Drinking Troubles Away

Thalia's had a rough couple days. Mostly involving Ants. Giant ones. They've kicked her around, tried to eat her repeatedly and it just wasn't a good time. After the last trip down, she tried to extricate herself from the group because, well, she was feeling like they carried her. That she did nothing. That she was a burden.

She did eventually slip away, ending up at the Green Dragon. (She might have just beat the victory party here.) The Spriggan woman sits at the bar, nursing a cup of something that certainly smells strong. A spirit of some kind. She seems mopy. Even her violet and usually fluttery wings are droopy.

Dosbox was concerned for Thalia. She seemed downhearted. It seemed like she felt like she was worthless. It seemed like... Uh... She felt like he felt ALL the time. And when she slipped away from the group all by herself to drink alone, well... DosBox didn't really feel great about that because that's how HE feels all the time. He didn't want anyone else being where he was, so he ended up following her to the bar. Is that creepy? Probably. Is DosBox an all around weird person? ....Probably.

He pondered the possibility of maybe just... Sitting in the background and watching her to make sure she didn't get into trouble, but not only was that not solving the problem, that was SUPER stalkerish. DosBox didn't want to go to jail tonight, so...

The Rock Gnome clambers up onto a stool next to Thalia and orders 2 beers. Yes, he's old enough to be the bartenders uncle. He gives Thalia one of them and says, in the most unoriginal way possible, "Rough night?"

Goldenblade is, coincidentally, the person who organized the Explorers' Guild to send parties to fight those giant ants. They -are- a problem, and every time adventurers give the ants a beating, it makes things safer for the Sher Kar, who used to live there, and still hide out in the tunnels. Not that their lives are well-protected, if it's not the ants kicking them out of their burrows, the Westelanders hunt them as part of their coming of age ceremony. So, the Sher Kar have it rough no matter what happens.

But she's only here in the Inn by coincidence, pursuing some other quest in southern Eastal, and this is the closest place to get supper cooked for you and sleep in a bed. She's seventy five, she has her priorities. But seeing Thalia looking gloomy over there with the dwarf, she wonders the same as he does, and says, "You don't have to say, but maybe we can help?"

    Fuka doesn't really have an ant problem, or a problem with ants, aside from that they're too monotonous for her tastes. Goal-oriented is fine, but striving to be just like everyone else, that's definitely not one of the little sylph's goals! She's more into standing out and making a scene.

    In light of that, she bursts into the inn's common room. "Hot girl entering the pub!" she announces herself, striking a pose as if to suggest somehow that she's exactly that. She pauses, looking around for admirers, then shrugs. "Because it's summer and damn this armor's hot. I'm sweating here! Hasn't anyone invented iced drinks yet? Hey wait there's an idea! Yeeeees I'll be rich!" she claims abruptly, cackling like a madwoman.

A certain magician is sitting at the counter. His top hat is placed next to him, instad of the coat rack at the entrance, but otherwise, and he has a tankard of beer in front of him. At Borywick's question, his comment happens to be a sigh, followed by "Times are tough."

That is when Fukaziroh makes her entrance. He quirks an eyebrow at her, and then grins. "One of the rewards from the quest about retrieving the Igneous Stones in the Eastal Free League is an Icy Crystal Shard." He makes a few flourishing gestures with his hand, and, presto! He's holding said item between index and forefinger. "I was thinking of having it appraised. Maybe it could be used for... drink chilling purposes?" He looks around. "Any Appraisers in the room?"

"You were there," Thalia replies to DosBox as he clambers into the stool next to her. "Nothing worked down there, and I was a burden." Not that anyone really knows her, but it's certainly an attitude turn from when they went into the tunnels to the end. "I'm just not strong enough, I guess." She smiles a bit wanly at the beer slid to her. She won't say no, though.

She peers over at Goldenblade, not having met her before, but honestly appreciating people being nice to her. Though a part of her, a tiny little voice in the back of her head says otherwise. She ignores it. "Not unless you know a way for me to get stronger fast, and to not go into the damn ant tunnels. Again." Fuka bursts in, and she can't help but look. That, right there, reminds her of how she should be. ... Well, mostly. Exuberant, boisterous and sassy. She takes an instant liking to the sylph. She takes another drink of whatever strong stuff is in front of her. Shenmi, who is also there, does a little prestidigitation and produces an ice crystal. She tilts her head curiously, but she has no skill in what he's asking.

