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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Sept 30, 2018 14:20:07 GMT -5
Max frowned at Ryan. "For your information, I came here to conduct an interview. Probably could've picked a better meeting place in hindsight, mostly because I had a feeling I'd run into this one."
Upon turning back to Lydia, Max scrunched up her nose and took a few steps back, disgusted by both her breath and her tone. "I never said you were a loser, Lydia. I said you needed help. I broke it off because I was tired of trying to help you myself when you weren't letting me!" She gestured towards the crowd of drunken patrons and rabble-rousers occupying the lounge. "Do you really think throwing a pity party in front of a bunch of strangers is gonna solve anything? If you won't let me help you through your issues, then maybe you should consider confronting them yourself instead of hoping they'll wash away in a sea of Navy Grogs!"
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Sept 30, 2018 14:51:03 GMT -5
"Oh, I like this song..." Lobo said to himself as he poured the clear liquid into the shot glass. Humming a bit as he checked the signature, he then passed the shot glass to Ryan. "Remember, you signed that, you ain't gonna sue me... Good luck. I've had like, maybe one guy who liked it." Humming, he seemed blissfully unaware as to what was about to occur...
---
"Hey, uh, dude, I don't mean any trouble, I just need to go to the bathroom..." Percy was eager to avoid a fight now, not with a drunk friend, damn whatever the demon in his head was saying.
"... Alright." To the brunette's surprise, Liderc actually dispelled the fire in his hands. Percy sighed in relief, and resumed his trek towards the restrooms...
When he was sure nobody was watching, Liderc picked up his chair, and walked towards the restrooms...
"Phew." Percy left the restroom a few minutes later, and looked in the direction of their table...
Only to have a chair slammed down on his head. "Gaaaaaughh!!!!"
Like I said. Ice this motherfucker!
"Y'know, after that..."
Mere seconds later, Liderc found a foot kicked into his stomach. "Gaugh!!!"
Awfully loud, they were being.
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Post by ColArana on Sept 30, 2018 16:38:15 GMT -5
Ryan gave Max an incredulous look. "You decided to conduct an interview.... in a night club?" He asked, staring at her. He looked at Lydia and back at Max. "...I'm sure." He decided, before looking at the shot glass. "Heh, well. Here goes nothing." He lifted it up and knocked it back.
Whoah!
Ryan's eyes widened as he resisted the urge to spew the alcohol back out, forcing himself to swallow it down, letting out a series of coughs. By instinct he knocked his chest a few times to try and clear his lungs, despite that being a futile effort. Filters or no, most of his mouth was still biological, and so were his taste buds, and everything else up there. "Geeze!" He exclaimed, planting a hand on the bar to steady himself. "Wow you weren't kidding...." Did he actually enjoy it? Slightly too early to say as the alcohol burned through his systems. Ultimate test of how well my body can take it, I guess. Ryan noted, wondering if it was entirely feasible that he was gonna drop flat on his face in the next few minutes or so.
Well, at least it'd be an eventful few minutes if that was the case, because the sound of Percy and Liderc's brawl reached his ears and he shakily stood up from the bar stool to look over, at the commotion. "Aaand looks like they are more common here than I thought." He determined, trying to move around the bickering Lydia and Max for a better view. "You know for a couple that's broken up, your bickering still sounds like you're an item."
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Sept 30, 2018 17:06:42 GMT -5
"Oh, look who's talkin'!" Lydia spat, standing up straight again. At least as straight as she could manage with her motor functions starting to fail on her. "You wun ME duh confrund my promblems?! Y'know, ad leas I HAVE prollums tuh confront! MY prollems! NONE ELSE'S! I'm ou there... GETTIN' SH*D DONE! YOU, you jus... wride STORIES on thuh peeble who ged sh*t done! You dunno whud is like fer peeble lige me who godda bust our a**es jus ta make a check 'n mega diffrence. All you do is swoob in an mayg peeble tell you whud they do and rutell it in yer own words so you can PRETEN LIKE YOU WERE REALLY THERE TUH DO IT! WHY DONCHA STOP LIVIN VICAROUSLY THROUGH ME 'N ERRYONE ELSE ON THIS ISLAN AN ACSHULLY TRY DOIN' THE THINGS YOU WRIDE ABOUD?!"
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Sept 30, 2018 17:24:05 GMT -5
Max didn't respond to Ryan's sarcasm. She barely even noticed the bar fight that had broken out not too far from where she stood. All she could do was stare agape and appalled at Lydia. She couldn't believe the absolute gall this woman had. After all the hard work Max had put in, both for herself and for Lydia, both of which Lydia was very much aware of, she had the nerve to stand there and accuse her of doing nothing?!
