11-21-05

Characters involved: Aralc, Taja, Keita, & Lily.

Halyard Tavern: Main Room

Aralc is behind the counter - y' know, 'sampling' the new stuff. Or she was, there's an empty ale mug in her lap. The burly doe's feet are propped up on the bar top, and she's leaning back in her chair - head braced against the wall as she snores. Charming, really!

Taja opens the door to the tavern and stands in the door frame for a moment before stepping in. She survey's the tavern with a firm look then raises a thin brow, looking over at the slumbering doe. She smiles and stifles a small laugh.

Taja moves to the bar, taking a seat and lightly knocks on the wood with each syllable to accentuate them. "Good. Morn. Ing," she says as a smooth grin slips over her lips.

Taja's not the only one stifling a laugh. Keita's smirking from where she leans in the doorway which leads to the upstairs. Once Taja moves to the bar, she pushes off of the wall and limps over towards the bar, sitting on a stool a few down from the marten. She nods. "Evenin'."

Taja looks over at the doe in the doorway, looking her over once then smiling. "Evening t'you too," she says with a sly smile playing lightly across her muzzle. "So, does the ale here put one to sleep? If so, I'll take two."

Aralc doesn't wakt up to the knocking, or the 'good-morn-ing'. What she does wake up too is 'I'll take two'. Her eyes open, and she brings her paws up to rub at the corners. "Whatzitalebitter?" she mumbles, hunkering forward over her knees as she peers blearily at first Taja, then Keita.

Taja snaps her head back so fast to the 'whatzitalebitter', her long ponytail curls flips over her shoulder. "Have a good nap," she asks.

Lily trots down the stairs, her fur fluffed out comically after a nice bath. The doe has preened herself carefully, even taking the time to brush some scents of lilac into her fur with her brush. She musses with her whiskers and makes sure all the fur on her face is finely placed. And... lo and behold... the doe isn't wearing her musty old patrol uniform that she has refused to give up before. She instead sports a light green vest, a pair of off-white pants, cut off just below the knee. The doe, strangely dressed up, has even gone the mile to place a lily behind her ear, carefully tucked and pinned. Lily steps into the main room, pausing as she becomes self-conscious all of the sudden.

Aralc's attention shifts back to Taja after she gives Keita a sleepy smile, and she hops off of the stool. "Y' said ye wan' something t' drink?" she inquires, crouching to grab a mug before she pops back up - waiting, the mug's handle dangling from two fingers. At the sound of the stairs being transversed, she glances over. " .. Owbloodyell!" There goes the mug, right onto her bare footpaw. She disappears back beneath the bar top, swearing a fit to peel varnish off of wood.

Keita's amusement is clear on her face as she watches the sleepy doe, and she smiles in return. "Nice nap, Arly?" She keeps her quiet while she's getting her drink, but then, when whatever she's looking at seems to have caused her to drop the mug, Keita glances over her shoulder and - blinks. Hard. Jaw dropping and all that. "... Uh. All righ', Arly?" Without looking her way, of course.

Lily clears her throat, her weight shifting from one paw to the other. The doe idle fusses with the flower, smoothing the fur around it. "Interruptin', am I?" She finally says, her voice a little sheepishly. "Because... I mean, I 'ave some chores in th' back I could do. Please, don' mind me 'ny." The doe bobs her head at the others, walking slowly towards the back, having to scoot around Keita.

Taja smiles smugly at the cursing fit rising from behind the bar then looks over Lily and catches the scent then looks back at Aralc. A devious smile curls up into her muzzle as she looks back to Lily. "Why, hello. You smell nice," she says with a half cocked smile. "Yes, an ale...any kind you think I'd like," she says looking back to Aralc.

Aralc fumbles around on the floor, swearing until she gets ahold of the mug. She pops back up, looking razzeled. "Ale. Right. Uh." off she goes again, tapping out a bitter for Taja. She settles it in front of her, asking for the appropriate change o'course. "Psh! Lils, com' on .. knowin' y', them damn chores are already done." However, she doesn't look in the direction of Lily - she peers at Taja, waiting, one of her bound ears dangling over her shoulder.

