"Welcome to the Roost, name and patent pending under the guidance of Altair Inc. and the Hostess Club's ongoing negotiations." You are met by Ewan, whose expression indicates a severe loss of patience, sleep, and dignity of the previous week. You've heard he's gotten himself into some sort of weird business proposition with that newcomer, Ara, since the entire debacle with Sentria had been resolved. (Hey true believers! See Issue #55, Battle of the Border to see their first meeting!) As it turns out, the feather brain was more than ready to approach in on Learania's local economy. In fact, you've been hearing rumors of him sending out business propositions to the local merchants such as Leena and Enailios. Something about him just...feels off from time to time, but for tonight? All that matters is that he's a birdie with a pretty kickass bar and you've got a rightful mind in order to play the beautiful game that they call "Drink."
You're directed to a nearby seat, as the establishment is still co-run by the Hostess Club themselves, various members who were both of age and willing to pitch in their time and efforts for this new joint business proposition. A glance here or there at the bar either rewards you with the sight of Annis hard at work, or unfortunate enough to catch a wiff of Ara hard at work running that mouth of his. There's a commotion in the back as a performance, though you're not sure who from, wraps itself up as technicians, namely lonely ol' Ewan, prepare for the next performer and their gig to commence. It's a casual air, with last minute signups being fairly common throughout the night. In-between the moments, the quiet strum of a guitar is heard, a rather unfamiliar tune to your surprise. Ganon surely would be providing the acoustics to an event like this, right? A quick uneasy glance reveals a new face in position in the corner, quietly strumming to add to the atmosphere of the place. You've seen a glimpse of them around town here or there since the events of the war, someone by the name of Issac? Well, regardless, it is a nice tune.
You have a feeling it's going to be a good night.
[Welcome to After Hours, a semi-canonical RP thread set place after the current event in hopes to get some RPing out there and get some character interactions people have been planning for years under way! With the placement that it's in, it'll be a bit tricky to 100% cement this in canon, since things are still up in the air with the event, but if you find something you like while chatting, you can always find a way to fit it in!
Is your character underage? Don't worry about it, as it's still, despite all the new additions, part of the Hostess Club and always welcome to friends and family, within reason of course. That is to say, any Hostess Club Members feel free to do your thing and join in on the staff! I'm not about to commandeer anything I'm not apart of.]
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 7:58 pm
Well, her friends had been pestering her to get out of the house.
Blossom finished tying off her braid, and she stared hard at herself in the mirror. She had dressed nicely for Guild events in the past, and she could remember a few key moments in Elibe where elaborate gowns had been expected, but this was... different. There was an element to the situation that Blossom couldn't quite put her finger on. The dynamic had changed, and trying to explain what had changed was like trying to catch lightning in a bottle.
Speaking of lightning, she felt a sharp little spark of anticipation at the base of her neck as she heard a cabinet close elsewhere in the house. Blossom inhaled and exhaled slowly. She could do this. They had both been told to get out of the house, right? She was helping her. That was why she had already gotten dressed, to further show how serious she was about doing this. They were just going to have a fun evening, to get out of their heads for a little while and relax. Blossom lightly smacked her cheeks, exhaling sharply. Everything will be fine. Blossom emerged from the bedroom and poked her head into the kitchen, and she put a familiar, sunny smile on her face. "Evelyn? Evelyn, I need t'ask you somethin'!"
And that was how Blossom and Evelyn found themselves at the Roost roughly an hour later. The music floating through the room put Blossom at ease, even if the style of play didn't seem familiar. She squeezed Evelyn's hand before approaching a familiar, lanky redhead with a tray in hand. She couldn't help but beam, already at ease by not arriving alone. "Table for two?"
Ewan caught the snide remark before it was able to leave his throat, half at the realization of just how moody he was at the moment and half at the fact that Blossom and Evelyn were both individuals that he knew, heck...He used to work with them! Ewan straightened up, fixing his posture and demeanor, before giving it the best grin he could muster from all of the exhaustion. "Oh yes, yes. Right this way you two." A light at the corner of his eye ignited at the sight of how close the two were, noticing how the usual (by his words) "frumpy" Blossom had really cleaned herself up and put on the Ritz, as the saying goes, compared to her usual attire. As they walked he shot Evelyn a look, taking a good look at her outfit. She had dressed up some herself, sporting a rather elegant black strapless, hair loose for all its little fluffy splendor with a cute accessorized headband breaking the monotony of all the strands of hair. Evelyn caught his gaze, giving a quick playful flex knowingly to him which won a thumbs up from the Sage. Evelyn had been on the cocktail that Ewan had concocted for some time now and she was already starting to grow somewhat into the intended effects, nothing too impressive but certainly enough for Evelyn to feel confident and fierce.
