//Closed//Lucky Charms

In a hushed tone villagers and marketers sat in the same bar, sitting amoungst each other as they drank dark brews and ales, some sast and held wine as they cheered their songs and talked about their days and nights passed. A nice busy night to come upon the tavern at such a late hour, not really late it was only nine thirty or so. But yet in the silence of the night as she came upon the doors to the tavern, a quiet hush came over her as she gripped onto the cold heavy steel. And in one quick moment she pulled the door open and allowed herself inside, she alone came through the door as her pet dragon sat outside in the trees that surrounded the tavern, scared to cause a ruckus inside the tavern.

A fairly dark skinned woman erupted through the door, in a pale blue dress with black leather straps surrounding her upper chest and the partially opened sides along her ribs, which matched all the way down the sides of her legs, the dark leather stripes holding tight to her dark skin. Bright red lips seemed to accent the already curved face with largely set lips. Walking her way in through the crowd of town folk, she headed towards the bar counter that was crowded with people.

Only by chance did she catch the attention of the busy barkeeps eye, she was waving her hand about, her black fishnet gloved hand. She had to raise her soft toned voice to make her order heard above all else, so that he could make it right. And with that she turned in spot and stared at the patrons surrounding her, the misplaced lighting of the further in bar area made seeing far difficult, and with all the patrons that were smoking, made it even more difficult to see through shadows.

Receiving her drink, she quickly reached into her breast pocket and pulled out a few bills, paying for the bottle of white Romanian wine, taking her glass and quickly turning and letting her hair fall over her shoulder, covering the bare chest that was bore. In just a moment she walked carefully down the set of stairs heading to the lobby area, sitting near an empty pool table she set her glass down and started pouring wine into it very gently. Humming slightly, she lifted the glass to her lips, smelling it at first allowing it to fill her senses. Enjoying the rush she got from that, she quickly took a long sip, leaning into her chair, watching the pool table in curiosity.

Garen was able to get out of the school at last. He stood by the building gates looking at it taking deep breath and shouting loudlyAT LAST I AM OUT!!He took couple deep breathes looking at the building then looked around seeing the people looking at him surprised by the action he just made. He moved his eyes between the villagers and rolled his eyes blushing lightly But smiled waving his hand at them”Sorry everyone..but I am just happy”He jumped happily turning around looking at the village

He smiled widely moving his hands to his waist”Now lets take a look around this placeLooking around again. He started walking down the road with the people looking at him surprised by the giant sword on his back. Standing infront of the door of the tavern with ‘ Tarriq Satu’ name on it. He took a look inside seeing many guys sitting around the tables drinking beer or wine cheering together. He licked his lips smiling saying to himself ”Its been long time since I have a nice drink”

He opened the door walking in. He was wearing a long black jacket on his bare body, Grey pants and black boots. The guys inside stopped talking and looked towards the door seeing the guy with the giant sword as they started whispering about him. He raised his eye brow and shook his head walking towards the bar asking for red wine. It was just moments before he received the wine he asked for. He looked back at the guys who were still whispering about him. He fisted his hand trying to calm himself from kicking those guys out of the bar

He shook his head taking deep breath walking down the stairs towards the lobby area. He looked around seeing couple of guys sitting around a table while on the other side there was a pretty female sitting alone. He walked towards an empty table beside the lady’s table. He placed the glass on the table pouring some of his wine and holding the glass taking a long sip of the wine”Oh..I missed that taste”

After getting her room set up she was ready to check out the surrounding area. Walking past the giant statues in the main room Dessy’s head was still spinning over that fact that she was really in college she was really going to be with other like her. A special bred is what father called us ,chosen to be who and what we are now. The thought of her father always made her smile, he took her in taught her everything. Dessy asked him once why he picked her out of so many others. The streets were crowed with young ladies with no home with nothing. All he said was that he saw something special about her. Shrugging she hit’s the doors and steps outside. The bright sun had set and now it was her time to get out and away from her school.

The village would be a good start plus she was starting to get hungry. What better way to meet the village then have them on their knees begging for their little lives. Closes her eyes grabbing the door knob fighting back that feeling. Her voice smooth just above a whisper “ No no no no no no no I can not think that way. Focus Des come on get a grip on yourself. “ Still the rage would take over no matter how many times her father told her over and over again that she was still the same young lady as she was before he embraced her she knew different. She could feel he hungry what if she could not control it like the others like her father.

Her hands shaking as she takes a deep breath and walks into the tavern. Looking around she would smile just like the place she grew up in. It did feel strange being back in a tavern once she left long ago she thought she would never step in one again yet here she was. Her fangs hidden for now not sure how the villagers would react to her being a vampire on the loose. Laughing lightly she moves to the bar and smiles. Her Irish accent thick but her voice is one of sweet music to the ear “ A pint of ye best “ Tilting her head to the side she looks behind her. Kids well what looked to be kids anyways maybe they are from her school. Not really sure if she should go over there and talk to them So she moves to the table next to them and takes a seat after getting her pint.

