paixaorpg | All Work, No Play [Active/Open]

It was a place still unfamiliar to Reddas, as he had been exploring through the town of Paixao for a few weeks now. Seventh Heaven never came readily apparent to him because of its dulled edges, as though it were left abandoned for quite some time. Now, the warmth had entered back into the building and the lights were on inside, making the eye-like windows glow with hospitality. It had been a great while since he had enjoyed a beverage of the Balfonheim air pirate variety: strong, heady, and hard. A place with the name Seventh Heaven lent itself to such clientele and demands, despite the cliched name.

He strode in gently with a gentle knock on the door as he looked around the interior of the building, noticing the bar on the other side of the room. "I have no meaning to intrude on your premises. I simply wish to purchase a drink of whatever you can offer," he offered to the body behind the bar. He was tempted to wince at the possibility of an angry native throwing things at him for his non-traditional dress, but he instead stood his ground. He was a man of conviction when it came to finding a simple pleasure.

"Hard to intrude when the place is open for business," Megara replied dryly, lips quirked upwards in a small smirk. She tilted her chin towards one of the bar stools in silent invitation to sit before turning, her heavy auburn ponytail swinging with the motion. Her first customer of the day sure was...interesting looking. She'd never seen facial hair like his before. Paixao was always full of new surprises.

She selected a bottle of vintage she'd never heard of before and poured it into a plain glass. "Haven't seen you before," she said, sliding the drink his way.

Reddas scratched at his graying sideburns to Megara's typical casual style. "I suppose that would be a valid argument. I still choose to exercise courtesy when e're able," he offered back. He enjoyed looking around the place now that life was in it. "I assume you are the proprietor?" he asked in his pleasing baritone.

When the drink came rolling over to him, he caught the glass with a familiarity that had been there with him for decades as the leader of the rowdy Balfonheim Port. "Thank you for your hospitality. I am Reddas, ruler of Balfonheim," he said with a smile after taking his first sip.

Meg corked the bottle and placed it back among the others. She had quite a lot to say on the subject of pointless courtesy...but then, it wouldn't do to argue with her first and perhaps only customer of the day. She merely lifted her shoulder in a shrug as she turned in place, folding her arms and leaning against the counter.

"I guess I am at this point. Name's Megara." She smiled slightly in return. "I used to work here as a waitress until my employer up and disappeared. Now I'm here."

Reddas looked over the whimsical barkeeping of Megara and was delighted to see someone who could take the Paixaoan lifestyle with some form of bravado as opposed to unending skepticism and hopelessness. It made his dreams of revolution a little clearer, but he would abstain from prompting such discussion until well after they had exchanged their names.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Megara, and many congratulations on your promotions, despite its warrant," he said before having another sip of his drink. He wiped at his mouth politely before carrying on. "It is rare to see such a vitality as yours in these times of chaotic stupor."

"How chaotic can it be if there's stupor?" she asked rhetorically, scoffing in amusement. "Can't say I considered doing anything with vitality...must be an unintended side effect from hanging around too many heroes." Megara glanced to the empty tables meant for dining.

"This place is full of them. Maybe you'll see more vitality sooner than you think."

"In my time as Judge Magister, I can assure you, m'lady, that madness requires methodical structure," he replied, whether she wanted to hear it or not. There was plenty in his time wearing the coat of armor that he would have shared in a different point of his life. After everything that happened at the end of his run as a Judge, he simply shook his head to think back on it.

"Perhaps bravado, then?" he offered before quickly clearing out any preconceived notions Meg made have held against him. "Nay, do not count me among the heroes, if you please; simply, I seek against the cause of this strange place. Is revolution afoot here as of yet?"

She twisted her lips in a grimace. "Bravado? That's all the people in this city are good for. All mouth and ego." Meg sighed, aware she was revealing more bitterness than she intended. It wasn't good for business. Instead, she focused on his last question.

"There's been talk, but as far as I can see, that's all. You sure you want to cast your lot in with them? You just got here."

Reddas was too impassioned by the revolutionary in him to really pay attention to Meg's bitter opinion on the other visitors of the Paixao town.

"There has been time spent here long enough to know errs have been cast wrongfully against the visits. Proletarian assimilation is no caste by which a society functions," he said with hands gesturing around him, speaking as though Megara would be absolutely thrilled by his rhetoric.

