Discussion Replay Role Play: BJD RPG Tavern

It's been an interesting night that's separated Peregrine from his companions, and his mood has suffered as a result of it. The new addition of Keet, a child barely able to understand her own existence as a Clockwork Bird, much less the gravity of the whole group's situation, has wrapped up all of the eldest, Grackle's time in taking care of her and teaching her how to live with the group -and not to be a liability. As consequence, their leader and Peregrine's brother, Sparrow, has been finding even more work on his hands. Being the provider and protector of the group, Sparrow is surely feeling his resources stretched thin by the addition of Keet and her many maintenance problems. It isn't the girl's fault that she is such a work in progress, but it is still a fact that her sudden appearance and monetary drain now affects the whole group.

Peregrine sighs as he looks around the tavern interior. It's warm, homey, and inviting; and he can barely appreciate it. His brother had been preoccupied and distracted this evening; Peregrine dislikes whenever Sparrow can't pay attention to him in the first place, much less chooses not to. The young man presses his mouth in a tight line, rubbing a hand through his fluffy blond hair as he seats himself at a table not too far from the tavern door. He's being petty, he knows, but the knowledge doesn't help him feel better. Sparrow isn't only Peregrine's brother now. He's also the leader of the Clockwork Birds, and he has responsibilities. To Peregrine, surely, but also to Grackle, and now Keet. And.... Peregrine frowns, thinking ahead to the future. How many more Birds will show up to take Sparrow's attention away from Peregrine?

The beautiful young man props one elbow on his table and rests his head in his palm. A face that walks the line between feminine and masculine, with dark eyes that only glint blue whenever the firelight touches them, survey the room with dispassion. There are few other patrons in the Angel's Den at this time at night, though he knows that others will arrive soon, driven by the storm to seek nourishment and shelter within the tavern.

As for himself.... Peregrine looks inward, checking on the status of his mechanisms and clockwork. To his experienced instincts, it is easy to see that one of his secondary springs - in his right elbow - will need tightening in a few days. The gears in his back that had given him problems so many years ago now lay quietly in place, teeth perfectly engaged. It was due to Grackle's help that Peregrine's back has been saved.

Peregrine sighs again. This black mood just keeps getting worse. Somewhere deep in the back of his mind, he suspects that much of his irritation and depression is rooted in causes that he himself could fix....but he can't bring himself to focus on that too closely. It's easier to resent Sparrow for his distraction, Grackle for taking Sparrow's attention from Peregrine.

A distraction...he needs to focus on something else. Peregrine lifts a hand toward the bar, unsure if there is a serving girl or boy in this tavern, or whether he'll have to approach the counter to order some food and drink. His organic half needs sustenance as much as his clockwork half needs maintenance... and the scent from the kitchen smells tasty indeed. Peregrine suspects that this tavern's food might overcome even his longstanding apathy toward human food.

As to whether the tavern - or any of those in it - can overcome his black mood....well, that's considerably less certain, but Peregrine wryly, silently, dares anyone to try. As sulky as he feels tonight....the idea of a conversational companion might not be so bad as spending the evening alone.

 

Soft blond hair fell over his blue gaze. His eyes roaming the night about him. There was little to do when he had ran out the house with one the clothing on his back. He hadn't expected it to get chilly either. One of his little debates with Julius had turned into much more than that and the need to get away had been too strong. He hadn't cared to check the weather nor bothered to grab his wallet off of the small table near the doorway. Just slipped his feet into some above the ankle boots and zipped them up. Stomping off while behind him Julius continued to screech.

Sometimes living with the man was such a hassle. They were one so happy together. Sebastian wondered if those days would ever come again. Julius was just trying to force it too much. If time would allow them that joy once more it would happen if not they needed to at least live in some sense of a civil manner. After all Fate had pushed them together. Sebastian as the Key of Gaia and Julius as the one that would rule that world beyond time if he had not destroyed it himself. It was all so complex.

Not something a person in a foul mood really wanted to ponder on. It'd bring too many philosophical debates that he could just not wrap his mind around now. He ran his fingers through his mane as he passed the door. The air here had a hint of a peace to it. Exactly what he was desiring at the moment. Rolling his shoulders he looked to the silver band on his finger. Why he wore that wedding ring even though they'd never gone through the ceremony was beyond him? Maybe he was really a sentimental fool like he was so often told.

Moving to the bar he gave an incline of his head in greeting to a patron upon passing. Well at least he could thank the heavens that after all he had been through he was whole. Julius might have made that another way if Sebastian hadn't learned how to be middle man between him and his enemies. That seemed to be just about everyone. With a sigh he looked to the small creature serving drinks.

For now just a drink would do though knowing his appetite food would likely come not too shortly after. Giving a small wiggle of his fingers along the dog's ear and moving away with a drink he found himself a small space to sit at and drink in silence. Not certain yet if he was up to the task of making small talk with anyone. His argument with Julius still weighing heavily upon his mind.

 

The door opened and in stepped a young girl, looking nervously about. long light purple hair spilled from her cloakhood as she glanced around. she headed to a table, taking a seat, lowering the cloakhood to reveale a soft face with deep puprle eyesa bit of a tattoo could be seen on one side of her face as she brushed her hair back, desiding if she wanted a drink or not. aderyn gave another sigh seeing the travren was still empty.

 

The night, it had been a rather event less one. One of such a cold and horrid view that seemed to cascade something other then a warm and gentle feeling. The outside world was all but ready for the day. The sun, he had long since slept in his own little world. He had turned away and turned his back on the moon- allowing her waxy white grace to bestow her all on to the people walking by. A lone tall figure moved through the crowds of people around him, all the beings seeming to wander in one direction or to another point to which Sake did not care. His eyes looking around as he walked down the long path that seemed to be near endless. His mind was clear, ready and willing to open to anything. He had nothing else to do tonight. His job was beyond boring for the last few days. The boy was a hair dresser, and he had just gone through the trails of leaving his last girlfriend. The female had dumped him and threw all his things out to the curb. Refusing to be with him any more. She had wanted the very soft faced man to marry her- but he had not had been in love with her to that degree. What did he have to do to make her understand that? He had tried so hard to make her happy and now here he was, alone and without her. Right now he would give anything to just throw all things into the past and let it stay there and fester like mold on a old slice of cake. Let it all drain away like the water down a rusted old pipe. The busty blond had been his world, but that was the past.

