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Get Him Out Of That Den [Open on invite]

Started by Anadwen, April 07, 2014, 10:22:48 AM

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Anadwen

Both of them paled at his question, and looked at each other in confusion. Their nervous glances met.

"She's my supplier..." Arthfael muttered, putting one hand on her waist. Nill nodded and chuckled, but her expression changed a moment later.
"Take that hand off my ass!" she hissed, and softly slapped her companion, pulling herself away. Arthfael stared at her like the definition of innocence itself. "I-I didn't... What hand... On your ass?" he muttered.
"You know far too well! Have you smoked so much of your brain out that you don't realize it's not alright in front of other people?" she burst out. He blushed crimson, and accompanied by the loud clattering of his shoes, disappeared in the back of his shop.

Nill sighed, glancing at Vel. "I'm sorry for this... I told you he's kinda weird." she grumbled.

DaGlobster

Vel watched the exchange between them as he put away his instruments, returning the bass to its pocket dimension and his violin to its case. He could tell something was up between the two. Maybe it wasn't romantic, but it was definitely more than they were letting on.

"Weird? Believe me, I'm used to weird." He chuckled, and took up the nearest chairs, relaxing on it as he sunk into it. It was clear the performance had taken a mental toll on Vel, who had to play three instruments and sing at the same time.

"So...about my payment..." He started, tapping his fingers on the armrest of the chair. "...I have plenty of gold, so I don't need more. Do have anything else you can pay me with, by chance?" He said. His intent was not to come off as suggestive, but he inadvertently did.

Anadwen

Nill gave him a seductive grin. As she leaned in, a part of her dress sled away, and revealed her perfectly-shaped, bronze-colored leg, up to the half of her thigh. "I have many means of payment, my dear... Just ask." she winked at him, and her long lashes fluttered at that like the wings of a butterfly.

She was an attractive woman, and she was well aware of it...

DaGlobster

Vel looked on, and the drumming of his fingers on the armrest increased slightly in velocity. Well, this was definitely not what he had in mind, but could he really complain? In one of his rare moments, he thanked the Master for not giving him an actual face, because it would be obvious that he was ogling her. He bit his nonexistent lip as he considered his answer. What harm could come of it? Besides, she was hard to refuse.

He came to a decision.

"I'm asking." He said, calm and collected, and leaned back in the chair, another sigh escaping his vents.


Anadwen

"...For what? I can offer you a variety of services and payments. I can dance in a clam shell bra and a fisher's net like a mermaid." she joked. That was when Arthfael appeared in the back door again.

"And I though I was special for that dance." he grumbled, crossing his arms on his chest. "You can pay with the stuff in my shop, too, ya know." It was apparent that he didn't really fancy Nill's 'payments' to this person.

DaGlobster

If Vel had eyebrows, he would've raised one. To be frank, that dance didn't sound half bad, but then Jirai came back in, mumbling and grumbling. Yeah, there was definitely more here than a supply relationship. Vel placed his hands together, and thought for a few moments. "Well, that works too, I suppose, but if you would allow the lady to compensate me in the manner she specified, I'd be willing to perform two more songs for you, sir." He suggested.

Anadwen

Arthfael frowned. "Hmpfh. Then let her, what do I care. I don't want more songs. Get lost and take her with you." he growled, rubbing his left forearm. He didn't look as relaxed as before, although his scruffy hair was still giving him a lazy appearance.
"She ain't obliged to anything and neither am I." he added after a while, still running his fingers up and down the skin, covered in thin runes, which have been carved into it a long time ago.

Nill raised a brow. He was being confusing again... Well, their relationship was over, so?

"I ain't interested in anything more." the shopkeeper muttered, and turned away again, slowly walking over to the back room, accompanied by the clicking of his sandals.

DaGlobster

Vel sat frozen in the armchair, hands locked together. It was then that he noticed everything. The thin runes on his arms, the scars on his face, The fact that his ears were cut short. He watched Jirai leave, and then motioned for Nill to come closer, tapping a hand on one of his legs. "Take a seat. There's something I need to ask you." He said, in a half-inviting, half-serious tone.

Anadwen

Nill sat on the edge of Jirai's desk, and crossed her legs, letting her elbows rest on her knee and supporting her chin with her hands. "Yeah? What do you want? Are you meaning to ask what color is my clam shell bra? Cause it's orange if you wanna know." she joked.

But as much as Nill was flirty, she wasn't stupid. This creature... Was sensing something. It was most likely some business around her former lover... She'd hate to break that visor if he discovered that Jirai Iaranase was actually Arthfael Dar'Al'Uliath. She'd hate to break him into pieces, but she might have to.

Otherwise Arthfael would do something far worse...

She shuddered internally at the thought of Arthfael's blood magic.

DaGlobster

Vel chuckled at Nill's joke, but that immediately died down. "Listen, there's something you're keeping from me. No way your friend's a shopkeeper with scars like those." He started, and stood from the seat, pulling his hood back up. There was something familiar about Jirai that he couldn't really place, like he was someone he read about a while ago. "Is this just about getting me to play a song for someone, or does this rabbit hole go deeper?"

Anadwen

"I never said he's been a shopkeeper his whole life. Jirai's a wild guy who had a wild life, but it's his to keep. Even I know little of that life." she replied. The last sentence was a complete lie - no one knew more about him than Nill - but it appeared believable.

"All we had was a short relationship. It didn't work out, cause he's unfaithful and goes after anything hot enough... I know just a few things about him, really. It's nothing more than a wish to get an old friend out of boredom that's been eating away on his brain." she shrugged, giving him the innocent glance of a little girl.

DaGlobster

Vel looked at Nill. He was still trying to remember where he knew Jirai from. The scars, the runes, the ears...the eyes.

The eyes!

