Forums » General Roleplay » The Hollow's Tale Pub and Club (Closed)

Lexi finally sought what she was looking for as Asroc made himself more comfortable: a fine bottle of grape juice that if not looked at clearly enough, could be mistaken for a bottle of wine. Popping open the cork and pouring the violet juice into the fluted glass, she placed it in front of him with her usual ease. She faltered just a bit however, when she heard his first response. Was he answering to her seemingly silent quip about his age and upbringing? There was always the possibility that Lexi did most likely speak out loud while thinking, enough for Asroc to hear and prompt a response. Regardless, she gave a simple hand wave, giving her viewpoint on that stated fact.

"Eh, you'll have ta excuse me on that, just, you sound like one of them there fancy, sophisticated types, and I drew my conclusions. No hard feels, hmm?" Her expression was pleasant enough to be welcoming to the Adept... Well, as welcoming as someone with a punk hairstyle and a matching attitude could be. "Seem like a sweet kid to excuse an old miss like me~" Her tone still felt a bit awkward and forced, and if someone heard closely enough, there was a different sort of accent starting to come to the fore in a word or two. It secretly unnerved her, but her proud nature wasn't about to quit her slightly breaking facade just yet.

Changing the subject on the fly when he gave his order, she brightened considerably. "Tomato soup and a turkey sandwich, eh? Gotcha covered, sweet thang!" She stated as she turned to call into the kitchen. "Yo, Mei-Mei! Heated juice o' Tom-Tom an'a bird on a bun, on the double!" Now she sounded normal again. Maybe it was just an off day for the woman.

"Asroc, huh? Sweet t' meet ya! Lexi Rhodes," she introduced herself before her grin grew even wider in fascination, "You a traveler, honey? You 'n me got a bit in common then," she said casually to continue the conversation, "I love travel. Ya actually don't see my sweet self in th' bar of'en 'cause that's where I spend m' time, y'know?" Taking a towel, she began wiping away at the counter, surprisingly curious about the stillness in the bar. Seems like everyone's content with their food and drink so far. Good. "So... Where's ya next stop, if I may so humbly ask~?" And there was that odd accent again, only a bit stronger with her last few words. Yet she doesn't seem privy to it, so it doesn't seem like it's a bad thing right now.

The old man's fluffy, white eyebrow raised in no small perplexity, creased lips forming an equally befuddled frown. "A whatnow? A fairy? Well @#$%, I dadgum wasn't no askin' y'bout who y'@#$%, lassie." He said, but dropped the issue posthaste and sipped again at the whiskey which, above all else, he seemed to treat as a most precious treasure.

"Well, all that 'side, yall's too damn small Itellyahwhat! Some fat-@#$% rodent boutta' crush yo' sparkly bee-hind inna' fairy dust f'you ain't done careful! An' ol' Grandpa hate'a see a lass go'ta waste no matter what kinda' midget she be!"

It was probably supposed to become kind of compliment? But it was hard to tell with this mad old geezer - who was now spinning abruptly to face someone else who had just entered and made a passive-aggressive comment about 'humans'. A teenager in an odd hat, he perceived. Another thoughtful sip of whiskey, before a thoughtless blurt of his high-pitched, birdlike voice.

"Ey-yo Funny-Hat-Kid! Did you done say your name's is Ass-Sock? That's a blasted fine name right there! Goodonya lad! Why Grandpa here used'a know a guy done called 'imself '@#$%-Britches' an' he was a blasted cool cat - he didn't talk all prissy-like though. Y'alls gotta' work on them speakin's a'yours else folk lible'a think y's some kin'a prissy @#$%^&ass punk knowI'msayin'?"

All the while, as his dialogue with 'Ass-Sock' unfolded, he was keenly aware that a certain 'Bird Person' was just itching for a fight - but Grandpa was not done with his whiskey, and so long as there was a precious drop remaining he wasn't going to go starting any trouble...

Wing blanked when Nire came over, like she'd forgotten what she was going to say. In fact, that seemed to be exactly what happened. She was silent for a bit of an awkward amount, then breathed a laugh. "Gods, sorry. Uh, something to eat? Anything you recommend, but, uh, fish, preferably. And for him, too."
Hawk nodded this time, at least. Seemed that now Wing wasn't about to literally duel someone he was a bit more at ease.

Nire gave a cheerful smile to Wing as she requested something to eat, a bit of bunny teeth showing as she went to fetch a menu from the bar and bring it back to her. The menu itself had many type of listed fishes, meats, vegetables, and deserts, some of familiarity to humans, and some never even heard of. The pictures were colorful and showed off each dish, the more alien ones looking as odd and surreal as you'd expect from a menu that catered to all types.