    Fuka's not exactly sure what to make of Shenmi. He's a mooch, somewhat seedy, and free-spirited. A lot like herself, in fact. Plus he has an adorable bun bun assistant! His words seem appropriate and play into her current mood however, and so she comes on over to continue the conversation, peering at the others around the bar there that she doesn't yet know, nodding cheerfully with a pleasant smile to each.

    "Actually I've done some work on that." Fuka notes to Shenmi. "Do you know Wistie? She's figured out a way to create elemental mana crystals that's a lot easier to use than natural shards, and I figured out a way to enchant objects to use those crystals to make portable ice boxes!" she explains enthusiastically. "It just needs ... uh... crystal shards as a primary ingredient. Which aren't cheap! But they last, so it's an *investment*! One day, I hope to have ice cream in every cafe!" she claims. "I mean, you know, ice boxes! So everyone can preserve food easily and maybe even have leftover ice for cool drinks!"

    She pauses in her blathering, which she half expects no one's actually listening to (and that wouldn't surprise her nor upset her), to peer at the imp. "Speaking of spirits, what you got there?" she asks at more volume than is strictly necessary. "I like trying new things and meeting new people! Sometimes at the same time!"

Goldenblade looks over as Fuka enters and huhs. "You're the one that invented magic refrigerators, aren't you?" she asks. "Air conditioning's just standing inside a giant refrigerator." Well, that's RL. She has no idea about the magical versions. When Shenmi mentions the Icy Crystal Shard, she's reminded to check her own inventory, and she's got one of those, and some other items that may find a related use. Magical soda water, maybe? Who understands how this world works? Well, a lot of people, but Goldenblade is not one of them.

She offers Thalia a smile, and she likes to help people, but it tends to be the tough love kind of help that was more common back in her day. But as far as getting strong fast, she says, "They've been trying that since the game opened, and no one's found a way yet. But I can help you get stong slowly, and that's nearly as good." She's completely serious. As for not chasing down the ants, she shrugs. "That one's not as hard as some quests from the Hunters' Guild, but it's not exactly easy, and wants a bit of prep if you can manage it. But there's a lot you can do with the Guild that will help you train and build up your strength. And I can teach you techniques, if you like. I've made a small training school near Carmina Gadelica Marina. Having a wide range of options is always good."

Dosbox frowns at Thalia, "I think that everyone had a lot of failure with that last run. I accidentally slapped an ant in the butt. We were -ALL- like chickens with our heads cut off, and we BARELY managed to get by through the skin of our teeth. I mean. I am usually used to ME doing that, but EVERYONE was having problems. If you want to say you were useless on that run, everyone else was being -JUST- as useless, so it evens out." Turns around an leans against the bar, trying to look cool and stuff. But he's 3'5. That's not happening.

He eyes the crystal. "Well, I think you could just plunk that into your drink right now. Might work a bit better if you put a little mana into it. That would be.... COOL? EH? EH?" He looks around, seeing if anyone likes his joke.

"So, as a result of that, do people find you trying?", Shenmi asks Fuka, casual, without skipping a beat. And quirking the -other- eyebrow (gotta inject some variety in the show), he continues, "Not going to lie, I look forward to the day we can have ice cream." He sounds serious at this statement. "But in the meantime..." He grins, and raises his tankard. "I'll make do with cellar-chilled beer."

"Dude, I got chills!", Shenmi replies to Dosbox. Whether he actually liked the joke, or is just trying to be a people-pleaser, it's up for interpretation.

"A training academy sounds like an excellent suggestion,", Shenmi replies to Goldenblade. "And if I may add something..." he addresses Thalia this time. "I cannot praise the Duelist League enough for the work it's doing to get Adventurers to hone their fighting skills in a safe and controlled way. I wholeheartedly recommend looking into it. Joining it. And getting your practice duels in regularly every month." he puts a hand on his chest. "As an Uncrowned, we never got to really fight in the Arena or train properly -- and with the Churches being pretty much controlled by the Crowned, death would have meant almost certain Crowning. So, when we came to Yamato, you can imagine how difficult life it was for us... underleveled and with such high stakes for dying in a mission..."

