A Proper Sendoff (Nira)

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

58th Day of Spring, 512 AV (Occurs later the same evening after 'House Repairs') After a long day of working on house repairs, and a late afternoon carving a brooch for the girl Nira she'd met, Minerva was down at the bar, learning about the horrors of Kelp Beer. This was the first night she'd tried it, and it was horrible. Just terrible. Ick. Yuck. Eww. She had managed to choke down a few mugs, however, and was currently quite toasted. Her coworkers kept buying her drinks (being a cute, perky redhead had its advantages), and the more drunk she got, the less she cared about the foul taste. So when she was on her fourth (or was it fifth?) ale, she was feeling quite loose, carefree, and energetic. Some singing and dancing had started throughout the tavern, and Minerva was overcome by the urge to join the fun. She'd been singing along, even though she didn't know the words to any of the local songs. She slurred her way through them anyway, as best as she could. When the last song ended, someone in the room shouted for another one. But no one could think of another good one. After a few people shouted suggestions and got booed down, Tock decided she was going to pick the song. She hopped up on top of a table, swaying a bit, and thinking that someone needed to adjust the legs on the table for balance. "OY!" she called out. "Any o' yous knows 'She were a clean ol' lass'? From Sunberth?" There was a scattered response, but no one seemed to know the song. Tock sighed, and stomped her foot. "Oy," she said, "okay, 'ere she goes!" Ohhhhhhh! She were a clean ol' lass Jus' as fine as ya could see! From 'er 'air down to 'er ass She were the finest lass 'at could be! An' 'en one day when I would pass Down by 'er 'ouse, believe ya me I couldn't 'elp but ta trespass An climb on up 'er old oak tree! I peered in through 'er window glass An' boy, ya know what I did see? 'Er bare an' finely shaped tight ass OY! What a real beauty! But 'en 'at dear fine nude lass Did turn around an' look at me! I slipped an' fell down on the grass When she squealed just like an ol' banshee! Then 'er Da came out ta beat my ass! Fer 'e knew just what I did see! 'E wouldn't listen ta my sass Nah, 'e jus' beat the 'ell outta me! Now 'at girl I won't 'arass... Though I'll never ferget what I did see! Oy, when I remember 'at ass... Aye, it were one fine booty!

[Nira'lia]

The Kelp Bar was not one of the places Nira'lia frequented in. The few times she had been there was only for one reason -- to fetch her sister. Cecilia, Nira'lia's older sister, liked going to the bar and thought that it was a nice way to cool off. It was not usual for a Konti to prefer such a rowdy place, but Cecilia had somehow grown to like the bar. Even a good distance away, Nira'lia could hear the noise that emitted from the bar. She smiled to herself. Truth be told, it seemed like the people were having fun. Slowly, and not wanting to garner attention, she poked a head inside the bar and glanced around for her sister. The reason she didn't want to call attention to herself was because according to her experience, drunken men did not just let a Konti like herself walk away. The song that was ringing through the bar was being sung by a voice that she knew. It was a voice she had first heard just hours ago. Blinking, she stared at its source, and she was right. She found herself looking straight at Tock, the red-haired, lively craftswoman who had made a brooch for her. It took Nira'lia a while to understand what she was singing about. Her accent was not familiar to Nira'lia, but once she realized what the words were about, she couldn't help but smile sheepishly. A blush crept up to her face at the crudeness of it all. 'Well, doesn't seem like Cecilia's here, she must have left already.' The song had ended. The Konti was just about to turn around and leave when a voice bellowed, addressing her. "Hey, hey! What a pretty Konti! Come, drink with us!" Nira'lia gave an uneasy smile and held up her hands to gesture her declination. Her first thought was to just turn and leave, but that seemed rude to her. Now that a few people were turning to give her their attention, the Konti smiled at them. "No, thank you... I'm not too fond of kelp beer," she said. That was a lie, for if she had tasted the beer before, she no longer remembered what it was like. And even if she said that, a part of her actually wanted to stay and have fun with Tock, since it seemed like the red-haired girl knew how to enjoy, and she felt like she needed a night of excitement before leaving the city.

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

Minerva was swaying a bit, and she half-fell/half-climbed down from the table amidst the laughter and cheers of the drunken people in the bar. She leaned against her friend James, feeling dizzy, but grinning all the while. Then her blurred vision fell on Nira, and her mouth dropped open in surprise. "Oy, Sook!" she called out, stumbling over to Nira and throwing her arms around her in a warm hug. Tock was fairly plastered, and thus feeling quite friendly. She then put an arm around the girl's shoulders and started pulling her into the room. In slightly slurred speech she said, "Sook, ya gotta meet my new friends. 'Ey're very nice, and 'ey's gonna buy us some drinks, ain'tcha boys?" She smiled at the men in the room, who eagerly agreed, and soon another pair of mugs were brought forth for the girls. Tock raised her glass, shoving the other one into Nira's hand whether she wanted it or not, and raised her glass for a toast. "Oy, Sook, whatcha wanna drink to, aye?" she asked. "'Ow's about, ta yer travels, aye?" Still with an arm around the girls shoulders, she tapped their glasses together and said, "Ya can't leave the city what wit'out 'avin' a goodbye drink, aye? Aye!" With that she kicked back the drink, draining the mug in one long swig, and let out a rather unladylike belch.