Upon hearing that a recommendation of Nire's was also needed instead, her voice grew even more chipper (if that was even possible at this point). "Of course! Let's see here... What I'd recommend... That involves sum fish, right? Oh, ooh, Cobblebark Fish is right in season here! Fishers be saying the fish is already seasoned when freshly caught, and they ain't kidding! Though we at the Hollow's Tale like to give it a bit o' extra kick with our own spice blend and herbs to bring out the fleshy taste, see? If you like the blue and white marbled meat in general, or wanna try something new, I highly recommend it!"

A pause was given to consider other options before she spoke up again. "But if spice and herbs ain't your thing, then may I suggest the Ditran Coast Special? A variety of fresh steamed fish caught off the finest of coasts! Great for any type of palette... That's, uh, not allergic to fish of course." She gave a sheepish chortle to her own joke before finishing her short tirade. "So, what would you like?"

While Nire waited for Wing's decision, the chef arrived from the kitchen with a large tray of foods set on different plates; one of them contained Asroc's order: a piping hot red soup served in a white bowl to offset the color and topped with a tiny bit of green herbs to bring out the meaty tomato taste more, and fresh slices of turkey placed with lettuce and tomato on a toasted bun. Both were carefully set on a plate and ready to eat. "Order's up, part 4~!" she called out, handing the dish to Lexi carefully before wandering off to serve the other fragrant and heated meals. If anyone were to see the chef, they would notice that the feminine and eastern name Lexi called out earlier did indeed belong to a girl of Asian decent, clothed in the typical white chef's outfit. Raven hair pinned up in two odango buns, bright blue eyes, and a never-ending and perky smile lit up an otherwise heart-shaped and slightly chubby face as she served customers.

"Right on cue, Mei-Mei!" Lexi grinned before placing the dish in front of Asroc with a proud flourish. "Tomato soup and a turkey sandwich," she announced, "Eat up~" Her act however, snapped in two with more of Grandpa's random yammering. She couldn't help but let a guffaw of a laugh go before offering to refill his drink. "Hey yo, ya wanna top-up or what?" she spoke while holding up the bottle of whiskey. "More where that came from, if'n ya willing to pay~"

Well, he was use to the puns of his name. Sumeragi's Viper always called him "Ass-Rock" as well for his fellow team mate, Gibril. Despite he never smiled, it did lighten his mood a bit. Taking a sip of his cold grape juice, he felt allot better than he did before. His eyes gazed on the rambling old coot as he would set his glass down.

"Your humour brightens my mood, I would thank you for that."

His tone did change a bit. Maybe he sounded a bit more cheerful?

He turned back to what he was served. The soup would be first. Taking a spoon, he dipped it into the bowl and tried the soupfor himself.

For a rather humble place, it did taste well. It reminded him when his mother would take him and his siblings.

"This is rather devine. Such a good taste. Creamy and serve at the perfect temperature. I would love to return here someday."

Lexi's amber eyes flashed for a moment with Asroc's response before she opened her mouth to speak, casually fiddling with the neck of the whiskey bottle in her hand and flipping it between her fingers without much thought in the meantime.

"I must tell you, my young lad, that your words mean a lot more to this deviously shaped grin than you would hope to know..." She commented. It seems the funny accent settled itself at last into a proper sounding and possibly educated tongue. A bit of British spice, a touch of French diameter, and the pitch of a language most likely never even heard of was all laced in her voice. With the slight confirmation that this may be her actual accent, the fire in her eyes faded into a more stalwart and focused smolder. Her lips pursed downward in a solemn curve. The overall expression was proud, noble, if not more than a tad bit haughty. And it was also sincere.

That sincerity instantly broke when the next few words came out of her mouth. "And that's all ye be hearin' from me, chickie~" Then that sly grin and harsh tone was back just as quickly as it had disappeared. "I dun' act that much, but I was convincin' right? Gotta make ye feel at home somehow, hmm hmm hmm?" She gave a wry cackle of a chuckle as if she had just told a decent joke. Yet now that she was acting as normal, the odd tenor in her voice still didn't quite go away. "But naw, really.... Thanks fer the compliment there, sug, ya's always welcome to stop on by. Might save a seat fer ya if'n ya come by enough, eh? Sound good, right?"

"Now then, ye din't hear me the first time, I'm guessin'..." She changed the subject yet again as she stopped fiddling with the bottle for a moment. "I asked where ya goin' from 'ere, if ya don't mind my sweet ol' sexy self askin'? Maybe I can point ya in the right direction there, suga'." She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly as she waited for his reply. After all, it was just a suggestion and he still looked rather... shy. Odd and unpredictable the woman may be, she did want to help people out if they needed it.

