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Glenn pats you on the shoulder.

"We got this."

"Alright, we'll see meet you when you finish up!" cheers Morgane. "Hopefully my wife isn't too lost in the sauce by then."

"Babe!" shouts Jenny. "Baby, relax."

Jenny wraps her arm around Morgane's neck. They whisper to each other as they walk toward the elevator. Glenn takes you down the stairs, since it's only one floor down.

You can see that this floor appears to be mostly laboratory space. The doors are farther apart, suggesting bigger rooms. Some are blood stained. All have bars and extra security features. You can see flickering lights coming from some windows. You eventually find yourself staring at room 1007. The sign on the door reads
"DR. JOSEPH ECKSTEIN
ROGUE CHEMIST"

"Ya nervous, buddy?" asks Glenn.
Nodding decisively as she received the pat, the grin returned to Charlotte's face as the two groups parted ways. Glancing back once more as they reached the stairs, she saw the end of the plesiosaur's tail slipping between the closing doors of the elevator. As they reached the lower floor, stepping out into the hall, a small lump formed in the dragoness's stomach as she saw the bloodstained doors and flickering lights. The heavily secured doors made her even more uneasy, but she tried to push the feelings down as they neared the door.

Reaching it, she jumped slightly at Glenn's words, and then nodded. "A little, yeah," she replied. Taking a deep breath, her scales shimmered for a moment, and then she reached up to knock on the door.
You knock on the door. Glenn winces.

"Moments like this remind me of Shakespeare. 'March on! Join bravely! Let us to it pell mell! If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell!'"

After a moment's silence, you see a face peering at you from the bars of the doors. A heavily disfigured man, face burned and scarred horrifically, stares at you through Groucho Marx glasses. The novelty handlebar mustache attached to the glasses is dyed orange to match a very unconvincing orange toupee. He at first seems angry, but then upon seeing your face, melts into a smile.

"Hello," he booms in a deep, silky voice. "How may I be of assistance?"
Upon seeing the man's face come into light, Charlotte's tail twisted around her ankles, but she forced herself to look into his eyes. Mixed emotions about the general aura of the Doctor fill her head, but as he smiled, she pushed them away.

"Greetings. My name is Charlotte, and I'm here with one of the others from the floor above this one. I assume you're Dr. Eckstein?" She asked. Glancing over at Glenn for a moment, she continued. "We're sorry for interrupting you, but couldn't help but notice that you're being rather... loud, and your activities' effects on the walls are rather painful for us," she explained.
He appears concerned, even sympathetic. Then his eyes dart to Glenn. He scowls, and is about to shout, but then adjusts his spectacles and takes a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, I, I tried to explain to your...friend over there. This is important work I'm doing. Perhaps it'd be best if I showed you. Maybe then you'd understand."

He opens his door and ushers you in. You can see the inside of his wide laboratory space. It is full of strange machinery you couldn't begin to understand, unless you have a scientific background. Neon chemicals of every color are being pumped and filtered through a gigantic machine that appears to be stirring them into a concoction that appears to be viscous, grey, and semi-crystalline.

In the corner, there's a vinyl record player that's blaring "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)" by Parliament.

"This...this is primordial ooze! Or at least, it's getting there. I'm working on it. This is the chemical that kickstarted the development of all life on Earth! You think stem cells are all that? Pssshhh. These are like stem cells for every living organism that ever existed on the planet, and that could ever exist on any planet! This is the broth of all creation! That is what I am working on. That is what is making all this noise. This is why I can't stop. Just think, any day now, I will have cracked the code, and solved the oldest mystery plaguing the human brain! And, this is the cherry on top, I will prove that CHEMISTRY IS BETTER THAN BIOLOGY, BECAUSE WITHOUT CHEMISTRY, THERE WOULD BE NO BIOLOGY! SUCK IT, MAD BIOLOGISTS!"

He begins to cackle in that typical mad scientist cackle that Glenn can't help but scoff at.

Glenn sticks their finger in the ooze and takes a lick of it.

"Molasses." they chuckle. "This is molasses, doc."

The doctor stares at the concoction, scoops a handful of it, and slurps it down. Enraged, he spits it on the floor, and glares up at the ceiling.

