Zeph looked at the window at the town he would visit to meet with the pure warno female. It was different than the King's city of Vellag in almost every way. The houses were more subtle, with a color scheme of pastel woods and decorations. Not quite country, but no city. The vehicles were cheaper and a chauffeuring vehicle could not be seen. The ground was rougher, no cement or brick in place for a street.
He looked toward his chauffeur. A funny guide that King Sheward demanded had to escort him. A little too stuffy for his taste, but Guardians were naturally revered, let alone one that protected a king. This so-called watch guard was more of a yes man and servant, dutifully serving without any real skills. When they came to a stop at a small street, Zeph stepped out.
The restaurant his guide stopped in front of was quaint but fashionable. There was no outrageous green or red letters that demanded anyone take notice of specials, only a sign next to the shop dangling on a tree that had Vallencio's on it. He waved the guide to park on the corner. This meeting shouldn't take long, and he could get back to the Vellag afterward.
Zeph unzipped his jacket and kept it loose. He didn't want to shout out who he was with his usual uniform gear, so a light green jacket and his relaxed top and pants should work. After he gained the female's confidence he'd show her his license. Males would go eat elsewhere causing strife to the restaurant, so he would keep it low key.
He walked in and noted the surroundings. Wooden chairs and tables were strewn about in no particular fashion; the only ones with a permanent spot were drilled to the floor bottom in front of the bar. The colors were pink and tan, the usual country style. He sat down in a wooden chair and waited for someone to take his order. He gestured to a female as she came from the back of the restaurant with a small pad.
She politely smiled as she approached, holding her notepad. Her hair was a simple silver, the standard of most people. Even though warnos naturally had bright shades of hair, most did not like to shout it out. Her tail was still furry though, not rat-like. Her family had a few generations left before evolving into the enemy. "My name is Iridescent and I'll be your waitress for this evening. Would you like a drink to start off with?"
"Sure, anything plain." Zeph could smell the aroma of food coming from the back. If the female didn't show up, it wouldn't be a complete loss. His stomach turned away from the thought of food though as he watched another female enter the restaurant.
The new woman female sat at the bar, legs relaxing off the side of a barstool. That would make his approach easier. He looked toward his waitress again. "Actually, I'm going to go sit at the counter, take it over there." He got up from his seat and headed over in a casual manner to the bar area. This should be the female, but he hadn't been given any details about her except what she'd be wearing. He sat on the bar seat next to her and smiled.
The female gave him a simple glance with a small in and out pout of her lips and looked away. He knew she was anything but interested in him, which was good. If she were smart she'd tell him to take a hike next. Females should never trust males who sit with them next to a bar. Too many treated predatory males with less caution, nice to see a woman who knew the rules. Unfortunately, that didn't help his situation. He had to break that attitude to have a chance at discussion.
"What's with the look?" Zeph chuckled as he leaned his arms against the bar. He noted the way she covered tighter with a blue shawl and tucked her legs in toward the bar. "Think I'm here to get you? Unlikely." He glanced around, making sure no males were near he'd scare off, before he reached inside his jacket and pulled out his official license. Guards who associated with females romantically were either honorably discharged or branded with 'fire' on their reputation. Once she knew his status, she should loosen up. His theory held as the tightness in her shoulders fell and her tails frizzing softened down. "So, do you ever think about getting married?" A look of eye widening surprise came from her. "Not to me of course, female. You're lovely but not worth my career. I mean someone else to pass on your 'special lineage'?"
The female scoffed and picked up a drink the bartender placed in front of her. "Not another one of you." She swirled the glass in front of her and stared at the sloshing liquid. "I keep saying no. No, I don't feel like going out, getting married and having children to spread my lineage. No, I don't care what King Sheward thinks of me disobeying him, and no, I certainly don't give a damn about what you think. Please leave."
"You're lovely aren't you?" She would be a tough one to break. Zeph rubbed his nose and pulled out some nose spray from his jacket. He felt like he was falling in love, which meant only one thing. The female's pheromones were higher than normal. He opened his mouth to give her some advice about medication to lower the attraction, but remembered his mission again. How did he forget that? His concentration was nil at the moment. He shook his head, trying to clear it. "Why don't I buy your next drink?"
