Welcome to Gaia! ::

Arcus smelled his brother's breath. "You sir, are drunk. Scotch, and a good year at that. Well played. Come, let us try some of this pasta." He walked over to the bar, and looked at the girl's dish. The presentation left something to be desired, but that was mostly due to the fact that the only dishes the Joint was equipped with at the moment were dyed plastic. He grabbed a device from somewhere within his jacket. He then proceeded to wave the device over the spaghetti, and after two passes with no avail, it would seem, he put it away, and muttered something to the effect of " ...it's not poisoned..." He pulled a fork out of the bar, with some effort as it was jammed half an inch in, and twirled it around in the noodles. They were cooked all the way through, so it was evident that the girl knew what she was doing. He didn't recall having any meat in the refrigerator, but some of it floated amongst the noodles and sauce to his surprise. He skewered some of it on the bottom of his swirl of noodles, and took a bite.
It was all he could do not to moan out loud. Where the sauce prevailed salty here, it was undermined, and assisted by a sharp burst of heat, and here, where the tomato made it sweet, a hidden brusk flavor not unlike thyme delayed the taste long enough to make it a near orgasmic experience.
As he finished the bite, he pushed it away, and dabbed his mouth. With a grave look on his face, he looked deep into the girl's eyes, and in a very serious manner said: "You... have a certain way with foods. We'll keep you on for a while, and see what you can do. Do you require lodgings? We used to serve as a tavern, so it should be no ordeal."

Arcus laughed heartily. "Come child, you look as if you've seen the grave! I was jesting with you. It was excellent. Now, play your pinball, and I would be glad to talk to your family about your staying here. We run a tight schedule, and we have excellent security, so there's nothing to be worried about. Go play your pinball. Try and beat the high score that Sir Genyo left, though it will be quite a feat." With that, He swiveled on his stool, and looked at Ed. Through this look, which was that of sheer amazement and confusion, he said to Ed nonverbally: Damn! That girl can cook! Ever had pasta that good? Ed looked back, in such a manner that suggested he intended to say: I never imagined food could taste as good. I hope she stays on. Or, perhaps they just exchanged a look.

"Do you mind if I join you, Nanji?" Arcus said, joining the girl, already powdering the tip of a pool que that seemed to have materialized from nowhere. This was, of course, the truth, but only Vaatra knew that. He lined up a shot, after she had gone, and ssunk both the nine and eleven balls in one smooth motion. "It's all in the force. If you hit it too hard, you don't control the shot. If you don't hit it hard enough, the que ball won't hit what you want, and you've wasted a shot either way. Your shot."

The man strode into the bar, his dark hair hiding most of his face, and a long coat hiding everything else, except for a katana strapped across his back, for a left-handed draw. It was getting late, but he seemed unconcerned about curfew, boots loud on the floor. "Are you open?" It was a stupid question; this place was always open. But there was something to common courtesy. So little had it these days, anyway. He slid onto a stool, and looked up towards the bartender, red eyes finally visible as he raised his face. "I'll have a rum, on the rocks." Without even seeming as if he were, he'd made a cursory glance around the room, making note of the girl and the man at the pool table. His hand fished in his pocket, digging out a few bills crumpled with other pieces of paper.

Pax entered The Very Questionable Joint, quite the jolly fellow. Like most days, his had begun in the thieves’ guild. With it being the weekend, he fully intended to head to USA mall, but on his way “accidentally” bump into a large elderly woman. After apologizing for his clumsiness, he examined the bracelet he was able to snatch. Immediately he realized how lucky he was, for he recognized the bulky bracelet to be pure 24k gold. Thieves loved gold, and Pax was no expectation. “Everything else may become worthless tomorrow, but gold is always valuable” he could hear his brother saying. He now wore the bracelet on his arm, where he felt it safe. He, like a lot of thieves, thought himself to be the greatest thief ever, and while this seemed unlikely, it wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility that he was in fact in the upper 10%. So with a smile unbecoming of him, Pax walked into the bar, ready to drink the day away, rather the spend it at the mall, competing for chump change.

“What’s your most expensive drink, and how much is it?”

"Well then it seems a waste to be selling it, if common working folk like me can't afford it. Still, I'd like to know the price, if it's all the same to you." Pax said, his Irish accent become more pronounced, as it often did when he suspected he was on the verge of surprising someone.

Pax rose and headed behind the bar, speaking as he went, the smile on his face even larger now that he could chose his own method of attainting an altered sate of mind.

"Ah, in that case you shouldn’t have said that I couldn't afford it. I couldn’t have it would have been more accurate.” Pax said, saying the last few words as of telling a joke.

“Those…..” He said waving his hands in the general visitant of some ten odd bottles of bourbon.
“for a start. How much does that come to?”

Without waiting for the barkeeps answer, he turned to the man who had approached him.

“Welcome to………. the presence of the man who will soon be sloshed in said questionable joint. The names Paxamul, but I go by Pax, since I don’t find my parents joke all that funny. As for this old thing” at which he held the bracelet into the light.
“just something I pick up this morning.” He then let it slid back down his wrist. “I think it brings out me eyes. Care for a drink? I ordered bourbon, and some more bourbon. All the makings of nice party.”