(Ahh. My bad. Retcon that. No mention of cyclops bartenders.)
Ely snapped out of her mental wanderings. She looked up at Orp, well, she looked up at everyone pretty much, except other Cathains.
"I am new here. I arrived today, just a few hours ago. And, um, thanks for the advice?"
At least, she assumed it was harmless advice. Though why she shouldn't listen to him was unclear. No, not him. Kiga. He had called the other man Kiga. Ely smiled to herself. She'd found out one thing about him. The research had begun.
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
Margrett turned in her chair to lean back against the bar with a sigh.
Don't mind him. Kiga's a needlessly secretive antisocial creeper. She threw him a sidelong look.
I'd tread carefully if I were you. You know why. She took a deep drink and looked at the ceiling, then closed her eyes in thought.
And let's keep the fireworks to a minimum. With the amount of alcohol soaking every surface of this gods damn place you'd think it would have burned down by now.
Ely [M:164:1653:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=394&page=1#14814][b]A soul on fire...[/b][0:Snuffed][1:Flame On!]
For the first time since she entered the bar Ely looked uncertain. She glanced back at the cyclops, her fingertip drawing idle patterns over the surface of the table. Ely had a swift wit, an adroit tongue, and had been known to bend the truth on more than one occasion. In other words; she thought up a lie, and she thought it up quick.
"Oh, you know. Untold riches, endless opportunities, unparalleled danger, excitement, and infinite dreams..."
She waved her hand in an expansive gesture as if to encompass, not just the room, but the whole area. Ely had no apparent riches visible, her clothing was clean but of common materials, her boots were made of well-cared for leather, but nothing that couldn't be bought at any general store. She wore no jewelry either, her only decorations were burgundy ribbons tied in her hair and around her throat.
"...or something like that. I'm sure I read it somewhere on my way in. I'm Ely, by the way, and who might you be?"
Ely gave the woman who had spoken again another glance. She grinned. It was a careless expression. Her hand lifted again and the flame inside the lantern was snuffed out.
"Harmless I assure you Madam. Though, if the owner is worried about fire... I might know a few precautions he could apply to the place."
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
Dom had been idly plucking at his instrument when the girl had walked in, listening to the conversation and trying not to tense at the possibility of confrontation. He didn't like friction all that much. The new voice was sweet and young sounding, no wonder she'd been questioned. He smiled finally as the tension receeded and lifted his head.
"Well, welcome anyway, miss. Always nice to meet a fellow newcomer. You'll get used to the way this place works soon enough. Generally folks round here seem fine, if tougher'n old boot leather and twice as cracked." He grinned "I hope you'll forgive any little jokes and rudenesses. Name's Dominic McAllister. Might I make your acquaintance?" He still hadn't been fully introduced to some of the town yet, but he always approached the more open seeming ones first. Best not to take a prybar to a door when the one next to it is standing open.
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
Ely twisted around on her seat. From utter quiet the tavern had exploded into chatter from half a dozen different directions. That was probably just her imagination.
Ely waved a hand. She simply could not keep them still when she spoke.
"I'm not worried Dominic McAllister, golly that is a mouthful. Is it okay to call you Dom or maybe Nic and you can call me Ely, fair trade, yes? "
Ely turned back to the woman. She just kept saying the oddest things.
"Of course I have ears, doesn't everyone? Hold on, did you say cat people?"
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
Dom laughed, settling back, happy with the introduction and went back to his strumming. He picked another lyrical poem with a simple, thumping chord structure though he didn't belt it out. He loved being the center of attention, as any performer does, but knew when it was best to serve as background.
Anyone who cared to listen to the second comedic ditty would learn it was told from the perspective of the supervisor of a part of a Baron's retinue. His tasks included 'Talk to serfs' 'Approve banquets' 'Woo Glenda' 'Get Rejected' 'Swallow Sadness' and 'Drink a bucket of wine' all, apparently 'like a boss' or as Dominic's low drawl made it sound 'like a bawss'
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
Ely had gotten distracted by Dominic's singing. Laughter bubbled up in her throat and shook her small shoulders. Yes, it was possible that the earlier alcohol was doing more than just numbing her sore throat.
She wasn't watching Dom, yes, Dom so much as just listening to him, therefore she was able to see the woman's reply to her question. Though, it took her a couple of breaths to say anything past the laughter.
"... sorry... it is just a surprise is all."
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
A surprise to see other catfolk in one place? There's Tallia, the guard, and Chaz, the local nutcase. Then whatever Kiko's friend is. I'm not sure what attracts them.
Kiga reacted to Marg's 'warning' much in the way you might expect him to react - which is to say he didn't do anything. He didn't so much as even acknowledge that she'd adressed hm, she was an idiot if she though he could be intimidated, or even give a thought to her attitude. Nope, Gray had been back for quite some time and he was no longer obligated to listen to her in any capacity. He had remained professionaly courteous but, with such casual warnings for whatever she thought he had done, was doing or would do wrong well; that might have to change.
He didn't dwell on it too much, he was instead rather baffled by Ely's bird trick with the flame a moment prior. Had she done that for him or was it simply a thing she did? The feather though, it was all too.... well identical to his own, but why should a stranger be so observant and then follow up with such a frivalous gesture?
She puzzled him but more to the point, he found himself staring at her without much thought. Until of course he saw the tail....
Kiga's swallowed, started to sweat profusely and with a heavy, burdened sigh, his head fell into his folded arms upon the table. Hopeless.
Ely [M:164:1653:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=394&page=1#14814][b]A soul on fire...[/b][0:Snuffed][1:Flame On!]
"Yes. Very much a surprise. I mean... um...well... I'd expect them in great numbers to the west, you know. Lots of sun, free spaces, and huge open cities. Cathains are very social. But, pardon me if I mention this is a rather small place... compared to the other. Unexpected. Not unwelcome.
Her ears twitched. The sigh was easily heard and Ely stopped chattering to look back at Kiga. He had stopped talking when the everyone else had shown up. She frowned, and it wasn't an expression that fit her face at all.
Kiga's head was buried on his folded arms and he seemed to be in some distress. Ely lowered her voice an octave.
"Hey, are you okay?"
She wasn't sure she should use his name. And that was utterly unlike her. Ely was rarely nervous or unsure.
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
Kiga nodded, but it was more of a grinding his head against his arms. He lifted his head slowly, mouth moving before his eyes.
Yeah, I'm just...
But his eyes caught up. She was peering into his face with incredibly wide emerald eyes... and her ears twitched. His own eye bulged and his flopped back into his arms.
.... just fine.....
His voice was a little shaken and more than that, seemed entirely frustrated. She was very pretty andd geez, why were they always so friendly?