I wasn't allowed to leave the hospital until the next day and I decided I wanted to have a bit of time to myself. The girls didn't like it but eventually agreed after I asked if they thought anyone would be targeting a random human walking down the street.
Dressed in fresh clothes I strolled down the city streets enjoying the sights and sounds of the capital city. As I passed an alley a familiar scent caught my nose and I was suddenly pulled into a memory.
A Lizardman raiding party had attacked my hometown when I was around six. People were running around, screaming, and crying. One of the raiders was cut down by a farming tool and part of his tail had been severed, landing right in front of me.
I remembered hearing people calling me an Earthling and when I had asked my mother why, she cursed at me while explaining what I was and could do. Looking at the tail my stomach grumbled. I hadn't been given anything to eat in three days so I picked up the tail and ran from the village into the grove of trees just down river.
Checking my surroundings very carefully I made a small pile of sticks and focused really hard on my hand. Eventually a tiny flame sprouted from my palm and I quickly lit the sticks. Using another stick I poked it into the tail and held it over the small fire. When fat started sizzling and dripping onto the fire I pulled the tail away and stomped out the flames. Waiting a bit for the meat to cool I bit into it and it was the most amazing thing I had ever eaten. Before I knew it I had eaten everything but the bones and scales which I scattered in the underbrush before returning to the village.
I was beaten severely for disappearing and not acting as bait or a decoy during the raid but the memory of the secret meal was worth it.
Coming out of my memory I followed my nose to a restaurant.
"Galaxy Wide Cuisine."
Something about the name and smell had me curious. Stepping in I was led to a table and handed a menu, fairly generic items so I flagged the waitress over.
"Have you decided on what you would like to order?"
Looking around the nearly empty restaurant I spoke softly.
"I can smell it but I don't see Lizardman on the menu."
Her eyes went wide in surprise before she leaned in, smiled, and spoke just as softly.
"Earthling?"
I nodded and her smile got even brighter.
"Welcome brother."
Standing upright she spoke in a normal voice.
"I'm so sorry sir I didn't realize you were with the party in the private room. Please follow me."
I rose and followed her as another waitress nodded and took over the few customers out front. We went down a staircase and she asked.
"Is it your first time here?"
"Yes it is."
"Ok. At the bottom of the stairs is a door with a window on it. When we knock someone will open the window but will not speak. To be let in you have to say the last sentient alien species you ate and how it was prepared. If they believe you you will be let in. If not...better luck next time."
"That's...actually kind of badass."
The waitress smiled.
"I'm Trish."
"Adam."
She looked closely at me and then noticed the earing.
"Illusion gear?"
I nodded and she laughed while pulling a charm off her necklace. Her human features shifted to reveal black cat ears with white tips and a tail to match.
"Many Earthling's do the same. Feel free to let loose while you're here."
When we got to the door Trish knocked and the window opened. She looked at me and gave a small nod.
"Lizardman tail cooked over a campfire."
The man at the window looked me up and down before he replied.
"Sounds delicious."
The window closed and the door opened. As Trish led the way in I saw dozens of people from many different races, some I recognized and others I had never seen before. I was caught off guard as Trish hollered.
"HEY! We have a new brother among us give him a welcome!"
There was a cheer as mugs and cups were raised and everyone looked at me expectantly. Trish leaned in and whispered into my ear.
"Everyone here has Earthling blood. Take down your illusion and be yourself."
I looked around and every face had a smile or it's equivalent showing. Pinching my earing I spoke the command and my illusion faded away causing the room to go quiet.
"Well damn. I wasn't expecting that."
Trish looked at me wide eyed before smiling and shouting.
"Yo Tommy! Add him to the tally board!"
"Tally board?"
Trish led me to the bar as everyone returned to their food and drinks while occasionally taking a peek at me.
"Yeah. Some races are more likely to show up around here than others so when a rare mix like you shows up they get a free drink and we add them to the tally."
I watched as the bartender, Tommy, pulled down a retractable sheet and placed a tally mark next to the words 'High Elf' which brought the number of tallies up to two.
"So I'm not the first High Elf mixed blood you've met?"
