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 Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:55 pm
(Note: Everyone participating in this RP has been decided. Please do not post if you're not one of them.)  Marina pulled her scarf tighter as she trekked through the empty town square. It wasn't a very populated town, and the fears of a fierce impending storm had scared most everyone indoors or to the local pub. It was chilly, a fine mist in the air, and Marina ran gloved fingers through the blackened roots of her violet hair to sift the water out of it.
She paused, folding down the hood that perpetually covered her mouth to raise a flask to it and take a sip. She kept nothing in it but water typically. She was, however, dismayed to find it empty. It'd been a while since she had found a potable source of water. This mist was too fine to collect, and she didn't trust rainwater much either. That pub was sounding better all the time.
So, eerie premonitions filling Marina's mind mostly concerning the absence of life around, she wandered over to the pub to find something to satisfy her parched throat. With a creak, the door opened and she found the pub to be far more populated than the rest of the town. This, however, was still not a spectacular number, as the only people inside were the bartender, a couple of people sitting at the bar, and a few more seated sparsely at isolated tables. All of them looked like regulars - your typical tavern patrons. A few of them looked up at Marina as she entered, but none gave her extended attention. Marina knew the pub type - they wouldn't bother someone unless that someone gave reason to be bothered. And Marina certainly gave off an intimidating presence. With her short hair, her intentionally masculine garb making her appear as 'just another one of the guys', and the double-bladed lance strapped to her backside, she definitely appeared as not one to be messed with.
Marina sidled up to the bar, taking a seat. "Gin, please," she spoke in her rough tone, dropping some coins onto the table. She waited patiently, folding her gloved hands upon the bar in front of her, as the bartender collected his pay and slid a modest glass of the spirits down to her. She raised it and took a sip - it was weak and dry, but heavy alcohols weren't her suit anyway.
The bartender, satisfied with this customer, made his way over to her. He spoke in a gruff, ragged tone - you know, the kind you expect bartenders to have. "Yeh on a suicide mission?"
Marina glanced at him, still holding the glass in one hand. "Hm?"
He chuckled. "I mean, anyone comin' through these parts must have a death wish."
Marina was intrigued - there had to be a story here. "And why's that." It wasn't phrased as a question; few of her utterances were.
"It's cursed, didn't yeh hear?"
"I...didn't." She removed a few more coins and placed them on the counter. "Elaborate."
He laughed and took the coins. "I dun'know much meself, just what the passers tell me. There's monsters out there, and they say they're gettin' closer and closer, from the reports!"
"Then why are you here?"
"Man's gotta make money somewhere." He chuckled to himself as he took his leave of her, and Marina could hear his laughter continue even on the other side of the tavern.
She silently made a note not to engage in conversation with weird bartenders ever again and went back to her drink.
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:04 am
I've been dreaming for so long... ... To find a meaning, to understand... • ◄AKIHI► •
————————————
Akihi was one of those sitting at the bar. He made no action to look up as Marina entered, however; he was too busy flipping through the tome in front of him. His drink laid untouched next to him, the liquid inside shaking slightly with every movement of the glass. The mage came to this bar often, though he never had an affinity to drink. He came by mainly to immerse himself in the voices of the people, though occasionally he would glance at others...
Akihi shook his head against the palm of his hand slowly, his elbow firmly on the table. Ridiculous... His other hand lingered over the page, his fingertips rubbing the corner before flipping it. He must have looked ridiculous, going to a pub to read. "... Since when have I cared...?" He muttered softly to himself, his dark eyes locking on the pages of the tome once more. Being here beat staying at his quiet, empty home by himself. The silence was nice and he never was a person to socialize, but the silence and loneliness brought him close to insanity.
Out of the corner of his eye, he finally glanced at Marina. The mage blinked a few times before looking down once more, even daring to bring the glass in front of him up to his lips and take a sip. It tasted strange to him, but he didn't hate it. Maybe I should come by more often. He thought with the smallest of smiles, raising the glass again to take another sip.
