Thread: Encounters of the strange and interesting.

In the coastal city of Medea the towns people were in full festive swing as literally every street of the large port city was packed with party goers drinking, actors dancing, fighting, displaying various feats and hawkers called out to the crowds something new and exotic for purchase. It was the summer equinox festival, and the city had been doing extremely well with commerce fueling the already rowdy party to higher and over indulgent ends. And while most were wrapped up in their own enjoyment with groups and foreigners weren't uncommon there were quite a few people who stopped what they were doing as instinct dictated that when lots of people were looking at something they should look as well. Lox was walking down the busiest street that led directly towards the castle of the royal family, and while he was still far enough where ever he passed people turned to look at the curious sight before them. He wasn't hard to miss due to his height, standing six feet and six inches he had a good head and shoulder over most of the crowd and wore a strange stark red scarf that trailed slightly behind him with his brisk pace, that and the large conical straw hat made him extremely easy to spot anyways. He was muscled, but had an odd grace to his step that belied the clumsiness usually associated with the heavily muscled and odder still was the long white tail that trailed out behind him. This too was what drew a hushed silence over the crowd because neko's weren't very common, and were always referred as being small and petite in stature. Even if most people turned to look because everyone else was the sound coming from him caught a lot of peoples attention as well, and though people looked they also cleared a path for him as he walked. Attached to his tail was a strange device that covered nearly two feet of a long four foot white furred tail, and with every movement a series of bells rang from a portion of the device. The effect was obvious if someone were to stare at it long enough because his tail constantly moved in a hypnotic fashion and gave off a strange and eerily soothing sound that seemed to take none of his attention as he walked along. The music being played along the street even stopped to listen more closely to the song made from each distinct flick and curl of his tail, but it looked as though Lox himself wasn't paying any attention to what his tail was doing. Truth be told he was examining the crowd just as closely as they were looking him over underneath the cover of his lowered hat. There were small horizontal slits made within the hat itself before his eyes, and while people couldn't see where he was looking his eyes roved the many faces that stared at him. He had just departed the ship that carried him to this new country, and though he knew quite a few tongues including the standard human language this city spoke he was most likely half way around the world from where he grew up making everything here new to him. The sites, smells, and party goers were making him almost giddy with excitement and he wanted to try a few things himself but first he needed currency easily exchanged with the locals. He carried gold but not an incredible amount and didn't know the exchange rate so instead he looked for some easy money and soon found it in the form of a street show. Coming up to an open market place where a huge area had been left bare for entertainment Lox watched a display of skill that had a group of men fighting with wooden swords for the chance to compete with a champion. There was quite a bit of the local currency piled onto a table and included gold and silver from the competitors, but it was obviously rigged for the champion. Those in the brawl tired themselves out before getting to the big guy, who finished them in a blur even with a wooden sword leaving quite a few in the crowd hungry for their own chance at the money. A smile crossed Lox's lips as he made a straight line for the event and waited patiently for the group of defeated to exit the makeshift ring and allow other competitors to enter. Lox waited for the more rowdy to enter first, and just before the gates closed he himself entered and dropped three oddly shaped and marked golden coins into the pile before smiling gently at all the angry faces in front of him. All had picked up a wooden sword but him, and he could ear the hawker of the show yelling at him to pick the last one at his feet up or he'd start without it. That and a lot of guards in mail were gathering around the edges of the fence with their hands on their swords in case he drew his own blade but he only smiled. A loud horn sounded and the three closest to him rushed to take him out first but Lox only smiled as he waited... Then his chance came and his left fist smashed into a surprisingly lax jaw as the man's eyes rolled back and left two still rushing. The second made a grab for his long bright red scarf, proving it's purpose because if he had been paying attention to his fists he might have seen his right hand just before it sank horribly into his gut and deprived him of air. The third could only stare at the second man falling before the first was properly on the ground, at least before Lox's left elbow met his jaw, and he too left the land of wakefulness. Three down, and six to go with a very nervous looking champion watching as he walked towards the other competitors with his tail still flicking and swaying.