"Making a show of the night aren't ya? Ah, must be nice..." Ewan gave a heart chuckle before showing them to their table, slipping down a menu at each of their chairs. "Now, I'll be back with a pitcher of water and some glasses. If you two are feeling a bit adventerous, the bar is open seating, Ara or Annis will probably grab you, which one is trying to look good at the moment I suppose. Try to come up with something to order in the meantime...Oh, and just one thing." He shot both of them a rather smug, knowing look as he reshuffled the menus in his hand. "Just something to keep in mind, no rush on the whole thing. but it is..." He stopped mid-sentence, digging into his jacket pocket before fishing out a small business card. "Couples night, 20% off just to get more people out here I suppose. Anyway, just give me a heads up before the end of your visit and I'll deduct it from your total." He turned on his heel, hiding his s**t eating grin as he left Evelyn sitting there, covered from head to toe with almost luminescent blush as she tried to covertly cover her...well, everything.
"Ciao~"
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 11:43 am
Aruna had been cautious about this new business plan between Loch and Ara. Perhaps there was some bird conspiracy going on. Maybe she just didn't like how Ara was trying to get his talons into everything so suddenly. Either way the nagini kept her guard up while at the Roost.
The first thing she noticed was Ewan, the poor boy almost running on empty. Thankfully there was only a handful of people around.
With a quick scan of the room, she spotted two very familiar faces at a table. Blossom and Evelyn were having a date night. Not very often did the older woman have the pleasure of seeing her little co-worker dress up without her help. She did an excellent job this time with a pale one shoulder dress which had, oh my, such a high asymmetrical bottom to show off those thigh high boots. Aruna was so proud of Blossom. “That's my girl,” she thought. “Those fashion lessons are finally paying off.”
Aruna made her way over to the bar taking a seat off to the side so her tail wouldn't be in the way.
Blossom was relieved to see Ewan at the Roost; he looked so exhausted, though, and she couldn't help but frown in concern as she took her seat at their table. She nodded, suitably distracted when Ewan spoke up after she had smoothed her skirt out across her legs. "Sometimes y'just gotta do what y'gotta do." Blossom nodded gratefully and accepted her menu, holding it carefully in both hands. She was, after all, relieved that Evelyn had agreed to come along. Neither of them were much of the party type as of late, but it was always important to take a chance every so often, right? And she knew their friends would be here, one way or the other. Stealing a glance at Evelyn across the table, along her bared shoulders and the neckline of the dress up to her headband, Blossom was absolutely certain that this trip had been worthwhile. Ewan's and Evelyn's combined efforts were paying off nicely; Evelyn had never looked happier, and Ewan always seemed positively ecstatic to see his efforts yield positive results. Blossom certainly thought as such, for whatever that was worth. She picked up the menu, a relaxed smile spreading across her face.
"The bar is open seating, Ara or Annis will probably grab you." Alcohol... hm. She considered it briefly as Ewan commented further, taking an appraising look at the front of the menu. Maybe she could
"Just something to keep in mind, no rush on the whole thing, but it is couple's night, 20% off just to get more people out here I suppose."
Blossom watched Ewan turn away before looking back at Evelyn, unable to keep from turning red. She sat in silence before finally releasing a half-restrained giggle. She pressed a hand gently over her mouth, fingers curled against her palm, unable to suppress the smile spreading across her face. "We look that much like a couple, huh?" Blossom considered reaching for Evelyn's hand for a moment. She vividly envisioned needing to stand up and reach across the table with her entire torso to manage it, and settled instead for flicking a sugar packet at her. Very mature. "I think it's 'cause y'look so cute in that, Evelyn, anyone's gonna look like your sweetheart when you're wearin' that dress." Blossom snickered quietly and sat up a little straighter in her chair, opening her menu and looking down at it. "So! Whatcha think you're hungry for?"
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 10:50 pm
Evelyn
Evelyn gulped as she tried to get herself back into position, she had started off the night brimming with confidence and feeling great about her new figure when all of sudden Ewan had to drop that horrible wreck of a proposition into her lap! That little...that...that...SHITHEAD knew exactly how she felt and here he was teasing her and Blossom about the whole entire thing. If she was of a worse disposition she would have revoked her vows, gutted him, brought him back, and regutted him for the embarassment. Well, that is...Until she saw that Blossom was just as happily embarrassed, a shiver running down her spine as the sugar packet flicked in her direction slid down her face and right into her lap. "O-Oh I'm..." She took a quick breath, collecting herself as she tried to recover from the whole fiasco. "I'm sure he was just teasing, you know how that little mischief-maker is when it comes to messing with me. I swear, it's like he thinks I'm his sister or something. It's kinda flattering sometimes."