Grandpa is staring off into the distance with a deep, profound, glazed look in his emerald eyes. The glass, still half-filled with delicious amber, sits on the bar surface, his ancient ebony hand cupping it gently. A moment of absentminded senility? Or, in this moment, does he live another life, in another time?

---

(Continue without me for the time being~)
(I'll be replying again when I've got more time. I don't want to hold things up~)

A tall male with snow white hair suddenly stalked into the tavern. His long hair was tied back loosely at the nape of his neck, his eyes were solid red and glowing, under the right one was a small birthmark of a crescent moon over a four point star, his family crest. He also had a long golden, furred tail, partly hidden by his medieval style clothes. This was the God of Retribution, Lupus Shadows, the son of Cynder Shadows, the True Goddess of Death. Her generation was responsible for the creation of reality, and they existed before even time did. Lupus himself was still young, only a little over twenty, yet he was born with the wisdom his mother obtained of eons of life.

The god stopped momentarily just inside the door, but then moved a table in the back of the room.

That sudden shift in the back of the bar. Lexi didn't like it at first. She turned her attention to the new face. The man's golden tail was the first noticeable sign that, like the barkeep, they were not normal. Then again, that's not what phased her for a split second before putting on an unusually cheery smile. She moved from behind the bar with a fresh menu and snatched a stray pen and notepad off the counter, not even bothering to look at if it was someone else's or the bar's property. Nire was busy, and her other waitresses weren't even here yet, so she would handle this one herself. Besides, something was... Off? No, familiar about this one, even though she has never seen him before in her life. Yet she couldn't quite put her finger on what that odd, awkward sense of familiarity could be.

"Hey there, sweet cheeks!" Lexi cooed in a casual drawl as she held out the menu towards him, "Welcome t' th' Hollow's Tale! What can I get fer ya today? We got all yer lil' heart desires, hmm?" A flirty wink accompanied her coy remark as she waited for his response. Despite the sweet pretenses and relaxed face, her eyes scanned him over, noting his odd style of dress.

"A pint of ale, please."

He replied politely. His voice was deep enough, as well as smooth with a slight english accent. He looked up at her, flashing a smile of his own and unintentionally showing his fangs. He then produced a small coinage seemingly out of nowhere and fished out a small stack of pure gold coins.

"This should cover the costs, would it not?"

An amber eye glittered at the costly coins, and she smirked. "Of course~" She replied as she pulled up a nearby chair and offered it to him, "Please, have a seat. I'll getcha all settled in real quick like!" A nobleman, huh? Not good. She took the pay and stashed most of it in her pocket, saving one coin in her hand for one of her stupid tricks. She flicked the coin upward, and tugged at her shirt collar, letting the gold piece land seamlessly into her shirt. "I'll be right witcha inna sec." As she moved back to the bar, she quietly cleared her throat, hoping to get rid of that damn tone that was beginning to lace her voice. This was gonna be one of those days, wasn't it?

Grabbing a large mug from one of the countless hooks dangling over the bar, she filled the container quickly with one of the bar's finest ales. The initial thought did pass to spice the drink up with one of her lower quality ales to piss them off, but... One more look at the fanged man, and that familiar... Feeling? No, more like an aura maybe? One glance and she decided against it. Besides, the pay was more than enough to earn the new guy four pints. Not that she was complaining.

Regardless, she soon returned with the foaming brew and set it down in front of Lupus. "One pint o' fine-as-myself ale!" She quipped with a cocky hint in her tone, running a free hand through the large bang covering her other eye as she struck up a conversation. "So, you new 'round here, dude? Ain't seen a face like that in the District before."

"Indeed, I am new to the area."
He replied with a smile, taking a short drink of the ale.
"Exquisite, I bet this is even better then the brew my mother has made for the palace!" Giving a lighthearted chuckle, he apologized slightly for leading away from her question. "Yes, yes I am new here. I'm a traveler from far and strange lands in search of knowledge and, believe it or not, friends. One can never have to many friends."

'Palace?' Is he a prince?! Aw, hell naw, man, this ain't my day! Lexi griped in her head, yet her soured and wary mood never showed in her smile or her eyes as she entertained the gentleman. "Traveler, eh? You n' me got a bit in common then," she said, a finger twirling a stray strand of messy hair as she leaned a palm against the top of a nearby chair, "I'm a traveler, too. Usually ain't here, ya feel me? Out roaming the wild planes of the..." A quick pause was taken before she seamlessly continued on. "World. I'm itchin' t' leave the joint ta Nire over there, but nothing's caught my pretty little eye yet." More like no jobs have popped up yet.

