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The hotel had been far too nice, nicer than Layne had been expecting. Layne could literally lounge about nude for all she cared all day and night in her room, then again she had seen many demons in the buff outside of their rooms so there were plenty of pretty sights, but that wasn't what mattered. The inside was a luxury, soft floors of fluff with beds that felt like heaven and strange contraptions that carried Layne's interest for quite some time. She had freshly come out of the bathroom with lightly wet fur, a dress being placed over her head, something basic for going out and about. No matter how good it was inside the hotel, she had to keep herself distracted, for even within the lap of luxury her thoughts for some reason began wandering towards memories of her family and that she could not stand. She would not think about them while on her vacation, there was simply no need for it, and so a distraction was necessary. Today the plan was to head to a potion store in the inner city to scope out the competition. She had heard many good things from the various demons and other creatures staying at the hotel, even been recommended a visit by many of the employees and that caught her interest. There was a widespread interest in this store by the name of, "Keel's Haul." And again she had to make note of just how awful the names were in this place. If she ever planned on moving here then she would need to know the competition in and out, and she would definitely need to check out what they were selling with a horrible name like that. Perhaps she would have an advantage over them because of her access to Ultera's plant life thanks to Ogglen keeping her store and garden healthy at home, or maybe she'd have to contend with something truly amazing, there were demons after all that specialized in alchemy and perhaps Layne was far far behind them in terms of technology and technique. Either way, she would see for herself whether or not the competition here was worth it.

Layne set off when the sun was still high and the lampposts on the cobbled streets were off. The streets were bustling with crowds of folk of various looks. She was already used to the many species that were walking around so at the very least Layne didn't look like a complete stranger to the region walking around and gawking at people like some sort of weird tourist. Instead, she walked with a bounce in her step, her eyes focused on heading to the right places where she had been told to go. She followed the landmarks and ducked through the winding alleyways that she had been assured were just part of the path. Layne still had to marvel at the various strange buildings and the makings of them. The metal and stonework was far too foreign for her not to be staring, and even through eerie alleyways, she found herself marveling at the jagged metal edges of some places and other strange formations that made up the buildings and accessories to said buildings. An hour or so of walking felt only like a couple of minutes due to all the new sights and she was soon stepping out into the startings of the magic sector of the city, in particular, this portion of the magic section had various shops with varied alchemical purposes. There was even a store for spices and herbs in particular used for potions, in fact, entire companies existed for the sole purpose of providing objects to aide with magical use. Pret was truly a merchant's dream with the sheer variety of store and stall within and around the city limits. She would have to look through these various places if she needed a supplier of local herbs and the sort, there was certainly no way she was going to be able to keep an herb garden in an industrious place like this, there were only ever patches of grass here and there and maybe the potted plant or tree, nothing like she was used to at all, and that felt refreshing more than anything else. Then again, she could set up a small portal that would take and send small packages between the continents, if she was allowed to, or she thought with a grin, if she could hide it.

Layne stopped just outside of a building with a sign that read the titular name of the place she was looking for, the awful pun-ridden name that wasn't exactly inviting, but still she grabbed onto the knob of the door and opened to step inside, a pleasant jingle sounding off from a bell attached to the top of the door. As she stepped in she felt a chill and heard a crackling voice call out to her almost immediately from the back of the dimly lit shop, "Welcome to Keel's Haul! Stay right there and I'll be down in a moment."

Layne tilted her head and looked around, there was nobody around except for shelves upon shelves of flasks of various materials with strange and glowing liquids and powders that dwarfed her own stock along with a front counter with a door around back and some stairs to the side. Everything looked so strangely cool, even the lighting on the inside was sort of blue, not unlike her own shop, but icier. Scratching at the back of her head she decided to check through the potions and various other products, noting the labels upon them. There were plenty of things that would've been difficult to sell at home, potions and more that enhanced the mind and took away control, poisons that were meant to shut down the system and so many many more things that she was used to hiding for special customers. Her tail then stood up on end as she felt a sharp cold chill run up her spine along with the sound of two people arguing, a male and a female.

Out the door behind the front counter came two individuals, a short rabbit-like creature with red eyes and white fur with blue rings around his ears and arms wearing sleeveless robes, and a Lupin with four icy blue eyes sporting black fur with a white ring around her muzzle and robes of the same style, "Pratch, I know you want me to deal with customers more often, but did ya really have to drag me out of the freezer to do it?"