A deep breath exhaled through blue lips, as she watched carefully around the tavern. The lack of her dear pet was causing her to be uneasy, he was her eyes and he was stuck outside since no pets were allowed in the tavern. She didn't blame the owner either, it was a mini dragon, she wouldn't want it in her bar either if she didn't know how it acted and how it was trained. In any case, she found herself consumed in the pool table that sat before her, questioning and pondering getting up and starting to rack the balls up.

Then from the corner of her eye, she caught a young man in her sights, his looks reminded her of that of the school kids she had been surrounded by earlier that day. The large sword on his back caused her to grief in a soft manner, watching him carefully as he rounded the table and sat at the next table. A smile pressed onto her lips, she had competition perhaps for her game of pool. She poured her red wine, and filled the glass to the rim, quickly she sipped on it, drinking carefully as to not spill any. She had been quite thirsty, the walk to here from the school was quite a ways, but seemed to be worth it as of so far.

Then another, creeping into the back lobby where the two had been sitting in silence she and the young man had been in the bar for a few moments before another young lady presented herself into the soft light of the taverns shades. A smile again pierced onto the face of the young woman, her fingers raised against her cheek, silver casts of sharpened metal covered her four fingers, with a stencil of steel wrapping around her wrist. This was her safety, her hold for the dragons breath. She waited until the woman had sat down, and in one quick, almost unseen motion she came to the table, one by one picking the balls out of the pockets and putting them into the black triangle rack.

As she collected them all, turning the triangle to tighten the balls, she set them on one side, evenly spaced between the walls as she lifted the black triangle , freeing the balls ready for play. With a curious look, she looked at both the younger students that she had poked for Caislin Hallow children. Their look was that different of the villagers and workers of this town, even the Carnival people did not look so out of place as these children did. She spoke with a tainted but gentle voice, it would be dripping with blood if it were a physical being.

''Darlings, come, take a chance and play the geometric game of pool. Let us see what fun we shall have in the darkness of the Tarriq Satu'' A moment she pressed steel ringed fingers around a pool cue of wood, lifting it she placed the white ball at the opposite end of the racked balls, in one quick motion she popped the stick against the white ball, thrusting it against the set of racked balls. The sound of a crack as the balls moved from their centered rack, bursting from the corners and walls as the spread out evenly across the felt. In silence she moved and found herself moving towards her glass of wine, steel ringed fingers tapped against the crystal glass as she picked it up, laying it against her lips enjoying it's fruity smell before sipping on the red liquid.

Garen took deep breath as he moved his hand to his giant sword moving it on his lap and holding a piece of cloth cleaning it. He looked down before moving his hand to grab the bottle of the red wine pouring some of it in the glass placing the bottle back on the table. Slowly he moved his hand towards the glass lifting it to his mouth to take a sip of the wine. Placing the glass back and looking towards the door seeing another female walking in. Another pretty female walking to sit on the table beside him. He looked at her smiling giving her a slight nod before moving back to continue cleaning his sword. Looking down at it seeing his image getting lost in deep thoughts.

The red wine he was having brought him back to his old past. The past that most of it was lost. Thinking about what Merisa made him see. The demon that used to destroy and slaughter anyone around him. His demonic aura started to rise again making everyone around him in the tavern feel it. Nothing stopped him from thinking but a soft voice came from the female standing near the strange table. He shook his head and sighed looking at her raising his eyebrow listening to what she was saying. He stood up placing the sword on the table moving slowly towards the pool table saying in loud voice to himself”Geometric game of pool?”he looked at her still puzzled by what she said

It was obvious that he didn’t know what she was talking about. He looked back at the table seeing her leaning while holding the wooden stick and moving it back and forth hitting the white ball. He was amazed when he saw the white ball hitting the other balls making them scattered everywhere on the table. He looked at her seeing her walking away from the table to get a sip from her wine. Slowly he moved his hand grabbing one of the balls rolling it in his hand”Wha...What is that round thing?” He threw the ball back to the table making it hit another ball which went in the pocket. That was something more surprising to him. He moved towards the pocket looking down at it”Now what?!”

Her head jerks up looking to the woman with the stick. Shifting in her seat she did not like stick like that , they could do a lot of damage to her and her body. Licking her lips as she sips at the ale not a lot just enough to make others thinks she was drinking. Winkle’s her nose at the taste it would be better with some 0 positive mix in. But life as it was she did not have any with her. Rising to her feet she was just about to walk near the other woman but stops hearing and seeing the male get up. Taking her seat once more she wonders who did not know what pool was. For goddess sake even she knew what it was and that was saying something. Watching the two she would wonder were this would lead.

