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Post by DanteMGalileo on Feb 11, 2016 18:05:47 GMT -5
"Wheeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!"
I swished out my cloak, landing with a sense of grace on a bar seat. My passenger seemed to sadly lack this same sense of grace. Okay, the way he landed was kinda funny.
"Never traveled by cheatin' space itself before I take it?" That look probably means yes. "Oh well, you'll get used to it. Much faster than any other way of transport, and it saves on coal too. By the way, welcome to the Tiny Dragon. They've got the best damn birch tea I've ever had. Just, uh, make sure to eat something with it. It'll knock ya off your feet on an empty stomach."
I chuckled and waved to the bartender. "One jug of birch tea and a jug of distillation water please! Oh, and some edamame and..."
I gave the kid a glance. "What? Order whatever you'd like!"
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Feb 11, 2016 18:17:32 GMT -5
Upon emerging from the galaxy cloak, Toby was plopped onto a bar stool, only to stumble off it and crash to the floor with a startled yelp. He lay there for a few seconds, unharmed but emotionally stymied, until he finally, shakily stood back up and slumped into his seat.
His face was frozen in a WTF expression, his mind too far gone to reply to Lark's first question.
As he allowed himself to calm down, Toby looked around at the tavern. Very simple, very rustic... almost has a quasi-Asian atmosphere to it. He quickly felt overwhelmed in here, though it was hard to determine whether it was from the familiarity of the situation, Lark's attitude towards it all, or the fact that he was in a bar wearing flannel pajama pants.
"W-What...?" Toby turned to face Lark again when the latter insisted he order something. "Uh... I... don't... want anything..."
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Post by ryocker on Feb 11, 2016 19:26:12 GMT -5
The sound of some kind of craft landing outside, with the subsequent sound of it being compressed into a tinier, compact form, could be heard, a very feminine, almost childish voice sounding as its owner walked into the tavern. Horns, red skin, violet hair in a ponytail- something about her seemed very innocent, but also very odd... "Mmm, a hundred years since I've last been home," she muttered, looking around. She checked some kind of holographic device, humming to herself. "....Ah, there he is..."
She immediately laid eyes on Lark, smiling. She approached his table, arms unable to be seen underneath her cloak. If they could be seen, they'd be folded. "Been a while, hasn't it."
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Feb 11, 2016 20:30:20 GMT -5
"Eh, suit yourself," I said with a shrug.
One of the waitresses slid the jugs down to us. "Thanks Barb."
I take my mug and pour some of the birch tea into it. Nice and brown, just how I like it. "It's good if ya got a hangover. 'Course, some might actually prefer a hangover to drinking raw birch tea. This is why..." I take the jug of hot water and pour some of it into the mug, before raising a finger above it and swirling it via hydrokinesis. "Well, it's real common in northeastern Erpoue and north and northwestern Saia. Keeps ya warm and sober."
I take a sip, noting someone as I bring the mug to my lips. I don't bother to give her my attention until I finish my mug. Birch tea always hits the spot.
"Heya Solace! I thought I ditched you with the flesh-eating gusluags back in Saia."
One could sense a feeling of malice coming off Lark...
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Feb 11, 2016 20:58:46 GMT -5
Toby had... absolutely NO IDEA how to react to ANY OF THIS.
First of all, he wasn't sure if he wanted to try that tea. He wasn't particularly thirsty anyway. He was just tired.
Second, what was Lark talking about? Where was he from? Who was this girl? Where was this hostility coming from?
Moreover, he could hardly pay attention to anything going on around him while his mind was still stuck on the matter of the Præt'nos.
And so Toby decided to do what he always did whenever social situations got too awkward for him: shut up and pretend he wasn't there.
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Post by ryocker on Feb 11, 2016 21:10:11 GMT -5
"Oh, those things? Well, when they attacked me, I made sure to return their a-salt," she gently snickered, holding up a bag of what could possibly be salt. "You know, if you'd just tell me what I wanted to hear, I wouldn't be getting so rough with you."
He hairs seemed to stand on end, the woman scowling something fierce.
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Feb 11, 2016 21:21:51 GMT -5
"Well, if I told you what you wanted, that wouldn't be any fun, would it?" Lark replied dangerously, though his voice remained level. One could cut the tension with a knife...