Keita fails to respond, mostly because her jaw's still hanging open. She stares as Lily passes, then with another blink, glances towards Aralc. Then back to Lily. Then back to Aralc. Cause and effect, anyone? Still, she offers the prettied up doe a grin. "Lil', ya look dazzlin'."

Lily stares with a bit of confusion at the others. Her ears jerk around, up, down, then up again. "Thank yah, Miss." Lily replies to marten. "Jus'... jus' ah bit... o' lilac." Her left foot runs over her right, trying its best to distract her from her embaressement. "Oh... they are, Miss Aralc?" Lily mumbles, still glancing to the back door. "Don' be ridiculous, Miss- erm, Keita. Kei! If m'gonnah get this sorta response e'erytime I take ah bath..."

Taja looks at the ale set before and reaches back into her traveling side satchel, retrieving the correct change, setting her paw in the doe's palm. She uncurls her fingers and slides her paw over the doe's. There's twice the change. "Share one with me if y'want," she winks then looks back at the dressed up doe and smiles, nods appraisingly.

Aralc is off in Arly la-la land until she finds that her paw is burdened with more coins then she expected. She peers down into her palm and crumples her eyebrows, "Ah.." she looks up to Taja, quirking a brow. "That's ah' right bit much th-.. uh..." Blink. Blink. Rullle number two back in effect. "Aw, I can't do tha'." she goes to try and shovel the change back at Taja. "Ah should nay be drinkin' behind Miss Keita's bar any'ow!"

Taja pushes the shoveling paw back as she chuckles. "Then come out from behind it," she smiles then slips her eyes back over towards the others.

Keita gives Lily a slightly thoughtful look, but ignores the slip-up with names. "Can't help it if yer pretty, deah..." Kei shrugs lightly, then gestures to a stool. "Wanna sit?" She glances around at Aralc, then smirks. "Have a drink, Arly. I don't mind."

Lily's snout twitches slightly. She scoots forward, curling to gently grasp Keis chin and lead it into a quick cheek-smooch. "'Course not." She agrees, giving another quick kiss before taking the offered stool. "Thank yah, Kei." Lily's eyes follow up to Aralc, her head tilting to the side.

Aralc gives Keita this open mouthed 'Wuhhh?' look before she looks back to Taja and hunches her shoulders adorably. "O.. oh, um. Ahright." she puts the change into the lock box and pours herself an ale, making way 'round to take a seat beside Taja. Her eyes stray momentarily to Lily, "Ey! At least you bathe. S'nice after bein' on ah ship for so many fortnights. Bloody stink .." she tips her knees apart and glances at Taja, scratching behind a flopped ear.

Taja shoots Keita an appreciative smile then looks back at the large doe as she takes a seat next to her. She turns on her stool, setting a propped elbow on the bar, letting her paw dangle from the top. Her other paw reaches for her ale, twisting her torso back towards the bar as she lifts the mug, taking a long swig. "Mmm," she echos in the mug as she takes if from her lips. She catches that scratching behind an ear and reaches a paw out to rest on the doe's upper arm. "Was it working all day or the ale that put you in that cute lil slumber I found you in," she asks as the arm lowers and slips to hook in Aralc's arm, tugging her over, though the marten is who does the moving, pressing against her arm in a half hug. She smiles slyly. "Drink up now! Its no fun drinking alone," she unsnakes her arm and reaches for her ale again.

Keita looks pleasantly surprised by the kiss - both of them. She's also considerably amused - by Aralc's predicament. Now isn't that just cute. She leans over, dropping a kiss on Lily's cheek. "How was yer day?"

