Another Round (Open)

[Gegenji]

Well, that was quite the deluge of information from Inessa. This Miqo'te seemed to be quite agitated by the Ala Mhigan refugees outside the walls, and seemed to be forcing her feelings that she should feel sorry for them onto the Judge. He, of course, had said nothing of the sort during their albeit short opening words. The Judge remained silent during her tirade, simply taking another sip of his 2:1 ratio martini. As she brought her own drink to her lips, he set his back down onto the counter.

 

"RECOMMENDED: SOLUTIONS," he repeated as he clasped his fingers around the stem of his glass. "WHAT WOULD YOU DO?"

 

The question was neither demanding nor accusatory in tone, simply a thought-provoking and perhaps conversation-leading one. Refugees did what refugees do, and workers do what workers do. A refugee could become a worker, but a worker could just as easily become a refugee. Easier, perhaps.

 

After all, she had said herself that a lot of the needed work required skill. Skill that the refugees, she had posited, did not possess. So how would a refugee gain the skills needed to obtain work and become a worker? She also posited that they were lazy and cowards, so they obviously could not obtain them on their own. If that was the case, of course, since her damnations seemed rather broad and possibly even unfounded or unwarranted.

 

However, it was not Jredthys' place to seek to correct her or have her substantiate her claims. He had not been hired to do such things, to mete out his judgment of the refugees and their status. He was simply here to have a drink - as one does in a tavern - and engage in conversation, which one also did in such an establishment. And he was certainly doing both. If he ordered something to eat, he might very well fit the perfect definition of a tavern-goer.

 

He idly wondered if there was a menu.

[Aya]

 

 

I don't drink, so I have no idea what you're implying, Aya. I'm sorry.

 

 

 

 

 

A dry martini means more gin and less vermouth.  Hemingway's favorite martini was very dry: gin waved in the general direction of Italy (rather than actually adding Vermuth, an Italian fortified wine), garnished with an olive.

 

[Cliodhna Eoghan]

Giving the heavy, wooden door a shove with her bare shoulder and leaving just enough space to scoot through; Cliodhna entered the Quicksand. In her arms was a rather large, leather-bound book. Blinking a few times; she let her dark jade colored eyes adjust to the lights as she waved her way through the tables. At first intent on a empty one but after a moment, she picked up the plucking of guitar strings. Catching a half smile, she turned and made her way over to the bard's table.

 

Dropping the heavy book with a loud thunk, she looked at the easily recognized hat obscuring it's owner's features. "Care if I take up some space, or are you waiting for someone?" Her tone lightly playful but not really leaving room to answer "no" as Cliodhna eased into a chair across from him. Fingers already grabbing the pencil behind her ear as she flipped open the book to a scribbled mess of notes, numbers and minute sized drawings; fully intent on getting back to work.

[LiveVoltage]

"I would not do anything. The Ala Mhigan refugee's once had a great empire of their own, ruled by someone who took fate into his hands and did something with it. To help them would not teach them the lesson that is to be learned and that is they must pave their own way in life. So if you want a solution, there is none save that they can only deliver themselves from their situation." She said, taking another long sip of coffee then after said long sip, she sets her cup back on the counter.

 

"Either way, I could not give two shit's about them. That does not mean I will ignore what goes on around me."

[Telluride]

Nathan stilled the lute strings at the *thunk*, and pushed up the brim of his hat, catching the full glimpse of the familiar feminine figure, with all the implications that the word carried. One brow arched, but the trademark fox-grin disarmed it.

 

"I'd never prevent you from taking any space you wished, my dear Clio."

 

He pushed the second flagon of Momodi's ale towards her. "It's my custom to keep an extra drink handy in case of, and especially for, unexpected company. I assure you, it is one hundred percent free of pumpkin or any related gourd-based ingredients."

[Cliodhna Eoghan]

Chuckling, she shook her head. "I doubted that you would, but still it's nice to keep the impression of politeness and ask anyway." Tilting her head, she regarded Nathan with a relaxed manner, taking her attention away from her work for the moment. She did originally come here for a break after all.