A quick glance outside, though, told Akihi that he should start heading back in the direction of his small, comfortable home. He sighed softly; he had no desire to leave yet. Still, he rose to his feet, inspecting his clothing for any stains as casually as possible. He took pride in his appearance, after all, and walking around with a huge stain on the shirt would be bad. His long, purple robe (with sky-blue trim, which he did like a lot) had nothing but marks of dirt at the bottom, where the fabric brushed against his heels. Much to his satisfaction, there was nothing on his sky-blue top or light khaki pants, either. A light smile appeared on Akihi's face and he plucked the tome off the counter, drifting over towards the window. He stared outside for a few moments, up at the sky, brushing aside strands of brown hair that threatened to block his line of vision.
Moments later, though, he decided it was too stuffy inside so he pushed open the door with one hand while clutching the book to his chest with the other. He slipped outside as quietly as possible, though he couldn't silence the door as it creaked back into position.
His wallet laid on the counter where he sat, abandoned and forgotten.
———————————————— The secret of life... ... Why am I here to try again?
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:05 pm
Annis released a long, silent sigh.
The day was surely boring. She had finished a job earlier that day and received her pay; handsome at best, modest at worst, but the puckered, gouging wound across her belly was enough of a souvenir for her to deeply consider not taking work from that source anymore. A pair of Vulnerary swabs had been more than enough to seal up the wound and stop the bleeding, but it would be about a week before the damage fully healed and left behind nothing more than a faint, pale line stretching from the bottom of her ribcage to her belly button.
Annis swirled her ale around in its mug as she heard the door creak open. She turned her chin towards her shoulder to study the new figure, then looked back at her table. A pair of empty shot glasses sat on the middle of the table, stacked up neatly. Annis sipped her ale once, letting the slight burning sensation of alcohol consumption ruminate on her tongue before sliding down her throat.
The place was creepy as hell, the bartender struck her as the kind to appreciate the inappropriate aspects of being a member of the clergy, and the mist that slowly filtered through the windows seemed to be giving her a slight headache, but damn it all if that man couldn't brew a hell of an ale.
Annis took another sip and flipped her brown hair off of her face. She had to keep enough money with her for all the necessities and s**t, but she decided she would have enough for another ale, should she desire so.
The raven laguz sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She turned over towards the bar in vague interest; the scrawny kid that had arrived earlier with a big book to bury his button nose in was scurrying off without his wallet. Her fingers twitched; the opportunity was too strong to resist.
Annis kept a casual air about her as she carried her mug with her to approach the new arrival. She sank into a stool nearby, and with a flash of her hand, barely detectable by anyone who wasn't specifically watching her arm, slid the wallet off of the counter top and into the satchel attached to her belt. She removed a single gold coin from the same satchel before securing it tightly once more.
"What brings you here? There isn't a lot of mercenary work to be found around this place. Trust me, I've tried." Annis smiled at the man and took a swig of her ale. With that, she waited for an answer; there wasn't much else to say, unless she wanted to degrade down to pointless small talk.
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:15 pm
Argh. Curse this foul weather...
A lone pegasus and rider flew a short distance above ground level, heading in the direction of this "cursed" town. It was impossible to tell what the rider looked like, as she (know any male pegasus riders?) was covered in a heavy gray cloak, the hood hiding her face from view. Her white pants and boots blended in fairly well with her pegasus, giving a vague impression that the Reaper actually flew pegasi (if one was watching from afar).
The mist was starting to soak through the cloak and pants, and the rider shivered, focusing directly on the town square ahead. Forget courtesy; nobody was there, and she wanted to get herself and her pegasus indoors. Like all normal pubs, the pub nearby held a stable--but that, too, seemed quite deserted. It was a bit... unnerving.
Bringing the winged horse to the side closest to the pub, the rider left her mount there and entered the pub's front door.
