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Chapter 4: His Name is Jack

Zoey's mood was sullen for most of the evening after paying the visit to the Stained Totem. Neros watched her from afar as he ran the bar. Though he didn't show much concern physically, inwardly he felt a pang of regret for being so curious. It had been Zoey's idea to see the murder site to begin with. Yet Neros felt responsible in some fashion. He should have just kicked that troublesome customer out to begin with the moment the fella started ranting about murder legends. The wolf sighed and lowered his ears knowing the best he could do was distract the ferret from whatever visions were tormenting her mind but it was unlikely she would actually be happy until this day had passed. Neros pondered what could be really at the heart of the matter though. Sure, Zoey felt a passion for the island chains and hoped they would survive and remain popular against the progression of time. Yet the way she had eyed the totem pole had seemed like it was something deeper than that. It had to be possible that she knew more than she was letting on. His curiosity would have to wait for another day though. Her evening already had more than enough melancholy.

As the customers thinned out during the course of the evening, Neros brought over a sweet red mixed drink and placed it in front of the ferret who stared out at the ocean as the setting sun changed the hue of the horizon into a beautiful mix of teal and pink woven together in the skyline. The ferret blinked and looked down, smiling for the first time in a while, eyeing the drink, "What's this?" The wolf sat down on a seat beside her, leaning back against his bar top on his elbows and looking out at the dozens of people roaming the beach, "I call it Sex In The Bar. Sweet with a touch of stuff that will leave you filled up after a heavy glassful." The ferret giggled, picking up the glass and swirling her straw about in circles before taking a curious sip. She hummed her approval at the taste. "Mmm~...it's really creamy." She winked at him, enjoying another taste.

Neros smiled lightly with a closed mouth, still staring ahead out the open front doors. "Hey...you gonna be alright?" he asked softly, trying not to look at her.

The ferret curled her tail around her legs and nodded quietly after a moment of hesitation. She lowered the straw from her mouth, "Yeah...I...I'm sorry. I sometimes think about things more than I should. I can't even begin to imagine what that poor girl must have gone through. If she was dead or alive before being hoisted up onto that totem. But it doesn't stop me from trying. Sometimes I wish I didn't have such a vivid imagination." She laughed, but it was one of conscience pain, "And here I am, your opening night, and I'm bringing down the mood. You should have just kicked me out by now. I'm bad for business."

Neros bumped her arm with his elbow lightly, "Hey, only when you're being pitiful. Look, you're beating yourself up over nothing. If I really thought you were being a pain I would have told you. Whatever it is you're going through Zoey, it's only natural. Don't deny what you feel. Be it joy or misery, you need to embrace what you feel and work through it. That's what keeps us pure. It's when we put on masks and judge ourselves or even others that we become shallow and false and travel into the path of discontent. Stay true to who you are and what you feel."

The ferret smiled cutely, leaning her head on his shoulder and sipping at her drink again, "That was oddly deep for you. Very philosophical."

Neros smirked and nodded, looking up the beach, "I know. I'm not even drinking yet."

The sound of footsteps approaching alerted them to new customers. Instead however they were greeted by a familiar face. Natty, the short but busty skunk peeked inside in cute fashion. "Natty!" Zoey put on a sunny smile, "Whatcha doin? Come on in!"

Natty approached with her hands intertwined behind her back, "Hey guys! How's everything going?"

Neros cracked open a bottle of Corona, leaning back once more as he readjusted himself on his seat, "Can't complain. Opening day has brought in quite the haul. Never realized this many people vacation here. I just might make a steady profit if I can keep up with all the orders I'm getting." The skunk cracked a nervous smirk at the corner of her mouth, "Well, actually, that was what I came to talk to you about really."

"Oh?" Neros asked, his ears lifting up slightly and facing forward.

Natty nodded, "Well...you see...I was wondering if I could come to work for you. I don't really have a job right now and I feel bad because Flora pays for our apartment expenses. Once in a while I make a few dollars stocking shelves at the grocer or delivering papers. Seeing as you're pretty busy with all these customers maybe you could use some help."

"Mm, Flora, yes." Neros nodded thoughtfully, remembering that the cougar and the skunk were roommates again. He wondered if Natty knew about last night at all. "How is Flora by the way?"

