melodiesoflife | Event || Terra Incognita

[A light tease could be allowed, especially as he remembers Umiko encouraging him at the nightmare that had been the date auction. Sephiroth chuckles dryly and raises a wide tumbler of a glass that has until now not been visible on account of the way he held it down at his side away from her. A small whisper of a sip is taken before looking back down over what he can see of her work so far.

Ever well-mannered though he doesn't take the invitation until it's offered and even then he carefully strides around the table so as not to knock it even by the chance of an accident.]

So long as I'm not in the way.

[Sephiroth sinks fluidly onto one of the stools around the table some from Umiko and as a result can't resist the slight hair-flip to make sure it's all well out of the way. He'd given up on having his hair tied up a little earlier in their stay.]

So how are you finding it?

[Umiko carefully moves some of her papers to give Sephiroth room at the table. She'd rather his glass be no where near her work even if it is only primarily data. The pages of parchment containing sketches, notes and date were carefully piled and place to Umiko's left.]

It - meaning the city?

[She glances up with a slight smile before she finished organizing everything.]

It's very unlike any place I've been too.

[Umiko wishes that she could just stay here though she knows that she'll have to go where the heroes are to help out per-Cid's request. She already has enough data to map out this city and she's found some information here.]

I can't wait to see it all... [She likely taps her pen on the paper in front of her.] Map it all...

Hm.

[It's a good job his glass is staying in his hand then, it's much safer than even taking the smallest chance that it might get knocked over. Still, Sephiroth watches her organize the papers rather casually...not letting the fact that she thinks he might spill his drink get to him too much. More than any of the other Heroes, they are more strangers to Umiko.]

I'd hazard a guess that it's unlike anywhere else on Crystallis, period. I mean, Flence has it's tranquility but Mysidia really takes that to a whole new level. It's just...peaceful here.

[Sephiroth can't help but have his gaze drawn by the tapping of the pen but soon blinks himself out of it and looks back into Umiko's face.]

I'm sure there will be other excursions to broaden our horizons just so.

[Umiko shakes her head when he mentions Flence.]

It’s true that Flence is peaceful but it always feels so forced. They pretend that nothing else is going on and live a life of peaceful lies. I can’t really do that and it always felt weird when I’d stop in there. Besides that the fact that I can’t afford anything there. [It just annoys her.]

[Umiko looks over at Sephiroth curiously for a moment.]

Are you going to plan voyages back here?

[She needs more people and Sephiroth is someone she can more or less trust. As far as her papers and maps are concerned she trusts no one, not even herself when it comes to accidently tipping a glass.]

[Flence just happens to be a special place for Sephiroth for exactly those 'lies' that Umiko mentions, he abruptly stops the hiss of disapproval before it might seem too impolite though, instead seeming to adjust his seat on the stool. It's bitter, the truth.

Just as well the slight drop to his eyebrows is gone by the time she looks more curiously over him. He blinks a little at her question though...like he has that kind of authority over such things?]

I'm sure there will be return voyages. I doubt I'll be personally planning them though.

[He flashes a smile though, acknowledging how Umiko seems to think he might be trusted to do so competently.]

[The other heroes seem to react well to Sephiroth and listen to what he has to say but then she hasn't been around for very long. She sees a few heroes doing things to help but as far as she knows it's just a group of people running around like a chocobo with it's head cut off. It's hardly an organized force.

Umiko hums softly before bringing her own drink to her lips. She takes a long gulp of the cool beer before placing it down with a smile.]

Even the beer here is fantastic. You should try it.

[Not that she's trying to get him drunk.]

[It's probably got something to do with the fact that he doesn't have to try very hard to appear as if he knows what he's talking about and those less-informed listen to him for that reason. Most of the time he naturally demands a certain respect.

Sephiroth watches Umiko take a chug of her beer and tilts his head to one side at her. Most girls wouldn't take such a hefty mouthful all in one go.]

I'm not really one for beer, though. It doesn't tend to sit well.

[He raises his small, wide tumbler which still contains a dark-brown looking whiskey. It's only his first drink and he's had it for almost an hour already. He doesn't take a sip though, since he did just a few moments ago already.

Conservative much? In the way a person might be who doesn't drink that much, or very often.]

[Umiko raises a her glass which is over half empty. She tucks in her lower lip and whistles at the bartender. He smiles her way and she holds up her glass and then two digits.]

Well you should try and sip.

[The navigator works very hard but she also likes to relax and drink. Rudder doesn't seem all that surprised as he turns another page of his book. Their night will end with a fair amount of drinking and celebrating, more so after the completion of her data.]

Don't worry I'll finish it if you don't like it.

[A second later the bartender arrives with two beers. He smiles at Umiko who then presents the money for the beers plus a little extra.]

