[Rearing Stallion] An Open Table with Empty Chairs (Open)

[Jilitse]

"No, I'm fine!" She waved her pipe as if there was something meaningful to it. Perhaps as if to say she already had dinner? She eyed the two creatures from under her hood, wondering about their recent interaction. Would they bond, what were he chances? "I am very thankful to see that Knights go out of their way to help people, regardless of their race." Her voice was very monotonous, but there was a melancholic tone to it, as if she approved John's offer of tutoring to Ocelot. She flickered her eyes to both of them, watching their reactions after her suggestion. Pulsers were truly curious beings, for they are oftentimes wary and cautious - but despite these, they talk to strangers and accept them without initial hostility. Maybe it had something to do with Syliran society. After all, there is no City in the current world that accepts any race as openly as Syliras. That is to say, there are Knights who keeps things in order and holds things together. A flawless management, somewhat comparable to Sahova's systematic society. Most curious.

She replied to John's inquiry. "You can say that I am traveling in search for knowledge related to the divine," in order to find out a way to destroy the million miza golem, Drainira, and end the life and godhood of Sagallius, god of manipulation, "so perhaps, yes, a Scholar of sort."

The Knight revered Sylir, and so he must be kind to animals, an extension of which would be kindness to Kelvics who are usually used as captives or slaves. The Nuit was intrigued at this, but kept her silence and thanked John, "That was very helpful, thank you very much for sharing your insights." She paused and waited for the two to finish eating.

[Ocelot]

Between bites, Oc nodded at John in agreement, not at all put out by his hesitance. After all, Kelvics liked making others happy and she hardly expected a human to understand her loneliness. Even if she did bond with him, Kelvics were bought and sold all the time. Surely she would be okay if things didn't work out. "We'll be square? So it's an exchange and you're saying we'll be even?" Unused to some human expressions, she hoped that's what he meant, as being square sounded both painful and odd. She nodded in agreement with her own conclusion. As John coughed up ale, she gave him a curious look, though she went back to eating her stew after a moment. She didn't understand how it would be funny (or maybe he found the idea ridiculous?), but she took no offense.

She continued listening to the two talk about religion and the gods, avoiding many of the vegetables in her stew in favor of the venison. Ocelot swallowed the pieces in whole bites, occasionally picking out a vegetable and inspecting it on her spoon before eating it.

Finishing her meal, Ocelot found herself trying to inspect Jilitse more closely, her curiosity getting to her. She made no effort to hide her interest, though she did make an effort to stay in her seat a respectable distance away. "Why do you dress like that, Jilitse?" she found herself asking, brows furrowed as she tried to figure out why one would hide themselves in such a way. Oc thought of the woman as kind and couldn't think of why she would have anything to hide, though Oc herself wasn't used to secrets and had none of her own.

[John Griffin]

Lips parted into a smile at Jilitse, "We try not to discriminate based on race. All are welcome in the city and in the Order, provided they are of good character. I have heard that in the old ways people were born into Knighthood and privilege, and that it was static, unaccepting of new people, regardless of their virtues. Now it's based on virtue, and a man such as myself, born into a knightly family, may be rejected if not good at heart."

He took a sip of ale then dug into the venison stew, slurping it up noisily, pretty much shoveling it into his mouth. Clearly he was hungry. He stopped and chuckled. Were all Kelvics weird like this? "Yes, exactly. I'll teach you letter, and you show me your shifting, and then we're even."

He continued at the stew, lifting the bowl up to his face as he listened for Jilitse's answer.

[Jilitse]

She paid attention to the exchange. Transforming into a Kelvic as a swap for being tutored? John must only be making an excuse to help the Kelvic out. Or maybe he really have not seen a Kelvic in the middle of a transformation. She noticed how Ocelot was not familiar of certain human expressions as well--the mark of innocence and youth. But she ate human food--odd, Jilitse thought, it is definitely odd for a Kelvic to lose its original instinct in favor of the human ones--perhaps she was domesticated? She did say she had lived among Kelvics who had masters.

"Oh, these?" Jilitse tapped her hood with her pipe and then brought it back to her lips. "It is a convenient way to both hide your face and peer at your companion. It is rather weird by human standards, is it not?" The question brought a smile to the Nuit's lips. "I prefer to be unseen at times, as I have often found that human eyes have the ability to pass judgment to that which they think is unusual. Such as, rejecting someone with a scar in the face in fear that he must be a mercenary. Or treating a beautiful creature with respect and kindness because pretty faces must mean pretty souls as well." She pressed a thoughtful finger to her lips. It was true, many have judged her unfairly during her stay in Syliras. There were a few who acknowledged her beyond her condition, but she was always met with a blend of wariness and curiosity. Most of the time people communicated with her only to be polite and they were always a little circumspect about asking if she ate human beings. Ah, the limitations of the mortal mind.

