Darkess Rises (open to 3 characters [Normandy, a female, and one other])

[Normandy]

Normandy slipped through the darkness, looking for shelter from the pouring rain. It was late, and no place seemed to be open.
Finally, he saw several candles lit inside a wooden building....
ah, he smiled in relief, a tavern.

Normandy entered the empty bar, pulling his hood down. He glanced about, then removed his cloak and hung it tenderly on the coat rack.

Noticing the bartender watching him warily, he tried pulling his wings tighter against his back. He hated drawing attention to himself...
Normandy walked to the bar.

"Can I get ya' sometin', lad?"
"Just... a pint of Mead, sir."
The barkeep turned away from him to fill a mug of the frothy brew.
"We don't git many of yer kind in here..."
"I would assume as much. This seems like a very peaceful Village."
"That's right. And I hope ye ain't here to brew up any trouble, boy..."
"not at all, sir. I'm simply passing through." Normandy lied. He was actually in this town to try and get information from a man somewhere around here.
The bartender slid the mug of mead to him. "Will ye be needin' a room for the night as well, boy?"
"if it's not too much trouble, yes..."
The Barkeep slid him a key. "the room is 4 gold. You can have the mead on the house."
Normandy nodded his thanks and handed the man 6 gold pieces. "A tip for your generousity."

Tiredly, he accepted the key and ale, then plopped down in a seat near the back of the Tavern.

Cheers to Mellisa... Normandy thought bitterly, raising his mug in a silent toast, then drank the warm brew.

[Andhaka Adiir]

Andhaka was bored, and the place to find relief of such a feeling was around other individuals. Many individuals could often be found in places of food and rest about this time of night. So there is where she decided to take herself. It was a cheery little dive and she immersed herself quickly in the feelings of the people around her. They were in all shapes and sizes, so to speak and every manner of variations. She never failed to get interested in one of them or the other. It was just how she was.

She spotted him, a man, filled with bitterness and the ghost of love. Almost floating with the grace of her kin, she took a seat next to the man. Her hair floated around her face as it usually did, looking like a person does when submerged in water. Her eyes were glinting in the fire light. She wore a long dart colored cloak and had a medium sized bag hanging from her shoulder.

"Hello," she said softly, smiling brightly at the man. "How are you this evening? Is life treating you alright?" she inquired.

[Normandy]

now closed to Normandy, Andhaka Adiir and Shinigami_90

Normandy looked up from his mead to see an odd looking woman. She was obviously not human, her hair gave that away.
Unable to figure out what she was, he could assume she was a spirit.
But yet.... Why would a spirit bother him?
He decided to play it safe.

"Quite well, in fact. Thank you for asking." Normandy sipped at his mead, watching her warily for the slightest suspicious movements.

[shinigami_90]

The weather was a drag and it was late. It was pouring rain and Zaith hated the rain. So he wante dout, he'd get out to save his life if he could. But the only place he could go was the tavern and the last time he went to one, he wanted to kill the bartender.

Standing 5'6 Zaith is an average height so he goes to the tavern and walks in casually, holding his sword near. His armor hid under a black trenchcoat. first thing when he walks in is most of the eyes shift to him and silence befalls the tavern as he walks to the bar.

"Excuse me, can I get a mug of ale? If so, make it your strongest stuff." Zaith says as if he is desperate for it. "Sure thing mister." The barkeep says as he hands Zaith a mug of the best ale. "Here is to finding a job soon." and then he downs it like it was nothing. He shales his head left and right "Whoo that stuff is strong. Another round my dear man?" as he slips a small purse of gold coins onto the table. The man takes the purse and hands another mug.

"Thanks. This weather is unbearable and I want to forget this night. And do you have any open rooms for the night? I may need to stay the night since I can't go out in this weather?"

The bar keep nods and hands him the key to room 5. Zaith takes the key and places it iin his pouch on his side. Thanks my good man." And zaith stood, wobbly a bit and saw a very beautiful woman. "Hmm fun." As he walks over and sees she is talking to some man. "Hello. How are you two tonight? Do you mind if I join you?"

