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Nocturne Phoenix | After Tolon blocked several blows, Nocturne neck-chopped one of the thugs, and Lion straight-up bludgeoned the rest into unconsciousness, the din of a good bar fight ceases, and for a long moment silence reigns.
It's punctuated by a falling, clattering skillet from the kitchen and a muffled curse. Some of the patrons, Nocturne included, can't help but snicker a bit at that. Regardless, normal conversation starts to resume and Nocturne shrugs her cloak more fully onto her shoulders as she draws fairly close to Lion. Tolon can't help but be close enough to hear, under the circumstances. She says, sotto voce, "Lion, we really need to talk about this. But quietly. I overheard some...things...that could make this a lot more dangerous than it looks." She pauses and glances about at the bar, but...well, she was looking for people paying attention to them. EVERYONE is paying attention to them. Not that helpful, all things considered. "Er...maybe we can talk elsewhere." |
Wandering Lion | Sighing, Lion moves to pay for his drink. Then adds more to get a full bottle of sake no less!
Grumbling a bit, he looks to Nocturne. "C'mon." He shakes his head, moving to the door to the bar and heading out. If this is more dangerous, then he certainly isn't sticking around to see why in one location. Or at least not in the same location. He's headed straight across to an alley just for this talk so far. |
Nocturne Phoenix | Nocturne doesn't pay for more wine--she barely had a chance to sip the glass she started with--but she does take the time to quickly gulp down the glass she'd had before following Lion out the door. They're the center of attention, of course, but not a one makes a move to stop or even get their attention. Instead, several of the more adventurous ones edge towards the thugs and start looking through their belongings.
Outside, Nocturne and Lion make their way across the street and into a filthy, damp alley. It stinks of chicken grease and moldy clothes (or is that moldy chicken and greasy clothes?), but it's at least fairly private, and the chilly sprinkle starting overhead might knock out some of the more offensive fumes in time. Better hope no one starts a fire in here, though. Then again, that applies to a lot of this part of Nexus. Nocturne looks carefully left and right before giving Lion a sober, concerned look. "I know it was busy in there, but I'm sure you caught me saying to keep your cool in there. It wasn't 'cause I was mothering you, believe me." She sighs and looks upwards at the misty, grey sky. "It's because I heard on the grapevine--well, -over-heard, but close enough--that a Cynis noble heard of your name. I don't want to say he's dishonorable exactly...he follows the Immaculate Philosophy well enough, from what I remember. But if he thinks you're Anathema, those thugs could have been a try at getting you to show your hand." t Nocturne chuckles darkly. "Of course, the thugs couldn't have known that, if it's true. Who would take that job if they had any idea?" |
Wandering Lion | Humming as he pops the cork on the bottle of sake he considers. That has him definitely looking considerate. "So a Cynis noble?"
Wandering Lion looks upwards, as if thinking. "I think that is a first. Thugs and others I have dealt with. Do you have the name of this noble? I want to see if I can make a few things more... interesting for him. Perhaps I can even use that armor bit to play some vigilante on him and his businesses." |
Nocturne Phoenix | Nocturne pauses, a bit wary, as she eyes Lion. "You should be more careful, Lion. A LOT more. Even if none of his servants or guards ever see you, it's not exactly a challenge to assume the person you're investigating would be the one trying to hurt you back. I'm not saying I don't want him hurt, maybe even killed...but there might be safer ways to go about it. Like maybe see if there's any Nexus laws he's breaking, for instance. The Wyld Hunt is nothing to play around with." |
Wandering Lion | That has Lion blinking at her. He stares. Then he shakes his head. He offers the bottle of sake towards her. "Here. You need this more than I do if you think Nexus has any laws to break."
"But you are right... for now, I suppose I should at least move on. I do tend to be a merchant at times, or at least the bodyguard to one. I can use that to say I have been hired. Perhaps head for Great Forks and see if he follows." Lion muses out loud. |
Nocturne Phoenix | Nocturne looks thoughtful as well, as she accepts the sake bottle. "Oh, Nexus -does- have a few laws. Not many, but the ones they do have are enforced...aggressively. Basically, don't do anything to obstruct the Council or free trade, don't bring in armies or mass murder." She takes a small sip and hands the bottle back. "Not much you can't do other than those. But...well, you work for a merchant, so you must have seen a few Dyansts or other nobles about. A lot of them think the rules don't apply to them, and so long as they can command the elements, they can make anyone back off. Now, that's not true in Nexus but there's always idiots willing to give it a try. I don't know if he's far enough gone to try that. Can't help but think if he was talking about it around me, I'd remember, but you have to understand, I've overheard a LOT of Dynasts. It all sort of blurs after a while."
