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Ledaal Anona	The criminal underworld of Nexus is full of stories. The current one is a series of sketches held by groups of local toughs. Someone is being searched for. Those who have seen the sketches report it looks like a youngish man, long dark hair. Their target, almost certainly a man named Wandering Lion, is quite oblivious to this, not being terribly close to such undesirables. But there are those who know more; a certain Nocturne Phoenix has also heard these things, and she knows the chain of money leads to a Dynastic scion of House Cynis, of all things, who has been trying to organize a Wyld Hunt. The connections are there to be made.
Nocturne Phoenix	In the orange and black dusk of sunset, made darker still by thick, black rainclouds hovering here and there overhead, a young woman walks. Her hood is raised up over her face, her black cloak swirling around her, and her stride is quick and purposeful. She peeks here and there, frowning pensively at the results, though it's completely unclear what, exactly, she's looking for. She walks past a seedy dive, boisterous at this time of the evening, but after a moment looks back behind her at the warped, ill-fitting wooden door and the faded paint peeling from it. She bites her lip in thought, glances around her out of sheer habit, then eases the door open and peeks inside. Her attention is primarily on the people inside, as her green eyes dart from face to face, her expression sharp and focused.
Tolon	Tolon is wrapping up in Nexus, he's been here a while now and that is in direct conflict with being an Nomad. So, he's getting a last night out before devoting himself to gettting everything ready for a move. He's currently sitting at a table placing bets on a simple knife game that will almost certainly end with someone throwing a knife in their own foot, but for the moment it's been trouble free, Tolon nurses a drink, his bow unstrung and loosely wrapped at his side.
Caeleen Selena	The actual streets of Nexus are a mite too close to the beating heart of hostile civilization for a Lunar's tastes... in Selena's case, mostly because it's Dangerous. Nexus is home to the mysterious Emissary, among others! Beings she's not totally sure she could outfox if it came to it. And a trade hub like this has many, many eyes. In her case, she's flitting around as a hummingbird, taking advantage of the few well-off people who like to take care of flowers in their windowsills. Since Tolon's camped nearby, she feels it's only smart to get a feel for what this city's all about and where things are in case anything were to happen in the future. As the coast seems clear and she does finish getting a feel for the city's labyrinthian layout (such a mess! by her standards...) she dives back down to the streets, sheltering in an alley long enough to emerge in human form, wearing a traveler's cloak over her typical clothes, the hood down. She slinks straight into the bar, and upon spotting Tolon, moves to playfully sneak up on him... "Oooooh, this looks positively daaaaaaaangerous!" She announces excitedly from WAY too close, practically leaning over his shoulder.
Wandering Lion	And in the corner of the seedy bar, seated by himself with a rather large pitcher in hand is one Wandering Lion. The sketches do not do him justice. Tall, strong, and very much having the bearing of his moniker. He really, really didn't want to return to Nexus. But well, he was there because he was asked by a friend to check out something. And that something was unfortunately related to one of the few things that tended to get his attention. So, here he was and at a bar that he knew would be a nice, frequent place to get some good drink. In this case, sake. Rice wine as he sipped at it from a small cup that he poured it into. His only supply of food is a simple supply of bread and gravy as he seems to be working on drinking away his worries at the moment. All and all, the man has been keeping to himself and mostly looking at his cup of drink when not glancing up if someone approaches too closely.
Nocturne Phoenix	Well, Nocturne was -about- to slip in, when her forward progress was checked entirely by a completely different young redhead, this one in a rather nice kimono. As the other woman breezes right by her, Nocturne blinks rapidly and takes a half step back out of the doorway so she doesn't get mowed down. Glancing in, she sees the woman straight up -vamping- some guy--either she already knows him or -wants- to! She chuckles under her breath and slips past the pair of them, tugging her hood down behind her as she casually meanders to the barkeep's counter. She runs her fingers through her bright copper hair and accepts a glass of some kind of sharpish red wine--she didn't ask, and the barkeep didn't offer a name, just the glass. She sips at it once or twice, trying (and failing) to avoid making a bit of a face at the acerbic vintage, and finally, her green eyes alight on what they'd come to see. She's coy about it at first, taking a close look around the room to see if anyone is paying (more than usual) attention to her, or any to Lion. If the coast seems clear, she casually saunters towards the big man at his table, utterly ignoring his 'please go away' vibes, and has a seat. Her voice is low and calm, soft and unassuming, without being sinister. "Mind if I have a seat, my dear?"
