The Crystal Nexus [Started | Accepting(1) via PM]

[Enrise]

Xeonil slightly gave a slam at the table with the beer glass after it was filled with alcoholic beverage. Xeonil knew the somewhat story behind him, but it wasn't much to babbler about. Someone coming the Still Lands normally would give a weird look. Sometimes mentioning about it would scare some people. Or at least mention of the Crystal Nexus. He slouched backwards after giving the beer to Pete, and sat down on his stool, raising his feet onto the counter.

[Hotaru987]

Rain as Still Pete had walked pass her. Sure she knew the stories. Just about everyone in the town had heard about the story of Still Pete. Rain had never seen Pete before, and she couldn't help but wonder what he could've seen to have his eyes stuck like that. She shook her head. Hope I'll never have to find out first hand. Rain then walked up to the counter and took a seat two stools from Pete. She looked at the bartender, and then at his feet that were propped up onto the counter.

 

"Excuse me Bartender, but should you really have you feet up on the counter? It hardly seems sanitary." While she waited for his reply she quickly observed him. He was built, and tall, very tall, that she could tell even with him sitting down. The main thing that caught her attention was his hair and eyes. She had never seen anyone with white hair as pure as his. Heck she had never seen anyone with white hair period. And with the black eyes it seemed to stand out even more. Next was the burn mark over his eye. Afer his hair, the burn mark was the second noticible thing. Then there was his forehead...There was was something about that mark that seemed familiar...

[Enrise]

"Please. Perfectly clean. Besides, it's in no one's way, right?" Xeonil noticed her observing his body, mainly facial features. He put his feet down, and stood, grabbing a glass. "You here to drink something? Or just sit around and socialize?" he asked. He grabbed his Strawberry Daiquiri, and gulped the last of it down. Luckily, he didn't get drunk so easily.

[Hotaru987]

"A drink please...I don't care what, but something light." Rain said not intending to continue the conversation, but the question about his mark was bothering her. Expecially since she recognized the mark, seeing as she had one on her forhead. Only hers was covered by her bandana. She kept her gaze focused on the counter in front of her, waiting for her drink. She knew he caught her observing him, mainly is face, and she didn't think he particularly liked that.

[Umbra]

Still Pete looked at the drink, eyeing it but not drinking it. Still freshly poured, there was a layer of foam on top of the beer. "It's strange how fragile some things can be. If I do this...", he held the glass and shook it quietly, "... the foam goes away. Torn apart by the force of nature. Or, in this case, my hand." He raised it to his mouth, and drunk about a third of the beer. "It might happen to us one day. A storm, an earthquake, a shattering bolt of magic. Then, we would be destroyed." His black eyes went from Xeonil to Rain, and then back. "Sorry if I'm bothering you. It just struck me when I woke up; the world as we know it will end."

[Enrise]

He put a few beverages in the tall glass, and slid it to her. "Le rhum léger pour vous, a favorite among some, and perfectly light." noted Xeonil, and he went to a nearby sink and washed his hands. He dried them, opening a door that stood behind him, leading him to the back room, where he had other alcoholic beverages available. He took some of the bottles out, and took them to the counter, and set them in the ice.

 

--I wouldn't know if they had some kind of refrigerator back then, other than ice.

 

EDIT: Darn it Umbra D<

 

EDIT for Umbra:

 

After setting the beverages in the ice, Xeonil looked at Pete, and gave a look. "I think you might need some more beer..."

He was about to prepare another beer, only stronger so the man would shut up about the end of the world and the like. It was slightly getting on his nerves. But he thought that he shouldn't because, well, it was just how he was.

[Aesirson]

((Ignore my last post))

 

Cyrus looked, surprised at the newcomer.

"Who might you be? Another weird fellow or?" He then noticed the thing that the stranger was holding. When he saw it he accidentaly dropped his hammer on his foot and quickly grabbed it to somehow hinder the pain.

"Auch, auch!" When he was jumping around on one leg his scarf fell of, revealing his true face. He didn't really care and when he had stopped jumping around he calmed down and looked at the object that the girl ahd brought.

"What's that?"

[Naimo]

Rose just shrugged. "For your information, I am Rose Noir; you may have seen me around, I'm one of the main jewelry traders. As for this object, I've only just seen it ... this wounded man gave it to me." She didn't care that she was seeing Cyrus' true face; after all, she just wanted to hurry up and get back to her stall. Who knew how much money she was loosing right now? Probably loads ... and it looks like I'll have to get some more items as well. Crud, why did I have to listen to that guy? If this had been a cartoon, black smoke would have been pouring out of her head right now. She completely ignored the stranger; he wasn't looking for her, but Cyrus. Instead, she just focused on the object, also wondering what it really was.

[Hotaru987]

Rain took a sip of the drink, that she wouldn't be able to pronounce if her life depended on it, and found that the bartender was right. She was about to take another sip, when she heard Pete talk about the "End of the world". What are the odds of that? Meeting a fortune teller saying almost the same thing...