Stepping into Shibuya was always an... awkward feeling at first. It usually took a few moments for Daiyu to settle in when she did. It helped that she had things to do and people to eventually see to gave her something else to focus on besides lingering thoughts over what had been done in the past. That and being a bit hungry after the boat trip drew her attention to the town's inn and tavern. Which, upon walking in to, she hears an all too familiar voice of a certain magician amongst the patrons. "The place is quite busy tonight... Somehow I should not be surprised you are part of it," she remarks wryly with a glance in Shenmi's direction. That and a few other familiar faces helps chase off that subdued anxious feeling.

    "Goldie's a great teacher!" claims Fuka enthusiastically and encouragingly. "Of course she really needs to learn to cast fireballs so she can properly teach people how to defend, but other than that you could really learn a lot from her!" she grins. And then laughs at Shenmi's joke. "Only new people find me trying! Some seem to get used to me in time. Or become immune? No wait, that makes me sound like a virus. And DON'T you dare say it!" she threatens Shenmi with a pointing finger, her tone and gesture at extreme odds with her continued grin.

    After some time and banter, Fuka orders herself a drink. Taking cues from Thalia she has 'one of those', pointing. When the bartender serves up the potent spirits, the diminutive sylph sticks her finger into the beverage. "Hmmmm." she muses. Channeling power through enchantments is the only way she knows of to chill alcohol properly. It's not a simple matter of pushing air mana into the drink. You have to form the intent, usually by way of a spell, though it seems at least possible to free-form the magic. Still, just pushing air mana into it could chill the drink, but it could also send it flying with a gust of wind, or even electrify the alcohol! No, this isn't exactly easy, but she's been sitting there with her finger stuck in her drink for some time as she considers exactly how to invoke a suitable spell.

    Finally, shrugging, she begins to chant low murmuring runewords under her breath, hoping to keep the magic equally subdued. A blue-green glow forms around her finger and then... it explodes. A burst of chilling wind sends strong alcohol everywhere. Mostly into Fuka's own face, but there's enough for others to have a taste of their own!

    Shibuya is, for some people, as close to home as they can have in this world. "Ahh, so this is where everyone is," comes the voice of the bard. She looks over the crowd, pausing as she sees a couple of newly familiar faces, and heads over towards the bar. "Good to see you all again."

    She steps to the side just in time to avoid getting splashed, and sighs softly. "Fuka, really?" The Spriggan takes a seat at the bar, finally, giving a casual wave to Daiyu along the way.

Thalia is a Spriggan, not an Imp! Though Imps are cool too. "I have ... no idea what it is. It smells like paint thinner, doesn't taste much better and makes my chest burn, so it's at least working," she says, sounding a little more chipper.

People start to give her advice, and she's quiet as she listens to them. She is nothing if not polite. "Slower is probably better. And a school? That's cool, I should really visit, then. My techniques are basic and need work." Violet eyes slide to Shenmi. "And the Duelest's League sounds cool. Where do I sign up? Ugh. I feel like such a noob."

Her mood has, at least, improved. Even when Fuka makes booze fly everywhere, splashing her on the face, all it gets is a yelp, followed by a little giggle. "Guess I won't try that." To Miyoko as she comes in and takes a place at the bar, Thalia gives a shy, slightly embarassed, little wave.

Goldenblade peers at Dosbox and his cool joke. Of course, to her, 'cool' was pretentious slackers trying to sound deep and not have to work for a living. Usually involving poetry. "They should have sent that slacker Kerouac to the salt mines," she grumbles. She smiles as Shenmi approves of her Academy. "Come see me in Carmina Gadelica Marina, I'm next to the Peko Ranch," she explains. She smiles as Daiyu enters and notes it's busy. "Yes, things are certainly jumping."