She opened the menu in front of her, giving a casual glance despite her appetite momentarily leaving her person from the butterflies occupying her stomach at the sight of Blossom being entertained at the prospect of them being together. "Hey, you're one to talk, I mean...You really know how to flatter a girl, letting her on your arm when you're dressed like that." She hummed, rather aflutter from this entire situation as she continue to give quick glances to the menu, not really all that much in a hurry to choose a selection.
"Y'know, I do wonder how that would be." She commented absent-mindedly, not really paying attention to what slipped out of her mouth before straightening the menu and declaring, "You know, I think I'm in the mood for some chicken tonight. That and maybe a biscuit if they're still making them..." She gave a little pump of her arm to pepper her point, catching Blossom's gaze as a wave of self-awareness washed over her.
"You're looking at me like I said something funny." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ara
"Welcome to the Roost, I'm sure our bell-boy's told you all about our little estab-"
Ara had stopped washing the dishes at his position in the corner once he had taken notice of a new customer out of the corner of his eye, already kicking into the same speech that he had pretty much repeated ad infinitum since the night started. The joke died in his mouth the moment that he had recognized who was at the counter, rather surprised at who had decided to stop by. Sure, Loch had been at least semi-reason when it came to the negotiations over the place, didn't help that his co-bar tender, Annis he believed it was, and him actually hit it off surprisingly well. Good, it was nice having connections to count on, even if he didn't understand this whole "friend" business.
Eh, it was always profitable to just shake his head, send a gift or two, and pretend he understood what people saw out of messes like that. Anyway, the point was, originally, that Aruna was definitely not one of the few happy about the little business plan as it were. Figured, sharp eyed ladies like herself were definitely the ones who were on edge about situations like this. Lucky for him, he actually wasn't planning much from this place, just a good first step into the city and a good place to scout out potential employees and connections, just like Issac who had just finished his set, the recluse taking his position back at the table he had spent the past few hours in. The mic was open to anyone willing to step up, with Issac finding himself free for the first time in hours.
"Well if it isn't The Lady herself. I was almost convinced you were afraid of this place at night, but it's good to see one of the big wigs of the Club show up. Did you need to speak to Annis or can I get you a drink?"
Lilith strode into The Roost, clad in her black tarnished platemail. She was in a new, unfamiliar place, so naturally she would wear what was most comfortable to her. Almost reluctantly she checked her axe at the door. What she really needed now was a drink. The battle had not gone as planned and she felt she was partly to blame. If only she had caught up with that archer. She was not expecting him to run off like a coward into the woods.
Lilith let out a small depressed sigh and glanced about the place. It was pretty much empty at this hour, which was how she preferred it. There were a few faces she recognized from the gift relay, but no one she knew that closely. She was still new, both to the guild and to this town.
Without waiting for someone to seat her, Lilith moved to find a nice quiet booth in the back of the establishment away from everyone else. She sat with her back to the wall so she had a nice view of the room and could see anyone coming. For now she was happy just to keep her distance. It was what she always did. It was... easier that way.
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 6:22 am
Telly had seen much among her travels alone, but when she heard whispers of this establishment rising from the rubble, she had found enough reason to wait. She had already hypothesized enough about the tone she would give to this venture, especially with the word she heard from her secondhand contacts about the entrepreneur in question. But with alcohol and atmosphere too? It was an opportunity to die for.
Maybe, for once, the idea of staying sounded enticing.
The robed woman had loitered in The Roost once the lights went dark. She prompted up a nice glass of wine, not giving much mind to the zombie of server. Or to anyone. Sure, the bank was feeling a little drier than usual, but Telly could never miss out indulgence. The sweet taste of spirits, the burn against her throat, and that raw passion that was in the music; paradise, for now.
But the more Telly remained nigh motionless in her seat, the more she felt like she could be doing just that - more. The sweetness of the wine going down her throat turned to the bitter notion that she remembered just before. The notion that after a couple more drinks, she just may have to deal with measly bread rations.
Tasteless.
The ideas brewed for just a bit more, until the mage caught eye of an individual passing through her sight. He looked familiar didn't he..? Ah, but of course, he was the one performing just now. He looked somewhat exhausted, understandably so, from being on stage. Perhaps wanting to relax, take his mind away from things. And that's when Telly knew what she was going to be doing that evening.
"You there." Telly gestured towards Issac with her fingers, and offered a rather opportunistic smile. "Shall I interest you in a fortune telling?"
rizzuwizzu
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Ninja_Maiden Crew
Skilled Cleric
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Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 10:34 am
“Hello to you too, Ara.” The nagini let out a little chuckle. “I just had to see how things were going over here. Loch said that Annis speaks very highly of this place so of course I had to check it out myself.” Aruna coiled her tail around the stool's legs making herself comfortable. “No no. I don't need to talk to her. I'm more interested in your hospitality, sweetie. Surprise me. But no mint,” she added. Certain herbs had over-intoxicating effects on her kind. Tonight she had to keep her wits about her.
