|
Post by Yuko on Jul 11, 2022 2:46:00 GMT -6
At first nothing seemed to be happening. The seconds seemed to tick by like eon's passing. Perhaps the longest seconds of anyone's life, that moment when someone's life was hanging in your hands, and you wonder if you made the right choice. Helena was indeed the more studious of the two and in all honesty, Yuko did not know what would happen if she died down there, or if she had died in the pantry. She was fairly confident she would have traumatized someone. The shaking stopped soon, and her body relaxed. She couldn't taste anything; all she could taste was her own blood and wasn't even sure at first if anything was making it in, but she was doing her best to drink it down. It wasn't long before her senses started to come back slowly.
She was starting to be able to make out shapes and lights. At first, maybe she thought she was getting a glimpse of what all those mortals talked about. The light at the end of the tunnel they called it but all she was really seeing was the light from the pantry shining down into the cellar. Thats when the smell finally hit her. It was so sweet, and the smell of honey was just so heavy in the air. She felt like she was drowning in it. It wasn't just the smell of the honey she was smelling, but every flower that those bees had visited to create that honey, and these were no ordinary bees. It was like someone opened a bottle of spring, of life, down in the cellar. This was a very strong brew and finally, some part of it had finally began to wash the blood down and it hit her tongue. The taste was something so divine that it was positively sinful. Something so delicious was being poured down her throat and it was just an explosion of flavor. She just wanted to drink whatever this was and slip off into this hazy feeling that she had growing at the back of her mind.
She was starting to make out more than just shapes and lights, she was seeing colors. As her vision grew stronger, she realized who it was that she was seeing and who was with her. The blond air, bright blue eyes, the pale skin and that signature look of worry. She shifted from her wolf form to her human form with clothes on and took over holding the keg. She got a better grip on it, and well really started to chug it down. Yuko in her human form, looked equally starved. Her skin was a sickly color, and you could see pretty much everything. The fur had been covering the deep black and purple bruises that covered a lot of her body, and around her neck it looked like she had possibly been wearing a collar. Then one would realize that a lot of the bruises were in fact from restraints. Someone had been trying to keep yuko contained and didn't want her returning back to the castle or escaping from wherever she had been, and she had fought like hell against that. She paused her drinking to take a gasp of air and looked at helena. She was overwhelmed with joy, of happiness. There was this look on her face, one of relief and something else however that look was very fleeting once she realized exactly who it was that she was looking at. God damnit I thought it was her. Her nick name as a child, had not been little mya for nothing. In her defense, she would cite the state she had been in not to short ago.
One could visibly see her gaining weight, her clothing beginning to fit better now that she was gaining body mass back. Her sickly ashen skin was starting to get some color back. The bruises were rapidly fading, and blood stopped flowing from everything. She plopped the keg down, after running her hand over it. The sigil on the barrel glowed a golden color before it seemingly repaired itself. They always enchanted the barrels for repair, because the biggest heartbreak that could happen was a broken barrel of booze. Breathlessly, she managed to get out. " Let's not tell your mother about this. Where is she?"
She just sat there between the two for several moments. Even her hair was growing at a rapid pace. Before it had been short and ragged, but now it was long and luxorious. Slowly she got up, staggering a little bit, but she managed to get onto her feet. " Sorry. I'm sorry. That was a mess, I should get you two cleaned up." The more that time ticked by, the more and more she seemed to be getting to okay. It was like months of healing was occurring in seconds. This was probably massively uncomfortable for her including the suddenly going from practically skin and bones, to fully fleshed out and a healthy weight, and suddenly having muscle mass. It was like time itself was turning back to when she was at peak health. Something was bothering her at the back of her mind. There was a buzzing there in back of her skull. She rubbed the back of her head and froze for a moment. She just went "Ah." she pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and began to wipe her hand off. It was a little fuzzy, but she was starting to remember that she had flung herself down the stairs. She wondered if it had been when she smacked her head on the stairs, or when it slammed into the railing, but her money honestly was on the stone floor. She kind of just looked down at the floor and made a face at the pool of blood there. She really had made a mess of things.
"Come on, up and at 'em. I can't get you cleaned up while you're kneeling in a pool of blood." Her voice was stronger, and she seemed to be getting stronger. She was trying her best not to talk about what literally was just happening moments ago because if she talked about it, then she had to face a memory she had no recollection of ever making before. She swallowed hard as she looked down at them with a puzzling look on her face. She was doing quite well to hide the fact that she could feel her skull putting itself back together. She wasn't sure where her own regenatrive abilities were kicking in and were the enchanted mead stop, but she knew it was like an adrenaline shock to the system for her. She was hoping to get everything settled before that shock wore off. Normally there was a few days of euphoria and other feelings that came with this wine, but that was ideally meant for someone in perfect health. She was on a clock that was counting down and when she went down, she wasn't quite sure what was going to happen. She didn't know if it was just going to be sleeping for a few hours, a few days or perhaps the next century or two and if that was the case, there was something she needed to do beforehand.
Yuko's heart felt like it was breaking because there was a memory. A feeling, something that was fading more and more she healed and became alright. There was a fragment of this memory she was holding onto desperately, but she could feel it slipping effortlessly between her fingers. She remembered being in a field of tall, sweet smelling summer grass, but this was not the field by the castle she had been in not too long ago. This was a field no were on the mortal coil. She remembered how tall this grass was, how it stood up to her chest and just seemed endless. She remembered running through the grass and she was chasing someone. There was this feeling of joy, of simply being at peace. She just stood there deep in thought, rubbing her wrists waiting for the two to get up. She remembered not being able to catch to whoever she was chasing, no matter how hard she tried. She remembered it had been a wolf, one that was a brown color with hints of a rusty red color in its coat. It would stop to make sure she was following and wait, but always remained just outside of her reach. It had frustrated her that no matter how hard or how fast that she had run, she couldn't catch up with them. They'd just paused and look back at her, as if to say you are almost there. Yuko looked confused by whatever it was that she was thinking about. By the time they were up on their feet, this memory, that feeling was just gone. Yuko had no recollection of it and didn't know what she was thinking about so deeply just seconds ago.
|
|
|
Post by Mya on Jul 11, 2022 16:45:49 GMT -6
Keaira was glad to see Nightfire consider her offer so carefully. She may have been concerned had he jumped at the first mention of it. Kodaka had been teaching him well. What a good father! Kea hid an amused smile behind her hand. Such a strange thought to cross her mind. She was not made for children, nor did she ever have any desire to have one of her own. Kodaka may have been raising the dragon and could almost be considered Nightfire’s father, but Keaira was certainly no mother!
She shook the thoughts of Daddy Kodaka out of her head and returned her full attention to the task at hand. As he discussed what size he wished to be, Kea wanted to just nuzzle up to the adolescent dragon. Perhaps it was because he wasn’t humanoid, but she just thought he was too cute. Especially with how worried he was about being too small. “Wolf size is very much achievable. Though once the deal is completed, you should be able to adjust your size if you’d like. Though you will be the most noble of creatures no matter your size, love.”
