Feb 16 06:10:49 106 PA
From Chronicles
One can get lost in a crowd when it's the proper drinking hour. With early evening maturing, it's about that time in the Nut and Bolt and a certain someone is trying quite hard to disappear in the crowd, but it isn't working out too well for him overall. The man is about as plain as a guy can get, average of height with just an edge of ruggedness helped along by a two days growth of stubble along his chin and cheeks. In simple combat pants, dull green shirt and worn, camouflage pattern jacket, he doesn't stand out too much more than any other weathered merc might. Were it not for his face. One made quite famous to many by the recent events at the gates. The rifle toting mercenary, though for the moment he's sans rifle, the well used NG-57 at his side being his only companion besides the tall bottle of some local brew. Ensconced off to the side a bit, he has his gaze lowered as if it might veil him, but more than one pair of eyes turns his way now and then and the muttering in his area is a bit louder than the din over the rest of the bar.
Not that Alistair fits in very well. He came in to grab something to drink quickly, but that apparently was a mistake. He smiles and greets people sheepishly, hoping his ears can stand the music; seeking a way out after realising his folly, he runs into the man after being bumped in the crowd. "Excuse me!" Alistair apologizes, turning to look at the man now, and stopping. "Aren't you ... " Sharp eyes - who knew.
The unnamed man tenses some as Alistair gets nudges towards him, a hand coming up. Whether to help or deflect the impact is hard to say, but either way it will keep him from toppling overmuch. That a hand slid down towards his sidearm is covered up with a graceful adjusting of his posture. And a subtle wince as he's tagged. "Depending on how you were meaning to end that, answer could come up different," he replies in a smooth drawl. His tone is neutral, but despite the subtle air of uncertainty about his nearest neighbors, he keeps his tone firm.
That gives Alistair a little pause, apparently the man hasn't quite grasped the situation yet; it takes him a couple of seconds of looking around. "Oh ... um. I just thought I recognized you Sir, I think maybe you look like someone I knew" he explains, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "I apologize."
The man looks at Alistair levelly for a few moments before he grunts lowly and a slight grin comes to him. "Seems like everyone around here knows me.. or thinks they do, anyway. Looking a bit unsteady.. I'd offer a seat, but sitting with me might not be the best of ideas about now." His eyes shift to the side, where a pair of large men are looking decidedly unfriendly. "But if you're wanting to, I wouldn't deny. As long as you don't got a mind to do nothing foolish."
"Oh ... okay" Alistair sits down. "Foolish?" he asks, leaning in a little, "Are there some drinks I shouldn't order here then? Like ... milk?" the question is actually perfectly innocent - just as it is likely that any threat got intentionally ignored. Who likes unpleasant business anyway? "Maybe you look like a lot of people's uncle" he smiles, not having said that too loud. "I am Alistair" he extends a hand.
Johnny gives Alistair a strange look, as if he's not quite sure what to make of the man. Though after a few moments he seems to push the confusion aside, taking the hand offered in a strong grip, his shake a firm one. "Johnny. Let's just say I'm not promising it will be a quiet night, but who knows." He shrugs his shoulders and lets the topic pass. "So what are you doing in here? You don't seem to fit."
Alistair's no pansy - there's no crushing competition, but he's got strength as well. "I was getting thirsty, so I was looking to get a couple of drinks, but I don't think this place has what I was out to get" Alistair explains, smiling sheepishly for a moment. "So then I was trying to get out, but someone bumped into me and then I bumped into you. And yourself?" he inquires.
"Same deal." Johnny lifts his bottle and notes, "Drinks ain't so bad. Just looking to have a little relaxation time, though I'm not feeling all that relaxed right now. Was thinking about getting out of here once I finished this one." His voice kept on the low, a bit discreet as if not wishing to telegraph his intentions too far.
Alistair hmms softly, "I suppose there are places to go do that are not that crowded, although I cannot reccomend too many" he offers quietly, "I am new here" another smiles, and a look to the drink. "What are you drinking?" he inquires, his brows hiking up a touch.
"Something local.." Johnny lifts the bottle and peers at it. "Looks like its in some D-Bee brew, in some language I can't read." Dragonese being the character set that's emblazoned across the label. "Got a good aftertaste to it, though." No, not too picky this fella. "If you got a good idea for a place that has better vibes than this, I'm game. I'm sure you k now.. I just got here too." A casual grin coming to him.
