Manakete Metabolism ~ An Awakening Side Story

[Sir Gerwald of Vallora]

Manakete Metabolism

 

“Hey, you’re not half bad in a fight Gregor.” Sully punched her companions arm in good sport.
“Many thank strange red lady.” Gregor replied with a laugh.
“Strange?” Sully gave a questioning look. Gregor simply kept laughing and said.
“Yes. You are much more like Gregor than say, Mirabelle. Gregor likes this one.”
“Excuse me? Are you saying I’m not a woman?” Sully stopped where she was walking.
“Well, yes and no.” Gregor said, stopping laughing and turning solemn at the drop of a hat. “You are woman, yes? But, you act like man, well, almost as good as man.”
“So what, I’m not as good as the rest of the men in this army?” Sully grabbed onto his arm. Gregor appeared to know he was trapped and said.
“Um, forgiveness. Gregor is still not good with Ylisse speak. Here, Gregor buy round of drinks for Sully.”
“How about this, if I outdrink you, you take back every comment you made, and I take point in the next battle.” Gregor smirked.
“Deal.”

 

***

 

“Care if I join you?” Sully turned to see Virion walking up to them at the bar. “I heard you were having a drinking competition.”
“You?” Sully gave him a doubtful look.
“Though I may not look it, I am surprisingly good at holding my liquor.” Virion said with a hand to his chest.
“I bet you drink beer with you’re pinky out.” Sully said with a chuckle.
“You may laugh, but I will be the one laughing when I stand over both of you drunkards.” Gregor laughed this time.
“Sure thing little blue man.” He slapped Virion on the back, nearly causing him to fall over.
“The real reason he’s here is to try and make a move on Sully.” Stahl came up and awkwardly leaned on Virion’s shoulder, his face already blushed with alcohol. Sully gave Virion a disgusted look and it was his turn to blush, though not due to alcohol.
“Are you here for little competition, tousled hair boy?” Gregor asked. Stahl hiccupped and slurred.
“Sure… ‘hic’ Why not.” He sauntered over to a seat beside them. Sully was about to wave over the bartender until she heard a commotion.
“I’m with them! Over there!” The argument drew the attention of half the people in the bar, the half that wasn’t already drunk.
“Listen girly, I can’t let you in here.” The bouncer said, keeping his arm out.
“Why? I didn’t see a height requirement at the door.” The girl in front of him said with her hands on her hips.
“It’s not that…” The man put his other hand on the back of his head.
“Hey! Nowi! Get over here!” Sully waved her over.
“See.” She said. The man sighed and let her pass. She walked past and up to the bar.
“What are you doing here?” Sully asked her as she sat herself down on a stool beside them.
“I’m here for the competition.” Nowi replied.
“Excuse me?” Sully said in shock.
“Yeah. It sounded like fun.” Nowi replied.
“Um, I’m not sure how to say this, but…” It was Sully’s turn to feel awkward.
“Oh, not you too…” Nowi gave her a perturbed look.
“Hey, Gregor has back.” Gregor patted her on the shoulder. Sully rolled her eyes. This was getting much larger than she had intended. But hey, they were all a part of the same army, who was she to say who could and couldn’t get hammered.
“Bartender!” She called him over. A man in a somewhat soggy apron walked up and asked.
“Yes sir,” Sully growled. The man readjusted his glasses. “Er, ma’am. What can I do for you?”
“Drinking Competition, between all of us.” She pointed to the haphazard collection of individuals.
“He’s paying.” She pointed to Gregor. The bartender walked off to begin filling mugs.
“Here, Gregor have idea.” He turned to Sully and leaned on the bar. “What if person who goes down first pay for themself? And then each who go down after pay for person above them?”
“That wasn’t the deal.” Sully exclaimed.
“Well, thing have changed since Gregor make deal. Many more people here than when start. Me thinks rule change in order; you agree? Or are you worried you lose?” He smirked at Sully and she replied with.
“Fine. We do it your way.” Just then the Bartender returned with a single mug for each of them, sans Nowi.
“Hey, where’s mine?” She asked. The bartender chuckled and asked both Gregor and Sully.
“She’s adorable. Is she yours?” Gregor laughed but Sully almost leapt across the bar to grab the man by the shirt. Instead, she just looked him in the eye and said.
“How old do I look? I’m not old enough to be her mother.” The bartender readjusted his glasses once more and said.
“I’m sorry, my eyesight is going.”
“Sure it is.” Sully grumbled, sitting back in her seat.
“And pluses, she is older than Gregor here.” Gregor said with a laugh.
“Huh?” The bartender turned to Nowi.
“Yep! Though I certainly don’t look it.” Nowi said with a smile. The bartender shook his head and asked.
“How?” Nowi gave a sly smirk and said.
“Eat your vegetables, ooh, and a lot of roast meat.” The man gave a shocked.
“Huh, who would have guessed?” Sully noticed Ricken wave at the man from the other side of the bar and wondered how he managed to get inside the bar. He looked younger than Nowi, at least in her opinion.
“Gullible.” Sully mumbled beneath her breath.
“You have drank before, haven’t you?” Virion asked.