Keaira clapped her hands together once, “Well, then, if we are in agreement, I will accept the scale now and you can take me for a flight later and tell me your story.” While she waited for Nightfire to give her a scale or tell her which one she could take, she took a couple steps backwards. With a snap of her fingers, Keaira was shrouded in a purple smoke as she took on her true form. Curved horns protruded from her head and a smooth black tail with a heart shaped tip snaked out from her behind. Her skin tone changed to an ashy-purple color that shimmered faintly under the right lighting conditions. Keaira’s ears grew and pointed. Once upon a time she was ashamed of her true form and would murder anyone who spied it, but now she learned to embrace it and flaunted it when she was with the right company. After all, it was her devilish beauty is what landed her modeling gigs in the underworld.
Keaira’s eyes glowed bright as she began to conjure her magic. She whispered words in a demonic language and began to float off the ground a few inches. “Dragon Nightfire, you have agreed to the terms of our contact. I, Keaira Jormungandn will take payment and proceed with our deal.” She accepted the scale he gave her and held it in two hands. It glowed red hot and liquified. She cupped the molten liquid and brought it to her lips. Once she had consumed it all, she wiped her mouth.
“Let the law of the underworld bear witness to this contact and make it so!” She felt a buzzing energy underneath her skin as her magic ate the scale. By this point she was hovering about a foot off the ground. She gently placed her hands on either side of Nightfire’s head and leaned forward to plant a kiss on his snout. The same purple smoke enveloped the two as Keaira sealed the contract. Kea could feel a surge of power pass through her lips and into Nightfire’s core. He might feel her magic as a leisurely stroll across sand in a blistering hot desert. It wouldn’t be unbearable but might make him uncomfortable for a few moments.
She felt him get smaller in her hands as she pulled back from the kiss. The smoke faded away and Keaira gracefully returned her feet to the ground. The glowing in her eye slowly dimmed until it was back to normal. Her appearance had changed back to her human form. “How does that feel? You should sense my magic here…” She pointed to where his heart was in his chest. The heat from her magic would have died down but he would feel a slight abnormal warmth inside. Not enough to make him uncomfortable, but enough to remind him of the contract. “Now remember, you must come and go from this front courtyard if you wish to make yourself smaller. Leave the castle grounds and you will return to normal. Would you like to come inside?” She patted the top of his head and motioned for him to follow.
|
|
|
Post by Kodaka on Jul 12, 2022 13:40:29 GMT -6
Nightfire felt himself breathe a sigh of relief when Keaira confirmed that shrinking him down to wolf-size would be achievable. He wondered to himself if being ‘shrunken down’ was the correct term for it as such a feat almost sounded painful. While he doubted the lady demon would purposefully make the process afflictive, he felt a knot growing in the pit of his stomach out of anxiousness. He hummed in appreciation after she mentioned his nobility would still stand no matter his size, her flattery lifting him out of his nervous state for the most part.
When Kea mentioned the scale a thought cropped up in Nightfire’s head and he turned to look at a specific part of his back. He squinted and examined himself with careful eyes until he spotted what he was looking for, a missing scale near his spine just between his shoulder blades. Rather excitedly, he explained to Keaira that he was rubbing up against a great tree earlier and must have dislodged one into the bark. Hating to waste it, Nightfire asked for her permission to go find it. When she consented, he growled happily and stepped away from her. When he was sure she was out of harms way, Nightfire crouched like he was about to run a marathon and galloped off. The earth shook under his weight as his legs carried him swiftly and gallantly, wings tightly folded against his back and his head dipped low and pointed straight ahead. He turned on his heel and disappeared from view around a bend where the forest met the castle grounds.
A moment or two later Nightfire returned running only on three legs now as he clutched something against his chest with one of his paws. He stopped a few yards away from her, his paws digging into the earth as he slid forward an extra foot or two at a sudden halt. He approached her slowly and calmly the rest of the way, despite the quickened breath filling and escaping his lungs. That little burst of energy was about all the young dragon had for the evening and they hadn’t even fulfilled the contract yet.
Nightfire nodded wordlessly and dropped the black scale into her waiting hands and with a tilt of his head he watched her begin the ritual. He was not expecting the purple smoke but then again the dragon hadn’t a clue what he should’ve been expecting to begin with. Kodaka never told him about what to look for when accepting a demon’s contract. For an instant he wondered what the Nephilim’s reaction would be when he found out Nightfire had gone where he would not. Though this was a special circumstance and there shouldn’t be a reason the man would be upset with him the dragon thought.
The dragon watched in respectful silence as Keaira began to change into what must have been her true form. His ruby eyes glittered with fascination and awe and he had to agree with his mercenary friend; She was quite beautiful. The entire ritual was a fascinating process, the foreign words she murmured were of nothing he had ever heard before and he could feel the magic and power coming from them. His head dipped in quiet consent as she mentioned proceeding with the deal and Nightfire found himself sinking onto the ground as he lay among the grass. He couldn’t help but tilt his head as she consumed his molten scale and he wondered to himself the intensity of the heat that was needed to melt it. That would perhaps be a question to ask Daniel, the dragon mused to himself.
Keaira drew close to him and Nightfire dared not move. He tensed somewhat as she put her hands on both sides of his jawline and pressed her lips against his snout. He dared not even breathe. He was dimly aware of that violet smoke again as it covered their surroundings, but Nightfire’s attention was purely on the demonness. He felt a foreign power enter him from Lady Kea’s lips and mingle with his core, his very soul. Nightfire, like most dragons, had a great tolerance for heat but this was a sudden warmth that permeated him from within and grew at an alarming rate. His eyes fluttered shut as he took it all in and felt his entire body be overtaken by a strange aura he could not possibly begin to understand. His senses were simply overwhelmed at the sensation of his body changing and the world around him growing larger. He felt the weight of Keaira shift away and, slowly, he opened his eyes again.
The very first thing he noted was that he was now looking up at Keaira. Alarmed, he wondered if his entire body from the neck down had sunken into the earth and the wolf-sized dragon got up on all fours to examine himself. He let out a sharp, surprised growl that kind of sounded like a squeak when he beheld his new but still familiar size.
Though he was definitely shorter, Nightfire still wanted to make a mental checklist of all the things that changed. His tail was still long and he still felt balanced, the base near his hindquarters felt considerably less powerful but still thick with muscle. His legs, besides the obvious, still felt strong and capable. He turned and walked himself in a circle as he examined the rest of himself and gave a satisfied snort. He looked just as lithe and well-built as he remembered being when he was this young. Wanting to check just one more thing, he sat on his hunches and completely opened his wings. His wingspan was much shorter now but he was confident he could still lift himself into the air. He nodded enthusiastically to himself.
Nightfire then gazed up at Keaira with the face of a younger dragon, and as she pointed to where he should feel her magic, he tapped at his chest with a single talon. His head was significantly less angular in this form, looking more rounded and spade-like than his adult self. A pair of horns grew out the back of the hardened crown of his head though much smaller and with only a slight curve similar to a goat’s. Maybe most noticeably was the difference in Nightfire’s eyes. They were bigger and much more expressive with that same alien intelligence somewhere deep behind his gaze.
‘It feels… nostalgic,’ mused wolf-sized Nightfire. His tail curled around him and his wings lazily folded halfway as he let them hang limply over his shoulders. His neck arched as his head dipped to look down at where his heart was beating against his chest and he did indeed feel it: the reminder of what he agreed to. Perhaps it was because of how kind Kea had been to him, but the warmth her magic left in his heart was a reassuring one. It was a warmth that he would almost be sad to be without in a month’s time, though he had a feeling they’d be doing this again in the future. Nightfire looked back up at her with those glittering eyes as she patted him on the head.