Would the other lady teach the male or simply play and take his money. Dessy has seen it before a pretty lady pretending she had no clue how to play and would lose the first two games. Only to lead the poor sap into a bigger pot and WHAM she would win it all. Smiles at that thought going back a few years before her turn she could remember working for a Lady that did make her living that way. Such a sweet woman she was very kind letting Dessy sleep on the floor next to the fireplace to keep warm. Shaking the thought from her head she smiles watching the two.

Takes a deep breath out of habit alone she rises to her feet making her way over closer to them both. At first she says nothing just watches the two trying to get a feel of who and what they were as she leans to the wall. Slowly her voice does seem to find it way out in the open. “ I game a pool would be nice. I have not played in so long. “ Lifting her eyes to the male then slowly moves them over to the female “ I am Desdemona,, Dessy or just plan Des to some” With that being said she closes her mouth waiting to hear the names of the other two.

The sound of the two converging and their feet lifting and moving along the floor echoed in her mind. Taking a deep breath, the green eyes shimmered beneath what light there was. ''The game is not that of professionals, only takes but a moment to learn.'' She'd walk over to the male that spoke to her first, quickly replacing the ball on the table in it's proper spot she would walk over to the corner pocket and retrieve the ball that fell in, replacing it in it's original place. ''First thing, young sir, we do not touch the balls with our hands...We use the cues, just as I had.'' She took his hands and placed the cue in it. Pointing to the white ball on the table. ''What you want to do, is hit that little white ball, against another ball and try to put one in the whole. When you do, that will decide if you are solids or stripes. As you can see, half the balls are solid color. The others only have one stripe. And do not, for the love of the land, hit the black 8 ball in until your other ones are gone.''

She moved across and leaned towards her table, picking up her glass of the fruity taste of wine and the scrumptious bubbles that formed under her nose. Giving her a soft smile against her face as it turned to the young woman who stood so close. With a gentle curtsy, she bowed to the woman ''It's a pleasure to meet you Desdemona. You may call me Hunni.'' She would smile just gently before looking across the table at the man. ''As may you, sir.'' A simple pleasure smile whisked across her lips, as the woman took a step back against the half wall that hid the table from the rest of the bar. Almost sitting on top of it , she watched the two as she was only here to start the game, not to take their confidence and money.

THe heels of Athena's boots clipped softly on the road as she walked thorugh the almost silent town. Though her sharp ears still picked up random conversations, odd noises and the like. A faint smile parted her lips, revealing the tips of her fangs. Her bright blue eyes slipped shut as she walked, her mind taking her back to other villages and cities she had wandered into in much the same manner. The middle of the night, when there weren't many mortals...or others, about. Looking for lodging and possible something to slack her ever present thirst. Sure, she had learened along time ago to control her thirst, but every now and then, it was almost too much to bear. She was close to reaching that point this fine clear night, it had been some time since she had fed, simply because she had grown tired of commanding males and animals were scarce on her journy here. Popping her eyes open again, she shifted the leather bag on her back and let her head drop down, watching her feet move. Her sharp hearing was leading her to the tavern she was sure, thanks to the loud cheering and sining and the faint clinking of glasses and the heavier thud of earthenware mugs on wooden tables. Soon she found herself standing infront of the tavern. " My my my, what a lively place...perfect for one such as myself." Athena chuckled softly and was about to open the door when a faint rustle caught her attention. Whipping around, she spotted a small dragon and almost cooed in delight. It had been a very long time since she had seen a dragon of any size. Not wanting to upset him, she simply nodded her head in his direction and softly whispered " I bear you no harm little one" Continuing inside the tavern, she made a mental note to look around for the owner, just to see if she would beable to hold the dragon at least once.

Stepping inside the bright lit room, she had to blink a few times. It was more crowded than she thought it would be. Her smile grew, more of her fangs revealed. She knew she should try to conceal herself untill she got a good handle on this place, but something told her the locals were used to the oddities in life. Making her way through the crowded room, down the steps to the bar. She had to push her way to the bar itself, for two large men, quite drunk from ale were laughing and singing so loudly that her voice could not be heared. She breifly thought about Commanding them out of her way, but thought better of it. FInally grabbing the barkeeps attention, she placed an order in a soft southern drawl. " Just a mint julep for me ". Digging into the hip pocket of the black pants she was wearing, she pulled out enough money for the drink as well as a good tip. Giving the Barkeep a quick smile, she figured she would come back later after it had all calmmed down a bit to ask about a room for rent. Taking a deep breath she turned from the bar and made her way over to an empty table some what close to the pool table. She adored pool, even watching others play. Currently, she was watching One female teach another female and a male the game. Taking herseat, she sighed softly as she dropped the heavy leather bag down onto the floor next to her chair. Pulling her long black hair back into a loose knot at the nape of her neck, she sipped her julep and smiled at the minty sweetness in her mouth.
" Oh it's been much to long since I've had one of these...almost as good as Marie Clarie's..." At the murmer of Mary Clarie her throat tightened up and tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. She missed her dearly, more than she had ever missed any one or any thing. Touching the Li Grand Zombi ring around her finger, she bowed her head and whispered a soft prayer under her breath, asking Mary Clarie's soul to watch over her as she took on the duities given to her to teach history. With a deep sigh, she lifted her head, kissed the ring and took another sip of the julep. Her bright blue eyes were dark and brooding now as she was lost in memories of the bayou and Mary Clare.

