CLOSED.

[XOne Truth PrevailsX]

Maxwell Archer

Maxwell listened to the elf as she mentioned that she didn't always own it, and that she needed a place for herself. Some people needed a place to belong. While he would have loved to settle down permanently, he could never manage to do so as he felt like he was probably still be hunted for what he had done in the past. It was common for assassins to travel anyways, always making sure they crossed off their mark within a certain amount of time before the job was given to someone else. He himself wanted a place to belong, but he didn't care whether he owned it or not.

Maxwell wasn't one who had many possessions. He could afford them easily enough, but he knew that buying a bunch of things wouldn't make him happy. The Crimson picked up the glass once more, tilting it towards Saria in a silent thanks before drinking some of the strong alcohol. He set the glass down, and smiled. "I have a proposition for you Lady Saria. I would like to stay here, and work for you whatever position you have open. In turn I ask for nothing but room, and board- board including free drinks of course. If there is a specific position you need filled, I am sure I have the skills to fill it."

[String x Theory]

One Truth Prevails2184

Saria leaned on the counter a bit, pulling her spiked coffee to her lips and taking a swig as Maxwell made his offer. She smirked.

"It's a deal. We've had some... issues, lately, and I could always use another assassin. But on the off days when things are going well, it wouldn't hurt to have another cook. Our current cook is temporarily out of commission. And, of course, tending the bar when things get busy."

She sipped again at her coffee, pleased to see business was booming.

[Mohan Yorke_x]

_xX Faceless Enemy Xx_

Mohan frowned as Kira explained Kai's condition and her hunger. He tapped his fingers against the wheeled cart next to him in thought.

"The energy is linked between you and Kai, right? She went off to feed when you got injured to work on replenishing your energy and help heal you."

He paused, thinking outloud. His eyes shifted to Kira's wound.

"But you're not healing. So she keeps feeding. Your energy is not being replenished like it should."

His eyes flicked to the desk where the petri dish was being analyzed. He noted the inky look to it.

"The infection itself looks like Nytmaer." He said matter-of-factly. "Can't be a coincidence." Mohan knew to think logically and not to jump to conclusions, but he also knew that coincidences rarely happen. If something looked connected, chances are they were.

"Is there a way we could find energy for Kai without her needing to kill?" His eyes moved to the defibrillator in the corner of the room. Electricity was a form of energy...

[Akako Akari]

Aiyoku Kurosawa

My lips are pale and vicious.
You’re foaming at the mouth.
You’ve suffered in the darkness.
I’ll suck the pain right out.
So come and taste the reason
I’m nothing like the rest.

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::The Heartless - Bar - Enter the Serpent::

Aiyoku stared at the man for a moment, waiting for him to respond to her, yet the response never came. Her eyes narrowed on him even as Saria began to talk to her. He was ignoring her, blatantly ignoring her. The serpent wasn't amused, however she wasn't going to sulk about it. It sounded like he was going to work here anyway so she could certainly pay him a visit if she so desired.

Luminescent violet orbs shifted to land on Saria and Aiyoku offered a slow smile. "A room would be ideal. Nothing to drink thank you. I'll have to pick up the stuff Leo picked up for me before he fell off the face of the planet. What in the world is that man even up to." Aiyoku dropped her chin into her palm as she thought about it. Really, after Akako and Rune hashed it out, he vanished. Apparently he wasn't man enough to handle that sort of conflict. Aiyoku snickered at the thought. All in all, it was a good thing Akako took off to Sigil. She was preoccupied which gave Aiyoku plenty of free time.

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One Truth Prevails2184

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[XOne Truth PrevailsX]

Maxwell Archer

It took the Crimson a moment to notice that the woman with the glasses was talking to him. He was to busy trying not to notice her since he did have a thing for women who wore glasses. Also she came for the sole purpose of visiting Saria, and he didn't want to get into their conversation. He also didn't want to see rude, so he turned to face her with a half smile on his face. He felt awkward for the first time in many years. "I am sorry miss. I was busy trying not to pay attention to your conversation with Lady Saria. I certainly did not intend on ignoring you." He placed his slim, pale left hand forward to extend it to her. "My name is Maxwell. And no, I am quite sure we have never met. I definitely would have remembered meeting you. Also, the pleasure is mine, Lady Aiyoku."