Aralc looks in her ale as Taja first starts sipping her own. Deeeep into the ale. As if it had some sort of magical way to explain this situation to her. So confused. As Taja's paw rests on her arm, she almost plumb falls off the stool. She snaps her head around - her ears bouncing across her back. "Huh!?" She says, a /wee/ bit too loud. Arly's cheeks flush, and she huffs. "Jus' movin' stuff around." she admits, sinking her chin towards her chest. "Ain' much then..t.." she turns her eyes downward as Taja glomps onto her arm, the hair standing up on the back of her neck. "UM!"

Lily giggles slightly, her ankles hooking with each other and swinging slightly on the stool. "A'righ'. Good t'have th' night off, y'know?" She turns her attention to Aralc. "Oh my." The doe whispers to Keita, glancing up at the other. "Hold up. Rescue mission!" Lily snickers and slides off the stool. She scoots up and wraps her arms around one of Aralc. "Ah, tsk now! Leavin' yah post, are yeh?" Lily says in high amusement.

Taja lifts the mug to her lips, looking over its rim at Aralc with a raised brow.

"Oh?" Keita says before taking a long sip, setting the mug down then licks her lips and nose cutely. She half smiles and leans over to the doe with that same determined look she had when she walked in with. A paw reaches to the doe's paw that is not occupied by a mug and whispers something to her before Lily arrives to start her operation rescue Aralc. She leans away from the whisper and nods with a graceful smile then sips her ale.

The dull 'clump clump' of Van's boots clomp against the street outside, nearly half a minute before he actually enters. When he does, the red badger shoves his snout in first and glances about for a moment, before snuffling the air and grinning. "Mmm, many hares t'night, aye?" With a few more steps, he is in, his chains rattling around his torso with each movement. Glancing behind the bar, he notices Keita. "Oy, Keita. Some hard whiskey, aye? I had 'nough a t'day." He doesn't bother noticing the other hares, even out of courtesy. Probably all Salamandastron hares anyway.

Aralc would be sweating, if .. hares could perspire. As Lily grabs onto her, she straightens up as sure as she would if someone had put an ice-cube down her back. "O..O..oh right! Work! .. Y'know, ah.. ah think I heard a noise in th' cellar! Righto! Off I go!" Just before she goes fleeing, her ear twitches at a whisper. The burly doe goes beet red, "Gotteh work, y' birds!" she eases an arm free, puts a paw on the countertop and literally hops over. She flees for the kitchen, her ears bouncing on her back.

Keita laughs as Lily goes on her little rescue mission, and she's still laughing when Vansinnig approaches and makes his request. She looks around and grins at the badger. "'Ey, Vannykins. What's so bad 'bout the day?" She grabs her crutches and stands, going to take care of the order. Once done, she thunks it in front of the badger. "There ya go."

Taja smiles and chuckles as Aralc goes bounding off to the kitchen. She lifts her ale and sips it more. Ignoring Lily at the moment.

Vansinnig glares at the crutches again, but simply sighs and grabs at the drink. "Ergh. Had a run in with some kinda frog king. He gave me some sorta ultimatum." He snorts and downs the drink swiftly, then fiddles with the empty cup. "Somethin' 'bout me killin' his kingdom for meat. He don't realize I gotta eat, 'pparently." Rapping his claws on the cup, he chuckles harshly. "Wot's wit' all th' hares?"

Lily falls into a fit of giggles as the large doe flies over the counter and right into the kitchen. "Oh... wow... an' she presents herself so tough, doesn't she?" The girl says to Taja, not realizing she is being ignored. The doe glances over her shoulder at the badger. Her ears perk up and she lowers herself into the stool between Vaninnig and Taja. "What 'ares?" Lily mumbles, looking around.

Vansinnig growls slightly at Lily. "Weren't talkin' to ya, were I?"

Aralc manages, with whatever hearing she has with the state of her ears - to pop her head out of the kitchen and flick her forefinger and middlefinger at Vansinnig. "Oi! Tha's a lady there, ya' chav!" Then she's gone again.

Keita gives Vansinnig a look as he growls. "That thare's m'mate, Vansinnig. Lily." So be nice, that look says. She glances over her shoulder at Aralc and grins. Wow, the bar's hopping tonight. "I think there's somethin' crazy in that ale ya brought, Arly."

