Svana looked over toward the white haired man supposedly watching them. He moved to the bar, his expression still fixated on Kai. Folding her arm, she settled herself in to stare at him while he stared at Kai, wondering how long it would take for him to notice. She almost didn't hear Jet's mention of magic.
"Huh. That's nice," she muttered distractedly.
Something was definitely off here. Her instincts tingled as if something was about to happen.
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 10:50 am
Kai shook his head again, trying to clear the bees that were flying around in there, their buzz hazing his vision also. He saw heard the newcomer say something to him, noticed them all look towards the bar. It took him a moment to be able to follow suit, dragging his eyes to the armoured figure there with the white hair. He stared for a moment before it clicked into place. "Larin." He said quietly. In one swift move he sprang from his seat, his right hand unsheathing his broadsword, it's hilt adorned with dragon stone. His left hand moved in a flash, a blade appearing in his palm. He swept his cloak behind him as he leapt across the room and held the blades to Larin's neck. ... At least that's how it would have gone. Instead he tried to leap up, hitting his knees on the table and causing the tankards to go flying. He tried to pull his broadsword from it's scabbard as he stumbled across the room, the hidden knife in his left sleeve falling uselessly to the ground, soon to be joined by it's owner as Kai tripped on his cloak, falling in a heap just out of Larin's reach.
This wasn't good. He wracked his brains, trying to remember which components he'd need to clear his system. He knew he probably had what was needed in his cloak, he had all sorts squirrelled away there, but he was in no state to figure it out.
Larin glowered as one by one the women turned to look at him, if they made a move he'd gut them alive! His hand itched to use his blade, he could throw it and kill each one of them before they blinked if he wished, but he waited. It was then that he saw the recognition in Arkai's eyes, he tensed, ready to defend himself, which turned out to be a laughable sentiment. As Kai fell about the place, he couldn't control his laughter. He had been scared of him, this legend, for what? Him to stumble towards him and almost impale himself on his own sword? Please!
Rosse grunted and stepped back quickly before any of the drinks could spill onto her. A slightly disgusted groan escaped her lips and she rolled her eyes to the ceiling as the gentleman stumbled uselessly to the floor. This was why she avoided drinking. It made one completely useless. It didn't bode well for him.
She turned her gaze to the other man. Her instincts insisted that this man was a threat, even if he was laughing helplessly at the moment. She assessed the situation for another moment before slowly straightening. Her saber hissed as it slid out of its sheath. If it did come down to a fight, she would be ready.
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 2:47 pm
Tallulah entered the space with a confident stride, taking a few moments to let her surrounding engulf her before she took a seat at the bar, crossing her legs. "Rum and coke, don't be cheap on the rum, either," she let a smirk form across her plump lips. Looking over to the person to her right, she nodded a bit towards them.
The declaration was loud and proud. Of course, it wouldn't be any other way for Anthony J. Crowley. He appeared to look like any other gentleman, with his hair slicked back and aviator shades covering his eyes. He wore a suit - a nicely pressed black suit with a red tie. His snakeskin boots shined in the light as he stepped into the cafe.
He took a seat at one of the bar stools up front. He glanced at his watch, wearing an irritated expression. "The angel's late. Oh well, at least I can liven things up for everyone." he said to himself.
"Hey, bartender! Give everyone another round, on me." Crowley said happily, holding out a black credit card. "It isn't a good night until we all get smashed." he added.
And then of course, things would happen. They always did.
People would have a little too much to drink maybe a bar fight would break out. Or maybe they'd all sing a little drunken Karaoke, and forget that they'd given up swearing for Lent or something. No matter what, it was going to be fun.
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2014 5:20 pm
Duke entered the cafe and glanced around, nervously. Good. He didn't see anyone he knew here. His life had been a complete disaster! He ran a pale, fragile hand through his fluffy black hair that was neatly combed, having his bangs cover his eyes. It wasn't like Duke to drink alcohol, but he needed something to relax him. He straightened out his white t-shirt, the lapels of his black hoodie and collapsed onto a bar stool.
