COACH OF LIONS

COACH OF LIONS Open RP between Innomina, Inkydandy, KaiTrying & Unicornderp.

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It is warm inside the Inn, with the fireplace being lit to the right of the room and the various gas lamps scattered throughout the inn’s interior creating a cosy ambience. A man with greyed long hair looking to be in his fifties, is standing wiping the bar down from a recently spilled drink; His accompanying suspect is sitting opposite him with his glass empty and his head lowered in frustration. Noticing you enter, he raises his brow and chuckles.

“ ‘ello there! How can I ‘elp ya?”

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"WATER." The voice rips through the snug atmosphere like a blade hacking haphazardly through serene foliage. The figure that stumbles through the threshold is clumsy, too, ragged and loud. He bumps into tables as he staggers through the room, the stringed instrument on his back knocking into patrons. Curse it all, Kem thinks to himself. Low on echoes and feeling the effects of starvation in this mortal skin. Perhaps if he could quench the physical thirst and eat like a human, the hunger will subside. But, only just. He shakes his head as if to clear it and stretches his hands out, one palm striking a figure at where he senses the bar must be at. The subsequent sensation of touching someone and the noise of the bartender form lights within his sightless vision; he can "see" the figures as beacons for several seconds, afterimages burned into the darkness. Kem manages to find a stool and sit heavily on it, plastering a smile on his face. "Water," he repeats, much quieter this time. "Please," he adds. He turns to where the second figure is, nods at whoever it may be. "Apologies for the carelessness. I am usually much more adroit." He barks out a laugh. "*Bad vision*, you see."

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Witnessing the others half shambled descent to the bar, Jack cocked his head sideways watching the whole ordeal, amused at Kyle's disgusted reaction to being touched. The brunette straightened up on his barstool placing the glass down, no longer leaning on the bar and observing the new company he had to his side.

"Sure thing." Jack chuckled as he reached under the bar to grab a clean glass alongside Kyle's one, turning to fill both with fresh water from a keg lined on a shelf behind himself. He returned with two full glasses, slowly pushing one towards Kem so (from what he assumed) the blind man could hear the glass in front of him, handing Kyle the other.

Kyle in the meantime was looking up and down his new company at the bar, a deep scowl displayed on his sleep deprived face until he took note of the others bandaged eyes, making his expression soften slightly in understanding. It didn't lessen his already pissy attitude by much though.

"Yeah well, maybe you should invest in a walking stick, ‘seems you need one."

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A pair of soft pointed ears can be seen just below the height of the sturdy wooden counter. The little figure slinks between patrons, lightly bumping into a couple in her path. Her silence and size would make her invisible if it wasn’t for the bright colours of her hair and dress against the earthy tones of the inn. She sniffs the air and carefully settles on the ground by the fireplace, warming her hands in the glow. She glances briefly at the three at the bar before quickly turning back to defrosting her little claws.

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Kem doesn't answer at first. The clatter of the glass on wood sparks in the perennial darkness of his sight, the sparks lighting up like a miniature, mug-shaped tree. He grasps it gratefully and drinks it all down like a parched man who's been out in the desert and not just out in the city streets. It fills him enough....but, not quite. Setting the glass back down, he tilts his head up as if in devotion. "Thank you," he sighs out at Jack, before settling back down and giving one tap against the glass. "Got anything stronger? Brandy, perhaps?" he asks with a grin. Sweeping his tattered hat off, he sets it down gently on the counter, before shrugging his shoulders with nonchalance. "And you sound as if you are in need of a little more drink," he replies, though not unkindly. "Surly voice like that...bad day, was it?" As he tilts his head toward the man at his side, Kem drums his fingers in a short wave on the tabletop. A small gesture, really, but enough to give him a sense of the number of patrons at the bar. "Is that why you're sitting here on your lonesome, while the rest of the folk are bunched up near the other end?"

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"Easy there, y' might choke. Yer welcome." Jack chuckled, looking back at the cabinet behind him with various labelled liquors in their bottles on the shelves. "Aye I do, if you 'ave the coin. Y' lookin for something fancy or somethin' plain?" His gaze was set on the gentleman who sat in front of him, but he couldn't help but notice the smaller customer sitting at the fire, taking a mental note of their cold deposition.

In the meantime the brunette squinted, scowling once more at the others suggestion and mention of other customers. "Yeah something like that." He shook his head, turning it forwards as he took a sip of his glass of fresh water. "Tried that in the past, didn't work. What I need isn't liquor, but a solution to my problems, which ain't happening anytime soon."

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Next, the little pink paws of her feet. She shifted her weight and let her legs poke out from beneath her dress towards the fire, wiggling her toes in the heat. Wrapping her tail over her lap like a makeshift blanket, she continues to stare into the fireplace. The only indication of her awareness of the other patrons was the movement of her ears. A clink of utensils here, a chuckle over there, the sound of a glass mug on the counter, footsteps behind her, her ears flicked back and forth from sound to sound like she was eves-dropping on the room. Or perhaps she had merely grown accustomed to having to watch her own back, like a lot of the unaccompanied children of Sanceline have had to do.