 

Her free hand reached across the table and gratefully accepted the offered ale; long fingers curling around the handle, bringing the rim of the mug to her dark tinted lips before taking a drink and replacing it on the table. Cliodhna gave another partly suppressed laugh at the gourd free promise. "I had some and didn't think it was that bad..."

 

She paused, remembering the end of that night. "Than again, you should just be thrilled you were able to keep it down.....one of the the other girls ended up getting sick all over the floor by the end of the night." Cliodhna laughed at the memory. "Poor thing was so overworked by it I had to carry her upstairs and she spent the night on the Moogle's couch."

[Telluride]

"Couches, though, aren't such a bad fate..."

 

"...and politeness is fine and dandy, but sometimes it's overrated, and takes time and interest from a perfectly good encounter. But, to make it official, you are certainly welcome to... work?" He eyed the thick book "...at the table."

 

He left the hat's brim raised, but didn't move his boots from atop the table; the lute found its way to his lap.

 

He lifted his own flagon, and offered it briefly in her direction, with a nod, in a quick toast. "Oh, one glass was not terrible, nor was two, but it did have an odd way of accumulating. We both know that Mirke herself would not have so quickly left the table, otherwise."

 

He set the vessel down, with a quick lick of his lips to tend to any remaining foam. "It did take a good cold splash on my face to perk up enough to take care of the rest of my business there. Wonderful venue, by the way, and terrifically charming hostesses.. but I digress, and I would have likely digressed into a heap had I not had a patient escort and took in some quality time in the salt air to let the senses return."

 

He took a quick glance around the bar, hoping to catch a glimpse of blonde serving girl, or perhaps figure out the armored figure at the bar, but a shrug showed how far that all went.

 

"One of these days, my dear, I'm taking home that gil, even if I don't make it two yalms out the door."

[Cliodhna Eoghan]

"True enough on both accounts," Cliodhna agreed with a light nod. "Yes, work." She replied simply as he curiously looked at her book from across the way. "This is really the only part of my work that's conveniently travel friendly and I've been prodded more than once that I need to leave my workshop, so...here I am." Replying with a smirk and gesturing at the table vaguely with her pencil.

 

Placing her elbow on the table, Cliodhna let her chin rest in her upturned hand; fingernails skirting along her bottom lip. "Another good point; I wasn't drinking it in quite the quick succession as I was...encouraging others to." Her words accompanied with a soft chuckle emitting from her throat.

 

Following suit; she took another pull from her own mug; pencil still laced between her fingers as she held the drink. "I saw you were being looked after as you left; same girl you were chatting with before the final round?" Tone implying mild curiosity on the subject.

 

Placing pencil to paper once more, Cliodha scratched out a few rough lines as she spoke, though the conversation was slightly distracting; ti was a nice change of pace. "I'm sure you will eventually, until then; I'll be more than happy to let you drink yourself silly as you try."

 

Pausing as a thought drifted across her mind; Cliodhna looked up, mischievous grin on her features. "I should pay you just to see how well you perform on that lute while heavily intoxicated, that would be some fun side entertainment in any case." Taken with the idea, she continued. "Who knows? We might be able to get some of the others to join in on the fun and accompany you."

[Telluride]

He directed a look at the tome that had burdened her "So, what IS in that monster book you have there? It doesn't look like the sort of one with glowy magic beasts hidden in it."

 

He shifted his booted feet around atop the edge of the table. "Yes, the same lass, indeed. To be honest, we had a little business there aside from your contest - the hostess had been ordered to receive one of our Valentione's seasonal messages, and I had just enough juice left in me to play the accompaniment on the old faithful, here." He patted the exquisitely-carved musical instrument in his lap. "So, had you been in the vicinity, you'd have gotten your wish already. But..."

 

He took a quick sip, and tilted back the drinking vessel, draining it finally dry.

 

"... if you think that would be a crowd-pleaser, love, then who am I to turn down that smile and that gil to do what I'd likely be doing anyway?"

