[The Star's Shadow] Center Stage

[Urkut]

17th of Summer, 516 AV

Urkut had never been a heavy drinker, but The Star's Shadow was too beautiful of a bar not to visit. The entire open air courtyard where she was seated was cast in a starry, ethereal glow even though it was hardly midday. The trees, the candles, even the drinks on the tables seemed to radiate the marvelous light. Urkut was stunned.

The locals, though, seemed unphased. They walked to their tables where they sat about and chatted as though it were any other afternoon. Most were drinking lightly with a bit of food for a meal, but a few, such as Urkut seemed to be there only to admire the place and its inhabitants. A tall woman with flowing hair eventually wandered over to Urkut, apparently acting as a server.

"Anything I can get for you, sweetie?"

Urkut hesitated. Although it was but midday, the lighted drinks were fascinating. And if she didn't get one now, who knew when she would get a chance? "I want one of..." She stopped, unsure what to call them. "The star drinks? With the light?" Embarrassed by her Common, she pointed to one on another table. "Like that?"

The woman giggled in a way that was not unfriendly and nodded. "Sure thing. They're called Lhavitian Glows, just so you know." The woman winked conspiratorially. "But you can call them whatever you like as long as you can get me the 2 Kina."

Two Kina? These better be amazing, Urkut thought, but she dished out the money anyway. The woman was gone almost instantaneously, and back in less than a chime. She deposited one of the glowing glasses on the table, grinning the way Urkut imagined a fashionista might when you tried on her dress.

"You go slow now, those things are pretty powerful." And with that, she vanished, whisked away to another table to chatter with someone else.

Urkut peered into the glass suspiciously. Powerful? Powerful meant strong, she knew, but she could not remember for the life of her what that had to do with drinks. And besides, She reasoned, I'm strong, too. So she tipped the drink to her lips and took a nice, big swig.

Immediately, she sputtered and coughed, spewing out a good portion of the drink. Though it was beautiful, the taste was disgustingly sweet, and stung her throat with the burn of alcohol. Urkut could already feel her head spinning and her vision swimming as the drink settled in her stomach. Caught off guard by the sudden lack of awareness, Urkut's hand immediately dropped to her side, where her beloved scimitar hung, partially concealed by her baggy shirt.

"Ah," Urkut grumbled aloud, fingering the hilt of her weapon nervously, "Powerful."

[Alair Makeviht]

This wasn't really recommended, not for someone with her financial difficulties. She was barely scrounging up enough money to pay for bread, let alone splurge on a drink.

But this place was beautiful. She couldn't get over the overwhelming view it had, and the dim ambience it held. It's what had her finding a more secluded spot, sitting down where she wasn't bothering anyone.

So when she was approached, she ordered the cheapest thing she could.

"A Lhavitian Glow, please..."

Her voice was soft, but she handed the two kina over and then curled up in the chair as much as she could without sitting on it like a child. It was tempting to sit like a child, but she didn't want to draw attention to herself. She glanced around at the bar patrons, looking over the different kinds of people and the different drinks that were in front of them.

Her eyes paused on each person she found intriguing, looking them over until they looked as though they would look her way, then she would look away.

Her sketchbook lay in her lap, her fingers curled tight around it and the sharpened pencil on top of it. After a moment, when her drink was brought to her, she pulled the sketchbook out and opened it. She debated on what she wanted to draw, but finally settled on sketching the skyglass that made up the building's structure.

She was more intrigued by settings nowadays than people, not that she wouldn't draw anyone if they really caught her attention. She paused in her drawing after a few minutes, carefully placed lines and slopes making up the framework of the skyglass. She set her sketchbook aside and picked up the drink, eyeing it for a moment, sniffing it curiously, then barely took a small sip. Her eyes widened and her throat nearly close off from the sudden need to cough. She set it down and swallowed repeatedly, trying to negate the very sickeningly sweet taste out of her mouth and lick it off her lips.

When she could manage to breathe again, and didn't feel the need to cough, she relaxed, the slight buzz thrumming through her not familiar in any way. Her last drink had probably been in Alvadas, and it had been nowhere near as powerful, or sweet, as this one she had now.

[Urkut]

Urkut closed one eye to peer into her drink, almost suspicious. She wasn't sure she wanted to drink the rest, but it had been a rather expensive drink. So, with a deep breath to steel herself, Urkut took another much smaller sip.

This time, she was able to swallow the drink without coughing. But as soon as she putthe cup down, she caught sight of another woman who had apparently also been caught off-guard by the drink. She, too, was sputtering. Her small face was red and her body almost balled up in her chair, the very picture of innocence.

The gentle buzz in Urkut's head made her smile as she saw the woman trying to drink, and even brought a tiny laugh to her lips. The sound was almost foreign to Urkut, but not unpleasant. In fact, she realized, she might do well to laugh a little more. So, in search of more, Urkut stood, carrying her drink in one hand. She walked over to the table where the young lady sat and smiled at her.

"Did not they tell you?" She jeered in her thick foreign accent, "The drinks are powerful."

"I am Urkut, of the Tiger Eyed." She gestured to the tattoo on her forehead with one hand, setting her drink on the table with the other. "Would it be okay for to have a seat?"