Walking down the path his eyes on the ground as he moved to push his bag up on his thin bony shoulder. The man wore more eye make up and glitter then any man would be expected too. Yet he was straighter then any line there ever was. Sake was a very fun loving person and that much showed in how much he smiled. He pushed the pink strap of his bag up. His eyes looking at a tavern sign and he bit his plush glossy red lips. His eyes looking at the sign. He did not know why, but he felt near drawn to go in. see what was going on. He heaved a heavy sigh and hen placed his large pale hands on the brass handles of the door. He moved to pull it open. Right away he could feel the warm air coming from the inside. The scents of some food made his stomach growl out like a angry beast. His eyes rolled as he moved in and shut the door behind him. He looked around at the small few that were inside. Sake gave a hearty wave and smirked looking about. His hand going down to his thin body as he spoke.

"Hey, good evening!"

He said trying to help the mood along. He moved his short cropped black hair from his face. Sake hosted the bag on his shoulder yet again. He walked over the hard wood floors. His thick pink neon knee high boots on his legs as he walked across the floor. His hands holding to the strap of his bag. He gave a nod in the direction of each person. not really looking at them as not to stare. He looked around as he took a seat at the bar and then placed his bag down on the floor. His dark brown eyes looking around. His black hair lulling slowly into his view. A painted long manicured nail moved to shove the long stray hairs from his eyes as he looked around. Long black curling lashes caressed his cheeks as he moved to look at the drinks.

"...Milk, please?"

Sake although like his name, was a alcoholic drink- he did not touch the stuff. he had always been a light weight. He just felt absolutely silly saying he wanted Milk. How bad was he going to get laughed at? His cheeks burned red as he moved to look around a second time. seeing if anyone would come in any time soon. It would be nice to talk to someone.

 

Finding a table near the fire, she looked like fire and ice taken human form with her icy white skin and glowing rosegold hair. Listening to the conversation flowing around her, she sighed. She missed having somebody to talk to, and yet she feared somebody finding out the truth about her. The truth she had kept from all but her silent lover. His silence normally calmed her, but tonight she sought conversation and an escape from her everyday life.

 

Panting, Razidae pulled out of his run long enough to look backwards. Good, nobody had noticed his absence yet; he gulped an extra large mouthful of air in relief. It had not been easy slipping out of the castle unnoticed and un-harassed without the help of his magic and he let out an impish smile at the thought of his success.

He ran his fingers through his long black hair streaked with silver and winced at the various knots his hand encountered. Frowning as he carefully undid the knots; the teenage god thought that his life would be so much easier if Seythro was not so proper all the time. It was only a tavern, and he was only curious about what usually went on there since he had never been in such an establishment before.

Upon undoing the last of the knots in his hair, Razidae patted his dark robes back into a sense of arrangement. The embroidered over robe was in dark blue with black edging while his under robes were an unrelieved black, he quickly spared the fact that he might be slightly over dressed a thought but brushed it off with a mental wave because he did not own clothes less flashy and elaborate.

One last pat and Razidae stepped out of the shadow of the tree that he had been taking refuge in and stared at the tavern, Angel’s Den. Smirking to himself, he slowing walked up to the door and pulled it open with a relish. His night was about to get interesting and no noble, princess, caretaker, or twin brother can stop it now.

 

A small blonde girl swept easily into the tavern, accompanied by little more fanfare than the swinging shut of the door and the soft clapping of her cherry-embossed sneakers on the unfinished wood floor. Although she had never been here, she moved with the easiness of a person in her own home -- but then, that was just like Ruby. She had a way about her, full of ease. Maybe it was in her blue eyes, which never lost their signature clarity or confidence. Maybe it was in her liquid movements, which, like the glassy surface of a lake, never truly came to a rest. But one thing was certain: Ruby was an unflappable, smiling force of cheerfulness and calm.

This was something that annoyed a great deal of people.

Waltzing up to the bar, the girl glanced down at the little furred dog languidly enjoying the comfort of the counter top, licking dirty glasses. "You're gonna be drunk as all get-out if you finish everybody's drinks like that," she laughed musically. "Your finest añejo on the rocks, please."

As she waited for her drink to be poured, she looked around, scrutinizing the disparate peoples in the bar. Everyone was spread out, alone, sitting at near-empty tables or skulking like shadows against the walls. When her eyes lit on a young man positively decked out in her favorite color -- pink -- she sat down on the bar stool next to him, careful not to disturb his delightfully pink bag. "Having a good night, Glam-rock?" she asked in her usual flouncy voice, with a smile to show she meant no harm by her playful jesting.

 

Peregrine nursed his drink and looked around the tavern. It was starting to fill up now, and each of the personalities filling it carried their own story. The loud personality at the bar - loud by way of his clothes, that is - seemed to have found himself a companion, which satisfied Peregrine; maybe they'd keep each other's cheeriness away from him and his sulk.

Next his gaze drifted across a young man who seemed to have as much on his mind as Peregrine himself did; the man's blond hair obscured Peregrine's view of his eyes or much of his face, but his worry and preoccupation was clear. Wondering if it was a lover or a brother that weighed on his mind - and faintly recognizing the egotism inherent in applying his own problems onto his musings about the stranger - Peregrine had half made up his mind to approach the upset blond and ask, half-seriously, if they could sulk together - or at least get toasted - when the door of the tavern opened, and along with a gust of rain-scented stormy wind, it brought another young man to the tavern.

If the newcomer could be judged by the robes he wore, he was of noble birth or at least rank, and probably - Peregrine thought with a mental roll of his eyes - had the ego to match. Peregrine's regard for the elite of society - in any of the seven decades he'd lived through - was notable only in its lack. Having begun his life as the plaything and source of bragging rights for tinkerers and scientists with nothing more to do with their time than create elaborate, idle entertainments with which the nation's rich and privileged could ignore the state of the nation and the world, Peregrine was predisposed from "birth" to disdain those who found no fault in idleness, or worse, who reveled in it. His opinions had only been cemented over the course of the intervening seven decades as he watched wars and regimes rise and fall, politicians yanking the country from conservativism to liberalism and back again. Amid it all, the rich grew richer and the poor grew sicker and less cared for. Peregrine knew that much by personal experience, in fact. Sparrow and he had spent years in the gutters of society, figuratively and literally, and at times it was only their nature as clockwork-organic golems that kept them alive where normal humans would have perished. During those years, Peregrine wasn't even certain that he was grateful for that preservation.

