Drink a little Drink

It's another warm night among many warm nights. The only difference is that there are clouds obscuring the stars and moon from the sky in patches. They skitter and move across the plains of darkness without intent.

Freely

As a darkly-clad man enters the TarReCe he turns immediately toward the bar and sits there. He orders a drink - hot water - from the bar, and asks it be served in a tea pot which gets him an odd look. Yet the look fades quickly to the press of his coin across the bar.

A singer stands on the platform tonight, his voice angelic and high. He sounds like a bird singing away in a gilded cage, his golden hair twisting and turning in the dim lighting. Flashing. He's beautiful, standing there in shades of black and gold. Catching the eyes of the crowd and turning their attention to his song of loneliness. It's enough to break a heart or two.

The man who ordered hot water doesn't seem to notice.

Percy stretched her arms and rubbed her back as she walked in a two story building. "Nothin' like losing two guards to the dark...hm...I guess it depends how much the people matter to them, I hope they choose to follow the light that's been brought to them." Percy tilted her head to the left then the right with a response of a 'popping' or a 'cracking' noise. Percy pulled her hair down out of the ponytail it was in before and took a seat at the bar. Smiled tiredly as she spoke, "One cup of water please."

Percy rubbed the tired out of her eyes as she waited for her water, she glanced around the room and back down to her feet sadly and sighed. "Am I doing something wrong as I look for these 'people in the dark'? I just don't get what I'm doing wrong??" Percy took a deep breath and put on a big smile quietly talking to herself. "Pssh what are you talking about Percy? Ya' just need to be patient and look a little harder...Sure it might take months to find someone or even years! But it'll be worth it once I finish helping them out!"

Percy paused for a minute and looked in the full glass of water in front of her and drank the water and walked over to the nearest vacant seat and sat in it and started to sketch in her little book, ignoring the music.

A woman talking to herself draws attention. Even from someone trying not to draw attention to themselves. The topic of conversation earns a small arch of one eyebrow, but the man actually draws away a little when she sits down next to him. He's clearly of Xian descent, his dark eyes and dark hair giving away his heritage as well as scales spelled a sith-makar. The raven on his shoulder lets out a confused caw and he hushes it with an upraised finger. Waiting patiently for his hot water.

Halani passes right by the TaRaCe initially, head down, a moderately paced saunter. She's actually out of view of the windows before, perhaps two second later, she's walking backwards past the windows again to come to a stop at the entrance. She stops, turns her head up skywards, as if trying to identify something.. then her gaze drops and she turns to look inside. Eyes dart from patron to patron, from the tables to the bar.. then, a breath later, she steps inside.

Percy drew the house she grew up in, in the small book with something of an annoyance further into it she started to calm down but the sudden caw surprised her, making no notification that she was bother at all she pushed her hair out of her hair and turned the the page and sketched a woman in a dress with a painter painting the lady in front of a river. Percy furrowed her brow as she scared her eyes over the sketch, she muttered under her breath. "It doesn't look right." quickly she tore the page out, crumpled it and shoved it into her bag hanging on her shoulder. Now she felt challenged by herself to do better. This time she was drawing an up-close picture of a lion.

With hot water finally brought to the man at the counter, the proprietor was looking for other customers to assist. The xian man himself poured something from his sleeve into the tea pot and was allowing it to brew as he took in the sight of the various patrons. Thus he was one of the few that noticed Halani's unusual entrance. He did not remark upon it however. Though his raven let out another caw.

Up on the stage the golden-haired singer started up another song, this one more light-hearted than the one that had come before it. Much to the enthusiasm of the patrons of the TarRaCe.

Halani makes her way towards a table. Initially. Then she stops, looking them over.. changes her mind and instead takes herself towards the bar. A coin flashes between her fingers before she presses it down upon the counter's surface, waiting for the proprietor's attention.. and when she has it, "Your strongest tea, yeah?" Then she pushes the coin forward, her voice dropping a little. "And keep it coming."

Percy raised an eyebrow and the request for the tea but remembered she asked for water at a bar. At the end of that thought Percy stood up and got the attention of the barkeeper. "Um excuse me sir? Do you know if the baths happen to be open at this hour?" Percy did her best to look as happy as she could despite her quote to herself earlier when she had entered the building.

"M'lads!" The blue-skinned giantborn folding down to fit through the door and out into the night squawks and jumps up halfway through, slamming the frame and rattling a wall's worth of decorations and windows. He cups one hand defensively over his nethers and struggles to look back over a hillock of a shoulder but the glittering, bejeweled blur bedecked in bright baubles is already past. He grumbles and grunts, causing the wooden jam to groan in complaint before he's finally loose and into the sultry evening air.