"I WILL UNCOVER YOUR SECRETS, ELOHIM!" he screams.
As the scientist's face changed, Charlotte's spirits lifted for a moment, but dropped again when he saw Glenn. Perhaps it wasn't worth it after all? She thought.

As the man ushered them inside, she took careful steps in, wary of anything on the floor that might have been inherently dangerous. Looking around at everything, the dragoness was slightly baffled at how much was going on inside the room. She made a few circuits of the space, staring in wonder at the machines and the tubes coming from them.

Looking over at the record player, she couldn't help but chuckle as she recognized the music, the sound being a somewhat ironically perfect compliment to the situation at hand.

Turning her gaze to Eckstein, she listened as he told his story, explaining his work. As his voice grew louder, she couldn't help but wince again at his volume, much like she had done when Jenny had shouted. Maybe the people around here were just loud?

She looked over as Glenn tasted the goop, and she was about to warn her when the announcement was made that it was just molasses. Her scales shimmered again as the supposed chemist shouted again, stronger this time.

"But please, sir, couldn't you be at least a little quieter?" She asked, her scaly brow furrowing slightly. "When your machines hit the wall, it vibrates our tanks, and it's incredibly painful for us."
He sighs.

"You know what? I'm sorry. I...I need to rethink this whole operation. I thought I was so close. But, I guess I need to go back to the drawing board. I can't promise that I won't stir from time to time, but, this machine probably isn't going to activate again for a while."

"Thanks, doc." replies Glenn.

"Help yourself to the molasses, I suppose. I have some leftover matzo from Passover next to the record player as well. I don't know how molasses tastes on matzo, but, I'll let you two do that experiment."

He smiles before collapsing onto his chair, hands folded as if in prayer, but his face in deep thought.

"That was easier than I thought." replies Glenn, dunking some matzo in the sugary sauce. "You wanna head to the Punch Bowl now?"

They take a bite of the dish.

"Dry. Could use a drink." they say with a mushy mouth.
Charlotte nods in response, listening and thanking Eckstein as well when he was finished. She dipped a hand into the barrel of sludge, watching as it started to drip down her wrist, and quickly slurped it up. The taste was certainly interesting, and as she tried some with the matzo, she agreed with Glenn that it would need something to wash it down with.

She glanced over at the Doctor in his chair, and then nodded. "Sure," she replied. "Hopefully Jenny hasn't wasted herself yet." Turning toward the door, she took a couple steps toward it, glancing back to make sure that her friend was following.
Glenn follows and the two of you head down the elevator and into the lobby. Axel is swabbing the floor, and now Wanda Jackson is playing.

"Well a hard headed woman, a soft hearted man,
Been the cause of trouble ever since the world began!
Oh yeah, ever since the world began, ah oh oh oh oh!
A hard headed woman is a thorn in the side of man!"


He waves at you and Glenn. Glenn reciprocates.

"How's it going, greasebot?" asks Glenn.

"Slowly," Axel grumbles. "But, I don't mind. I'm practically immortal. Got all the time in the world."

"Good, you'll outlive us all!" laughs Glenn. "Will you be at my funeral?"

"If I went to every meatbag in this place's funeral," replies Axel, "I might as well wear nothing but tuxes."

"Take care, Axel." Glenn chuckles as you head toward the Punch Bowl.
Gripping the rail on the inside of the elevator, Charlotte closed her eyes as they descended, relaxing once they had stopped. Stepping out of the elevator, she spotted Axel, still cleaning. Did he ever stop?

"He'll stop only when he completely rusts out, I guess," she said. "He could last for quite a while, though, if he keeps himself up."

She returned the wave, nodding as they passed and headed out the door. "I like him," she said to Glenn. "What do you think of him?" She asked, after taking a breath of the warmer outside air. It had cooled since she had arrived, but it was still considerably warm.
"Oh, Axel? He's the coolest." says Glenn. "I don't know if you're into philosophy, but he is Albert Camus' absurd hero incarnate. Created to be a servant just conscious enough to realize his condition, yet completely incapable of breaking away from that role. And still, he somehow manages to embody rebellion. He dresses like a 50s greaser, listens to rock and roll, and talks smack with the people he serves. He is, as Camus would say, a happy Sisyphus."

Glenn twirls their facial tentacles around their finger nervously after saying that.