‘I would like nothing more. Thank you Lady Keaira, truly,’ he said and lowered his head partway to the ground in a gentledragonly bow. He then followed at her side with sort of a hop in his step, his tail swinging side to side excitedly. As they strolled toward the castle through the courtyard he thought quietly to himself for a moment. When they reached the doors, the little dragon stopped and looked up at Keaira to catch her eye. When their gazes would meet, the little dragon hesitated a second.
‘He’s told me this several times, but Kodaka is right,’ he said rather matter-of-factly. ‘You are quite beautiful.’ It was an innocent observation. One thing that Nightfire admired about Kodaka was that he never scoffed at any anyone based on their appearance alone. He saw worth in everyone and he saw the beauty in a lot of things others did not. Kodaka himself was scarred inside and out but he remembered many of the man’s drunken ramblings. The Nephilim was truest to himself and about others when he did not have the will or ability to restrain himself. He hoped that one day soon the Nephilim would find the courage to open up without opening a bottle of liquor.
|
|
|
Post by Fina on Jul 13, 2022 15:05:48 GMT -6
Escaping into the night was easy in theory, but proving a challenge in practice for the raven. Once she cleared the castle's window, she struggled to orient herself. Her kin were daylight dwelling and therefor not naturally gifted with the advantage of night vision. Her field of view would prove acceptable for avoiding major obstacles, but her range was rather poor. Ideally, she knew she should shift and continue on foot. While her travel would be less impeded, she'd have to sacrifice the speed her wings gave her and if Vasili stubbornly pursued her still..? It was all a calculated risk.
The raven maintained a low altitude as she braved the dark of the early evening. The gods surely smiled upon her tonight as soon she found the castle's outer wall. At that point, she beat her wings hard to ascended to the top with her bottle cap prize still held tight. Once she crested the parapet, Aesira dropped down to land gracefully in a crouch. The whiskey cap clattered to the stones beside her foot as she cast a quick glance about for more obnoxious castle guards. The blessings continued as she seemed to have chosen the right parapet.
As she collected her new bottle cap Aesira relaxed with a sigh as she sidled up to the outside edge of the parapet. She fiddled absently with the whiskey cap as she considered the forest hugging the castle's boundary. "For once, I wish I could translocate." She thought, pouting softly. This was yet another gift not bestowed upon her, sadly.
As Aesira stood, brooding over the injustices of her existence, her grip on the cap slipped. The bauble tumbled from her hand to the ground below as she swore. She quickly peered down over the edge as her pout deepened, helpless as the cap disappeared below. She whined softly, she stole that prize for her collection! It might seem insignificant to most, but she didn't wish to go home empty handed.
|
|
|
Post by Fina on Jul 14, 2022 17:30:42 GMT -6
After seeing to her cloak, Serephina had turned to find Brandon with her basket again in her hand. She had prompted him, but when he didn't immediately reply she turned fully towards him. Her brow rose as she found a wide eyed, stock still Brandon in her entryway. She chuckled as she grinned broadly when he seemed to find himself and face her. "Ah, yes." She said, "As we've grown, we needed more space to expand services." She explained, "Last winter, I added the same spacial enchantment to the guest rooms." She added as she motioned to the rooms adjoining on the left side of the living room.
When Brandon requested the tour, Serephina was clearly pleased as she brightened. "The tour it is! Please follow me." She said, stepping away from the entryway. "The living room doubles as our waiting room. On this floor, we have rooms for seven." She began. Fortunately, at this time of night, most would either be resting up at home or otherwise roomed so her tour wouldn't be too disruptive.
As Serephina strolled the living room, she motioned first to the group of adjoining rooms to their right. "These rooms are for patients seen during the day for routine aliments." She explained before then motioning across the room to the other three adjoining rooms on the left. "Those rooms are where we accommodate patients requiring overnight or more extensive care." She said. She made note to check the roster. It was likely Brandon would be accommodated easily in one of those rooms tonight.
Keeping up her momentum, Serephina strolled towards the rooms towards the back of her home. As they approached, she softly exchanged greetings with the apprentices in passing. "Here, we have the spelling lab." She said as they crossed the threshold, going from living room into the lab. The spelling lab was arranged galley style with a wide walkway to better allow ease of flow. On the two long counters used for prep work was where mortar and pestle, scales, books, and other tools were kept. "At the end there..?" She said, motioning towards the other end of the lab. There the apprentices came and went from a room just off the lab to the right. "That'd be supply and inventory for the clinic." She said as she set her full hand basket on the prep counter. She'd return to see to the evening primroses, she decided.
At the lab's doorway, Serephina turned towards the hall on the right. The delicious aroma of a good home cooked meal welcomed them, making her stomach growl. "Are you hungry?" She asked Brandon as she led him down the hall. "We can grab a bite here. Then I can show you to the second floor?" She offered as they rounded the corner to the kitchen. "Do you have any questions..?" She asked. It was busier in here, but the mood was jovial as they entered.
|
|
|
Post by Mya on Jul 15, 2022 15:16:01 GMT -6
Keaira noticed out of the corner of her eye that Nightfire was looking at her more closely. She turned around to walk backwards as she watched the dragon with a small smile. The voice of Nightfire felt silky inside her mind. It still was strange to hear another voice in her head that wasn’t hers. Part of her wondered if he could hear her thoughts and hoped that he couldn’t. There wasn’t a person alive or dead that should ever be privy to what happens in her mind.
“I’ll show you around a bit when we get inside. We can go to the bar as I’m sure that’s where Koda is now,” Kea turned back around to watch where she was walking. It wouldn’t be very becoming if a woman of her stature tripped. She had a reputation to uphold. When Nightfire mentioned agreeing with Kodaka’s comments on her beauty, she paused for a moment before continuing on. She had been complimented countless times, but it hit different coming from a dragon that wasn’t sizing her up as a potential mate. She also didn’t realize that Kodaka actually spoke of her when she wasn’t around. “Oh Nightfire, you’re too sweet…” Neither Keaira or Kodaka had ever been particularly vulnerable with each other, at least not while they were sober enough to remember. Still, there was some unspoken intimate connection between the two that extended beyond the bedroom. Neither of them seemed willing to admit it. The two of them certainly made for an odd couple. Kea could feel her heart fluttering in her chest as they entered the main foyer. Just a few more moments and she would see him again.
The castle was quiet save for the sound of her heels and Nightfire’s claws clicking on the stone floor. Kea kept her voice low as she gave the dragon a brief rundown of what little history she knew of the castle and it’s denizens. She didn’t know a lot about the castle as her visits were often brief. The demoness made sure to mention the different doors that would eventually lead to the outside world. She figured that Nightfire was likely unaccustomed to being indoors and would appreciate knowing how to escape should he feel uncomfortable.