With an ugly sneer, Peregrine turned away from the newcomer at the door, his fine robes and noble bearing. The man - boy, really - was probably just as corrupt and useless as the rest of the nobles, wealthy, and elite that Peregrine had scorned - and been scorned by - over his long life. Itching for a vent for his frustration, however, Peregrine couldn't help but make his sneer audible, scoffing at the noble as he went by - all but begging him to take issue with Peregrine's attitude. Maybe he wasn't as strong as Sparrow, but he was still no mere human. He could defend himself well enough - but what he really wanted wasn't a brawl, but a battle of insults. The frustration that was built up within him would be well-vented by the help of some vicious words.


[[OOC: \o/ This is so much fun! ILU Razidae/darksnight, as well as everyone else that Per's busy insulting.....! Per's not always a bitch, just tonight. ]]

 

The young man had been sitting alone for a long time. The time seemed to slowly whisk him by. He moved to drum his long pale ivory fingers on the counter top. His eyes looking at the fine wood polish finish that seemed to reflect his soft features. The long duration of silence. It seemed to almost relish him in a moment of feeling awkward. But it would soon pass, or so he hoped. His dark brown eyes shot up as more people came in. He gave them all a nod of his head, in greeting. The man then watched the girl that came over to the bar- talking with the creature upon the counter. He moved his hand along the bar and then watched the girl speak. She was so happy- airy and bubbly. The girl was off in her own world for a moment it seemed. She had such a nice smile.

Sake then heard his drink being slid over to him. his hands taking the near over sized glass. He moved to bring the cup up to his red painted lips. His eyes closing as he was about to sip the cool cold milk. The glass was so cold to touch, it made his fingers slowly loose some of the warmness within them. His eyes snapped open as he heard the words 'Glam-rock'. Was this girl talking to him? He slowly placed his glass down. his eyes looking at the girl as he smiled wide at her. His smile inviting and really warm. She had been the only person besides him so far that he had heard speaking. Sake was relieved to have someone say something to him. He then moved to place his fore arm on the counter top. his long black and pink stripped sweater on his long arms, his body was fairly thin, so the clothing almost hung off his bony shoulders. But he extended a hand to the girl none the less as he spoke to her in the high pitched slightly nasal voice. It was deep, easy to see he was a man. But it held that small hint of a very happy spirit inside.

"Ah- no not really. I am trying too. How about you? You seem happy!"

He said with such a delighted smirk plastering it self on his face.

 

In the small time it took Ruby to issue her greeting and receive a response, she was able to study the glam rocker a little more carefully. He clutched a frosted glass of something smooth and white -- could it be milk? -- and his beautifully manicured fingers left delicate, spiraling prints on the glass when he set it down. Then he smiled warmly at her and tried to make himself look comfortable, although his gaunt frame looked somewhat skeletal around the edges, in certain positions. Ruby grinned back without hesitation.

"I'm happy by default," she said, sweeping her long bangs off her face before reaching for the glass of tequila that had just been poured for her by the dog. Somehow she didn't find this strange, but then, in her eyes, nothing was strange anymore. "You, however, look like you could use a stronger drink than milk." She raised her eyebrows as her lips curled up at the corners, deeply amused. But without further question she raised her amber-filled glass and added, "cheers!"

 

As light flooded his vision, Razidae blinked a few times to let his eyes adjust after spending a good half an hour or so in near darkness. Light has never been his thing, more the realm of his sister, the soothing coolness of an embracing darkness was more up his alley.

When his sight returned he was pleased to note that while there were people around, there was still ample walking space and he was not about to have to swim through crowds like a housewife in a market morning run. Most of the other mortals, he assumes, were nursing their own drinks while there was a pair at the counter talking. The girl was rather demonstrative in her gestures and was clearly focused on the one next to her. The temporary runaway then spared an uplifted brow at the dog for a bartender, he had seen odder in his life, but this was certainly on the list of interesting.

What surprised him however was the heat of the glare he was receiving from a young man already seated when he made his way to the bar and its fascinating concoctions. Turning around in his path, Razidae cocked his head in a quizzical manner, this however, unwittingly exposed the side of his face usually covered by his long side swept bangs. The new man was treated to a stare made with mismatched eyes and irises before Razidae straightened his head once more and asked plainly as only one with no qualms for human rules could, “Is that your default expression?”


[No worries! ]

 

Sebastian raised his head as if able to feel someone staring at him. Years of being under the watchful eyes of the Fluorent Society had made him such a way. He hated to be stared at but even more he hated to be ignored. It was an odd thing. He brushed the hair from his gaze putting it behind his ears. It was longer on one side than the other. He often clipped it back when he was at work. It was hard to tell by his demeanor but he was a chef. A very good one at that. His love for food had turned into his profession and if it wasn't for his love of sports he might be more of a meaty man.

He licked his lips lightly making the pale pinks appear a bit moist. A few drops of his drink had escaped onto them and he was only trying to capture them. He raised his brow at the loud character that had entered. Shaking his head as he saw him right away indulge in some conversation. He should be so social as well. It was his downfall that though he was a friendly person he never made the attempt to approach anyone.

His gaze moved slowly over as another male entered in robes and such. His fair brows knit and he chuckled. It was a hearty sound that made his strong chest rumble a little. If he were to give a full laugh one might think the dog serving drinks was barking. It was just the way he sounded. He stood looking to the male with robes. "You look like you've gotten mighty lost on the road of life."

 

He looked at the blond female. The girl- she had just completely ignored the hand shake altogether. Sake smirked and felt a small flush of embarrassment. But he moved his hand down and back into his own lap. His eyes looking at her. The female blond- she had a drink, something odd, something with a hint of tang to it, the scent alluring to the senses. A bit rough and sketchy. But he could tell right away it was alcohol. He did not mind. The girl had such large big eyes. And she was very happy. She even said so, by Default were her calming words.