[Normandy]

Normandy hesitated as the drunken man staggered over. This was ridiculous. Couldn't he drink in peace?
However, when he asked to join them, Normandy could do nothing but give a courteous nod and force a smile.

"Of course you can..." he answered quietly, at least glad to have a distraction from the woman for now.

[Andhaka Adiir]

Pale blue eyes glanced from male to male, sensing the suspicion from one and attraction from the other, finding herself confused by both of these reactions. She felt they were both unjustified. While she had a nice face, she supposed, she was lithe and thin, lacking the curves that generally caught male attention. Also, she lacked the guile that tended to cause people to be suspicious. She smiled at them both, fiddling with her fingers absently.

The first man felt irritation and then a bit of relief, both of which Andhaka wished she was better acquainted with placing. What good was it knowing what everyone around you felt, if you had not the skills of insight to tell why? The spirit girl sighed and her hair steamed a little, letting of wisps of glittering steam with a slight blue hue to it.

Andhaka also could not leave the place, or at least not get very far. She was completely unaccustomed to traveling in human form and did not know the first thing about it. In the rain she could not become insubstantial like other spirits could, she was young and lacked control. Then again, other spirits were pure 'bloods' and never spent time as a human...under normal circumstances. Still, things as they were, she wouldn't be going out in the current weather unless greater circumstances gave her reason to.

"What brings you here?" she asked the first man, who was the target for her ministrations. She had caught him in the midst of an emotional memory, and it had drawn her. Then, who was this other man, too and what was his story? She would find out both in due time. Her self appointed position in life was to help people...she knew no other way one could live a life.

[shinigami_90]

Zaith approached the table and was glad to know he could join them. "Ahh the young social life. Do I miss those days..." He thinks to himself. His sword at his side sheathed and unused for a good while.

The lighting in this place was alright, not the best yet not the worst. Everywhere you looked you saw people chattering and drinking. On one side of the room a man was making a big jump by smacking a waitress on the ass. The man and his buddies are surely drunk and shitfaced. Zaith's attention turns back to the two people he is sitting with, a woman, with flowing brown hair. "Hmm" as Zaith puts his hand to his chin and rubs it slowly, the thin hairs on his chin rustling against his hand.

[Normandy]

Normandy hesitated, ignoring the drunk. He hated to seem rude, but the man obviously would have no idea what he was talking about through the whole conversation between he and the woman. The only comfort Normandy recieved from the man was the knowledge that this strange woman would not make any sudden movements with an innocent human next to them.

"...Me?" He was caught off guard by her question. He had assumed she would be questioning him about other matters....
Perhaps he should stop being so suspicious. She didn't seem to be a threat to him...

"I.... Just simple travel, place to place." He lied with a small nod.
Slightly unnerved, he turned to the drunk for the sake of conversation. "What about you, good sir? Are you a native of this quaint town?"

[Andhaka Adiir]

If only Andhaka's powers of empathy were more finely honed, perhaps she would have detected the slight change of mood and lack of sincerity in his voice and feelings. Still, she was only a child by her people's reckonings and did not even feel an inkling as the lie slid past. She did feel his slight awkwardness in response to her question, and she wondered if most people didn't just randomly question people they met. Then he asked upon the other man and Andhaka felt better. She turned to hear the man's answer, curious about him as well as the first person.

While waiting, the wind spirit twisted her fingers together in nervous habit, sometimes they remained solid, other times, depending on mood and other factors, they phased into and around each other, blurring and dissolving only to reform again once not occupying each other's space. Interaction with others, though she loved it, always made her nervous and this was what was happening now.

[shinigami_90]

Zaith stopped rubbing his chin and actually looked towards the man who had spoke to him. "No, I'm not a native, although I have been to this town may times."

He looked to the woman who looked nervous, as if something bad may happen. He smiled and called the barkeep over for a drink of water now. The barkeep brings him a mug of water and bows and goes back to the bar.

