melodiesoflife | Event || The Empire Strikes Back

Event || The Empire Strikes Back

Characters: Everyone participating in the event
Where: Aqures Ixen
When: July 27th to August 02nd
Summary: The battle for Aqures Ixen is about to begin! The Heroes of Light are going to do their best to defend Aqures Ixen, but will this be enough? Feel free to participate and reply to appropriate threads. New top-level threads will be posted regularly as the battle progresses.
Warning: N/A, will be updated.

July 27th || Mingle
July 28th || Bomb Defusing / Imperial Assault
July 29th || Mingle / Attack on the 13th District / Aerial Battles / Imperial Camp
July 30th || 14th District on Fire / The Hospital / Mognet Office Attacked
July 31st || The Fire Spreads / Betrayals
August 01st || The Second Wave / Ultima Weapon
August 02nd || Final

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's a good way to put it.

[He doesn't add more, as by now, they reach his house.]

Can you open that for me?

[Vincent doesn't reply, suiting action to words instead as he moves over and opens the door. Then stepping out of the way, so that Barkeep can enter more easily with his burden.]

[Another nod of thanks, and Barkeep enters. The living room is crowded, as half of it is taken up by an in-house bar and its alcoholic stock.

He waddles over to a coffee table and sets the crate down.]

Anythin' I get for you? Somethin' to drink? Cake?

[Vincent's eyes automatically noted exits, entries, points of lines of sight. Habits long ingrained into him. Moving out of the doorway, though not yet making his way to take a seat. Unsure if he wanted to stay or go, now that his helpful errand had been completed.]

No, thank you.

[Always polite at least.]

When did you arrive, Barkeep?

No, I can't let a guest in without offerin' somethin'. Here, sit down. You a drinkin' man, Vincent?

[He waves a hand towards a couch and walks behind the bar.]

Around May. Showed up in the temple by Trano Golsaucia. They expected us to walk all the way through the snow to get to the nearest city, can you believe it? [He pulls out two glasses.] Adventurin' aint' my style, so I stayed here most of the time, but I did go out explorin' that Stiltzkin Castle two months ago. Was enough danger for a year, but then we got invaded, and I'm not lettin' my new place get wrecked so quick. I had to stay, right?

[Vincent doesn't exactly reply as he moves over towards the couch. Settling himself, his posture and manner remain professional albeit at ease at the same time. Clear that he is a stoic type, hardly an open-book.]

We arrived around the same time then.

[With no reply in regards of what to drink, Barkeep took out his high-quality beer and poured it in a tall glass. Classy, yet casual enough for a home visit.]

Good, good. So we're on the same page. Say, Vincent. Where do you live? Who's your roommate? I'm with Ramza here, good kid, doesn't get into trouble much like Yuffie, and not a drinkin' man. Those are some of the most trustworthy men you can find, even if they ain't good for business. But that's why we serve food in our places, Vincent. All about offerin' anything your customers need.

[Interesting, and a small city. Despite it seemed odd, it did not surprise him. The Heroes all seemed to be clustered together in one district.]

A-02, with Yuffie.

[Not that this bothered him much. If anything it was nicer than a lot of the time they'd camped while traveling around the world chasing Sephiroth-the-madman. He'd made his boundaries clear, and so long as Yuffie respected that, there was no issue.

If anything, from her moogle's reaction, it was a good thing he was fairly used to taking care of himself. Having someone he was familiar with also did not hurt, considering getting used to a new housemate would be awkward. So long as whoever he stayed with knew to respect his privacy? Vincent would deal; but not having to worry about explaining that helped.]

[Here's your beer, Vincent. It comes with a doily.] Enjoy.

With her? Well, that's gotta be an interestin' livin' situation!

[He smiles to himself and plops down on the armchair.]

Now tell me: what kind of things does she get up to in there? Is she a good roommate? Does she cause a lot of trouble for you?

[Not really a beer man, but it'd be rude to turn down. Nor will he comment on the doily. A nod of his head in thanks, before his attention is given to the other questions.

What does she get up to? Good roommate? Cause trouble?

That last one was easy, as the answer was almost always yes. Not that he wasn't used to it by this point. Besides, she'd seemed to have had plenty of trouble herself recently considering what she'd told him when he'd arrived. Nor did she seem to be dealing with it well.]

I am used to her.

Oh, come on, Vincent. Tell me some good stories! There's got to be a lot of 'em!

[He clapped a hand on Vincent's shoulder. What a spoilsport. A funny story would be handy right about now, when the city is threatened and Barkeep must face an unknown enemy in a day.]

Don't have to be a master storyteller, just give me the most important details!

[It's probably a good thing Vincent is sitting down. The physical sign of camaraderie is not something he's used to, and his head turns quickly to the Barkeep. A hint of displeasure seen only at his brow in his otherwise stoic expression.

