//CLOSED Curiosity (Tavern)

Swinging open the doorway into the tavern, he began to hear the light hum and bustle of some background noise of the patrons around the village. Upon entering the tavern, he saw the bartender glance upwards at him, as if Riley was a nuisance for sneezing in a quiet room. Nevertheless after a few seconds, the noise would continue towards its low rumble and the everyday patrons went back to drinking their beer and exchanging tit stories. Lame. Kinda boring. Why the hell did he chose a place that was out in the middle of nowhere? This type of scene reminded him of a scream film where some chick already got her head cut off. Meh, he could already hear the banjo music playing in the background.

Adjusting the over shirt that he was wearing, a plaid striped white shirt with dark blue lines, he would take a seat in an empty section towards the end of the bar. Not that he was trying to be private or emo, it was just that this place wasn't the trendy college crowd so standing out at the bar only brought more attention. Adjusting his left hand with his right, he tuned a few settings by twisting his ring finger around.

"Drink, sir?"

A rather young, daughter of the tavern-looking-type (blonde, 20 ish), gazed down towards the college kid.

"Whatever is light and on tap." A dull response came from Riley.

The girl, who seemed like she could barely count to 10, nodded and hurried away to get his order. Patting down his dark blue jeans, he took a seat at a table fit for five and began to lean back and relax. Although he wasn't wearing anything flashy, he felt the side stares of the patrons as he waited patiently for his drink. Probably should just get his drink to go, not as if anyone was going to card him anyways.

Leaning back in the chair he sat in, he could see a puffball of dust escape through the cracks of the seat. Accidentally breathing in at the wrong moment, he would cough lightly as the dust mingled under his cool breath "Someone needs to do some Spring cleaning..." Waving away the smoke from his eyes, he coughed and sputtered as his eyes glanced across the room. The rustic designs of the interior brought back movies of colonial era movies where they still knew how to "churn their butter right". It didn't bother him, it was kinda homey in a way. Reminded him of his uncle of how he used to collect rather odd antiques to put in his collection. It also reminded him of when his collection got too full, and the missus said they needed to go, the uncle always had the best method of disposing these ancient items. A 12 gauge and a 6 pack of southpaw. Course when he rolled into the picture, he added an AR-15 and a 6 pack of Dos Equis into the mix. Still, it was a way of bonding with the man that took him in so late in the game. It was rather easy, especially since he had no memories of a father, mother, or even a family.

Kinda hard to miss something you don't even remember existing.

Hearing footsteps coming closer, he turned his head to see the girl place down a dusty mug of their light beer. Smiling, she would curtsy and walk away as fast as she could. Riley's eyes pierced across the room as he watched the girl hurry away to take more orders. Kinda awkward on how they were treating him. Oh well, they can all go to hell. Picking up the pint sized mug, he wondered if was going to make in gag. The smell was rather atrocious.

*Slurp*

Yep... tastes like piss. A real man's beer. He could handle this alright.

Sugar and Spice sprinkled with everything nice, which was the inspiration of her outfit a little different from how she first arrived but it still contained a little bit of class, well…maybe. Charcoal was the cloak that enveloped her shielding her from very many on looking eyes. Topping that off with just a solid white button down short sleeved shirt, which tucked into a pair of denim jeans that hide the leather boots strapped to her ankles. Keeping the hood up over her head shadowing her features to the on looking eyes, stares were something that she had grown accustomed too especially having Tristan around.

Using the nose of the boot pressing against the hinges of the door causing it open just enough for her to slip in while holding it open with her back, as she stepped away from the door way. A cast iron cauldron was within her clasp fingers delicately around it, treating it much like a purse. Covering her nose with an arched hand trying to keep out the villagers smoke, a light cough could be heard coming from the hooded being.

Tip toeing towards the bar gasping a bit as the iris orbs saw the reflection of Riley at the bar; a slight groan erupted from her lips. Whispering softly, which would go un-heard due to the noise factor of the place “I will be damned what’s he doing here…haunting me like a ghost”

Lifting the cast iron pot up on the bar itself it would make a small clank sound as she very much like cat with sleek movements sat on the bar stool waiting for the bar tender to come towards her. Waving a hand just barely in the air as not to draw to much attention to herself trying to get the young maidens attention.

“Excuse me.. Miss…”

She would wait for just a few moments to give her a chance to notice her before she would attempt to get her attention again. Meanwhile, the different herbal plants hung by their roots outstretched over the cast iron pot, which caused pieces of earth to fall onto the counter.

“Drat” flustered, quickly trying to sweep her hand across the bar without being caught ridding the dirt onto the floor. Now, leaning over the bar she would carefully reach behind it and grab the nearest bottle of white alcohol she could find. " That will work." Whispering eyeing the nearest bottle while, a small pair of feet kicked in the air to help maintain her balance, as bottle seemed to be glued to the cart or something, and she could not get it off.