The sound of her saying 'cheers', made Sake snap to attention. his mind had for a brief moment detoured and eh was off in his own world. he moved then to snatch up his glass and smiled. He then placed his glass along the female's. He then moved it to his lips and then slowly sipped the milk. His throat feeling the milk glisten down his throat and sooth the warm insides like a waterfall. His hand moving to his chin, catching the small droplets of milk that seemed to want to float down his pale cream skin. he moved his painted finger tips to his neck and moved the excess fluids away and then looked at the girl and keep his warm expression. he moved his hand to place the glass down and his fore arm's sleeve of his stripped sweater moved to dry away the milk from his painted lips.

IN his mouth's wake- there stained the glass ever so slight, of the lip stick that had once been there. He then patted his own thighs, looking at the girl.

"Oh, no thank you. I like milk. It gives me strong bones- eh!?"

Sake then moved his arms up and flexed as if he had muscles. but of course he did not. And the thick long sleeves of his sweater hung loose on his arms as he did so laughing.

((Ugh, you guys post so fast, creative genius takes time XD))

 

Luke, a tall man dressed all in black, stood outside the Angels Den and looked first one way and then the other, up and down the streets of the little market town. The tavern's lights were the only one's shining in the commercial district. Obviously he had arrived far to late to do any trading.

Since there was nothing left to do he opened the door to the tavern. If it surprised him to find a small dog acting as proprietor it certainly did not show in his calm expression as he politely enquired about a bed for the night and a late supper. There were it turned out rooms upstairs, but as for the supper, he would have to make do with hot chocolate which he accepted gratefully.

Hot chocolate in hand, he took one of the seats near the cheerful fire, nodding and smiling to other patrons as it seemed appropriate as he passed them.

Those patrons familiar with THAT sort of tavern would have had a hard time figuring him out. A warriour? A cleric? A mage? He had been one or a combination of all of these for his entire adult life. But tonight his thoughts were quite mundane as he sipped his cocoa: the amount of grey wool his wife had requested, sweets and schoolbooks for his daughter, medical supplies requested by his mother in law, his father in law's pipe tobacco, how much beer they would need at Yule if his sister brought her intended, something nice to put aside for his son's Hundredth Day (knock on wood).

 

ooc :: Omg Isamu, I totally missed the handshake. My bad! x_x

ic ::
They clinked glasses, and Ruby enjoyed her tequila. While it wasn't the best she'd ever had, it was just what she needed right now -- a strong kick in the mouth, followed by slow heat and that glorious, leafy flavor. Wryly she wondered how Glam-rock's milk compared to the deep complexities of alcohol, but she had to respect his choices. Like all people, the two of them had been born drinking milk, and if he wanted to keep drinking it until the day he died, he had every entitlement. She watched as he lowered his glass again: this time it had the faint, rosy imprint of his mouth where it had been pressed against the cold rim, webbed by delicate, spidery lip lines.

When he raised his arms into a bodybuilder's pose and flexed his - somewhat lacking - muscles, Ruby couldn't help but give a small laugh. She covered her mouth pertly with her hand as she did so, as if laughing at this particular gesture was something to be hidden out of politeness, but the smile did not fade from her glassy blue eyes. "And you should have strong bones -- 'bones' is about all you are," she joked.

Immediately, almost alarmingly, she turned her head away. Her body language shifted abruptly from open and comfortable to closed and ashamed, as she clutched her drink close to her chest and cradled her forehead in the palm of her other hand. "I'm sorry," she groaned apologetically, "that was going too far, wasn't it?"

 

A question from another male distracted him from his line of inquiry and Razidae turned around to put a face to the voice.

“Lost is determined when the mind cannot find a direction and is confused. It is hard to be lost when time is of no essence and all the roads of life can be explored if wished, unhurriedly. In such a case when time is of no value, ‘lost’ becomes merely ‘wandering’”

Clasping his hands behind him and leaning his weight on one foot with a smile, Razidae spared the glaring young man another quick glance before awaiting answers from both.

 

The brief flicker of a young lady's embarrassment bounced across Luke's thoughts. A small misstep in her flirting with the rather beautiful young man, he thought. He looked down at his half-empty glass of hot chocolate and then took another drink. Best to get this down and up to that bed before any trouble found him that required him to use his powers rather than keep the, to himself.

Too late, he thought. As he felt the tension between the two young men. His thoughts, but not yet his hand, went to the long unused weapon at his side. He paid close attention now. The tension was mounting in this room, perhaps a way to diffuse it would present itself.

 

Peregrine narrowed his eyes, returning the noble's mismatched gaze with interest, then shot a quick glance over to his left, where the other blond man stood to address the noble. Glad he hadn't asked to join the other, Peregrine loaded his tone with as much derision as he could.

"Clearly he hasn't lost himself as well as he ought," he said, dismissing the other blond even as he turned his attention back to the noble.

"For you, it might be," Peregrine answered the noble, looking him up and down, his gaze lingering disapprovingly on the fine embroidered details of the other's dark robe. Short-spoken by nature, even more so when in a sour mood, Peregrine had to compel himself to speak further, attempting to construct the most egregious insult he could, all the frustration built up for the rest of his companions diverted now toward this stranger, a convenient whipping boy and a symbol of everything that Peregrine felt wronged by. So aimlessly furious he didn't even seem to know himself, Peregrine lashed out as best as he was able, hoping his barb would wound the noble deeply:

"I'm-- surprised that someone like you would even pretend to care what I thought of you. No one with your power and rank has ever cared about any of us before."

...Of course, as Peregrine had very little practical experience in directly insulting anyone at all, the result was rather less intimidating and more personally revealing than he'd intended. For all his long years, Peregrine was still a youth in the ways of his emotions. But even he could recognize how poorly he'd flubbed his aggressive volley. Snapping his mouth shut, he grabbed his glass and tipped it up for a drink, for the sake of hiding his face rather than thirst.

 

The tavern door eases open ever so slightly, barely a crack really, and then appears to close on its own. If they're not paying close attention, the patrons may have thought it was just the wind. Though if they were watching the door, they just may have noticed a small, yellow blur moving quickly along the wall and under the tables & chairs scattered around the room.

Very faint scratching noises can be heard from the backside of the bar. A few moments later, a pair of very yellow, round ears can be seen over the edge of the bar. A small cheddar cheese yellow mouse suddenly pops onto the top of the bar. Sitting up on his hind legs, he surveys the bar and its patrons, his nose & whiskers twitching.