Not after too long, the girl rummages in the satchel at her side and pulls out something small. She holds it close to her in her palms and turns it over in the fire light.

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Kem hems and haws, but really his mind had already been made up. "Something plain, I'm a simple man," he responds with another grin. Damn, how much coin did he have? "Ah....coin, coin...yes, I do have money." He shoves a hand into his pocket, elbow knocking against the man next to him again. "Not to worry, I can very much pay," he says, that rakish grin still on his face although it's starting to turn into a bit of rictus as his fingers grope around in emptiness. Moving his other hand into the other pocket, he is met with some...lint. Hm. Maybe he blew that money he thought he had a while ago. Such a human concept, *money.* How could one be bothered to manage it? Kem's smile widens uncertainly at Jack. "Or....how would you like....a song instead?" He abruptly reaches behind him to pull the Idrian lute up and around to the front of him, the butt of it hitting the man at the bar yet again, then strums a chord.

The sound thrums throughout the inn. It lights up the forms sitting on the tables, lounging against walls, even the upstairs, albeit very faintly. Kem cocks his head as he sees them all spark into his vision, one brow raising as he notes a very familiar, small figure. Little Niko, by the fireplace. Whatever was she doing here? Clearing his throat, he turns to the man next to him, strums another. "So, a man so far gone that even alcoholism couldn't bring down. Impressive. That is a mighty problem you have, mighty and sad if it's led to you sulking in a place as lovely and cozy as this." He plucks out a plaintive tune. "Pray tell, what type of solution are you seeking for this mighty problem of yours?"

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Crossing his arms, Jack watched as it became progressively apparent that his new customer had no coin. However, upon hearing the others offer he chuckled. “Depend’s on ‘ow well y’ play- if you play a good’n then I’ll consider one on the ‘ouse.” At that, he leaned back onto the wall behind himself, watching with anticipation.

Upon being hit once more, the brunette could only stare frustratedly at the man on his left, shuffling slightly away to hopefully avoid being hit further. He gripped his glass a little bit tighter, taking another long sip of water as he observed the other play.

“A longer deadline for a start- and some decent sleep would be great.”

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Music. The little one perked her ears at the melody. Only one funny instrument in Sanceline sounded like that. “Mr. Kem” She whispers, propping herself up and prancing over to the bar. Gentle paw pads reach out to pat at Kem’s side. Sometimes Kem couldn’t see her, so Niko let him know she was there beside him. And she began to dance. Merry flowing movements to go with the bard’s strums. She danced as well as a child trying to copy street performers might dance, but she looked like she was having fun.

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Kem leans back as he adjusts the strap of his instrument and tilts his head in acknowledgement. "Not to be boastful," he replies to Jack as he moves his fingers into position. "But, I play exceedingly well." He may not be able to wink, but the tone he says it in is certainly cheeky enough for it.

Clearing his throat, Kem strikes an opening chord and watches the form of the disgruntled man next to him light up, this time a tad further away from himself. He snorts in amusement, then starts up a proper tune, Idrian in manner and sounding like home. His fingers seem to fly across the strings as the song unfolds. It feels as natural as breathing to him, so natural that he turns towards the glittering light next to him and carries on their conversation. "Deadline? For what?" The sounds of the music light up everything for him now; the details of the inn flashing into view as the noise outlines chairs, people's faces, even the stones of the fireplace. It illuminates the man's expression and Kem can "see" vestiges of exhaustion in the lines of his face. Tired, indeed. "Decent sleep, that should be easy enough to achieve. You find a strong fellow and have them choke you out."

He chuckles to himself as if he's made some great joke, then feels that little tap on his side. As his song dips and dives and picks up in rhythm, he smiles down in the direction of Niko and gives her a nod. Her steps light up red and pink when she dances and Kem promptly adjusts the tune for her.

♫ - https://open.spotify.com/track/2uwRAYbLoFAHnKQoTyMsgt?si=dd9539374d06450d

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Hearing Kem's song played with the expertise shown of a skilled musician, Jack couldn't help but nod approvingly, a wide smile on his face. After a short while he moved away from the wall he was leant against, he turned to look at the whiskey bottle he had eyed earlier, taking it off the shelf to bring over to the bar. Holding onto it as he rested it on the bar’s surface, he bent down underneath the bar to bring up a clean glass with ice, before pouring out the honey coloured liquor.

“Very impressive. You must’ve played’ a long while.” Clearly impressed, he moved over the drink across the bar’s surface again, indicating to the 'blind' man that he had his reward before he placed the whiskey bottle back where it sat prior.