If she told them the truth, there was a big chance for someone to freak out. Maybe not them--Oc and John--but what about the other people in the tavern? Given, John was a Knight and he certainly would not let a brawl ensue. Or let harm fall upon a visitor or a citizen. So, should she tell them why she kept her face under a hood? Logically, it was better not to risk chances.

"Let us put it this way," she asked Ocelot, "Have you ever been treated unfairly given that you are a Kelvic, which, for some, is an abnormal condition according to human standards? There are people who enslave Kelvics and treat them poorly and brutally mutilate them just because they can." Her tone was passive, cold, unemotional. The Nuit did not mean to scare or to intimidate. She was laying down the truth. "Maybe not here in Syliras, but in other places..." like in Sahova, where I came from, "Kelvics are seen as slaves, as beings that have less value than humans. Being in such a place, would you not rather hide your face and your identity?"

[Ocelot]

Ocelot nodded with a grin at John. She looked down at her stew, continuing to pick through it until she had her fill, leaving behind several vegetables but no meat. Content smile on her face, she listened as John continued about the knights.

She turned to the woman addressing her. "I understand your point. There are times where it is much easier to just appear 'human' by hiding your features. If I did travel, I might act as you do in an effort to avoid slavers and other kinds of trouble," she said to Jilitse, blushing a little as she continued. "Honestly, I've heard very few tales from those enslaved. Many would rather not relive it, and those in my pack that may have shared were asked not to while those of us that are younger were around. The request itself is cause for worry, but..." Oc let out a shrug. "I hope never to find out what it's like," she added, a distant look in her eyes.

Snapping her gaze to Jilitse, she gave the woman a kind smile. "While I'm not sure of what specifically we are talking about, I am glad you came to talk to us. Especially the way you are dressed, so that I might not misjudge you and miss out on the interesting conversation that's come about." Oc wasn't sure what might be wrong with Jilitse's appearance and she was unsure of how she may have initially reacted because of it. She was happy with her companions and conversation on this night, and it may have gone differently had Jilitse not dressed as she had.

She gave another smile to the woman. "Thank you for answering my question." Oc was not so rude that she would ask what her companion was hiding, and she ignored her curiosity, feeling that the woman would rather not share. "I am sometimes ignored or overlooked, because of my race and the way I act. Getting a straight answer from those who don't have to talk to you can be difficult," she commented. While she wasn't sure if it really was her or if people were just rude, some gave answers she couldn't understand and got angry when she asked what they meant. She didn't ask people many questions anymore, though she could find her way around the city much better now so it was unnecessary. "With the exception of the honor bound Knights," she added, shooting John a grin.

[John Griffin]

John listened with an eager curiosity. He himself had never been the subject of racial discrimination. Being a human, and a knight to boot, in a city of humans and knights, he had always been treated fairly and as his merit and virtue deemed necessary. That is to say, well. Even before he was a knight he was still of the Order, a squire, and before that a page. Never had someone looked down on him, or treated him poorly based on his race. The young knight listened to Jilitse speak of her reason for wearing a hood, and a thought popped into his head. Then Oc said something similar to what he was thinking, and he expounded on it. "Like Oc said, the wearing of the hood also will cause people to discriminate and pass judgement. Where a scar may make people think mercenary, a hooded face may say dark and sinister. While I cannot speak from firsthand experience, it seems to me that people who will judge based on race and appearance will find a way to judge anyhow."

He flashed a grin right back at Oc, and continued to shovel his stew, finishing off the modest meal before setting the bowl down. Taking one of the mugs in both hands, he lifted it and took a long, long draft, draining the entirety of its contents. The young man set it down and pushed it off to the side, for a barmaid to clear at her leisure, and pulled the gifted ale in front of him. He smiled, knowing he still had another one on its way from the bar.

[Jilitse]

Ocelot's gratitude fell flat on Jilitse. The Nuit could not reciprocate the Kelvic's appreciation, and she was not sure she was able to gain useful information from the two creatures. At the very least, she was able to observe how a human Knight and a Kelvic socialized with strangers in a tavern.

She clasped her fingers together and placed her hands on top of the table. Her pipe was dancing on the side of her lips, giving her voice a slight change in tone. Jilitse answered in turn, "Ah, but dark and sinister is good. In terms of appearance, you may form a lot of conclusions about the person. How old he is, his race, his diet. But a concealed face, dark and sinister as it may appear, is veiled. It will not be an immediate discrimination, for the first question would be 'What is the person hiding?' and then the person may think, it is probably something dark and sinister. Most would rather leave the dark and sinister hooded person alone, especially if being hooded somewhat blends in." Of course, being hooded during the night was common, it's just that being hooded during the night inside a tavern was another thing. Jilitse knew that. "And so I would be inclined to agree with Ocelot that honor bound Knights are an exception to this, and disagree with you that you cannot speak from first-hand experience, unless you, of course think that I am hiding something dark and sinister behind my cowl." After all, John Griffin welcomed the hooded Nuit without hesitation, if he did, it certainly did not show.