Even odder still, he has a small chalk board hanging around his neck with a tiny piece of chalk grasped in his paw. He then proceeds to write on the board and shows it to the dog that seems to be in charge.

"Hot chocolate, please?"

Thankfully, the pup is nice enough to put it in a small dish that he's able to drink from his height easily. Being only 5 1/2 inches tall tends to pose some problems, but he's become very competent at overcoming them.

Scratching on his board again...

"Thanks!"

Enjoying his drink, he proceeds to look around at the patrons again, watching the others interact.

[I haven't really done this often so I apologize for any lack of RP ability, but I just couldn't resist. XD And all "speech" will have to be written on his board. I mean, com'n. A talking mouse? ]

 

It had been a long day of travel, and young Mahdis found herself poking her head around the door and into the tavern, very much in the way of anyone seeking to enter or exit. It was a few moments as very large eyes took in the adults about her before she decided that it was safe to enter. She slid in, the small creature in light tan leather garments and with fuzzy wings and bird-like feet. Her appearance was better suited to a baby owl.

She appeared to be very much the run away with her smudged face and small bag slung very carefully between her wings. But there were no signs of a reason for her to be running away on her person. Indeed, the clothing she wore was of fine materials, beaded with stone beads and embroidery. She stood in the middle of the floor, no one thing but the smell of the food around her having her attention.

 

Luke is used to all manner of beings, but he can't help but laugh a little at the tiny being now enjoying it's own saucer of hot chocolate atop the bar. This is an interesting development.

 

Razidae’s smile brightened at the pointed conversation all around him. “I feel so honored” was his sarcasm infused answer to the glaring male’s quip at his person.

The second sentence he was graced with, an insult he assumed had him puzzled. The playful smile slid off of his face and he blinked at the other male a bit blankly. Someone like him? So far as he knew, nobody other than his guardian knew of his status as a night god in training, this man could not have possibly figured that out. The rest of the sentence was equally as puzzling, power he understood, but rank? And who is this us he refers to? Inwardly Razidae kicked himself mentally a bit, he bet Seythro, his noble turn guardian, has told him all this at some point in one of his numerous attempts to impart Human Culture onto him.

Thus his internal musing ended with his brilliant rebuttal of a confused “What?”

 

Florian looked at the sign swinging in the wind and smiled to himself. It had been a long time since he had encountered such a cross-dimensional nexus, long even for one who counted his lifespan in centuries, and it was a welcome diversion this evening. He had prudently fled Nicolette's apartment and he would not return this evening until he was certain his oh-so-charming descendant had sought her rest. Nicolette was thick in the middle of plotting another one of her performance art pieces, and he had learned the hard way about how perilous those could be. The last time she had created such an event, he had not escaped swiftly enough and had found himself standing in front of the student center in the most ridiculous of contorted positions for hours with several of her friends, a pinwheel in each hand and others stuck between his bare toes. Daywalker he might be, but he had still found the bright spring day uncomfortable, not to mention the severe blow to his dignity. Florian had no intention of being press-ganged into another such experience.

He cast a quick glance down at himself before entering the tavern. Fortunately, several of Nicolette's friends were into vintage clothing and something called "steampunk", and he could wear some of his favorite clothing from other eras without drawing attention to himself beyond envy at the beauty of his wardrobe. Tonight he was properly Victorian-a black suit, beautiful floral waistcoat in black and gold and silver, top hat and walking stick, caped greatcoat and boots. His red-gold hair drifted untidily down upon his shoulders. Deciding that he would do well enough, he opened the door and entered the tavern.

There was a small, fluffy dog serving bar. Florian found this much preferable to the last nexus he had visited, where the bartender had had tentacles. Though the fellow had certainly been able to multitask... He cast a quick glance about the room, marking the other inhabitants and their locations, then approached the bar and inclined his head politely to the dog. She was fetchingly adorned with a small tiara, which quite nicely emphasized the glittering white of her dainty canines. Florian appreciated a nice set of canines and smiled in fellowship, one predator to another.

"Burgundy if you have it, mademoiselle, a strong red wine if you do not."

 

There was no need for her shame what so ever. Sake had heard that so much it was pointless. His mother took great care of him. But he had always been skinny like a doll. The man of course, ate like a horse on wheels, and yet some how never seeming to gain an ounce of weight past the 150 marker. The man stood at a very lean and tall six foot one. And still he was thin like a string. He smirked at her laugh. It was so heart warming to see. The girl- she had been very happy when she did it. he was glad at her joke too. It in turn got her a laugh from him. Although his own sounded more like a dying cat hissing as he smiled and then moved to watch her shy away from her bright sunny smile. His own smile dropped as she spoke again, saying she must have went too far. But she had not. Not to him at least. He moved to reach out- he was goign to touch her hand and tell her it was okay. But moved his hand back right away. Many people had often scolded him for touching them. Sake- he was a very very touchy- feely kind of man. He liked to hug people, shake hands, and he was very physical. he enjoyed easy contact and it showed as he moved to just place his hand back in his own lap once more.

"No not at all, really I thought it was very funny!"

His voice calm and very collected. it showed that although his smile was so childish and so sincere in a way, he had a lot of years behind himself. The hair dresser slowly moved to lightly smack his palm along his fore head and rolled his eyes. Oh Gaia, where was his manners!? He sucked his teeth and then moved to offer his hand once more, making sure she saw it. He maybe figured she had missed the hand shaking gesture before and was going to try again.

"...I am Hideyoshi, Kaneda...Sake to many of course!"

He said with a high spirited smirk. he then moved his other hand to his chest and then laughed a little. He wandered for a moment this time- would she shake back? His eyes how ever darted around the tavern again, it seemed more people were coming in. and a group of men were speaking. Sake looked at the one blond. Sake knew him, but he dd not say much. The man with the glasses on his face and then wedding band on his finger was very happy as well, but tonight he looked down. Sake bit his lip and then turned his attention back to Ruby. Awaiting her gesture.

((Meh it is okay. Trying to Keep up now, MyuuMyuu.))