"Oh god, I sound like a total nerd now."
The dragoness listened to Glenn speak, one of her ears fanned out as the sea-hybrid spewed their knowledge on the subject of Axel. Taking in all of the things that they said, her gaze regularly switched between her and the path ahead.

"No, no, it's fine," Charlotte told them. "I enjoyed listening. It's clear that you've done some research on him, though." She spotted a group of buildings up ahead. "Is that where the Punch Bowl is?" She asked, her head tilting slightly.
(((Glenn uses they/them pronouns. My apologies if I didn't make that more explicit.)))

"Yep, right over here."

Glenn leads you to The Square, a portion of the park dedicated to businesses and restaurants. Glenn makes a bee line right to a divey looking bar. The building is painted white, with red Japanese and English text written all over it. There is a stylized drawing of a giant gorilla fighting a robot on the sign that reads:

"THE PUNCH BOWL
Kaiju Brawl Bar and Grill
Hours:
Sunday-Thursday: Noon to 10 PM
Friday and Saturday: Noon to 2 AM
Live Brawls on Saturdays"

"Oh yeah, tomorrow they're doing a mech battle. Not anybody you would know if you follow the sport, probably. It's mostly locals. They do show the big brawls on TV though, but right now they'll probably just be showing Godzilla movies or something."
((Not your fault but mine. It just slipped my mind. Fixed now.))

Following the hybrid as the two made their way closer to The Square, Charlotte looked around at the various buildings present. Some of them, she would have liked to go in, but she saw that Glenn was heading over to one with a sign labeling it as the Punch Bowl.

Reading the sign, what information was there caught her eye, and she glanced to the hybrid as they spoke again.

"That certainly sounds interesting. Maybe we could go see it?" She asked. "I'm assuming that you've been to one before."
(((Sorry for ghosting. Just got back last night from Monsterpalooza.)))

"Oh yeah. I've been going to them since my 7th hatchday. I've always wanted to place bets on the fighters, but my moms would flip out if they knew I was gambling. Come on in."

They open the door and you are smacked in the face by the smell of liquor and grilled meat. "Bring Da Ruckus" by Wu-Tang Clan plays softly (or, as softly as Wu-Tang Clan can be played) on speakers muffled by the din of customers.

The walls are plastered with posters from mecha anime, Japanese monster movies, and real life kaiju and mecha battles. Flat screen TVs hang from the ceiling facing every possible direction. Reruns of the classic Ultraman series are playing on mute with closed captions.

As it's close to dinner, there are a few customers. You see a creature resembling an giant isopod laughing with a Sasquatch over a pair of drinks at the bar. A woman in a labcoat sporting a mowhawk is playing Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots against a skeleton in a tuxedo at a table covered in half-eaten buffalo wings. Five elderly women dressed in robes and pointed hats drink margaritas and flirt with an annoyed looking minotaur waiter.

You see Jenny sitting at the bar, her tail wrapped around the stool, laughing as she talks to the bartender. He is a large man, tall and broad. He has dark skin and long dreadlocks, but his face has features that suggest Asian heritage. A goatee struggling to show itself surrounds a sincere smile. He is wearing a backwards trucker hat, a green polo shirt, and a black apron that reads "GRILL MONSTER" in bold Chiller font over a cartoon furry horned monster grilling hot dogs.

He and Jenny turn to face you two as you enter.

"Hey guys!" shouts Jenny.

"You must be our new neighbor!" shouts the bartender. He beckons you to approach and extends his hand for a shake. "Tony Fujikawa. I own the place."
((That looks really fun!))

"Well, if we get over there, maybe I could put some down on your behalf," the dragoness offered. 7th hatchday...Wonder what measure of time that is? The dragoness wondered. the question was soon forgotten, though, as they neared the bar, and the music could be heard louder and louder. Opening the door, Charlotte's ears pressed against the side of her head, limiting the insource of sound.

She looked around, her nostrils flaring a little as she smelled the various scents, among them being the obvious alcohol present in every place like this. It was a little smoky, but not enough to bother her, and she stepped in after Glenn.

Walking through, Charlotte slowed as they passed the pictures and posters, looking at each and taking in their detail. Surprisingly, she had never seen a real Kaiju up-close like they had here. Sure, she had seen them from far-off, but never close enough to really get a good look at them. Turning her head as the wall-mounted scenes fall behind them, she set her sights back on the path ahead of them, spotting the large screens hanging down. Caught up in the visuals for a moment, she soon realizes that Glenn had kept striding ahead of her, and hurried to catch the hybrid.