He turned his head towards Saria, and nodded with a wider smile. "While I despise violence Lady Saria, I would not let anything happen to this manor. Although, I am quite sure that you are capable of defending it yourself. Still though, you would have an extra set of hands if you needed them. I will be your jack-of-all-trades man around here then. When should I start?" Maxwell asked, using his free hand to pick up his glass for a drink of the hard liquor before setting it back down.

(Kind of a bad post, but I hoped it straightened things out.)

[_xX Faceless Enemy Xx_]

Mohan Yorke_x

Kira nodded to confirm Mohan's thoughts on how healing her worked. Kai would collect organic energy which would transfer to her, maintaining her being and power. It does take a surprising amount of energy to make, keep, and uphold a physical form... But if Kai couldn't collect enough organic energy, Kira wouldn't heal.

Kira's hand slipped from her cheek to rest on her chest, next to where her main wound was. She felt her hearts lurch and ache at Mohan's suspicion, wincing from it. "I would not be surprised, dear... My hearts hurt... My waking dreams, unsettling..."

Kira took a moment to think, before frowning. "Kai-Lynn has the advantage of being able to take in and store inorganic energy for herself, as I need the organic to continue the cycle... What ideas have you?"

Kira's dark eyes couldn't follow the doctors across the room, unable to lift her head very much.

[Akako Akari]

Aiyoku Kurosawa

My lips are pale and vicious.
You’re foaming at the mouth.
You’ve suffered in the darkness.
I’ll suck the pain right out.
So come and taste the reason
I’m nothing like the rest.

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::The Heartless - Bar - Enter the Serpent::

"Pleasssse..." The serpent hissed as she turned her head to gaze upon the man with nearly blind violet eyes. "Call me Aiyoku. Lady and miss make me feel old." She offered the man a coy smile. "A demon with mannersss? Hmmm... how, amusssing." The woman extended her hand, long fingers sliding across his palm, offering a quick single shake, before releasing her grip. Her skin was incredibly cool, skin soft as silk. "It certainly isss a pleasure to meet you, Maxwell."

The woman reached over and plucked Maxwell's drink off the bar top shortly after he set it down. She brought the glass to her lips, parted her lips and took a slow inhale. Her eyes narrowed before they brightened with knowledge. The mischievous snake demon eyed the man and tilted her head. "Drinking bourbon tonight, love? What a wonderful choice. What brought you to The Heartless if you don't mind my asking." Aiyoku took a sip of his drink before leaning over and setting it back on the counter in front of him. It was kind of like Russian Roulette to steal a sip of a strangers drink, but she liked the risk.

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One Truth Prevails2184

[XOne Truth PrevailsX]

Maxwell Archer

Maxwell watched her lips as she spoke, turning her head towards him. When she did, his eyes moved to hers. They were unlike any pair of orbs he had ever seen. The Crimson shook his head at her words, a smile plastered on his face. "Please forgive me Aiyoku, it was not my intention to make you feel old. I usually refer to women as lady, or miss as a sign of respect. Women usually find it charming, though it is not my intention to charm either." He winked. When she referred to him as a demon, he shook his head. "I am no demon, at least not any more. Metaphorically speaking of course. My blood is rare. I am a Crimson, hence the eyes. Also, my manners are not to be taken as amusing but sincere."

He could find no fault in her for her words. To most he appeared as a vampire, or demon and there were similarities between the races but he had no taste for blood. He also didn't have a problem with sunlight. His hand took hers in a firm shake, but gently whether it was required or not. "I is quite a pleasure to meet you as well Aiyoku." He watched with undivided attention as the woman took his drink from the bar to smell it in the way a snake would. When she turned her eyes back to him, he looked down at her lips once more as the mysterious woman made an observation that he was drinking bourbon and then took a sip of it. When she set it back down, he took it his fingers tips brushing against hers.

The crimson eyes male took a drink from the glass himself before setting it back down. He shrugged, and shook his head when she asked what had brought him there and asked if he didn't mind her asking. "I travel often. Until now that is, since I will be working for Lady Saria for as long as she will put up with me. What about yourself? How often do you visit? I will be honest when I say that I would not mind seeing more of you. Again, I mean in a metaphorical sense." He had to be honest, he found her to be quite interesting and seemingly a bit on the seductive side.

[String x Theory]

Akako Akari

One Truth Prevails2184

"Certainly," Saria responded to the request for a room. "Rooms are on the second floor, just choose one that's unlocked."