"Nope we got a regular who shows up every few months for a meal. If he didn't the lady who runs this place would tan his hide."
"Why?"
"Cause she's his mother of course, only pure blooded Earthling around for light-years."
"Wow. That's cool."
As I was about to ask more about the other High Elf a plate of food was put in front of me.
"I didn't order anything?"
"I did for you. You mentioned the smell of Lizardman and it's today's special."
I looked at it and it smelled amazing. Picking up the fork I pierced a chuck of meat and put it in my mouth. It melted on my tongue and I closed my eyes as I chewed before swallowing. When I opened my eyes everyone cheered again to my confusion.
"Congrats. You passed."
"Passed?"
"Yeah. You just proved you're one of us."
I looked from Trish to my plate to the crowd before shrugging and having another bite.
"First time I had to prove I am an Earthling."
Trish just smiled and laughed as she placed her hand on my thigh as her tail began caressing my ass.
"I bet. By the way..."
She leaned in and purred.
"You're cute and I'm single. Interested?"
I swallowed the food in my mouth and placed my hand on hers.
"Trish, you are beautiful but I already have five girlfriends and I'm not sure they would be happy about a sixth or even just a romp in the sheets. Sorry."
She just smiled as she pulled her hand away but left her tail to keep feeling up my ass.
"It was worth a shot."
She didn't leave so I asked.
"What's the other High Elf like? I've only ever met a few Earthling's and I'm curious about him in particular."
"Well I mean he's a normal dude. Comes in, has a meal and a few drinks, visits his mom, and then leaves. Not much else to say."
I just nodded and finished the food I was given and drained my mug of beer.
"That was amazing. You're Tommy right? Give my compliments to the cook."
"No problem. My brother will be glad you liked it."
I reached for my wallet.
"How much do I owe you?"
Trish stopped my hand half way to my pocket and shook her head.
"No charge for your first meal. Bosses orders. Many of our first time guests are struggling so it just became a rule for their first meal to be on the house. Life for Earthling's is hard and the boss wants all to feel welcome here."
"The boss sounds like a really good person."
Trish's eyes sparkled as she nodded.
"She is. She keeps an eye out for Earthling's who are being abused and saves them, going so far as to find them jobs with people who don't discriminate."
"I wish my home planet was closer to the capital world then."
Trish looked closely at my face until she noticed I had a matching earing on my other ear.
"A second illusion gear?"
I just gave a sad smile.
"Even though I know they are there I prefer not to see my scars every time I change clothes."
Trish put her hand on my thigh again and looked at me with sympathy.
"I know you think that nobody could understand what you went through but all of us have suffered in one way or another. I told you you could be yourself here. Let go and share your troubles with people who understand."
"You don't understand."
Something about her words just rubbed me the wrong way. It felt like she was belittling what I had gone through so I wanted her to see for herself how little she understood. I took Trish's hand and placed it on my neck.
"Feel around."
She looked confused but began to move her fingers around feeling the raised surfaces of my scars. As she realized what she was feeling her hands trembled a bit.
"Keep going."
She followed the scars all the way around as they completely circled my neck. She tried to ask but I cut her off.
"What.."
"Do you know the first thing a slaver does after acquiring a new slave?"
She shook her head but I saw a tear in her eye at my words.
"They put a collar on their neck and demonstrate it's use."
Tommy had been listening in and placed another beer in front of me and I quickly took a sip. Others around us appeared to be listening as well so I spoke a bit louder.
"Those collars also have different settings depending on the race of the wearer. He set it to human but the townspeople quickly informed him I was an Earthling. The voltage for Earthling's is twice as powerful than for a regular human and those collars are not made with kids in minds."
I took another drink.
"There is also a setting to crank the voltage based on the grade of GA-Serum a person has taken. To get a better price for me the slaver was told I had been given a C grade serum, even though I had never been given one of any grade."
The bar was quiet as everyone was now listening.
"So imagine a ten year old kid with no genetic augmentation getting zapped by enough electricity to take down a full grown adult with a C grade augmented body. The worst part is that the first 'demonstration' is intended to sear the pain of disobedience deep into the memory of a new slave so it wasn't a short one second zap, oh no, it was a full thirty seconds of hell."