As the serpentine woman waited for her drink, she noticed two more figures enter the building. Well that's a surprising sight, Lilith actually out. She hadn't see the knight for ages since the Hostess Club held that event back in winter. By the looks of things depression still hadn't left the poor girl alone. Once things with the big birdie here become boring, Aruna made a mental note to say hi to Lilith.
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 12:09 pm
The door opened once more, and this time Sunil walked in. The cat exhaled as his blue eyes scanned the room. Plenty of familiar faces, but not the one he was looking for. Not here yet, huh? he thought to himself, removing his newsboy cap to hang on the coat rack...oh, there was an axe here. Interesting.
He stared blankly at the axe for a moment before looking back into the bar, wondering who it could have belonged to before his eyes briefly settled on a figure in black armor near the back. Ah. It all makes sense now. Should he talk to her? No, not yet. He was waiting on someone, after all. Of course, that would all depend on if he was going to be stood up tonight. Again. He had a pint of ice cream waiting for him at home if his companion didn't show up tonight. It was almost starting to become a ritual: ask friend to hang out, get stood up, deal with rejection via gluttony, go running to burn off the extra calories. That ice cream wasn't going to burn itself, you know.
Sunil hadn't been up to too much lately. He had delivered his Letter of Resignation to the Watch (he had learned how to read and write a little from them, so he was able to do at least that much. His handwriting was exactly as you'd expect it to be) and he was now aimlessly trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his newfound time. Worst case scenario, he could always go train with Lethe or go get lost with Rajin on another one of his 'archaeological digs'. Who did he think he was, Indi*na Jon*s? No, what he wanted was something a little more... stable. There was no stability with the digs. It was either a hit or miss. Usually a miss, but that's what happens when your sources are as sketchy as an artist that only does line art on paper. As stable as the Watch gig was, it was all about 'defending the peace' as Leon put it. The cat didn't dislike it, but it didn't mean he enjoyed it either. He didn't want to fight anymore, for any sort of justice. He just wanted to take it easy for the time being.
He found himself a seat at the bar, his tail swishing slowly as his eyes looked over the drinks on the wall. Maybe he should start with something light to keep his hopes up?
Blossom grinned, shrugging her shoulders before looking back down at her menu. "I'unno, you're usually pretty funny." Her smile softened, fingertip tracing along the menu as she carefully read the options available. Her reading comprehension was slow-going, but it was improving nonetheless, and even the small, curly font in the dimmed lighting of the Roost couldn't stop her from finding something to eat. Blossom could be on her deathbed and still have the appetite for a meal. (Whether or not she remembered to eat, or spared the time to, was another thing entirely.) "Y'sure have an easy time makin' me laugh, anyway." She looked over at Evelyn and grinned, sticking her tongue out before looking back at her menu. "Chicken sounds nice, but... mmm. I think I'm gonna order some'a venison. Maybe somethin' with potato in it, too. Potatoes are healthy, right?" Her childhood had been full of stews, meats they could chop up coarsely without regard for fat and leave to cook for hours over a low hearth, and getting to eat something nicer every once in a while made excitement swell deep in her chest.
"So, things're still goin' okay at the bakery, right?" Blossom took a quick appraising look over her menu, then set it down on the table. She laid one arm on the table in front of her place setting, hand on her inner arm as she rested her chin on her other hand. She looked over to Evelyn, still smiling. "An' yeah, I'm positive Ewan was just teasing. I dunno if he knows how to turn that switch off sometimes."
~~~
Finally, an opportunity to relax.
Amelia stepped into the Roost with a lightness of step that matched the excitement in her eyes, hands clasped in front of her. Things were looking up, and it felt nice to be out of the office, away from paperwork and training, and just have a nice night for once. See some friends, eat some good food... Amelia let out a little breath and waited for one of the smartly-dressed employees to notice her waiting near the coat rack. This was a nice place; the Cafe was working with a new face to set things up, and Tibarn was likely to already know more about their kitchen staff than anyone save perhaps Loch. All signs pointed to positive results. The night was still young, though, and the area seemed rather thinly-populated.
She saw familiar faces as she glanced around the room, neatly smoothing down the bodice of her dress as she distracted herself. Evelyn was seated with Blossom off to the side, the two already deep in conversation. Amelia chuckled to herself. They were nearly inseparable when they weren't working. Which, come to think of it, Blossom seemed to be working near-constantly. Hm. Aruna was seated comfortably at the far end of the bar, chatting amiably with the broad-winged bartenders as they danced around each other to reach the colorful array of bottles without knocking half of them down. Then there was a new face sitting in a tucked-away booth near the back that Amelia only noticed thanks to the glint of the light against her platemail. She frowned. Was she new? Had she missed a new arrival? And the pastel-haired woman seated comfortably near the musician... Lots of new faces. I've got to fix that tomorrow morning. If introductions came naturally that night, then all the better, but actively seeking out work could wait until sunrise. For now, she needed to relax.