As Lexi talked, she had moved from leaning against the chair to propping her elbows against it and placing her head in her hands, rocking back and forth in a carefree manner. "So, Mr. Clearly Noble Traveler Guy, what all places have ya seen? Seen any big ol' castles and stuff?"

"None, other then my own. Yet, that is."
He chuckled again.
"Oh! Forgive me! I have yet to introduce myself."
He stood again and gave a short bow, his tail curved over his back. "My name is Lupus Shadows, it's a pleasure to meet you, madam."

"Lexi Rhodes, sir," she said, an oddly natural noble tone cropping up before she resumed her urban accent, which also seemed just as natural... If not a bit more vibrant than before. "And dont'cha forget it~!" She then motioned for the gentleman to resume sitting. "Ey, you don't have ta do all that. Sit, relax, take a load off!" She insisted with an amused chuckle. "Ya here for booze, not a dance at a ball, eh?" And yet soft music did play overhead to keep up the elegant ambiance of the establishment, even though the owner was clearly anything but.

"But ya ain't seen no castles? That's a shame right there. What all have ya seen out in the world?" She questioned. "Any cool people, places, what?"

"I've seen a number of things. From the very hounds of hell to the tiny faeries of the enchanted forests."
His smile widened as he spoke of them. He clearly enjoyed traveling.
"If you wish, you could join me on and adventure some time."

A stranger? Asking a random bartender on an adventure? Normal people wouldn't be so stupid to accept such a proposal from a odd man. None of her allies would even hesitate to turn down the offer for one good reason or another. So what was Lexi's choice?

"Eh, sure. Why not?" Was she serious? As if she was reminded of something, she rose from her position to stretch, turned to Nire and called out with no regard for how loud she was being, "Yo, Nire, get Maxie on the phone! Tell 'em to get his big ol' flamin' booty down here and cover for us!" The place was starting to get vibrant, and it seems like the other two waitresses were taking too long to arrive in Lexi's eyes. She needed help.

"Mr. Maxwell? You sure? I think he might be busy..." Nire contemplated as she excused herself from the current table to head behind the bar and into another doorway beyond it.

"Well, tell 'em to get unbusy! He owes me for that stint at the New Year's Eve thing an-tee-ways!" Lexi shouted impatiently before turning back to Lupus with a renewed interest. "So," she teased with a toothy grin, "Ya sure ya wanna invite me along, pal? I am just a normal bartender after all..." A small taste of danger laced her words, gauging her customer carefully. Yet that familiar feeling wouldn't go away. Who was this man?

He gave a wide, fanged grin as he leans forward and spoke quietly.
"If there's on thing I learned in my life, no one is as they first seem."
With a chuckle he returned to a normal seated position and took a long drink of his ale, a smile still on his face.

Okay, the ol' plumage is up and ruffled now! This man was starting to send off a lot of vibes. Some of them were good, but a lot of them were bad. If nothing else, now she was curious. What is his reasoning? "Is that so~?" She mused aloud, "For all y'know, I really am nothin' special. Just a normal person, normal life, lookin' fer excitement from sum good-lookin' noble dude..."

"Or I could be a serial killer," she continued, "Lookin' fer guys like yo' sweet self ta fall in m'trap~! Pluck them eyes out and all that good $&@#." That grin only widened further as she gave a short huff of a laugh. "Or maybe something in between... But hey, who am I t' judge?" She shrugged as she sat backwards against the chair she was leaning in earlier. "Pfft, ya really want me hangin' 'round ya, I can leave at anytime. Yeah, even now. I ain't got nuttin' else better t' do, and Nire's got my back at th' bar." She resumed leaning her head and elbows against the back of the chair, waiting for his answer.

Personally, she did hold some serious interest, but she figured he'd decline. I know these types: talking all big and @*$& until you agree and show you want in, then they renege like all hell. Gets annoying real fast. Who knows, maybe this lil' noble here will surprise me. If he really wasn't all talk, then she may be up for an adventure after all. Maybe he might even earn a bit of her respect for being so bold. Or maybe not.

"I leave in the morning."
He replied simply, putting a spare bag od gold coin on the table before her.
"Where I am heading all sorts of dangers lurk in the shadows, do good and buy yourself some good weapons if you haven't any, as well and anything else you will need." He gave a smile, it seemed her remarks hadn't fazed him. The young god then began to walk out, but then stopped and turned to her again. "I hope you make a good a warrior as you look to be."