The purse slung over Max's shoulder briefly met Lydia's cheek in a hard smack, sending the inebriated woman faceplanting onto the bar. "You're a selfish, pathetic WRECK, Lydia Pendleton! I hope you realize that! You think putting up with your bullsh*t didn't take some effort on my part?!"
She adjusted her purse and wiped her cheek, her mascara noticeably smudged as she tried and failed to hold back a tear. "Well, at least I know when to quit before I hurt myself."
And with that, Max turned around and started marching away, hardly deterred as she weaved through the rambunctious crowd gathering around the brawl.
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Sept 30, 2018 18:43:56 GMT -5
"Yeah, that's about the normal reaction. It amuses me," Lobo chuckled. "There's more where that came from t-"
Lobo suddenly whipped his head around, more than likely whacking someone with his ponytail in the process. "AW, HELL NAW. I JUST ORDERED THOSE NEW CHAIRS. IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I NEED TO GO EAGLE ON AN IDIOT." With a warcry, Lobo awkwardly climbed over the bar, en route to the brawl at hand. "Stupid broken wings."
---
"Whoa, whoa!"
"Eat this, defiled creature!"
Percy dodged a fist covered in green flames with a roll, slamming a rather heavy-looking chair into Liderc's knees, causing the green man to yelp and collapse. "Not so tough, are you?!"
TWHACK!
Liderc had tackled Percy to the ground, seizing both of the brunette's arms behind his back. "Don't get too cocky, demon boy." The angel smirked. "You should know that mutts can't beat a- GAUGH!!?"
Percy had erupted spikes from his arms, forcing Liderc to release him. "What was that about a hybrid again? Care to repeat that?"
---
"Wooooooow... It's noisy..."
Somehow, William had managed to make his way to the dance floor and be completely oblivious to the brawl in the eating area. He had since removed his vest and t-shirt, leaving just the long-sleeved undershirt. "Hahaha... man, this is fun... I wonder if they sell more of those, bartender went bye bye for some reason~"
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Post by ColArana on Sept 30, 2018 20:33:45 GMT -5
That argument seemed to have gone... very, very south. Ryan sighed, but chose not to add a one-liner or anything to interject. That just... no. Wasn't suiting the mood there. Those two had some serious issues to work out, though he wondered if Lydia's aggression was her default mode, or the alcohol talking. Not like I'll see her again after this to find out He noted to himself, as he stepped aside to let Max storm past him. "Sorry." He added in quickly, acknowledging how callous he might have appeared. He hadn't... expected it to go south that quickly.
He suddenly broke away and moved over to check out the fight that even Lobo was rushing to, taking a moment, as he stumbled slightly. "Oh... whoa... not had that happen before... Shit was strong." He acknowledged as he tried to catch his balance, as he got hit by the alcohol. "...Even giving me a run for my money that's.... impressive." He moved again, much more hesitantly towards the fight, trying not to accidentally fall over, at one point catching his balance on William's table. "So.... I guess I'll ask you... does this kinda thing happen here often?" He asked.
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Sept 30, 2018 21:10:33 GMT -5
Getting smacked in the cheek with a purse and collapsing atop the bar naturally left Lydia in a daze for a good ten seconds. As she shakily picked herself back up, she seemed to enter a very brief state of lucidity, hastily turning around to see Max storming out. In that moment, the weight of her actions fully came crashing down on her.
"M-Max...! MAX!!!"
Desperate, mortified, Lydia chased after Max, stumbling haphazardly through the crowd, paying no mind to whoever she bumped into or the fight that she was drawing dangerously close to. The rest of the world had faded out as far as she was concerned. All she could see was the young woman in the purple dress. All she could think about was the absolutely horrible way she had talked to that woman. To one of few people who actually cared about her. To one of few people she could actually trust.
"Max!" Lydia reached out and grabbed Max's arm, forcefully swinging her around so they were face-to-face again. It was clear that Max was crying. It was painfully obvious that Lydia was too.
"Max, I'm... 'm sorry, okay?" Lydia took a deep, shuddering breath and wiped her face off, her hair and makeup thoroughly ruined, just as much a mess outside as she clearly was inside. "I'm sorry... I... Snff... I shoudn'a said that stuff... I just... My dade hasn' shown up 'n is god me all paranoid 'n frustraded 'n..."
Worried that she might walk off on her again, Lydia placed a hand on Max's shoulder. Gently. Warmly. The tender touch of someone who still very much had feelings for her. "Y-You haven' done anything wrong, ukay? Yer nod weak. I thing I'd know thad bedder 'n anyone ad this point. 'N... you love whucha do. Tha's whud madders. S'more than whud I c'say aboud my job... I mean, whu good is a pilod they won' even led fly...?" She lowered her heavy head with shame. "I hade keeping secreds from ya, Max, I always have... buh thad's nod my call tuh make. Is for yer own good tha no one knows whud I do."
