FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Upon seeing me and my escort the crowd of people begin quickly moving towards us, causing the guards to spread out a bit so as to push them back a bit more. They don't do too good a job at it as there are several that manage to get up close but none seem to be hostile at the moment. They're all just shouting at me, hurting my ears in the process and many of them are even talking in the other language, of one I cannot understand the slightest bit. To counter this I force myself to get a bit of tunnel vision and just focus on getting inside that building, hoping that once there the crowd will subside, at least until it's time for me to go home. That is certainly not unexpected but not pleasant. Now I know what ordinary celebrities must feel like. To have swarms of people follow you wherever you go simply because of who you are.

Once I get to the building my guards turn around and face only the crowd, leaving me free to enter the building on my own and making it clear that they won't be coming inside with me. The inside is much the same as I would expect from a reception hall, only a bit more grandiose and colorful. But then again, everything is colorful. I see someone with a clipboard immediately come and usher me forward, practically trying to grab my outfit and drag me along. They're speaking very quickly in the language I do not understand but don't seem threatening enough. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be on my guard with this person or not but then I figure that regardless of what may happen, this person works here. And I imagine it would be bad for business if their guest is injured by an employee just before the interview. Wouldn't put it past them as a sort of initiation route but probably not the biggest concern. Not like the people outside. After all I'm sure these people have also been used to having us over and thus used to how we are different.

They lead me to a room marked with a small sign with what I'm guessing is my sigil on it. I step inside, half wondering what to expect but find this room even more normal looking. It seems to be a simple waiting room with a couch and a chair next to a vanity mirror. There's a little almost rat-like thing standing by the mirror beckoning me closer. I obey and step up to the mirror, getting a good look at my current appearance in this outfit for the first time since Ingrid didn't give me any mirror. My head does definitely stand out. And I look incredibly silly in this bright red and orange outfit. She motions for me to sit and then immediately begins to apply things to my face and adjust me in various little ways. Nothing magical to any degree. Just minor cosmetic changes. Straightening my hair a bit more, squaring out my outfit and shirt, applying some simple make-up to my face. Stuff like that. Once they're done they leave the room and let me to my own devices for the time being. There is a monitor here, showing the studio as they're setting things up as the show is getting ready to start. I hear a knock at the door and start to head towards it but find that there is a barrier in place like five feet from the door. Oh well, guess that's one way to keep me from wandering off.

"I'm just stopping by to say hello," a deep sounding voice from the other side of the door speaks up. "Don't worry about the wards. Simple precaution. I would come in and greet you properly but it's considered bad luck for the host to actually see the guest before the interview itself. I just want to thank you for taking our offer for an interview and on such short notice. I promise I won't throw too hard of questions at you. Well enjoy the show for the beginning. Ast'erie will come get you when it's time for you to come onto the show. Help yourself to the snacks. We made sure that they should be fitting for your appetites. See you again in a few minutes," The voice states and then apparently walks off.

Curious as to what they might consider "fitting" for me I go to check what is there. Thankfully it's not little rats or whatnot. It's filled with a bunch of some small round object encased in individual wrappers. I grab one and look at it. Definitely not imported since the writing on it is the same as that strange language I can read, though the words don't really make much of any sense, probably just serving as a brand name of something or other. I open it up to try and find out what it is and see a dark brown object. I lift it up to my nose and take a sniff or two. Smells like chocolate. I taste the outside and it tastes almost like chocolate. The taste is off. But then again it is entirely possible that differences in how it's made, especially from supply would make their chocolate taste differently here than somewhere else.

Being cautious I try a quick spell to check for poisons or whatnot but find it clean. Since I've come this far I decide to just go ahead and put it in my mouth and deal with the consequences. It's a very weird taste. More so because of the fact that what you taste and what you are expecting to taste is very different. It's definitely a candy bar of some sort or other. But though it has nuts and chocolate the nuts and chocolate don't taste exactly what you'd expect. It's not bad. It's just not what I'd expect from a candy bar. Having sated my curiosity I look at the monitor as it seems the show is just about to get under way. The host seems to be what I'd describe as a gryphon or something. Long, white wings flowing from behind his back, feline-ish lower quarters as far as I can tell and definitely some sort of avian species on the top. And I notice that the topic of fashion does indeed apply to this individual. Though not wearing as formal a suit as I am they are almost fully clothed, even going so far as to be wearing a hat that mimics the head. And long strips of white fabric hanging off the wings. In all entirety it is something that matches what I'm guessing is the fur pattern.