Wandering Lion	The black haired young man glances up, taking a drink of sake before humming and looking carefully at Nocturne. He at least isn't stone cold drunk. That gaze he turns towards Nocturne however, is definitely 'go away' at first. At least until he sees who it is, then he nods. "Go ahead." He waves for another cup to be brought over for Nocturne before resuming his drinking. The man seems to be rather nonchalant as he seems to be considering a few things. Looking to Nocturne, he nods. "What brings you by, lovely?" He asks. After asking, his eyes stray to those nearby, looking carefully as if he is aware of slight danger. But it's a bar. A seedy dive bar at that. So, he might just be wary of fights breaking out. Leaning forward on the table, he sighs. "... and no, I have had no luck with what I was after."
Ledaal Anona	While Lion and Phoenix might be too preoccupied to notice at first a small gang of men have arrived at the bar, inobtrusively spreading out. While they're making no particular moves, a number of them are glancing in Lion's direction, then doing a double-take.
Wandering Lion	Wandering Lion frowns. He sighs, and mentions quietly. "Company." He growls a bit, taking a sip of the sake again. Not looking at all as he sighs. The man smiles a little, "I am not sure how many. I suppose we might want to take this outside?" He seems to be considering whether or not to do so.
Nocturne Phoenix	Nocturne blinks and looks up from her drink, glancing around like a prairie dog for a moment before realizing she really, REALLY needs to calm down and play things a lot cooler than she has been. She frowns deeply, biting her lip again, and glances to her left and right at a couple of the toughs standing throughout the place. She mutter something quiet but heartfelt under her breath as her demeanor and bearing change. Her eyes narrow as she inhales deeply, and now? Now, her attention is fully on the threats surrounding them. She murmurs quietly under her breath, at Lion. "Is it too late to say I was coming to warn you? We'll discuss who sent your playmates later."
Caeleen Selena	With her super-sharp ears and attentive mind, the lady - who's wearing a drab cloak over that kimono to hide it thank you! - whispers in Tolon's ears, "Don't look but a bunch of suspicious people just came in. Gut is saying... scram." She doesn't really wait for a response, and instead turns to meandering while affecting a dejected attitude, as if the man she was with just brushed her off. This meandering path, though, she tries to angle to 'coincidentally' give her good views of the folk filtering in while she seemingly hunts for someone else to harass...
Tolon	Tolon flashes an amused and warm smile to Selena as she approaches. "Only if they miss." He shrugs a shoulder. "Which will happen eventually." With the betting out of the way the men proceed to begin throwing knives at their own feet, taking it in turns to try and get nearer to their foot than their opponent without actually piercing their foot. Tolon notices the group gathering, his hand moves, shifting the bow at his side, while his other casually strokes over the hilt of his sword before returning his attention to the increasingly drunk men throwing knives at themselves. He nods to Selena with an amused grin. "I see." He finishes his drink. "This game is too slow, do they play until they maim themselves or just die of old age." He gets up with a grin. "I need to make room for more beer." With that he picks up his bow and begins to walk towards the door.
Ledaal Anona	The gang mostly are in place, but one walks towards Lion, "accidentally" spilling a drink on the man (in a very obviously not accidental manner) as he walks by. "Whoops, lookit how clumsy I am..."
Wandering Lion	Wandering Lion raises an eyebrow, standing up slowly. He glances at Nocturne, looking amused. Very amused. "Spilling a drink?" He grins at the man who spilled his drink on him. "Try harder." He motions at an empty chair. "Have a seat, good man. I have no quarrel with you that I know of. Your friends should as well." Lion pours another cup of sake, gulping it down as he waits for the man's response. "If you do not wish to, then I would suggest we take this outside where less can be involved than the dozen or so friends you brought with you." He says.
Nocturne Phoenix	Eyes shifting left and right, Nocturne is carefully standing still, but she's clearly tensed and ready for a fight. But unlike no doubt most of the people in the room, she's only spending half her attention on the thugs so prominently situated around the room. The rest of her attention is focused, instead, on the faces of everyone -else- there, the ones seemingly not involved. She's also keeping an eye out for anyone peeping in from outside, or another room. It's an open question why any of that is so, but she -did- say she was coming to warn Lion. Perhaps she knows something others don't. She murmurs under her breath again, directed towards Lion, though she can't really make it so no one else can hear. "Not even sure the real trap has sprung yet. Either way, let's just play it calm. Never know who's taken an interest."
Caeleen Selena	Selena can only get a few glances in from different angles at the people who've filtered in. What she sees does get her pursing her lips faintly... but said lips also curl mischeviously as if she's expecting a bit of amusing chaos to erupt any moment now. "Well, eating and drinking in peace is sometimes a little boring..." But, fully aware that this might just well be a distraction, she has not let down her guard one bit. She continues to stay alert for any out-of-place sounds. Like anything heavy approaching the establishment!