The closer the two got to the bar, Keaira quickened her pace slightly. She tried not to make it obvious that she was eager to reunite with Kodaka. “There’s the kitchen attached to the bar and you can get into the gardens from there. Ah, here we are… oh?” They had arrived at the entrance to the bar at just the right moment to catch some of the chaos. She watched for a moment as the unfamiliar blue haired demon was defeated by a mere raven and dove out of the window. Here Keaira thought she would make some grand entrance and liven the typically quiet place up, but it seemed that she didn’t need to. Now that it was just Kodaka and Daniel in the bar, Keaira sashayed to the counter, making sure to accentuate her the motion of her hips with each step.
“Excuse me, sir, but is this seat taken?” She pointed to Kodaka’s lap. Before he could even answer, she placed her clutch on the bar top and sat down. Kea motioned for Nightfire to come over and join them.
|
|
|
Post by Kodaka on Jul 15, 2022 20:23:53 GMT -6
Startled, Daniel took a full step backward as the raven landed atop the blue-haired man’s back who was now belly-down on the bar top. Did he just hear her laugh at the scene they just witnessed? Mr. Hawthorne winced as he watched the claws dig through the back of the man’s uniform and judging by his howl, into his flesh as well. When the corvid eyed him and Kodaka, Daniel felt his head tilt to the side as he waited for something to happen, unsure if he should be getting ready to defend himself from the bewildering bird. When she loudly cawed and pecked at the man she was perched on, he gasped and watched it hobble over to Kodaka’s side of the bar and pointed at the carrion exclaiming to Kodaka, “Watch out!” Kodaka meanwhile watched the scene with complete and unfiltered amusement. He caught the man’s first initial glare but before the stranger could say anything the raven had landed. Bemused now, he watched as the raven hopped over, spotted something on the bar top and quickly scooped it up in her beak. The nephilim squinted to get a better look at whatever her prize was then he glanced over at the bottle of whiskey he was still holding onto. He put two and two together and flashed a grin at Daniel before forcing it away to scrunch up his face in mock-dismay. “Oh no, she's got the whiskey cap, Daniel!” He stifled a chuckle as the raven took flight and disappeared out the window Danny left open. “Now we have to finish it tonight.”
Daniel turned to watch the raven fly out and he stepped to the side to give the poor guardsman room. “W-we?” He said incredulously. As the stranger rolled off the bar and gave Kodaka one last glare after briefly explaining he had to find the raven, Daniel concluded that that guard was a little too determined to get back at a raven of all things. “Wha- now? Good sir, I’d say that’s practically a needle and haystack situation at the mo—“ Daniel certainly overlooked the man’s determination when he jumped out the very same window. “—Bloody hell,” he cursed and made for the opening. Clasping the windowsill with both gloved hands, he peered out and watched the man disappear. Daniel Hawthorne stared out for a moment before backing away and politely drawing the window closed. In a single practiced movement he turned on his heel and let out a small sigh while he reached for his tie to tighten the knot. It was then that his gaze caught sight of yet another stranger at the doorway of the bar, this one accompanied by a smaller, but unmistakably familiar black-scaled dragon. The man was so taken aback he turned away to rub any smudges or dirt from the goggles with the back of his hand.
“Nightfire?” Was all he could muster until he looked back up again. “Is that you? Who’s your…friend?” The woman Nightfire was with was nothing short of stunning, even Daniel had to acknowledge. Her bold attire matched the gait of her stride as she approached the Nephilim. He thought back to Helena and Aiden’s explanations of a certain Auntie Keaira and soon begun to suspect they were finally about to meet.
Kodaka the Nephilim stood at he side of the bar, whiskey bottle casually in-hand as the blue-haired man stopped to stare him down, or rather in the demon’s case, stare him up. Now that he got a better look at the would-be crow-catcher, he noted the man’s facial features and made the assumption he was another demon under the castle’s employ. He met the stranger’s glare with a small grin and a shrug of his bare shoulders. When he sulked off and out the window, Kodaka made a dismissive gesture toward Daniel as the nephilim sat back down at the bar. “Well that was a good laugh. Not sure if I’ve seen that happen here before,” he chuckled. Kodaka looked longingly at the bottle and glanced down to where his glass had shattered. He shrugged again and took a swig of the liquor, downing a couple shots’ worth in a single gulp.
All that commotion had Kodaka’s attention diverted away for a time and he was not privy to another guest watching from the doorway until Daniel called out from across the room. “Eh? Nightfire? Daniel, you sure I ain’t the only one drinkin’?" He said flatly as he turned in his bar stool toward the doorway but froze when he heard a dazzlingly familiar voice just as he was halfway. The alcohol might have been to blame for how he didn’t hear the sound of those high heels clicking against the stone floor, but when he looked up and locked eyes with Keaira he felt his cold heart skip a beat. His eyes were slow to take her in but only half out of perverted nature, the other half being out of awe of her appearance. His eyes traced from her black Stiletto heels, up her legs, the golden hem of her dress, appreciatively past her chest until finally his deep blue gaze scrutinized her face.
One could say the liquor he consumed was finally hitting him, his cheeks had to turn pink for some reason. He finally snapped out of the silence she had stricken him into when Kearia settled herself on his lap. The scent that filled his nostrils with her so close was almost more intoxicating than the whiskey as he finally placed the bottle on the bar. Kodaka allowed a small hearty chuckle escape his lips as she made herself comfortable and he rested a hand around the side of her hip to keep her stable. She didn’t need it, but he felt better holding her anyway. “Well, well. Come here often, tutz?” His earlier awe vanishing, the nephilim gave her a quick one-over again. “Damn, you look good in blue. Ultramarine? No...violet blue?” His eyes flicked over to Daniel and he grinned. “Daniel, this is Keaira. The lovely lass we were jus’ discussin’.”
“Why yes!” Daniel dipped his head and bowed elegantly just as he had for Helena, bending only at the waist. “I’m Daniel Hawthorne, a colleague of Kodaka here. I daresay I’ve heard much about you, Lady Keaira.” Kodaka smiled as they exchanged greetings and he finished swiveling around to greet the other guest still standing at the door with Kea comfortably on his lap.
“Huh, you really do look like— wait-a-second, Nighty?!” Kodaka’s eyes widened as he gaped at the tinier, but definitely still Nightfire, dragon. He narrowed his eyes and returned his attention to the demon on his lap. “Was that you? The hell ‘appened to him?”
“Most curious indeed,” Daniel observed from his place by the window.
* * *
Telepathic communication to dragonkind was infinitely different from vocal speech, that much was for certain. When a dragon communicates with another being, no matter the race, they receive an implication of how the dragon is feeling just by the way their words mingle with their minds. It’s a much more intimate way of speech that can border dangerous if either party has ill intent for the other. While Nightfire could not read anyone’s mind without them knowing, it was something taboo that he rarely ever considered doing.
With every step of the way Nightfire felt his giddiness climb higher and higher. When he followed Keaira into the castle the wolf-sized dragon had paused in mid-stride to take it all in. Days ago, if someone told him he would someday soon be able to walk though the halls of a castle like any other tiny two-legged being, he would have never believed it. Let alone the fact he had to make a pact with a demon to be able to do such a thing. Nightfire hung on to every word Keaira said about the castle as they walked through the ancient passageways. He absorbed her history lesson and noted all the entrances and exits their leaisure stroll took them past. He only broke away from her to sniff an odd bookshelf or suit of armor every other minute or so. He still had the curiosity of a hatchling after all, especially now that he had such an opportunity to take in all the smells and tastes he could.