Kyle in the meantime rolled his eyes, leaning on his hand over the bar once more with a deadpan expression. “Another client wanted last minute revisions that would take at least another day's work, the usual. And I dunno, sounds pretty risky- what if I end up with my neck broken?”

His gaze looked over to the smaller guest of the inn who was currently dancing at the bar, a small smile forming as he observed her dance along with the tune.

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Little paws clacked on the wood floor as the little dancer spun and swayed to the Lute’s song, her tail following behind her like a ribbon. As she bounced, the sounds from the items in her satchel are indiscernible. Pebbles? Beans? Silverware? The strange assortment of percussion seemed to go well with the beat of the music.

Niko catches a glimpse of the stranger’s smile and shyly giggles and hides behind Kem’s legs for a moment, her tail still swaying happily.

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Kem finishes the tune, playing out the last notes with a flourish before stilling the strings. He inclines his head to the scattered applause and cocks his ear towards the sound of a drink being poured. "Much thanks! For the libation and the praise," he says as he takes a deep swig of the liquor. As he sets the glass down, he gives a satisfied sigh. Not quite as assuaging as he'd hoped, but it would have to do. "Oh yes," he continues, patting his instrument before nudging it back around his body. "I've played for...quite a long time. One could almost say I was born with the skill." He chuckles to himself and taps the glass. "Good stock you have. I can't imagine how something as *good as this* couldn't possibly ease your mood," he continues, addressing the man next to him. "Ah, well..." Kem pretends to think in response to the question. "You won't know until you try. Here, stick your neck out and I can make an attempt." He holds his hands out jokingly, but then feels Niko dip behind his legs. "Now, what's this? Little Niko, in from the cold? Why aren't you back with the other children?" Finding her form, he pats her head clumsily. "She's one from my usual audience," he remarks. "I typically play along the south bridge, where...lonely children tend to gather. They call me the Sunburst Musician, y'know, 'cause of the mosaic along the bridge." Kem flashes another toothy smile. "But, you can call me Kem."

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Jack nodded along, listening to Kem explain his profession and how he gained his experience. He couldn't help but chuckle at his constant retorts to Kyle, who was quickly adjusting to the back and forth banter between the two of them, his mood simmering from the visible frustration he portrayed before. A smirk took the brunettes features, as he raised his brows mockingly, his posture straightening as he raised his hands in the air in a gesture of defeat. "Now now, wouldn't want to strain those precious fingers of yours, you clearly need them for your trade." His retort was layered thick with sarcasm, as he glanced to Jack who shook his head with an amused smirk of his own.

The door behind the bartender swung open as a blonde haired waiter made his way through with a couple meals served in bowls on each of his arms. The fresh aroma of shepherds pie and stew could be smelt as he walked past the two at the bar, attending a nearby table of guests who were eagerly awaiting their meal. Kyle briefly glanced at this before turning his attention back to Kem with Niko at his feet, leaning back on the bar as he listened to the other explain. Hearing Kem's introduction, Kyle gave him a cautious side glance with a raised brow, taking a sip before he spoke once more. "Good to know. Name's Kyle. Do you make good money from busking there? Or do you have to rely on other spots or other means?"

Having finished attending other patrons across the room, the blond waiter wandered over to the group at the bar with a warm smile present on his face. Bending over slightly he leant forwards to look towards Niko on an even level, asking her in a jovial tone; "Now hello there! Is there anything I can get you young lady? A glass of water perhaps?"

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The girl leaned into the musician’s pats. It was nice to see Mr. Kem was doing well, for some reason she thought the Sunburst Musician might live under that bridge and it does get rather cold by the river at night. But he could warm up any setting with his lute. “Hello Mr. Kem, I still got letters for people.” She pipes up, doing a light, curtsey-like motion to show her satchel. “I look up and down Dreary Lane, but I didn’t find a ‘eight-five-C’ house nowhere. So I can’t go back to the others yet, Friend said it had to be given tonight…” She trailed off, her gaze wistfully following the scent of shepherd’s Pie. It smelled so wonderful.

She didn’t expect the waiter to notice her. “I-… I- um…” What she wanted was food, but it looked so yummy. And yummy meant expensive and she didn’t want to have to leave yet. It was so very warm in the inn. But she could probably… “I want what Mr. Kem was drinking.”

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Kem frowned briefly. "Shouldn't go out alone like this near dark, little Niko," he remarked. "At least wait for myself or one of the older children to accompany you on your deliveries." He gave another ruffle to her hair, then turned to Kyle, the frown dissolving into the usual, lazy smile he reserved for strangers and new acquaintances. "Kyle, is it. A pleasure," he replied. "The money is...enough, I would say. Enough to keep alive, at least, and sometimes that's all that matters, eh? The bridge is the best spot. Stop by one day, if you pass that way." He elbowed Kyle again, the bone sharp and digging. "Do you play anything? I *am* looking for an accompaniment!" he laughed out loud.