((Sebastian Cain has left the topic. - "Zion's Soul Doll Killian"))

 

Defensive and all the angrier for being put on the defensive, Peregrine slammed down his drink and pointed an accusing finger at the apparently clueless - or intentionally cruelly mocking - noble in front of him. Ignoring the blond, he narrowed his eyes at the noble and responded in a tone that got more clipped, terse, and angry with every word.

"You! People like you. Nobles. Elite. You waltz in here like it's yours to own - don't you think this place is below you, Your Highness? You can't even imagine what it's like to be grateful for having risen to a place in life where you could afford a drink somewhere like here - you don't have a clue what the rest of the world is about, and you never have. This whole world, this whole ERA, is rotten, and stratified, and your fathers and their fathers didn't care, and your sons and their sons won't either. You'll never know - because you will never be poor or in trouble, and no one you care about will ever be poor or in trouble. Your insulation disgusts me.

"I don't care if this is a public tavern, you surely have places you could go where you'd enjoy yourself better. So go there already, and leave the rest of us be. Nobody wants to see a rich noble rubbing his finery in all our faces, least of all me!"

 

Luke had quietly stood up and moved to a chair closer to the center of the tension in the room - the young....being who was not quite human, not even quite organic who was currently railing at the well-dressed young..uh, man.

Hmm he's not really human either, what an interesting place. Luke thought.

But the birdling's diatribe had reached it's cresendo and Luke decided to act. He concentrated on the power that ever flowed through his veins, not to persuade, but to calm and said to the clockwork bird in human form,

"Young Falcon, I think you should realize by now, that we are all strange travelers from strange lands and do not know each others ways. Perhaps we should all get to know each other in this world between worlds."

 

Ruby was all too glad to be relieved of her shame. Hiding behind her tequila, she glanced sidelong at the glitter rocker as he emitted a sound that was something like a chuckle. Despite his nasal tambor and his laugh that sounded somewhat like gas leaking from a pipe, she was oddly assured by his sounds of amusement. His laugh seemed to fit him as beautifully as his striped sweater did not. Suddenly, Ruby had the desire to make him laugh more, again and again, just so she could hear the sound of it.

Unfolding like origami, Ruby lowered her glass back to the bar-top and extended her hand to meet the one offered her. "Ruby," she said, starting to regain her composure, "Ruby Glass. It's nice to meet you, Sake."

Suddenly her attention was torn away. The tavern was only large enough to house one spectacle at a time, and at this moment the spectacle was a down-and-out commoner whose boiling resentment was being vented on a well-dressed creature from another walk of life entirely. She smiled, then frowned, as ideas passed through her head. The angry one was not human. Then again, neither was the confused victim. Without exercising any special powers -- for she was unequivocally human, and possessed none -- she knew what they were. Knowing was her specialty.

 

Mahdis too had turned to look at the angry man, but knew better than to stare. It just wasn't proper to do. She plotted her little way to the bar where the fuzzy little creature was making people drinks. It just so happened that she pulled herself to a place where one could not help but watch what what going on with the angry man and the other man he yelled at. She made a small squeaky noise reminiscent of a baby bird and moved her fuzzy white hair out of her face to watch better.

 

Falcon?

Peregrine's attention was suddenly riveted on the new addition to the group, eyes wide in recognition and shock that the man would know enough that he could allude to Peregrine's name like that. Even as he did, the man's power doused the angry fire in him as surely as water over hot coals. From the absence of its strength - like the enveloping burst of steam that clears the head in the wake of the fire's glare - Peregrine found sobriety reaching for him, and he took its offered hand.

He looked in confusion from the tall newcomer to the noble, target of his prior aggression, and then to the blond still standing at his left. Beyond the heads of the noble and the tall peacemaker, Peregrine spotted the high hat and tailored finery of the Victorian era - and to the other side, a short winged creature, heavily embellished with clothes equally fine to those of the man in Victorian wear, and in fact more elaborate than those of his derided noble.

Peregrine turned in confusion to look around the tavern, and realized in slow unfolding revelations that the crowd, composed of a few plainly-dressed folk like himself when he had entered, had now expanded to a wildly colored and various group of folks who, as the tall peacemaker facing Peregrine right now had surmised, must have come from all walks and breadths of life.

This isn't the normal world, Peregrine realized slowly, and with wider, more open eyes he turned back to the noble and the peacemaker in understanding. Slumping down into his chair again, Peregrine looked up at both of them with embarrassment and the remnants of frustration and pain in his eyes.

"I didn't realize that we were...." He shook his head. "That this place is different." Silence for a moment, while he rolled his mouth around what he wanted to say next, and worked up the strength to actually speak it.

"I'm sor--" He bit back that apology, and tried a different tack. "I spoke out of turn. I know nothing about you, Noble, though I know other nobles well enough."


[[OOC: You guys are awesome, I am having a total ball with this. \o/ Luke/eppieblack, man that was exactly the right thing to do to calm Per down. Razidae/darksnight I hope we're not done with you yet! ]]

[[OOC 2: Will take the advantage of other people taking time out of this to go take care of my RL too. Will be back tonight! ]]

 

((Taking my portion to a RPG site, or PM.))

 

((I'm afraid I have to get back to the real world now. But I'll look back in later.))

By the way, this is Luke with his wife Windy and adopted daughter Biwan. He's a alternate-universe version of Luke Skywalker:

 

The dog did have burgundy, and it was a rare vintage from his homeland. Not particularly surprising, such nexus guardians often had command over time and space. "Thank you," Florian said, and turned his attention more fully to the room.

The young man who smelled of machinery had been speaking quite stridently, but he had now been calmed by the tall man. A holy man?Florian wondered. He certainly talked like one. His presence wasn't necessarily a problem if he were reasonable, and he seemed to be. Certainly he was taking his unique surroundings in stride.

Reasonably sure that violence was not going to erupt at his back, Florian cast a curious glance over the little winged figure down the bar a bit, who was watching the altercation anxiously. Was the little being a fae of some sort? Having lived with a couple of fae for a while, he knew a little about the etiquette. Tucking his watch-chain away so that it would not accidentally come in contact with the bird-girl (some fae being allergic to such things), he moved towards the girl and bent his head politely, being careful not to meet her eyes. It was not only courtesy-he knew that many found his green-gold gaze alarming, and he did not wish to scare her. Some fae were very skittish.

"Good evening, little one. What brings you here?"