The rabbit known as Pratch huffed, "Well, Keel, you are the leader of this little operation, so please, do go on with your little experiments while I take care of everything for you, or rather, actually deal with a customer for once in your life and let me take care of the back. Better yet, how about I watch and judge you like you do with my work."

Layne smiled just a bit, another troublesome couple it seemed, "Uh, hello there." She said with a little wave.

The black furred lupin with multiple eyes blinked and looked to Layne with a big fang filled grin, "Oh! Hello, you're the customer right? You heard me on the comms. I'm Keel, and this is my haul."

"Too cheesy, too cold, too stiff." Mumbled Pratch which received a swift swat on the head from the taller Lupin.

Keel grunted, "Well uh, how can I help you miss?"

Layne giggled as she walked up to the counter, her eyes still exploring the shop around her, "I'm here to scope out the competition, to be honest, but really, I don't think I have anywhere near the amount of stock here back at home."

Both leaned over the counter as Keel began, "A maker of potions? An alchemist?"

Pratch then added, "Or perhaps something more?"

Keel continued on, "Either way we're happy to show off to supposed competition and actually see if you know your stuff, if you're looking for a temp job we can set you up while you stay here, but I can't exactly have a foreigner stay here for something permanent, I mean, unless you wanna upgrade your body."

Layne took a step back at the upgrading her body portion of that statement and she cleared her throat, "Ah no, I was just here really to look at your mixtures, maybe learn a thing or two about how demons do things, the herbs you use and what not, but if things are secret then that is fine."

Pratch stepped around the counter to push open the small gate and wave over Layne, "I don't think a little tour would be so awful! We have plenty of herbs and what not native to here and here only on this continent, in exchange, however, you'll be sharing your secrets too won't you?"

Layne giggled and accepted the invite, stepping around the counter to introduce herself properly, "Well, I mean, that is only fair right? Either way, my name is Layne. Potion maker from the Countres region of Ultera, good to meet you two."

Keel stepped close to grab and squeeze Layne's paw in a crushing grip, "Keel! My names Keel, now you sure you don't want any enhancements."

Pratch stepped in to swat the taller Lupin away, "Now now, don't bother our new friend. My name is Pratch, a Buern as I'm sure you're curious, specializing in a little bit of ice."

Keel rubbed at her wrist which Pratch had swat and gave her rabbit friend a flick on the head, Pratch ignoring that to lead Layne further to the back door and open it, "Come come, we'll show you our stock of herbs spices and what not and show you what we use here to make our own stuff. Now, how long do you plan on staying, we are really privy to having more helping paws to keep things moving quickly."

Layne giggled as she followed along, "Well, perhaps I might be looking to make this vacation permanent sometime, but only for a week or so for now."

Both Pratch and Keel stayed in place for a moment and looked at each other before Pratch cleared his throat, "Ah, a permanent stay? Is that so? Do you know what that entails? Then again I shouldn't say anything, it is your decision after all."

Layne quirked a brow, but before she could question it the Buern was off and into the darkness of the back room. Keel put a paw on Layne's head lightly, "Don't think about it too much and instead let's get you into the back. Plenty of fun stuff to discuss."

Layne wasn't sure she was really happy with that answer. She would have to visit that fox after this little scoping of competition. With a shrug she sighed and moved on, stepping into the back room. With how warm the outside weather was, she hadn't expected to be blasted with frigid cold. The back room was a metal lab of sorts with tables, beakers, boxes, crates, and various strange devices all around that she wasn't sure what they were used for, many of which fed into glass beakers. Layne shivered and rubbed at her shoulders as she followed along Pratch and Keel, both of which seemed perfectly fine underneath the extreme cold, "Now, this is where we make our stock and do our experiments of most kind, there are certain ones we do in the back, but even here we do our enhancements, which you know, you're still up for a free one if you want." Keel said.

Pratch gave her side a light pinch to which she yelped and he continued on for her, "Yes, well, if you aren't interested then we shouldn't press, but if you're interested in what we use for our potions then you need only look behind here."

Layne tilted her head as she was led to a metal wall, a flat surface and nothing else, that is until Pratch pressed a strange button on the wall and there it slid open and a shelf came out with both fresh and dried herbs, small boxes too, filled with spice and the sort. Layne's eyes widened from both the device and the variety of the materials there. Most of which she had never seen. Strange vines and plants that were bulbous and weird, plants that had faces and she swore she saw some familiar ones here and there with a few mutations. From there she could smell the spice as well, and nothing smelled too familiar, nothing that she would use herself.