"Great Forks, though, sounds like a good idea. Weren't we discussing that when..." She pauses and gives Lion a significant look. "...When we -first- met?" |
Wandering Lion | Lion shrugs as he takes the bottle back. "I was... well, more like second time. First time I think we were talking about slavers, maybe?"
He gives a small shrug of his shoulders. "Either way, I imagine we need to go before whoever sent the thugs might be trying to find us. I didn't exactly look over my shoulder when I went this way. I suppose I need to start doing that." |
Nocturne Phoenix | Nocturne chuckles quietly and points out towards the mouth of the alley. "Relax, I've been keeping an eye out. I saw one barmaid glance down this way and then look away real quick when she saw I was looking at her. Other than that, I think a lot of them weren't drunk enough yet. And maybe they robbed the thugs blind, too, but they can have that. But you're right, you should keep a weather eye out, as the sailors put it, all the time. Helps you anticipate unpleasant surprises."
Nocturne continues, after glancing reflexively at the other end of the alley, too. "As for our first meeting, yes, it was about slavers. Not that there isn't a lot of that here, but I'm fine with getting out of Nexus." |
Wandering Lion | Wandering Lion sighs, "Sometimes I miss the arena... I suppose I will have to visit Great Forks's arena while I am there. Perhaps get some katars or cestus to fight with again." He gives a small grin.
"My Smashfists are a bit too flashy to use in something like an arena, but I would not mind the challenge overall... it might give me something to do in order to lay low since I feel perhaps a bit... rusty after that one thug nearly got the drop on me." Lion mentions, shaking his head. Taking a hearty swig of the bottle of sake, he laughs. "I guess that settles it! Great Forks it is." |
Nocturne Phoenix | "Well," Nocturne replies, "I'll leave the arena fighting to you. I admit I'm not nearly as resilient as you must be. And the last thing I want is for people to recognize me, to be honest. The thing about arena's, of course, is the people who watch are people who are going to know what a normal person should be able to do with your physique. If you draw on your...shall we say, special talents, some people there might get suspicious. That said, if you can stay calm, I bet it'd be great practice. The downside of wandering as I am is I don't get to just -spar- much anymore. My whole combat style is about not letting the other person get a hit in. Or even know I'm there."
"If you don't mind me coming along, I'd like to join you for that journey. You're more interesting conversation than every other caravan guard I've ever come across, that's for certain." |
Wandering Lion | Giving a shrug, Wandering Lion chuckles a bit. "A lion and a phoenix wandering together? Should I worry about getting burned along the way?"
He asks, with a small bit of a rogueish grin as he turns to head out of the alleyway. "Either way, you are welcome to come along. I suppose it would not do me justice to see a comrade left behind to deal with my problems." |
Nocturne Phoenix | Nocturne chuckles again, but there's a bit of an edge to it this time. "Not unless you try to take anything from me I'm not interested in giving. Then, you'll see how you can really get burned. Other than that, I'll save the burning for our enemies."
She pauses, eyeing the alley again with a bit of disdain. "This stench is getting to me, I admit. And going back in that bar doesn't strike me as wise. Perhaps we should find some other place for dinner, if you're as hungry as I am." |
Wandering Lion | Wandering Lion laughs. "Oh, my poor heart. To be denied by such a beauty that would kill me before I even made it so far! And without offering to buy her dinner first!"
The larger man shrugs, turning to make his way out of the alleyway. "I imagine there is another bar somewhere around we can get a decent meal, m'lady. Just do not expect me to explain you as a girlfriend after that burning comment." He chuckles. |
Nocturne Phoenix | Nocturne laughs quietly as the pair of them start walking down the street. "Buying me dinner isn't taking anything from me, big guy. Anything else, we'll have to discuss when the time comes. As for dinner, surprise me. I don't know the city that well."
And with that, the pair wander off into the drizzly, chilly evening in search of a warm fire and warmer meal. |