Lily cowers down, her ears slicking back. The doe's eyes are wide at the large, growling beast. Her fur puffs up even more than its freshly washed state. "I... uh... No... yeh weren't, Sah..." Lily agrees in a tiny voice. Aralc's voice only gets a squeak from Lily, very afraid that it will only serve to make the badger angrier.

Vansinnig doesn't bother noticing anything Aralc said. He motions at Keita for another drink. "'Nother drink Keita. An' whatever. I dun't mind them, s'long as they shut their yaps." He sets the glass down on the counter and glances at Lily, showing her his wide, toothy smile. It's not very friendly. He turns back to Keita. "Ngh, busy night, eh, Kei?"

Taja gives Vansinnig an unappreciate look then sets her empty mug down.

Keita rolls her eyes and grabs the glass back up once he sets it back down. She holds it just out of his reach, shaking her head. "Be nice or be sobah with all yer frog king-y thoughts, Vannykins. Yer choice." She glances at the cowering Lily out of the corner of her eye.

Vansinnig fixes her with a glare of sorts, but then lets a breath out. "Fine, fine." He tries a nicer smile. Doesn't work well. "S'rry," he grumbles noncommittally.

Vansinnig says, "Now gimme th' drink, Keita."

Taja looks at Lily and shakes her head. "S'okay, lass," she says then looks to Keita. "May I have another ale, please?"

Lily nods slightly, not saying a word. She scoots off the stool, giving Taja a weak grin in response. "'Course it is." But in a flash the doe is slipping behind the counter, hovering close to Keita. She fusses with her new vest, fiddling with the buttons.

Vansinnig sighs a bit, setting his chin in his scarred palm. "Y'know, I dun't like it when it's all thick in 'ere. I jus' realized this." He glances at Lilly minutely, then back at Keita. "S'ppose you like it though, eh? Ya got some new workers then?"

Keita rolls her eyes and thunks the mug back down. "Yer worse than most dibbuns, ya know that?" She flicks a glance at Taja and nods. "Comin' right up, miss." As Lily comes around to her she slips an arm around her waist, murmuring some comforting words in her ear as she smiles. Temple-kiss. She then leans around the doe, fixing the ale and then thunking it down in front of Taja. Ahem. She glances at Vansinnig. "Well, Arly," she gestures towards the back room where the larger doe disappeared, "is an old friend o' mine. Just got back in town, brought me a whole bunch o' supply. So ya ought t' thank her for what yer drinkin' next time she comes 'round." Keita's paws connect, her arms fully encircling Lily now - whether Lily's embarrassed by it or not. XD

Vansinnig glances at Lily, lifting a brow. "Uh, and 'er? She's quite th' timid one, ain't she?" He chuckles gruffly. "She looks like she's been scared by a ghost once ta often." Rubbing at his ear, he hms. "An' I resent 'at dibbun remark."

Lily glances over sheepishly at the barkeep, trying her best not to look freaked. The doe mumbles nonsense back, immediately comforted by the soothing words and comforting paw on her waist. Lily leans into the temple kiss and is, of course, slightly embarrassed by the full waist hug. The badger gets a small look. "I... I can speak for mahself." She mummbles, probably too soft for the badger to hear.

Vansinnig flicks an ear at Lily, then leans in a bit, close enough for her to smell his breath. But, that's not that hard. It smells of meat and alcohol. "Really? Then go 'head. I ain't stoppin' you."

Keita smirks. "Uh. She's m'mate. Like I said." At Lily's words, though, she says no further. She nudges her forward, which is made particularly easy by the whole arm-circling thing. "Lil' c'n tell ya." Grin. After Vansinnig speaks, she inclines her head at the badger, indicating him. "Lil', Van here's saved m'skin a time 'r two in the past. Though I've done the same fer him, if I do say so m'self. We're friendly-like." Nudge-nudge. You're okay.