Zaith lifts his mug of water and takes a small sip and sets the mug back down while looking to the woman, "So what are you doing in a place like this?" he says with a drunk tone while he keeps nodding his head back and forth, left and right while shaking it every now and then.

[Normandy]

Normandy cleared his throat.
Perhaps the woman would be in need of protection more than anyone.

He found it hilarious how a situation could change so quickly.... Not.

"I believe she is here to meet me." Normandy pulled that same, graceful lie on the drunk. "She's my date for the night, aren't you darling?"

He flashed a 'just smile and nod' look to the girl, hoping she would agree with him.

Now that he had gotten a better feel for her, she didn't seem as much of a threat as she was a mystery.

Normandy had never seen anything quite like this fine work of art, and he had a few questions for her.

That is, he would once the drunk left.

[Andhaka Adiir]

Dunce that I am, I have forgotten about my characters somewhat halting speech mannerisms. I will begin it, please bear with me and do not note it as a change, she would have been speaking that way the whole time. With lots of 'ers' and 'ums' and then little rushed parts.

"No," she stated. She had not caught on.

"That's, uh, not true at all, I am fairly sure. Although.... I have never been on a human 'date' before." she made bunny ears when she said the word 'date'. "I am fairly sure it involves couples who are, ehh... intimately involved. I just met you." she smiled brightly. "Don't worry, we'll, uh, get to know each other and see where it goes." she patted his hand gently.

"I am here because....I enjoy. people. And. well, sometimes, you know they need help. You looked rather...lost inside your head tonight," she nodded her own head towards the first man, then to the second. "And, uh, you didin't look so great yourself." She said it with a smile, to let him know she meant no harm be her words.

"I travel a lot. It's easy, well, for me, to do," she explained "and flying is such a free feeling, do you uh ever fly yourselves?" she askeld them. "Well, it's...nice. But it's a solitary experience, or something. And I...wanted to be around people. Like my father. But he's dead. He got old. And my town...it got old too. So I am looking...um, maybe....for a new town. Or a new person, or maybe new people...." she trailed off in thought, then came back in confidently, "I am guardian spirit. That's what I like to do."

It may have been an odd statement, since this strange unassuming girl didn't look much like she could take care of herself, let alone guard others. She looked from one man's eyes to the others and then settled on the first. Why had he lied? She wondered. Taking a page from her father's book, she decided not to ask, and to see what he would say next.

[shinigami_90]

Zaith listened as the spirit went on with how she reacted to being called the man's date.

"Ouch man, that has to burn. But I also forgot, my name is Zath Tenimi, at your services."
He says taht looking to the spirit and then to the other man. "So, what is it you two are doing in this tavern tonight?" He says looking to the man and raising his left eyebrow. "If you need any help, I'm here if you need me. Protection, assassination, you name it, I'll do it for you." Zaith says with a sure sounding voice.

[Normandy]

Normandy slapped his forehead when the woman said no to him.
How could anyone in their right mind be so bloody daft?

When he heard her say she was a spirit, however, he raised his gaze to her.
That would make sense, then, with her odd features and hair.

But still, weren't spirits supposed to be clever?

"No thank you, sir..." Normandy tried to keep his voice one even tone, though it was hard with that smutty little 'burn' comment the man had so unwittingly let slip.

"But I wont be needing assistance of your kind anytime soon. I am actually waiting to meet someone...."

[Andhaka Adiir]

"Burn?" she inquired, not familiar with the slang, or even recognizing it as such. When the newer man introduced himself, she felt it was a good time to introduce herself as well. "Oh, um, my name is Andhaka," she breathed the name in a difficult to reproduce sighing sound. "But most humans call me Andy, really. I am a guardian spirit. I am not very good. I...well...I am still young. Learning. My father was a scholar, and I know...a lot. But he told me there were things that, um, experience could teach me that books couldn't. I didn't get to learn, and he was human and died, recently. Such...permeable?...things, humans." she looked at Zaith, somewhat confused since she had already stated her purpose in being here.

