The district was fully alive as Plenty and Hinata walked to Strangers. The main street was bustling. Long lines had formed in front of the meal purveyors. Plenty picked a place on the way, and they got in line.

  Folks in the line were chatting amiably. Plenty got the impression it was local custom to strike up conversations with anybody they were beside. He figured he’d give it a shot, asking the guy in front of him, “Is this place good?”

  The man turned to look at Plenty. He appeared middle-aged and cynical, but he responded kindly.

  “Mhm. Jonnie’s sandwiches aren’t as good as Ted’s, a few blocks up, but they take forever, and the line moves at a crawl. You’ll be waiting all night. This place is solid. Not great, but fast and reliable.”

  “Sounds great to me. Thanks for the tip. My wife and I just moved into the city. We don’t know much about how things are done here. You got any other useful tips to share?”

  The man sized him up and down and then did the same to Hinata.

  “Hm. That tracks. You don’t look like you’re from here. Well, here’s a tip for you: life is free. Everything else is bartered. You want a tour guide, make it worth my time.”

  Plenty was silent for a bit as he considered the man’s ‘tip.’ He had a pearl necklace he could exchange, but that was the last of his jewelry, and he had nothing else of value to offer. The necklace itself was too valuable to offer, but perhaps the man might accept a single pearl. Plenty unclasped the necklace and removed two pearls from the twine holding the necklace together. He carefully tied the twine back together and returned the remaining pearls around his neck.

  “One pearl,” Plenty offered the man. “For the information you kindly offered.” Plenty held the other pearl up between his fingers. “And another pearl, if I like your next tip more than your last.”

  With wide eyes, the man grinned a toothy smile, taking the first pearl and saying, “Well, thank you, sir. Let’s see here. What’s good to know…” The man tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Oh! You know about Strangers? It’s the nightclub. People come from all over the city, Upper and Lower, to do seedy things in the dark. No one really knows what goes on in those basements.”

  Hinata answered, “We know about Strangers. What can you tell us about Eve’s University?”

  The man looked at her like she spoke a different language. “That’s Upper Garden business. I don’t know shit about the university. Ask me about Nightlife.”

  “How does one get to Upper Garden?” she pressed.

  The man groaned. “You don’t just waltz up the stairs. You’d need permission, an invitation.”

  Plenty took a step forward as the line moved. “Our daughter has some magical affinity. We came to Garden so she could get the best education. How might we contact the university?”

  “Oh, you mean Admissions. You need to apply first. I don’t know where the Admissions building is. Somewhere at the base of the Pillar, I expect,” the man said. “And I don’t know the process. Like I said, I can tell you about Nightlife.”

  Hinata said, “Alright, what else can you tell us about Strangers? Have you been inside?”

  The man shrugged and said resentfully, "I'm not on the list. I only know what I hear, and what I hear is that’s where premier families go to do unspeakable things. Things they don’t want anybody to know about.”

  “Who owns Strangers?” Hinata asked.

  At this, the man chuckled. “No one knows for sure. Rumors abound.”

  Hinata teased, “Which is your favorite rumor?”

  He looked at her slyly. “My favorite? Hm. I hear the fae remnants run their secret rebellion in those basements.”

  Plenty’s throat seized, and he coughed on nothing.

  Hinata quickly covered, “Isn’t that dangerous? I thought all the fae were cleansed. Anyone harboring a fae would be sheltering an enemy of mankind. Who would do such a foolish thing? And why?”

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  The man laughed. “I know, right? That’s why it’s my favorite. Now, about that second pearl?”

  "Hm. What else you got?" Hinata played coy.

  "Alright, alright. But this is the last advice you'll get from me, and you didn't hear it from me."

  They moved forward and leaned in.

  He spoke quietly, "Nightlife District is under Gato jurisdiction. They run this place. All the local keepers are loyal to the Gato family. The blackbirds you've probably seen overhead all roost on their rooftop. They live in the big house next to the church. Do not cross them. They probably run Strangers, but I don't know for sure."

  Plenty gave the man his second pearl. His information was interesting, and perhaps useful…

  The line moved fast, and soon, Plenty and Hinata were on their way to Strangers. He ate his sandwich on the walk over. It was very good.