Zoey glanced up at the wolf with an inquisitive eye, the skunk thinking a moment before shrugging her shoulders, "When last I spoke with her she was doing fine. She was really tired this morning though. Said she'd been up all night."

The ferret quirked a brow, "That's weird. She didn't go home with Logan last night. Wonder what she was up to."

"But they left the party together." Natty mused, touching her chin thoughtfully. Zoey sighed and looked at Neros, "Logan has a thing for Flora. That dog has been chasing her around for months trying to get her to go out with him. I'm not sure if she's interested or just playing hard to get. Either way, Logan is going crazy over her with this hot and cold thing they have going on."

Neros turned his eyes upward and played it cool, lifting the bottle neck to his mouth and muttering, "Maybe she's just not that type of girl...or something..." he pushed the glass into his lips and drank heavily.

"Umm...anyway, Neros...about the job?" Natty changed the subject hesitantly, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. The wolf broke off from his drink and wiped his mouth, "Mm! Yes, the job. I'm down with it. You can wait on the tables and keep the place clean. Tips are all yours of course. When can you start?"

The skunk wagged her tail to express her excitement, her hands coming up with giddy fashion, "Anytime! I can start right now if you want! Ooh, do we have uniforms? Or decorative shirts? Are we color coded?" she began a slew of questions. Neros attempted to calm her down with a motion of his hands, "Easy now. It's casual. There's a pad and pen behind the counter. That should give customers enough of a clue that you might work here." Natty let out a yip of joy and jumped into Neros's lap, throwing her arms around his neck in a deep hug, "Oh thank you Neros! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The wolf felt a blush in his cheeks as he used a single arm to hug her back, releasing the skunk gently, "Don't mention it. Anything to help a friend." Natty bounced down out of his lap and hurried away behind the bar, "I'll get to work right away!"

Zoey was hiding her face behind a hand, stifling a set of giggles that she barely was able to suppress, "Congratulations. You just made that girl's day. Maybe her week even." The wolf shook his head with a small smile, "Hey, a bar has to have a waitress right? Good for bringing in the male customers. Natty's cute. She'll do fine."

"Just cute?" Zoey winked, slipping her straw into her lips. Neros closed his eyes and casually sipped at his beer, "I know what you're getting at. The answer is no. She's too...too...oh what's the word I'm looking for..." Neros frowned, keeping his eyes forward.

"So you're not into her? Neros! Natty is a sweet thing! Just look at her! All cute and pretty. She's well equipped too y'know." Zoey teased, grinning wickedly up at him.

"That's the thing. I'm not into the sweet or shy type. That's a young girl vibe. The princess thing. I like women who know what they want and go for it. They don't hide behind bashfulness or stand on ceremony. We're animals of nature and have the capability to have sex for pleasure. I like women who exude confidence. Natty just seems like the friend type. That's all." Neros explained calmly, reflecting on his taste in women.

"Mhm...I see." Zoey nodded slowly, smirking as she closed her eyes and picked up the tip of her straw, "Women like Flora?"

"I mean, if Flora is like that, then sure, maybe. I dunno." Neros shrugged, putting his drink to his mouth once more, the liquid flowing into his throat.

"Well that would explain why the flower she was wearing in her hair last night is on the dresser in your bedroom." Zoey chimed with a little cackle. Neros choked on his drink and nearly shot it up his nostrils. The ferret snickered softly and began to finish the contents of her remaining drink, "I can see it from here. I didn't go snooping. Not yet anyway."

From down the bar, a patron signaled for another drink. Neros acknowledged him with a nod and returned to his post, fixing up another glass. Zoey eyed the man down the row of stools, hunched over the bar top slightly with his disheveled fur and broody demeanor. "Who's that?" she asked quietly to the wolf. "The fox?" Neros replied, fixing up a Scotch on the rocks, "Dunno his name. He's been here since mid-afternoon. Just sits there to himself and lets the rest of the world go by. Only time he ever moves is when he needs another drink. I'd send him away but he doesn't really seem to be drunk enough to be cut off yet, nor is he causing any kind of trouble." Zoey placed her glass on the counter, "Weird..." Neros brought the drink down to the fox, passing him the glass, "You doing okay there?" he asked, checking to make sure the man was still alive. The fox grunted and took the glass, "I'm fine. Just thirsty." His voice was more of a cracked growl, a touch of resentment in there somewhere, but not for the wolf directly. More of a bitter disposition at life itself. Neros recognized that easily having encountered it himself years ago. The best cure for this was to leave the fox alone. Eventually the critter would want to talk. Neros returned to Zoey, folding his arms and leaning onto the bartop, "Forgot to mention, I met Tsuria last night on my walk home."