Here.

[She slides the cold glass across the table watching Sephiroth expectantly.]

[Wow Umiko. Most people would ask a person if they'd like a drink before just going out on a limb and ordering one. He's still got most of his whiskey left. Sephiroth does look to Rudder momentarily as if expecting the moogle to say something but is disappointed in that he seems to be engrossed in his book.

His raised eyebrow is turned to Umiko instead but drops as soon as the bartend comes over to deliver their drinks. Much too polite in nature to seem ungrateful he also nods when Umiko also delivers a tip.]

I'm not sure if this is such a good idea-

[-but faced with that expectant look? Sephiroth sighs a little and puts his wide tumbler glass on the table beside the beer and then takes the new glass from the table. The glass is ice-cold in his hand and he flexes fingers around it to make sure it's not going to just slip from his grip.

A small sip is taken and even though Umiko is right -it is refreshing- Sephiroth's not sure he's entirely sold on the same. The glass is returned to the table with the smallest amount taken off the top.]

Beer is beer, really.

[Rudder rarely says anything at all and even less around anyone other than Umiko. He’s grown fond of some of the moogles who are working with the heroes of light and from time to time he’ll talk to Ventus but he is still known for only saying a few words and then picking those words very carefully. He does however glance up and give Sephiroth a warm encouraging smile before looking back down at his book.

His warning falls on deft ears. Umiko likes to drink and she doesn’t like accepting no as an answer. Granted if Sephiroth didn’t care for the spirits she’d drink it for him. It isn’t as if she’s going to let any of it go to waste, more so after paying for it. It isn’t as if she had a lot of money. She watches him take a sip, her bright eyes glinting off the light in the bar. She reaches for her own beer, taking a long gulp before returning her glass to the table.]

So you say but you can’t be so tight that you can’t appreciate the different tastes.

[Umiko’s been all over Crystallis and she’s tasted a lot of different beers. She prefers light beers but will never say no to something hoppy or dark.]

Anyway feel free to leave that there. I’ll drink it when I finish this one.

[The Navigator is blessed with amazing alcohol tolerance. Besides the fact that beer doesn’t have much alcohol in it, at least not compared to rum.]

[The fact that she drunk significantly more than him in one go doesn't sit too well on that part of Sephiroth that is partial to a challenge but he's a lot of self-control to get over before succumbing to a temptation he'd only indulged -when Genesis were here- just once before.]

It's different, I'll give it that.

[So what if his experience in alcohol is narrower; Umiko is a denizen of this world after all and Sephiroth's got nothing of the tolerance that he had his mako infusion to thank before. Moreover he's representing Esdham in his presence here as well, it wouldn't give off the right signals to be seen to be getting drunk on duty.

He does pick up his glass for another sip, though. As if to see if it might be that first taste, tainted as his taste is with the whiskey, that might be preventing him from enjoying it.]

That wouldn't be very responsible of me, now would it?

[Umiko hums softly at Sephiroth’s question.]

Guess not. I’ll leave the choice up to you.

[She doesn’t have an opinion on the matter and now that she’s started to relax she just wishes to drink and have a good time. She’s used to sailing and part of that is having more liquor on board than clean water. Being able to hold alcohol became a necessity, not to mention that most of those around her were men and Umiko wasn’t the sort of person to back down from a bet. Rudder continued to be un-phased but as Umiko takes another long sip of beer he puts his book away and orders a drink for himself. Like Sephiroth, he prefers whiskey.]

I don’t like beer either kupo.

[He’s talking to Sephiroth as the bartender places a small glass of dark liquid in front of him.]

[It seems, to him at least that Umiko can be distractable. Just leaving her important work on the map sitting there in favor of recreational drinking; not that he thinks she's lazy, far from him to assume, but he's personally of the type to at least finish part (if not all) of a job once it's been started.

He watches Rudder make an order for himself, wondering exactly what were the drinking laws when it came to moogles, before looking back to Umiko as the small glass of whiskey was put in front of Rudder. It seemed to be the exact same liquor that he'd ordered for himself.]

So all of this source material- [Going back to the subject of the map, as he takes another sip of his beer before putting it back on the table again. It's really a catch twenty-two at this stage; he's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't but rests on the resolution that letter Umiko get drunk -in the company of a moogle who is also drinking- probably would sit well on his conscience.]

Is obtained from those going out further afield?

[Umiko's been working all day and she has an understanding with Rudder when it comes to the evenings and nights. He looks after the work and she gets to finally relax and stop working. She doesn't want to work so hard that she forgets to eat, which has happened before.]

So far. I'm gathering information here. [She points down indicating the town.] As well as accounts from travelers. It's why I can to this bar.