Her smile flickered out a bit as Aiyoku mentioned Leo. The two of them were still on good business terms and were certainly still allies - Saria would fight to protect Leo's establishment, MoI, as she is certain MoI would continue to protect the Heartless. But personally, she was a bit bitter towards him after he offered to "help" her grow in strength and power while failing to mention that it would tie their souls together. She had spent several months succumbing to his darkness, and she became a Dark Elf for a while because of it. The faded tribal marks around her eyes and across her skin was evidence of that period of her life. It took a lot to restore her to her previous condition and to sever that link. In fact, she hadn't seen him since.

A blue brow quirked when she noted she had to pick some some items from Leo. The man certainly liked his power-possessions, and she was intrigued as to what items Aiyoku was to get from him. She didn't ask, though, since that would be rude.

Attention turning to Maxwell, Saria shrugged. "You can start right away." She responded simply before Aiyoku and Maxwell began to delve into their conversation together, seemingly hitting it off right away.

The wood elf drew another sip of her spiked coffee, listening in on their conversation.

[Mohan Yorke_x]

_xX Faceless Enemy Xx_

Mohan nodded in the direction towards the defibrillator, even though Kira couldn't follow his eyes.

"I've got myself a crazy supply of electricity in this lab, for various reasons. If power ever failed in the Heartless I have several backup generators that would kick on, and they're alien tech so just one generator could power for over a decade. I imagine that would be enough energy to at least satisfy her long enough to talk to us, brainstorm about what's happening and how to fix it. Then, if her hunger returns, she could go off to her other dimension again, thus there would be no threat to life energy in this realm."

He paused, looking at Kira for her input. He had never seen Kai on a feeding frenzy and really didn't want to if it was at all possible, but she was the only other being who could give insight into Kira's medical condition.

[Leinhart Choisel]

The man was out of place, outnumbered and ultimately his taste for Heartless soon fell overboard this clearly wasn't the time for him to have shown face. The Grand Tournament would be coming faster than the Vampire knew, his lack of conditioning only hurting him in the end, say he did not emphasize hard on training.

In place a letter envelope "To Saria", six silver coins to pay off that Scotch she probably didn't need them, but as he acted out of character - it would have been out of his character if he did not pay that service. Shadows from the floor board pull him in their darkness and Leinhart vanishes in the dark plane, they dissipate like fog thinning away and cause no destruction to her place.

[XOne Truth PrevailsX]

Maxwell Archer

Maxwell nodded to Saria with his usual friendly smile. He gave a look around the place once more, and his eyes ended up back on the elf who was now his boss. "Where should i begin Lady Saria? If you would like, I could take over behind the bar and give you some free time to take care of anything you would not ordinarily have time for." Of course, Maxwell had an angle. If he tended the bar, he would be able to serve any new comers while continuing his conversation with Aiyoku.

He lifted his drink to his lips for another swallow, setting it back down. "You do not have to worry about me getting drunk, I can handle my alcohol. I used to practically drown myself every night right after I left my previous position." He disappeared completely from sight, reappearing at her right side behind the bar also standing in front of Aiyoku. "Go ahead, and relax for a bit. If someone orders food, well you can probably already tell that I am a proficient at multitasking." He reached over for his drink so he could have another sip.

[Akako Akari]

Aiyoku Kurosawa

My lips are pale and vicious.
You’re foaming at the mouth.
You’ve suffered in the darkness.
I’ll suck the pain right out.
So come and taste the reason
I’m nothing like the rest.

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::The Heartless - Bar - Enter the Serpent::

A slender pale brow lifted as the man winked in her direction. Her lips were curled into an amused grin until he corrected her on what he was. A Crimson. Pale lips parted again, her forked tongue tasting the air once again. She had never heard of such a being, she would have to ask him for more details later.

His last sentence drew a sharp bark of laughter from her only to be followed by a fit of giggling. A slender hand lifted and covered her lips as she regained herself and peered over at him from the corner of her eyes. "I'll be staying here until I have been told otherwise. I am a familiar, so I must obey my master's command. Even if I were not a familiar... I don't think I would push my luck with her." Saria probably hadn't been aware that Aiyoku was Akako's familiar and that she was a reason for concern. There was a reason Leo and Akako were married at one point after all. The pair were a lot alike and cunning in their ways. Unfortunately, Saria was drawn into their plots, but it would serve Saria as well.