"This is fine, I'm not addicted," the female insisted as she gave Zeph a curious look. "You seem familiar."
"Classic pick-up line. Don't you understand when no means no?" Zeph teased as his waitress set down his drink. "Seriously, what's your problem? It's for the kingdom, you all give in at some point, speed it up."
"Thoughtful," the woman said, a hint of sarcasm in her weary eyes. "I've already told you once, please leave me alone. I don't care whether our kingdom falls or not, it's over." She placed her drink on the counter. "King Sheward saw to that."
Ooh. Interesting. Zeph moved his body on the barstool to face the female. He wiggled his nose, still sensing her. "How'd King Sheward see to that?"
"You know how King Sheward saw to that." The female leaned her head back and forward. "If it weren't for him, our race would rule. You're a Guard, you know better than anyone."
Aah, yes. Past mistakes would come and bite his race in the butt. Like mixing silver paint with white, the gray appears. When Zeph's race mixed with waryes, that's when everything went from the sweet life to rancid garbage. He couldn't blame his ancestors though, they didn't know any better. Who knew evolution would be so mean?
"Fine, I'll give it to you. We were idiots and our history sucks, but pinning it all on the kingdom doesn't make things better. Show a little respect, you've got a chance to help your kingdom out." Zeph groaned, "Do it for your kingdom female."
Zeph watched as the female accepted another drink from the bartender. Things weren't going well, the vacation looked like it wouldn't be possible. It was the only reason he kept trying so hard. After all, what difference would it make if she had a kid and kept the lineage going another millennium? Their time was done; waryes would be the future. Even the outside planets would be rooting for the warno end. "Come on already female."
"Stop calling me female, 'male'," the woman said with venom in her voice. "All you Guards think female is so proper. Proper and chivalrous, obey the kingdom, and forget the process of-" She stopped her mouth. Must have remembered bad mouthing a Guardian could put her behind bars. "Please leave."
"That's okay, I like it here. I'll buy your next drink," Zeph pressed on. "I need to talk to you…about…" He blinked his eyes as his head felt dizzy and the scents in the air were still strong. "…my…the reason…" Zeph turned around and put more spray up his nose. It was a special spray called anti-allurance that numbed his nose and made the smell of pheromones weaker. He took another sniff of the spray, a big enough whiff that he wouldn't smell even smoke if there were a fire.
"The reason…" the female slurred as she touched her own nose. "What?" She turned to look at him, her eyebrow high and eyes narrowing on him. "Why are you bugging me tonight?" She felt her head. "I'm getting a headache. I need to go home…"
"Look…" Zeph felt his own forehead too. What was going on? He looked around and didn't see any other females but the presence in the air was so strong. "Look, you should do it because you're a very special…" Stop, stop, stop! Oh his race's biggest weakness next to war. Pheromones. Ugh! "You're…"
"I'm what?" The female moaned as she leaned back further on the barstool. "Are you wearing cologne?"
"I'm…" Zeph's vision faded in and out. He moved his eyes toward the female's tail. Her little silver tail must have been ringed with white and another color beneath. What color could it be? He noticed her light blue-tiered dress, almost the same color as his hair. The v neckline added to its allure and the small silver-hearted pendant hanging down didn't help either. She had hidden her neckline earlier, wearing a midnight transparent shawl, but she had become comfortable enough to let it droop. "Wow, you are attractive."
"Wow, you're not," she answered back but her voice slurred even more.
"…can I buy you a drink yet?" Zeph laughed as he stared at her. "Yeah? We'll talk about talking points? Yeah?"
"Uuhh…" The female chuckled. "Eh, why not. I guess. Why not?"
"Hey guy," Zeph slurred as he banged the counter. "Over here, in front of you. Yeah…I wanted…?" Zeph shook his head. "I want a drink. No, she wants a drink. Get us both drinks." That'd clear their heads so they could talk better.
"I don't want anything heavy," the female said firmly. "He…always told me when I…yeah, I don't drink heavy."
"Okay," Zeph said, laughing. "Hey, make it weigh less, she doesn't want it heavy."
"Yeah, then it wouldn't be heavy." The female laughed along with him. "Make it weigh less..."