She looked up at Max, eyes shimmering and damp. "Would id... make you feel bedder if I god you some info on thu Phoeniz Projec?"
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Sept 30, 2018 21:43:01 GMT -5
When Lydia grabbed hold of her, Max suddenly lost the strength to try breaking free. She wasn't even entirely sure why. It likely would've been easy to escape given Lydia's current physical state. What kept Max rooted in her grip was clearly something emotional. Something deep down inside her that didn't want to get away. Try as she might, regardless of how many times she had tried and failed in the past, Max simply couldn't deny the fact that she still very much wanted to help Lydia. That she didn't want to give up on her.
The tearful, drunken apology was honestly very appreciated, and looking into Lydia's eyes was painfully impossible. It would've felt nice to accept it and move on. But she had to stay strong. She had to tell herself that it was too little too late, no matter how much she would've liked to believe otherwise.
Max sighed, Lydia's last question snapping out of her internal conflict. "Lydia, you've told me before that the Phoenix Project was canned a year ago. There's no story there." She finally looked her ex in the face. "More importantly... you could've told me anything. Just because I'm a reporter doesn't mean I have to make everything I know public knowledge. This job you do for Mexus, whatever it is... it's clearly eating you up inside. I just wanted to help you deal with that, but you've always relied more on the booze than you did me when it came to sorting through your issues."
She weakly brushed Lydia's hand off her shoulder. "I do miss you, Lyd. But I miss the you that enjoyed life. That wanted to make it fun for me and everyone around you. Even now that we're apart, we haven't escaped this routine of you getting drunk, making an a** of yourself, and me having to pick you up and remind you to show some dignity. I wanna see you happy again, but..."
Max choked for a moment, biting back the waterworks. She looked away from Lydia, her voice cracking and shaking. "It just hurts me too much to see you keep doing this to yourself."
She turned back towards the door and continued on her way...
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Oct 1, 2018 12:36:32 GMT -5
"Easy there, greeny. This doesn't have to hur- GAH!"
Percy released his grip on Liderc as the latter burst into flames and rolled away, going out of his way to avoid striking a woman, it seemed. "Look what you made me do. You almost made me hit an innocent bystander."
"Excuse me?! You're the one who started this all! And all just because I bumped into your table!!"
"Oh, don't you know? Back on Paradiso, the punishment for annoying your superiors is- GAUGH?!" Liderc's speech was cut off when suddenly, a green tornado appeared, capturing the blonde angel. Percy looked around, finding...
"Oh, hey Lobo. Thanks for the save."
"I'm not doin' this to save you. I'm doin' this to save my very expensive chairs. Now..." Lobo looked towards the doors...
---
"Shit maaaaaan, I dunno~" William swung an arm around Ryan's shoulders, the smell of a few too many drinks on his breath. "It's a bar, yeah? I'd imagine yeah~~~." He hummed a song in his drunken state. "C'mon man, let's dance! We might even be able to score tonight~!"
But before he could do anything, there was a screaming sound as the tornado shot Liderc over the dance floor, and out the door.
"Looks like I'm blasting off again in a ripoff of Capsule Fieeeeeeends!!"
ping
William blinked. "Shiiiiiit, I gotta go, bartender's startin' to eject people...~" Somehow getting to his feet, William made his way to the doors as well...
---
"Well, that took longer than expected."
Percy rubbed his now-sore head as he made his way back to their table. Along the way, however, he noticed something. And by something, I mean the conspicuous absence of an older blonde.
"... Fuck!"
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Post by ColArana on Oct 2, 2018 7:22:08 GMT -5
Ryan gave a strange look at William. "I don't think--" Ah, who cared. Ryan didn't even know this guy. He broke off and stepped aside, allowing William to pass him by, making sure to focus on keeping his balance. "Should ask what that was..." He commented to himself, regarding the drink that was currently ravaging what was left of his digestive tract.
The tornado was.... something though. You'd think one would one day get used to seeing stuff like this in Void City, but it was all still strange to Ryan. He hurried over toward Percy, seeing the fight had apparently ended. "Hey man, are you okay?" He asked. Noticing Percy's gaze, he glanced back to the table. "Oh... yeah the guy there... you knew him? He stumbled out like.... thirty seconds ago." He informed him. "Friend of yours?"
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Oct 2, 2018 14:09:03 GMT -5
"W-? B... M-Max! MAX!" Lydia continued to follow her to the front door, even though Max clearly had no intention of stopping this time. "Max, c'mon! I know I c'n be a b*tsh sometimes, b-bud I never wunned tuh hurd ya! Y'know how my dad is! He's always...! He'd kill me iv anyone knew whud Mexus wuz...! Max, waid!"