The touch that was received to the dragon, caused the arm brace around her bicep to shimmer a soft blue. She would smile at the two she was standing around, enjoying their company, but the off color of the brace made her mind go off in her own thoughts as the two stood around the pool table. She would hand the cue off to Des as she bowed gently and moved through the small gap between Des and the pool table. Finding her way back to her own table, picking up her glass and taking a quick drink of it.

She would nod to the others that stood around the pool table, dismissing herself for the moment as she rushed back through the tavern. Quickly she stepped off to the side, speaking to the owner of the bar. She questioned him time and time again, then finally bribed him with a hundred pound so that she could bring Dionysus inside. The woman made her way through the tavern and all of the people, bursting out the door only to be jumped on by the poor little Dragon that hid outside so patiently. Her brace turned back into the soft red color, the same as his heart.

Wrapping her arms gently around the dragons form, his tail curled around her waist and his claws held onto her arms as the claws wrapped right around her small arms. A smile on her face as she came in through the crowd, coming back to her table and opening her arms. The Dragon quickly ran up her shoulder and wrapped himself around her neck, hanging like a scarf down her chest. Dionysus, her pride and joy. The sparkling Dragon of six years old, completely trained by the age of two. And he stayed as small as a large house cat.

Her eyes watched the people in the bar, someone new had come in and Dionysus had recognized them from outside, he was purring and shifting on her body as he stared at this woman from across the room, sitting on top of his owners shoulders.

Garen listened to Hunni as she was explaining the game to him. He looked at the cue in her hand then looked around to see the stand that’s holding the other wooden cues. He nodded to her walking and getting one to himself. Holding the cue in his both hands looking at it. At the beginning he held it like he holds the sword on his back. But then he realized that it was wrong that he was holding it that way. He swallowed as he walked back to the table listening to her explanation. Looking at the table to see what she was talking about saying to himself in low voice ”Solid… Stripes and never hit the black ball till the others one are gone”

Hearing the other female talking. He looked towards her and sighed shaking his head ”So basically I am the only one who know about this game.”He crossed his arms looking down resting his chin on the cue ”Actually… I am the only one who knows nothing about everything in this time” He looked back at the two females who were standing infront of him Knowing that one of them named Hunni while the other named Desdemona. He smiled widely tilting his head slightly to the right”And I am Garen… Garen Archfiend. Its nice to meet you ladies” He looked back at the table where the balls were scattered on it

He then saw Hunni walk towards the bar and talk to the bartender. He didn’t hear what she was asking him about. But he moved towards his table having long sip of his red wine and shaking his head. He walked back towards the pool table and licked his lips”Now… Lets start playing”He smiled widely moving the cue on the table while holding it between his fingers ”She told me to pick either the stripes or the solids…”He raised his eyebrow as he hit the white ball to hit a stripes ball making it fall in the middle pocket. He smiled widely knowing he did it right. He continued hitting the stripes balls making all of them fall as they were easy targets till there wasn’t any stripe on the table

He moved to stand straight holding the cue in his hand looking at the table and talking to himself”Now what shall I do?”He looked around seeing that Hunni wasn’t around. He took deep sigh shaking his head as he was embarrassed to ask anyone what shall he do after getting all the stripes in the pockets. He decided then to go back to his table and get some drink waiting for Hunni. As he did he saw Hunni is back but this time it was strange… She had a dragon on her shoulder. He was interested in seeing that dragon but then he moved back knowing that this dragon might get wild because of Mordekaiser’s soul inside him. He then looked at Hunni trying to keep distance”What shall I do after getting all the stripes in the pockets?”He smiled tilting his head to the right

The crickets ceased chirping amidst the tall grass, and the night birds fell silent in the boughs of the trees. Along the forest path, an invisible eddy of energy thick with the taint of dark magic swirled. Fallen leaves crinkled as they scraped across the dry dirt, seeking shelter in the swishing grasses as they fled from the vortex. Black tendrils crept from the source of the current, curling as they followed its course like wisps of char-colored smoke. More and more ebon strands appeared, condensing into a cloud in under a second. The writhing mass pulsated and then pried itself apart at the center, creating a ring of strings twisted into a length of twine surrounding a incorporeal disk of darkness deeper than a starless night.