She looks a bit surprised as Fuka praises her teaching skill, but looks pained at the mention of fireballs. My defense is quite good without that silly magic, but you kids today seem to need it in everything. "Back in the day, our heroes were heroic /without/ heart-shaped wands." That's what her grandkids wanted when they were five. The splash of drink just confirms, in her mind, the hazards of magic. "Ice would have done that more neatly," she says with a regretful tone. She looks over as Miyako enters, nods a greeting as she wipes Fuka's drink from her face. She smiles to Thalia, and says, "I look forward to seeing you there."

Dosbox notes that everyone is actually ACKNOWLEDGING the self-proclaimed hot girl in the pub, and realizes he hasn't actually met her yet. He clears his throat and gives a nervous wave, "By the way, name's Borywick. Most people call me DosBox. You can too, if you want." Yeah, Dossy. Totally chill. Totally smooth. Chicks dig that stuff. Chicks usually don't dig being called chicks, though. It's kind of demeaning. Dosbox suddenly is reminded, for no reason, that he has a tongue, and he feels weird about how awkwardly it sits in his mouth. How does it usually sit? Why does it feel so weird RIGHT NOW? All of these questions are showing on his face as if he were suddenly perplexed by something very important.

"There's nothing I can do about it," Shenmi grins in mock resignation, with spread arms (still holding onto his tankard, of course) and the slightest of shrugs. "Wherever I go, I attract crowds." He turns his head down, eyebrows steepling at the center in a sort of flattish triangle. "It's a curse."

He swipes his lock of hair out from in front of his eye; lock which, of course, returns exactly where it was one moment before. But hey, that looked cool. "Glad you could join us, Daiyu! Please, take a seat!"

"I'm not saying it!", Shenmi says, raising his hands as if Fuka's finger was keeping him at gunpoint. "In fact, I'm leaving as we sp-" He lifts his hat, revealing Bao, his bun-bun 'assistant', dressed in a doctor's outfit.

He looks a ridiculous lot like a certain Doctor of Tolbana, for those in the know.

"Bao, -no-! That's disrespectful!", he exclaims, and slams the hat back down to cover his bun-bun.

But speaking of things jumping, that's when the drink explodes and Bao, startled, leaps out before the hat can contain him. "Oh for the love of-", Shenmi exclaims, and begins chasing after the bun-bun. "Bao! Bao!"

He turns to Thalia, in a hurry, "Uh... bit busy at the moment. But reach out to Soujiro Seta. He's holding regular training days with signups!"

Daiyu was in the process of collapsing her parasol when the drink explodes, so chilled liquor splatters across the accessory instead of her. That was coincidentally well timed. She's not sure she even wants to ask Fukaziroh what she was trying to do. Then cue Bao being, well, Bao. "I guess that sudden eruption was rather ... hare raising," she quips as she gives the accessory a light twirl before collapsing it as she intended. Nods to Miyako, Goldenblade and the others present she does properly know. "Hello, it is good to see you all again as well."

"This is no joke! This is an -emergency-", Shenmi cries out with genuine concern. "Do you have -any idea- of what happens if a bun-bun meets a sufficient number of its brethern?!" Drop to the floor, look frantically under a table; his hand flashes with Light magic, and he moves it about, like a torch, to get to the darkest corners. "Scratch that, I know that you guys have a Bun-Bun festival. You know very well."

    Fuka splutters through a face full of stingingly strong alcohol, reaching up to wipe it out of her eyes and otherwise off her face. And keeping her eyes TIGHTLY closed, thank you, because no one wants strong alcohol in the eyes! Still she can hear, and Thalia's giggle is enough to set her off, laughing uproariously and wholeheartedly. Then she sticks her fingers into her mouth, tasting the alcohol finally, and her laughter dies out.

    "Yeah, this stuff kind of sucks." she agrees. "And it's making MY eyes burn! Oh well! Never regret trying something new! It may blow up in your face, but that's how you learn!" Fuka claims cheerfully. "Man you would not believe how many times things exploded when I was researching freezing technology. Or calibrating magical lifts! Well, not exploded exactly. But not NOT exploding, if you know what I mean!"

