Cheers, guys and gals. I'm Sonora, and I'd love to make y'all's acquaintance."

If Ridley had eyebrows, he might've raised one when the newcomer sat down at their table. As it was, he settled for picking up one of his undersized glasses and tilting it in a way he hoped conveyed ironic humour. "Well, of course you'd like to meet us, we're delightful company," he said. "The question here is whether the same can be said for you."

His tablemates certainly didn't seem particularly pleased by Sonora's presence, but Ridley himself was mostly curious. He doubted it was a coincidence that she'd sat down at their table full of world-hoppers.

She raised her drink, and a few milk-whiskey droplets spilled from the glass.

The droplets from Felin's awful-looking cocktail came concerningly close to splashing onto Ridley's disguise. He shifted a little further away from her in case of a larger spill.

 

[Jackie Cat]

"The name's Felin Boots! And I do take kindly to a good drinking partner. You look like you've been on the road a while, if I had to guess."

"Sorry, I already bought some narcotics off the last cat who fucked with my personal space today. But I'm sure there are plenty of others in here who would be interested."

"Not to be rude, but you don't think its a bit much to steal a seat and start askin' names from strangers?"

"Come now, we're all friends on the drinking table. Though I must say, there's plenty enough tables here and you picked ours. Are we the lucky winners of the lottery or did you have some business with us?"

"Well, of course you'd like to meet us, we're delightful company. The question here is whether the same can be said for you."

The floragato's smile didn't waver, despite the reaction she got from her chosen table-mates. She leaned back in her chair and made a pacifying gesture, then took a sip of her own drink before replying.

"Hey now, I kinda figured folks new in town'd be lookin' to make some local friends, no? It ain't against local custom to take a chair if'n its free, but how 'bout y'let me buy you another round of your preferred libations, to remedy my inadvertent faux pas?"

 

[AdamArtDraws]

It ain't against local custom to take a chair if'n its free, but how 'bout y'let me buy you another round of your preferred libations, to remedy my inadvertent faux pas?

Felin couldn't agree more. Sharing drinks with strangers had always been half the fun of the experience for her. She cautiously moved the bigger cat an inch higher in her mind, and another. For the accent. The local accent happened to amuse her greatly.

"Would be rude of me to turn down a drink," replied Felin as she poured another slurry of milk into her glass. "So, you live here then? I took you for a traveler. It's the first time I'm seeing your face and I've seen plenty faces around in the last few days."

 

[Sinderella]

The floragato's smile didn't waver, despite the reaction she got from her chosen table-mates. She leaned back in her chair and made a pacifying gesture, then took a sip of her own drink before replying.

"Hey now, I kinda figured folks new in town'd be lookin' to make some local friends, no? It ain't against local custom to take a chair if'n its free, but how 'bout y'let me buy you another round of your preferred libations, to remedy my inadvertent faux pas?"

Odette's eyes didn't move off Sonora's face, actively searching for any sort of wavering, however small it was.

"Something tells me that that very generous offer doesn't come without a few strings attached to it. But, you're more than welcome to prove me wrong," she said, going back in for another sip of her tea. "However, I'm good with my current round of soggy leaf water right now."

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Well ain't you jus' the toughest cookie in town," remarked Sonora, raising a brow. "I'll just as soon keep my coin, then, if'n you won't spare a stranger the benefit of the doubt."

She turned to Felin with a grin. "I was born in this town," she said, in answer to the other cat's question, "but I don't live here of late. Y'might say as I move from place to place as suits me an' mine. Another spiked milk, kin?"

She waved for service and her paw went to a pouch on her belt for a pawful of coins.

"It's my first time seein' plenty of faces in town on this partic'lar visit," noted the Floragato. "Word on the road is as y'all darn well fell outta the clear blue! Now how can that be so? Some'd wager that were fanciful tall-tellin', but I reckon there mus' be some truth to it."

 

[Hap]

"Hey now, I kinda figured folks new in town'd be lookin' to make some local friends, no? It ain't against local custom to take a chair if'n its free, but how 'bout y'let me buy you another round of your preferred libations, to remedy my inadvertent faux pas?"