Pulling out a pack of cigarettes and putting one into his mouth, Duke waved the bartender over with his other hand. "A martini, please." He would keep his talk short and simple, the better for people to forget about him by. As far as anyone in this cafe was concerned, he was supposed to be the one person who went unnoticed. It wasn't until the rowdy man next to him bumped into him and knocked him off of the bar stool.
Stunned, Duke glared up at the man. He had neat black hair that was slicked back, with shiny snakeskin boots and a suit. Aviator shades were covering his face. As Duke stood up and brushed himself off, he tapped the man on the should and softly said to him: "Excuse me, sir, could you please tone it down? You just knocked me off my bar stool." Duke sat there, martini forgotten thinking about how he had made a big deal out of this.
"Excuse me, sir, could you please tone it down? You just knocked me off my bar stool."
Now that was something Crowley never expected his influence to throw back at him. There were a few who could resist his wiles - very few, and most of them were so high up in the clouds they wouldn't be able to bother with a place like this. The person next to him looked like one of those "fragile loners", and he could never abide by those types.
And Crowley played it smooth, like he always had. He winked as he leaned in closer, bringing the martini glass toward Duke. "Relax, Mr. Gloomy. Loosen up and drink what you ordered. I can turn it into something harder if you only ask me." he said in a singsong voice.
OOC: I don't actually think your character is an emo kid. XD;; that's just Crowley and his lack of manners and personal space. Also trying to tempt him. Because he is a demon after all. I just wanted to clear up any misunderstandings.
Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 4:59 pm
Misuki Marishima
The glare in Duke's eyes got sharper, yet he sat down on his bar stool anyway and accepted the martini glass from Anthony. "Thanks." He murmured solemnly. "I think it's okay to relax every once in a while, but being rowdy and worsening the experience for other people isn't what I would call 'relaxing'." Anthony's singsong voice annoyed the heck out of Duke, but he kept calm. Anthony probably intended to fire him up, so why should Duke let him?
In what was an attempt to anger Anthony, Duke innocently raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean by that? I don't think you could make anything hard. In fact, you're making it easier for me to control my temper." Blunt and honest, that was how Duke was. This pompous jerk was one step toward helping him like himself. If Duke learned to control his short and ill temper, he could eventually work on other flaws until he liked himself. "Oh, and by the way, playing it smooth doesn't work on me. I know pompous boys like you hate the kind of guys like me. You think we're all tight-wound and sad." As he had been talking, Duke had been taking drinks of his martini. After he had finished his last sentence, he already had a second glass in front of him, ready to be drunken.
OOC: Ah, I see! Thank you for clearing up those two pieces of information. Duke is contemplating suicide, but he doesn't have the guts really to do it. His life sucks on so many levels that he just needs someone to cheer him up or a distraction. I think Duke is so wrapped up with meeting Anthony that he forgot about his sadness for a long while. That's my intentions anyway.
Crowley shrunk back from the glare, just out of reflex. Usually glares meant punishment for him Downstairs. But he recovered quickly. This was just a human he was dealing with. He could tell there was nothing supernatural about this kid at all. As a matter of fact, he probably wasn't even old enough to be having that martini glass - but Anthony J. Crowley wasn't exactly the law-abiding type. He didn't care about that.
But then the human thanked him. It was something he wasn't used to hearing even more.
Crowley shrugged when he sipped his own glass, a vodka that was of course, genuinely Russian. Everything he drank turned out to be genuine when he touched it. "I guess some people's ideas of a good time are different." he muttered casually. "I know a guy who's idea of a Saturday night is reading. Can you believe it? Spending a Saturday with his nose in between the pages! If I wasn't there to tempt him into the finer things in life, I think he'd be closed to the world."
Crowley smiled deviously. "Oh, I don't mean giving you a harder time, man. I mean giving you a harder drink. You don't think I have it in me? Watch this!"
He ran his finger along the rim of the martini glass, just for the style of the thing. "Now taste it. And tell me it's not a stronger drink." he added.