COMPLETELY UNRELATED, Jinks arrives at the bartop, hopping up onto the footrail and flicking aside Halani's coin deftly before slamming down a half-dozen of his own. "Something with a skull and crossbones, barman. I feel the stirrings of love and I'll see that nonsense drowned before I lay my head down to rest!" He sniffs and glances this way and that, recognition flashing in his polished-onyx eyes. "Tallman, tallman," he greets Karasu and Halani. Then he squints at Percy, "Tallman I don't know."

The bartender stared at Halani a long moment then smiled. "One hot toddy coming up." He nodded to her and wandered off to make her drink.

While the bartender was off making the drink, the xian man poured himself a cup that smelled suspiciously like tea, and his raven let out a caw that made him glance at it even as he pulled the cup into his hand and looked at the woman standing next to him. But her question goes unanswered. At least by him. He nods to Jinks politely as the man makes his greeting.

Seeing coin hit the counter the bartender magically reappears, he pushes the hot toddy in his hand over to Halani and grins broadly at Jinks. "Coming right up!" He's eager to scoop up the coin, pouring something... that does indeed look like it has a skull and crossbones on it for the little man. He pours it out and leaves it for Jinks to drink or not - as he dares before wandering off again.

That expression you get when the situation just so suddenly goes beyond any semblance of personal control. That's the expression on Halani's face as she looks at where her own coin used to be. Where Jinks's pile used to be. Where something, by the smell of it is very much not tea, is set in front of her.

That moment which comes when you have to make a decision. Do you politely point out the error, asking for it to be remedied? Or do you just roll with it. Halani stares at the drink before her, leans forward to sniff at it... then shrugs, cupping it in both hands and taking a sip. Her expression immediately crunches up, cheek twitching and pulling her mouth to the side.. then she lets her breath out. "Might need the baths after this," she comments, mostly to herself. Probably because the topic was brought up. "I've told you before, I'm a woman, not a man, yeah? And so is she."

Percy tilted her head to the side at Jinks and looked around and back at him, she waved excitedly to him, grinning. "Hiiiiii! Nice to see you again!" Percy set down some gold and turned to the barsman. Percy's face bloomed with bright cheerfulness as she put her book back in her satchel and spoke to the bartender. "Is the bath open or not? If not I'd like to ask for a room to spend the night." Percy showed a candy sweet smile to the barkeep waiting for the answer while humming a tune quietly to herself. Doing so she fixed her hair and put it back into a ponytail.

"But you don't say 'hyoo-woman,' no?" Jinks wonders of Halani, affecting his best Alexandros accent ever-so-briefly. "It's a simple shorthand some People use and-- I guarantee-- we mean no offense." He takes up the glass between thumb, pointer, and index fingers to swirl its contents idly as he considers Percy. His grin cracks and he looks... embarrassed for a moment as he blinks and sighs, "That was a bad day. I'm sorry if I spoiled your meeting the dragon."

The gnome's jubilant expression is back place before he turns to hold out his glass to tap against Halani's-- quirking an eyebrow at her when she's already had a drink. "To cooler heads," he drawls with a quick laugh before tossing the drink back in one go.

Up on stage the singer finishes his song, climbing down and passing close to the bar. He offers everyone there an equal warm smile. A lingering look that lasts until the xian man stands up and shakes his hand. The two look at one another and the golden-blond man smiles more warmly. "Are you sure all you wanted was a few songs?" The answer is a nod and the man shrugs, heads out into the crowd to mingle with the various patrons who are appreciative of the music he sang.

Once the golden-haired man is gone the more darkly colored one sits back down, pushing his empty cup of tea away and motioning for the bartender to take away the tea service now that its empty. His raven pecks at his hair and he waves the bird off, offering something to it that it doesn't take and watching with sharp eyes when it hops down the bar toward Percy. "Leave them alone Wuya." He says finally and the bird cock's its head at him. Clearly pretending not to understand.

Halani opens her mouth to refute Jinks's explanation.. but then she snorts at his affected accent, trying not to grin. She takes another long sip of the toddy after Jinks taps it with his, then sets the cup down on the bar top and lifts her chin. "Wuya. I knew a someone named Wuya once."

Percy took notice of the raven hopping its way to her and her eyes glowed with awe. She took her seat and cooed the bird. "Aw what a lovely raven, hi Wuya, I'm Percy. Nice to meet you. " Percy was amused to see an animal in the building though it didn't take much to amuse her. She soon started to show some of her sketches such as the house and quite a few sketches of random people including one similar to the looks of Jinks.