He paused for the waiter, listened to him speak. The man lit up in gold in Kem's vision, jolly sparks and warm. Kem smiled and barked another laugh out at Niko's response. "Yes, get her the good whiskey! She's a hard worker, regardless of age; let her enjoy a hard worker's reward." His body shifted towards Kyle. "And this one as well! In the doldrums, this one is. Give him another round and I'll give you another song." Laughing, he clapped a hand on the back of Kyle's neck, his palm hitting flesh---

---and the world exploded like a rotten fruit hitting the ground. Kem's body juddered to stillness, appearing frozen, lips slightly parted as a low whistle of breath emanated faintly from between his teeth. Yet, within...oh, within.

It was shadow. Swirls of it. A flare of light, then more mixed in, shrieks, his shrieks, mingling with the growls, the screams, howls from the one made of storm and shadow. Loathsome brother. Reprehensible. Then pain, terrible pain, claws in his eyes---but, was this not the past? Kem felt as if he had been kicked back in time, living it all over again. The hunter and the conjuror, the betrayal. Anger bubbled like bile in his throat as the stones fell down and crushed him---

---then a man, brown hair, Kyle himself, madness creeping like ivy across his face, burdened with something, too much of what? A gift? Curse, blessing, god-touched---

---the world now on fire, no, not the world, the building, this building, aflame, the heat of it acute on Kem's skin as if it were happening in this second and THERE---

Fire washed across Kem in burning waves. It felt like home to him, so much heat, so much warmth. How long had it been that he had been able to bathe in flames like this? He touched his face and felt his eyes, there, not gone, and he nearly wept with the feeling. Holding a hand set aflame, he gazed at it, the talons growing, shedding the skin that held him in, made him small. And the sight, the sight---he looked up and suddenly met an eye. An eye set in darkness, a void within the flames. It did not feel like his brother, but Kem knew. Kem knew it as Divine. He opened his mouth to speak---

And, just as quickly as it had started, the vision stopped. Kem staggered against the bar counter, face suddenly hard and grim. His hand tightened momentarily against Kyle's neck, bruising, then quickly withdrawing to steady himself against the bar's edge. "Has anyone told you," he said, voice low. "That you have quite a gift, my friend?"

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Kyle moved his gaze back to Kem, nodding along until he heard the others' question, to which he winced when elbowed and shook his head as he waved the air in front of him dismissively with a furrowed expression. “Uh, well… I’ve dabbled into playing the lute in my freetime, but I’m nowhere near your level in skill.”

Kyle paused, glancing between Kem and Tyler as he listened to the conversation with an amused smirk. Upon hearing Niko’s request for alcohol, Tyler raised his eyebrows, his eyes going wide with a bewildered smile as he moved his gaze up to Kem and Kyle, glancing between them both to gauge their reactions, and then back to the little girl.

“I can tell you now, you probably won't like the taste of that. It's like … drinking soap. Fiery soap.” With a hand to his chin in a pose of thought Tyler pondered on the menu's other options, staying hunched for a moment more before standing straight as the look of an epiphany took his face.

“I have just the idea, little one I’ll be right back with something better, I promise!”

♫ - https://open.spotify.com/track/4mXwb1ZFrDPRhVt8gCDEjt?si=78df640b14a4498e

At that, he gave a nod to both Niko and Kem as he skittered around the bar with his serving tray hooked under his arm, disappearing back through the wooden door he had appeared from before. Kyle’s gaze followed his friend with a raised brow before he blinked and shook his head with an amused smirk; This caused him to miss Kem’s oncoming latch onto his shoulders, as he turned back to face the other just as contact landed. A cold sweat immediately took him as his expression grew pale; His posture locked in a stagnant state as his gaze hovered in the mid distance, seemingly looking at the grain of the wood in the bar.

It was deafeningly quiet, except for the beast-like screams that could faintly be heard out in the distance of the pitch black void that surrounded the senses.

The two figures were hard to see at first, being far in the pitch black distance until they rushed forwards and suddenly snapped into the foreground. Was that.. Kem? But who is the other figure? He stood frozen from his viewpoint of the checkerboard marble tiles he stood at the edge of, sand floating down off of its ledge into the pitch black void that sandwiched between him and the scene presented in front in the format of a miniature. The two tore at each other, like wild beasts amid a battle of survival, both desperate to take their opponent down yet, there was a deep sense of sorrow emanating from the scene.

The scene started to float past towards the left, orbiting out of view of the platform that the brunette stood on. He struggled to see his hands in front of him as his vision blurred and a searing headache took a grip of his senses. His thoughts were interrupted as he coughed up blackened blood into his hands. The familiar amber glow filled his peripheral, as the marble floor shifted to the mahogany floorboards of the pub they were in moments prior. Kyle’s breathing hastened, he could feel his heartbeat quickening as the air became hard to breathe in, it thickened with smog and ash.