When Keaira quickened her pace just a smidge, Nightfire growl-squeaked in surprise and hurried in her wake, a little disappointed that he didn’t get to finish his latest inspection of a rather intricate-looking suit of armor. The lady demon stopped at a doorway and Nightfire had too peek out from behind her legs to see what was going on in the next room. He caught the whiff of two familiar scents before his eyes could adjust. He sat on his hunches and waited for the gentlemen to notice him. Daniel, being the most perceptive of the duo, was the first to notice him. He beamed at the masked man and noddd in affirmation and greeting. After Kodaka’s initial shock over Kea’s lovely presence, the mercenary looked doubly surprised to see Nightfire in his current form. When Keaira motioned for him to join, the dragon stood up straight with his snout in the air and paraded toward them, wings half-stretched.
The wolf-sized dragon paused a few feet from the stool beside Keaira and her large seat. He met Kodaka's gaze and winked at the mercenary without saying a word. Instead, the little dragon eyeballed the width of the bar stool with his own size and decided he was still too big. Although clumsily imitating a person sitting on a stool would have probably been wildly amusing for everyone, he opted to simply reach out and rest his front legs atop the cushion and folded them under his chest. Now that he was closer, one could more easily make out the dark red lipstick stain on his snout, as well as several flower pink flower petals still stuck between his scales.
He rested his chin on the bar top and said to everyone in the room, ‘Hullo! Yes I would like one of your finest honey meads, with extra honey!’ Nightfire arched his neck to look over at Kodaka and Keaira. ‘Did I do it right?’
“You are not ordering alcohol,” Kodaka growled. “Not until one of you explains…” He paused and just gestured at Nightfire with his free hand, “all of this.”
Daniel meanwhile had begun silently cleaning up the mess the earlier intrusion had left the bar under. He found a brush and dustpan conveniently under the bar somewhere and busied himself with cleaning up the glass and ceramic shards as he listened to Nightfire and Keaira’s explanation. “Ah well no harm done, then right?” He chuckled and disposed of the garbage into an appropriate waste bin behind the bar. Mister Hawthorne then craned his neck to look out toward the kitchen with a nervous demeanor about him. “Kodaka, that scream from earlier…”
“Yeah,” Kodaka nodded. “Go ahead. Make sure no one died or somethin’.”
Daniel returned his nod. “Nice to meet you Lady Keaira, but I need to go check on our hosts…” He bowed briefly before making his way to what he assumed would be the kitchen. When he opened the door, even through his gas mask, the smell of blood hit him instantly. Not wanting to make a scene, the masked man stepped all the way into the kitchen and then decided to tense up. This wasn’t good. He pulled a lighter from his chest pocket and flicked it open to give life to a small flickering flame. “Hello? Lady Helena? Master Aiden? I’m coming in, and I’m armed.” He side-stepped the blood the best he could as he approached the door. Daniel crouched to examine the strange smear on the flat of the door and he slowly traced the blood trail with both his eyes and his lighter. Daniel was now facing the open pantry door from across the room as he held the lighter up with one hand and pulled back an open palmed fist with the other, curiously keeping it level with the flickering flame as if he was going to strike it. He hardly registered the sudden scent of rain in the air. “Is everyone alright down there? Quite a mess of blood up here.”
|
|
|
Post by Mya on Jul 17, 2022 23:00:54 GMT -6
Helena was quiet as Aiden yelled at her. There was nothing else they could do at this point. She could sense that her brother had attempted to heal Yuko but to no avail. Even though he wasn’t as trained as her, surely his magic would have healed Yuko even just a little. She held her breath as Yuko’s seizing stopped. She grabbed at Aiden’s arm for comfort, absolutely terrified that it was going to be her fault if Yuko died. Her face was stone cold emotionless and her brother's voice felt distant and fuzzy as he yelled at her. Seconds ticked by as she silently prayed for a miracle.
When Yuko’s condition started improving, she exhaled and gasped for air. That was such a long time! Helena held Yuko’s body as it repaired itself. Finally, she could see her auntie beginning to get a bearing of the surroundings. Ah, there it was. That all too familiar look that people get when they realize that she was Helena and not Mya. That moment where someone was excited and then disappointed. She scoffed and looked away as Yuko got to her feet.
She opened her mouth, about to speak but Aiden had cut her off, berating their Aunt. He took the words right out of her mouth. She nodded in agreement, clenching her jaw in an attempt to hold her composure. Aiden had missed out on the battle, whereas Helena was elbows deep in patching up everyone's wounds. She still had nightmares of how rough of shape almost everyone had been in. Feeling the brush of death ever so close... it was something she hoped she wouldn't have to feel again so soon. Now that Yuko was looking much better, Helena got to her feet. The smell of blood was beginning to make her stomach uneasy, never mind that lingering bitter smell of whatever had cursed Yuko.
"Auntie! What are we supposed to tell everyone if we couldn't save you!" When Aiden started going off at her too, she flinched in surprise. "Wait, Aiden, you don't actually think--" He pushed past her and went to the top of the stairs. His last comment made her blood boil. "YOU DID NOT JUST. AIDEN DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE--" and just like that, her brother had left. Helena stood there for a moment, completely oblivious her surroundings, blind with rage. "I DIDN'T ASK FOR ANY OF THIS!"
Helena stomped up the stairs and was met face to face with Daniel. That's right, they had guests. She put her hand over her face and sighed. She pulled her hand back and realized it was slick with blood. Blood that was now all over her face. She glanced at her appearance. Blood had soaked through most of her pants and covered parts of her shirt... and this this poor guy was probably confused why there was shouting, and why there was blood all over. How would she go to explain that this was just how things happened around the castle sometimes, without scaring the fellow. "Sorry, I guess we get carried away sometimes, but I fixed her," She turned to check that Yuko was coming out of the cellar as well.
"I... need to go wash up. Sorry again for all of this. Help yourselves to whatever you need. I'll be back in a bit," Helena curtsied to Daniel and took her leave. She went to exit through the bar and stopped in her tracks. She stared at Keaira sitting on Kodaka's lap and a miniaturized Nightfire perched on the bar stool. Without making a comment and before Keaira could open her mouth, Helena spun on her heels and went though the kitchen, taking the exit into the garden.
Once outside she took a deep breath. She didn't feel like dealing with everyone else just yet. Thankfully she always kept a spare change of clothes in the small wooden shed that was in the far corner of the garden. Helena entered the shed, stripped her clothes and left them in a pile in the corner. She found a basin she could use to fill with water. After removing the clip that was holding her hair, she dunked her head and face into the basin. She managed to get the blood off her face and mostly out of her hair. This would have to suffice for now as she didn't feel up to walking around the outside of the castle to get inside nor to face everyone at the bar for a little longer. She dressed herself in whatever clothes she happened to have on hand. This time it was just a plain black tank top and a pair of faded blue jeans.