The very setup to this further add to my suspicion of the fact that it is so odd that the portal is only a brand new feature. Their sense of humor is similar to ours, though many of their references for the jokes I don't understand the slightest bit. And the way things are set up mirror the way our own would far too much to be a coincidence to have been developed independently. It's like watching a culture that has long since decided to adopt the cultural tendencies of another. Only it's this world mimicking our own. Is it entirely possible that this one is the only one like this? Sure. But it is a major venue so I imagine that it's more than serving just a fringe market.

Just as they're starting to talk about current events in that world the television is turned off and I see that rat-like thing standing at the door, gesturing me to step forward and leave the room. As I pass I see them jump up and hover in the air for a moment as they re-tidy me up a bit more, as if I had gotten my body into quite the mess again after but a minute or two. So I'm guessing this is supposed to be that Astery person?

"And for my first guest I'd like to introduce you all to someone that has already made quite a name for themselves even with only one battle under their belt. I'd like to introduce you all to Rose," the host speaks up, waving an arm at where I'm standing off stage.

I step onto the stage and half thought I would just wave at the host and audience as a greeting but instead find my body leaning forward to bow at the gryphon like host. That's certainly something that's a bit annoying. Makes me wonder what other behavioral ticks they've imparted onto me. The host smiles back at me in respond and then motions for a chair. I move over to the seat, trying to do so in as dignified a manner as possible in this outfit. I reach the chair and note that it has a back designed for the tailed in mind and yet provide enough back support. Probably also would support wings as well but can't really tell since I don't have any. I take that tail extension thing and stick it into the tail slot and look at the audience for a brief moment, looking at the array of different individuals and to get a feel for the mood. So far they seem content enough. I'm an interest but not really that big a deal. All the better for that I suppose. I half wonder at whether or not I've even heard this guy's name mentioned. But then again, given the culture, any name he gave would be fake anyway. Well, as fake as my name being Rose at any rate.

"Thank you for having me," I bow again slightly, trying to show sincerity.

"I'm sure we're all the more grateful for you to come on our show. So tell me Rose, what do you think of our fair city?"

"It certainly is colorful," I admit, making sure to keep my attention towards the host rather than the audience and making sure just in case to not make eye contact so as to seem humble. "I've never seen so many colors in a city. Ours are all so very bland and boring by comparison. Though I will say that road system is a lot of fun to get around in. If I was free to do so I probably would have just ridden it around for an hour or two just playing with what it does," this elicits a bit of a laugh from the audience.

"Ah, to be so young and innocent," the host chuckles slightly as well before looking back at his cards. "Am I to understand that you actually brought your spell book with you to your first battle? That is certainly something not usually done."

"Well, I didn't really think that there was much need for me to be out in the open. I was told to shadow someone who acts as a sniper for my first match. My body. Well my body in the released form doesn't really seem all that built for up close and personal combat anyway. I'm fast and agile but not very strong. And I'm not all that good at fighting yet anyway so I figure why not, bring the book and learn what I can while observing the battle."

"And did you bring the book with you today?"

"No," I shake my head, lowering it somewhat. "That thing's way too heavy to just drag around all over the place," I admit, causing another little bit of laughter from the audience. I'm half tempted to relax but don't quite think I can afford to do that just yet.

"Quite all right, quite all right," the host reaffirms. "Though I'm sure you know this will come up at some point so how about we get this out of the way. What can you tell us about the spell you used?"

"Well when I was practicing Projected Flames it always felt like it wasn't a complete spell. That it was missing something and seeing something Jack did," I begin.

"The team's long range fighter," the host informs the audience in case they didn't know who I was talking about.

I pause for a minute, trying to regain my balance in my statement. "But Jack took some pages of spell paper that I had already prepared and put them into a shell and fired it off. And I figured that Projected Flames could probably do that too. So I went and looked for a spell that could be contained easily, not go off right away and wouldn't kill Jack and I should it not work."

"And that is Agni's Snakes," the host adds in again.

"Yeah. I fired one off and then when I heard it hit something I let the other go and that was the result everyone saw."