Making a 'Friend' (Flashback)

[Voxxus]

57 Day of Winter
508 AV

The establishment was fairly noisy, and all of the patrons were busy with prior company. Voxxus sat at a corner table and people watched, analyzing the boisterous cheers coming from the side of the room that just so happened to be serving alcohol. He was tempted to head over to an arrogant drunk and use the fool’s demeanor, along with his drink, to attempt a trance. Something he has not yet been able to do. ‘No, the setup has to be perfect.’ He thought as he fought his confidence to succumb to the reality that such a feat would require far more then the knowledge, ability, and setting. His sharp eyes glowed under his dark hair, his breath heavier now as he had given up hope and decided to leave. Picking up his cup he noticed it was not even half empty of the water it contained. Another sigh as he let the realization of the difficulty overwhelm him. What was a mere ten minutes of sitting in this chair, seemed like hours to Voxxus who fought the urge to leave as he brought himself to just enjoy his drink.

A loud laughter caused him to squint as his comfortable moment was interrupted. He glared at the fool at the bar, drooling drunk, so very tempted to try his luck on him. ‘Discipline is the key to manipulation. You must have the finer quality of your victim, else he will overwhelm you and you will be lost in your attempt.’ His master’s words bellowed in a foreign thought, from the back of his mind. Voxxus finally got comfortable enough to unravel the gem on his right hand, letting fall from his grasp, just to tease it as the loop in the chain never left his middle finger. He watched the pretty pearl, allowing it to slowly sway to and fro, analyzing the small speckles of color that flaked off of it. The world around him disappeared, no more loud noises, he had no peripheral senses, his gaze now fixed to the tiny intrigue in front of him.

Then something strange happened. A movement in the pearl. No behind it. The dissolved world retained its self instantly as Voxxus noticed a new-comer to the tavern. He wrapped the pearl back to its original position, and hoped to catch the person’s eye. Perhaps a new ‘friend’ could be made, but more importantly, some decent experience at the skill that continued to baffle him. He kicked the chair adjacent to his own out and stood smiling at the new face.

[Cid]

Cid swerved in and out of peoples' way. He knew that most were drunk and would want to fight. He knew he could take them on easily, lots of brawling and fighting experience. But Cid didn't want to fight. No, he just wanted to go to enjoy a small drink and see if there was any good to be done around the establishment. He entered the tavern with a bit more noise than intended, the door being blown open by the wind, smacked loud and hard against the wall to it's side. Vibrations shook as a picture or two nearly fell off. No one seemed to notice, everyone dancing around, fighting, having a good old time. No one except for one man. The man was quick to rise to his feet and face Cid. Cid was equally fast in drawing his hand towards his long sword. He didn't withdraw the blade but kept his hand there. The man gave Cid an odd smile. Cid didn't meet too many friendly people in Sunberth. Not that everyone he met was bad, but not many were so quick to confront him. That is, unless they were looking for a fight. "Hello?" He said awkwardly, "Can I help you?" Cid wasn't too sure what this man wanted, maybe he just wanted to make a friend. But having spent his whole life in Sunberth taught him to always be wary of strangers.

[Zavyr]

Zayvr stood playing Hai his lute to one side of the room. He stood with one leg standing on a chair, so he could rest his lute on his leg as he played. As he played and started to sing, the crowd started to join in and it started to become a drunken ditty. Though a particularly beautiful women that had an amazing singing voice picked up the ditty and headed the whole song. Zayvr gave her a mischievous wink half way through the song It was in a beautiful evening in Spring A lady was walking a lonesome way The king and his soldiers come riding along They've been away from home so long She was young and fair The birds were singing in the air She was young and fair The birds were singing in the air They suddenly stopped and they spied the maid Why are you walking alone so late? I'm on my way from my grandma's home They said it's a dangerous place to roam She was young and fair The birds were singing in the air She was young and fair The birds were singing in the air So come with me to my castle grand He smiled at her and he kissed her hand There's one condition before I agree The thing between your legs I'd like to see She was young and fair The birds were singing in the air She was young and fair The birds were singing in the air The king he blushed and dismounted his horse He wanted to take the lady by force She jumped upon his horse so quick He soon realised her insidious trick She was young and fair The birds were singing in the air She was young and fair The birds were singing in the air Farewell my king you're generous and fine What's been between your legs is now between mine Farewell my king you're generous and fine What's been between your legs is now between mine And then she went away Over the hills and far away And then she went away Over the hills and far away And then she went away Over the hills and far away And then she went away Over the hills and far away He put down his lute to a round of appluase, whistles and cries of "More!" but, he bowed gracefully and walked towards the bar ordering a mug of ale, sliding the coins towards the barman he glanced around the room his eyes coming to rest upon the odd men, that seemed to be having a bit of a stare off. He swaggered over dodging his way through the crowd, when he arrived he glanced between them. "Something the matter gents?" OOCThe song:Cara-The King and the Fair Maid.Couldn't put youtube clip becuase youtube dont work on my comp -_-