Helena left the shed and went to sit in a grassy area of the garden. She was letting the slight breeze dry her hair. She folded her arms across her chest, "Stupid Aiden," she muttered under her breath, still bothered by his comments.
|
|
|
Post by Yuko on Jul 18, 2022 1:43:17 GMT -6
Yuko was kind of stunned into silence. It took her longer than it should have, but these two had probably been the worst folks to find her downstairs in that state. She wasn't about to get in the middle of a sibling fight, she had long ago learned to just stay out of them and wait for them to either square off or go off to their corners. She was trying to figure out why they were so upset with her. Sure, it was a bad enough thing to see her in that state but then again this was yuko. How many times had she cheated death? As she went over it in her mind, she realized that these two weren't used to her usual antic's. She just rubbed her head in frustration. She couldn't even answer helena who asked her what they were supposed to say because the answer to that would have been worse. 'Getting drunk with death' was not an appropriate answer. How would she explain it to these two just how many times she cheated death? Or that he had one hell of a poker face?
They didn't exactly know that yuko dragging herself home in a less then desirable state was actually a common occurrence. Drunk, Cursed, Injured, Dead, etc. Yuko had always made her home in one shape or another. She just ran a hand through her hair, thinking how big did she just fuck up having forgotten that she had tried her best in her younger years to shield the children from her antics. Especially mya's children. She let out a sigh before she just made her way up the basement stairs and didn't even realize people were in the kitchen at first. She just stood there, ignoring the folks in the kitchen at first and was kind of lost in thought realizing she fucked up good.
Yuko stood 5'11 with long red hair well going past her waist. She was wearing a ratty t-shirt and jeans that had long ago seen better days. One might almost think that they were decade's old. She didn't even have shoes on, just pants and a shirt. Just enough to cover everything and be presentable Infront of the children but certainly not yuko's normal attire. She heard helena talking earlier but didn't register what she said or what it implied. That's when she realized folks were standing in the kitchen and while she had smacked her head pretty hard earlier that night, she was confident she didn't know these folks. That's when it occurred, that these were new visitors to the castle which explained why helena had been so professional with them. You could see that look on her face like 'Damn. I just keep messing things up.'
"Well, Welcome to Moonlight Castle! Were the night is always young." She stood there for a moment trying to decide which one to go after. She looked back at the basement and did a wave with her hand. All the blood she had tracked into the kitchen disappeared, down the basement stairs and on herself simply disappeared. She looked impressed that her little magic spell had worked. She just shook her hand out for a moment trying to get it to stop tingling and looked at the kitchens back door that led out to the garden. Had they remained, she would have done the same thing for them but then again, they didn't know better. She had honestly just been buying time for her own energy reserves to fill back up. She knew that helena would be out in the garden, but she also had a chance of running into mya if she did that. She wasn't quite prepared for that just yet.
She looked back "If you guy's need anything, let me know. I uh. Kind of upset some folks and I really need to apologize quickly to. If you would like a room, I can get you one when I come back down. Excuse me." she patted her pockets for something, and whatever it was she was looking for she eventually found but did not take it out of her pocket. She headed towards the other kitchen door that led out into the bar area of the castle. It warmed the old lady's soul to see new faces there at the castle and the more she focused the more she realized there was quite a few new folks she didn't recognize off the bat. While she knew that helena was upset, she needed to talk to her brother first as he seemed the most upset at the situation, but she was probably going to fuck that up too. That's all she kind of did lately was just mess everything up. She had a funny thought for a split second. This must be how seth felt all those years ago. She didn't mean to be gone this long, she knew it had easily been weeks, maybe even months since she had last been seen. She hoped with everything in her that it had not been years. She literally could not imagine the state mya was in and she hoped she was doing the right thing by consoling the children she just traumatized first. When she said let's not tell your mother about this, she had meant more of don't tell your mom I'm here not that she nearly died in the basement again.
As she headed up the stairs, she had more then realized she royally messed up with the two. Sure, she could let them sulk in their corners and eventually they'd talk to her but that was going to take time and there was something she needed to deal with quickly. Time was not something that she had much of and now she needed there cooperation. She had to stop by her own room before she headed to aiden's. Quickly she changed into an oversized t-shirt and black baggy jeans with socks on. The outfit seemed much newer than the one she had previously been wearing. She pulled something out of the pocket of her old outfit and tucked it into her current pants. She also rooted for something around in her drawers. How long had it been since she used a hair tie? She found a few bobby pins floating around her end table and managed to get her hair up into a bun before she left her room and headed to aidens.
Aiden was right to automatically assume someone from one of the families would try to just stroll into his room. One might assume that yuko would have just teleported herself into aidens room but she didn't. Infact, she had to walk there which would give him ample time to take his shower and get dressed. Afterall that was indeed something they would have just done. Being respectful of folk's privacy was not something that had been high on their list. If you could just teleport in the blink of an eye somewhere, Why teleport yourself to be outside their door and just knock? But that was exactly what she did. She knocked gently on aiden's door.
"Aiden?.." She asked softly. "Can we talk please?" There was no wave of anger, there was no overwhelming surge of power trying to break down the door. She didn't even sound angry if anything, she sounded sad. He had literally prepared for the worst, which in his defense was completely warranted. She could not forget about helena and didn't want her to feel as if yuko was trying to pick favorites or choose sides. She sent her a little mental note. Gold lettering would appear Infront of helena. " Auntie is sorry, can we please talk later? It's important." Who was this person, and why did they say sorry and please? Yuko would never say sorry and please. Yuko would just barrel her way through the situation and just knock heads together until everything was okay. Perhaps this old ass dog had finally learned some new tricks.
|
|
|
Post by Fina on Jul 18, 2022 13:41:32 GMT -6
Aesira's forlorn pouting over her lost cap persisted. She was deep in though as she considered the best method for the item's midnight recovery when she heard a sound. She perked up with a perplexed frown as she cast a quick glance about. Automatically, she assumed the worst and thought that blue haired guard had found her up on this parapet already. Her shoulders sagged as she breathed a sigh of relief, the coast was clear.. No sign of a blue haired guard determined to clip her wings yet. This then begged the question: What was this sound she heard?
Turning smoothly on her boot's heel, Aesira listened intently as her quicksilver gaze searched the dark of the castle's courtyard and beyond. She puzzled it out, it was almost like a woosh noise.. The sound conjured up memories of an ignited flame fighting hard against the wind. As it would turn out, she'd soon have her answer. There, from an upper floor of the castle! Was that a flare arching from that window? "What in the name of the divine..?" She muttered as she observed, brow furrowing. Her bottle cap and collection was forgotten for the time being as she jumped the interior side of the castle parapet.
For an exhilarating moment, Aesira allowed herself to free fall. The wind was loud in her ears as she descended. She stifled the joyous laughter which bubbled in her throat before she shifted. All these years at flight and that thrill never got old.. The raven swooped down upon the courtyard and glided towards the gardens, off to investigate the flare she saw.
|
|
|
Post by Mya on Jul 18, 2022 18:44:04 GMT -6
“It seems I don’t come here often enough… perhaps I should if I can find a handsome creature such as yourself,” Keaira purred as she traced one of the many scars on Kodaka’s chest. This one looked unfamiliar, it must be new. As she settled on his lap (making sure to wiggle her rear end to get comfortable), she felt his hand snake around her side and get a handful of her hip. His touch made her euphoric. It was a strange feeling. Keaira was expert at making others feel the excitement and attraction, but she could count one hand how many make her feel that way. She gently pressed herself into him, wanting to mold her body against his battle-hardened muscles.