Vel took a few steps back, and crossed all four of his arms for a few moments, then put one pair on his waist and held the other pair up. "No...He couldn't be..." Vel started, and he eyed the door. "If what I'm thinking's correct, and if Jirai's who I think he is, I may have...the perfect song for him." Vel said, raising his hands harmlessly.

Anadwen

"The perfect song for me?" Arthfael's casual voice echoed through the room, followed by a silent tap as his black cane hit his palm. His figure appeared in the doorway like a shadow. "Well, well." he shook his head. "I want to see that." he growled.

This was getting uncomfortable, but he was curious, more curious than he was in a long, long time. Oh yeah, so curious...

But Arthfael Dar'Al'Uliath was dead... He couldn't allow himself to get into his old tricks.

DaGlobster

Gods, how Vel wished he didn't speak up. He wished he had a tongue that could get tied up, or have to breathe so he could think about what he was saying between words.

He also wished he could swallow to push down the dread that jammed itself into his vocalizer.

"Uh...Yes!" He said, suddenly throwing on a cheery voice and spreading his arms wide. His vision fell to the black cane in his hands. He had a feeling it was more than a cane, which only served to unnerve him more. Was he doubting his own magical prowess? No. Did he think he could very well die here? If he said the wrong words, Yes.

he snapped his fingers, and two black vortexes opened in the air next to him. From one, he pulled a small hand drum, and the other, a small accordion like one would find on a pirate vessel. In the air behind him, figures formed. They were spectral pirates, rugged looking with cutlasses on their belts and pistols in their hands. There was one spectral pirate that stood out from the others, though. It was Arthfael, depicted as he looked in the legends.

And with that, the song began, with the pirates acting as singing voices, and the spectral Arthfael as the lead voice.

The Coast of High Barbary

Anadwen

Arthfael's eyes widened at the sight of the figures, and then they narrowed with poisonous hatred, but there was a spark of admiration in their uneven irises. His own self, back when he was young, standing before their ranks! Though, he had to say, his real self was more beautiful...

The tip of his tongue ran across his thin lips. He smiled, as innocently as a child. Even Urari wouldn't surpass that. But it was a sad smile, just like it was a sad applause when he clapped as the song ended.

"Congratulations. That was a beautiful song. Yes, I am said to resemble the great Hawk..." he shrugged.

"But that's just stupid fairytales! I'm just a shopkeeper. I'm no pirate. I'm not even an elf, silly!" he cheered at him, like a mother, laughing at a child's foolish mistake. "I was a traveler before, yeah, I went to the land and stuff, and I got caught up in some trouble that crippled me like this. I'm not anywhere near the Hawk!" He shook his head, and waved his hand at such a nonsense.

Thanks god he was such a good actor, otherwise his decades old cover would have been blown! And all because of Nill... Who was going to get some serious crap once this man gets lost.

DaGlobster

Vel visibly wilted when the song was over, the pirates fading away and the instruments falling to the ground and evaporating. He took a few moments to recover, and straightened back up to his full height. There was something about the way Arthfael openly lied to Vel's face that lied to him, and besides, Vel could see it in Arthfael's face as he played.

"I think we both know that's a total lie, Jirai. I might have no eyes, but don't take me for a blind man. Your ears have been cut down, I can see it. I lived during your time, Artfael, I'm 400 years old." He said, and he raised his hands defensively.

Anadwen

Nill shook her head as Vel spoke, gesturing towards him to stop. Arthfael wasn't one to play with... And he was toying in dangerous business that might cost him more than life!

The pair of uneven eyes narrowed again. "I'm very sorry to hear that. I gave you an obvious chance to get lost and disappear from my sight, and live on happily. Now, you give me no options..." His face became sad for a moment, and he shrugged, tapping the cane against his palm again.

His fingers clenched around it, and he suddenly broke it into two. A long, sharp blade was revealed, all along hidden in the cane. "I don't like destroying pretty stuff, you know. But I take my life for prettier than your fiddle, know that, too."

"Jirai, stop this nonsense!" Nill shouted, stepping between the two with her arms spread. "And you, too, Vel... Jirai never had anything to do with the Hawk!"

DaGlobster

Vel stood still, staring past Nill towards Arthfael. He remained quiet, arms crossed, The runes on his arms were glowing dimly, but all it would take would be a thought to set his mechanical body to combat mode. Even as Jirai threatened him, and broke his cane to reveal a sword, Nill was saying that he wasn't a pirate. Arthfael had even confirmed it when he spoke as if a terrible secret had been uncovered. Still he stood his ground, and his mind started running through all the defensive spells he ever learned.

Anadwen

"Nill, get out of this." Arthfael growled, tossing the girl aside. His actual strength was greater than his frail frame would say, and he managed to toss her into a small table. She collapsed onto it and broke it into two.

The cane got a dim red glow. While Nill stood up, he was already spinning it in his arms. There was a lot concealed beneath the black robe he wore - including his strength and speed that were not as little as they should be, judging by how destroyed his body got through the centuries.

"And I'm really sorry for this. I promise you to keep your fiddle in a good state, though!" A mischievous smile played at his lips even then. He seemed uneager to attack...

DaGlobster

Vel stood his ground when Arthfael advanced towards him, although he did turn his head with concern when he threw Nill through a table. It was funny, how Arthfael kept mentioning Vel's fiddle, even though it wasn't anything precious to him or anything. He just happened to bring it along with him today.

Vel was about to see if he could sense magic in Arthfael when the pirate confirmed it, causing his cane sword to start to glow red. In Vel's body, gears locked and tightened. A pause in the machinery, and an infusion of magic into the gears. Vel didn't look any different, but his body was now ready to act on the drop of a hat. "I don't want to fight you. And I get the feeling you don't want to fight me. I mean you no harm, Hawk."

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