[Nira'lia]

"N-no, I can't—" Even if she made an effort to protest, she could do nothing as the red-haired girl dragged her along. She was introduced to Minerva's friends, and she reacted to the situation with an awkward smile. Before she knew it, she had a mug in her hands. 'I guess one mug wouldn't hurt. One drink for the road ahead isn't too bad.' She daintily held the mug to her lips and took a sip. As soon as she tasted it, she almost sputtered it right out. What a terrible taste! Kelp was not meant to be made to a drink, and she wondered how everyone else, including Minerva, could even stand it. Nira'lia had heard people calling the beer an 'acquired taste', and now she knew why. Surely these men needed a drink, and this was all that was available, and they had no choice but to grow to like it if they wanted to have their fun. The Konti had a sheepish expression and was about to place the mug back down when a man pointed at her and laughed. "Oi, she can't even take it! You knew around town, girl?" No, she was not new. As a matter of fact, she had been in Zeltiva for more than a decade – and she was leaving in less than two days. It dawned to her that this would be the last time in a long period that she would be able to drink kelp beer. Pinching her nose, she gulped it all down, doing her best not to spit it right out. She tried to do it in one long swig just like Minerva had done. When the mug was empty, she placed it down on the table with a thump and gave a laugh. "How's that, huh?" she asked, grinning widely at Minerva and feeling victorious.

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

"Oy, 'ere ya go, Sook!" Minerva said with a laugh, as two of the men brought them another pair of mugs. Likely they harbored some hope of a friendly, alcohol-aided encounter later in the evening. "'Is stuff 'as gotta be the fourest... fallest... most foul swill I's ever tasted," Minerva said, leaning heavily on her new friend. "But after five o' six o' 'em, s'not so bad. Ya can barely taste it after awhile..." With a fair bit of drunken effort, she managed to raise the glass to her lips, downing another mug with only a little bit of it spilling down her chin. Uncertain of her footing anymore, Minerva slumped into a seat, and pulled Nira down into the chair next to her. Wiping her chin on her sleeve, she asked in a drunken slur, "Oy, Sook... why's ya goin' ta Alvadrrr, anywho? Ya runnin' 'way from somethin'?" She herself had run away from something four years ago, so she knew what that was like. She'd understand quite well if that was the case. She slumped forward, propping her chin on her hand, grinning and giving Nira her full attention. She'd taken a liking to the girl, and likely wouldn't ever see her again after this night. So she might as well make the most of it.

[Nira'lia]

Wait... more mugs!? Nira'lia blinked and stared at the mugs that were brought before her. She fidgeted in her seat and looked at the awful drink before her. The Konti didn't know if she could take any more of it. Really, she should have expected that it wouldn't stop after just one mug, but she was simple-minded. Also, she was starving, and it was nice to put something that had taste in her mouth—even if it was this kelp beer. The famine was taking its toll, and the sporadic meals that she had weren't enough. The soup she had made earlier that day had been a product of a much overpriced fish, and was the only meal she had this day. "No, I'm not running away from anything," she answered Minerva, her eyes still on the mug before her. Going to Alvadas was her call, and if she were truly honest, she had almost not answered it. In the end, not answering her call was what would have been called running away, and she knew it was unacceptable. "I need to go there to look for some people. I need to help them build something... a group. That's what my visions tell me, anyway. The only solid clue I have is an ethaefal I've met in the past." Smiling to herself, Nira'lia took the mug in her hands and gulped it down in a few gulps. Giggling, she placed the mug back down. Her face had a reddish tint to it, making it evident that she was a weak drinker. After only two mugs, she already felt her face becoming warm, and her brain was already slightly fuzzy. The Konti turned to Minerva, her eyes twinkling. "This thing does actually get better after a while!" Not much better, but she could probably tolerate it a few more times. She laughed as a new mug was produced before her by one of the men. The Konti missed the meaningful stare he gave her, and she thanked him with a bright smile.

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

Minerva's eyes glazed over a bit as Nira explained her calling in more detail. The alcohol was starting to take its toll on her. "Group?" she asked distractedly. "What kinda group? Ain't no... whatchacallser, government nothin', aye?" She frowned at the very idea. She jabbed a finger against the girl's chest and said, "You's been careful out 'ere, Sook. S'a petched up world out 'ere, aye? I done been all 'round 'is side o' the world, an'..." Her gaze drifted around the bar, and she hiccuped, losing her train if thought. A long moment later, her eyes found Nira again and she grinned, patting the girl's hand. "You's awright, Sook," she slurred. "I like ya jus' fine, I does. S'too bad you's leavin'. I jus' done got 'ere last week. We coulda been friends..." She shrugged, raising a new mug to her lips. She didn't really have any friends. She'd met a few people since arriving in Zeltiva, but it took longer than a week to develop real friendships. She'd left behind the few friends she'd made in Syliras last year, and had spent autumn and winter drifting from Ravok to Nyka to here. She hadn't really made any strong connections in either of those places. "Ah, well," she shrugged, clinking her mug against Nira's. "'Ere's ta 'coulda been,' aye?" She finished off the mug and slammed it down on the table. She then belched in a most uncivil fashion.