Leaning back on the chair, he would tilt back to pull a nice long gulp on the beer that was set before him. "Gah...." Instantly, he would slam the glass down loudly as he felt more eyes on his back. Man he was getting pissed. He hated the fact that he was alone in this fucked up middle of nowhere place with no area to really vent off some steam. Well scratch that, he really hasn't had a chance to look around. Hell, he hasn't even unpacked many of his discarded items in the random suitcases and boxes aligning his room. It was almost as if he was planning on ditching it the first chance he got. "Fucking hypocrite." Mimicking his uncle aloud as he shook his head. "Oh the middle of nowhere sounds like so much fun... he couldn't leave his computer for five minutes, let alone camp overnight in a damn pup tent." Tapping the glass, he nodded to the barmaid, who seemed too frantically busy to notice the strange girl entering the bar.

Okay, crazy girl wearing a cloak. Original. Now all the eyes can stare at her instead. Or maybe she was the local witch doctor that made people drink their own blood on full moons and dance in circles naked in order to get rid of the 'evil spirits' yada, yada, yada. Fucking hell. Might as well start playing the banjo music in the background. He wondered if he could count all the available teeth in the room with both of his hands. Maybe he could get a bet out of the barmaid and win a free beer.

Hearing the quiet girl straining to get the girl's attention, the clatter of her ....... cauldron?.... spewed out onto the countertops. Random dirt flew everywhere. Okay, maybe she was the old village idiot. Maybe.... but her voice sounded so young and innocent. He could see the smoothness of her lower facial features that poked out every so often.

Maybe she was just an idiot...

Seeing her trying to pry a mystery bottle from the bartender cause a small, curious stir in his mind.

"Uhhh..."

The barmiad was too busy flirting with one of the more bruely men. Prob her cousin.

He watched her chair start to teeter totter on it's legs.

"Uhhh....."

Taking a final swig of his drink, he slammed it down and immediately got up and walked loudly towards the women trying to swipe free booze from the counter. Instantly reaching over, he grabbed the bottle from the cloaked woman's grasp, if she allowed it so, and turned towards the barmaid too busy to contend to the less blood related customers. "Hey Tits, I'm buying this white bottle. Put it on my tab." Regardless of the stares and probably scorn now filling the room, he would place the bottle next to the cauldron and say "Making a scene here could get ya killed. I am pretty sure your cauldron would make it 10 times worse."

Taking a seat next to the girl in a robe, he would raise a finger and say "Give me another one, please" The barmaid, obviously flustered, just replied with a nod and filled him another glass. Taking the new glass, he would drink a swig from the piss barrel. Allowing a moment for the possible commotion to settle, he would gasp loudly and ask ""So are you going to play under your hood all night or will I get a name?" He had no idea who she was.



"Ya know, patience is a virtue..."

Wiggling feet attempted to keep her balance while she still was tugging on the drink bottle, it was a wonder that she didn’t’ smack anyone on the side of the face. Hearing the screech of the bar stool iris eyes hidden in from the veil of shadows looked towards the patron who moved, only to see the bottle removed by the one she LEAST wanted to converse with. Groaning low in the back of her throat as she slipped back over the counter standing next to her ‘basket pot’ staring blankly at the boys once again standing before her, muttering under her breath ‘twice in a day…’

Scowling at his reference towards the bar maid ‘tits’ exactly what a derogatory comment towards a female, made she should get this boy a muzzle. Flowing over the corners of the velvet touched lips the grandest of ideas struck like a bolt of lightning in her mind. Moving like a black widow to snatch its prey the willow like fingers ensnared the bottle and placed it over the herbs on the caldron as to use the weight to help the herbs not fall out.
Hissing words came from her lips…

“If you wanted red riding hood then you should go out looking in the forest.”

She could care less about how many eyes were on her the fact was she could take care of herself, if she was placed in that type of situation, little does he know that. Tension displayed over her face as he asked who she was, rolling her eyes a bit how to get out of this situation. If he didn’t catch the hint of her voice by now, he had not originally paid attention the first time, typical male. Carefully duel hands moved up towards the veil of the cloak tenderly she pulled it back from her face.

Iris colored eyes once more stared at the boy with a very twisted smile portrayed across her lips, giving him only a second before she spoke.

“Though, I think the name penis is better used in your cause than Riley.”

The comment was made referring to the fact that he called the barmaid tits, therefore she countered with calling him something what he truly had been showing his colors on. Apparently, the people of the tavern had been watching the whole ordeal, and after her comment it had become a lot more quite, as if they were waiting on him to come back with something. Fingers wrapped around the hook of the caldron once more as she lifted it off the counter with ease, her eyes never left the boys site, she wasn't stupid enough to leave herself unguarded yet.