 

Mahdis tilted her head towards the strange man upon his speaking to her. She blinked a few time, yellow-gold eyes moving up to the very top of his tall hat to his feet. He was certainly very big and fancy looking.

"Hello!" she finally replied, by her voice appearing to be very much a young, well, bird person would have been the best phrase to use. "You're very big, sir, did you know that?"

 

Florian grinned, his fangs flashing for the briefest of moments. "It has been remarked upon before," he replied. "Even complained about, on occasion. My name is Florian. What is yours?"

 

"I'm Mahdis," she replies. She catches sight of the fangs and leans forward. "You have pointy teeth! Wow, I only thought animals had pointy teeth. That's really neat, Sir Florian sir."

She paused to stop turning her head to get a better look at his pearly whites and to sit upright again. "I don't see why being big would be a problem. You can reach things high up without many problems."

 

Watching the tension rise and subside among the others, Asiago finishes off his hot chocolate with a bit of a slurp. Wiping his mouth with his forearm, he starts making his way down the length of the bar and passes the other patrons with a nod, continuing on his way. Leaping between barstools, chairs & tables in a zigzag, he makes his way over to the peacemaking man's table.

He doesn't seem to be noticed at first, so he observes the others while they continue their 'discussion.' Looking back and forth between them, trying to follow their conversation.

 

"This is true," Florian conceded, "but being big can be a problem if you do not wish to be seen. Also, I have a couple of friends about your size, and they complain that they get cricks in their necks looking up at me." He studied the little winged girl for a moment. "I came out this evening in search of companionship and perhaps a little adventure. What brings you here? I thought you looked lost when you first came in. Are you in need of assistance? You need not fear you will come to harm when you are with me."

(I have to run to town, but I'll be back later.)

 

"Oh, I hadn't thought about that," she replies. She pauses to think for a long moment, so she can best answer that question. "I don't think I'm lost. The lady I'm with, she's doing other things and said I should come in here to stay out of the weather, but the weather wasn't doing anything."

She swings her feet again, then looks back up to the tall Florian. "What kind of adventure are you looking for? ARe you going to go save people from mean... people?"

 

Razidae blinked a few more times.

"I think that was the first time anyone has called me Your Highness" he said, his smile returning a little. "You are right though, I have no idea about this world." The teenager then tapped his chin thoughtfully at the rest, "To be perfectly honest, I don't have a father." Then he smiled fully, "I have a mother though? She's mad at me and my siblings at the moment, that's why we're down here. Well not here here, but here." Talking to himself now he muttered, "Did that make any sense at all?" into thin air.

Shrugging he turned back to his conversational partner, "Poor?" another confused look. "Oh RIGHT! Seythro said something about those round flat disk things that he gives me to buy sweets! Something about how they are important to people in this world and how everyone is always trying to get more. Does 'poor' mean a person has a lack of these disks? The word sounds like it has a negative connotation."

After picking apart the other's statements out loud, Razidae finished off his monologue with one last parting insight, "I assure you, my siblings and I are constantly in one type of trouble or another. As for self placement, I assure you here is where I would most enjoy being at the moment. And you have mistaken, I am not a noble that is Seythro's job, very boring if you must know."

More smiling now that everything has been cleared up "No reason to apologize, I am not angry, mainly puzzled at your outbursts".

 

Luke looked down at the little cheese colored rodent who had joined him at the table. "Hello, small one." he said. "What brings you here tonight?"

 

Peregrine just STARED. Then he surprised himself with a chuckle, then a full out laugh, leaning back in his chair and covering his eyes with one hand as he laughed to the ceiling and his mind unraveled like a piece of yarnwork tugged off its needles.

He has no idea, Peregrine thought in shock, beside himself with how grossly he had missed his guess in categorizing this man in front of him - whom, he realized distantly, seemed to have even less in common with actual men than he himself - he has no idea!

So, Peregrine realized, might he also be explained. A child. In his anger, Sparrow had once - only once - called Peregrine a child. Being the elder of their brotherhood, Peregrine took immediate offense to the statement, biting back that Sparrow must be even more of a child, himself, if Peregrine was so young still. Now, though, Peregrine felt he could begin to see the edges of Sparrow's truth.

Neither of his companions would have reacted so poorly, siphoning anger onto an innocent passerby who had nothing to do with the source of their frustrations, if they would have ever gotten to that point in the first place. Sparrow and Grackle seemed so much more sanguine than Peregrine could ever feel himself becoming - and that, too, was something he envied of them. He had been Sparrow's most important person - his only person, truth be told - for decades before Grackle had discovered the pair of them. Granted, when Grackle had first arrived, Sparrow had nearly taken the elder Bird's head off in defense of both himself and Peregrine against the threat he perceived that Grackle posed. After all, no one else who knew what they were had ever wished them well. And yet...

And yet, when it was clear that Grackle hadn't meant them harm, Sparrow had cleaved himself to Grackle's side with an unsettling alacrity. It had almost been as though Peregrine couldn't answer every one of Sparrow's needs and worries - as if he had needed someone else in his life all that time, and had discovered that person in Grackle.

Peregrine didn't work that way, if that was indeed the answer to the variances of Sparrow's heart. For Peregrine, the only person he had ever needed - and ever would need - was Sparrow. And therein lay the problem, because with Sparrow's attention divided between more people than just Peregrine, it was inevitable that the elder brother would feel neglected.

And, suddenly reminding himself of all of this, Peregrine found the strength to push away his resentment and bitterness for just one more night. Their situation as Birds was far from ideal, and always had been. With Keet in tow, things would be even more difficult. But those facts weren't personal attacks against Peregrine...and, remembering this, Peregrine was able to discard the urge to respond in kind against the world.

Peregrine settled from his laughter and sat straight in his chair, bringing his hand down from his face. The expression that greeted his companions - Noble, peacemaker, and even the mouse who must have arrived while he was distracted - was one that, if not truly sanguine, was at least attempting good humor and contriteness, despite the natural predisposition of his beautiful features against such a positive expression.

"Noble, I am Peregrine, and I know you didn't mean it, but you've helped me." He turned to the peacemaker, a less confident and more nervous sentiment lifting one eyebrow in slight inquisition. "I apologize for upsetting this place so much that you had to intervene. I am normally a lot nicer, but tonight has been a hard night for me."