Lily scrambles to fight being pushed forward, her ears shooting back. "Eh.. eh eh?" She stutters, pressing against Kei. "Y-yeah... tha's... tha's wot I... I am. An' Miss... Miss Kei wouldn't... wouldn't very much like i-it... iffen I-I-I... got hurt!" He could save a dibbun from a burning building in front of her eyes for all she cares. He is /scary/ to the doe.

Keita gives Vansinnig a look from behind Lily's head. She mouths, very clearly, "Be. Nice."

Vansinnig lifts a brow at Keita, then glances down at Lily. "Aye, I see. Yer friend. I weren't gonna hurt her...er, I won't hurt ya, li'l one." Doesn't matter that she's not all that young. She seems it.

Lily frowns and nods at the badger. "Eh, yeah. 'Course yeh h'aint." She mumbles and tries to back up, though Kei keeps getting in her way. "I gota go 'elp Aralc in th' back, Kei. Lemme through."

Keita looks relieved, in that at least he didn't growl at her again. When she tries to back up this time, she releases her. "I think she's prob'ly all righ', Lil', but if ya want..." She shrugs lightly, then glances back at Vansinnig.

Vansinnig lifts the glass, staring at it for a moment, before setting it down. "Wot d'ya know? Like a li'l jackrabbit." Snorting slightly, the badger hmms. "She from the mountain? Those blasted hares."

Lily takes a deep breath, ducking behind Kei and grabbing a mug of water. She sups at it and starts for the back. "Wha'?" The hare turns, her eyes narrowed. Seems as if someone struck a nerve. "Rabbit? Sah, did'jah jus' call me ah /rabbit/?"

Vansinnig simply lifts a brow at Lily. "Wot?"

Lily stomps forward, her ears slicking back. "Y'heard me, y'great bully. Don' you /evah/ call me ah rabbit, y'hear?"

Keita winces, somewhat. "Um... he meant. Me?" Heh, hehe. Yeah, right. She looks between the two of them, and then up at the ceiling. "Why can't folks just get along, huh? Why?" Great big ole exasperated sigh.

Vansinnig frowns at Lily. "An' you shouldn't presume ta tell me wot ta do, li'l 'un." He snarls slightly, a deep-throated warning.

Lily shows her front teeth in a smaller, less ferocious snarl. "Then yeh shouldn' be actin' like a big warty toad, y'hear. Then I wouldn' 'ave tah!"

Van's eyes widen. Then, he grins. Standing, the badger motions at Keita with a claw. "Yer li'l mate 'ere ain't been very wise." Leaning forward somewhat, he snorts down at Lily. "I'm amused though."

Keita looks at the one as he snarls, and then the other as she snarls. "... Uh. Guys? Guys, um. We could, y'know, /stop/ growlin'..." As Vansinnig speaks up, she roooolls her eyes. "Yeah? Well good fer you."

The mention of Keita causes Lily to remember she was there. The doe turns her eyes on the barkeep, holding not much more love than they had for the badger. "Why d'yah serve riffraff like this, huh? Righ' fool o'yah iffen y'ask me. Mayhaps Sah Darklett is righ'!" And with that the doe spins on heel, stomping into the back room.

Vansinnig watches her leave then chuckles lightheartedly. "Ach, that ones a right handful. Heh, mistook 'er fer timid."

Keita's ears drop. In fact, they plummet. She sighs, peering at the door through which Lily's just disappeared. "Ya realize ya just made my life about ten times worse fer the next few days, righ'?" She turns, crossing her arms over her chest and squinting at him.

Vansinnig licks his teeth. "'ow so? She's gonna be grumpy or somethin'?"

Keita rolls her eyes. "Ya already got Darklett callin' me a traitah, I don't want Lily startin' to agree with 'im. Speakin' o' that - couldn't ya lay off o' him or somethin'?"

Vansinnig furrows his brows at that. "Er, no. Yer mistaken. Dark is the one that antagonizes."