Tolon	Tolon moves slowly across the room, stopping near Selena as though to speak with her on his way to the door. "Trouble has to happen eventually, little point in the eating and drinking if you don't end up with some trouble to amuse yourself." He speaks softly, with a faint grin. "You still planning to 'scram'? I'm thinking I want to see what happens."
Caeleen Selena	"Hmmmm..." Selena's voice is singsong despite being fairly quiet. "... I'll watch. But stay on your toes."
Ledaal Anona	"Yeah, but I'm thinking a dozen of my friends can beat the shit out of you just fine!," screams the tough, right as he tries to sucker-punch Lion. JOIN BATTLEARU!
Nocturne Phoenix	The very moment the battle began, Nocturne dances away from the surging toughs like a breeze over a pond. Instead of lashing out at any of them, she melts seamlessly into the crowd, flipping her hood up and diving into the beginnings of the melee so swiftly no one at all can see her. She silently slips between everyone as they're beginning to move about, biding her time until she can position herself behind one of the toughs threatening Lion--hopefully one in back, so the others might not see him go down right away.
Tolon	Tolon for his part moves towards where the fight is breaking out, his attention turning to watch for any one else trying to attack Lion, Tolon likes a good fight, but only if it's fair, or he's part of it. He unhooks the sword from his belt. Covering Wandering Lion in a defensive stance. "Why don't we at least try to keep this fight fair?"
Ledaal Anona	Of course, the punch is already on its way before Tolon can get there, so that's that.
Wandering Lion	Wandering Lion moves to get out of the way of the incoming punch, but... well, now he has someone's sword sheath briefly in his way? First thing's first, however. Bringing back a mighty fist, the muscled young man unleashes a punch straight into the instigator's face before he looks to see just who is interfering in this. And slightly recognizes the man. "What the Malfeas do you think you are doing? First trying to join a conversation, now getting involved a bar fight? I swear if you are stalking me, I'm ripping your head off after this is over!" He says towards Tolon.
Nocturne Phoenix	Still shifting and swaying between people, hiding in the shadow beneath flickering torches and dancing around people mesmerized by the first strike of what promises to be a good brawl, Nocturne positions herself very carefully. She prepares herself and takes a deep breath. One mind. One soul. One purpose. Just as her sifu taught her. She positions herself cleverly behind one of the last toughs in the room, readying an unarmed strike. If they stay put, she won't budge. If they move to support their glass-jawed friend, the last one in line will, with luck, never reach that melee. (Readying action: Decisive attack on one of the thugs.)
Caeleen Selena	"Just teaming up to dogpile a guy within a few seconds of entering... these people are on a mission." Selena surmises thoughtfully, tapping her chin while she watches with a twinkle in her eye!
Nocturne Phoenix	With a smooth, elegant motion from the shadows in one corner of the tavern, Nocturne uncoils like a small, lithe shadowy serpent. One of the thugs is caught completely by surprise, his first inkling of her presence only coming when the inside ridge of her stiffened hand, hard as the edge of a knife, snakes out from virtually nowhere to strike him right between two of his neck vertebrae. The poor thug's consciousness snuffs out like a candle, and he collapses bonelessly to the wooden floor. The sound of his insensate body's falling to the ground is the first sound her actions have made since the fight began. Nocturne doesn't have time to slip into the shadows again, to be sure, but her hands are up, body half-turned to the side in a clear martial arts pose of some type. Whatever style it is, it's not common.
Tolon	"There's a bar fight. I got bored drinking." Tolon flashes a grin. "I never tried to join your conversation. I interrupted it with a question. You decided I wanted to converse." With that he turns towards the fighters readying to attack him. He leaps over a stool, his sword swinging towards the nearest opponent. "If you want to fight once we're done here though, I'll probably just be getting warmed up."
Wandering Lion	Wandering Lion growls before stepping up, cracking his knuckles... and beginning to just wade into the group of toughs. His hands lash out in hard, quick punches around him as he tries to take out the group of toughs before they can organize. A back hand here, a hard punch there. He just doesn't stop. And the ferocity is definitely showing why he is called the Wandering Lion. Only someone who could fight like a lion could pull something like this off and not be running in fear of a whole group of toughs like this, right?
Ledaal Anona	And that does it. half of the toughs are laid out on the floor - and the other half break away to run off. They expected to jump a lone man, however skilled a fighter he might be one versus a dozen isn't a fair fight. THREE fighters of skill is not what they expected at all! ... and in the chaos, a few of the patrons slip out, too. Simply wanting to leave the scene? Or perhaps some tongues will be wagging, tonight in Nexus...