[Gwen]

Gwen sat at the end of the bar, ordering one ale after another. So far, he was only up to three, but he had no plan to stop drinking any time soon. Gwen did his best to tune out the rest of the noise in the tavern and focus solely on his own attempt to find happiness at the bottom of a bottle. However, a small group of men gathering a table near the corner caught his eye. They seemed to stand out from the rest of the crowd. For the most part, the looked like decent people, not the lowlife scum that filled this town. Ordering a fresh pint, he decided he would go closer and see if he could overhear what they were talking about. There was an empty table beside their's and Gwen made his way across the room, fighting through the mess of drunkards and whores, and took a seat with his back turned to the trio. With the last few lines of the bard's song stuck in his head, Gwen hummed quietly to himself as he tried to listen to the conversation. Occasionally, he would motion to a waitress to bring him another pint, but for the most part, he just sat there quietly. It was not hard to see that he was only there to wallow in self pity, so he sincerely doubted that anyone would consider trying to talk to him. At least, he wouldn't talk to himself if he were someone else. The thought of seeing himself while not being himself toyed with his mind as the alcohol began to go to his head. He gave his first smile of the night upon the realization that the ale was beginning to do it's job.

[Khasuri]

Qunari This city was nothing like the glorious city of Anhatep, it was full of petty thugs and run by moronic gang lords. No, in Anhatep even the criminals had a sort of class, a method of keeping their pride. Those were his people, a people of greatness, a people meant to rule. But alas, he was not in the city of his people. He was in a city populated by the inferior. But one must always attempt to embrace his situation in life, no matter how trying it may appear. So in an attempt to make his life slightly more enjoyable, Qunari walked to a local bar. He wore a pair of loose baggy pants and a shirt that split in the center, showing his well cut abdominals and chest. As he walked heads turned to watch, an Eypharian isn't an everyday sight. He had six well cut arms and his physique resembled that of a wildcat, powerful and sleek. As Qu walked up to the door of the desired bar he listened to the sounds of lunacy that echoed outwards, wondering why humans would let such nonsense continue. In his city only the great lords of the four houses would be allowed to make such a rabble. But he chose to ignore the uninviting sounds and pushed open the door slowly. What met his eyes was at least as disturbing as the sounds. Whores and the people of the slums stumbled about the room, the effects of alcohol leaving them in a stupor. Qu looked around hoping to see someone that seemed to have a semblance of sanity. He found a table filled with likely (or at least potential) candidates, and started to walk over to it. He reached it quite quickly and sat down at one of the chairs, nodding his head to the co-occuants of the table, and trying to gather what was going on in the conversation.

[Voxxus]

Posting OrderVoxxus, Cid, Zavyr, Gwen, Qu, and Canali. Ill wait for Canali to post, but but I think we have enough people and I should probably close the thread, you guys agree?

[Canali]

The air reeked like sour cinnamon and sex. The bartender on duty was bustling from place to place, taking orders and stirring drinks. He seemed oblivious to the prostitutes in one corner of the tavern, soliciting their goods. Also of the dealing shuffle hidden deep within the shadows.

Canali sat upon a barstool, feet freely dangling. Her fingernails tapped a rhythm upon the bar top. She had her side to the bartender, leaning on one elbow to survey the room.

Generally Canali wouldn't be caught dead in a place such as this. Tonight, though… She needed to relax; needed a break. Eyes still on the room, she lifted a glass to her lips. The glass was tinted purple at the bottom, spreading slowly in a spider web design to the top.

The liquid burned like ice down Canali's throat, settling like a brick in her stomach. It left a tropical aftertaste. Her eyes slid shut to savor the feeling. This was her first and last drink for the night. Never one to drink in excess amounts, she savored what few she had.

Though a group of what looked to be sober men gained her curiosity for a few seconds, Canali shrugged it off. A group of ongoers was nothing to gain her attention over. The body posture of the group, however, was another thing altogether. Almost every person had a different stance, as though to share different opinions.