Keel beamed at the surprised feline, "You see we have a very nice stock here, something to marvel at with a few rare beauties here and there, and y'know, you could help us with our next potion that uses exclusively stuff from this continent."

Layne blurted, "I'd love that! What would we be making? Would I get to use any of these weird devices?"

Pratch tilted his head, "Weird? Do you not have anything like this at your home?"

Layne shook her head, "No! Nothing so grand and metallic, usually I use tools meant to be held in paw, nothing like these strange machines or even that pop out wall. I love it!"

Pratch chuckled, "Then we'll go through it together then."

That strange machinery brought together to mix and mash various ingredients together. They showed Layne the various parts that made the magic happen, the mixers, the distillers and so much more. She could barely believe it was happening and yet she also saw them do so many things by paw too. They added their magic to whatever and as they were working together they seemed to lose any sense of rivalry they had, and that was the most interesting portion. It wasn't the machinery, the herbs, or the recipes that she was so carefully being shown, but rather the pair that had been bickering back and forth now suddenly brought together by a common source. It was interesting to see them so focused and intent on one single thing. Layne barely had any chance to do anything at all, even when magic was involved she just sat back and marveled at their work ethic together. When they produced the potion and poured out the shimmering blue liquid into a vial Layne had to give them a few claps, it was an impressive show and so she said, "I'd pay to see you two work like that!"

Pratch snorted, "She's far too sluggish in her movements to be watched for entertainment."

And Keel responded simply, "And he's far too dainty to be any actual use." But both of them were grinning from ear to ear as they stood by their potion atop of the table.

"So, would you like to sample this thing for us? It is a newer recipe after all and we'd love to have someone try it." Keel said with a fang-filled grin and a predatory glint in her eyes.

Now this was interesting, Layne was used to being on the other side of things, providing others with samples of her work, she had never been the one to be used in such a way, but it was kind of funny, kind of interesting and so she shrugged, "Well, if you tell me what exactly it is supposed to do first."

Pratch interjected with a smile, "Alignment shift. You'll not feel the cold and your ice spells will come out as if you were a demon aligned with ice, of course you won't actually become a demon and the effect is stronger in demons, but you should be able to call upon ice without a problem. Isn't that nice?"

Layne blinked and took up the flask, the glass feeling rather cold to the touch, "Huh, that sounds like some fancy stuff. To alter one's natural affinity is considered pretty taboo by the Court at home, most think it's some sort of interference with the inner soul or something like that."

Keel snorted, "Screw that, we mess with the inner soul every day by simply using magic."

Layne giggled, "Good point, and well, hmmm, guess this might be interesting."

Both Pratch and Keel watched with wide and excited eyes as Layne took the flask to lips and took a single sip of the glowing concoction. For a moment her taste buds and her entire body were frozen over, a minty chill like no other freezing her from ear to tail causing her fur to stand on end for a moment before it passed. When she pulled the glass neck from her mouth she coughed out an icy mist that felt cool against her tongue and far too foreign. She then sucked in a breath and shuddered as all of the cold suddenly went away. Blinking she looked to the potion before looking to the two potion makers watching her, "Uh, well, that was certainly something cold."

Pratch was practically bouncing, "But what about now? Are you cold in here?"

Layne scratched at the back of her head before realizing that she indeed didn't feel any cold, "Huh, I...I kind of don't feel any cold at all."

Keel grinned wide and leaned in close, wringing her paws together, "So try to cast a spell, something icy at that, see how it works."

Layne set the potion down and brought her paws up to summon up the power to bring an icicle into existence just above her paws, but rather than take a moment or two, an icicle simply formed as if she willed it immediately into existence. She tilted her head and looked to the ice, "Huh, that is uh, interesting. I can actually see how these would help in a pinch."

Pratch turned to begin scribbling something on a piece of paper, "Now, this is our fifth version of this new recipe, tell us if you feel anything weird, you only took a little sip so it should be wearing out soon."

Layne raised a brow and suddenly the cold came crashing over her. She shivered and her teeth began to chatter and she held onto her shoulders and yelped, "Oh! That isn't very nice at all."

Keel tilted her head and frowned, "Hm, seems the aftershock is still a bit violent, not as bad as before when people would just freeze over. Pratch, we should get her out into the warmth."

Pratch nodded and after scribbling he turned just in time to see Layne fall over out cold, "Oh dear, perhaps we should have taken more precautions and done it outside of a cold area."

"Welp, let's take her up and make sure she's not too angry when she wakes up."

