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Post by Light on Sept 5, 2013 21:04:21 GMT
The door to the bar opened, and the man tramped inside, the blast of cold wind and snow accompanying him. There was already a layer of white flakes in his shaggy thicket of black hair, on his shoulders, clinging to his thick pelt coat, flecked across his heavy black boots and formed a small heap on his hat.
It had gathered in the folds of the backpack he wore, and speckled the old rifle on his back, and frankly, despite the layers of clothing he wore, still chilled him far more than he'd like. It was time for a stiff drink and talk with the familiar faces.
Jonas was a regular here, and a hunter by trade, though that definition had changed from a proud tradition to whatever game was edible nowadays. Sometimes he got lucky, like when he'd found the prey that made up the coat he wore, and damn good eating to boot. Though that had been too many winters ago now. He rubbed calloused hands together for a little warmth and cast hard, mossy green eyes about the bar.
A scowl creased his face, contorting the long scar that ran from his left eye, across the cheek and nose, and down his neck under his collar. The four men at the bar, Erick holding the shotgun. Vin and some newcomer at the bar. He reached beneath his coat for the pistol at his belt; better than the rifle in a building like this: "Trouble Erick?" he growled, pointing the pistol at one of the group of Werewolves.
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Playle
Talking In Your Sleep
Posts: 441
Deadly Sin: Sloth
Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw
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Post by Playle on Sept 5, 2013 22:31:13 GMT
Vin didn’t even respond to Anna; a hopestruck fool who believed she could lead something impossible. Good on the gal for having a glimmer of optimism, but that wasn’t Vin’s cup of tea. As the latest unfolded, he hacked up something caught up in his throat. The trickling trail of whiskey disappeared from his glass into his gullet, and he reached over to Erick’s bar to grasp the bottle and pour himself a glass rather than asking amidst this palaver.
“Fellas… and Miss” Vin began, remembering he was in mixed company “It’s all swell to resort to weapons right away, but you know, maybe you could consider less lethality in the way we resolve this situation. I don’t think it’d be wise to kick up something unnecessary… I’m talking to you too hot-shot, standing by the door.”
Jonas’ intervention was far from heroic in Vin’s mind; he just wanted to see this conflict resolved and get back to his drink.
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Post by Tonks on Sept 6, 2013 12:46:44 GMT
"Nice try" the front wolf said before leaping on to Vin, the others were about to follow when a loud bang was shortly followed by the wolf falling to the floor. The other three looked at their leader a moment before looking at Erick, smoke coming out of the end of his barrel.
"I think it's time you left, don't you?" Erick stared at them, waiting. One of them growled at him but another put his arm in front of him before he spoke; "This isn't over. We have your scents." With that, they picked up their leader and left the bar, pushing past Jonas and slamming the door behind them.
Erick reloaded his empty barrel and placed his gun back down under the counter. "Jonas!" he greeted, as if nothing had happened. "Just children playing with fire." he glimpsed at Anna. "What can I get you old friend?"
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Post by PenguinNinja on Sept 6, 2013 13:55:45 GMT
Anna glared at Erick. "I am anything but a child thank you." And she slid back into her seat. Wolves had her scent. Great. Her eyes traveled around the rest of the bar and more creatures were interested in her and the other three humans. Double great. She sighed and retook the beer into her hands.
All she'd done was take a dying man's book. Nothing else. She'd kept her head down and stayed out of trouble the best she could.
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Post by Light on Sept 6, 2013 14:21:35 GMT
Jonas eyed the wolves with contempt as they pushed past him, cocking his hat sarcastically to them as they left. Sliding the pistol back into its holster, he headed towards the bar: "Just as things were getting mighty quiet around here." he slid into a seat at the bar: "I'll take a double whiskey; and get one for yourself after all that." he slid the money across the bar to Erick: "One for my favourite grizzled old bugger too." he grinned: "Who's the kid?" he glanced at Anna.
Bloody wolves, throwing their weight around like they owned the place. He hated that. All Humans wanted was to make a living around here, and that was hard enough without the beasties trampling all over them. He couldn't stand to see that, especially to the few people he could consider friends. This little town was the closest thing he'd had to a home for years.
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Playle
Talking In Your Sleep
Posts: 441
Deadly Sin: Sloth
Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw
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Post by Playle on Sept 6, 2013 15:34:20 GMT
“Eh, the mutt’s spilt my freshly poured drink! Cheers Jonas for buying us one – Christ, first women, now wolves. This night… “
He realized he was rambling, and clutched his head in his hands to try and shake some coherency into the words he was about to throw out. His already mucky suit was now ripped from the breast pocket down to his stomach – he spat in disgust.
“Miss, I been coming to Tuscan Crossing’s finest watering hole for… for… well, Erick knows how many years, I’m sure. Now, you come waltzing your wanted ass into here and cause more ruckus then there’s been in a long, long time. We’re not getting off to the best foot you and I, so you owe us some answers. And a new suit.”
The last one was more a joke to lighten up the seriousness in Vin’s tone; he didn’t want to startle the broad into silence. His glazed eyes watched the door with a level of caution.
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Post by PenguinNinja on Sept 6, 2013 16:02:22 GMT
Breathe Anna. Just breathe. She counted to four then spoke in as calm a manner as she could muster. "One, as far as I am aware I am not wanted. Two, I don't owe you shit. Three, this book must be it." She held the black leather thing up to show. "And four. The next one of you to call me a little girl again, I'm going to shoot you."