"I enjoy people," she repeated. She looked at the first man, confused even more about his anger at Zaith. She, while having a short attention span, was still an educated girl, and hated Being confused.

"You didn't, um, tell us your name," she informed the irritated member at their table.

Normandy, did you have a particular adventure in mind? If so, are you waiting until we are introduced? If not, shall we cause random chaos? I enjoy playing with the both of you, but I did not leave Peaceful Promenade to spend all of my time socializing in Taverns, just like I had never left that forum. ;]

[shinigami_90]

"Andhaka? Well that certainly is a unique name. But let me guess, they call you Andy cause it's easier to say or remember?" Zaith says as he does as Andhaka does. He lays his eyesight on the other man. "So you are a guardian spirit? I honestly would of never guessed. Just goes to show how smart I can be at times." He smirks and takes a sip of his water.

His eyes rest on the other man. "Yes my good man, what is your name. We both have given ours. Is it not customary for you to give us your name now?"

[Normandy]

Normandy cleared his throat. And this, of course, was when the paranoia set in.

"I am called Grey by those who know me."
Well, at least it wasn't a complete lie. Grey was his last name....

He looked between the two odd people sitting next to him. One, a drunken mercenary; the other, a beautiful yet illiterate guardian spirit.

Normandy laughed silently to himself. Take both of those and mix them with a demonic angel who lost his wings, and what do you get? A pretty freaking weird mix, that's for sure.

He noticed that the man was smiling in his gleeful drunken state, while the woman looked to be lost her head.
Was Normandy the only one here in a sane state of mind?

He suddenly paused. He was always all logic and serious.... well, at least ever since he lost his wings. He was constantly stressed out and frustrated, and hadn't really smiled in god knew how long.

And for what? Just to find out that the hot lead he had led to a dead end?

He was taking life too seriously. He needed a break, and now seemed like the perfect time to do it. He was in good company, in a tavern, he could do anything.

Normandy looked between the two again. "Would either of you care to have a bit of fun?"

[Andhaka Adiir]

Andy's eyes widened at the offer of fun. As serious as she tried to be, the wind spirit blood in her was playful and fey and any offer such as that piqued her curiosity and made her excited beyond what she could reason beyond. Perhaps it was a time she ought to be being practical, she told herself, not gallivanting about making 'fun'. Still, she found her mouth saying, "What do you...um, what did you want to? Er like what?" her hair had begun to evaporate in wisps, floating more of her head and the ends turning into clouds with only the base remaining solid. The transfer from her soft brown hair color to the glittering blue of her wind form was fluid, blending like a painting.

She stood, finding that she was no longer able to sit still. She had the sudden urge to throw herself into the fire, which she resisted. If she did, she would probably get a few scorches, but it would turn her easily into her spirit form. It would be more fun, but she it would also be harder to focus. She sat back down in her chair, her cheeks burning red with embarrassment.

[shinigami_90]

Andhaka, do you have either AIM or Y!M? I have an idea I'd like to talk to you about.If you do, just send me what you have in a pm.

Zaith raised his eyebrow as the man spoke of 'fun' and asking if either the girl known as Andhaka or 'Andy' and Zaith wanted to join.

Zaith set his drink down and closed his eyes while tilting his head back. "What kind of fun are you talking about, Mr. Grey. Cause I have standards that need to be kept in tact."

As he speaks, he brings his head back forward and opens his eyes.As he opens his eyes he notices the woman start to 'fade' as her hair starts to disapperate. He looks at her and smirks. "Are you ok Andy?"

[Normandy]

Normandy looked oddly at the man.

He is drunk.... He is an assassin.... and he has standards about having a bit of fun?
He shook his head so he wouldn't comment on the stupidity of that statement.
Remember, Normandy, he's drunk..... The angel thought bitterly to himself.

"I'm not sure. I... Don't do this much. Just... Something that will help me relax, and forget all of my problems for the moment..." He shrugged, looking away from the drunk to the wispy spirit. "Do either of you have any suggestions or ideas?"