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It was raining, as almost always was the case these days. Pen hated the rain. It made his hair fall flat against his neck, and his clothes sag and his feet grow cold. Lucky he knew about this tavern, not too much further along the beaten path, lucky he was close enough to come into it's sight just before the downpoor.

With an almost outburst the red-haired youth plunged through the door. It's bell clinked and clanged at him in protest, but the soaked Pen didn't care. He was breathing heavily, and water slithered down his pants leg and out about his ankles.

"Hate...the rain..." He muttered in disgust, plopping down into the closest seat. He didn't check to see if it was empty.

"I think the rain is lovely," the dark haired girl already seated at the table told him. "It makes the most lovely sound, washes everything clean, and blocks out the infernal sun." Her pale skin bore even more testimony to her dislike of the light. "Why do you dislike it so?"

Pen reeled back in surprise, nearly falling from his seat when he did so. "Oh. Someone was here." He sighed, sinking back down against the rough wood. Then, in answer to her question, he pointed a finger to the sky. A spitting, sputtering little flame licked around the pointer finger. It lasted a few seconds before popping out into a whiff of smoke again.

"Make sense now?" He asked grumpily.

She blinks rapidly at the display. "That is quiet the trick," she says while with a quick flick of her wrist and a strange motion the water starts to peel out of the youths clothes as if they were being wrung out. The water accumulated into a growing bubble just in front of her hand and once most of the water had come away she let it drop onto the floor between their seats. "It would seem we are as different as day and night."

"It would seem so." Pen chuckled. He was surprised to find himself so easily dry. Surprised and very pleased. He lounged back in his chair and took in the tavern around him. A waitress passed by, and he raised his hand to get her attention, but was ignored. Pen sighed. "Arn't very friendly are they?" Of course, he didn't exactly look like the most wealthy of sorts with his ragged backpack and burn scars, but still.

"She is ignoring you because I'm being paid to keep most of the floor dry. Drunks on slippery floors make for very poor company and a lot of money in damages. They don't want me to get too distracted." She rolled her eyes "They treat me as if I can do nothing. This is as easy task for an elemental Sorceress natural to water."

The brunette girl walked around boredly outside, letting the rain pour down on her. She was wearing a bright yellow rain coat, the only protection she had from the rain while her hair was soaking wet. Cielle didn't mind the rain, but she didn't exactly like it either. She thanked God that she wasn't wearing any makeup..or she would of looked like a clown by now.

Cielle curiously looked around for a place to hang out in for awhile, since her home was so far away and she was too lazy to walk straight there without taking a break. Luckily she saw a tavern up ahead and decided to take a break there for awhile.
She quickened her speed as she walked over to the tavern, wanting to get out of the rain. She pushed the door open gently, not wanting to disturb anyone inside. She wiped her boots off on the mat and then quickly walked over to an empty seat, leaving a path of water behind her. She plopped down in the seat tiredly and took a quick glance at the boy and girl beside her then looked back at the table then sighed heavily.

Emthera chanted quietly and pulled the dripping water from the floor under her table and through the drain at her feet. She also slopped much of the water off the outside of her yellow coat to save herself the trouble of too much dripping. She tried to do it without being noticed, as always.

Cielle looked around curiously and then her eyes shot down to the floor. She thought she left a trail of water there...She was soaking wet when she came in. She looked up at the dark haired girl sitting across from her then shrugged. Maybe Cielle thought she left a trail of water, she probably didn't.
Cielle crossed her arms then felt that her coat wasn't as wet as it was seconds ago. "It must be really hot in here...for my coat to dry so quickly.." She mumbled then slouched down in her seat.

"The heat might be me." Pen confessed. He knew it wasn't of course, having seen first hand Emthera's abilities and job. "I have that effect on people." He winked wickedly, then tried to signal down the waitress again.

"Damn wench, it isn't like I can't pay." Pen grumbled as he too slumped grumpily down into his chair. "Sort of."

"Sort of? What does that mean?" She said signaling the waitress toward the other side of the tavern. She came over without looking disgusted or displeased though not happily either. She stopped and stared at them without a word.

"Well..." Pen shifted nervously in his seat, then brought out a nearly collapsed sack of brown coins.
"What drink and food can I get with this?" He asked eagerly, tipping the sack upside down and shaking it. Two small red stones slid out and clanked on the table. Rubies.

Mai sat in her own little corner, playing with the end of her fork as she watched people walk in with their soaked bodies and tired demeanor. She had just gotten here an hour ago and still she sat. Being inside wasn't the worse but it most certainly wasn't the best. Sighing, she propped her boots on the chair next to her and tilted her head back to notice a man staring at her quite oddly. Though he quickly turned away at the raise of one of her eyebrows. So many people not enough intelligence to go around she grumbled to herself.

"They don't take any kind of gems here, just gold. Some dumb waitress gave away a thousand gold pieces worth of goods for a few pieces of pretty glass. Even when it's real the owner doesn't allow it."

Pen sighed and swiped the gems up and back into his little bag, then waved the waitress away. "Yeah..that's been happening more and more lately. I haven't managed to get a well cooked meal in about a week." He lounged back in the chair again, eyeing the shy girl in the corner curiously. She gave him raised eyebrows, and he quickly looked away.

"No one around here seems to like fire dancing either." He moaned, choosing to plop his head on the table pitifully.

"Fire dancing?!" the girl raised her head up and looked at him straight on. "I haven't seen that in ages." andsmiled . ""I will pay for your meal if you dance for me." finally something exciting! She was a wind elemental so she liked to move,not very good at just watching still objects for too long.

Emthera watched Pen expectantly. She knew that if the lad refused she would probably offer to buy one his rubies from him. Red was her most favorite color.

Pen smirked at the newest girl. "I'd love you dear, but I doubt the tavern's owner who is so determined to keep the place crisp and dry would want a fire display in his establishment. Perhaps....when the rain lets up we will have a deal."

His stomach growled, Pen whimpered, and looked at a window. "Hopefully soon."

"Red just happens to be my favorite color and despite my traveling vagabond outlook I could buy it from you." She produced a number of gold coins on the table. "Name your price and we'll fill your belly."

Now he had two offers for food! This was amazing, but how would be work it to where he could get both? Pen wondered to himself, looking at his sac of rubies, then the rain outside.

He got an idea.

"I'd love to sell you a rubie. Would the price of a meal, some ale, and a bed do? We can share." He offered suggestively. Then, to Mai he winked. "And tomorrow I can show you fire dancing, and you'll buy me breakfast. How does that sound ladies?"