Keita smirks, nodding. "Aye, I know. But ya'd make my life easiah if ya didn't give in t' it." She glances at his glass. "Ya want s'more?" And thus continues serving the riffraff. "And it'd be great if ya didn't growl at m'girl. That, aye. That'd be key."

Vansinnig sighs. "Mmm, I know. I know. But I'm not a quiet type, eh?" He chuckles harshly. "Quite the opposite."

"I'll take that as a yes," Keita concludes, and picks up his glass. She refills it and slides it back across to him. "I know they c'n be a little..." She see-saws her paw. "Y'know. But it's just the way they were raised, y'know? They can't help it. Give 'em a break ev'ry now 'n' then. They're honestly not that bad." Darklett /and/ Lily would probably kill her if they heard her marking excuses for them to the badger, rather than the other way around, but.

Vansinnig snorts. He stares at the amber liquid for a moment, then sips at it in a rather uncharacteristic way. "Keita, are ya tryin' ta change me?" He seems amused, a sort of half-smirk alighting his face. "Lily's innocent, I c'n tell. But Dark, he's a bad 'un. He's killed. He deserves ta die."

Keita eyes Vansinnig, then rests her elbows on the counter and her chin in her paw. "You've killed. I've killed. I'd rathah not die, m'self, 'n' I don't think I deserve it just 'cause I've done some things I'm not proud of in m'life."

Vansinnig chuckles and sips at the whiskey again. "Ya don't think we don't deserve ta die?" His expression becomes far more serious. "Again, are ya tryin' ta change me? I want some truth, now."

"I'm tryin' t' keep you from dyin'." Simply stated and simply true. She shrugs, not uncomfortably, and pours herself an ale as well. She doesn't take a drink of it, just yet. "I don't think I deserve t' die. I've tried t' do what's right by the ones I love. Fail miserably lots o' the time, but the way I see it, it's the thought that counts." She grins, just a small half-grin, and takes a sip.

Vansinnig stares at the cup, then promptly drains it. "Why should you care? Ye've paid off yer debt ta me. In fact, I don't think I've saved yer life yet. If anythin', I'm in debt to you." He smirks a bit. "The thought never counts. That only works with gifts. An' we all fail. It's our nature. Can't be helped in a good direction, so I help it in th' other."

Keita stares at him with her lips just slightly parted, surprised. "Ya think I'm doin' this 'cause I owe ya a /debt/?" She can't help but grin at his expense, though she tries. "It don't work that way, stripedog. I just plain ole like ya." She snorts, shaking her head as she takes another sip. "We're a lot alike, y'know. I've just realized that both sides o' the fight're full o' it, so I take a little o' both."

Vansinnig clicks his tongue. "Ya like me......" His face denotes absolute incredulity. "A'ight. Fine. Let's say ye've takin' some sort of fancy. Ya think I consider you a friend?" He holds up a paw. "Wait, don't answer." He sighs, his great bulk heavin'. "Ya shouldn't be so kind. It makes ya kinda easy ta befriend. Means more burden." The badger snorts. "Less loneliness, but more burden." He smirks.

Keita smirks and takes a veeeery long sip, then tips her glass to him. "Cheers," she murmurs. Then, with a shrug. "I've done loneliness 'n' I've done angry. Now I'm just tryin' t' get on with things, Van." She smiles. "Speakin' o' which... I've got a doe t' go make up with. If you'll excuse me?" She gestures to the otter whose just entered to take over her shift for her, and he comes behind the counter, staying at the far end.

Vansinnig nods slowly. "G'night Keita. I best be heavin' my bulk off as well." He stands, dropping a few silver coins. "Thanks fer the chat. I needed it." He smiles as best he can. Still doesn't look right.

Keita takes one look at that smile and, chuckling, waves a paw at him. "Oh, go on. I'll see ya around, yeah? Try not t' piss off any roamin' gangs o' hares in the meantime." She takes up her crutches and stands, limping to the backroom door, where she pauses just long enough to twiddle her fingers at him in a goofy wave. Smirking, she disappears through the door, calling back. "Night!" And she's gone.