  They arrived at the gate, where a small line had formed. The guard in the box was checking guests in quickly, so they arrived at the front of the line while Plenty was still finishing his sandwich.

  “Who’s this?” the guard spoke to Plenty, regarding Hinata.

  “She’s my wife. I was hoping she could come in with me,” Plenty answered.

  The guard sounded annoyed. “I don’t care, man. Tonight is your tryout. You know what that means? It means stay out of the way and don’t cause trouble.” He pointed at Hinata, “And that goes double for you.”

  Hinata nodded. The gate opened, and they stepped through.

  Plenty swallowed the last of his sandwich and turned to Hinata, asking, “Do I have anything in my teeth?”

  She looked. “No, you’re clear. Stop worrying, you look good. You’re gonna do great. They’re gonna love us.” Then she kissed him, took his hand, and led him inside the doors.

  Countless people were dancing on the main floor as a band played a loud song with explicit lyrics. Colorful lights flickered on the hematite walls like twinkling stars in the night sky. Erotic dancers, men and women, danced on stages along the wall, wearing little or nothing at all.

  Candy was busy slinging drinks behind the bar. She didn’t notice Plenty for some time, and when she did, she yelled at him, “Where the shit have you been? You were supposed to be here a while ago. Make it misty, dude. It’s hot as balls in here. My tits are swimming.”

  “Oh, yeah, sure. Can I get some ice? The more, the better.”

  “Yeah, gimme a bit.” Candy moved about the bar, serving drinks as she went, and shouting orders to the staff as they danced or ran by. Then she stomped on the ground twice, banging the hatch she had opened earlier. Shortly after, the hatch swung open, and a muscular young man in a loincloth stepped up carrying a bucket of ice. Candy shouted instructions to him, then the loincloth man dropped the bucket of ice on the bar in front of Plenty.

  “This for you?” asked the loincloth man.

  Plenty blinked. “Uh, I guess so. I suppose I should just… Uh. Yeah, okay.”

  Plenty put his face over the bucket and sang into it. He had to shout over the music, but the ice quickly evaporated into cool mist, burst over the lip of the bucket like an erupting volcano, and quickly spread throughout the room.

  The dancing crowd cheered and laughed at the cool novelty.

  Candy came back and said, “Nicely done. Who’s this?” She thrust her chin toward Hinata.

  “This is my wife,” he said. “I was thinking, maybe the two of you can be of use to each other.”

  Candy appraised Hinata with a dubious expression. “What have you got for me?”

  Hinata looked panicked for a moment, but she recovered. “I’m handy in a fight.”

  Candy looked somehow even more dubious.

  “I’m serious,” Hinata said. “Bring that guy back here,” she pointed at the loincloth man.

  Candy raised an eyebrow, but she called him over. “Hey, Sergio, come over here.”

  Sergio had been collecting empty glasses, but he put them in a sink and walked over.

  “What’s up?” Sergio asked.

  “Arm wrestle me,” Hinata challenged him.

  Sergio scoffed disbelievingly. “You’re serious? Honey, look at me. It wouldn’t be a fair game.”

  Sergio was ripped, with biceps almost as wide around as Plenty’s thighs. Poor kid. He had no idea how unfair the match would really be.

  Hinata smiled girlishly and lilted her voice. “Indulge me, would you please?”

  Sergio laughed and then squatted in front of Hinata. “Alright. I’ll try not to hurt you.”

  Hinata batted her eyes and gently took the man’s hand in hers.

  They stared each other down playfully.

  “Go!” Candy shouted, sounding amused and a little excited.

  Neither side pressed the immediate advantage, each thinking the other would offer only the cutest of resistance, but only Hinata was correct.

  With sympathy, Plenty watched Sergio’s face express all the emotions, from confidence to confusion, to shock, to determination, to dread, and finally, to humiliation.

  Once the back of his hand hit the bar, Sergio walked away wordlessly, massaging his arm and avoiding all eye contact.

  Candy slapped her open palm on the bar. “Well, look at you! Okay, maybe I can find a use for you, after all. What are you drinking?”

  Hinata blushed. “Oh, I’m alright for now. Thanks.”

  Candy looked confused but said, “Alright. How about you, Waterboy? You drink?”

  Plenty smiled and laughed like he just won something. “I'm drinking tonight!"