"Well, I'm not about to object to the offer of a free drink," Ridley said companionably. The cheap beer he was drinking wasn't doing much for him, but he didn't trust his new (much smaller) body's tolerance enough to try anything stronger just yet.

"It's my first time seein' plenty of faces in town on this partic'lar visit," noted the Floragato. "Word on the road is as y'all darn well fell outta the clear blue! Now how can that be so? Some'd wager that were fanciful tall-tellin', but I reckon there mus' be some truth to it."

"Hey, you can't expect us to spill all our secrets at once," Ridley said. "Wouldn't it be boring if you knew everything about us and we stopped being interesting? Let's make friends first, before we get into anything too personal. I'm Ridley, I do freelance work, and I like to ask questions and discover answers." He tipped his glass towards Sonora and said, "So how about you? What is it that you do when you're not buying drinks for fascinating strangers?"

 

[Sinderella]

"Word on the road is as y'all darn well fell outta the clear blue! Now how can that be so? Some'd wager that were fanciful tall-tellin', but I reckon there mus' be some truth to it."

"That depends," Odette said in a huff. "I think I've gotten around enough to know information like that isn't typically free. I'm not one to spill my guts to those who don't seem keen to return the favor." She gave the cat another once over. "You're telling me you're a nomad or something?"

 

[AdamArtDraws]

She turned to Felin with a grin. "I was born in this town," she said, in answer to the other cat's question, "but I don't live here of late. Y'might say as I move from place to place as suits me an' mine. Another spiked milk, kin?"

"Aye, a pleasure to meet another mon with good refined taste," Felin said, raising her glass again with a chuckle.

"You're telling me you're a nomad or something?"

Such a thought crossed Felin's mind as well. From how Sonora worded it, not much of it pointed towards an adventurous lifestyle. A closer look revealed a decoration of a few scars however, which caught her attention. Felin's pupils widened and contracted like a moving lens. She hummed in amusement and threw the mawile a glance.

"She's no nomad," she said. Her eyes strayed to Sonara. "You're more of the adventuring type, aren't you? Fancy sharing some?"

She brought her glass to her lips and took a sip. "A good tale adds flavor to one's drink, won't you say?"

 

[JFought]

"Hey now, I kinda figured folks new in town'd be lookin' to make some local friends, no? It ain't against local custom to take a chair if'n its free, but how 'bout y'let me buy you another round of your preferred libations, to remedy my inadvertent faux pas?"

Isidora took a cautious sip of her drink. Their version was better. “I might take you up on that.” Still, she didn’t move her paw off her bag.

"It's my first time seein' plenty of faces in town on this partic'lar visit," noted the Floragato. "Word on the road is as y'all darn well fell outta the clear blue! Now how can that be so? Some'd wager that were fanciful tall-tellin', but I reckon there mus' be some truth to it."

Technically I walked here. The others seemed to have the right of it here, so she didn't feel the need to add much. "Our story's not as interesting as you'd think anyway," she lied. The 'walking here' bit was true for at least two of them, so that could serve as an out. “Name’s Isidora, by the way.”

She eyed Ridley for a moment. ...No way he's a cleffa.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Sonora grinned and with a tip of her head, indicated Felin had the right idea.

"The hard milk's for you, partner," she said as an aside, and then ordered exactly that from Nina as she passed by, and cheri brandy for herself, Ridley and Isidora. She gave Odette a shrug, and mimed 'you're breaking my heart!' above her chest.

"Right, where were we? Ah, yeah – pleasure to meet y'all, Ms Mystery Mawile, Sneasel Isidora, 'Cleffa' Ridley, and Sprigatito Felin-Boots~ Some one or two of ya were askin' after my nature, huh? Well, I'm no nomad as such – bit of a loaded word 'round these parts, an' I sure ain't no clanner, jus' look at me! – but I am a drifter after a fashion. S'what happens when y'start t'get wanted posters with yer name on 'em!"

She gave her table-mates a wink and chuckled to herself, as if she'd just made a witty pun.

"If y'all ever end up with your names on the bounty bulletins, don't be afeared – Nina's Place'll still serve ya, and not tell Mayor Ignatius' flat-pawed deputies you were seen here."