Meg stared at Reddas with a deadpan expression, clearly unimpressed. "Uh huh. Well, guess it's a good thing you're on our side. Hate for our heroes to be talked to death."

She leaned forward and filled his drink up with a smirk. "What does a king know about revolution, anyway?"

Meg didn't seem to take Reddas words seriously. From an outsider's perspective, no one could blame her for putting up with Reddas' more convoluted speaking style. It still led Reddas to bring her into the conversation's fold. "And what is entwined upon your destiny, Megara? Your libations certainly boost morale. Do you embrace the inevitable turn?"

Reddas chuckled briefly under his breath as he took another sip of his drink and cleaned off his lips savoring the taste. "I am a king in the way a lion is king: though my influence is present, the borders of my kingdom remain hazy. Additionally, the den is occupied by jackals, not lions. Pirates are and ever will be the agents of cacophony, even in the age of silence."

"Not a big fan of destiny," she replied, pushing away from the counter. "And I can't say I do a lot of embracing, either." Meg lifted her hands, her narrow shoulders rising in a shrug. "I'm just doing what I always do: getting by on my own, living day to day. When you look out for number one, you tend to roll with the...'inevitable turn.'"

The last of his drink swirled around the bottom of the glass. After straightening his wrist and sipping away at the last gulp, he placed the glass closer to Megara and concluded, "If you are certain of it, I will not refute your mantra." He placed his hands on the bar, sliding his palms against it. "I thank you for your hospitality and admire your establishment."

He placed more than enough money for the drink and a tip for Megara. "Until we meet again, and we will," he said, sure that he was to see her again.

Her eyebrows arched at the amount of money on the counter; no matter what the currency, that seemed a little steep for a drink. But if he wanted to throw his money away, who was she to argue? She needed something to start fresh in this hovel anyway.

"Uh...yeah," she could only reply, shooting him a glance that was part suspicion and part bemusement. "Thanks."

Hercules peeked in the door of the building, wondering if this place would be yet another on that would kick him out because of the way he dressed. He looked around the mostly empty room, noticing that it didn't seem at all like the other cafes and restaurants around the city. So he tentatively made his way in, mentally bracing himself in case he was about to get kicked out again.

Meg stood with her back to the door, behind the bar, putting away freshly washed glasses and steins. "Hey. Welcome to the Seventh Heaven," she greeted the newest customer without turning around, voice dry with her usual indifference. "I don't have much in the way of food at the moment -- my cook went crazy. But I guess you don't really come into a bar looking...for food."

She trailed off as she turned slightly, taking in the boy's very familiar mode of dress. A surprised scoff of a chuckle escaped her. "...this is a surprise."

Hercules made his way towards the bar as the woman greeted him, for a given value of 'greeting' at least, since she didn't sound very enthusiastic about it. But it was certainly a lot better than most of the other businesses, which kicked the boy out on the spot.

Hercules paused when she trailed off and looked around the room in confusion.
"A... a surprise?"

Her hips swiveled as she moved forward, leaning on the bar with her arms folded on the dark wood. "Yeah," she replied, one aristocratic eyebrow raised as she made no secret of her traveling gaze, taking in the sandals and the toga. "Didn't think I'd find anyone from my neck of the woods." Her gaze traveled up to his face again, heavy-lidded gaze guarded but curious.

"Or maybe wherever you're from has the same taste in fashion as my world."

He blushed slightly as the woman's gaze traveled up and down his body, but he tried to ignore it.

"Oh, well, I-I'm from Greece," He replied, hoping that was indeed where she was from. It was slightly comforting, knowing that he wasn't alone in this, even if he didn't actually know this woman.

"Me too," she said lightly, placing her chin in her hand. "Ever thing you'd miss it? I didn't. A couple weeks in this joint and I'm prayin' for the days of meddling gods and constant warfare." Of course, Meg could've done without the whole god bit for the rest of her life, but no sense telling a stranger that.

"What's your name, kid?" Truthfully, he probably wasn't much younger than her. And he was already her height, maybe even taller. But he had that wide-eyed, just fell off the cabbage truck sort of look to him. Innocence she couldn't remember having for a long time.