“Enough! Janus!- cough E-Enough! I’ve- cough already seen-” He stopped speaking as he coughed into his arm, struggling to breathe in his attempt of filtering the air through his sleeve. His eyes watered as they darted around the scene, the bar seemingly empty except for the beam that fell from the open ceiling from the remnants of the charred structure. Looking up however, he could barely see the many eyes that peered through the reddened smog and ash. They stared intensely as they moved closer.

“𝑨𝑵𝑶𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹 𝑰𝑵𝑻𝑹𝑼𝑫𝑬𝑹… 𝑰𝑵 𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝑴𝑰𝑫𝑺𝑻… 𝑫𝑶 𝑾𝑬… 𝑯𝑶𝑺𝑻 𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑺 𝑵𝑶𝑾?”

The voice was low in tone, breathy, and dragged out.

“I fucking guess?! cough I- I don’t- I dont know- cough you, tell me?!” Kyle snapped back angrily through coughs, he couldn’t move, as the flames surrounded him with charred beams blocking any exit.

He only gained a chuckle in response as he snapped back to the present, in the same inn except it no longer was engulfed in flames. ♫ - https://open.spotify.com/track/7tN3Pi0Lw45fOB5Fi5B6kk?si=e974318a1d344117

The ambient sound of glasses clinking and general chatter came back to his senses, giving the brunette the first sign he was back in the present.

Catching himself on the bar with both hands he leant forwards, quickly darting his gaze up to try and find Jack, who was staring back at him with a concerned look, and then to Kem. He straightened and came back to his senses when gripped by the other, causing him to shove off his arm reflexively as he observed Kem, who was visibly shaken just the same. Giving a piercing stare, he kept quiet for a moment at the others retort.

He saw?...

Finally, he gave a response in an equally low, mocking tone.

“... What gift?”

He glanced around the pub, attempting to see if anyone else had caught the interaction, with his wild gaze finally settling on Niko, to whom it softened.

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Scraps.

Discarded bits of meals; a stray bone of poultry, a rind of now rotting fruit, crumbs of stale bread. To most these were jokes, trash! To humbled ones perhaps a life saving meal. To the city's most fearsome hunter these scraps were enough of a meal...for tonight. Sharpened teeth cracked at a chipped bone to expose the still so tender marrow hidden away, a feast! Valuable nutrients and protein. This would do just fine.

Suddenly the sweet smell of cooked meat was overwhelmed by a stench that made the hunter's sensitive nose wrinkle in disgust. What beast could just walk into a public space so freely? How foolish humans were, how fragile. For the moment the hunter only observed the scene from her seating far above the crowd where she could be blissfully unnoticed. It was better to be unseen in these spaces by people, nobody would be afraid of her mighty presence, nor cower at her weapon of choice that was tied to her back.

Though when the stinking beast began to create music and grab at the funny humans her concern demanded to take action. That creature was starving, what sort of game was it playing at? Of course it would be up to her to chase it off before another silly human fell victim! Never a moment of peace.

The Hunter set down her meal and carefully positioned herself, an ambush from above would do the trick. Her weapon glinted in the low light as a sharp, silvery needle-like blade adorned by flowers. Her delicate grey coat camouflaging her against the shadows she readied herself. Blade pointed, she leapt from her perch from above and came crashing down on the wretched being with all of her might, sinking the sharp weapon deep into its foul neck.

(Outside perspective a mouse literally just fell from the ceiling with a hairpin to stab Kem. Have fun with that.)

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When Kyle meets Niko’s eyes, she blinks up at him. She had trailed off from talking something about how soap smelled good, and asking how Kyle knew what something you were supposed to wash yourself with tasted like, and if it made his insides clean. Her head tilted inquisitively, noticing the man’s posture against the bar.

It looked as if she were going to say something when her ear cocked towards the rafters and her gaze snapped in response, pupils slitting. In one fluid motion, the girl crouched on a bar stool and leapt at the critter about Kem’s neck, snatching the form in her paws and pinning it to the ground. With enough pressure to hold but not enough to crush. Wide eyes stare down at the curious mouse. Why, she couldn’t eat this! This mouse has little clothes, and a little baldric! Niko admired the whimsy of little mouse items for a moment. “Did you fall? Are you all r-“

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It was Kem's turn to give a sardonic smile as he cocked his head towards the sound of Kyle's voice. "Please," he remarked. "You're no debutante, the coyness doesn't suit you. You're an adult and capable of straight answers." He leaned in, more in an attempt to see more, to catch a glimpse within the sparks that made up Kyle, of that small flash of Divine presence. Nothing. It was as if the vision had never happened. Kem snorted and leaned back again, reaching for his glass. "Who gave it to you? The god-blessing? Because that's what you are, whether you'll admit it or no---"

What felt like a pinch on his neck distracted him. He detected the smallest of lights on his neck, a tiny creature of some sort? Kem's hand raised and immediately slapped down---only to hit skin. Nearby, a scuffle, bright colourful flashes of pink indicating Niko. "What's that you've found, little Niko?" he asked, head craning in her direction.