"Hummm" that is a difficult proposition to make now. "I hear the Alibi is nice, but I don't know if the vibes will be better. Usually also I think the museum is tame, but you would have to take the drink with you" he explains,s hrugging his shoulders a touch. "There's a gym too, but that might not be such a great idea."
Johnny makes a face. "To be honest, though I got plenty of reason for it, getting too tipsy ain't in the cards for a while," he says frankly. "One is enough to relax and this one's about empty." He pauses, considering the ideas set forth. "Museum.. that sounds alright. Don't figure there'd be a lot of people there. Kinda quiet?" The bottle goes up again and the contents diminish. Another swallow or two would do it, likely.
"Yes. And also the library is there" Alistair smiles, nodding his head. "And there is a garden too, usually people don't make trouble there, aside from ... I think some drama" he nods once more. Yes. Drama.
"Garden, huh?" Johnny takes on a thoughtful expression for a moment, then lifts the bottle to take the last of it in a quick swallow. "C'mon, let's go there. I got a hunch.." The man sets the bottle on the table and rises up almost at once. And he's quick to make his way out, moving with sudden authority. Quick enough that the nearby watchers are given pause by the unexpected departure. Perhaps surprising enough that they might not pursue.
"O-okay" says Alistair, and stands up as well. He then follows out, waving to a person or two that he undoubtedly has met before. Ah, he'll be getting weird looks later, won't he? It's all good for explaining later at any rate.
The gardens will be quiet at this point in the early evening. Not too many around and those that are minding their own business for the most part. The trip to the garden would be one in which Johnny keeps the lapels of his jacket drawn up. In part to ward off the cold and in part in a bid to veil himself somewhat. His body language mutely whispering 'low key'. He still gets looks, however, which he dutifully ignores. Once the Museum complex is reached, he takes a more active role, navigating the place well after a glance at the layout. Once in the gardens, past the entry stairs he casts his gaze about intently, searching for something, obviously. Though for the moment he doesn't seem to find it. "Figure he woulda loved a place like this," the man murmurs to no one in particular.
Alistair leads the way, not having to mind anyone or anything in particular on the way - as if it was every day business. He follows along a little in teh museum, and once in the garden he asks, "He who?" his brows hiking up with curiosity at the comment.
Johnny glances towards Alistiar and seems to catch up to what he's said after a moment. A frown comes. A hesitance. "Lets just say, someone who likes to make my work hard," he breathes out, sounding a bit annoyed. "So what do you do around here?" Asked as Johnny looks ahead and starts to walk through the garden. He's still looking, it seems as he eyes will roam as they walk along.
Alistair follows along, "Oh" is all he says to the reply, a little dissapointed at the lack of detail. "I help people maintain their things - I mean, like tractors and trucks, and I will be helping them till the land when the time comes. I'll also be helping build a greenhouse for miss Sage" he adds, tilting his head a little. "And what do you do?" not that it isn't obvious.
Johnny glances towards Alistair, looking him over again. "Don't have the look of a farmer to me," he comments thoughtfully. "As to myself, I shoot things when people pay me to do it. More or less, though I tend to be a bit choosey when it comes to who I go looking for money from." He pauses then, head cocked. A voice is audible nearby. Light and gentle. Being responded to by one that is opposite in every way, heavy and gruff, with more volume. He glances towards Alistair then. "Alright, look.. I'm going to go over there in a moment." He motions towards the source of the voices. "If you're coming with me, you stay behind me.. and don't make no sudden moves, alright? This is important."
"I have to pay the bills somehow, and shooting things is an option, but so long as they are things" Alistair explains with a sheepish smile, and blinks his eyes. He turns his head towards the voice, then towards Johnny. "Okay, I'll do that" he replies, his expression showing cusiosity again.
Johnny eyeballs Alistair for a few moments before he motions for him to follow and turns to move closer to the voices. Behind a row of neatly manicured bushes the two owners of the voice will be settled. Just like their voices, their physical forms are in stark opposition. One, the elf, is slight, light in hue from his pale skin to platinum blonde hair. Dressed in simple garb. The dark blue robe almost fully covers his light armor and, for the moment, a slender sword, bow and quiver are all neatly laid out nearby, but not intentionally close to hand. The other, a dark furred humanoid wolf, is head and shoulders taller than the elf, broad and heavily muscled, easily noted even with the heavy armor he wears. The large vibro-sword he carries is precisely laid, close to hand and quickly accessible.