The answer to how came when she saw a recognizable head of red hair, and her eyes lit up in a surge of excitement. It was difficult to let her mood sour when she had a figurative firecracker in arm's reach. Amelia lifted a hand and waved energetically, unable to keep from beaming. "Hey! Ewan!"
Yes, it was going to be a nice night.
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 3:42 am
OOC: Hot damn I've got a good amount of people to respond to here so I'm going to be putting each response underneath spoiler tags for accessibility's sake.!
Ara
"Well then, I suppose I'll have to thank Annis next time we switch off if she's already singing praises of this place." Ara commented, positively expanding his fluffy mass at the thought, though he tried to keep it as inwardly contained as possible. This woman...She was a dangerous opponent if he put himself on that battlefield, best to keep reserved and to stay on her good side. Something about the way her gaze focused on him made it almost a declaration that this was a test, or that she was watching him. Perhaps it was the general air these sorts of ventures held inherently, but something was nagging at the back of his throat at the mere sight of her. Well, he just supposed he would have to play along.
"Surprise you, is it now? Well then, let's see if I can come up with something that might...suit your fancy." He chuckled, as full of himself as ever, setting down an empty glass of ice before producing a shaker, from where was anyone's guess. A casual flick into the air gave him just amount of time to produce a bottle from the bar, the top popped as his spare hand caught the shaker. A casual whistle and a wink later, the a suitable amount of the contents of the bottle were dashed into his shaker. "Let's get some vodka...." Ara trailed off before throwing yet another bottle up in a theatrical spin, catching it, popping, and mixing it once again in a fluid motion, all practiced to death by the avian. Hours and hours had been poured into memorization of the motions by his mentor as theatrics such as this were almost integral to breaking the ice with potential clients, Crows and Beorc alike. There was just something about alcohol that tore down walls if you were a suitable host, plus the flair didn't exactly ruin moods if you had a certain amount of charm about you.
"Oh yes, and definitely this." Ara muttered as the tequila bottle, now having served its purpose, stashed back into its position in his station before being replaced with yet another choice, a calculated amount dumped into the concoction before Ara gave a few decisive shakes before pouring the cocktail into the glass from earlier. "And I think..." The shaker was thrown to the floor with a rather impressive clang ricocheted the container right back into Ara's hand where it was set back into its position on his station. "that should do just nicely, for now." The cup was pushed forward to her seat, a rather appealingly bright blue cocktail ready for her to enjoy.
Issac
"Alright, that's it for now but I'll be back up in awhile. Our patrons would like me to remind everyone that we are open-mic outside of our planned performances but of course it's house-decision to keep you up or not." Issac got up from the position that he had been entrenched in for the past few hours or so, wiping the sweat from his brow as he tried to collect himself. A performance was always a good measure of how in step he was, something he took pride in, but the constant energy of the past month or so was definitely coming to an build-up in his being. First there was his sudden relocation, being picked up by Ara, working the stockroom as they prepared for the grand addition of this mess of a place. Still, now that things had calmed down, the place was definitely starting to grow on him. So many new faces would be almost debilitating for him to process, given the circumstances, if it wasn't for how common it felt at this point. How many times had he done this same old song and dance? Still, despite all the misgivings of that damndable Ara, branded were...well, perhaps not wholly accepted, but at least the few questionable stares were definitely a far jump from what he was use to back home.
Something about this place seemed...almost quaint, like it was enough to start something permanent for once in his life. The small bits of information that he had been given over the month were definitely worrisome, as much as Issac sometimes had the impression he was being hidden away by Ara to be worked to the bone. Mordache...Certainly a contemptible pit for their atrocities. "I guess it's started divorced from me, but at this point...Well, this might honestly be my own war." Issac muttered to himself, a habit of vocalizing his thoughts born from large moments of solitude in his past before catching the stare of a figure approaching. "Fortune telling, is it?" Issac stopped to take full notice of the stranger, taking her in for everything she was. Mages...Con-artists and thieves were one thing, adding magic and a dash of unfamiliarity to the concoction was enough to make his head turn thinking about it. Still, he could use the distraction, plus a small amount of coin from his purse wasn't exactly asking for much.
"Well, you certainly know how to make someone's company." Issac began to address her, trying his best not to voice the small amount of annoyance at this sudden meeting edging at the back of his throat. "Well, I suppose I could take you up on that. The company wouldn't be too bad, if you're at least a bit more personable than your business propositions."