[Alair Makeviht]

Alair glanced up when she was addressed, then laughed a little that someone had taken notice of her drinking, or attempting to drink, the very very powerful drink. It was so sweet, her teeth kind of ached in her mouth and she almost swore her tongue was going to go numb. "They did warn me, I guess I need to be even more careful." She had only ever had one other drink in her life, and that had been in Alvadas, and she couldn't really remember anything about it except it had been gross. Perhaps alcohol in general just wasn't for her. It mostly made her want to make a face and stick to water forever and ever. She nodded, gesturing to the seat across from her. "Please, yes, sit down." It was strange, having someone want to approach her, much less sit with her. It was...different. It was nice, but...different. She kept minimal eye contact, she was intimidated by most people, but especially people that seemed confident or approached her first. Which was pretty much everyone. She glanced around at the open air bar again, looking around at the patrons, then looked at Urkut, smiling slightly. It was a nice area, a nice place. The view was something that made her want to stay there for hours, days, and sketch the entire scenery as it shifted and changed. "It was powerful for you too?" She had to assume, the woman had the same drink as her, but from the look of Urkut, Alair wouldn't have guessed that the woman would have much trouble. But that was assuming things. She really needed to stop doing that. "I've been living off of dried meat and fruit for the past few months, so this is...so sweet...it hurts my mouth. But...I...think I like it?" Her golden eyes found Urkut's, kind of focused in on the woman, tried to figure out....something about her. Hmm. She wasn't sure, was it that she was intrigued by the fact that anyone had taken notice of her and decided that maybe they should talk to her. She saw no real reason for why someone would want to approach her. She wasn't the most interesting person in the world, was far from it. "...Do...you live here? In Lhavit?" Of course she did, she seemed like she did. It was obvious that the woman was much more at home, or seemed much more at home in the open air bar than Alair felt. She hadn't really spoken to anyone besides Vick since she had arrived in the city, so having people approach her, after her months of travel and pointedly avoiding interaction, it was...pleasant. Even if she was still embarrassed that she was only noticed for nearly choking on her drink. "I've...only just barely gotten a room at the Solar Winds Apartments...I'm trying to find a job right now, but...everything has been...overwhelming...I'm not sure where to start." She eyed the drink after a moment, then pushed it away just slightly. "...This makes me talk a lot, I apologize."

[Urkut]

Urkut smiled a slow, stupid grin as she listened to the girl talk.

"It is no matter," She drawled, "I did come to hear you talk.

Yes, the drink was too strong, but I think I will handle it if I drink small pieces." To demonstrate, Urkut grabbed her drink, swished it as she had seen the richer do, and took a tiny sip. It still burned, but she smiled anyway.

"To being in Lhavit, yes, I live here. But I was born in Taloba. My parents and my...my brother and sister, they still live there." She nodded without much thought, just mulling over the next question. "I do not know what it means to bave been overwhelming, but I know that finding a job should not be a bad thing. What do your family do? Maybe you could do something like them?

Or," She offered with a tipsy giggle, "I can be family. I will teach you to fight, like me. We will be warriors together!" She gestured to the girl, hand out and palm up. "Do not worry about talking much. The drink is the only way that I came over to here. I do not like people, for usual. But you...What was your name?"

It was true. Urkut did not like people, as a general rule, but the small girl reminded her of herself, as a younger girl- unable to find her path, stuck in poverty and shadow. It may have only been the drink, but nevertheless, Urkut was determined to help her.

[Alair Makeviht]

Alair nodded at that, smiling the slightest bit before eyeing her drink again, debating taking another sip of it.

She glanced up at Urkut when she responded to Alair's question, watching her curiously. "...Do you like it here? Or do you miss Taloba?"

Being asked about her family had her looking at her drink, actually taking another gulp of the drink, making a face of disgust and overwhelmed emotion before she slowly relaxed and the burn and sweetness of the drink subsided.

"...I...don't really have one...a family. I was raised in Alvadas, by pirates, and then I came here..."

Hearing that Urkut could be her family and teach her to fight had her smiling a little at that, twirling the glass absently as she mulled that over.

"I'm not sure I'd be a good student for learning how to fight...I've never really fought before."

Alair watched Urkut, then let out a breath. "My name is Alair..."

She met Urkut's gaze, curiosity outweighing the uncertainty.

"And you're Urkut, like you said a little bit ago."

[Urkut]

The girl's question confused Urkut. Yes, she liked it in Lhavit. Everything was shiny and interesting and always moving. But she would miss Taloba until the day she returned, or died. Alair had used the word "or", which indicated she had to choose.
"Yes, I do miss Taloba," She began carefully, "But here is good too. I cannot have both?"

The question was not rhetorical, but Urkut would not be offended if there was no response. Sometimes people acted as though she asked very tough questions, even though she really only wanted to understand their meaning.

Urkut was happily distracted once again when the discussion moved to combat. She grinned widely, and leaned forward in her chair. It may have appeared intimidating to some, but Urkut only knew that she was interested, and wanted to convey that to her new friend.

"Is not so! You will be great. Myri blesses me, and She will watch you, too, if you ask Her." Urkut put down her drink with a loud clink, the now empty glass ringing pleasantly. Her mind had become thoughtless- little more inside it than a gentle buzz- but she was not concerned. She felt that her senses as a warrior were naturally sharper, and that she would be fine with a small hindrance. After all, how many times had she performed this task? She could do it in her sleep!

"Come! I show you now. Myri will guide our blades, if we gift Her our prey."

[Ornea]

Awards Urkut XP AWARDS Investigation +1 Observation +1 Socialization +3 LORE PC: Urkut Location: The Star's Shadow Lhavitian Glows are sweet and powerful drinks EXPENSES - 2 Kina for Lhavitian Glow Alair XP AWARDS Drawing +1 Observation +1 Socialization +3 LORE PC: Urkut Location: The Star's Shadow Lhavitian Glows are sweet and powerful drinks EXPENSES - 2 Kina for Lhavitian Glow NOTES Feel free to PM me if there's something you want to discuss. Please mark your post in the request thread as graded!