The bar was dead silent as I finished my beer.
"I flopped around on the ground convulsing, unable to scream, or think, or even black out because the electricity was forcing me to remain conscious. When the thirty seconds were over I was finally able to black out and the last thing I remember seeing was all of the townspeople laughing. My own mother was there as well just watching as I was almost electrocuted to death."
I looked at Trish with a dead pan face.
"So...do you understand what I went through or do you want to know more."
I didn't wait for her response. I took off my shirt and dispersed my last illusions revealing my scars to an intake of breathe from everyone present.
"Almost every scar I have was given to me before I turned ten."
Circling my neck were intricately beautiful electrical burns.
My back was completely covered in whip marks and other scars. You wouldn't be able to find a patch of unmarked skin larger than an inch anywhere on my back.
My front was just as scarred but in a different way, instead of cuts or whips the cause of the scars covering my front were from burns. Cigarette burns, branding irons, and other such things had marred my skin in ways that were to gruesome to think about.
I turned slowly so everyone could see everything before I looked at Trish again.
"So tell me again Trish. Do you really understand what I've gone through?"
She was speechless and I didn't care to hear her response. Pulling out my wallet I put a few bills on the bar.
"For the second beer."
I put my shirt back on and put my illusions in place before walking out of the Earthling speakeasy.
Being upset and not wanting to dampen any good mood that the girls had I just walked the streets for a while until I found a small park with benches and a fountain. As I sat and got my emotions under control I started feeling a bit guilty. Trish didn't mean any harm and was just trying to help. 'I'll need to go back and apologize for freaking out on her, but not today.'
**
Back at the bar Trish was just staring at the door Adam had left through still not believing everything she had just seen. A voice called from above.
"You really messed up this time Trish. Come up to my office."
Shaking herself Trish stood and rushed up a set of stairs across the room from the one Adam had just taken. Reaching a door at the end of the hall on the top floor Trish knocked.
"Come in Trish."
Trish entered the office nervously and stood in the doorway.
"Close the door and take a seat."
Trish sat and opened her mouth to explain herself when the woman seated behind the desk spoke.
"How many times do I have to tell you to be careful with the things you say?"
Trish shut her mouth and lowered her head.
"Sorry."
"I'm not the one you need to apologize to. I watched everything on the monitors. "
There was a moment of silence before she continued.
"Do you know why he reacted like that?"
Trish just shook her head.
"You belittled what he had been through and made him think that you didn't consider what he had been through to be a big deal even though you knew nothing about him. He lashed out wanting to hurt you, and it looks like it worked."
"Do you think he'll come back? I want to apologize."
"I don't know for sure but I think he will. High Elves are gentle by nature and he will probably feel guilty about his actions. He will probably come back in the next few days intending to apologize himself."
** Adam's POV **
As the sun was setting I made my way back to the palace. Luckily the guards on duty had been there for my spar with Christopher so they recognized me and with a simple check to make sure I was still listed as a guest I was allowed in. Going by memory I made my way back to my room only to be tackled as soon as I stepped inside. Wrapping my arms around my attacker I knew instinctively who it was.
"I missed you too Anna!"
Her tail must have been wagging furiously because even her hips were wiggling on my crotch causing my cock to twitch happily.
"I'm glad you're here but I thought you didn't have leave until tomorrow. You didn't go AWOL did you?"
"No. When we heard what happened I begged father to let me leave early. Mother stepped in as well and here I am."
"Good. I've missed you a lot."
She raised her head from my chest and I kissed her before she went back to smelling me. A habit from her wolf blood I guess. Looking around I saw Iris sitting on the couch drinking tea while smiling in our direction.
"Amy and Beth went to get dinner for the five of us. Also my father was looking for you. He would like to speak with you privately sometime tomorrow. He said he will send someone to get you when it's time."
"Thanks Iris, and I see you've met Anna."
"Yes. She was just showing me her favorite parts of a video. Care to see?"
I laughed.
"Did the lead man look anything like me?"
Iris grinned.
"A little."
We both laughed until I felt Anna's claw like nails dig into my sides and heard her growl. She pulled her head away from me and growled.
"You smell like cat!"