    After a time, and some effort, Fuka's once again able to open her eyes without being blinded by the attempt. She peers around good-naturedly, wondering why exactly Shenmi's chasing his bun bun around. The man should take better care of his pet! Oh well... she sighs at Goldenblade, refocusing. "Back in the day huh? Well, wasn't those the days before like... computers and electricity and air conditioning and indoor plumbing? When men were men and women were sheep? Or was that sheep were men? Long time ago anyways, when everyone was running around lancing a lot..."

Goldenblade smirks as Shenmi has to run after Bao. The Doctor of Shenmi's Hat. /She/ at least knows just who he looks like, not the least about the ears. She smirks at Dosbox trying to be ... she's not sure what. "Relax," she tells him. "You're not meeting the president of your company or your in-laws, you're in a game meeting gamers." This is the advice her son gave her before she joined the game.

She smiles to Daiyu, and envies the parasol for a moment. "That's a handy accessory," she says approvingly. Fuka's quip about her age draws a smirk, and she says, "Back before most of that, yes. It's amazing anyone got anything done without so many things," she says dryly. She doesn't argue any of the points, though, she remembers going to that little wooden shack to answer the call of nature when she was a kid. "My father never did like them. He swore it was unsanitary to pee in the house. Mother made him get it installed, though, and he certainly appreciated not having to trek through snow on winter nights." As far as men being sheep and whatnot, she shrugs. "You say that like no one in my grandson's school identifies as a sheep."

The Bub-bun escapes (pronounced esca-peys) the hat, and the spriggan can't help but giggle at it. She wipes her face with a hand to get the not quite vile booze off of it. Speaking of, she peers in her cup and sighs, picking it up. "To ... Self improvement."

She throws back the rest of the glass at once, it's a little under half full. She sets the cup back down a little roughly, closing her eyes and screwing up her face as the burn races down her throat and the heat starts to spread. Opening her eyes, she grabs the beer that DosBox gave her and starts to drink it too, to chase the bad taste away. That is about half gone before she sets it down. She's going to be hung over again.

Dosbox is very confused, considering his thoughts about his OWN TONGUE has made him forget what he was talking about, and to whom. "Ah, yes. I like Single Player games, for the most part. I played a lot of Elder Tale when it was NOT online. And I have a cat. His name is Baxter. He's the cutest. Uh, was it introduction time? I... Heh." DosBox blushes deeply, visible even with his dark skin. "Right. To Self-improvement! That's a great toast!" He takes a sip of his beer.

Miyako hmms. "Self-improvement, and cats. Definitely worth drinking to." She waves down the barkeep to actually -get- a drink. Then she glances over at Daiyu and adds, "And foxes," before drinking.

    "So, Thalia, feeling any better? I know that was kind of a flop...."

"It has other uses," Daiyu replies to Goldenblade as she presses her thumb against the lowest section of the parasol handle, which slides up just a bit to show that it is actually the hilt of a sword concealed within the accessory. Which she lets slide back into place and once safely secured in the hidden sheath she returns to it's usual spot of rest when unneeded. "Well some do say foxes are closer akin to cats than canines, so close enough." A couple of tips flick in amusement, but she doesn't have a drink yet to toast with.

    "Cats are good." Fuka agrees. Independent, cute, marching to the beat of their own drum. "I've never had a cat mind you. My children have been a bird and a dog." she claims, perhaps less boisterously cheerful than one might otherwise come to expect from her. "Always been a gamer though! And is there anything better to drink to than 'living your dreams'?" she adds, once again relentlessly cheerful. "And self improvement too!" she says, frowning as she realizes she no longer has a drink to toast with. Huh, that's inconvenient.

"I'm feeling much better, thank you Miyako," she replies to the other Spriggan. "I'm really sorry I put a downer on things. I just ... I don't like feeling like a burden, it reminds me of, well, reality." She adds nothing else to that.

The all smiles part of her personality seems to be coming back, though. "I've never had a pet, but I love cats. And dogs. ... Okay, if it's small and fuzzy, I love it and think I should cuddle it right now."

She realizes that she made a toast and not everyone had a drink. This is a shame. She reaches into her inventory and pulls a small handful of money out, slapping it on the bar. "Drinks for everyone, the round is on me!"