Right as Max opened the door, Lydia dashed ahead, swerved around her and leaned against the frame in an effort to block her way. "Max, you... hid muh face kinda hard bag there with yer purse..." she mumbled, brushing her hand along her cheek for emphasis. "Muh cheek's hurding preddy bad..."
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Oct 2, 2018 15:13:03 GMT -5
Max's face scrunched up as Lydia stopped her in her tracks at the door. It seemed like she wanted to be angry despite still very much being on the verge of tears, silently begging for Lydia to stop before she completely lost her cool again. This was what she was talking about. It killed Max inside to see her ex this miserable, and it hurt so much more to know that there was nothing she could so for her. "Yeah, well... better your cheek than your heart."
With the last of her energy, Max pushed open the adjacent door and walked past Lydia, not risking looking her in the eye again. Max then hastily made her way down the sidewalk, desperate to put as much distance between herself and that establishment of painful memories as possible. Once she was certain she was far enough away, she fully broke out into sobs.
She had hoped things would be better this way. It only seemed like it was getting worse...
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Oct 2, 2018 15:42:01 GMT -5
........................... "Max..."Lydia stood in the open door, staring solemnly at the horizon as her ex-girlfriend disappeared into the city. Too many emotions were crashing down on her for her intoxicated mind to process. Guilt, regret, loneliness, longing, confusion, dismay, ineptitude... This wasn't the first time she had been left in the dust like this, and knowing herself the way she did, she had this deep, horrifying feeling that it wouldn't be the last. To know that she had driven away one of the only people she could depend on in this world, one of the best friends she'd ever had in a sea of people who didn't care if she lived or died... it just left her feeling that much more worthless. Unwanted. Despicable. Pathetic.And with a long sigh and a heavy slump, Lydia tearfully decided to let Max go. Maybe it would be better if Max didn't have to put up with Lydia's baggage. The last thing she wanted was to ruin yet another person's life. Dejected, rejected, Lydia turned and walked back inside the club, slogging her way back towards the bar. Along the way, she bumped into another patron who seemed to be leaving, stumbling and offering a somewhat delayed "S'ry..." before continuing on her way without even looking to see who she had walked into. In her blurry peripheral, all she could make out was a mop of blond hair. That was enough incentive for her not to look at him. Upon returning to the bar, Lydia crouched down to pick up her fallen bar stool and set it upright. She ended up lethargically dropping it while it was still crooked, causing it to fall over again. Her second attempt at standing it up was successful, at which point she sat down on the stool and slumped her head into her hand. Her eyes trailed over to her phone still sitting on the table. Warily, she picked it up and turned it on. After cringing from the bright light, she noticed a text message illuminating the lock screen: >>LYDIA, I'M SO, SO SORRY! Dr. Pendleton called me in to do some last-minute upgrades on the Proteus and I lost track of time! I tried to tell him I had plans, but he insisted I stay late! I don't think I'm gonna make it. I'm sorry. Really sorry.  And just like that, Lydia felt as if someone had thrust an ethereal dagger through her chest. She set her phone aside face down and leaned deeper into her arm, teeth gritted, tears dripping onto the bar. |
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Post by DanteMGalileo on Oct 2, 2018 16:01:34 GMT -5
"Wow sis, you sure know the best song to play for the situation..." Lobo shot a side-eye at the DJ, who simply grinned.
"It's a talent. Now, could you be a bro and send me some popcorn? Gettin' hungry up here." Loba seemed unfazed by everything around her, as per usual. Her twin brother scoffed.
"Sure, whatever. Just don't make it rain popcorn again." With the situation apparently resolved, Loba began to make his way back to the bar, only to find a crying Lydia. Sigh.
"Shit, man. I think that's enough of the booze for the night... They weren't kiddin' when they said humans get sappy when they're drunk..."
---
"Oof!"
William's shoulder collided with a shorter woman with black hair, knocking his glasses off. "Shiiiit man, I'm sorry 'bout that... Why'd it get so blurry? Shit... maybe I am drunk...~" He was out on the sidewalk soon, in the direction of some rather shady alleyways...
As the blonde made his way out, a brunette was not in a great mood. "Uh... yeah! He's my friend, and he's piss-drunk right now!" Reaching into his coat, Percy pulled out a ratty-looking bag that clanged when it hit the bar. "I don't know how much is in there, but it's for me and Will! And if there's any leftover, for your drunken lady friend! I gotta run! I gotta catch Will now!"
Percy bolted from the bar soon, but only realized when his feet hit the pavement... "FUCK! I have no leads!"
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