Jinks is appreciating his drink in silence. His right-eye squints and the same nostril flares, his head quirks that direction and then a shiver dances down his spine followed by a complimenting shudder. A wheezing cough caps the whole events and the gnome is left blinking away tears. "Another," he chokes, setting the glass down and rolling his fingers to produce coin after coin from his sleeves. Smack, smack, smack they go on the bartop. He sniffs and bends a finger before wiping at the corners of his eyes with a knuckle.

More coin summons the bartender, and he's happy to gather them up and pour Jinks another drink. He doesn't even off a cautionary word about the strength of the brew. Just takes the coin and grins and pours.

Wuya, contrary to the xian man's wishes tilts his head and looks carefully at Percy's drawings. It's obvious that the bird is quite enthralled by the images. When she comes to the image of a possible-Jinks, the bird rustles its feathers and caws loudly at the man.

The xian man himself sighs at Halani's words and looks at her. "It is a common enough name I suppose. Obviously it is unlikely that the Wuya on the counter here is the one you knew. Unless the Wuya you knew was a raven as well."

Halani drains the last of her drink, then slides the cup away and forward. "Nope. Wasn't a raven. Just a bit of a bully, actually," she says, her eyes still looking far off. "Someone who was strong... felt that gave them the right to do whatever they wanted, yeah? Hurt whoever they felt like?" So she doesn't appear to be the kind who gets happy with alcohol. But then she puts on a grin. "Your Wuya seems nice though."

Eventually she looks at Jinks again. "Everything okay, Jinks?"

Percy quickly turned her head to Jinks. "You ok over there? Ya might want to slow down a bit." Percy carefully put her drawings back in her satchel and headed over to Jinks and asked for some water from the bartender as soon as she had it in hand she set it next to Jinks. "Here you should drink some of that for a little bit to clear your pipes out."

She focused back to the tender. "So… About the baths, are they open or not?" Percy smiled but her voice this time was slightly annoyed.

Jinks has taken one of the taller stools meant for smaller folk, deft enough at the ascent from years spent amongst tallmen. He leans against the bar with the waiting drink behind him, chin in his palm, moon-eyed and staring off dreamily into the middle distance. The raven doesn't grab his attention but his name and being addressed directly snaps him out of it. "Oh, hells..." The gnome snatches up and slams the second drink. He braces this time, one hand balled into a fist on his knee, and gives a subtler shudder and a heated, long sigh. Little beads of sweat begin to appear across his forehead around the jeweled circlet. "Fine. Fine. I was just listening to your story about that Wuxia character; what a scamp. The adventures you two had...!"

Jinks considers the water, then glances up at Percy to offer a lopsided grin, "Contrary to my purpose... but thanks." His cheeks flush from the drink. "... an oruch woman just walked past, clean and perfumed with the lilac scent some of their attendants seem quite fond of. You appear to be in luck."

The bartender blinks at Percy. "Yes the bath's are open at all hours." He replies to the woman and takes her gold too. Just to be fair. Then he holds his alcohol above the bar. Ready in case Jinks wants another pour.

"Sounds like another Wuya." The xian man says simply enough, nodding slowly but not really getting into the conversation. Instead he looks at his raven. Trying to convince it to come back to him. Wuya... Doesn't seem inclined to come back so quickly though.

Cesran comes floating in on his flying carpet, but instead of being standing, he's sitting with a bunch of plush pillows supporting him. He's reclining as he slowly steers his way around tables and chairs to head to the bar. He nods to the others at the bar all ready as he carefully glides into pace so he's at what would be his normal height and he orders a glass of white wine. "Good evening all." He says his voice a little weary, but he has on a warm smile. His staff is laying next to him and is quiet for the moment.

Percy's face shined with pure joy; she was more than pleased to hear the baths were open. "Thank you! That is great news!" Percy grabbed her large sword carrying it like it was nothing and put it on her back she waved everyone goodbye and skipped her way to the baths. Finally she could bathe in peace and relax while keeping a watch on her sword she clearly was protective of. Before leaving, Percy dropped a few words for Jinks to hear. "Enjoy your sleep, you truly deserve it." It made clear she had not forgotten what he had said the day she met him then, she was off.

Jinks seems to be stuck debating the merits of another glass but ultimately waves off the man behind the bar. He makes a face, licking his gums with his mouth closed and eyes blinking. "That is quite the conveyance," the gnome responds with a nod at Cesran. The words take a bit more effort than normal and the grin to follow is a little more lop to its sidedness. He swivels his gaze to respond to Percy's mutterings but she's long gone at that point, so he just gives a quiet snort instead.

With Percy gone it's easier for the xian man to get his raven back to hand, and once he has the raven handled he nods to the bartender and heads for the door without a further word to anyone. It seems that he managed to get away without even introducing himself to anyone. A victory for those trying to go unnoticed. Which it seems, this man is.

-End