As Johnny and Alistair come into view, the wolf reacts in an instant, a drawn in leg turning his seated posture into a low crouch, his hand straying to the hilt of his sword, even as a deep, warning rumble rolls in his throat. This startles the elf who glances towards his companion, then to those who he stares at. Seeing Johnny, he smiles warmly and a hand comes out to touch the canine's broad forearm. "Peace, Rajja." THe low words seem to calm the canine somewhat, but even as he relaxes into a seated posture again, his eyes remain fixed on Alistair in a stare that could be disquieting. Arrayed before them are a series of books, all open to various pages. "Johnny, who is your friend?" Asked quietly as the elf considers Alistair with a more curious look than his companion.
Alistair follows Johnny, slightly off to one side so he can see. There's surprise on his features upon seeing the elf, and then the wolf getting uppity draws an 'ack' reaction from him, eyes wide for a few moments. He blushes then at his own startlement, but by now the question has been asked, and he'll let Johhny do the introductions, Alistair remaining nearby in a fairly casual stance - or perhaps a more respectful one.
"At least you have your armor this time," Johnny addresses the elf first off, giving him a firm look, which the elf meets with a small smile. He then turns and takes a step to the side. "This is Alistiar.. seems an alright sort." Looking to Alistair for a moment, as if to confirm this general assessment before he says, "This is Tamiril. I don't suspect you're unfamiliar with him. Though I think now might be a good ti me to hear what your thoughts are on all of this." HIs hand lifting in a sweeping motion. Rajja's ear's perk at that and his steady stare lingers on Alistair, every move the man makes being tracked intently. Watching. Waiting. "Johnny, I don't think we need to interrogate him," Tamiril puts in. To which the human replies, with a brief glance towards the elf, "No interrogation going on here. Just questions." His attention returning to Alistair.
"Hmmm?" Alistair then waves a hand to Tamiril and smiles, "Hello Sir" comes the greeting, pleasantly, and then a nervous "Ahaheheh..." at the wolf, waving a hand at him too. He looks to Johnny then, back to Tamiril, and then he tries to address everyone. "Sure, sort of ... he -I mean, you were in my dreams Sir. After some sort of death and destruction of all sorts of places."
Tamiril seems a bit confused when spoken of as being in dreams. "I was? Strange.. I cannot speak for that, I'm afraid. Though perhaps it is only a show of how important things are." His attention strays towards Rajja and he rises up slowly. This finally draws the canine's attention from Alistiar, the elf given his full attention. Tamiril steps up to the canid humanoid and leans down, murmuring something lowly into his ear. Whatever it is, it seems to relax him and afterward, Tamiril turns his attention back to Alistair. "Come, sit with us." He motions towards the grassy spot that's been picked out. "Tell me more of these dreams." Johnny hangs back some for the moment.
"Everyone's dreams. Or maybe it was someone else" says Alistair, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "Oh ..." he looks about a bit, giving Rajja one more look, and then he sits down as invited; he begins to narrate the vision in rather good detail; "And then you came here, and this big thing ... there was this big thing and a lot of dead things" he recalls, pulling a piece of green crystal out of a pocket to look at it.
Rajja keeps an eye on Alistair of course, but the sword is laid down and he resumes his seated posture. He even picks up the book nearest him, appearing to busy himself with the words on the page, though he's not paying them the attention they deserve. Tamiril will sit as well, taking a place between Alistair and Rajja, whilst Johnny remains back a bit, standing but near enough to hear. "Shit, no wonder things went crazy as hell before," he grunts once the tale of the nightmares is told. Tamiril is thoughtful on the subject, his eyes lowered slightly. Slightly ill at ease, he looks up towards Johnny. "It must be our foe's doing. But having such power to touch the dreams of so many.." He pauses, a hand lifting to he placed over his chest lightly, to touch something that is not there.. or perhaps that is hidden. "I will commune tonight. Perhaps an answer will await." He looks to Alistair in particular then. "Thank you for bringing this news to us. We had not known that such things had come to pass before our arrival. It was all very confusing." He smiles warmly.