Goldenblade smirks as Thalia's spirits seem to be returning, and that draws a pleased expression. She'll raise her own mug in toast as Thalia finishes off her cup and chases it with beer. Goldenblade is drinking more slowly, but she knows a couple more secrets. "Don't forget to drink a tall glass of water before you sleep to prevent hangovers," she advises.

When Daiyu demonstrates her sword-parasol, she looks impressed. "Quite clever," she says. Fuka's comments draw a puzzled look from ol' Granny 'Blade, and she asks Fuka, "Do you mean that you have only had pets, not kids, or that your human children, or Assigned Human At Birth, if that's the correct term, now identify as a bird and a dog?" She can't keep up with modern times. To Thalia, she says, "As far as that goes, we've all had mission runs where nothing went right for us, and our allies had to pull us through. It goes around, and one day you will be the person pulling. That's /why/ we go in groups, to back each other up."

Dosbox only EVER has one drink when he goes out to drink. For one thing, Mr. Manager, his old boss, was an angry, violent drunk, and DosBox never wanted to become like that, and for another, he always ended up being the DD at the end of the night. To that, his second drink ends up being fruity and non-alcoholic. "Thanks!"

Dosbox considers the game, and the life they are all living right now, "It is pretty great, living in a game world, and being immortal and all." Based on what Goldenblade mentions, he unwillingly recalls the Cyanide and Happiness cartoon when a mother tried to have her furry son be put down. "Yeah, she's prolly talking about pets..."

She's a little late, but Kotono is here too. She arrives and gives a nod to those she knows, before going to give Miyako a hug. "Sorry I'm a little late, but I got a bit tied up." She giggles a little as being tied up could easily mean her flexibility training got a bit out of hand. "Looks like a good crowd tonight."

    "We all have our off days, hon. I know I've had more than my share." Miyako shrugs. "That's why we party up, instead of going solo all the time like *certain* people." She shrugs and accepts the new drink.

    "We've had cats. Lovely little things. I miss 'em hugely..." She pauses and looks up at Kotono. "Then again, sometimes they turn up when you least expect them."

Daiyu politely accepts the drink provided by Thalia's generousity it. "It is important to remember to not give in to such 'bad days'. We all make mistakes, occasionally fall short, it is those experiences we learn from more." She's belated to the toast, but it is better than nothing at all right? "I had assumed she meant treating ones pets affectionately as part of the family unit, yes."

Dosbox starts to tear up in spite of himself. Baxter was still in the real world, without him. He didn't know if he was safe, if he was being cared for, or even if he was still alive. It's been two years already, and Baxter was pretty old already, and with his health conditions... Dosbox does his best to wipe away the tears without anyone noticing.

    "I'm probably the LAST person you want raising actual kids!" Fuka notes with a self-deprecating laugh. It's not entirely true. She's permissive, sure, thanks to her upbringing. But at the same time she was brought up with a remarkably strong work ethic, and so her delight in frivolity and games is tempered with responsibility. She could do much worse than raise others the way she's been raised, even if traditionalists would have serious issues with it. "My sons weren't actually my.... my blood, I guess you'd say! And I was barely college-age back home! Way too young for that sort of responsibility." Fuka claims offhandedly. "I do miss my beloved sons though. But at least here I get to see girls with furry ears, so it kind of balances out!"

Thalia frowns in sympathy to DosBox, reaching out to pat the Gnome on the shoulder. "I'm sorry. That's terrible. I'm sure your kitty is fine." She can feel the twist of her insides about it, and it's not even her cat!

She manages to hold back her impending tears. Tears for lost kitties, tears because everyone is being -so nice- to her. Nicer to her than she is to herself a lot of the time. "You're all right. I need to let it go, be happy that we all made it and actually succeeded, and look forward to being the one to reach my hand out in the future."

Her drink arrives. It's another of the almost-varnish spirits. She looks at the glass with regret and shrugs, lifting it. "I got another one. To new friends!"

Goldenblade smirks at Fuka being too young for kids. "Lots of me friends from high school got married just after graduation," she explains. "They did fine. It was a different time, I guess. It was 1955 in rural America," she laughs. "College was only for the football stars and the richest kids." Dosbox gets a sigh, but at Thalia's toast, she will cheerfully kompai, "To new friends. And old." She may be both!