“As I was… over the far famed… I met with captain Farrel… money he was counting,” spilled a distorted tenor through the portal, overcoming the hush that had blanketed the forest since the forming of the vortex. Each syllable that escaped the portal seemed stretched and tortured, as if held on a rack with the singer cranking the device so that the chains pulled harder on the victim. Spaces between the strings of words indicated that some were so tortured that they died before escaping the portal.

A man, wrapped in a black suit, stepped through the portal, the silver head and bottom cap of his cane twinkling like stars plucked from the sky. A stove pipe hat was perched upon a nest of brown hair atop his head, like an ebony owl. His song continued, his voice no longer distorted by the dark magics. “I first produced my pistol, and then produced my rapier. Said stand and deliver, for I am a bold deceiver,” sang the Puppeteer, his voice a perfect tenor. At the word ‘rapier’ the Puppeteer gave the handle of his cane a twist and wrenched the hidden sword free of the cane-sheath. By the word ‘stand’, he had the weapon drawn, and at ‘deliver’ he thrust the shimmering blade into the belly of an imagined foe.

“Musha ring dumma do damma da. Whack for the daddy ‘ol. Whack for the daddy ‘ol. There’s whiskey in the jar.” The Puppeteer shifted back and sheathed his sword back into the deceptive cane as he finished the chorus and then started the next verse: “I counted out his money, and it made a pretty penny. I put it in my pocket and I took it home to Jenny. She said and she swore, that she never would deceive me, but the devil take the women, for they never can be easy.” Again, he sang the chorus but before starting the next verse, a vortex of energy and then black strings appeared in front of him, ripping the fabric of reality open for him to enter and pass through.

Portal by portal, verse by verse, the Puppeteer traveled from the Caislin Hallows to Tarriq Satu in Naiser Vail. Old wooden floorboards created under his soft leather shoes as he stepped out of the last portal onto the porch. Placing his hand on the door handle, he threw it open and sang aloud as he entered the tavern. “Now some men take delight in the drinking and the roving. But others take delight in the gambling and the smoking. But I take delight in the juice of the barley, and courting pretty fair maids in the morning bright and early!” Ending the song, the Puppeteer fell silent with a grin on his lips. Keen brown eyes glinted in the soft light of the tavern as he glanced across the patrons, curious if any still remembered the old Irish song.

Athena sat back, sipping her julep, more lost in memories than paying attention to the room. The sights and sounds of the crowded tavern reached her on some level, though she paid them no mind for the moment. Chuckling softly to herself, she finished the julep and decided that another was in order. Standing up, she slowly made her way back to the bar. She could feel the eyes of men on her, for that was a normal thing to her, but...there was another pair of eyes watching her that almost made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Reaching the bar, she found an opening and slipped up to the polished wood. Resting her elbows on the smooth surface, she once again caught the barkeeps attention. Granted, she might have been using her Command abit, but it wouldn't hurt the man. " Another mint julep please my good man." Flashing a smile, she place her money on the counter, same amount as before.

Taking her drink, she made her way back to her table. On her way, she found the pair of eyes that were watching her. It was the small dragon from outside. Instantly, a brilliant smile danced over her lips, the very tips of her fangs visable. Her cool blue eyes moved up from the dragon to the girl holding him. " Ah, she must be his owner" She thought to herself. GIving both the dragon and the girl a dip of her head she made her way over to them. Stopping just shy of them, she again dipped her head in greeting. " Good evening, I'm Athena Delacroux. Forgive me if I startled your dragon outside, but he is very beautiful. " Athena gave another, softer smile this time. I couldn't help but notice you were playing pool. I'm a big fan of the game myself, though I haven't played in some time."

The fingers of her left hand toyed with the Li Grand Zombi ring on her middle finger. She was always a bit nervous meeting new people like this, you never knew when they would freak out about talking to a vampire. Though, she felt that the girl would understand better than the locals would. Infact, she looked like one of the students from the school, Athena idly wondered if the girl would be assigned to her class at all.

The first thing to catch her attention was the man that entered the tavern with such gust, such a presence that could not be ignored. Causing Hunni to smirk in a sort of odd way. The way this man presented himself, she could pin-point him for something quite different, something this town hasn’t been used to. Taking a deep breath Hunni’s mind was shot off from the curious man that entered in, to a soft voice that echoed against the back of her head. Causing the woman to haphazardly shift from her spot and the dragon to swirl around her upper body like a snake that coiled against a pole. Hunni’s brow rose and those brown hues set on this woman, with a piercing smile that made Hunni shudder from the sight of the pointed teeth.