"I'd just gut ya on a stone, but I wouldn't do such senseless violence in front of the kid," he continued, motioning to Toby.
"Toby, this is Solace. She's kind of a bitch. But this is our little game, see? She chases me, I chase her, we both nearly kill each other, it's all in good fun ... Drink your tea, boy, it gets cold." I added, only diverting my gaze from Solace for a moment.
"I'd offer ya some birch tea, but we sadly only have two mugs. And I'm sure it'd kill your sorry ass."
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Feb 11, 2016 21:29:14 GMT -5
"Ummm..." Still at a complete loss, Toby averted his gaze and slowly reached down as if to lift himself out of his seat. "Maybe I should... just... goooooo..."
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Post by ryocker on Feb 11, 2016 22:17:10 GMT -5
"Oh no, you're perfectly fine!" Solace offered, smiling. "It's just us being us, don't be too worried about it." She gave him a dreadful glare, walking to a different seat. "I prefer more traditional tea anyway," she offered. "While I'm here, you get your ass into any near death situations? Because I need to tear that ass a new one for trying to kill you before I got what I wanted."
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Feb 12, 2016 12:52:30 GMT -5
I gave a loud, long chuckle at that statement.
"Have I been in a near-death situation lately? Oh yes. Three of 'em, actually. First Leanne's fire spell almost burns down headquarters. Then there was the incident with the sand ogres back in north Fircaa and don't you act innocent about that one, I know you provoked them."
I pause to make myself another cup of birch tea, perhaps a little stronger than I normally would. I don't follow until the cup has been drunk to the dregs. "Oh yeah, one more thing," Solace and the kid both look at me. "The kid and I both got... nearly absorbed by these things back in the graveyard. Pantry-nesses or something like that. Toby, care to elaborate on that one?"
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Feb 12, 2016 15:39:21 GMT -5
"P-Præt'nos," Toby awkwardly replied. "Shadow demons, essentially. They steal souls and infuse them with darkness to make more of their own kind, and they latch their darkness onto other worlds to consume them and create more territory for themselves."
He cleared his throat and shakily climbed out of his chair. "That said, I should probably go warn my friends a-and figure out if I-"
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Post by ryocker on Feb 12, 2016 15:44:28 GMT -5
The imp slammed her right, metalic arm on the table, nearly breaking it. "...Did you just say 'Consume other worlds?'" she asked, her mechanical eye staring him down. "As in, they not only plan to take the people of this island and turn them into more of themselves... they want to steal away the island and INCORPORATE IT TO THEIR HOMELAND?!" She was loud and angry- obviously, what Toby just said pissed her off something fierce. And spreading that information around through yelling certainly didn't calm down the patrons of the tavern...
"...That isn't good at all," she thought aloud, eyeing him. "Do you know any way to beat back their invasion, boy?"
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Feb 12, 2016 16:51:19 GMT -5
"That's right, boy. You got anything? I mean, this is like the first time me and runty agree on anything," I added, pouring myself another cup.
"After all, we've both got interest in preservin' this place... admittedly for our own reasons but still," I added. "And drink your tea before it gets cold already."
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Feb 12, 2016 17:28:34 GMT -5
Toby's eyes flicked to the tea. They immediately flicked back. He... really wasn't interested in whatever that stuff was.
"Well... I-I don't know."
WELL GEE, THAT'S COMFORTING, NUMBNUTS!
"I-I mean... Præt'nos are nigh impossible to get rid of. They can't die and they're ruthlessly persistent. If they've set their sights on the island, the only way I know to stall them is to just keep fighting them back and... I guess shining some light into their darkness."
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Post by ryocker on Feb 12, 2016 17:44:59 GMT -5
She smiled. "So they don't like light, eh..." She thought a moment, ruffling her hands through her poncho. She pulled free a small orb, smiling. "I have plenty of these light grenades- All I need is someone to throw them at, and those Praet'nos will become more like prey~"
Though, jusging by his description, it wouldn't simply be that easy. "Hmm... But perhaps there is a detail we do not know? Something that might ward them away from this island..."
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