Zoey tilted her head with a small smile, "Really? What was she doing?"

"I'm not sure really. I think she was following me or something. You were right about her dancing. It's something else. Really serene." The wolf recalled the encounter vividly with a pictured reel of highlights; the soft purple furred wolf dancing so natural and elegantly as if one with nature itself before mounting his lap. The look in her deep eyes as she pierced past his guard with silence and looked into his soul. The touch of her hands on his cheeks, the lingering lips that came so close...

His trip down memory lane was cut short in its prime by a disgruntled growl coming from the front of the bar.

"THE OASIS?! What flippin' kind of moron buys a beach bar and calls it an Oasis?! What would an oasis be doing on a beach?! They're in two completely different geological locations!"

Neros blinked twice, Zoey's eyes lit up and she rushed for the front porch, "Jack?! It's Jack! Jack is back!!" Neros remained a moment, catching back up with reality before wandering out from behind the bar and to the entrance. Zoey had thrown herself into the arms of an older, rugged, sea blue wolf with a black eyepatch over his left eye. The male was definitely a man of the sea from the short black vest he wore, the ragged dirty white trousers that clung to his legs, tattered at the ankles. He wore a set of beaded rings about his neck, and a leather bracer on his right wrist. His fur was haggard and ruffled and even from here Neros could make out a stench of saltwater dried within. That was if one could get past the stench at first. Jack clearly had been away from mainland for a time. Jack was embracing Zoey fondly and held her shoulders in his mitts, "Zoey girl, lemme have a look at ye! Oh, you're a sight for sore eyes, still a beam of sunshine just like yer mother! How have you been lassie?"

Zoey beamed, looking up at the older wolf, "I've been great Jack. We all have. Did you find it?! Did you find the...well, y'know..." she trailed off, looking at his waist for something in particular. The elder shook his head, "The prize eludes me child. Fret not for ol' Jack. I'll find it yet. Nuthin' gets away from me. Nuthin, ya hear?"

"I hear Jack. It's great to have you home in time for the season. Jack, come on, there's someone I want you to meet." Zoey pleaded, taking his arm and tugging him toward the bar. Jack sobered up and looked at the bungalow club with disgust, "There be someone I wanna meet too. Zoey girl, just who bought my old shack and turned into a travesty such as it is? I'm gonna rip him a new arsehole!" Zoey brought Jack up to Neros, the two wolves locking eyes and glaring at each other for a moment, before the younger broke the silence, "You must be Jack. Former owner of this place?"

Jack glanced over at the sign hanging on the front porch, "And you must be Nero, the scourge who dun painted up me shack a sorry mess!"

"Actually, it's Neros." The younger wolf corrected, frowning a bit harder and folding his arms one over the other.

"I know it be yer place, keep up ya fool! Zoey, don't tell me this one is soft in the head or sometin!" Jack snapped, locking his singular eye on Neros with a stone gaze.

"No, it's Neros! Neros! With an ess! My name has an ess on the end!"

"That's not what the bloody sign says!"

"It's a grammatical error!"

"Oh a grammatical error now is it?! So ya soft in the head and illiterate too!"

"What?! No! I didn't make the...forget it, okay?!"

"Ohhhh forget it, he says! I bet you forget plenty with that soft head of yers! I betcha hand out drinks for free because ya think it's good for business don' cha?!" Jack grumbled, pushing by Neros into the bar. Neros frowned at Zoey who smiled nervously in turn. "Your friend is kind of an ass."

"He grows on you?" she suggested, stepping back up onto the porch.

"I bet. Grows like a weed." Neros grumbled, turning back into the bar and following after the ferret as they returned inside. Jack was busy looking around, eying every piece of furniture and décor with his one good eye. He glanced at the liquor shelf and the selection assembled. He grunted lightly, "Well, I suppose the place has looked worse before. Tell ya what lad, why don't ya pass me a drink and maybe I'll cut ya a break."

