Lauren had traveled through crux lands to try and find her way back with the formula to return to her zebra shape in her bag. She wandered into the next town when she realized she had run low on supplies and entered the town square. Unlike the first place she had visited, the cruxes here were more open and social. She wandered into a restaurant where she stopped at the bar for information.

"What'll you have?" the bartender asked. Sparkling glasses lined the shelf behind him.

"I just need to know where I can get some supplies. I'm on my way home." Lauren looked around at the population of the bar. Most of them were cruxes though a few other species seemed to be present. Being in a crux body herself, she did not feel out of place.

A male voice interjected. "I can help you with that. You need supplies, I'll show you where you can find them." A beige crux stepped up to her.

"Thank you. Mister..." She let the last word hang.

"Valence." He extended a hand. "You're very pretty."

Lauren blushed. "I'm not.... I'm not usually like this." She looked down at her large feet paws.

"Ah, a recent convert. Enjoying cruxdom?" Valence asked.

The female crux made a half smile. "A little."

"How about I buy you a drink? They have green beer here. It's got quite a kick." Valence held up his hand to order. Two large mugs were placed on the table, and Lauren took a sip.

THREE HOURS LATER....

"This stuff is great, can we get another round?" Lauren said, her speech slurring. She had lost her top somewhere, but she would find it later, she was sure. The female crux splashed some beer on the floor as she climbed on top of the table and exposed her shoulders. "How about I splash this on my boobs? WOOO!!!!!"

Valence blushed. "Um, maybe you should get down, that table is wobbly..."

Valence is jasirilion
Lauren is me
Art by Rhia