The sound of singing brought Canali's head around. The tune of the song, particularly. Her father used to hum it to her when on a run, trying to make it more joyful and fun. They would skip and dance. He only sung the lyrics once to her and she wrote them down as soon as possible. After his passing, she sang the song to his grave.

Lips curving into a reminiscent smile, Canali let the lyrics roll off her tongue. A tiny sparkle formed behind her grey eyes and a light pink stained her cheeks. Voice dipping to a lower octave, Canali met it head on. Even so when it slipped into a soprano range on the chorus.

The wink from the lute player neither encouraged her or discouraged her. The only sign she even saw it was the shift away of eyes. She never knew so many people knew the song!

After the song was over, Canali raised her glass and an eyebrow before sipping casually and turning back to the bar. Paying for the drink, she slid off the stool and wandered into the crowd to find the lute player. His music interested her.

[Voxxus]

“Hello sir, you sure can help. You seem like the bold and daring type who would fancy themselves an opportunity for an extra coin.” He said trying not to sound too business oriented. Voxxus’s master was quite the salesman. He remembers distinctly a time when he talked a man into literally taking all of his clothes off and slap a local guard in the face, just because he could. Voxxus longed for that power. It pained him to be so bubbly, as he was typically observant and uninterested in conversing with others. Voxxus sat and decided if he was ever to become a master he would have to play the game his way. Rubbing his eyes in an attempt to wake himself up from the moment he would then try something different. “A drink for my new friend please…” Voxxus yelled to any who would take his money to supply Cid a drink. “My name is Voxxus, what’s yours?” As soon as the question left his lips, the crowd dulled and then transfixed it’s self to a melody, and a beautiful voice. If the man (Cid) managed to supply the proper acquaintance to Voxxus, it would go unnoticed, as he assumed the same tunnel vision as he did to his pearl, earlier. The lute playing was ominous, but the singing brought nostalgia so severe, Voxxus would start seeing strange images in his head. A women, seen with a cleaned fish in her hands. She was humming, perhaps even slipping a word or two out in her soft voice. The voice near matched the real one Voxxus was hearing at this moment. Everything he wanted before now was futile; he needed to hear this song. It was telling him something about his past that was very important.

The singing now stopped. Cheers and stupid drunken yells violated the moment. Voxxus gritted his teeth as he was looking for the one who emanated the nostalgia. The lute player now approaching the table, Voxxus wondered why, and if the singer would follow. He sat down, not even knowing the bald man who sat at the adjacent table, listening to the whole conversation. He finally noticed a women part the crowd. Her long hair, spiked more strange emotions, until he saw her face. Her face is not right. This is not the right person. The whole surge of contradicting emotions irritated Voxxus. So much so that he couldn’t help himself to fling the chair on it's back as he stood and walked up to her to ask, “Who the hell are you?”

[Cid]

Cid was going to respond with his name and shake Voxxus' hand, but he seemed distracted by the music. As he looked around, he noticed nearly everyone was. He didn't understand why. The music didn't seem to speak to him, than again, not much music did. Cid just decided to wait for the sound of the lute and singing to stop, then he would continue his conversation with the man. It sounded almost like he wanted to sell something. But he would except the free drink, who wouldn't in Sunberth? As the music died down and the drunken cheers began again, Cid noticed that Voxxus' attention was still elsewhere. "My name is Cid-" He stopped as he walked away up to a strange woman. He had also noticed the singer from earlier had approached the two men and asked a question. "Nothing at all." Cid responded. "We were just about to have a conversation, though I'm not quite sure what about." Cid decided to change the subject as it didn't seem that important anyway. "That was some good music." He wasn't really too sure what to say. After all he wasn't that big a fan of music but he wanted to show a bit of respect to the man.

[Zavyr]

Zayvr started as the man threw back his chair and approached the woman that had parted the crowd behind him. He had thought at first that he was mad at him for interrupting the conversation. As he screamed he glanced over at the man that spoke, Zayvr had a mixture of worry and laughter on his face as he glanced at him. He shrugged, "Just something my father taught me when I was young." His face stayed masked with a smile but anyone could tell that the mention of his father hurt him slightly, though he would never admit it or show it. He then pointed towards the angry man, "I think I will deal with this first, then we can talk over the finer points of music." He walked towards the man, hopefully he would tap the man on the shoulder, doesn't matter if he turned or not he would still say "Erm Sir, can you please leave the lady alone? She seems to have a voice of gold, if you hadn't noticed."