As an afterthought, he turned his attention to the yellow mouse. "Don't worry, I won't eat you."



[[OOC: Thanks so much for waiting for me, guys! >3< ]]

 

Asiago started at the attention from the tall gentlemen, and hurriedly grabbed his board, wiped it clean with the side of his paw and scribbled on it.

"Hi. Bored."

Twitching his nose, he showed it to the man, gave him a short moment to read it. Then turning to the clockwork creature, wiped his board clean again and jotted something else onto it.

"Not worried."

Wiping & writing again.

"I'm Asiago."

He sits there holding the board up for whoever would look at it, nose twitching in greeting.

[It's a small board. He kinda has to be short-winded. XD]

 

Florian laughed. "Oh no, at least not unless it is necessary! I don't go looking for trouble, but I do enjoy watching people." He looked over at the little mouse with its chalk board. "I mean that in the broadest sense, of course." Glancing around the room one more time, he made note of the glimmering girl with the rose-gold hair in the corner. One of us? I will have to see if I can speak to her later.

"For instance, Mahdis, I am very curious about you. I hope you will not think I am prying if I ask if you are of the fae? I have some fae friends and you put me much in mind of them."

 

As Niva placed her now empty mug on the table she was unaware that she had started to sing softly. Her voice though low sounded like the most beautiful tinkling bells. Her song was in one of the ancient languages. Realizing what she was singing she went to stop, but thought better of it - after all it was unlikely anybody would know a language so long dead.

 

The door creaked open, and a cloaked figure steps inside, shaking off the bitter cold. Her deep midnight cloak drags the floor, covering up most of her body, her feet hidden.

Moving along the wall to the bar, she leans towards the tiny dog tender, and asks for a fyrewyne, her hood never revealing any bit of her face.

Once the drink had been provided, she sat against the wall, looking at everybody from the depths of her hood.

 

"Fae? Faaaaeee..." she tilted her head to the side, trying the word out as if she'd never heard it before. "No, I'm not. Mama said we were Tengu. So we have wings, and bird-kin feet, and all sorts of other things."

 

"I think...I think I might have heard a tale or two about your people, a long time ago." He looked thoughtful. "But I've never met one before. It's a pleasure, by the way. Are you from Japan? That's what I seem to remember. Would you like to go sit down, or stay up here? I think you could get something to eat, if you're hungry. If I don't miss my guess, you could get almost anything you liked to eat."

 

"Japan? What's a Japan?" Mahdis asked. She gave a small chirp as she tilted her head to the side. "Hungry... I'm a little hungry, but don't you need money to buy food when you're not at home? I think that's what they explained to me..."

 

Florian bent his head and smiled. "You are correct, but do not worry about that. I will see to the payment. What do your folk eat?"

 

"Um...meat. And... veggetables... and apples are good!" She smiles, proud that she remembered at least three things. "What do your people eat?"

 

The glass drained, she eyed the crowd, then deciding it was ok to let down her hood. Slipping it from her head to rest upon her back, by pulling it away, reveals deep blue hair with white streaks in it, longer than can be seen, and a white spiraling horn erupting from her forehead. Purple and blue markings snake their way up her cheeks and down the sides of her nose.

Pupilless blue eyes slide from side to side, taking in the atmosphere. She then leans over to the tender dog again, and asks for a refill.

 

"Hi Peregrine!" Razidae said cheerfully, glad that he now had a name to put with the scowl. "My name is Razidae" he offered back in return, "But I am not a noble. Nobles are stuffy and boring! They never get to do anything fun." The boy then lowered his voice into a stage whisper "I don't think they know how; at least not the older ones."

"You know how to have fun right?" he asked with another head tilt. A blink later he added, "You're not human are you?" ...

 

Coeds most recently, Florian thought wryly. He did not have to kill to feed, and he had acquired enough skill over the ages to insure that his partner, male or female, had a very good time. What he had been surprised to find was that there was a whole bevy of young women at Nicolette's college who liked to play at being vampires-and they thought that he must be doing the same thing, albeit much more realistically. So he could cycle around the group and keep himself fully fed with very little effort on his part. University=all day buffet.

There was no sense in frightening the little tengu with an explanation. So he simply said, "Much the same thing, actually," and asked the glittering dog for a plate for Mahdis.

 

"Really? Do you eat meat really raw too? Mama and Papa seem to like it taht way a lot. They won't let me try it though." She looks to the food, then to the puppy doing the serving. She does her best to pat the dog's head with a smile as thanks.

 

"Now that you mention it, I do like my meat bloody. Why will your parents not let you partake?" He too gave the little dog's ears a thorough scratching-it was best, he thought, to stay on their host's good side. A rather extraordinary young woman with a horn growing out of her forehead and blue hair asked the bar dog for another drink. The place is certainly filling up fast, Florian thought, acknowledging her presence with a polite nod.

 

Looking up, she catches the polite nod given to her.

Her cheeks beginning to show a slight blush, she nods back, her head dipping forward.

Sipping her drink, she looks around again, hoping to gain a partner in conversation.

 

Her singing now more of a hum Niva looked around the tavern, as if to assess her companions. She had arrived seeking conversation, but was reluctant to approach anybody. She sighed to herself and thinking of the barkeeper reminded herself that this was one place she didn't have to pretend to be human, that in this place a being as unlikely as she was wouldn't be out of place.

She looked into the flames of the fire thinking of that impossible match that had created her. As always when her thoughts strayed to her parents she wondered why she had been allowed to live, when they, immortal as they had been, were forced to give up their lives. Determined not to get lost in such melancholy thoughts she went up to the bar and ordered another hot chocolate.

 

A shy demoiselle, Florian thought bemusedly. He wondered exactly how the people in the room had found themselves here. Some seemed puzzled, or taken aback. Some, like the oddly mechanical-smelling Peregrine, hadn't seemed to realize the nature of the place at all. The horned girl's glance crossed his, and he smiled, careful not to show his teeth.

"Good evening, mademoiselle. I am Florian, and this is Mahdis."

 

Grabbing her cloak in her hands, she dipped low into a curtsey, but even within this pose, nothing below her neck was shown. As if she was hiding the rest of her from the world.

"Greetings, and well met, Master Florian and Miss Mahdis. My name is Jehremya Sabriel. How are you this eve, if I may ask?"