She had on encounter with another being like this, sharp pointed teeth and a lust for hunger that was beyond that of a natural born human. ’’Good evening Athena Delacroux, welcome to the Tavern Tarriq Satu, where a few of us have converged to find the delicate balance between school, and a good time. I am Terrence Hunni Genova, please feel free to call me Hunni.’’ She spoke with manners and a gentle voice that soothed the presence of the statured beings. ’’And do not feel you imposed, my dear friend Dionysus has become quite the agitated one since we moved to this small island, his senses are still off from the move. You will have to excuse him, though he is very gentle with the appearance of humans.’’

Once more those brown hues found their way to this mysterious man that laid in the corners of the tavern, hiding from her immediate view of sight. Causing a slight groan to escape from her lips, before her sight fell back on the woman called Athena before her. ’’ I am trying to gather people to converse to, seems pool is the best option here. But as I am thinking, these two perhaps don’t know how to play such a game. The male, I can tell has never seen such a thing just by his actions… Perhaps you could help them adjust to the game of Pool?’’ She tempted the woman beside her, as those brown hues landed across the tavern, searching for the strange being that entered just a moment before.

Garen stood by the pool table looking at the Eight black ball holding the wooden cue in his hands resting it on the floor while his cheek against it thinking to himself about what he should do about this ball. He remembered that the lady told him not to touch this Eight ball yet. Looking around again seeing her standing by the door. Taking deep breath as he walked back to his table taking a long sip of his wine when he heard a male’s voice coming from outside the Traven. He moved to sit on the chair holding the glass in his hand listening the guy smiling to himself enjoying it. Raising his head to look at the guy in black walking in.

Garen smiled again looking away taking the last sip of his wine looking at the glass seeing it empty. He stood up and walked towards the bar trying to have another bottle. Standing there getting his hand in his pocket finding that he got no money. He just got one of the diamonds in his pocket. Getting it out looking at it it was shiny and reflecting the light across its sharp curves. He looked at the bartender and smiled widely raising it to his eye level saying to himself in loud voice”I know this cost a lot… But I want some wine “ Looking towards the bartender saying to himself ”Is it ok to take some wine bottles back to the school?” He took deep breath before asking the bartender to exchange the diamond to the bottles of wine.

After talking to the bartender and making the deal he took a bottle and walked back to his table to sit there pouring some of the wine in the glass holding it and taking a sip looking at the dragon around her shoulders. Moving his eyes towards Athena seeing her walking towards Hunni and talking to her. He took another sip placing the glass on the table and placed his cheek on the palm of his hand taking deep breath looking around saying to himself”I hope I can find my way back to the school…”He giggled to himself as he was relaxing after drinking a bottle of wine and started to have the other and especially after the deal with the bartender was done greatly and he was sure that he will take plenty of his favorite red wine back to his room in the school.

So disappointing, mused the Puppeteer silently as he clucked his tongue. No one seemed to cheer or join in with a song of their own. Brown eyes, glinting with an impish light, glanced around the room to inspect each other occupant. Taking his time, the Puppeteer strolled a few steps from the door, letting it swing shut behind him. As it clattered closed, the hinges protesting with a creak like an old man whose sleep had been disturbed, the visitor began pealing the black leather gloves from his hands. Once his fingers were naked, he lifted a hand and plucked his stovepipe hat from its perch atop his head. Upturning the hat, he tossed the folded pair of gloves inside and then with a wave of his hand, they were gone. A smile still on his lips, he playfully gave a tug at the cuff of each sleeve, to reveal that he hid nothing up them.

As he sauntered towards the bar, the Puppeteer resumed twirling his cane. The dark shaft danced between his ivory fingers as smoothly as any ballerina. The smile faded from his lips as he resumed clucking his tongue, irritated by the surly crowd to which the bar seemly catered. The Puppeteer could put up with a mostly mirthless crowd, so long as there were enough pretty female faces among it—but sadly, there only two that he could spy in the room. Approaching the bar, the Puppeteer ceased twirling his cane, the shaft sliding through his fingertips until he clutched the silver bulb that topped it. Lifting the shaft, he brought it down repeatedly, in quick succession, to rap on the bar top. “Barkeep, a glass of your best whiskey, right away,” he ordered in a loud, clear voice so that service would be prompt. As the bartender appeared and provided the glass of amber liquid, and listed an amount, the Puppeteer waved his hand dismissively. Whatever the current currency was, he knew he did not have it. Tucking a hand into his pocket, he pulled out a coin of old. The gold gleamed in the light as he held it caged in his fingers a moment, rubbing his thumb across the Latin inscription and Emperor’s visage. The Puppeteer knew it was worth more than a single glass, so he pondered the details of the transaction for a moment.