Neros waltzed behind the bar, producing a shot glass, "You know you could have just asked nicely. Somehow I think that's a bit out of your element though. What'll you have then Jack?"

The wolf leaned onto the bar with his elbows, "Whiskey. Make it a double." The aged wolf continued to glance around the bar, looking for more items to critique. He was no fool though, he'd wait till drink was in hand before doing so. Neros passed the glass to Jack, the elder wolf eyeing him as he drank. "Aah...well, at least yer liquor is good for what its worth. So tell me somethin', why not just drop the ess from yer name and make it match the sign? Seems like yer name is a grammatical error more than anythin."

Neros frowned, folding his arms again, "My mother gave me that name. I like it."

"Well far be it for me to insult someone's mother dearest, though I have been known to do so in the right conditions. So where ya from boy? What's yer story? What brought you to our lovely shores here on the Gran Blue?" Jack asked, raising his glass and taking the shot down whole. Neros was silent a moment before replying, "I'd rather not go into details. I'm just a dreamer chasing a dream. My dreams led me here. I'm doing what I love. Working for myself."

Jack slowly formed a smirk on his lips, nodding after a few seconds in silent agreement it seemed. He pointed a finger from the hand holding the glass at Neros, "That's good lad. That's real good. Chasin' dreams. That's the stuff of life. Not enough people with the brass do that. Maybe ya ain't so soft in the head after all. So who ya been mixin' it up with lately? You a troublemaker?"

"I'm sorry?" Neros blinked, puzzled by the question.

"You're hands lad. I seen those kind of hands before." Jack pointed out the bruises formed along Neros's knuckles, "Those be fightin' hands. I don't know if I approve of Zoey hangin' around with a violent person now." The ferret shook her head, touching Jack by the shoulder, "It was Hargren, Jack. He came to the beach party last night. The goons attacked Logan and Neros got involved." The sailor remained still and listened very keenly to the story.

"Hmm. So ya met the jackal then. I'm very sorry for that. That tycoon has been a pain in the arse for years. Same as that fool down on the other end of the bar." Jack spoke, giving a slight nod in the direction of the fox. Neros made a quick glance to the customer who remained in his usual pose and staring down at his scotch distantly. "What's his deal? You know him?"

"Aye. That washed up piece of seaweed used to be a detective years ago. Shit went south for 'im and he's been comin' back here ever since. Every year he shows up, drowns himself in drink, end of the season comes and he drags himself back home on the boat. Name is Mason. Good man, bad stroke of luck though. Still, he's a regular. He'll keep your pockets filled just a bit." Jack tapped his glass, Neros pouring out another shot double.

"So what do you do Jack? I've heard you're quite popular around here." Neros inquired, closing the whiskey bottle and replacing it on the shelf.

"I run a tour ship around the island chain. Take folks to see all the pretty sights and what have you. Other times you'll catch me takin' the paying customer fishin'. We all play our part here on the Gran Blue to keep things interestin. I sleep in a little shack on the harbor port. I can't be away from the ocean for too long. Need to hear her sing me to sleep every night." The elder wolf explained with a sharp grin.

"You'll forgive for saying this Jack, but, you kinda come off as a cheesey pirate rip off." Neros stated, resting his palms on the bar top. Jack broke into small laughter, "Not the first time I heard that lad. Lost the vision in eye on a little excursion into the woods once. I wear the patch because I scare folks without it." The older wolf dunked back his second shot and fished a few bills out of his pocket, tossing them on the bar as payment for his tab. "I gotta be scuttlin' along now. Need a fresh shower and place to lay my head down for a while before early morning rolls around. Much to do, much to do. Gotta prep the ship before tomorrows tours start. Zoey, ya be good now, ya hear?"

The ferret nodded and grinned, "I'm always good Jack!"

"Yah, I'll betcha you are. Yer mother used to say that all the time. She wasn't foolin' no one." Jack winked, hugging Zoey before heading off down the porch as dusk was starting to set in the sky and the first signs of stars were coming out. "Neros, fix the damn sign will ya?! Can't expect me to keep comin' back to my old watering hole if the damn sign don't read right! I ain't even drunk yet and it don't look right!"