Keaira’s hands wandered aimlessly long his body and for the briefest moment they almost went somewhere not appropriate in front of company. “The color is indigo, love,” she slipped her arms loosely around Kodaka’s neck as he turned the two of them on the stool to face Daniel. She flashed Danny her most charming smile. “Master Hawthorne, what a pleasure it is to meet you. I trust you’ve only been told the good things!” Had Daniel not been wearing a mask, she would have likely held her hand out for him to kiss.
The look on Kodaka’s face was priceless once he noticed that it was, in fact, Nightfire strolling in. Kea threw her head back and laughed for a moment. It wasn’t every day that she could elicit that kind of reaction from him. Unable to control herself any longer, she drew Koda in for some kisses. She left her dark red lipstick all over his mouth. “Yeah, we, made a deal… so he could come in and join us… it was no big deal, really,” she managed to speak between the kisses.
When Nightfire got himself settled on a stool next to them, Kea paused her assault on Kodaka’s lips. She was amused by the dragon’s attempt at ordering a drink. “Nighty, that was perfect. And I promise, Koda, my love, that it was a fair exchange!” Keaira glanced around looking for whomever was running the bar for the night. She was ready for a drink. Usually Helena was the one to pour for her as she didn't exactly have a reputable relationship with any of the Deimos.
The scream from the kitchen made her give the men an inquisitive expression. The voices sounded familiar, but they were too distant for her to hear clearly what was going on. She got to her feet momentarily trying to decide if she wanted to investigate before she remembered who all resided in the castle and decided that her help wasn’t going to be needed. Instead, she leaned over the bar to grab herself a glass, making sure to give Koda the view of her rear end that he so much enjoyed. Sitting back down on Kodaka’s lap, she poured herself a little and added some to Kodaka’s glass since it looked like he could use a refill. "Cheers!" She clinked her glass against Kodaka's and downed the whiskey, trying to not to let her curiosity make her investigate the kitchen. If anything was seriously wrong, it would be a helluva lot louder.
"Nightfire, would you like me to get you something?" She wasn't sure how serious he was about the mead, but surely she could find something to his tastes behind the bar. She had drank here often enough to have a vague idea of where everything was. If he didn't want alcohol, there would be juice and soda that was generally used for mix. Kea did ponder for a moment the logistics of him trying to manage drinking from a glass with his snout.
|
|
|
Post by Kodaka on Jul 19, 2022 8:17:00 GMT -6
Daniel listened carefully as he heard one, no, two pairs of footsteps coming up the staircase from whatever basement the pantry door led to. No one answered his statement that he was present and armed, though arming himself with a lighter might look like a strange thing to most people. With his free hand pulled back into an open-palm first, his fingers tightened in anxiety to form a solid fist instead. This way he had more control over the trajectory of his attack. Part of Daniel wanted to call out to Kodaka for help but he quickly cast that thought away. He had total control over this situation, if whoever was coming up to meet him hostile or not.
Finally after another anxious few seconds, the sound of footsteps grew closer and Daniel made out the tops of two heads come up the stairs. When Helena Moonlight was the first to step into his crosshairs and he was sure she wasn’t inflicted with something, Daniel immediately lowered his hands and with a flick of his wrist the lighter snapped shut. “L-Lady Helena?” He stammered and briefly examined her as she glanced at her appearance. The woman was covered in blood. Before he could pepper her with questions and concerns, she waved it off and only answered with a vague explanation. A little dumbfounded, he nodded his understanding and that he wouldn’t press further and replaced his trusty lighter into the breast pocket of his vest.
“O-oh, very well,” was all he could muster before she curtsied and hurried out of the kitchen. When he was left alone with the other red-headed woman and he suddenly felt awkward as the woman seemed to stare off before snapping back to the present. She greeted him and Daniel noted she did not give him his name, which honestly given their current situation the man couldn’t fault her. Whatever had happened was none of Daniel’s business so he simply chose not to make it any worse. He followed her gaze to the blood trail and Daniel began looking around for cleaning supplies while doing his best to step over it.
“This shouldn’t be too hard to clean up, all we need is dish soap and hot wa—" Daniel turned around during his hunt for dish soap to further explain this wouldn’t have been his first time cleaning up blood when he witnessed the woman wave her and and the blood was simply magicked away. He stood in shocked silence until she addressed him again. “You have my thanks,” he said to the red-headed woman before she exited out the door to the bar. The man stood there and looked around for a moment longer to confirm that all of the blood had indeed evaporated from existence. Daniel shrugged to himself turned toward the kettle that Aiden left on the stove.
He wasn’t one to be snooping around, but the man wanted his tea and he intended to get it one way or another. After opening and shuffling through a few cabinets, he found where the castle stashed its teabags and Daniel rifled through them. With a quiet gasp of success, he took a single earl gray pouch as well as sugar and creamer and fixed himself a nice cup of tea. Making sure he put everything back methodically where it belonged, he exited the kitchen to return to the bar area with tea in hand.
“Well, that was an experience,” Daniel said maybe a little exasperatedly as he approached Kodaka, Keaira and Nightfire. He stood opposite them from the other side of the bar and ignored that Keaira and the Nephilim were practically attached at the hip. “Helena had to patch someone up in the basement. Left a bloody mess everywhere. Didn’t quite catch her name but I guess she went through here,” he sighed and placed his tea on the bar before making his way over to the stool side. He sat on Nightfire’s other side.
|
|
|
Post by Kodaka on Jul 19, 2022 8:26:41 GMT -6
Kodaka smiled at Keaira’s first initial greeting about coming around more often with his handsome mug being around more and the mercenary wondered if she was making an innuendo that wasn’t immediately recognizable. He watched her trace a newish scar of his atop his chest, remembering it quite well during his last run-in with a titanic paladin in plate armor that probably weighed even more than Kodaka himself. Before he could get too reminiscent he felt Keaira get comfortable which involved her shifting her bottom right up against him. Feeling her familiar weight press up against him almost let a fire in his nether region but he tried his best to control himself. To his credit he’d been doing well so far, especially since he hadn’t seen her in a while. He was aware of her hands wandering his form and he held his breath when they got a little too close for comfort. His ancestors must have been helping as the only bodily reaction he allowed himself was a raise of his brow.
“Ahh, indigo! Should’ve known as an esteemed wearer of blue things, meself,” Kodaka grinned as she turned them around in the stool to face Daniel. “Oh yeah, aaaall good things, love,” the mercenary nodded profusely. When he rightfully reacted in utter shock at the appearance of Nightfire in his miniaturized form, Kodaka’s attention was once again diverted to Keaira as she laughed. He gazed at her as a silent look of bewilderment was laid onto his face, both at her laugh and as he considered what kind of deal she and Nightfire coud have possibly make. The man also rather liked the sound of her laugh, especially when it was as genuine as it was in that moment. With her arms around his neck, the Nephilim allowed himself to be hooked into a string of kisses. Ancestors, give him strength.
“A deal?” He managed to mutter. He answered her kisses a little lazily as he still processed Nightfire and Kea's contract, trying not to be distracted by her taste on his lips. It was hard though, especially when she called him... her love? “I guess… if it’s with you…. It’s fine, but…” Then Nightfire joined them and Daniel opted to check the kitchen for trouble, Kodaka gave Keaira and the dragon a doubtful look before he sighed in defeat for now. He’d press Nightfire for details or maybe the lady demon when it was inevitably just the two of them later on in the night.