[Most of those around them are adventures after all.]

Maps or notes about the lands from explorers are always more up to date than library's. They need to use those for their lively hoods. They'd be dead if they were wrong.

[Of course, he's not been there for any of that. Sephiroth had meandered over as he's been drawn over by her rabid map-making and note-taking, just to express an interest in a talent that he already knew that she had in abundance. Just because Umiko weren't a Hero of Light, didn't make her any less of a potentially valuable asset in their mission here.

As Umiko gestures around the tavern, Sephiroth follows and casts perhaps a longer look around at the other patrons than he's cared to really notice before. As usual, he slips into a mindset not too different to that of a bouncer when he's in such an environment and as such some details...mundane particulars about individuals, for example, are easily overlooked.]

Ah, I see. That does make sense. [Sephiroth's not about to admit that he hadn't noticed something so he just nods and turns back to Umiko, considering to take another sip of the beer but...maybe not quite yet.]

It tells of yet-unseen dangers, as well, which might well be present outside of the perimeter of Mysidia.

[Umiko leans back in her chair with a knowing smile.]

There are monsters here and from what I've heard they might be more powerful than the ones we have. There are bounties going out for a few specific ones and even warnings for area's that have one dangerous beast lurking around.

[She points over at a board that's hanging on the far wall.]

Apparently they post things so that everyone knows about it. I skimmed through some of them.

[Umiko also doesn't know how accurate all of that is. Hearsay is a quick way to get information but she prefers there to be several sources than just a few.]

That sounds almost like a challenge.

[He's musing out loud really, but Sephiroth finds his gaze drawn over to the hunt board against a wall farther back into the tavern, which has a small group of three adventurers gathered around it. The beer for the time being almost forgotten as he finds the corner of his eyebrow raising at the concept-

Then blinks, looks down and then to Umiko again. He didn't mean to phase her out just then.]

Go on. [Encouraging, Sephiroth takes another sip of his drink, he'd like to hear more before deciding whether he should go over there and have a look for himself.

Being the first-class SOLDIER who used to hunt behemoth for fun. Sometimes.]

[Umiko laughed putting her empty glass down on the table. She was at the end of a thought when he encouraged her to continue talking. Not that she minded talking, for the moment she takes a break from her drink and looks over at Rudder who is very much enjoying his whisky.]

The idea is that it's a challenge. I think they have ratings on them so that people know how dangerous they are.

[She points again at the board.]

Is that your idea of fun?

[Without asking or indicating the bartender brought Umiko another beer. She smiles at him and light teases that he's trying to get her drunk so she'd leave him a larger tip.]

[He's not quite sure he connects with what exactly Umiko found so amusing. It hadn't seemed like the end of a comment from his side, and he kind of expected Umiko to give a few examples when he'd indicated her to carry on. Maybe she hadn't had such a close look personally though, which gave even more of a reason for him to perhaps get up and go to look. Though, he's not sure to do so with so many locals around...he's already caught the eye of a fair few lizard men who had been clearly sizing him up...sticking his pointed nose out into something like that probably wouldn't end well.

In the meantime Sephiroth has returned his -now only half full- pint to the table. He's not going to try and keep pace with Umiko, but it seems at least that he'll finish the drink she bought for him. His own whiskey glass seems completely forgotten for the time being.]

There was a time, in my line of work, when culling monsters to protect civilians was one of our primary functions. [He set his jaw a little, casting his mind back...it felt so long ago now. Those happier -if blissfully ignorant- times in SOLDIER.]

There is something fulfilling about preparing for, and then being able to have the strength required to fell such beasts.

[Did he call it fun? Well, yes, Sephiroth supposes he did before. He's not been monster hunting for any small amount of gils that were offered by the then suspicious residents of Aqures Ixen, ever since he enlisted so perhaps it would be refreshing.]

Edited (and this is why I need to proofread properly, sorry for the edits!) 2015-12-15 13:12 (UTC)

[Umiko watches him as he looks at the board and then back towards his beer. There is a slight pull on the right side of her mouth as she listens to his memories of his time in SOLDIER. It sounds nice and it certainly paints a lovely picture of the warrior who has grace her with his company. It sounds like he misses it and she isn't one to stop anyone from fulfilling their desires.]

Why don't we pick one up? I'm sure there is one close by, we might even be able to get it done tonight?

[The navigator has been drinking but she has her bow staff and Rudder can take her papers somewhere safe so that they pair of them can go off on a hunt.]

What do you say? Finish our drinks and then go on an adventure.

[They could probably make a few gil if Umiko provokes some of those at the bar into a bet.]