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His attention was tugged back to Kem with him looming closer. He saw. But what exactly does he know- what is he? Giving a wry smile back once more he continued in a low tone.

“Much like a debutante, I know better than to divulge sensitive information in a place with many eyes and ears, especially, towards a strange beast who has stumbled into a refined establishment from the woods.”

Sneering there was a slight mocking poshness that crept into his words and accent. Kyle kept his scornful gaze on Kem, leaning slightly away each time he crept closer.

“That has nothing to do-”

The quick motions of Niko and the shadow dropping from above caught the brunette off guard, causing him to flinch and wobble backwards. Landing his hand heavily against the bar behind to catch himself from falling backwards off his stool, he balanced himself. Stunned, he looked down at the smaller of the duo, attempting to see what she had managed to capture in her hands, whilst also attempting to calm his own frazzled composure.

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Foiled! Who dares intrude upon this hunt!? Was Nimble mistaken, were there to be more than one beast hiding in this establishment?

Nay, it was something else, a being that the Grand Hunter often had quarrels with: a cat.

Unhand me at once, you foolish fiend! The small mouse thrashed and squeaked with a mighty protest to her pink captor. I am no play thing! But this little kitten was leaving her no choice, she had to sink her sharp teeth into a knuckle of Niko's little finger to give herself a chance for freedom. There was a hunt afoot, this was no time to be distracted to amuse other creatures.

Once the pink cat's grip shifted to react to her bite the mouse made a mad dash to her discarded weapon. She wouldn't have much time now that the element of surprise has been ruined. Now the Beast was aware of her.

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A yelp momentarily cuts through the yammer of the inn. The pain made Niko recoil her hands, but she didn’t begin to weep until she saw the blood.

Kem is answered with little mumbles and blubbering as Niko points to where the mouse was on the floor, before returning to wiping the tears from her face and clutching her cut hand to her chest. Something about falling and a little tiny coat and then getting bitten?

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♫ - https://open.spotify.com/track/4Rd7jbr10O2hPJzFe4u7HP?si=2d22ee0374b14863

Kem’s roar of laughter brought Kyle's attention once more, causing him to onlook his bar companion with a look of concern mixed with wariness. He sneered once more, wincing from the continuous rough housing he kept receiving from Kem’s overzealous infringement of the brunette’s personal space.

“_Ahhh._ So am I dealing with a pheonix or a cuckoo? Either way I'd rather not fill my card out on this occasion, I don't like gathering unneeded attention for when I can afford it.”

Jack approached the bar, coming to the foreground from the back of the wall where he had been silently observing till now. Leaning on both of his hands on the glossed surface of the bar he leant forwards raising his brows with an unamused expression. “Now I hope yer not causin’ a ruckus at my bar with no pet nonsense. If ye can’t control it, take it outside.” Leaning forwards he attempted to see what Niko had just let go of. The door behind him opened and Tyler emerged with a couple of beverages in hand. Approaching the bar from behind Jack he placed his tray from before gently on the bar, the glasses on top filled with freshly pressed cloudy lemonade. He smiled, presenting the glasses to Niko, however as soon as he noticed the other clutching her hand he rushed round, taking a napkin out of his pocket to give to her to staunch the bleeding on her hand.

“I hope the wait was worth it- oh dear, what happened? Here, I have this, we’ll clean that right up.”

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Did this monster think she could be defeated by a stomp? Please! All in a matter of practised timing the mouse jumped just out of the way of being crushed. This was a situation she had to live with daily, Kem was going to have to try better than that.

With a skilled slide she grabbed the sharp hairpin in her tiny jaws and charged. A mountain she will conquer if she must. What a sight this must have been to an outsider; a small grey mouth carrying a hairpin running towards a blind minstrel with such tenacity. Nimble wasted no time to jump and grab onto the fabric of Kem's pants and began her climb.

Moving as agile as she could to avoid being struck, the mouse made a quick, stab jab of her blade into the back of the knee. She *will* bring down this foe!

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Kem cocked his head, ear tilted towards Kyle. "Curious to see which one? I'd love to show you, but sadly---" He raised a hand up as if he could actually see it physically within the light of the bar. "There's some rather fleshy complications in the way." Lowering his arm, he gave another ruffle to Niko's hair, but his focus fixed on Kyle instead. "What if that unneeded attention could help you?" he asked, mouth curling into a crooked grin.

It dissipated at Jack's words, however. "No, no please, this mouse is hardly a pet!" he exclaimed. He tapped the counter again with a finger, to sense where the little creature was now. "I think, rather, you have a pest problem in your fine establishment. And with vermin that wield..." Another tap revealed the slightest of sparks delineating a fine line. "Needles?"