"Of course I miss it," Greece was his home, and sure he was an outcast in his town and didn't have much to go back to. (Yet. Stories of his future fame not withstanding) But it was still his home. He looked away sheepishly at the comment about meddling gods for a moment. Sure he wasn't one, but they were still his kin.

"Oh, um, I'm Hercules." He replied, he was only about fourteen, a certain amount of innocence is a given.

"Hercules?" Meg repeated with a bit of a disbelieving scoff, almost as if she found his name amusing. "Well, step on up, Herc." She gestured to the bar, turning to take down a bottle at random down from the shelf behind her. "Like I said before, I don't really have much food."

She poured out some juice into a cup and placed it on the bar. "But maybe you're thirsty. We'll save the stronger stuff for later."

It wasn't known to anyone as of yet that Hades was back in the game, back in town, rolling out the golden chariots and partyin' down the streets of Paixao with hordes of darkness in his wake! ...Alright, alright. So they didn't know about it because it hadn't actually happened yet. Hades was keeping on the down-low, keeping to the shadows, smirking and checking into some of the tabs he had on certain people.

It was good to be Hades.

Any business Megara currently had was chased out when tendrils of darkness coiled around the doorway and snaked inside. Hades himself was found leaning behind the bar, arms crossed, a smirk on his face.

"Nutmeg, darling, it's been awhile."

Her skin was crawling even before he spoke. Her head bowed as she leaned heavily against the bar counter, Megara closed her eyes. She didn't need to see him to know he was there. So this was why she'd been brought back? She had escaped before, somehow...and now here she was again. Hades' oily influence spreading over her soul.

"...you're back." She had meant for it to come out casual and flippant, but she just couldn't. The pain his presence brought was too much now. Instead, her words were barely more than a husky whisper as she opened her eyes in ice-cold resignation.

He tsks. He doesn't move from his spot, though he taps a long finger against an arm. "I'm disappointed. Did you really think I wouldn't be? How foolish, I thought you were better than that, darling."

He slides away from his location to alongside her, proppings elbows up on the counter and grinning down at her, all teeth.

To her credit, she repressed the urge to cringe at his nearness. "Thought maybe you found a new playground," Meg muttered, straightening her spine and lifting her chin, gazing up at the ceiling. It had been foolish to hope at all, of course. It always was. It was only a matter of time until your world came crashing down. Hadn't she already learned that long ago?

"Meg, Meg, Meg - and leave you all on your little lonesome?" He leans towards her, puffing out foul breath and a few wisps of darkness that coil beneath her chin. "Without a leash? Don't forget your bindings, Nutmeg. You're mine."

He leans away and the wisps follow. "Now. Tell me. What have I been missing out on?"

This time, she did cringe, no doubt to his satisfaction. It'd been awhile before she felt his oily darkness on her skin. That was the only explanation why she felt hot tears spring up now. She blinked them away before they could fall, jerking her head up and to the side. Meg desperately tried to recall some biting retort, a scathing remark to salvage at least some of her dignity, but nothing came to mind. The ruin of the hope she'd carefully built up was too much right now.

Instead she turned away, hugging herself tightly, hating herself with a whole new level of loathing. "I don't know," she finally replied, her voice a low, sullen monotone. "I've been gone."

Oh, he was satisfied alright. It just tickled him to see the little Meggles squirm. His satisfaction showed in his expression, in his posture - hell, he was practically spewing satisfaction.

Right up until she speaks, that is.

Hades frowns, then makes a face of disdain. "Gone like on-another-floor gone, or..." he trails off. His hands make a "poof" gesture, though she wouldn't see it with her back turned. "Hit the road, en-route-to-Olympus gone?

She put her hand to her head, squeezing her eyes shut. "Just gone, okay? I wasn't here or on another floor or..." Meg lowered her hand, dropping it limply to her side. Wait...if he didn't know she was gone, did that mean he hadn't controlled it? Somehow she'd managed to go back without his powers? Her back still to him, she smiled a slow, small, secret smile.

"...back home," she spoke up. She knew she was playing with fire, but she didn't care. She turned around and looked up into his terrible face, the fire in her eyes lit once more. "I was back in Greece, without you."