“If you wanted red riding hood then you should go out looking in the forest.”

The teeter tottering girl would echo as Riley took a swig from his drink. He would just sit there and smile, there wasn't anything else he could say to that, except "I ain't looking for a girl that's dumb enough to walk into the dark forest with innocent intentions. Getting eaten by the wolf, now that just gives blondes a bad name." Taking another sip of his drink, he savored the tasty beverage before placing it back down onto the bar. "Nevertheless, I do not believe in such innocence when I see a girl in a hood carrying a cauldron. Does she have a pretty name from the voice I am hearing?" Smiling that simple smirk, it wasn't until after she unveiled herself that he completely pulled a 180 on himself.

"Well this is awkward..." He would take a loud sip from his drink. Still recovering from the event earlier, he would chuckle lightly under his breath. Oh well, water under the bridge right? There were always times for a fresh start.

“Though, I think the name penis is better used in your cause than Riley.”

Good thing he wasn't drinking anything, otherwise he would choke on his beer. At least it didn't kill the buzz he was working up, he would only respond with a light chuckle. I mean hell, he can't get mad at that. So what if shes got a mouth, means shes got character and the balls to stand up and admit it. "Touche' Ms. Dashelle. Touche'." Draining the last bit of his glass, he would let out a loud echoing cry. "Ahh, that hit the spot." Leaning back and stretching, he could feel the buzz rushing through his system. Now he just felt 10 feet tall and bullet proof. Not a bad combination from someone who could easily turn short tempered at the drop of a dime. "Although I wouldn't see you, Ms. Dashelle, as the innocent red riding hood. I believe your correlation is more towards the wolf or the hunter." Twirling the empty glass on the bar table, he stopped it moments before with a wicked grin. "But that is far from being seen."

Taking a step off the barstool, he would reach into his pocket and pull out a twenty. He only had 3 drinks and the white bottle seemed dusty and old. Cheap and shitty, so it should cover the costs plus a little tip. He only really tipped the bar when there were mixed drinks involved. Just because a chica had her tits hanging out doesn't mean he was going to toss her a few extra ones. Besides, anyone can pour beer out of the tap. "Well I got to go see someone about an idiot running blindly in the dungeons of the castle. Seems like he probably took my idea for granted and decided it was the next best thing for an adventure." Slapping the twenty dollar bill on the counter, he turned to Ms. Dashelle and asked politely. " I already know you are going to say no, but I can at least offer some help in carrying the cauldron back to the castle." Motioning towards the cast iron pot, he gave the girl a small smile. Even in his buzzed demeanor, he could be a gentleman if he tried. "If you need five minutes, I can wait."

The simple gesture of rolling her eyes would be a good indication that she could not believe the motives of this boy, but why not use them to her advantage. The muscles of her arms twitched a bit as she would lift the pot up towards him, if he wanted to carry it back for her why not. Iris spheres surveyed over the corridor of the tavern once more, just to make sure that they would not be having any more company.

Web-like fingers would ensnare the veil of her hood once more pulling over her face wanting to try and keep herself at least a secret to some for this would not be only trek out to the village. Clicking her heels just seconds before the small hand would push the door, opening it stepping to the side to allow the boy through with the pot.

Smirking to herself, as the scarlet like serpent tasted her lips she would soon whistle softly, because silence normally wasn’t the way she preferred to do things.

“I hope you know how to protect yourself out in these woods, I am sure that the big bad wolf is just lurking around the corner.”

Skipping she would head towards the foliage of the forest as its canopy of trees harbored the moonlight.
( Exits towards the forest)

Now when he meant "help" he meant that they would both carry the thing together. Regardless if the pot was filled with a little bit of liquids that barely weighed anything, the iron cauldron itself was a pretty heavy damn item. It wasn't good to carry the cauldron with his left arm one handed. Although his bionic arm was very resilient and powerful strength wise, short term hauls with it could pull a few strings out of place. As his old man explained, its like heavy duty canvas sheet. Strong, resilient fabric that can take alot of punishment... but a simple cut and the whole thing falls apart. Well since he wanted either dexterity or brute force, he wanted to at least look somewhat normal with a human hand.

Regardless, when she kept the door open he merely sighed. A bit tipsy, he could handle the weight just fine. With his fingers latched around the bubbly pot he would walk out the door and into the night. Turning his head to make sure she was behind him, he heard her say.

“I hope you know how to protect yourself out in these woods, I am sure that the big bad wolf is just lurking around the corner.”

Replying with a smirk, he would merely nod in the direction of the castle. "Well I guess I will find out if my statement is true here soon. Are you the protector, or are you the vicious adversary?" With a wink in her general direction, he didn't care if she heard his statement. Easily taking point with the cauldron he was carrying, they would begin to cut through the Trees in order to reach the castle. Or so he thought...

Exit Thread, thread closed.