No sooner did he speak, then he felt the thing leap onto him before he could register the sensory light of it. A frown tugged at his mouth. Bothersome creature. His hand moved to make a swipe---until he felt a stronger sting at the back of his knee. His leg jerked out---damned mortal shells and all their *nerves*---kicking against the bar and he let out a growl of irritation. The sound of his boot against the wood echoed in the dark of his sightlessness, lighting up the mouse in almost full detail. Kem was at the lowest of his power and could barely afford to expend anymore; but fuck it, this thing was annoying and had already hurt little Niko. With inhuman quickness, he snatched up the vermin, held her tightly in his fingers. Heat pooled along his palms as the leak of semi-Divinity gave off a light burn. A thin thread of smoke drifted up from his other hand laid flat along the countertop. Holding the squirming mouse up for the others to see, Kem cocked his head again. "If I kill it, will I get another drink?"

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Tyler gave a warm smile as he wrapped the napkin around Niko's hand gently, pulling the ends together to make a knot to keep it in place. "Thank you, that's very kind of you. Your eyes are very pretty colours too."

Taking one of the glasses off the tray from behind Kyle, he pushed one of the glasses into Niko's reach for her to take a sip easier. "It's lemonade. It can be a bit sour, but I hope you like it."

In the meantime, the brunette brooded as he leant forwards slightly. "I've seen." He paused, and squinted as he tilted his head. "And what benefit does that give you? How can you help me?"

Kyle was attempting his best to ignore Jack’s unamused stare at the pair by hunching down slightly, however the older bartender didn't budge from his spot, a large frown forming on his disgruntled face from he busker's retort. "I'll 'ave you know there's no such thing, this place is free 'n clean o' vermin."

Jack cocked an eyebrow as Nimble was presented like a fresh catch, leaning forward slightly to take a better look at her peculiar tiny garb. The brunette couldn't help but let out a small snicker at Kem bashing his leg into the bar, attempting to cover his mouth with his hand to hide it.

"Depends, is it sentient? Looks like hunter garb to me- not everyday you see that." Kyle retorted, sitting up straight to observe Nimble with his head tilted slightly upwards.

Jack however spotted the smoke arising from Kem's hand that was placed on the counter top, quickly batting it with the rag to the side of his hand in an attempt to move it. "Watch it, you'll damage the mahogany! No blood curses in the pub, take it outside if y'need to."

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Oh the cursing that could be heard around the world in those little shrill squeaks. Nimble struggled with all of her mighty trying to break free, a little paw barely squeezing out between crushing fingers, little furry cheeks scrunched up against her snout, a delicate tail waggling madly. She tried! She tried desperately to warn the humans of what danger they were in. How could these foolish creatures constantly ignore her warnings? She tried to bite at Kem again for her freedom only to be squished.

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Niko again leans into the musician’s idle pats, his hand warm and familiar in this place of new. Both regarding each other in presence and others in conversation. Her tears were but a faint puffy memory about her eyes.

She mumbles a grinning ‘thank you’ into her hands at Tyler, obscuring her face behind the glass. She sometimes forgot what her face looked like as a whole, through the broken glass of the factory, and reflections in store windows and the creek water. She takes another sip of the drink over the rim and beams at him. It was tart like a lemon, but not enough to pucker, and sweet like how a lemon fruit OUGHT to taste. “This drink is *some pumpkins*, sir! How did you get the lemonade to be nice? Is this what soap tastes like?”

She takes another sip of the drink over the rim and stares wide-eyed at Mr. Kem, the mouse, and the barkeep. Silly Mr. Kem forgot to take his hand off the bar when doing his flame magic trick! She gently takes his wrist and lifts his hand from the wood. “Oh, it’s not a blood curse mister keeper sir! Mr. Kem can make magic! Really pretty magic, sir.”

She rummages in her satchel with her other hand and pulls out a broken candlestick, a pretty jewel earring, and a smooth river stone. “A game! A game! We can play a game!” She motions for Kem’s whiskey glass and taps it to the side of his hand with the mouse in it. “We play a game with frogs at the creek sometime. You set items down that mean somethin’ or or or yes or no and the frogs jump to it to talk or make choices. We can put her under the glass and she can move towards- towards the answer when we ask questions.” She sets her items on the counter and explains to the mouse clearly annunciating while pointing. “The shiny earring mean ‘YES’. The rock mean ‘NO’ and the candle is er-” she bashfully rolls the candle to and fro on the bar. “I just wanted to see Mr. Kem’s magic trick…”

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Kem sighed dramatically. "Ah, so that's a 'no' to the drink, is it?" He lets Niko lift his hand and smiles again in what he surmises is Jack's direction, holding the palm up harmlessly. "She's quite right," he said, his voice back to the usual lazy, languid tone. "Not a blood curse: magic. Harmless little flames, nothing more." He turned his hand down to pat the wood of the counter fondly. "But, much apologies, sir, any kind of damage was most unintentional; it shall not happen again."