She swiftly moved back to the topic of ale, "Do you find drinking enjoyable?" Petch, this is a tavern where people ate and drank. Jilitse corrected herself, "I have observed that you have partake more than one mug of ale." And she turned to Ocelot, "And you did not have more than one gulp. Do you not find drinking enjoyable?"

[Ocelot]

Oc listened to Jilitse speak, feeling that she had a lot to learn about the world. She had only ever really dealt with Kelvics and Humans, and to her the races had been rather opposite. Many humans were naturally mistrusting. Even John, as Ocelot had noted earlier, carried a sword with him despite being off-duty. Many were secretive, with Jilitse as a perfect example (as far as the young Kelvic knew). She had met few Kelvics with secret, aside from those who had themselves dealt with humans. Oc had no doubt that Jilitse was hiding something, but the girl had heard very little of other races (in fact, there were many she didn't know existed) and she couldn't begin to fathom what the kind stanger could be hiding.

She nodded in agreement as Jilitse commented on how most people would leave someone hooded as she alone. Ocelot herself would never approach someone like that, though she would have little problem being approached by them. The brunette liked learning about others and conversation was the best way in which to do that. Occasionally she learned something useful that stuck with her, instead of going in one ear and out the other as some information did.

At the hidden woman's last comment about her appearance, a worried look crossed Oc's face. Was Jilitse trying to say that she was hiding something dark and sinister? Or was she just trying to prove her point? The Kelvic couldn't decide, but she shrugged once more, deciding not to worry about it. Worrying would do her no good, after all.

"Oh, no. It tastes nice and leaves a nice feeling in my stomach. I rather enjoyed the sip I had," she began, grinning. "I've seen the way drunks act, though, and I'd rather not be tempted into such behavior. They don't act normal, nor do they make good decisions, and I'm not sure I could drink much without acting in the same manner." Ocelot was, after all, unaccustomed to ale and other forms of alcohol. While she knew that a few sips would do her little to no harm, she feared she wouldn't recognize when she should stop.

Oc looked to John, feeling a smile form on her face at his expression. She thought he must have enjoyed it. She watched him with interest, awaiting confirmation. "Yes, John. Do you find drinking enjoyable?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

[John Griffin]

In his cups by now, though not deeply so, John was feeling good. He smiled freely, and laughed after Jilitse's response on hooded figures. "Eh, I have to disagree a little. It would be an immediate discrimination, followed by the curiousity of what exactly it is that is dark and sinister. But if it is not being bothered that you seek, then it is the price to pay, I suppose." He paused for another gulp of ale, the mug already halfway gone. "The first hand experience I spoke of was being discriminated. Sure, I'm likely stereotyped to who knows what end, but knights don't often find themselves being discriminated against."

"I do," John said with a nod. "Can you tell?" he asked, rhetorically, before taking another gulp. "I know what you mean, Oc, about the bad decisions of drunks. Often as a knight I have to deal with drunks making one poor decision or another. The trick is knowing your limit, though many know theirs and exceed it anyway."

He took a break from the ale, realizing that he was probably overdoing his own. It was time to sit for a few minutes, and let his meal sink in. Then he could finish the half mug and call for his final drink. John took a look around, taking in the crowd with only slightly blurred vision. He was not drunk, by any means, but the ale had gone to his head enough to make the room spin in an ever so slight, pleasant way. It also peaked his curiousity. Being a knight, he was kind and chivalrous, but being a man he still had a man's desire. His kelvic companion was attractive, but he was iching to see Jilitse under the hood. Was she pretty? Ugly? Just plain? He would not think less of her either way, but the primal man inside him wanted to know.

"So, Jilitse, are you dark and sinister, or just wishing to be left alone?" he asked jokingly, taking the topic back to hoods, hoping that it might lead to her lowering her cowl.

[Jilitse]

"I pretend to be dark and sinister so I can be left alone. Which isn't so hard, people think of me as evil without me putting tremendous effort into it." She pushed herself back softly, almost making no sound. If she was correct in assuming, drinking more than one mug of ale would lead to undesirable behavior. John Griffin spoke about not knowing the limit and Ocelot expressed her worry in not being able to act normal and making the wrong decisions. Knight or no, John was making the Nuit feel uncomfortable. At the though of the table slowly simmering into possible hostility, Jilitse found the opportunity to take her leave. She was asked enough questions for tonight, and staying anonymous was gonna get harder the more she would speak.

"Ocelot," she gave a slight nod to the Kelvic; "John," a slight smirk on her face as she bowed her head. "It was nice meeting you both, so long and thank you for the chair." She then stepped back, bid them good bye once again and slithered behind a bar patron before slipping out of the tavern. The waitress she was looking for was definitely not here.

OOCHey, thanks so much for letting me intrude on your table. I have to leave the scene because I'm running a lot of threads already; plus I did not intend to reveal who or what I am! XD I had fun socializing with your PCs, I hope to come across them another time (maybe they will bond, who knows?).

-4cm for the mug of ale