"I swear... flying all over the province? What's the point," she muttered to herself as she removed the cloak, revealing short green hair, a burgundy shirt, and a gray breastplate. Oh, and a sword hanging at her side. Important detail, there. She picked a table near the doorway and took a seat, wondering whether to order something or just drip dry and let the storm pass. Either way, it looked as though she was stuck here...
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:01 pm
The ever-burning FLAMES of ɗεșɪʀє,
doused only by the tides of circumstance... ♅☾Șєҏɦɑʂ☽♅ A bright, blinding light surrounded the senses of the boy as he entered the doorway, the light dissipating in the blink of an eye as his vision returned. He'd been placed right outside the door to the tavern, shortly after Akihi had left. But, he didn't know this. So, taking a step forward, Sephas was hit with rain. Cold, uncomfortable rain.
The boy was taken aback, a natural reaction sending him back under the awning from whence he came. Rain, here? That's not- Before he even tried to finish the thought, he noticed his location: a dreary, grassy village in the middle of who knows where. Grass. And rain. For all he knew, he could be as far from his home in Hatari as could be. Or maybe he was just spontaneously moved to a more verdant (and more unknown) section of his country? The time to determine that could come shortly, he decided, as he checked his belongings.
Clothes? Check. Shoes? Check. Research? Slightly crumpled, but it was there. Spellbook? Newly made and in good form, the research was quickly shoved inside its cover. He had everything he cared to have, so he didn't lose anything. But, the question still remained: how and why did he get to this place? And for that matter, where was it?
Not wanting to make a scene in the tavern he'd just noticed behind him, he felt it reasonable to acclimate himself with the area, namely, the climate. So, he cautiously stepped out from under the awning, letting a cold, soothing rain wash over him. Hatari hardly ever had rain, and when it did, it was nothing as refreshing as thi-
A boom. ...was that thunder? Sephas could hardly contain his excitement, as if he were a kid in a candy store, at the new place he was at. A new, unknown (at least in his eyes) land, different weather, and probably all sorts of different people. He'd have to start some form of research on the populace as soon as possible, so he'd have something to share with his parents back home.
Another boom. Thunder was as loud as it was interesting, and as Sephas knew from reading, water conducted electricity. So, slightly drenched, he went back under the awning, propping himself up on the wall and looking out at the town square. Sure, there were a few people out there, but why go wandering in the rain for people who were likely too busy to indulge him in the first place? He could always question the likely drunkard to come staggering out, since those types, when under the influence, would be likely to give up information about the place with little to no suspicion. ♅☾gʀεεɳɧoʀɳ gεoӎɑɳҫεʀ☽♅ ...Faced with the trials of the w-i-n-d-s of ʄɑʈϵ,
strengthened only by a MOUNTAINOUS ЯЄȘ0LѴΣ.
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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:57 pm
Marina's gaze shifted as the man to her side stood up and left the tavern. She raised the glass in her hand to her mouth once again and-- wait, was that a wallet? That guy must have left it on accident. "Hey, wait!" she began as she scooted over to grab the wallet--
And her path was blocked by, upon inspection, a Tellius Raven. "What brings you here?" she quickly questioned.
Marina's eyebrow raised at the question. Laguz seemed to be rare across this continent, why would one be around here looking for mercenary work? "I'm just passing through," she responded. "Family nearby." Her eyes darted quickly to where the wallet used to be - gone. That girl must have stolen it! Not wanting to immediately make a scene about it, she settled back into her chair, casually watching the raven as she took another sip of her drink. "And you? I don't see many laguz around this continent, and fewer actively seeking mercenary work." The glass was set back down upon the table, and her hand casually dropped to her side. "I could use some merc work, the finances are getting tight these days."