He could feel the pierce of something against his skin; oh yes, he was still holding the little creature, wasn't he? A small trickle of blood slid down his index finger as he shook the mouse slightly. "Sentient? Merely because it...what...garbs itself in rags? Aah but I guess stranger things happen in this city anyway. Why not a sentient mouse."

Turning to Kyle, Kem's face sobered, but only just so. "Oh, there's plenty of benefit when it comes to me," he said, voice low enough to be kept between them both. "As for you...you've got a condition and a rather...interesting guest keeping an eye on you. I happen to be 'extended family.'" He gave a shrug. "But, I can't help if I don't know what you want. However---" he continued at a normal volume. "The debutante doesn't want to be belle of the ball, so. No talk here, was it?" His smile widened. "Yes, games first!" he exclaimed to Niko. In that same swift motion he used to catch the mouse, he quickly placed the creature down and clapped the glass over her. Tapping a finger against the side, he leaned towards Niko. "Would you like to start the questions, my dear?"

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Jack's stern stare was kept trained on Kem as the latter explained himself, causing the old bartender to cross his arms in a huff, with the cloth in his hand chucked over his shoulder. The information that his abilities were not a blood curse set alarm bells off for the old man, but years worth of experience in the trade had taught him how to keep a well trained poker face, and what snippets of information can be bartered. He'll keep an eye, for now.

"No, not unless yer able t' provide coin or other means o' labour. We ain't a charity, even though we try to be as accommodatin' as we can be, the 'ouse still needs coin t' run," he responded with a dry smile.

Tyler couldn't help but chuckle a little when hearing Niko's mentioning of soap, causing him to reach over and pour himself a glass of lemonade. "No, this is made of lemons. How I made it will have to remain a secret I'm afraid, trade secret! Though I'm sure I can give you some tips. As for soap, well… Kyle's more acquainted with that taste thanks to his swearing-" "Oh fuck off with it will you. You only got away with not having that shit put in your mouth cause you're a brown nose." Kyle snapped back to Tyler's clear amusement, to whom the brunette turned his back too prissily as he turned his attention once more to Kem. He stared at the burnt wooden grain of the bar as he contemplated his options, before finally answering in an equally low tone.

"Yes, we will need to… discuss this more in private it seems."

He leant over the bar once more, his chin on his palm as he watched Kem who had placed the rodent in its glass containment. Tyler sat straighter on the bar stool behind him to get a better view, as his attention was taken by the small rodent that was now trapped within the glass on the bar, eagerly awaiting the oncoming questions and response with eager curiosity.

━━ ⋆⋅ ✧ ⋅⋆ ━━━ “Do swears taste like soap to Mr. Kyle? Is he allergic to swearing?” The girl giggles at the banter between the men at the counter. Mr. Kyle was really funny. “The mister dash doesn’t have any brown on his nose silly!”

Niko looks with wide-eyed curiosity over the brim of the bar at the little mouse. Noting the mouse’s stature and posture. The specks of blood still on her teeth and nose.

“Um- Um… Why are you dressed like that- wait wait um yes or no- um- are you… hungry? Do you like seeds?”

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What was all of this nonsense then? How dare these barbarians imprison her in such a manner? This was a peasant's glass! A commoner's attempt to remove a spider at best!

The little gray mouse stood on her hind legs with pride and threw up her paws in a display of anger, and now they wanted to ask her questions! Idiots! Nimble stood almost like how a person would with their arms crossed and foot tapping in annoyance--wait, was that an eyeroll? She shook her head 'no' at Niko's innocent question.

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Niko sat there stunned in amazement. She almost forgot to tell her blind friend what was happening in front of them. “Mr. Kem! Mr. Kem! Mr. Kem! The mouse! The mouse is standing like she’s mad and the mouse shook her head to say ‘no’!” The girl was already bouncing in her seat and tugging on the musician’s sleeve. “The mouse didn’t even use the items! She jus’ shook her head like a person! Your turn- Your turn to ask a question! I’ll tell you what she does.”

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Kem leaned back on his stool, hand still on the glass. He gave it a tap, the sound ringing enough so that he could make out the tiny, irate form within. "Oh is she now?" he replied. He had missed the shake of the mouse's head. Bless Niko for always telling him about his surroundings. Pretending to think, he stroked his chin with his free hand, then gave the glass another tap and leaned in with a smile.

"Interesting mouse, then, if it's acting like a person," he remarked. "Is this a habit of yours? Stabbing random people at will?"

A slow smile crept across his face. "And, do you think my *good friend* here," he said with a nudge to Kyle's side. "My *very good friend* who I've completely not just met, will lend me coin to buy another drink?" A chuckle bubbled up out of his chest.

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