After a few seconds of deliberation, he gave a chuckle and shrug. “Just keep my glass filled, eh?” he requested, flipping the coin to the bartender. As the bartender caught the piece of currency, the Puppeteer swept up his glass of whiskey in one hand and took a sip. The rich flavor burned across his tongue and all the way down to his gullet, spreading its fermented warmth through him. With a pleased sigh, he glanced around the bar room as he settled on one of the stools at the bar, “At least some things never change,” he commented, in regards to the alcohol.

Hunni stood, with nothing more but the pool cue under the clasped hands where a resting caramel toned chin sat upon them. Borderline cat like eyes watched as the people dispersed almost instantly like there was some prime directive to be settled with. At the same time the scaly figured creature that hung so tightly with it's master set off on it's on directive once more. Scaling it's perched hold to the grounds beneath, the blue creature seemed to dissapear in the subtle darkness.

Contemplating between the lovely outdoors where the stars aligned above head like little signal lights or to stay in the undeveloped tavern that only served the rarity of alcohol so it seemed. In the moment it was all decided to easily, from the careful standing with the cue came a sudden rush. The cue placed against the wall in a hold with other cue's. Then the sudden thrift of a blur that shattered by in no more but a few seconds. From one side of the tavern, through all the patrons she moved outside only to be greeted by the quick touch of cold October wind. The frozen pitch of air sent goose bumps along ones skin and caused her actions to be quite shaky.

From a distance, it'd seem like there was darkness, then there was a soft touch of red light hovering in the air. In reality she pulled a ciggarette from the confines of the hidden pockets in the fluttered clothings. With a deep breath she inhaled the delectable deathly smoke the warmth of the deadly smoke warmed her lungs then rushed out from the inclosure to create a large fading white puff into the sky above her head. A moment where she felt like her little dragon friend, when smoke billowed out from her mouth and nose into the cold depth of night.

[Will Give This Thread Another Week Before Deleting, Due To Inactivity.

Garen didn’t care about the people around him much. He just cared about the bottle of red wine he got. All he was thinking about is how to get those bottles he bought in the school. He walked to sit down on the chair and leaned against his table resting his chin on the cold wood closing his eyes thinking deeply in loud voice with himself "Guess I will be in trouble If sir Tristan or anyone else found out about those bottles"He opened his eyes giving another look around. Grabbing the bottle in his hand and lifting his face to take another long sip trying to finish this bottle. He shook his head slightly and stood up looking around before walking towards the bartender

He stood there resting his hand on the bar top hearing Puppeteer ordering that his glass kept filled all the time. He smiled as he looked towards the bartender and asked about the bottles that he bought earlier. The bartender handed him two big bags full of bottles of wine and canes of beer.He smiled nodding to the bartender and placed the two bags on the floor crossing his arms with his right hand on his chin thinking still about a way to get them in the school.He looked around before leaning down to grab the two bags and started walking towards the door then stopped looking towards Hunni and bowing slightly "It was nice meeting you. Hope we can meet again"He walked out of the place heading towards the school

[Exits]

Just like that, it seemed that the tavern emptied of its most interesting customers, leaving the Puppeteer alone with the more mundane stock. One by one, they drifted out into the night from which he had come. He wondered how many of them were heading to the Hallows—it seemed that all people of interest in the area originated from the castle. Hoisting his glass as a silent toast to the peculiar school and its students and staff, he knocked back another swig of his brandy. Another rush of fire burned down to his gullet, and a thin, ethereal smile spread across his lips like smoke. The man had never expected that the local pub would be such a boring place, vacant of any activity save for the drinking of dour citizenry. Where were the uproarious rapscallions he remembered who sang songs late into the night before stumbling to their nearby homes?

With a sigh, the Puppeteer downed another gulp and set the glass on the bar. Time had changed much in his absence. When he was among the living, it was easy to miss the changes over the centuries as time trickled by and the world and its people evolved—or sometimes devolved. In an age of such wonders, where he heard and saw things that formerly were reserved only for mages, were now available to the common man by way of machines and something called ‘electronics’ and even ‘computers’. The demon contemplated the digital age as he let his gaze drift across the faces of the other tavern-goers. Despite the technology, it seemed that men were still drowning their sorrows in alcohol, hoping to find happiness at the bottom of the bottle. Instead of becoming livelier by their drink though, they seemed to become worse. While here and there, there were pockets of conversation and quiet laughter, even the clack of the cue ball against the other billiards as chums enjoyed a game at the recently relinquished pool table, the overall mood seemed glum.

Giving a shake of his head, the Puppeteer closed his lithe fingers around tumbler and raised it to his lip. When the people of the town had such boring lives, it was no wonder they drank so much. Maybe there was some truth in the myths about the Irish and their drink after all, he mused.