Neros scratched his chin thoughtfully, "Hmm...maybe I won't then..."

Zoey laughed quietly and sat back down, looking at Neros, "He likes you."

"He has a funny way of showing it. Why'd he give up the bar anyway? Too much time on his hands?" Neros muttered, washing down the top and tossing the empty glass in the dish deposit before collecting the cash left by the sailor. Zoey folded a single leg over the other, "Jack spends the off season searching for a special treasure. Some sort of diamond rumored to be lost in the Gran Blue Isles. He's been looking for most of his life. Everyone keeps hoping he'll find it because then we'll have enough money to buy more ships so we won't have to rely on Hargren anymore. We'd run that greedy jackal out of business and hopefully off the island for good."

"You two seem close. Jack your secret father or something?" Neros asked, smirking a bit. Zoey shook her head with a laugh, "No. He knew my parents though. He's been like my uncle for most of my life. Jack is the home town hero type. Stands up for us against Hargren, does everything he can to help people in hard times. He's a good person despite the rather snarky exterior."

More customers were starting to enter the bar now. Zoey looked to Neros at Natty was going around taking orders and showing people to their seats. "Looks like business is about to pick up. You wanna hang out after work tomorrow? If you're up to it I mean. I don't wanna bug you if you're exhausted or anything."

Neros nodded, "Sure. Stop in and see what I'm up to. If it's not busy I'll close early or something."

"Sounds great. See you!" Zoey bid farewell for the night, taking her leave after a quick goodbye wave to Natty.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of the evening went quickly. The Oasis filled up fast as more people arrived to whet their tongues with the promise of cool drinks and relaxing social atmosphere. The minutes flew by as Neros and Natty hustled and bustled from one of the club to the other. Neros had to card a couple of kids for trying to pass themselves off as being the right age with false ID's. The brooding former detective Mason finished his drink when the place had reached peak maximum attendance and made his exit after paying his bill. Neros felt something unsettling about the fox that he couldn't quite put his finger on just yet. When at last Natty could finally close the doors on the Oasis it was well past midnight, "Whew!" she breathed a sigh of relief, grabbing a broom and sweeping the floor, "What a night! Do you think it will be like this every night?"

"I can't be certain Natty." Neros counted the evening's revenue, factoring up his profit and sorting out his change for tomorrow. He closed the register and slipped the profit money into a lockbox, "Hey, you did great tonight Nat. Go on home and get some rest. I'll take care of everything here."

"You sure? I don't mind helping...that is...if you want me too..." Natty chewed on her bottom lip, her fingers touching the front buttons on her blouse, fingering at them in a way that put images into the wolf's mind. Neros swallowed and shook his head, "No Nattie. It's okay really. Go on. I'll see you tomorrow."

The skunk's ears drooped slowly and there was a look in her that hinted at something else she wanted to say, perhaps a bit of hurt from feeling rejected. "I...okay Neros. I was glad to help. I'll see you tomorrow then!" She put on a false smile, slipping out the door. Neros looked back down at the lockbox and shut the lid, pushing the key inside and turning the lock. The front door opened again and Natty came through with a hint of pink in her cheeks, "So silly of me...I think I forgot my purse somewhere." She started searching around the chairs nearest to her. Neros smiled quietly for a few moments and then reminded her, "Natty. You didn't bring a purse tonight."

"What?! Oh! I...I mean, of course! Gosh I'm so forgetful...umm...bye!" she rushed out, hiding her face away from his sight. Neros sighed with a charmed smile and shook his head, turning around and opening the safe on the floor under the countertop. Inside atop a shelf was a pistol, next to some documents and a passport. Neros put the profit money envelope beside the gun and closed the safe, spinning the dial around a few times when he heard the door open again. "What did you forget this time?" Neros asked, standing back up with a laugh. He froze when he saw that it wasn't Natty that had come inside again.

The eyes of the gypsy were on him. Those large pale feminine pools studying him from afar. She was in the same loose garments he'd seen her wearing the night before. The door swung closed behind her. Neros swallowed slowly, "Tsuria...this is a surprise...I was...I was just closing up actually. Is there something I can help you with?"

