A Fosters at the Manne

Kairo's ears were ringing and skin tingling from his array teleportation experience with Genie. He wobbled out of the magical haze, shook his head to clear his vision. His eyes widened with wonder at the sight of a vibrant place.

Lots of people, demons and beastkind, were leisurely dining at square sets of wood tables and chairs with paisley red-blue table cloths.

Hearty conversations and laughter were being shared over food and mugs of some kind of brew.

He admired the fresco painted walls of what looked like blossoms, daisies and green leaf vines reaching out to tall ships sailing on calm waters, like welcoming them home.

On one wall was the manne's name.

"Lucky Dork Manne." He chuckled at the strange name.

"This way." Genie grabbed his arm and led him to a table by a window.

The picturesque seaside view stirred an exciting feeling to Kairo's heart.

Waning daylight was scattered over bright green-blue waters, similar to tiny specs of starlight being laid to rest. It reminded him of those holiday pictures he saw of Crete on the internet.

"Wow."

"Amazing view isn't it?" Genie was appreciating Kairo's expression. The man didn't smile, but he could tell his excitement from his eyes.

A young woman in a maroon and gold-trimmed full length sari-dress with a matching headscarf, approached their table to take their orders.

"Genie-bey it's a pleasure to have you here today." She greeted Genie with the hand-to-head-heart bow.

Genie cheerfully waved off her formalities. "Relax, I'm just Genie. Another demon out for a great meal and a good time with my new buddy." He gestured to Kairo who faced the woman with a cordial nod.

"Oh my!" The waitress gasped with awe and stepped back to give Kairo a more formal bow than she gave Genie.

"Well, someone got famous real quick." Genie grumbled with a pout.

Kairo shook his head and reassured her that she didn't need to be so formal. "It's okay, but thank you for greeting me with your respects."

Genie frowned when he saw the waitress was blushing like a love struck maiden toward Kairo. The man had no idea he was winning hearts.

"Of course. Let me take your orders."

"Um, I don't have an order you can take," Kairo naively said.

"I'll order." Genie drew her attention to him as recited meal items from his opened menu.

The man's confidence mesmerized Kairo. He almost wished he had some of his extroverted nature.

The waitress nodded as she wrote in her notepad. "So, that'll be one Banana Taped Wallbanger, one small sized Dick on Toast, Spotted Livers with Mashed Yams, two mugs of ale and an apple. I'll make sure we get it for you in jiffy."

"Say, Genie, what does the Bey mean when she called you 'Genie-bey'?" Kairo innocently asked to earn one of Genie's information updates regarding class honorifics.

Lucasyna showed titles and roles by honorifics. People with palace duties, nobility classes and royalty carried those titles with their first names in Misculanious. In Etshian and most of the continent it was usually attached to the family name.

Applying the honorific was a show of respect to a person of higher or valued importance. Hence why all guards valued their '-guard' title to their first names: proud of their duty to serve and protect (and a helpful reminder for everyone else).

Kairo nodded, taking it all in. He eased back on his chair, appreciating the atmosphere. It breathed a life and energy he hadn't felt since his days hanging out with his friends after hockey games.

"Friends." He sighed when his memories dipped into moments of sad farewells.

"Homesick?" Genie interrupted Kairo's thoughts.

"Oh? Sorry, this place made me think of a memory."

"Are there places like this on Earth?"

Kairo nodded. "There was this one takeaway joint where me and my hockey team used to hang out after school. Didn't look fancy like this, but it had the best burgers."

"Burgers?" Genie's eyes lit up with keen interest, eager to hear this new fact from Kairo's world. A small party approached their table before there was a chance.

"Lady Foster greets Genie-bey." A well-to-do woman formally greeted Genie with a cordial bow.

"Lady Foster, it is a pleasure." Genie returned her greeting with more formality than he had given the waitress.

Kairo suspected she was of noble rank.

Certainly a beautiful image to the eye of a human-horse mix with smooth white skin, round black eyes and fine black hair styled elegantly in a half bun with a small silver crown headdress holding it together. Fine jeweled head-chains dangled off her ears and near her cheeks. A sari-dress of white silk trimmed in jade-green wrapped around her body with the hems hanging over her hooves to complete her regal elegance.

An older, human man with a shaved head and a deep scar across his right cheek to touch his mustache, joined her: a veteran soldier by the way he carried himself in his mage armor of navy leather vest, white shirt tucked into navy pants and held together by layered belts and longsword sheathed at his hip. A red and black cloak hung to the length of his body. The man looked the same age as Jan.

He formally greeted Genie and Kairo and introduced himself as Aldrick-pasha, the Chief of Palace Security.

"It's rare to see you out on the town, Aldrick-pasha," Genie cordially said to make small talk.

"True, but it's our anniversary today. My lady wanted a place with lots of energy to celebrate our occasion. Lucky Dork serves the best dick platters, so I have heard."

"Let me buy you a drink for your celebration." Genie called over a waitress to inform them of his intention.

The waitress nodded. She faced the couple and gestured toward an ideal spot for the perfect romantic moment.

Lady Foster gracefully said her goodbyes, as she followed her husband to the table.

"Interesting," Genie mumbled and was excited to see a waiter lay their food on the table.

Their meal passed with pleasant conversation and Genie felt privileged in seeing so many expressions from Kairo. Albeit mostly eye responses.

After their meal, Kairo was grateful for a stroll along the docks of a bay as soon as they left the place.

The smell of brine, sea air and fish (hopefully harmless) lifted his senses and made him feel like he was on holiday. Perhaps being transported to another world could be considered as one. His thoughts soon touched on whether he could return home.

Genie carefully watched the man as they walked, noticing his contemplative mood. "Are you sure you're not homesick?"

Kairo paused and gazed out to the sea. There was so much of this world that resembled his own, but at the end of the day, it wasn't. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't. But..."

"But?"

"Since being here, you've helped me a lot in such a short time. It's only right, I do my task for my boss." Kairo's expression and mouth eased into an endearing smile that warmed Genie's heart. "Besides, I've really just arrived. There's so much of this world to see and understand."

Genie couldn't believe the man had smiled. It was a fleeting moment, but he felt he had intimately glimpsed a new layer to him, one only he was privileged to see.

The men shared a stare filled with camaraderie, a sense of honor and belonging.

Kairo's heart raced wildly when moonlight was reflected from Genie's eyes to make them sparkle. The sight took his breath away. The man looked like his brother, but at the same time he didn't. Genie was his own image. He blushed, finding him far more handsome.

Genie felt the disturbance in his heart again: a feeling both warm and intoxicating. He turned to face the waters and broke the moment.

"I better take you back to the palace. You have to check out your new place!"

Before Kairo had a moment to say something, he was kicked into one of Genie's teleportation arrays.