Crowley turned back to his own space for once, humming along to whatever song was on the radio. He knew most music - because his influence was in a lot of it. "Actually, I don't really hate anyone. You see, my work is never personal. It's just... well, they tell me to 'go up there and make some trouble.' So I do. Unlike some of those guys down there, I know how to make it worth my while."
OOC: Oh my goodness. I had no idea that was why he was gloomy! D: Well, I hope you're amused by Mr. Crowley, and so is your character. heart I might bring in Aziraphale later too. Aziraphale is an angel and he has healing powers, and extreme Samaritan Syndrome. |D He'd try to help for sure.
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 8:19 pm
Psychotic Maniacal Sanity
PLEASE COME BACK TO THE CC! WE HAS AN ENEMY TO VANQUISH!
Duke noticed how Anthony had shrunken back from his glare. Why had he done that? Was he beaten as a child? Out of sympathy and pure surprise, Duke relaxed his gaze and smiled a weak smile before taking another sip of his drink. By the end of the night, the entire bar would see that he'd be smashed. Duke couldn't show his face afterwards. He'd feel terrible. Twenty-four year old Duke could sense the relaxation in Anthony. Surely, he had relaxed from whatever had threatened him.
Duke nodded lightly. He was highly enjoying the conversation he was having. Anthony seemed like a nice person, all drama aside. He seemed to understand people. "Yeah, I spend all of my time studying. I want to be a lawyer, you know. I'm still studying even three years after graduating from law school." At Anthony's comment about the guy who enjoyed reading, Duke chuckled lightly. "Not everyone has it in them to be a party animal. I know a guy just like that, and he's happy being closed off from the world." Another sip turned into another. After three minutes, another glass was gone. Two taps on the counter brought another drink before him.
A slight blush dusted off Duke's pale complexion. Things were just getting interesting. "I don't believe I ever asked your name." He extended his right hand. "Name's Duke. It's...interesting to meet you." If what Anthony was saying about making a harder drink was true, Duke wanted to see it. An encouraging nod and a few words took place a few moments later. "Go on, show me what you got!" After the magic had been worked, Duke took a tentative sip of his martini. Interesting. It was stronger and more genuine. Anthony didn't lie. He would have to be more careful going about his drink this time.
When Duke heard the song on the radio, he recognized it immediately. Bohemian Rhapsody! He had sang that song all of the time as a duet with his little brother Elliot. As the song continued on, Duke sang along with Anthony or attempted to, at least. He didn't know how well he sang when he was tipsy. "Really? Just what is this field of work you're involved in?" What did Anthony mean by "up there" and "down there"? Was he referencing something about Hell? How odd. "Oh really? Would it be in you to tell me what you are doing up here?"
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2014 11:31 pm
Dumpling-San
Anthony J. Crowley
Something about the atmosphere was easing up, and it couldn't have been too soon. Crowley was sure he'd end up in a fight with this person who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, when he'd decided to make his flashy entrance. But Duke was like all humans. He had that ineffable nature and turned out to be pleasant company. In a few minutes' time, he didn't want to fight at all.
He'd spoken about his ambitions. Being a lawyer was a tall order. "You're not in for something easy, huh?" Crowley muttered. He'd thought of his own career, and how many corrupt lawyers that the demon of Greed managed to tempt. Somehow, Crowley hoped this person sitting next to him wouldn't be next. He was never really good at dealing with temptations personally.
But when Duke mentioned he had a bookish friend too, he chuckled. "Maybe the guy you know should meet the one I know. They could probably exchange books or something." he suggested with a small chuckle. His mind traveled for a moment, thinking of the bookish angel who was probably still lost in another one of his first editions.
Another vodka was finished, but Crowley was surprised that the human sitting close by was drinking much faster than him. He'd thought of ordering another, but then the human finally introduced himself.
The demon smiled in return. "I'm Anthony J. Crowley." he replied simply. "Although... everyone who knows me just calls me by my last name." Crowley wanted to mention that his "friends" called him by his last name, but he didn't have many true allies.
He downed another vodka to wash away the thoughts of loneliness. It vanished without a trace.
And the next thing he knew, he was in an impromptu duet with his newfound acquaintance. When the song ended though, a rather hard question interrupted the general reverie.
