'I need to get out of here quick!' The thought hung in his mind as his eyes slowly darted from side to side showing caution as he walked past.
'The path is forward, simply forward.'
Groans and moans came from the mouths of a few and Mark took a glance at one sitting against a wall with a tiny transparent tube injecting a glowy viscous liquid inside of its dead-looking arm.
'Hmm… so this world has its drug addicts too. Emon must know a lot about people to have created such a realistic place.'
The noises lessened as he distanced himself from the scene and after passing a couple of buildings, he noticed the block forward for the large signs of light that shone and the giggles that came from the area.
He continued his steps, and then he noticed that no drabs were around him–all seemed to be with lustre and they were largely females of different species from his knowledge of stereotypical features and behaviors.
They were scattered between buildings, wearing little clothing of bright colors–mostly just underwater. The color siphoning didn't just make his skin dull in appearance, but so did it affect his clothes, its lustre was stolen meanwhile there were numbers of creatures also beneath the ring in bright clothing and with bright expressions.
'What is going on? What's this place?'
His mind lost itself to the surrounding, losing track and sight of where he went. There were no drabs here, and suddenly he felt like the odd one, he instinctly lowered his head in shame and worry, feeling out of place and trying to avoid their gazes.
Giggles and more giggles. Different creatures were about, but Mark couldn't sight any human and then as he walked forward, he saw men of different races, also full of color like the chef he had seen earlier, parading ladies with them across the block, others stood, others conversed for a potential time together, and others walked. Then, at a less bright corner, Mark saw three going at it– a green troll with oversized hands and a pair of two pinkish lithe women crowned with two large horns.
'Succubi.' Mark's eyes widened. He had seen cool and friendly undead, super strong goblins but this… Succubi were not creatures he had expected he would see, they seemed so detached from reality, so far in between, and they were hardly in fantasy books. They were so detached from the realm of possibility that even in a world that has consistently challenged his perception of reality, it was unbelievable.
His jaw dropped as he witnessed the strange and yet extremely titillating scene before him.
The troll stood while the Succubi serviced him like masters of the craft.
Mark stood until the large green creature stiffened once it was close and then released a cry signalling the peak of its pleasure.
"That was great." One said as it licked the troll's green load off its arms.
"Hmmm…" A turn and they noticed Mark staring.
"Enjoyed the show?" It teased, and then its eyes went down to Mark's groin. He had no reaction and then it noticed.
Its face tensed with hostility and Mark could sense the hate it carried when it uttered the word, "Drab".
Mark reflexively swallowed, nobody but them had noticed him. What now?
He turned to the sides and back at the pair, he felt fixed at the spot. The troll had sprawled and was in the dream lands, one less thing for him to worry about.
"We don't lend our services to drabs, now shoo!"
"Right." Mark shook his head, regaining his senses. He then scuttled along, pretending he had not seen that.
Then came the pervasive moans, it came from everywhere, and then Mark noticed that he stood in between brothels. Quite a busy one with many passing and going.
It seemed he would leave without trouble when he heard a whistle he was sure was for him.
He pretended not to hear and continued with his sad slog, but the whistle sounded again, louder this time, and again he feigned ignorance and went on, not even bothering to look back.
He took his right foot forward and just inches away from where his left foot ought to be, there was a loud boom and a thin cloud of dust that momentarily clouded his vision.
Mark was startled by the impact of whatever had made the sound, and he fell. He sat on the ground, his eyes glued on a figure masked by the dust.
He turned back, but he was too far from where the others were and even if he was close, there was doubt that they would act or care about what befalls a drab person like him.
The dust cleared and revealed not just a figure, but three.
Three green creatures with the shape of humans and elves, but the scaly skin of fishes. They were brawny, larger than Mark, and they wore just black underwear and clothing around their chest, hinting that they were likely prostitutes from the brothels he had just crossed, but what would intimidating whores want with him?
Their eyes were on him in a fierce glare. One walked forward and spoke, stretching forth a hand.
"You are new here?" It asked.
Mark looked at its scaly, large hand, and then its eyes, its fierce glare was gone and in its place was a little softness.
Mark simply looked, he had no idea what to say, what they might prefer to hear, was it yes or no? His mind went into overdrive, trying to decide on how to act.
"Yes." He resorted to the truth instead, he didn't take the woman's hand and stood up himself.
[Eja]
The trio were Eja as seen under the goddess's eye.
'What do they want?'
Mark fought to keep his face stoic and firm, he mustn't give away a hint of fear, otherwise they could use it against him.
"We thought so." It then walked around, circling him in observance.
Mark followed its movement, his weak hands balled into fists should the need to use them arise.
"Come with us, the brothel could use one as exotic as you are."
"Huh?!"