Evelyn
"Haha, yes dear. Potatoes are pretty healthy and delicious. Definitely can't go wrong with some of those." Evelyn chuckled at just how much Blossom found herself absorbed by food, it was one of the many charms of Evelyn having declared herself designated cook in their homestead. Attention from her was...well, it was just so pleasant and fulfilling to her as a person. Almost like it was...essential. Oh. Oh gosh, get it together Evelyn, this was time to get themselves sorted out together! Certainly after all that time spent apart during the campaign she could go a few seconds without her thoughts intruding on her. "The bakery's going fine, the manager is actually fine with me closing by myself some nights now that he knows that I can handle myself and all. It's...something to pass the time since the majority of us have taken a break from Cloak. Honestly, after all that's happened, I think every group's taken a bit of a hit."
"I dunno, I guess we all needed a break after all of that?" Evelyn pushed her menu forward, giving a playful, inquisitive prod at Blossom as she tried to keep herself afloat. "Anyway, where do you think Ewan's gotten himself off to? He's definitely been gone for awhile." Speaking of which.....
Ewan
Ewan's attention was suddenly caught by Amelia calling out to him, his heart skipping a beat for a moment. Oh, oh no. The entire deal with Ara had almost been a blessing in disguise, it served as a well-place distraction in the middle of trying to figure out what the hell he was doing. After everything that happened in Pentheus, he wasn't sure how to address the issue in himself. This unfamiliar selfish feeling deep within the pits of his stomach every time he so much as glanced in her direction was enough to let his head spin doubled with a healthy dose of shame from the entire thing keeping him away from his best friend of all people! He bit his lip, thinking on the entire situation for just a moment, before cautiously beckoning Amelia over to his hiding spot, a finger pressed against his lips. Perhaps...Something like this could be what he was looking for.
"Amelia...ssssh, look over here." Ewan whispered from his crouched position, becking over to Evelyn and Blossom. "These two have been making goo-goo eyes at each other for like...for like months now. I told them it's couple's night, so now I'm just letting it sit there for a bit before I poke and prod it for a bit." Ewan shot her the biggest grin he could muster, trying to keep things going as ...manageable as he could. "So whatta say? You want in on this little operation?"
"Mm-hmm." Blossom had heard too much from women around town about carbs this and fat content that, it made her head spin. Potatoes are bad for you now, they have carbs and they're too starchy, it's all about protein and vegetables! No grains, nothing processed by anyone else's hands. She had always tried to keep from getting to where she was shoveling junk food into her face, but then again, with the amount of exercise and work she did, it was likely she wouldn't be having a problem with food for at least some years, yet. Splurging on a loaded baked potato right now wasn't going to hurt her, to heck with it. "Good, good. Yeah, I know everyone's been kinda on the ropes 'bout that for a bit. Sunil left the Watch, an' none'a the local squads have quite reached their pre-war numbers yet, with all'a the casualties from the attempted siege." Blossom stared hard at her menu for a moment, chin still in her hand. Images flashed briefly, remembering the siege. Finding Steely Dan, finding Ghis, people left to run dry, baked in the sun, Aidan
"Where do you think Ewan's gotten himself off to?"
Blossom blinked and looked up, and she smiled broadly, recollections thankfully cut short. "That's a real good question. Maybe he had other folks t'help out? Or maybe he's takin' a break. How many waiters are even here tonight, anyway?" Blossom craned her head curiously around, eyes scanning across the thin crowd in the low light. "Hm. Well, we haven't been sittin' all that long." She settled back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. "Anyway, I think we could all use the break. S'been a real whirlwind this past... what, year? I can't think'a one person that couldn't use a good break from it all." Blossom reached up briefly to flick a lock of hair away from her eyes and let out a little, contemplative breath. "Y'get too steeped in all the fightin' an' all the horror that y'just... can't separate it from yourself when it's all said an' done."
She paused, then laughed lightly, smiling wide. "Anyway, I think I oughta stop talkin' 'bout stuff like that. This is a night for fun!" Blossom reached across the table to pap a hand against Evelyn's arm and glanced over at the stage as the music stopped playing. "Wonder who they'll get t'perform now."
~
If Amelia had noticed that Ewan had been sequestering himself away, remaining out of arm's reach, she had perhaps noticed, but not quite connected the dots. As a member of Crew, and a new one to boot, Amelia had a lot of work to do on a daily basis-- almost too much, if the bags under Rath's eyes were a sufficient tell. Paperwork, meetings, daytrips to nearby villages, paperwork, oversight of the Watch, and paperwork. So much paperwork. Amelia was amazed so much paper existed, much less for such a humorless purpose as keeping official records of what lumber went where, whose labor went into rebuilding whose home, when the various parts of the castle-- broken into so many tiny pieces, for recordkeeping purposes-- had been completely repaired after all of the damage from the siege... it made her head spin.