She took a breath and tightened her fingers around the black book. Then she unclenched them and sighed. "Look, the only thing that's different from this town and the last one I visited is this book. I picked it up from an old guy who gave it to me with his dying wish. I had no idea that this would cause such trouble."
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Playle
Talking In Your Sleep
Posts: 441
Deadly Sin: Sloth
Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw
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Post by Playle on Sept 8, 2013 10:47:32 GMT
Vin let a smile shine through his aged face, and a cheeky snigger followed that. He coughed, cleared his throat, and then wrapped one hand around the glass of whiskey and the other outstretched towards Anna.
"May I? I've been on the beat undercover for many years now, perhaps letting me have a look could help you out. My knowledge of the mystical is... well, a little better than average maybe."
He beckoned for the book, with his words and his body language.
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Post by Tonks on Sept 9, 2013 11:26:43 GMT
Erick poured out 3 whiskeys as he listened to the ramblings of the others. He didn't take kindly to being threatened by strangers.
"Look, fine. You're not a child. We'll show you more respect. But you best show us respect back, you may be young and cocky but I'm old and impatient and just SAVED YOUR ASS! So don't you dare THREATEN me in my own bar!!" He suddenly became aware of how loud he was shouting and how close he was to Anna's face so he backed off slightly. "We've been around these creatures a lot longer than you, so at least give us the benefit of the doubt that we may just know what we're talking about from time to time. Now let Vin see the book that may well be our death sentence."
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Post by PenguinNinja on Sept 9, 2013 17:46:20 GMT
"I can take care of myself," she said as she slammed the book onto the bartop. She slid it over to Vin. "Just remember I never wanted or asked for any of this."
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Post by Light on Sept 9, 2013 18:20:02 GMT
"Thanks Erick." Jonas took a gulp of the whiskey, smiling to himself as the warmth of the alcohol seeped in, cutting a little way through the cold he had been in a few moments before: "Any time, Vin." he grinned to the other man in response.
'Spirited kid ain't she?' he thought as Anna raged at them; the book, if it was worth her being hunted for it, must be more important than it seemed to be, which was saying something, because as far as he could tell it was just some beaten old book.
He went back to his Whiskey as Erick gave Anna a piece of his mind; being honest, they were probably all thinking it, or something similar. Crazy girl wanders into town with a trail of beasties after her, all because of what she was carrying.
"Which town did you get that from?" he asked Anna; it couldn't hurt to know right?
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Playle
Talking In Your Sleep
Posts: 441
Deadly Sin: Sloth
Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw
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Post by Playle on Sept 9, 2013 21:28:56 GMT
"The Queen of Fairies has a weakness. Find the weakness and send her back."
Vin surveyed that first line a couple of times, and let out a heavy sigh. He continued to skim through the pages and reached a dead stop as the somewhat illegible English scrawlings soon turned into something he couldn’t understand. It was a work in progress, nothing more – well, it had enough worth to warrant a werewolf attack squad, but he couldn’t exactly know what worth.
“You’re playing with fire k… miss.” He stopped himself from calling her a child, as pissing the gal off even more wouldn’t be a good course. He’d had his fill of the book and slung it back to Anna. The creatures in the bar had their interests elsewhere, but Vin knew curiosities were high about the earlier incident.
“Erick, I’m the last man on earth to slate your establishment, you know that. But I’m thinking this isn’t a good place to be in. We’re needing somewhere with more privacy, with more security. I ain’t saying immediately, because heck it ain’t even closing time yet. But let’s consider the risks that Anna here is facing by being out and about in public, that’s what I’m saying.”
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Post by PenguinNinja on Sept 10, 2013 6:59:47 GMT
Anna sighed. "I didn't. I was just getting into town when I came across a guy who had been attacked by a group of imps. There was nothing I could do and before he died he wanted me to have the book. I've never seen or met him before."
She let Vin's slip of words go and narrowed her eyes. "I never wanted this," she said to his comment. "I had no idea what that book was about until now. This is the first chance I've had to look at it so please, no more name blaming on me." She flicked her eyes to Erick hoping that he would relent on the blame he was giving her. As if she wanted to have been tracked by a pack of wolves of all creatures.
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Post by Tonks on Sept 10, 2013 12:41:08 GMT
"Fine." Erick said finally. "I'll lock up, you take Anna downstairs. I'll meet you there."
By downstairs, he meant the basement accessible from a staircase behind the door behind the bar. The basement was protected by a metal door with seven bolts for emergencies and was lined with cupboards full of weapons and books and artefacts; all designed to protect a human from the monsters that roam the planet. In the past few years he'd not needed any of it, he was getting used to it being that way.
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Playle
Talking In Your Sleep
Posts: 441
Deadly Sin: Sloth
Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw
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Post by Playle on Sept 30, 2013 18:26:38 GMT
Vin began to hush both Jonas and Anna through the door and down the wooden stairs which led to Erick's basement. Whilst he personally had never been down there, he had seen the door swing once or twice. He had nothing to say yet. The group required privacy.
It was all getting a bit hectic in Tuscan Crossing. There'd be more trouble brewing soon enough, Vin knew it.
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