The hand immediately lashed out and seized her forearm. "You too, huh? Steal random wallets often?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:36 pm
→→→→→→The hands I'd kept clean→→→→→→Now look dirty→→→→→→Before I can doubt my memories→→→→→→My memories are doubting me...Annis smiled deferentially to the man sitting next to her at the bar (Sort of an effeminate guy, but doesn't seem like the kind of man you'd avoid, she mentally decided) and took a sip of her ale. She could feel the slightly prickling, foggy feeling of alcohol consumption, but it was more than small enough for her to suppress. She had a decent alcohol tolerance, anyway. Annis had considered it a necessity to go drinking and not be called a lightweight by the king of them all, Large. “I had a job out east and the terms of the contract expired this morning. I decided to stop here on the way home to get a drink and catch up on the local chat, but... as you can see, the place is a little deserted.” Annis spread her hand wide around the area, one wing spreading out as if to mimic the motion, and then rested that arm gently against the bar. Her wing flapped once then re-settled against her back, casting a single ebony feather to the dusty, beer-sticky floor.
“You've got family out here, you say? Interesting,” Annis mused, filing this away in the back of her thoughts. You never knew when information like that could be useful, and Annis wasn't the type to ignore specifics given to her, no matter the type. Annis cast her eyes briefly up to the windowpane, entirely missing the darting of his green eyes, to see the light mist of rain pattering against the glass. The bar clearly had busy nights, or used to be quite the local hotspot, because the windows were actually in good condition; few buildings in this area had glass panes in their windows, usually opting for an entirely open space in the wall with a small awning overhead to cast off the elements, and the ones that did typically looked warped, with all of the glass somehow settling at the bottom. Like someone went and tried to melt it or something... You'd think glass would be soft as butter, Annis mused.
It was about as Annis turned her head back to the man, one gloved hand moving to brush her spiked hair away from her eyes, that he spoke up again.
“I know, you really don't,” Annis mused wistfully. She took another mouthful of her ale. “But I suppose I just prefer to be atypical,” came her response. She didn't mention the daggers strapped at her thighs, however; he had eyes, he could perfectly well see them himself, and if he couldn't, then clearly he didn't need to be told anything. Annis lifted her mug again to her lips. The mug startled in place, sending a few large drops of gold-colored ale to the bar as his hand lashed out at the tail end of his last sentence—something about getting work and money, Annis hadn't quite paid attention because he was now accosting her—and grasped onto her free wrist. And judging by that grip of his, he didn't intend on letting go.
”You too, huh? Steal random wallets often?”
Annis took in a small breath while her face was half-obscured by the rim of her ale mug, collecting her thoughts. The boy's wallet was sitting in her satchel, and the coin she had removed from her pouch was sitting on the countertop near the spilled sip of ale. Annis very slowly lowered her mug, eyes closed for a few seconds, and then opened them again, intense green staring straight into a paler, yet still vibrant green. She stared at him for a few moments, then quietly chuckled and smiled. The almost-serene quality of the smile seemed out of place in the situation—she had been caught red-handed snatching a departed man's wallet, after all.
Win some, lose some... maybe, Annis thought.
“Whatever do you mean?” Annis smiled brighter now, a chuckle at the corner of her lips to a joke that the man clearly hadn't caught. She moved her free hand to her pouch, albeit awkwardly (as it was attached to the opposite side of her body as her free arm was located), and removed the wallet. She twirled the wallet casually in her fingers, then gripped onto it tightly as she studied the man again. “Perhaps I noticed that he'd left it behind. Perhaps I planned on returning the wallet to him. Did you ever consider this? I could have assumed you would have taken it and brought it into safekeeping before you could steal it.”
Annis leaned back. There was mirth in her eyes, though her smile fell off of her lips, leaving behind and oddly serious expression at odds with her gaze. “Or you're right and I could have been trying to steal it. But do you really want to make accusations like this without proof of intention?”
A certain degree of wariness had come to her eyes as she set the wallet at her side, near her half-full mug of ale—easily within the man's reach—and used her now-free hand to pry the other out of captivity. “So if you'll... merely let go, you are stronger than you look and this isn't exactly comfortable.” We're mirrors, both of us←←←←←←
Reflecting each other's karma←←←←←←
Our dirty hands will touch←←←←←←
And we'll know its shape...←←←←←←
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