R-n-R

    The Isekai Ryokan is one of the places ran by players when it comes to beverages and food. It is a location many come to rest, relax, and get a decent meal; Or drink!

In this case, Xander was at one of the tables near the window. Next to him was tea, his journal, and a few writing tools. His chin resting in the palm of his hand, as he just-- stares out the window. His mind being very far away from where he is actually currently at.

And, as would happen, that is the moment when a very large Peko beak taps right on the window that Xander is staring out of. Moko, Rylen's familiar mount, with the bird-like markings on his beak, peers through at the Salamander and gives a muffled squawk.

That is all the warning that Xander gets before Rylen enters, looking as if he tromped through a bit of early spring mud on the way in. The Beastmaster has the look of someone who has had a hard day of work as he takes off a set of gloves and shoves them into his pockets. "Keeping yourself occupied?" He asks, then settles himself unceremoniously in the seat across from Xander, carrying his usual relaxed attitude.

    The sudden beak and tapping startles the Salamander where he /almost/ falls out of his chair. It takes him a moment to settle his mind and realize its Moko. "...Moko?" No sooner do those words leave Xander's lips does Rylen show up.

He watches the man plop down and stares at him for a moment, before taking a sip of the tea. "... Outside of failing day one at the Tournament and checking on the ranch from time to time. No. Not really much."

Xander sighs a little and rests down the tea cup. "And in a week or two's time... it will be my birthday, which makes how long we been in this virtual space of a new world." He motions his hand a little. He frowns a little. "I am trying to not think about it."

The Peko continues to stare in through the window, because birds are strange like that. They have no sense of when they are doing something weird.

"I wouldn't take it too hard. Some of those fighters were pretty... intense." He offers up, knowing that it might not really come as any great comfort for someone who prides himself on his martial capabilities. "You're always welcome to train against me anytime you'd like, if you think you might be losing your edge." Rylen didn't compete in those types of events, but he didn't mind helping others with their training.

"Ahh, so should I say Happy Birthday every day until I get the right one, or will you do me the honor of actually telling me which date it is?" He asks, raising his eyebrows in a characteristically playful way. "Otherwise, I could just get everyone to sing every single day until you get so annoyed that you tell me." Bastard elf.

    Bastard elf indeed. Xander snorts a little, which may have a little smoke included. Perhaps the combination of both things has caused a little smoke from the nose, along with a gruff look at his lover-boy compaion. ".. If I didn't love you-- I'd punch you." Xander admits with a tap of his claws on the table between them.

"And I am not losing my edge... I just..." His brows lower a little, as his eyes partly close in thought. "... I just don't have the heart for it anymore." He admits as he leans back in the chair. "I'm tired, Rylen.... and I know there is a ton more shit to do and I shouldn't be, but-- I am." He then lets his head rest back as he just stares up at the cieling.

    "Everyone is in their own world. The Scale isn't even a family, it isn't even a team, and yes, I know these are old words I've said time and time again-- but-- it eats at you after awhile." He looks back to Rylen. "To realize you are nothing but a useful tool and when you are no longer useful, you are disgarded to the side." He then rolls one of his charcoal pencils away from him as a demostation.

"The only people who maybe give a damn in the Scale is /maybe/ Amalthea and /maybe/ Setsuna... I know Kita cares as well, but she has her own hands full." He then chuckles lightly, "And this is when I sound like a child really." He runs his hands through his hair. "Wanting to be noticed. Wanting attention. Pay attention to me... the dust amongst thousands yells... am I not important?" He then raises up his hand slightly, "So it yells to the universe and the universe ignores it still." Then he lowers his hand once more.

    "As for my birthday, its the twenty-eighth. Just so you don't bug me non-stop till it comes and possibly goes."

"You'd miss." Rylen replies with a smirk, clearly enjoying teasing the Salamander. "I'm quick, like lightning." He makes a whistling sound and waggles his fingers.

Yet, the playboy elf does know when he should be more serious. "Then why not let it go for a little while?" The answer seems like a simple one, though it is not so easy in practice. "Go... plant some fields, build a house, make something with your hands, forget about fighting and towers and all the other bullshit that goes with it." He suggests. "Just... do something you want to do."