 

She then realized that she was fingering the strange gift Annabell handed to her not too long ago. Quickly, Rain snatched her hand out of her pocket, and rested it on the table, noticing the bartender had Pete another beer. It was obvious that he wanted Pete to quiet down, but now Rain's intrest was peeked. "Would you care to elaborate Pete?"

[Otaku-sama]

OoC: Considering that the evening is a long way off, I mind as well get in on the current action.

 

IC: Satoko was slumping on her makeshift chair behind her stall, tired mentally and physically. The regular crowd of the market doubled in size this month and she had to deal with twice the amount of the 'just-lookers'. Most of the people out of town did not know what they were looking for and simply stopped at her stall to half-interrogate her on her tools, then leave without buying anything. Satoko hated the pointlessly indecisive.

 

She also had to chase down five different thieves and give them a good roughing up with the business end of her wrench. One was bold enough to try to steal two hoes and tried to defend himself with a clumsy double spear fighting stance when he back into a corner. Satoko had to drag him to the doctor after he broke his own wrists trying to swing them at Satoko. Now Satoko was exhausted, trying to recover some while she wiped the specks of blood off the finer bits of her wrench. After occupying herself for a good minute, she noticed that she was intensely thirsty. Seeing no one around to buy anything, she hastily closed up shop and hurried to the bar, bag of the day's profits in hand.

 

She walked to the threshold of the inn when she noticed that it was nearly empty, save a few people. Usually at this time of the market, the bar would have been literally overflowing with the town drunks along with the visitors. Instead, the bar only held a few oddities of people. Nonetheless, Satoko wouldn't let a minor detail like that from depriving her of a good drink. Satoko entered, her boots and the emptiness of the bar amplifying her footsteps. She took a seat near the middle of the bar counter and dropped her heavy bag of coins onto the table, making a muffled metallic clinging.

 

"Oi Xeon! Could ya get me a pint of the best ale you've got? I've had a good market and I'm parched! Oh yea, where's your market crowd? You should be up to your neck with drunks at this time of day."

[Enrise]

"First, it's Xeonil. But I'll let that slide. And no, the drunkards usually come much later this time of year. And one ale coming up."

He took a beer bottle, and broke the top off, pouring the liquid drink into a container. He took a few small bottles, and put a few dabs in the container along, and closed it. Taking the container, he shook it rapidly, and stopped, pouring the liquid into the glass.

He took a random fruit from his little basket next to him, which turned to be a lemon, and set it ontop of the glass.

"One Meilleure Bière for the Satoko." said Xeonil as he put the glass onto the counter.

[Umbra]

After being blatantly ignored - rather obviously by the girl, and what seemed like subconsciously by the man who seemed to be the blacksmith's apprentice - the large-bearded man cleared his throat. "Perhaps I haven't introduced myself properly. I am Kenbragh Hammon, captain of Hans Steiner's personal guard. We have been travelling for months to meet Tomas Pantra, said to be the finest blacksmith for many miles. We are tired and weary; can you bring him to us?"

 

Still Pete looked at Rain. "There isn't much to elaborate on, really. When I woke up, it was as if fragments of an old dreams had scattered into my mind. I saw Bargheim... a terrible light... and then there was none. It had been washed away." He drank the rest of the beer, and suddenly turned his gaze to Xeonil. To be precise, his forehead. "Fate chooses its kind in the strangest of ways. Those who are branded can do nothing but follow the fate given to them."

[Hotaru987]

Rain's gut jumped into her throat. That's what Annabell said.... She didn't want to think about any of that stuff so to avoid asking more questions, she put her half-empty cup to her lips. Rain also wanted to hear what...Uh...Xeonil...? Anyway, what Xeonil would reply to what he said about his mark. She too wondered what these marks were. Rain always thought it was a birthmark...but why would this guy have the exact same mark, in the exact same place as her.

[Enrise]

Taking the glass in hand, Xeonil looked at the time. When he saw that he had plenty of time left, he got slightly annoyed. "I know I would normally be nice, but he's going to drive customers away with his talk." pondering to himself. He filled the glass with some beer, and gave it to Pete. "Sir, either you are too drunk, or you're babbling nonsense. Hopefully, you're just drunk. But have another why don't you?"

[Umbra]

Pete smiled at Xeonil. "Maybe it is just nonsense. It was but a dream, after all, and you can't really trust your dreams. I'll try to keep my mouth shut and have another beer." Pete's wide-open eyes went from Xeonil to Rain, then to the door. "It's growing late." The sky had only a slight tone of orange, and it would still be hours until sunset, but Pete was right; it was getting darker.

[Enrise]

"Then hurry up an drink. There's plenty to go around." He put the glass down, and grabbed another, filling himself another Strawberry Daiquiri. However, he started to grow weary for some reason. "God dammit. I really need to catch up on some sleep." Xeonil thought to himself as he shook himself awake. He took the strawberry drink, and chugged it quickly.