Just when the Puppeteer was beginning to think that he had wasted his coin on only a few drinks since he was already considering leaving, another oddity entered the tavern. It was one with which he was very familiar: Kalika, the Unseelie woman that had freed him from his tomb. While the magic binding the sarcophagus shut had weakened over two centuries, it was she that had finally unwoven the enchantments so that he could escape the coffin. Little had he known that the freedom she offered him was only a new gilded cage. If he would not swear fealty to her, she had threatened to seal him away again; so, the Puppeteer, no longer a demigod in his own right, had given into her demands.

She had upheld her end of the bargain, providing for him until he had regained his strength. Even though he had recovered, the Puppeteer felt as if he was little more than a pale shadow of his former self. Rest and nourishment had healed his body but not restored his powers. Without his former abilities, a gnawing fear that the back of his mind kept him compliant—somewhat—to his Mistress. The thoughts swirling in his head were silenced by the woman’s stare as she seated herself at an empty table and looked at him.

Lifting his glass, the Puppeteer knocked back the remainder of its contents. The cool liquid burned its way down to his belly, its warmth spreading all the way out to the tips of his fingers. For the first time that night, he shuddered from the sensation. His body was processing the alcohol at a regular rate and he’d already lost count of his drinks since the bartender topped off his glass every time he set it down. Judging by the gentle fire burning in his blood and the growing sluggishness of his thoughts, he was confident enough to wager that he’d already consumed roughly the amount of three full glasses.

When the Puppeteer stood, the ice clinked in his glass and his shoes clomped quietly on the floorboards of the tavern. His impairment became far more obvious as he struggled to stabilize himself for a moment. Gaining his balance, the Puppeteer sauntered to Kalika’s table, needing only to pause once or twice to allow other patrons to pass, as he doubted his own surefootedness to swerve around them. With a thunk of glass on wood, the Puppeteer set his tumbler of whiskey down and grinned at Kalika. “How do you fair tonight?” he asked, slumping into an empty seat across from her.

Annoyance? wondered the tipsy gentleman seated across from her. The signs were slight but still there etched in a fleeting expression and a silver glint in her eyes, or perhaps it was only an overactive imagination inspired by too much drink. With a shake of his head, his top hat tumbling from its perch to land on his lap, the brim facing upward, he dismissed the thought. There were better things to do with Kalika than ponder paranoid thoughts.

Careful of his whiskey, the Puppeteer swung his legs up onto the table, black leather shoes gleaming as he crossed his ankles. With another protesting creak from his chair, he teetered on its rearmost pair of legs. From over the rounded toes of his shoes, he watched Kalika as she graced him with an answer finally. “Nothing, this place is horribly dull. You’d think what with their short lives, these humans would do more to enjoy themselves than swallow the swill I see some of them drinking while grumbling to themselves. Not one of them is even singing a bawdy ballad!” complained the Puppeteer.

“This is hardly how I remember taverns being. In my day, well…” he paused, remembering that ‘his day’ stretched millennia, during which trends had changed more than a thousand times. “Well, forget it. This just isn’t how a tavern should be.” Finishing his rant, the Puppeteer snatched up his glass of whiskey and down the entire contents. His face scrunched after the gulp, wrinkles creasing his pale, youthful countenance, and thunked his tumbler back down on the table. “Bartender! Another drink!” called the Puppeteer over his shoulder. Just the twist of his head was enough to nearly topple him and his chair. With a quick jerk of his body, he managed to stabilize himself and remain in his chair which remained upright.

“I came in singing and was met with silence,” griped the tipsy demon seated across from her. Old wood creaked as the Puppeteer rocked his chair by bending his knees, and every so often, the leather heels of his shoes squeaked a soft answer as they scuffed the tabletop. While the Puppeteer was busy with his idle rocking, the bartender bustled over to refill the tumbler set on the table. A quintet of clinks announced the ice and then a soft crackling as the warm whiskey spilled over them. “Thank you, most kind host,” began the Puppeteer, but when the bartender lifted the bottle upright and turned towards the bar he had abandoned, the tailor tutted,” no, no. You can leave the bottle.” With a nod, the mad gentle set the bottle he’d been cradling on the table beside the Puppeteer’s glass, along with a tall metal cup of ice, and hurried off to his post.

“Well, at least the help is more than adequate,” commented the momentarily contented Puppeteer as he peered into his glass, admiring the tiny icebergs that bobbed in the amber sea. “Of course, for what I paid, I’m surprised he isn’t shining my shoes as well—though they hardly ever seem to need it, and I don’t trust just anyone else with my clothing,” babbled the Puppeteer, momentarily disregarding his former conversation with Kalika.

“Say, do you always use that cantrip of yours to make you look like something you’re not, or do you ever rely on good, old fashioned tailoring and cosmetics for your disguises?” he asked. It was obvious by his stops and pauses as he spoke, not to mention his spilling her secret, that he had perhaps had a few too many drinks and that they had loosened his tongue.