Pratch added to his friend's statement, "And we'll not be upgrading a single bit of fur on her while she slumbers."

Keel snorted, "Spoil sport."

Layne dreamt she was on a chunk of ice, freezing her tail off underneath a blizzard. Everything felt way too cold and she absolutely hated it. Perhaps if she hadn't been native born to Countres she would have been more used to the biting cold. Her eyes cracked open after a while of dreaming of cold ice, her body still cold but at the very least against something soft. She sat up slowly to see that she was sitting in a bed wrapped in covers. Remembering what had happened she couldn't help but chuckle. She wasn't used to being on the receiving end of a potion gone wrong. Shivering from the cold she still felt inside of her body she pushed the covers off lightly and sat at the edge of the bed. Alone in that room without any noise but her own thoughts she began to ponder if she would ever be able to compete with her own potions, she'd have to think of something to get herself a leg up on Pratch and Keel. That was when Pratch came up the stairs at the other side of the room carrying a saucer with a cup of something steaming hot, "Oh!" He said with raised ears, "You're awake! We're so sorry about that, didn't think it would knock you out cold, no pun intended."

Layne chuckled a bit, though she shivered, "N-not a problem. I'm used to p-plenty of weird side-effects from my own mixes."

"Here here, this isn't a potion, but it'll definitely make you feel better," Pratch said as he offered up the saucer upon nearing her.

Layne took the cup graciously and took a sip from the steaming cup, warmth touching her body and sweet honey touching her tongue. Her cheeks flushed with warmth and her body relaxed just a bit, "Ahhh, that tastes so good, feels good too."

Pratch smiled, "Good. Keel was worried you might be angry, so she's downstairs huffing and puffing about making such a mistake. You see, she loves toying with people, but she doesn't like hurting people, strange enough."

Layne chuckled, "Your wife is a darling Pratch."

Pratch's ears rose on high and his eyes narrowed, "I would like you to take that back, as I have no interest in that."

Layne giggled, "Sorry, did I strike a nerve?"

Pratch huffed, "Who would want to marry such a bore? We're the best of friends, but every time I try to set her up she always ends up scaring suitors off, as for me? I don't think I'd ever be into her like that."

Layne smiled just a bit, "Cute, you two are perfect for business partners that's for sure."

"Well, I suppose one of us has to have the sense and the other one has to have the strange passion to do anything without regard for life."

Layne shrugged, "It can be hard to run things on your own."

Pratch looked from side to side for a moment before sniffing, "Hm, I suppose that is true, but hm. More importantly, Layne dear. You said you wanted permanent residence here? Well, not my place to say much about that, but if you ever do manage to get yourself a home here, we're always hiring you know and we'd be glad to give a good word to our suppliers."

Layne blinked, "Suuuuure, just, I'm a little bit intimidated now, I'm not sure what staying here permanently entails."

Pratch thought about it for a moment before rolling his eyes, "Well, many people here come to take the shift into demon-hood, and so there is a push towards that. Do you want to become a demon?"

Layne tilted her head, "Well, I'm not really sure?"

Pratch shrugged, "I suppose it is something simply assumed that most foreigners wanting to stay do, and it isn't a pretty process really, not most of the time anyway, but it is all up to you after all, more importantly, business just isn't as good for non-demons."

Layne rubbed at the back of her head, "Huh, lack of trust?"

Pratch nodded, "Somewhat yes, most consider foreigners to lack a certain sense that we have, you're already at a disadvantage for not understanding our tech."

Layne stared into the cup for a moment and wondered aloud, "How would I go about becoming a demon?"

One ear on Pratch's head flopped at that and the other raised on high, "Hmmmm, I don't think that is for me to say, but are you sure that is what you would want?"

Layne chuckled, "Maybe, I think partially, I'd like to become something different, for reasons of my own."

Pratch looked Layne up and down before nodding, "Hm, well, all right then. I wish you luck, and feel free to come on down when you feel better dear."

With that said, Pratch left Layne to her thoughts. Becoming a demon, something different, something entirely different from what her family was, something that would set her apart entirely from Lunar Felines. It would be something that would be her own decision as well, something all to herself, but how would Nicolas feel she wondered? Or even her other friends, could she even go back to Ultera as a demon? It might be interesting have an extra appendage, eye, or something else, or it might be terrifying simply going through the process, either way, it was an interesting opportunity. Her thoughts then turned to Bav and for that moment she sat there thinking of what to do, sipping the warm tea she had been given and weighing the options, there were plenty of decisions to make.