“Sure, plenty of times.” Nowi replied. Virion gave a look which Sully couldn’t determine was concern or fascination and she rolled her eyes. He really was after every single woman in the army, even the dragon. Once they had all been served a full beer held up one hand while holding her mug in the other.
“Alright, everyone ready?” They all nodded, and Gregor thrust his mug into the air with a cheer, spilling a few dribbles onto Stahl’s head.
“Go!” She shouted. It was bottoms up after that. Sully slammed down her mug and turned to look at everyone else. Gregor was already wiping his chin and grabbing his next mug. Virion was doing his best not to choke, daintily placing a hand to his mouth to cover his cough. Sully grabbed another mug the bartender had placed down in front of her and turned to see Stahl barely sipping from his mug. She had guessed he was already too hammered to manage even one round of the contest. Nowi had both her hands on the bottom of her mug, gulping down the liquid. Sully smirked. She would most certainly be the next to drop. That tiny body wouldn’t be able to handle much, if any, alcohol. Sully lifted her mug and drank down another round. She slammed it against the table and turned to see Gregor do the same, slightly flushed. He smiled at her, and she went to grab another mug. She wouldn’t let that man make a fool of her. She was just as strong as anybody else in the army, and she could definitely hold her liquor better than the men. She downed another two rounds, followed directly by Gregor.
“That’s it, I’m done. No more.” Virion pushed his a mug back and shook his head.
“Ha ha ha, hic!” Sully patted him on the shoulder. “Better luck next time fancy man.” He shook his head and walked off to another table. Sully looked down to see Stahl asleep with his head on Gregor’s knees. It was just between her and him. Sully grabbed another mug and began to empty it before she choked halfway through.
“Ha! Hic. You, are slowing…” Gregor said, slurring his last word. Sully wiped her mouth and replied.
“No way. I’m only, only just getting started.” Sully said, squinting the burning out of her eyes. She finished that round and banged on the bar.
“Hey, bar man. More beer.” She said.
“You’re not looking too good ma’am. I’m not sure-”
“Just get another mug damnit!” She shouted. Maybe the alcohol was starting to go to her head. The man passed her a new mug and she began drinking it while peeking at Gregor out of the corner of her eye. He was swaying back and forth in his seat. Sully smirked, causing some of her drink to dribble down her chin. Gregor emptied his mug before slamming it onto the bar. He slowly grabbed another before groaning and slowly laying his head onto the bar. Sully stopped midway through her latest mug and raised it in the air.
“I win! Ha! Better get ready to pay up, Gregor! Hic!” She felt her moment of elation before a hand tapped her on the shoulder.
“Not just yet.” She turned to see Nowi sipping at the last of the brown colored liquid from her glass.
“Wha-…” Sully paused and tried to finish the last of her mug. She felt lightheaded and slammed the mug back down before bracing herself on the bar.
“Nope. No, I’m not. I can’t.” She groaned and leaned against the bar.
“Yes! That means I win!” Nowi threw up her hands in the air. Ricken came running around from the other side of the bar and gave his own cheer.
“What are, hic, what are you so happy about?” Sully asked, looking up from her defeated state.
“I bet against you.” Ricken smiled. “So now Lon’qu owes me fourteen gold.” Sully shook her head.
“How? How did you win?” Sully grumbled.
“I live an incredibly long life, so I have a grown up metabolism to go with it. And since I’ve lived at least, oh, ten of your lifetimes, so I can handle about ten times as much as you.” Nowi beamed.
“Is that a thing?” Sully mumbled.
“Did you want some more sasparilla, young lady?” The bartender stepped up, wiping down one of the mugs that Sully must have just used.
“Sasparilla?” Sully pondered the comment as Nowi and Ricken sat petrified. “Why you little.” She started to grab at Nowi and Ricken shouted.
“Quick! Run Nowi!”
“You don’t have to tell me twice!” She said as she hopped over her stool and rushed away. Sully attempted to lay chase but fell forward off the stool.
“Woah there, red lady, don’t fall over.” Gregor grabbed her before she could hit the ground. “You won square and square.” He pattered her on the shoulder.
“Gregor sees you as equal now.” She whipped her head back.
“Equal? I outdrank you.” Sully slurred.
“Let’s not dawdle over detail. Just take Gregor money, yes?”

 

Just a short story I wrote on my phone during my breaks over a day. It was an incredibly simple idea, and probably would have been better suited to a comic, but as I am better at writing stories than drawing comics, I went the short story route. Per usual, all feedback is welcome and appreciated. 

 

[Dragoncat]

I am replying to tell you I'm definitely interested in this and will read it sometime within a few days.

[Ice_Viking_117]

Very enjoyable! I read the whole thing. Good use of voice for each individual character.