It was a blink and the man was gone. Aiyoku's gaze shifted and she looked in front of her. Ah, now would be a good time to ask what he was exactly. "So...Crimssson. Mind expanding on that, love? I'm afraid I have never heard of such things... surprisssing as I am almost a thousand years old. I thought I knew it all. Pleassse. Divulge if you wouldn't mind." The woman leaned on the counter, curious eyes watching the Maxwell intently. "Perhaps I can listen to your story with a glass of that bourbon you were drinking. I must say, a fine choice indeed."

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One Truth Prevails2184

String x Theory

[XOne Truth PrevailsX]

Maxwell Archer

The Crimson watched her with amusement as well, watching her forked tongue slip through her lips for a taste of the air. To another it might have been unsettling, but there wasn't much that unsettled him. He watched with undivided attention as Aiyoku basically busted out laughing, and giggling. "Ah" The crimson eyed being nodded, a bit disappointed that the serpent might have to leave. It was even more disappointing to know that this woman didn't have a will of her own, but belonged to someone. "You, and I have something in common. I have known that very same feeling." He reached over for his bourbon to take a long drink, setting it back in front of where he was sitting.

The Crimson shook his head at her question. He didn't mind telling her about his race at all. It wasn't as if he had to keep it a secret. He nodded at her next request, looking to where Saria found his glass to get Aiyoku one for herself. He usually didn't drink after people, but when she boldly grabbed his glass and drank from it he found it to be kind of a turn on. Maxwell wasn't used to women paying him such attention as most thought that he was in his upper teens, or lower twenties. That meant that they thought he would be immature. He was far from immature.

Maxwell grabbed the bottle off of the shelf behind him without turning around to look at it. He opened the bottle with his thumb, letting the lid spin off and fly into the air before it hit the counter. The Crimson smiled and took the bottle by the body, spinning it around in his hand a few times for entertainment before tilting it almost upside down but at an angle where it wouldn't splash liquor all over her and the counter. He set the bottle down, and placed the lid back on making sure it was tight so that the bottle was sealed. He slid the glass forward.

"We Crimson were once a very secretive race, and we lived in the shadows.like the Drow. My ancestors didn't want our race to be established, and known like the elves or other supernatural races. As you know, the elvish race has seen many wars as have some of the other races like the Drow. The past rulers of my race all wanted the same thing for their people, something different. True peace. And before a certain king, we had that peace. This man took the throne with the goal of establishing our race among the other supernatural races of the world, and ruling as many of them as he could. He first targeted the human race, but was met with much opposition by his own people. There was a war, and it ended with his death but also with the death of many of my people. I am one of the very few that survived the war. I was one of the king's assassins. I have a rare gift among my people, and he ordered my parent's death so that he could get me. I killed for him without question until I discovered that he was the one who had my parent's killed. Instead of fighting against him, I left to go on the run having seen enough death. That's the short story. It would take me much longer to tell you all of what happened, and just how scarred I am from it all."

(Kind of sloppy since there was so much to tell.)

[String x Theory]

Well, Maxwell was warming up nicely here. She watched as he appeared beside her, taking over the bar duties. Perfect, she could slip away and get some other work done. She turned to Leinhart to see if he had responded to her offer for wine, finding instead an envelope with the money to pay the liquor he never actually consumed. She smirked, putting the silver pieces into her pocket an accepting the payment. How odd for a vampire to be so off-putting, offended, and unhappy within her bar and her selections of drinks and yet still bother to pay for it all.

With that, she looked back to Aiyoku as she mentioned she was Akako's familiar. Ah, that made sense. But then, a puzzled look on the wood elf's face. Why was Aiyoku being ordered to stick around at the Heartless? Saria wasn't naive - she knew all too well the look of strategically placed assassins or guards. Was something happening that put the Heartless in danger? Or was Akako banishing Aiyoku to the Heartless for her own safety? Again, she didn't ask. The thoughts just ran through her head casually, part of her ever-watchful being.

"I think I'm going to whip up some food." She said casually as she broke away from the bar. She stepped into the kitchen and immediately noticed a sleeping dragon stuck in one of the frying pans. She blinked, confused, before walking over to Gorthan and tapping him on the head.

"Gorthan," She whispered to him, trying to wake him up without startling him too much."Hey, kid, that doesn't look very comfortable."

lizardman ((mummyman3))