[Hotaru987]

Rain turned to look outside when Pete mentioned how late it was. It was getting dark, and it's about time she headed on home. Besides she needed to get up early tomorrow to make a call for supplies. She turned back around, "Bartender, can you refill my glass. I would like another before I leave." She said figiting with her head band. The girl that came in earlier had made a very loud entrance, like she need another reason to want to get away from these people. There was something strange about all of this. The day she decided to stay longer, she meets a fortune teller, the Bartender with the same mark on his forhead, and then Pete talking about the end of the world. It just seemed too coincedental. She shook her head, a small smile on her face. Oh what a game fate is playing....

[Enrise]

Quickly, he refilled the glass, and looked at the time. Not yet it seemed. He was quite eager for tonight, to actually go to the Still Lands. Not really with the travelers, but it was sort of his opportunity, despite being so close to the Still Lands. Still he started shaking with uncontrollable excitement, not being able to sit still, or stand in his case.

[Otaku-sama]

Satoko looked at Still Pete like most townspeople did in Barghiem: with a mix of confusion, skepticism and humour. Satoko thought that Still Pete was pretty much just a downer, thinking that the end of the world is nigh because he had a bad dream. Satoko simply swigged the rest of her drink in one go in silence as she observed the bartender help himself to another drink. Satoko started to feel the effects of the alcohol kick in as the familiar rush of euphoria washed over her like warm water. Satoko forgot all about her exhausting day and enjoyed the feeling. As she casually looked around with her rose coloured glasses, she noticed a strange looking woman on the other side of the bar with striking white eyes and red hair. Satoko thought that she should go get aquainted with her fellow woman, as she was around men too much. She got up and sat down on the stool next to her.

 

"Hiya there! I'm Satoko. I haven't seen you around here. I'm the toolmaker around here; what do ya do? Xeon, get me another ale please!" Satoko said as she got closer to the woman, uncomfortably close for Satoko if she didn't have the help of the ale.

[Enrise]

Xeonil paused for a second. Normally, he would like to see drunk women, as a form of entertainment, but this time, he wouldn't. "Sorry, we're all out. You're going to have to wait for tomorrow for your precious ale." Xeonil lied. He looked around for a towel, only to find there was no towel in sight. "Where did I put that damn towel?" Xeonil fumbled around the counter area, searching for a towel to dry the glasses that were being washed.

[Hotaru987]

Rain was startled at the sudden closeness of...Uh, Satako she said her name was. From how close she was, it was apparent that the ale she was drinking was getting to her. Rain shifted in her small stool desperate to create some kind of space between the two of them. "I'm uh...Rain, and I'm a cook." She took a sip from her drink, cutting her eyes to take in Satoko's appeaance. "....I used to be a farmer..."

 

She was thankful when the bartender, or uh...I guess his name was Xeon..., well whatever his name was she was just glad that he denied Satako another ale. "Are you going to make it home alright?" Rain asked slightly worried for the half drunken woman beside her.

[Otaku-sama]

Satoko groaned with disappointment, her head drooping down even closer to Rain's.

 

"Aw c'mon Xeon! I know you still have some ale left in the back! Your big crowd's not even here yet and you're out! That's a total lie man," Satoko complained as she straighten herself in her seat, giving Rain some breathing space.

 

"Fine, if you're out of ale, then get me a...shot of vodka. On the rocks! I like mine cold!" Satoko said with a tone of fake seriousness. Satoko then directed her attention to Rain.

 

"A cook eh? That's such a stereotypically female thing. You should totally get a better job. Something more...exciting ya know? Women shouldn't be forced to take the boring jobs all the time! Men have had them for god knows how long and maybe they should have the boring jobs for once!"

[Hotaru987]

Rain laughed a bit at what Satako said. "My mother once told me that, but I enjoy cooking no matter how steriotypical it may be. It's really an art if it's done right-" Rain cut herself off as she was about to go into a whole speech on the 'Art' of cooking. It didn't seem like she would want to hear it anyway. As of right now she was just glad for some breathing room.

 

"Satako, maybe you shouldn't have another drink. Or maybe something light, like what I'm drinking perhaps?" Ran didn't know why she became so worried for this girl's well being. Probably because she was the only other female in a bar full of males. Who knows what could happen to Satako if she got too drunk.

[Otaku-sama]

"Ah, light drinks aren't for me. I don't believe that I, as a woman, should have to drink light for some BS reason like 'Women can't get drunk' or 'Beer and ale and liquor is only for men' or blah blah blah. Women can hold their alcohol like any man can. Like once, I remember a few months ago, I was in a drinking contest with two other guys. We each took shots of whiskey. The first dropped at eight, the other dropped at thirteen. Wussies. I can't really remember what happened after that though..."

 

Satoko spoke with an animated tone, still seeing the world through rose coloured glasses.

[Hotaru987]

Rain frowned, "It's not that I believe that, it's just that I don't particularly care for the headaches afterwards." Rain felt a bit weird when she was defending herslef. "Besides how can you enjoy anything if you're drunk? You hardly know whats going on arond you." She said still watching Satoko. She slightly raised her cup silently asking for another refil. Well if i'm going to be here I might as well have another. It was getting very late, later than she had ever stayed out during this time. Rain turned back to Satoko still waiting for her reply.