"Um, my work. Well. I'm not sure if you'd believe me, but, well, I'm an agent of sorts." he answered awkwardly. He cursed himself for letting the minor details slip about making trouble. "I... when I said Downstairs, I meant South! I'm really from Australia, see! I meant to say Land Down Under, but the Vodka is very strong here, so... ha ha..." He'd trailed off, and hoped his act was believable.
Duke nodded solemnly when Crowley had responded to his ambitions. "Yeah, I've well, failed the bar exam five times already, so I know I can pass it this time. At least, I hope so." The martini was making him ramble on and on without a filter. "Sorry if I troubled you, the drinks are getting to me. I haven't had this much to drink since she was here." At the mention of her, Duke's eyes got a glassy and faraway look in them. "I-I...never mind. It would trouble both you and I."
At Crowley's mention that they should get their friends together, Duke smiled, and his blue eyes twinkled. "That would be great. I'm sure Allison would appreciate that. She's loved books since she learned how to read. She's constantly looking for new books." Duke thought of the shy, insecure girl who always had a book in front of her in their school days. Unlike him, she had passed the bar exam on her first attempt. That was how much of a genius she was. Allison was one of his best friends during their schooldays. They were bullied together, and that made them stronger. It also made them realize how much they had had in common.
Another martini was downed, and two new ones appeared before him. Duke took the first one heavily, but then he slowed down on the next one. As the man next to him introduced himself as Anthony J. Crowley, Duke smiled. "Crowley? That's an interesting name. It reminds me of crows. They're not my favorite bird, but I think they're cool. Anyways, I think I could call you Crowley. I usually call my friends by their first names, but I think it's time for a change of events." He drank the second drink slowly. It was time to analyze things, but how could he if he passed out?
Duke could sense Crowley's discomfort. He had always had a way of sensing others' feelings. However, it usually only worked when he was close with the person. Becoming an acquaintance with Crowley allowed Duke to sense some of his major feelings. "An agent? Well, we might be seeing each other in the workplace someday. You know, because we're both involved with governments and whatnot. That is, if I become a lawyer." The next part was harder to believe. He could sense something was off. Who would be excited and raise their voice about living in Australia? Well, he didn't want to be offensive, but Duke couldn't understand why someone would raise their voice unless angry, excited, or lying. Crowley wasn't angry, how could he be excited when he had made a slip of the tongue, so the only one left would be that he was lying.
"Look Crowley, I'm a lawyer. I was trained to read body language. You can trust me. I know everybody's secrets. I'll even vow that I won't tell yours in front of you. I will bow down before you and vow that I will never tell your secrets if you would like me to." A serious look crossed Duke's face as he took a few more sips of his martini. He could also sense that Crowley wasn't human. What human could make a drink stronger with a touch of his finger?
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 1:04 pm
Dumpling-San
Anthony J. Crowley
"Oh, that exam must be hard." Crowley commented. He found himself tongue-tied. He wanted to say words of encouragement, but he couldn't find any. It wasn't that he was unwilling. He was simply unable. And so, Crowley went quiet.
He had his own troubling memories he would rather not bring up.
Apparently, the name of Duke's bookworm was Allison. "My... friend's name is Aziraphale. It's strange how their names start with the same letter. Oh, I could just see it now." Crowley almost rolled his eyes at the thought of Aziraphale meeting another bookworm. They would probably talk until they were out of breath.
"We'd probably have to physically pry them out of the libraries and the internet cafes. Especially Aziraphale. He actually went on a month-long binge when he finally got his hands on a huge book of Shakespeare's works. I couldn't even get him to go out to lunch!" Crowley practically whined the last sentence. He'd been particularly upset that day when the angel would not so much as look at him.
The discussion of his name was a nice change of pace. Crowley shoved thoughts of Aziraphale aside for now, and chuckled. "I'd never thought of my name like that before! Yours is a title for nobility, or at least it was back in the day." But mentioning 'back in the day' made him recall the 15th century, and that wasn't all that pleasant.