"Oh, I can imagine" Alistair smiles back, tilting his head a touch. "It is interesting that people would not realize that such a mass premonition is no natural thing - but rather something to drive mass hysteria" he observes, then his expression becomes curious again. "May I ask who the foe is? There has been a fog here that has been causing problems, and attacks by dead things" he explains.
Tamiril shakes his head slightly. "We do not know. Even my patron cannot give true name to this force," he admits. "But in truth, such things are of little consequence. What is known is that, if we cannot stop him, this world will slowly die. I have seen it." He looks towards Rajja, then Johnny. "We all have." He then looks to Alistair. "And I suspect you all have. The sights you described.. we have seen them as well, but I know that what I was shown is a possible future. We have come to stop it.. or to try and stop it."
"It cannot be all that powerful if it did not attack you directly" says Alistair, shrugging his shoulders a touch. "But that is all I know. This was in the big thing" he lifts up the crystal, "I don't know what it is." THe elf perks slightly when Aiistair draws out the shard of crystal. "Oh, this is what we were looking for," he says excitedly. Starting to reach towards it before he pauses, looking to Alistiar more directly. "May I? One of my friends, Belinda.. she could read it, perhaps. Discover what we need to do what must be done next. We are protected from the touch of our enemy, but that does not mean others cannot do their work for them."
Alistair hands the shard over, "I think one of my friends can too, but I would rather she not suffer for it" he comments, looking at the Elf now. "Would you return it after? I suppose it might make a memento, to put in the museum after all this is over" he smiles, tilting his head a touch.
Tamiril nods his head once, taking the shard carefully. "Yes, certainly," he agrees, though he has eyes only for the shard for a few minutes. He passes a hand over it, speaking soft words in flowing, fluent Dragoneese. A brief magical cast, then anoher as he inspects the shard. "Magic.. very faint," he murmurs softly before looking up. Johnny and Rajja paying a bit more attention as the elf does his magical pass. Tamiril lifts his eyes to Alistair and smiles. "I will return it to you once Belinda has seen what she can see. Thank you for this."
"You're welcome" Alistair smiles, nodding his head, his expression clearing from the moment of seriousness it had as he watched the elf examine the shard. "I suppose I should be going then - it was a pleasure meeting you Sirs" he says, standing up and inclining his head. "Do have pleasant evening" he waves a hand, and starts to head off.
"Wait, Alistair." Tamiril reaches out to touch his arm as he turns. "I would make a request of you before you go." The shard is laid in his lap before he speaks further. "I believe that we shall soon have a great task to undertake. While we have been through much, I know not if, in the end, we shall have the force to accomplish it. I feel that I can trust you. Could I ask, should we need, that you might help us with selecting.. trustworthy individuals to bolster our number? There are many here who do not think well of us, but we have no knowledge of anyone here."
Alistair stops, and looks to Tamiril. He smiles, "I can try to help, but that is a lot of trust to put in one person" he replies, "There are people here of good nature. They will help; if you speak of fighting, not everyone can, but many have interesting talents. Are you planning on making a stand here?" he inquires.
"We are not sure yet," Tamiril admits. "Until now our task was to come here. But now that we are here and things have quieted down some, I will commune and seek our next step. Whatever it might be, we shall face it as we have faced all else." He dips his head to Alistair. "Be well and be strong, Alistair. The shadow is high, but it cannot exist without the light." Johnny nods to Alistair and Rajja will simply eye him intently, though with a bit less open animosity than there was initially.
"Where there is shadow there is light indeed" Alistair nods his head; he smiles and bites his lower lip at the stares he's getting. "What?" he murmurs, looking from one to the other, then, "Oh no - do I have something embarassing on my face?" he wipes a hand over his face.
Tamiril laughs lightly and shakes his head. "Don't mind Rajja. He is very protective of me." The elf reaches over to touch the canine again, which gets his attention. "Your letters. We still have a lesson." The big canine nods his head once to that, sparing Alistair one more glance before he focuses more seriously on the book in his hands. Studying the words on the page as if they were an ancient arcane formula. Tamiril will then look to Alistair again and smile. "Be well, friend. Come see us again soon, if you like."
"Ah" Alistair seems relieved at that, and he smiles again. "Good night then" he offers, inclining his head and turning about to head off back into the library.