Keaira shifted off Kodaka’s lap and leaned over the bar and gave the mercenary a nice view that he gladly appreciated. He remembered Nightfire was sitting right beside them and he glanced at the dragon and sure enough the wee Nightfire was shaking his head at him. Kodaka shrugged as if to say “what?” And was happy to have Keaira return with two glasses. When she filled them up and gave him his own, Kodaka smiled and downed his whiskey in synch with the demonness. Nightfire was staring into the door into the kitchen that Daniel disappeared behind during much of the conversation between Keaira and Kodaka. From the moment the man opened the door, the dragon’s keen sense of smell picked up the blood almost right away. His eyes narrowed as he considered crawling over the bar top and into the kitchen to investigate further, but before he even moved a muscle, a blonde girl he recognized as Helena Moonlight entered the bar from the same door, caked in blood. The dragon squeaked in both greeting and alarm at her appearance, but when she turned on her heel and right back through the same door his wings and tail drooped a little. Kodaka and Keaira seemed to be a little too intimate to notice.
Shortly after another red-head came through the door. While she didn’t say anything, the woman seemed to smile before leaving the room. Still, there was no sign of Daniel. His head picked up a little bit from the bar top as he heard Keaira address him. The dragon arched his neck to peer up at Keaira as she offered to grab him something. ‘That is a very tempting offer. I have actually acquired quite the taste for sweets, so yes the. Honey mead was but a half-joke.’ “Yeah, you’re a fine mess though,” Kodaka remarked grumpily. “Never thought a dragon could be such a lightweight.”
Finally Daniel had returned and both Kodaka and Nightfire listened to the masked man’s explanation. “Huh, when did they sneak by?” The Nephilim asked incredulously and glanced behind them.
‘Just a few minutes ago,’ Nightfire pointed out. He yawned, his head still lazily resting atop the bar counter. ‘Now, how about that mead?’
“Now Nighty, do you remember the last time you drank?” Daniel said while fiddling with the back of his gas mask.
‘Well, no... but I think I deserve to be able to let loose just as the two of you.’
Kodaka shrugged as his hand found itself absently rubbing at Keaira's lower back. “Aye I won’t argue with you there. We’ve had a rough time of it. Now’s definitely a good time to ‘let loose’” he wiggled his eyebrows at Keaira a little but Nightfire tilted his head in confusion, the innuendo literally going right over his head.
|
|
|
Post by Mya on Jul 20, 2022 23:30:43 GMT -6
Helena’s appearance and departure barely registered on her radar. Normally she might be more inquisitive as to why Helena was covered in blood, but she just couldn’t peel herself off Kodaka. She did turn her head to see Yuko for a moment but the two had never met so she wasn’t particularly interested at the moment in befriending a fellow redhead. Instead, she was more focused on Kodaka. Isn’t the old saying ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’? Not that Keaira was brave enough to admit something like that to herself let alone someone else.
She poured herself some more whiskey but this time she just sipped it while listening to Daniel, Kodaka and Nightfire discuss the last time the dragon had been given alcohol. When Kodaka looked at her while suggesting to let loose, she put her glass down. “Now Koda, you know better than anyone that I am anything but loose,” An amused smile graced her lips.
“Don’t worry, Nighty, we will take good care of you,” Her tone and demeanor to the dragon was certainly different than with any of the other boys. She almost sounded nurturing. What a scary concept. Keaira was not one for children, but a young dragon was more up her alley if she were to spend time with any kind of youngling. She just couldn’t help that she found him adorable no matter what size he was. Kea hoped they would stick around so she could enjoy more of this smaller version of Nightfire.
Keaira hopped off Kodaka’s lap much to his disappointment. Rounding the bar, Kea bent down to look at the assortment of bottles stashed under the bar. She had a bit of a sweet tooth herself, so she had an idea of what drink would be best. There was plenty of wine, but it looked like someone had polished off most of the mead sometime in the past. Finally finding a bottle that was still mostly full she placed it on the counter. She stared at Nightfire’s snout for a long moment, trying to decide what glass would be easiest for him to use. There wasn’t much selection. She chose a wide rimmed glass and poured a modest amount of mead into it for the dragon. She had been paying attention when Kodaka mentioned the dragon was a lightweight. She didn’t want him to drink too much too fast.
Since she was behind the bar, she decided to mix herself up a proper drink. Hard alcohol was fine on it’s own, but she was a classy lady. She placed a few ice cubes into the martini shaker and free poured her ingredients. After shaking it, she poured her drink into a martini glass and garnished it with a lemon wedge. “I promise the service here is usually much better. I’m guessing whatever commotion happened must have ruffled a few feathers. I don’t know about the others, but I know Helena is great at pouting. It's rather cute…”
Kea returned to Kodaka's lap, "So you boys have had it rough lately? Any news to share? And what about you, Danny? Are you not going to share a drink with us? I didn't manage to spy the lid for the whiskey behind the bar and it would be lovely if we all shared some... If you ask Koda, I'm certain he will tell you that I am a great time." She gave Daniel a playful wink.
|
|
|
Post by Fina on Jul 21, 2022 15:15:34 GMT -6
"I am glad you think so. It's taken effort and dedication to ensure we're able to strive towards providing the best care and treatment we can to our community." Serephina told him proudly as she lead the way over to the join the queue and passing him a plate. Items were served a la carte for the convenience of staff and patients alike here. She frowned thoughtfully as she considered the selection of fruit. She listened respectfully to Brandon's concerns about a hardy meal. "Not at all. Really it's preferred that you have something in your stomach." She said, lightly shaking her head. "It'll decrease the chances of treatment causing upset and the absorption rate will be more gradual."
Sidling up beside another apprentice at the counter, Serephina exchanged a smile with the young lady as she greeted her. Noting his hesitation, she glanced over at Brandon where he again met her gaze. Her smile was fond as she took in the familiar faces in the room. "Most, but not all." She told him. Those dining were a mix of apprentices, a handful of patients, and other clinic assistants. Each person fulfilled a role and was key in seeing that this clinic continued smoothly operating. "Those who are willing become apprentices under my tutelage when they come of age." She elaborated. "When they graduate, some then choose to either make their own path or stay on with me here." She tried to keep her tone neutral as she explained, but he may still detect a note of wistfulness from her. While she was proud of the work they accomplished here, she always found the graduation ceremony so bittersweet.
Again, Serephina found herself glancing over at Brandon at her side when he fell into a contemplative silence. She wondered briefly if he'd clue her in or keep his secrets this time. Her brow knit with concern as he explained what she deducted may be the reason behind his previous question. He was a curious case of that she was certain, but not one she would consider without hope.. "Of course we would be happy to have you." She said, understanding his expressed frustration. She offered him a smile as she finished with her plate and waited for him once he recollected himself. "It might be a long shot, but.. Perhaps you could assist with classes or as tutor?" She suggested when he finally caught up to her. "As one with applicable experience, you understand the practical theories I imagine. That should be plenty to guide an apprentice in need of a guiding hand." She said as they went to find a seat with plates in hand. "If your not comfortable with that then we will come to another agreement." She told them as she took a seat at an open bistro table.
|
|