For Wolf, the full moon was coming up for him soon, and he needed to try to get out. Trying to calm his nerves and natural animal instincts. He growled and huffed to himself before entering the place. Wolf scratched the back his neck, trying the shake off any nasty thoughts that may pop up without his consent. He must try and act like he’s a normal human being, but it was just so hard.

Entering into the Seventh Heaven, Wolf made his way to sit at one of the tables. Maybe a drink or a whole plate of rare meat will help his tension. Placing his fists against his teeth, he tapped his foot against the floor. It wasn’t hard to say that his nerves were not easy to hide. Especially when his muscles were more flexed and stressed around this time.

"Hey!" Megara called, head poking out from the open doorway behind the bar. "No waitresses here. You want something, come up to the bar." Okay, so she wasn't the most hospitable tavern owner, but frankly, she wasn't in the mood. An impromptu visit from a certain someone had soured any attempt at friendliness she might've made.

Wolf glanced back at the girl who spoke to him. He shoulda figured it’d be like that. He made a quick gruff, and put his hands in his pockets as he went up to the bar. Sitting down, on one of the stools, looking like he wasn’t use to going to a bar as he looked around. Tony was more into getting drinks than he was, but he figured he needed to get his mind off stuff, so why not. Wolf muttered, “Sorry, it’s been a while.” Not really seeing if she heard him or not.

She came out from the kitchen carrying a basket of hard bread. Not much in the way of menu options, but she'd have to work with what had been left in the kitchen. At least until she could find a new cook. Catching Wolf's mutter, Meg cast a quick glance in his direction as she passed behind the bar. "Yeah, I can tell. What's your poison?"

Wolf gave out a sigh as he massaged his temple, trying to think straight. “I’ll have a beer and… Grrrf, You guys wouldn’t happen to have any meat would ya?” he asked directly, he certainly seemed frustrated to have something like that. Wolf’s eyes kinda shifted a haze of yellow for a brief moment. It was rather apparent he was trying to keep his instincts under control.

Beer? Which one was that? She frowned and surveyed the shelving full of alcohol. "No meat," Meg sighed, finally deciding on the keg in the corner. She was pretty sure that was beer. Now she just needed to remember how to use it.

"I'm out of employees at the moment. Believe me, you do not want me to cook." As she spoke, she set about filling a stein. It wasn't cold, of course, Paixao lacking the modern conveniences most were used to, but it didn't look like this guy would care. She slid it over the counter towards him.

Wolf made a grunt, fine, maybe he’ll get some juicy tender meat at another place after he’s finished with his drink here. He lifted his eyebrow at the mention of lack of employment though. If Wolf wasn’t in such a bad mood right now, he’d be quick on the offer to help, but he made a thought or two before thinking over this. It might be his stomach talking after all on the idea of food and everything to offer to cook.

Though Wolf took the drink and sipped it with a somewhat relieved growl, but it was more under her breathe if anything. He glanced over at Meg, he couldn’t help but be sympathetic for her despite his current mood, “I’m sorry to hear that. Grrrf, have you tried to ask for any help around the place yet?

She began picking through the bread, inspecting it absently. "Yeah, I've asked for help. Had it for awhile, but like everything in this place, it was short-lived." Meg frowned at one sub-standard piece before tossing it over her shoulder to the bucket by the door. "I need to look for more employees, I know. But considering the day I've had, that can wait."

She finally sighed and picked up the basket, tossing the inedible bunch of bread into the bucket as well.

Wolf tapped the side of his drink with his finger, wondering what kind of day the poor girl had. He gave a shrug as he straightened himself up, “Grrrf, well if you really need help around here,” Wolf took a slug of one of the drinks which did help him relax, “I wouldn’t mind offering my services, I’ve made some pretty great meals in the past.” For the most part, Wolf did know how to cook a lot of food with meat in them, and he couldn’t help but see that she needed some help around the place.

Meg's gaze shot up, her stormy violet eyes almost seeing through him. "Services?" she repeated dully. What was with everyone in this place, helping out strangers and offering little tidbits of happy sunshine as if that would solve the very real problem of being trapped here? And this guy? She could see a smooth talker coming from a mile away. Maybe he was having an off-day -- clearly, he wasn't in much of a better mood than she -- but maybe this was some new angle.