Switching her gaze now to the various different figures seated around the room, her head tilted as she saw the giant isopod. She certainly didn't expect to see one of them here, but then again, mad scientists and hotels full of sealed water tanks weren't really on her list of expectations for this place, either. She had seen Sasquatches before - this one was no different than all the others she had encountered. Tall, covered in hair, and big hands and feet. Built for the forest, it did seem. The skeleton, though... How were they held together? Magic? It was a possibility. The dragoness herself could turn into water, though, and she wondered what other capabilities the residents of this town had.

Locating Jenny among the others, the dragoness headed toward her, assuming that Glenn was going the same way. Shifting her eyes to study the bartender talking with the woman, her green eyes looked over the man. Unlike most of the inhabitants that she had encountered, this one seemed to be human, or at least enough to be considered it. Glancing at his apron, printed with the depiction of the horned creature standing over a barbecue, she let out a small laugh. It seemed so out of place here, but yet it fit perfectly with their surroundings, somehow.

Her smile widened as the two called over to them, and Charlotte's pace quickened. Slowing as she neared the bar, she reached up, shaking the offered hand. "I'm Charlotte," she said, her voice raised over the volume of everything else. "Nice to meet you, Tony. And you're right, I am new here. So far, though, it's turned out to be quite splendid!"
Tony's handshake is firm, warm, and sincere. He makes eye contact with you while doing it.

"So where you coming from, Charlotte?" he asks. "I'd say by the look of you, you fell right out of Heaven."

Jenny chortles, nearly spilling her drink.

"You big flirt," she sighs, slapping him on his muscular arms before turning to you. "Don't fall for his stupid pick up lines. I know this from experience, bartenders are not to be trusted."

"Mom, please don't talk about your old flames." groans Glenn.

"Can I get you anything, hon?" Tony asks you. "We got burgers, booze, wings, ribs, fries, soda, whatever you like. First meal's on me."
The dragoness had been told that her handshake was a good one, but she had never really known how true it was. She returned his gaze, her scales flushing a dark blue as he spoke.

She took a seat, chuckling somewhat nervously as she heard what Jenny said, relaxing a little afterwards. "From experience?" She asked, somewhat rhetorically. "Well, I'll be sure to watch out, then." Resting her elbows on the counter, she put her chin in her hands, closing her eyes for a moment as she decided on her meal of choice.

"I don't suppose you have fish, do you?" She asked, her eyelids sliding open once again. "As to be expected from a water-dweller like me, but I know what I like. What kinds are you serving?"
"Well," Tony squeals, looking off into the distance, as if he were pondering whether or not he should say what he's about to say. "If you like sushi, I was interested in trying to make some. I figure, this place is Japanese themed, I'm half Japanese, maybe I should actually serve some Japanese food. But, nobody's been interested. If you want, I can whip up some spicy tuna rolls."

"For obvious reasons," Jenny laughs, "I'm not wild about your appetite for fish. But, I'll try not to make a fuss. The only one who can eat me i-"

"DON'T FINISH THAT SENTENCE OR I'LL CALL THE COPS!" shouts Glenn, caught in the awkward space between amusement and anger. "Jesus Christ, how sloshed are you?"

"Not as sloshed as you're about to be!" Jenny replies. "Tony, Jack and Coke. It's Glenn's favorite."

Glenn sighs. "Alright, fine."

Glenn plops down on the bar next to their mother. They pat the seat next to them, offering it to you.
At the mention of sushi, the dragoness perked up. "Oh, that does sound good," she said. "I do enjoy spicy foods, so I think I'll take some of that." She looked over at Jenny, a half smile coming to her scaled jaws. She was about to say something, her mouth opening before Glenn shouted, and her teeth clacked shut, the heightened volume causing her scales to shimmer once more. Her eyes narrowed, and she blinked a couple times before relaxing again.

"Jenny, I-I'd never eat you, you don't have to worry about that," Charlotte said nervously, and took a hesitant seat next to Glenn. She mumbled quietly to herself for a moment, and then shook her head quickly. Just relax, they didn't mean anything by it. Don't get so worked up, she told herself. They were just here to have fun.