But if it was spinning now, it was from excitement, for once. Amelia was still beaming as she hurried over to Ewan, heels tapping lightly across the mirror-shine tile. "Hm?" Amelia knelt down close to Ewan to keep from being seen, gathering her skirt consciously around her to ensure everything stayed in place before resting a hand on his shoulder for balance. She peered out as he indicated out, eyes lighting on Evelyn and Blossom's figures sitting at a table on their lonesome. Evelyn had been steadily making a greater presence for months now, between her duties at the bakery and her time with Ewan. That cocktail of extracts enhanced by magical reagents and secrets, for all Amelia understood it, seemed to be doing Evelyn good. Her expression was relaxed, almost soft as she spoke to Blossom, who meanwhile had actually done something with her hair besides a ponytail or pigtails for once? Holy s**t. Amelia peered a little closer as Ewan spoke up again.
"These two have been making goo-goo eyes at each other for like... for months now." Amelia blinked, realization rapidly settling across her face, and she looked back at Ewan.
"You mean they--? Oh gods, Ewan, that's adorable." Amelia grinned and bapped her knuckles gently against his cheek before turning back to look at the two. "Of course I do! You've always got five crazy ideas in your head, and this one's fantastic. Matchmaker? I wouldn't put it past you." Amelia snickered under her breath, reaching up and pushing her hair from her face again. "So what comes next?"
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 11:21 am
Ewan and Evelyn
Good, she was on board with the whole thing. Maybe this could be a good distraction while he tried to collect himself, just a little something to direct him to a point where he could breathe freely. "Perfect, something told me you'd be more than willing to join me on this on. I'm not exactly a love expert-" if these past few months were any indication, oh god no. "-but I know Evelyn and if Blossom's anything like her, these two are going to be circling each other for even long than they have now unless we make it like...almost unbelievably obvious that they want to swap spit, or whatever." Ewan had felt the shock shoot through his system at the knuckle pap to his cheek, still honestly astounded at how Amelia's casual approach to physical contact around him persisted. Something about it was both reassuring and but yet somehow terrifying if he allowed the thought to continue to fester in his psyche.
That's where subject changes came in clutch.
"I need to get back to them soon once they're ready to make their order, but pretty much at this point it might take an elephant stampede to get them back down and realize what's going on with each other. Try and talk to them for a bit once I get them set up for the night, I don't know, talk about your relationship or whatever people do, ask something like how theirs is going. We need to let it fully sink in how obvious it is that those two are pretty much a couple at this point, and this is coming from me!" Ewan stopped for a moment, giving her hand a small squeeze as he gave it his best smile once again. "We can talk and catch up while after we get all that all lined up in their thoughts, maybe think of something big and grandstanding if they need an extra push by the end of the night. Once I leave with their orders, get yourself into position and start Operation Blosslyn."
"You're right, I'm sorry I let the conversation drift to that point. Today's a really good wholesome night, too good for any of that. Maybe if it comes down to it, we can sing something if the crowd doesn't throw us off the stage!" Evelyn laughed, feeling reassured by the hand pressed up against her arm. Her warmth was always so validating in the silliest way, it was practically embarrassing at this point!"Sorry for the wait you two, just had to stop by the kitchen to check on how things were going. Here's the pitcher for you two, don't worry about any refill cost, just give me a holler if you need the pitcher itself replaced. Now..." Ewan took out his notepad, his grin genuine for the first time in hours now that he had received his own little prepping boost from Amelia's company. "What can we start the two of you with?" Evelyn chirped up from her relaxed position at Ewan's sudden reemergence as she collected herself to allow Blossom to continue relaxing.
"Oh, Ewan, almost didn't see you there. We decided on an order of the chicken, substitute the soup side for a salad, as well as a venison steak medium rare, an order of a baked potato on the side and an open ticket for any dessert should we feel like it." Evelyn gave Blossom her best smile, practically radiating at having taken care of all of that for them "so smoothly", which won a laughing fit from Ewan hidden behind his hand."Alright you two, I'll go ahead and pass this along to the chefs in the back and we'll be with your food in just a bit. Geez, you two have definitely gotten adorable together." Ewan let out a hearty laugh before closing his notebook, letting Evelyn grow practically luminescent in his wake.
Honestly, there were some days where he skirted on the dangerous side when it came to Evelyn.
Telly followed up the rather blunt notion with a gentle chuckle, muffled with the sleeve of her robes. “It’s flattering enough for a stranger to truly take me up on my offer, and even more so for you to imply that my cards are less personable than I.” As she spoke, the mage set her now-empty wine glass to the side, making room for an elongated deck of cards front and center. She straightened them out, fingers tracing along the shimmering back. Once she cleaned up her makeshift space, she gestured with her palm to the seat in front of her.