And if it wasn't, did she really need someone else in her life being tainted by her own circumstances? Hades would ruin this man's life with ease. But she did need employees...better someone who could look out for themselves than someone like Yuna.

She stood in spot, frozen for a moment in indecision.

“Sure, if you need help, you need help, right?” Wolf stated, he let his arms rest against the bar. His eyes gazing over at hers, in a somewhat concentrated state of keeping his human side stable, rather than have his wolf side take over. Being alone is something most people didn’t want, and being put through work alone is just cruel enough.

Glancing away, Wolf did see a slight flaw in his offer. Who would want a wolf to be working for them? He bit is bottom lip, now debating this very decision himself.

“Though… You probably wouldn’t want someone who is half wolf behind the kitchen now, do ya?” Wolf said with somewhat chuckle, his voice was low enough to not make this sound like a big deal than it already was.

She pressed her hand against her stomach lightly as she considered his offer, only half-listening to what he was saying at first. When he paused, Meg finally focused on him entirely. His next words threw her for a loop entirely.

"Half...what?" Her eyebrows furrowed and she placed her hand on her hip. "You wanna run that by me again?"

“Uhhhhh…” Wolf uttered in response, man was he in a pickle in this one. Quick you stupid scruff man, think up something! “Well, yea I mean… My dad’s side of the family is uh, the Wolf-sons, and that’s why my name is Wolf. It’s part of my family’s heritage, the Wolfson family!” Wolf managed to say giving a very awkward smile. Perhaps he can get out of this one. If not he’s paying his check and heading straight for the door. Wolf scratched his neck rather nervously, hoping she wouldn’t pull out a pitchfork on him.

His nervous response hung in the air between them as she stared dead-pan at him, still in her position of indignant disbelief. Finally she scoffed and tossed her hands up in exasperation, turning to pace around the bar. "You know what? Don't care. This place has all kinds of freaks, why should I be surprised? You're obviously a liar, but who isn't." She spoke quickly, her words edged and clipped.

She turned in place, not giving him a chance to respond. "You wanna help? Fine. I don't need your charity, though. You'll get paid for whatever hours you feel like working. You keep your wolf nonsense out of here and we'll call it a deal."

Edited 2011-02-27 02:45 (UTC)

Honestly, Wolf was expecting that un-amused face. He wouldn’t expect anything different, well maybe a shovel to the face, or a sock to the jaw. Though Wolf was thankful she wasn’t the violent type, but yet again things could say different if he tried a different approach. Though that one would require using his charm. However, something in his gut told him that wasn’t going to work, by any means. Wolf gave a bit of a canine gruff in response, letting his finger massage through his hair and looked back up at Meg giving her a somewhat confused puppy look on the ‘everyone lies’ shtick.

While that may be true, Wolf can tell there was some kinda remorse behind that statement. He wasn’t going to bother to question it, because frankly it was none of his business and it really shouldn’t matter at moment for them. Wolf tapped his mug with his finger in thought, and then looked back up at Meg, without missing a beat he spoke “Alright, deal, I’ll do it.”

Giving a grin. Wolf really was being truthful with her, he felt like he was use to this attitude that she portraying, but he can’t imagine why. “I can start next week if you’d like,” Wolf offered.

She nodded, turning away with an exaggerated hip swing. "Great." Meg headed back behind the bar, pausing at the door that lead to the back room. She glanced over at Wolf, an unreadable expression flickering on her face. "And...just watch yourself, okay? I get some weird people in here sometimes. Keep your head down and mind your own business, got it?"

She didn't really know Wolf and hadn't really formed an attachment to the man, but she didn't want to see anyone else fall into Hades' focus. He was only trying to help her out, after all. Hopefully he wouldn't try to play hero.

Wolf watched her as Meg spoke to him. Those hips were a bit hypnotic. He wasn’t going to lie about that. Glancing back up at her eyes, Wolf opened his mouth to speak, but no words could come out at that moment. He held up his hand covering his mouth so he could let his mind form a sentence first.

After that short moment, Wolf glimpsed to the side, to make sure no one else was watching them or listening in on their conversation. To his knowledge, no one was, so they were safe for now. Wolf then spoke, “Right… I’ll keep that in mind.”

All Work, No Play [Active/Open]

FIRST LULZ

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just for nutmegs

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