Tsuria stood silently watching him. Her beauty was unmatched in the light of the moon, but here in actually light from the banisters above, seen more clearly, she truly was a sight. She reached behind herself slowly and pushed the lock on the doors one at a time. Neros felt a touch uncomfortable, coming out from behind the bar carefully, keeping his eyes on the beautiful stranger. Tsuria approached him one leg at a time, her fingers dragging along the wall, flicking the lights switch as she passed. Neros felt he should say something more, but even as his lips parted he found no will to speak. Those eyes were too hypnotizing. Yet the two wolves were at an understanding without words. A connection of souls linking them together in silence. Tsuria touched her fingers to his chest and dragged them up his neck. Neros closed his eyes and let a huff of air flow from his mouth, focusing on the sensual touch of her fingertips. A calming sigh escaped him as she pushed her fingers through his mane and along his ears. She massaged into his shoulders with slender hands. Her nose touched under his chin and breathed cool air along his neck.

Neros barely was able to form a sentence, the words a low murmur, "What...what...are you...doing?"

For the first time, a new voice greeted the tip of his bottom lip, silken and distant, a lingering coo with a flavored accent, "...Trust me."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Neros found himself facing the ceiling from the sheets of his futon bed minutes later. He breathed slowly but with trouble as he shivered and shuddered. Below him, Tsuria was carefully working his cock with a single hand clenched tightly about the thick meat. Her tongue caressed the lines of his abdomen tracing each outline. Her top had been removed and hung loosely about her hips with the skirt that barely concealed her bottom. In her right hand she held her own breast, caressing the smooth flesh and lightly pulling at her hardened nipple. Neros breathed a moment as the sensation of her wet tongue left his body, his eyes pale blue sapphire eyes starting to open up to the ceiling. "Unngh!" he groaned suddenly. Tsuria dipped her head down his shaft, swallowing the cock into the confines of her throat. Her motion was slow and exotic as her dance. Flawless. Seamless. She was perfect. No gasps or clumsy gurgles. Just the sounds of warm purrs and coos.

"Tsuria...Tsuria I...I..." Neros fought to speak, finding himself losing the will to do so, "I don't even know you!" he gasped softly.

A soft smooth kiss from lips so sensual touched his cock affectionately, her mystical voice travelling up to his ears like a serene melody, "...But that's what you like, isn't it?"

Neros swallowed hard, realizing she was right. How did she know him so well? Who even was she? Who was this woman who was often never seen and appeared to him in the night? So many questions plagued his mind but were utterly fleeting as the female wolf brought her teeth softly into his testicles. Neros gasped louder now, his body jarring as if being struck by electricity. The sensation was oh so good, he couldn't deny it. He clutched at the pillows with sharp nails extended, his mouth opened wide to the ceiling as a helpless groan elicited from his gullet. His legs were locked up, keeping his hips slightly elevated above the bed, Tsuria's hand weaving around his thigh and taking hold of his tail, stroking it from one end to the other. Neros shook his head from side to side, trying to handle his nerves, to not feel like such a virgin experiencing his first time. This woman was undoing him. All the contests he'd endured and all his experience was nothing to the way this wolf vixen was handling him. Her constant stroking of his tail came with pressuring tugs that matched the motion of her mouth on his cock. Soon her other hand took up his balls and cradled them, rolling one nut to the other ever so slowly and careful.

Neros could hear himself panting. His fingertips were growing numb and tingling down his hands. "Haah...haaa...ahhhhhh! Ahhhh!" He panted faster, louder even. The gypsy was increasing her speed. The sounds of her affections reaching his ears in tangible slurps and feminine groans as her tail flicked back and forth above her backside casually.

Slurp slurp slurp!

"Tsuria! Ts-tsuria!! Stop! Stop I can't! I can't! Ahhh!! I'm...I'm....aahhhhhh!!!"

Neros cried out and his knees came up around the gypsy's head, the wolf's jaw opened wide as could be and his moan filling the darkened room while his whole body shook and trembled from head to toe. Tsuria drank deeply of him, her lips providing gentle suction and her throat taking down gulp after gulp, her hair flowing freely across his torso while her fingertips caressed his legs soothingly. A hum of approval and cooing content flowed from her throat in the darkness, her lunar eyes opening to half mast up his body while she feasted on his thick hot seed...