“Please. Now...do you have any special requests? I’m fairly flexible. Your future, money, romance. I’m rather rusty on the weather, unfortunately.”
“Oh? Well at the very least, you have some jokes at your disposal. That’s honestly reassuring, knowing there’s some hope for the evening in that case.” Issac thought for a moment, honestly considering the proposition for a few moments despite himself. That’s the problem with magic, stay too skeptical and you’re living in a plastic bubble of “well gosh, I know you could rain eldritch carnage from the sky but a simple soothsayer is just too out of the question” while on the otherhand, a bit too gullible and you’re not worth the coins pilfered from your pocket. “Alright, I suppose something inconsequential would suffice for my amusement. What do your cards say about my future workload and business prospects?”
Her client may had said that she was full of jokes, but Telly couldn’t exactly help it if he was dishing out spells of banter so consistently. She had a good feeling that laughter might find its way quite often in this reading. “So practical, not that there’s anything wrong with that, nor is that so out of the question.” She took this moment to lean in a bit, resting her chin on her palm as she eyed Issac from top to bottom. No reason quite yet in making any psuedo-mystical hand movements. Yet.
Telly took in a deep breath, sitting back and began to shuffle the deck. Her eyes remained shut for a bit as she focused, only taking a moment every now and then to glance at her client. After a rather lengthy shuffle, she laid three cards out face-down in a horizontal line. Once she set her deck aside, Telly began to flip them over to reveal the provocative artwork underneath. She began to speak, more composed than she had ever appeared to be.
”Your reasoning for taking your current position in the first place was the root of something very personal, it seems. You could have said “no” like anything else, but something about making this decision enticed you. Perhaps you felt like you could find solace in a sense of harmony.”
”Right now you are open-minded to hearing about the truth, and weight, of your big decision,” Telly continued. ”And yet, you are also currently feeling weighed down by some kind of bitterness, more so, the bitter taste of betrayal. You currently wonder just how much more stable you can remain under these memories. Perhaps you feel like you have isolated yourself because of your decision.”
Upon coming across the last card, Telly struggled greatly to hold down the littlest of smiles. ”The one thing you need most in your future is not to simply accept where you are now, but to claim it for yourself, with your very being. Find a vibrant source of energy in your life. Find a reason to live, as if it was your last adventure, as if you could only make one last rash decision in this life.”
Telly relaxed, resting her hands on the edge of the table as she looked at Issac patiently. “Or at least, it seems like rather reasonable advice for a reasonable question.”
Issac sat there in silence for a moment,a darting glance thrown in the direction of the currently galavanting Ara who was entertaining a client. Was there a possible chance that he...No, no...That bird wasn’t as apt as to dig information held only to himself, no written word, no spoken words exchanged between a confidant primed to be eavesdropped. Yes...This soothsayer certainly wasn’t as cracked as she seemed by the way she threw her weight about her with her rather flashy demeanor. He almost regretted the rather gruff way that he introduced himself, almost anyway. Still...There were so many intrusive feelings radiating from this reading.”Well, that certainly got a bit too personal, at least more so than I would have like it to have been so with a question like that. But, consider it taken into consideration.”
Some coin was pushed her way, Issac not really paying much attention to the amount before taking a small coin purse from his belt to set down at the table in front of him, what remained of his initial pay for the gig before the second half was distributed at the end of the night. “Consider the first payment for the reading. And for the second…” He held up a hand, indicating to the nearby waitress to call for two separate drinks that were placed down in front of each of the duo. “Well, considering the second something of gratitude if you were to give me some company for the evening, between sets. You are...certainly interesting.” Issac commented, raising the glass to his lips, though he would give no further comment. After his many years, conversation that wasn’t painted with a thin line of crass humor or pointed with a tip of banter certainly did not come easy to him. Yet still, something about how close all of that hit...It was a nagging feeling urging him to at least keep her close, for now.
On cue Telly let out another chuckle, although quite more jolly in tone. She eyed the coin that her new acquaintance slid to her, and contemplated. It was clear that she had outdone herself this time by seeming to hit an incredibly personal nerve upon entry. But it was not this that was unusual, oh no. What was different this time was the way he stayed. He didn’t walk off without paying, accuse her of being some kind of stalker or getting too close with any of the person’s contacts, called her a witch (not that she would mind). Telly then shook her head, waving her hand in the direction of the money on the table. ”Ohoho, by all means, I think this one is on the house. Take it as an apology for having to witness how rude my cards were being. I will take the free drink, though.” Telly said, eagerly curling her fingers around the gift of a glass. This was going to be quite an evening after all.