Crowley had been forgetting to get more Vodka. He probably didn't need it anymore. He'd been sufficiently buzzed. Even so, Duke's shrewdness really caught him off guard. The human had eyed him suspiciously, and definitely didn't believe his story about Australia.
He wasn't sure if he could trust Duke with his secret. They'd just met! But they met in a bar, so what was the harm in spilling it? No one would ever believe the truth - they'd think Crowley was being sarcastic or that he had too much to drink.
"I'm not sure how you're good at this secret thing, but you found me out." Crowley admitted casually. "I'm not some government agent. Well, not for a country on earth, anyway. I'm... under contract. Er, with Down Below - ..." he stumbled for a way to say it, but then he finally said it plain as day. "I'm a demon. But I'm not like Beezlebub or Lucifer. Those two and the others are nasty pieces of work. They have no class. I'd honestly hate it if they ever scored a major victory on earth." He grinned now. "I technically thwarted them once, and it was amazing. I'd do it again if I had to. I like this place, in general. I've seen awful things, but most of the time, it's been nice."
Duke's grip on his martini glass tightened. "Yeah, I just don't get why I'm the one who keeps failing! I'm so dedicated, yet I can't seem to get it right. All of the geniuses who treat being a lawyer like some kind of game end up passing while I'm left in the dust! It's so frustrating!" After his little rant, Duke shrugged and took a long drink of his martini. He then turned to Crowley and put his feet up on the bar counter. He was finally beginning to relax and enjoy himself. "I feel so much better ranting. However, I don't want to scare you away. Tell me if I'm going too far, okay?" He winked as an extra measure. Duke just wanted to have some fun. He had been too tightly-wound lately. It was time to let loose and be himself.
Aziraphale. It was a name you could say over and over again just to say it. Duke liked it. "That's true. She would think he's an angel! Maybe they were meant to fall in love and have children. It would be the cliche love story that modern society's come to know and love. Ugh, me, I find it terribly exhausting! Like, what the hell!? Nothing ever goes the way you plan it to. Nothing is perfect." Jealousy and hurt rose in Duke's voice. All he had asked for was to get a job and marry the girl. Instead, he was too dumb to pass the exam, and the girl he wanted to marry ran from him and told him he was "soft" and "stupid". What a lousy world.
A genuine laugh escaped from Duke's lips and stopped his rant. "That would be perfect! I could become closer friends with your Aziraphale that way. Allison is my best friend in the world. I couldn't imagine what life would be like without her! I'm sure Aziraphale would immediately fall in love with her and her hobbies." At Crowley's whine, Duke reached over and patted him on the shoulder. "Come on, I'm pretty sure your friend wouldn't abandon you like that intentionally. He must have been really excited by something like that. Do you think he would lend that book to Allison? I want to see if it would have the same affect on her." It was something Duke had always wondered. Did Allison care about him? Did she value his friendship and caring? Was she just being nice to make herself look good? The insecurities frightened Duke above anything else.
Three more martinis were downed, and another one set before him. Damn, it had been a long time since Duke had gotten like this. He had gotten like this only when he had his ex by his side. On nights like these, she would carry him home when he would pass out. The next morning, Duke would push aside the pain and cook her an outstanding breakfast as a thank-you. All of this flowed back into Duke's mind before Crowley responded back about their names. "I always find it nice to talk about someone else's name for a change. It gives one a new outlook. Before my mother died, she told me that she had named me Duke because she wanted the best for me." That memory was just sad in all sorts of ways. Duke would never have what he wanted.
Just as he was about to get down on his knees, Crowley fessed up. A demon? How intriguing! "Down Below? As in Hell? Eh, I'm an atheist, so I never really believed in Heaven or Hell. However, you seem to be telling the truth." Duke listened intently as Crowley explained on. "So, you're saying that not all demons are as terrible as Beelzebub or Lucifer? I think humans have the wrong idea. You don't seem like a terrible demon. I mean, you seem to have a soft side." Crowley had thwarted their plans? Amazing! Duke was dealing with a strong person, er, demon. "There's nowhere like Planet Earth! I absolutely loved it when I was young. Now, I'm not so sure."