[Nira'lia]

"No, not a... not a government," she replied in a dazed tone. "More of like... an association? I think it would be called that." Nira'lia found herself nodding to Minerva's words. She agreed with the red-haired girl. It would be an odd friendship, but the Konti thought she would want to be this person's friend. Minerva was quirky and seemed to be one-of-a-kind, and Nira'lia thought they would have had lots of fun together. If anything, Minerva would be able to pull her out of her shell. "To... what?" asked the Konti, tilting her head. The more they drank, the more difficulty she had understanding the girl's way of speaking. "Did you say to what could have been? Right, right... to what could have been." She chugged down the contents of the mug and put it down on the table. That had been her third. The sounds that she could hear were starting to dawdle together, and she was having a difficult time perceiving what was going on. Even if she had arrived later than most of the people there, it was as if she had already drunk more than they did if one would only judge from her actions. More mugs were brought before them. At this point, Nira'lia didn't have enough common sense to turn them down anymore. She accepted them as they came, altogether forgetting her inhibitions. "Don't worry!" she said to Minerva in a voice louder than usual. "I'll write to you, I promise! You can tell me all about what's going on with you, and vice versa. You can tell me all about the stuff you build, yes?"

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

"Write?" Tock asked, sipping at her drink. Her stomach was so full of the swill that she couldn't chug another one. Luckily her mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and the pleasant numbness made it so she couldn't really taste the swill. "Like... letters?" She thought about that for a moment and grinned. "Oy, I ain't done never got no letters 'fore. Ain't done nobody been done been..." she paused, putting a hand to her face for a moment, "done wrote me 'fore. 'At sounds like a right fine idea, Sook, aye she does..." Someone in the back of the room started playing on a flute, and Tock started slapping her hand on the table in rhythm. She didn't know the words to this tune, or if it even had words. But sue found herself moving to the music anyway, and after a moment started pulling on Nira's sleeve. "Oy, Sook, dance," she said, tugging hard to get the girl out of her seat. She grabbed her friend James by his shirt collar and pulled him to a somewhat clear space between the tables. "C'mon, dance Sook!" she said, laughing happily. She grabbed a pretty man from the crowd and shoved him at Nira, then started dancing with James. Or, rather, stumbling around while leaning on James and trying not to fall in rhythm with the music, laughing all the while. She wasn't feeling very ladylike at the moment, so her dancing involved a fair bit of pressing herself against James' body, making him blush quite a bit as he tried to keep up with her movements. She spun around the improvised dance floor, arms around James's shoulders, looking over at Nira to see if she was having fun. She scrunched her nose up and smiled, flashing the girl a playful look to encourage her to let loose.

[Nira'lia]

Mouth agape, Nira'lia stared at the man before her. She had never seen him before, and she instantly felt embarrassed, remembering how Minerva had shoved him at the Konti. In her mind, he was forced to be here in front of her. "I don't... uhm, I don't dance," she said weakly, hoping to reason her way out of this awkward situation. The Konti glanced at the red-haired girl and saw that she was spinning around with someone whom Nira'lia assumed was her friend -- a friend who currently had crimson cheeks. "Oh, don't worry about it, there's nothing to it!" said the man as he suddenly grabbed Nira'lia's hands and spun her around. Blinking, visions filled Nira'lia's eyes as her Konti gift took its path, images of this man's happiest moment. Still trapped in the daze of the alcohol, Nira'lia didn't really take into mind what she had seen, though the feeling of happiness enveloped her. The man continued to lead her around the room, and Nira'lia felt silly as she allowed herself to be swayed around by him. She laughed -- truth be told, he wasn't too bad to look at, and the quick-paced actions made her adrenaline rush high in an exciting way. Minerva knew how to pick someone out of a crowd, and she was thankful for that. Other people started to join in the beat, and soon enough more individuals followed the red-haired girl's idea of fun. The music continued to play, and Nira'lia thought in a haze that this was a nice way to spend an evening and a good break from all the mayhem the city was currently experiencing. To her, it was amazing that people could still find enjoyment in a time of such turmoil. As the man led Nira'lia around the room, the Konti saw that she was now pretty close to Minerva, who was still dancing with her co-worker. She wondered if Minerva even realized the effect that she had. Giggling, Nira'lia leaned over to Minerva and whispered, "Hey, you're making him blush too much!"