Dosbox takes Thalia's words of comfort, and he is grateful for them, but when he sets them against the anxiety about the issue, they fade quickly. Everyone was always so quick to tell him Baxter was 'just a cat', and he knew no one here was saying that, but... When the only affection you have ever had comes from one creature, you tend put the creature on a pedastal. It is true that DosBox adores the cat people, boys and girls, but if someone were to say it is a balance to losing Baxter, he would probably say...

"Does it, though...?" DosBox unconsciously lets the words slip out, and clears his throat, "Ah... To New Friends! Yes!"

    "To new friends," Miyako says, grinning and raising her glass, clinking it against Kotono's. "Besides, we Spriggans have to stick together."

    "Kids... I never did," Miyako adds. "Never really found anyone until... well, here." She shrugs and pulls Kotono in close. "But I have to say I for one am glad to be here."

Daiyu has a drink to properly toast with this time. "Hear hear to that. To new friends." And coming from a former antagonist that's saying something. It may or may not be related to two of her tails curling lazily against Miyako and Kotono while making the friends toast. As for the other ongoing topic. "They did not allow pets in the library, alas."

"And I'm glad to be here too," Kotono says as she's pulled in close. "It seems Miyako and I were meant to be together." She giggles a little at that.

Thalia smiles at Miyoko and Kotono. "Yeah! Spriggan solidarity!" She takes another drink, noteven flinching this time, her cheeks starting to flush from it. Her expression flickers towards sad for just an instant as she watches Miyoko, Kotono and Daiyu's affection, but it's gone quickly.

"I wonder what that's like," she mumbles to herself. Well, she's a little tipsy, so it's a little louder than a mumble. "To be with somebody."

"Spriggan solidarity," Kotono says with a grin while raising her mug of root beer. "Solidarity is the best!" She smiles before sipping her root beer. "I love this stuff."

Erufu would have told Thalia about the inn and that she ran it the Inn, it was also her home as well. So where has she been? She's in a pub waitress outfit taking and delivering orders, that's right she's working. She also is carrying over a platter of food to Thaila and grins.

"Here you go one on the house!"

Thalia smiles as Erufu arrives with a platter of delicious smelling food. Her eyes widen as it's given freely. "You don't have to do that, but thank you!"

Later, when Erufu makes her rounds later, she'll find a small sack of coins hidden away.

The spriggan takes another sip of her spirits before she tucks into the food. Maybe... Maybe she does have a friend?

Daiyu nods to Erufu as she passes. "It is not hard to see why this establishment is popular." It's a good thing the Palace Land forces didn't do anything to ruin the structures while we-cough-they were occupying Shibuya.

    Miyako nods, still smiling. "Indeed, indeed." She takes another sip of her drink and muses. "So, Thalia, what do you do when you're not running around dungeons?"

Erufu grins at Thaila and will trot off to get back to work. "After I'm done my shift I'll join in. In the menawhile please enjoy the inn and what we have to offer!"

"Well, I wander a lot. I'm trying to learn how to make cute clothes, but it's slow going," Thalia answers Miyoko. "I should find something useful to do other than risk my life to look cool doing it, but I'm not sure what else I -want- to do. I'm not good at much."

She's good at eating, though. She gives Erufu a thumbs up as she bustles off to handle day job things. She finishes her drink, washing down the food. "I wish I was better."

Dosbox finishes his pity party and quickly blows his nose before turning back to the rest of the group, finished being a stick in the mud. "I mean, I wish I was better at making jewelry, but... Well, the only way we get better is by doing, right?"

    Miyako nods. "We all have days like that," she says, though she's said it before and she'll probably say it again. "When I was first starting with music, it was... well, I felt like all I was good for was backgound. 'Three-chord wonder', as they say." She shrugs. "Just gotta take the time to grind the XP, huh?"

"And practice," Daiyu agrees. "Nothing useful was ever learned in one day. Persistance and patience is what it takes."