He was hardly a story-teller; quickly coming to realize his host however was. A nosy one too. Normally Vincent just 'listened' and tried to avoid being the target of these kinds of attention. This was not to be this time, unless he wanted to be ruder than he felt necessary.]

She knows better than to enter my room without permission, or she'll get shot.

[Unspoken that he gave her the same courtesy. Hardly also what the Barkeep wanted, but Vincent wasn't likely to spill secrets that easily.]

Edited 2015-08-16 01:46 (UTC)

[Barkeep soon takes away his arm to rest on his knee. This guest is trying his hardest to be as unsociable as possible and needs to be pushed to talk. The beer should help, but something must fill the silence until then.

What was Vincent hiding? Did he have an embarrassing or scandalous secret? All this made Barkeep more curious]

And how does she know? You nearly shot her one time while she was snoopin' around?

[As much as he could condemn Vincent's actions, it made for an interesting piece of gossip.]

We were part of the same group on Gaia, she has seen me in battle and knows how good my aim is.

[Not to mention how private he was, aloof, and didn't like to be disturbed at times.]

This is also how I know Cloud and Tifa, though we are all from different points along our respective time-lines. Save Tifa and myself.

[Good luck getting Vincent drunk Barkeep. He may not be modified/experimented on here, but he knows this tactic. A swig is all he'll take for the moment.]

That close, then. You go on a lot of adventures?

[This was the most Vincent has said so far. Barkeep's method is a successful. Time to continue Operation Gloomy Gossip.]

Oh. [A grins spreads across his face.] So there's some timeline hijinks goin' on here. Whoever's brought us here must love confusin' us with all these alternate universes and timelines, don't you link? Must love the trouble that comes from figurin' out what's goin' on.

How far along are you, compared to the others? You know all? They hidin' things from you? 'Cause I'm sure I'm from some sort of alternate timeline where Sparks never disappeared and he met his new girlfriend - which I set up, by the way - on account of how little he remembers happenin' recently in my timeline.

How's Cloud and Tifa, by they way? Never had much of a chance to talk to those two.

[Success is relative; it's because Vincent is being mannerly more than anything. Nor does he exactly care to try and turn it around on Barkeep, to get him talking at the moment.]

Cloud was working to perfect his paladin skills. Tifa is, I believe, currently in Crystal Stasis.

[Silent again--don't think he doesn't recognize your prying there Barkeep.]

You enjoy playing matchmaker then. [Time to turn this back away from himself, thanks.]

Poor Tifa. Red's recently turned into a Crystal too, and poor Sparks still ain't over it.

[They were an item in this universe, weren't they? He sips from his glass.]

What? No, I'm just askin' about your friends, not plannin' to set them up! [He might has been, a little. He can't help but think of potential pairings between friends.] You're puttin' words in my mouth, Vincent, and I won't stand for it!

...Unless you're suggestin' that these two need to be together. Oh~ [He grins and raises a finger.] Thanks for tellin' me about 'em. You sayin' that they're real close already?

[Vincent just raised an eyebrow skeptically.]

I'm not putting words in your mouth. Do not put words in mine.

[Tifa and Cloud were complicated enough, as he'd observed. Never mind the difficulties here in Crystallis that added to it. Another swig of the beer, and Vincent stayed silent.]

[Barkeep closes his eyes and shrugs.] I ain't sayin' that, Vincent, but thanks for the reminder.

[Not that he will remember this lesson. It's too late; he's already interested in how two strangers' love lives will turn out.]

How about we move onto another topic of conversation. Like yourself. How did you get to meet all those friends of yours?

[Vincent is watching you Barkeep, and is skeptical. He knows a 'gossip' when he meets one. At least the other man doesn't seem to be mean-spirited about it. So far; but Vincent is going to be very closed mouthed and watchful.]

Adventuring.

What sort of adventuring are we talkin' about?

[He's certain there's a great story behind that, and he wants to hear it before they have to part ways.]

I was unaware there was more than one kind.

[Semantics, and Vincent was aware of it. It didn't mean his humor couldn't be dry and snarky at times. Another easy swig of beer, as he's not going to make it easy if Barkeep wants to continue to be nosey.]

Well, there's the kind where you roam the plains, lookin' for whatever it is you're lookin' for. Then there's the kind where you leave home for a week, then come back with stories to tell. And there's the military kind, which ain't as interestin' but it counts.

[He does not move from his spot, staring at Vincent. He will make that man crack one day.]

[Good luck with that Barkeep. Vincent doesn't crack easily on many things. The things you might get a reaction from him on, you probably don't want, Barkeep.

Another swig of beer, as he just raised an eyebrow in turn at the stare.]

Sounds like some narrow definitions of adventuring.

[Ugh! He gives up, Vincent's no fun. He lifts his glass, and grumbling turns to bubbles as he takes several gulps to finish his water.]

There's all kinds of adventures. I can't read minds anymore, so I can't tell what kinds you've been on unless you tell me.

Event || The Empire Strikes Back

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)