[He does miss it but it's similar to the way one might miss something from their childhood; impossible to go back and enjoy it in quite the same way now. Besides, he knows he's not in possession of near enough strength to be able to commit himself to anything he might fancy. He's recently swapped Paladin for for a new Job to train up and he's not sure how far -even with his inherent fitness- that Warrior would make up for the short-fall.

Sephiroth blinks, a little disbelieving at Umiko as she goes the next step and suggests that they pick up one of those marks. Wasn't it already mostly dark outside already? He's not sure that venturing out into the wilderness or wherever the hunt might take them at this time of night would be a good idea. They are mostly still ignorant to this part of the world and who knew what might end up hunting them in the darkness.]

Do you really think that's a good idea? Even if we were successful I'm certain it's not concurrent with keeping a low profile.

[Even though, there is a glint of mischievousness in his eyes borne from pride that's not often given much space to be aired as of late. There is his duty here as Esdham's representative too...tempting as it is to consider that it would be a powerful first impression to give off.]

[It’s an absolutely ridiculous idea and it won’t be safe, more so considering Umiko only has one job and she has yet to max it out. What Sephiroth might not realize is that most of those bounties are set for parties of 4 or more and they aren’t rated for heroes with two jobs and access to new skills the world has never seen before. Not that this new continent is like the rest of the world but it is the reason Umiko suggested a trip into the dark night.

She won’t twist his arm to agree considering the dangers involved. She does however notice the glint in his eyes, so maybe after one more push she’ll drop the topic completely. Rudder looks up getting a horribly bad feeling by the smile that’s pulling over Umiko’s lips.]

Good idea? Absolutely not! Are you crazy? It’d be fun though and possibly an adventure worth having. [Umiko is already pretty sure that the heroes aren’t keeping a low profile considering a pony had walked up to her table earlier that night. There is no way that the people of this continent are that stupid.]

Plus it might earn the trust of the locals.

[She has over heard patrons boasting about bounties throughout the night. It’s probably more normal than quietly sitting and sipping a drink in the corner like you’re watching the room.]

Possibly.

[Sephiroth nods and looks from Umiko back over to the board again. There are a fair few gathered around it still but he can't deny that Umiko had fair enough points that might weigh in their favor to go on a hunt. At the very least, it serves them both; Umiko would get to see even more of the detail of the landscape and he'd get to see how he measures up against the monsters on this continent as opposed to the rest of the world.

It would feel pretty good in coming back victorious in something for a change. It's not strictly in his mission here but it's still in the pursuit of knowledge-]

Lets go and see, if there might be a mark we can pursue in the morning?

[Since, if they were going to do this, he'd prefer to actually be able to see out in the wilderness. Sephiroth takes another sip of his beer, which is now down to it's last quarter, stands and waits for Umiko also to get up before he'll begin to meander over to the hunt board. It's not so easy as usual to get through the crowd since his height is a norm here, but he manages it easy enough.]

[Morning was probably a better idea considering Umiko was three drinks in and planning for at least one more. A smile pulled at her lips and there was a devious gleam in her eye as looked over at the board. Their stares hadn’t gone completely unnoticed but Umiko didn’t seem to care. She downed what was left of her drink and softly clicked the empty glass against the wooden table. She rose swiftly, surprisingly agile for something who was drinking and walked over towards the board.

She didn’t pause at Sephiroth’s side but instead strolled past him moving directly in front of the board as if there hadn’t been a huddle of people around it. She was shorter than most of the men around her but as she walked there was no doubt of her confidence which silently influenced a few of the men to move aside and make room. Her palms rested lightly on her hips as her eyes flicked over the board.]

Here.

[She rips one of the papers down before winking at the ogling group around her. She then takes two steps over to Sephiroth placing the paper in front of his nose.]

Let’s do this one. Seems to be a medium difficulty compared to the others but the reward is sizable.

[At least he'd had the common courtesy to stay back a little from the hunt board so that he wasn't being as forward as Umiko simply didn't care not to be anymore...apparently. He hissed a quiet grunt of a noise as she just swept forward as if there weren't already a great deal of people around them.

Somewhat mortified at her lack of manners Sephiroth just stares as she just rips one down a moment later and turns before thrusting it pretty much under his nose.

So much for not having the eyes of everyone in their direct vicinity not looking at him now. All of the other male Elezen, and a couple of lizards now looked beyond the end of Umiko's paper directly at him as if expecting something. It took a great deal of effort for him to pull his expression back from one of shock into his more usual passive mask. His cool attitude mostly restored Sephiroth then raises a hand to pluck the paper from Umiko's fingers.

Not taking much more than a brief look over the writing on it, yet.]

Sure. Why not.

[Play it down. Play it down. At least she hadn't called any wagers on this one. Maybe she'd forget to.]

Event || Terra Incognita

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