Llyn has been exploring Yamato and has wound up here the undine would wander into the Tavern looking around for a moment grinning. "Now this looks like a fun place!" It's packed with Adventurers after all so it should be good as she strides on in.

"Yeah, you're all right," Thalia says with a sigh. "It just feels so slow." Where's the XP boost potions when you need them? Oh. Right.

As Llyn wanders in, the Spriggan glances over. It's nice to see this place so busy. So full of people who are doing their best to be happy. "I just, honestly. I don't know too many people, so, like, I don't have a support network for that kind of thing."

Dosbox signs to the bartender to give Llyn a drink and puts a gem in the bartenders palm. Lynn is given the local Froo-Froo drink (Dosbox is also drinking one). Then Thalia says the 'S' word. "Support? I'm a support! I support people! What do you need? Do you need help with something? Dosbox is ON THE CASE!"

    "That's what guilds are supposed to be for. Yours hasn't been helping you?" She shakes her head, then realizes she isn't even sure which one Thalia belongs to. So she asks. "Which one are you with?"

"I've been, well, keeping to myself, so that's on me. I'm in Silver Sword, though." She looks sheepish. She's doing all of this complaining about her state, and she hasn't really done anything to fix it on her own. She hasn't reached out, she hasn't gone looking for help. She's just ... Been. "I feel bad complaining like this, since my situation is all my fault."

Llyn grins "I'm Llyn Cefnfor good to meet you." She grins and will sit down with Thalia. "I'm with SEA myself I'm still finding my way since I was rescued from the Palace Lands."

Daiyu had drifted off into her own thoughts for a moment, but her ears perk up when she hears Llyn's voice. Though her expression fades back to one of her usual more neutral ones. "Llyn," she greets, but doesn't say much more than that. She's still not entirely sure where they stand over... past transgressions.

Dosbox strokes his beard, "I mean, if it's tailoring... There's this person named Gwen that, apparently, is a really good tailor. A friend and I are on a road trip to see her now. You could try camping out in front of Gwen's shop until she notices you and then beg her for a job."

    Miyako nods, then pauses. "Wait, you're in Silver Sword? So'm I, why haven't I seen you around before?" She reaches over to squeeze Thalia's hand. "You ever want help, give me a yell."

Llyn will take a moment to get up from Thalia. "A moment." She'll slink over to Daiyu and sit down moving to glomp on to her if she can just to see what happens. "Daiyu!" She's got a very trollish look on her face as she does this.

Thalia just looks at DosBox like he's grown a second head. "I ...I might go talk to her, but I won't camp out in front of her shop. That's a little, uh, strange." She shakes her head, ordering another drink because she has nothing to lose.

When Miyoko reaches over to squeeze her hand, Thalia blushes a bit. "I-I will. Thank you." She smiles a bit at Llyn before she wanders off to bother Daiyu. "Thalia, and I'm just lost." Pause. "Not physically."

Daiyu emits a yip of surprise as she's abruptly embraced, all four tails doing the bottlebrush effect from being startled. "Whaaaa-what has gotten into you?!"

Dosbox is very surprised by Thalia's comment on his recent tactic with Haru. "Uh... Does... Does everyone HERE think that's weird? Can I get a show of hands?

    Miyako has to agree with Thalia. Camping on peoples' doorste is weird. And Daiyu is well worth bothering. She looks between the fox and the undine, considering, and maybe envying just a little. "An old friend of yours, Dai-chan?"

Kotono is still here, she's just been busy behind the scenes. Right now she's returned with another mug of root beer. Next to Miyako of course.

Llyn is still hanging on to Daiyu unless she's shaken off. "I dunno what I feel like it's been a long day and your reaction is pricess you know that Daiyu?!" What is she up to? Is this some kind of crazy revenge plot? "Oh very old friend..."

Daiyu coughs softly. "You could say that, yes. She is another freed from the control of the Crowns." But she doesn't elaborate farther on the matter. "Lynn, please, I can't drink my drink with you hanging onto my arms."

Llyn looks at Daiyu for a moment and still hangs on and sighs. "All right, fine..." She lets go and sits down with her drink and palce an order of food and gives Daiyu the most innocent school girl grin she can.