As he talks about Scale Emblem, Rylen laughs to himself. "I don't think you'll find it much better in the other Alliances. Olympus isn't exactly all on the same 'team' in the grand scheme of things. Some people just want to learn and grow and make this place our new home. Others want to focus on stopping Scale. People argue more than they agree."

He lays his hand over the pencil, catching it before rolling it back in Xander's direction. "You're one man, Xander. There are hundreds of thousands of Adventurers in Scale Emblem. Even if it were a fraction of that many, it would be easy for the loudest voice to be drowned out by the storm." His brows furrow. "Maybe it's not so much about how many people notice, but about what sort of difference you make where it matters."

He does note away the actual birthdate, likely planning something already, but... that is for another time.

    Xander listens to what Rylen has to say. He closes his eyes in thought further, even as the pencil rolls back over. "I guess-- that is the other issue. I don't know what else I am good at. ... which is probably why I hid myself away in a virtual world, instead of trying to make something of myself even in a handicapped state."

He opens his eyes once more. "I wouldn't even know where to start, Rylen. I have no ambitions. No dreams. My goal was to get the hell out of here-- and then-- a part of me... Didn't want to leave... It's a conflicting feeling."

He then smiles and looks at Rylen, "But hey, in all this bullshit and craziness, at least I have one stability." He then motions to the elf. "... You kinda taught me to be... human... I guess is the right term here."

Lifting his eyebrows again, Rylen props his chin on his hand looking over at Xander. "I didn't know how to talk to emissaries and nobles a few months ago. I wanted to figure it out, so I found someone to teach me, and I learned." It was Uta. It was a strange experience.

"What I'm saying is, we're not limited by the stats that we started with when we made these characters. Don't know what you want to do? Try everything. See what sparks some bit of joy and follow it. Uta wanted to learn to be a performer, look at them now." Offering a smile, Rylen doesn't really have an answer for the conflicting emotions around staying or leaving. He had those, himself.

"Whatever you want to try to do, I'll support you. I may not always be able to be at your side, but you know I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines like the idiot boyfriend I am." He undersells himself sometimes, this one. His lip quirks. "Well, you're a gift to me, too, don't ever doubt that."

      Xander hrms softly and glances at Moko who is just peering back. He takes his claw and gently taps the window, trying to see if you can get the Peko to do some silly stuff. "Yeah, she is not into researching slime and slowly becoming enjoyer of pain that pleasure brings to her." The Salamander says with a hint of sarcasim.

"And you are right. I probably do need to take a few knives and keep throwing them at the board till one of them sticks." The Salamander grins and leans foreward with a dangerous smile on his lips. "Maybe I'll fall into a type of dancing." Then there is a playful wink before he chuckles a bit.

"Then I can give your elogant, skinny ass a run for its money."

Moko follows the path of Xander's finger, occassionally pecking at the glass in places. At one point, the bird even goes partially cross-eyed, at least as much as a giant bird with a huge beak can do so, anyways. Then, he ruffles his feathers, squawks again, and bobs up and down.

"Could always literally try knives. I imagine that with all that firepower, that any of the metal crafting skills would probably be right up your alley." Rylen suggests. "Something where you can make something, and bring something new into the world." As opposed to his previous positions as a soldier, which always involved fighting and killing.

As for the comment about dancing, Ry laughs. "Hah, right." He may not be quite as broad as Xander, but the lithe, acrobatic Elf was far from 'skinny'. "Still, if you're interested in leading, I'd give it a try." He winks.

    Xander hrms a little as that smile turns into just as dangerous of a grin. "... Then how about we see how well I can lead in a room I have rented out. You and me-- and whatever music we can throw together."

He goes to stand up, his tail twitches ever so slightly, "Sound like a fun time after fumbling around in the spring time mud?"

Rylen tilts his head, laughing as he leans back with a grin. "Sounds like a plan." Pushing himself up, the Beastmaster gives one more tap to the glass for Moko, and then motions Xander with him as he leads up towards their room.