 

He thought he heard a few clanks coming from the bar area, but he dismissed them.

[Cliodhna Eoghan]

"This?" She asked, fingers lightly ruffling the shelf of bound papers. "This is an extension of my mind and creativity. I'm sure you have a similar book where you keep scraps of poems and sayings later turned to song." Cliodhna let the statement hang a moment knowing it wasn't the direct answer that was desired. "Though on occasion; it has been known to help bring monsters to life." Adding the comment with a light smirk.

 

"Really? You had energy to carry out one of your messages after all that drinking? I am impressed!" She exclaimed, giggling. "As I remember; you fell onto the floor a few times before you made it up the stairs."

 

"More along the lines, I think it would be a little extra bit of fun for the ones that decide to just stay to watch as others attempt to prove who has the strongest liver." Turning back to her work; she added a few more heavier lines along with an arrow pointed at one corner with a scripted note next to it. "However, given this is how you buy your bread so to speak; I don't expect you to perform for free unless the mood took you, hence the offer of payment as a way to persuade at least one drunken performance from you."

[Telluride]

He took a long and measured look at the sizable volume, jaw working as if chewing on some idea. "I don't carry anything quite like that on me,my dear, though I have scattered scrolls and notes stuffed in the lute case." He patted the item in question, which hung from his belt, which did have a few corners of paper showing from within seams. "As for monsters, we all have our beasts to use and keep when we have need for them, of course. I must have tapped one to help make the little lady of the Moogle house happy.. though that sounds much worse than it was... but you must know yourself of the restorative power of the right person at one's side, or in other positional arrangements."

 

He paused for a moment, fingers drumming the tabletop, and the toe of his right boot making little circles in the air.

 

"Consider me interested in this little offer of yours. It might indeed draw out a bit more of a crowd, and perhaps hold off those frowns that spectators may be prone to when their lads and ladies overindulge. Hells, we might even make a bit of a game of it. Though, the phrase, 'Drunken Performance', might usually elicit a little more, well, persuasive and lurid bargaining on my part, I do respect that you are rather all business in this case, unless you are setting me up for something that a man under the influence might be hard pressed to ignore."

 

The grin became a wider thing, more suited for a toothy reptile, but he winked, and toned it back to something more cheery. "Couldn't resist, you realize, even being the respectful sort that I... well, emulate as best I can."

 

He lifted his flagon, absentmindedly - or perhaps looking for a prop to cap off the hasty, yet amused, retraction of overbearing innuendo. And to think of innuendo, where was the barmaid? He lifted his chin to get another glance around the room, safely avoiding Cliodhna's gaze for at least a few moments.

[Cliodhna Eoghan]

"This book as been with me a fair amount of time and my creations are known to take a more tangable form than song." She replied, fingers flipping tracing over the pages biefly. "I don't wear that toolbelt you've seen me with just for fashion's sake."

 

Oh yes, I am well aware how the correct partner can make one feel rejuvinated, in one form or another." Smirking slightly at Nathan's play of wording. Raking a free hand thorugh her hair; she stretched, hands moving to the small of her back to give light pressure on the muscles there before giving a quick tilt of her head to crack her neck as well.

 

"That's the intention. Just something a little extra to keep the spectators interested aside from seeing who looses their sense....or lunch, first. And making a game of it could prove to be further entertainment." Once again picking up the large ale mug; she held it braced between her hands in almost a childish manner versus grabbing the handle. She regarded his not so subtle hinting with a soft curve of her lips. "For one, I'd like to think that if it ever occurred, the offer would be hard pressed to ignore, regardless of sobriety levels," She paused to take a long pull from the mug. "But that's just my own over inflated self esteem talking, presently I am very content with the current state of my love life, and more so with my partner's nightly performance, as we seem to be labeling it." Her tone taking on a slightly lower, more sultry note that had been absent before.

 

Holding his gaze without the slightest hint of discomfort in response, she set the mug with only a third of the ale left back onto the table; fingers still curled around it. "You emulate as best you can, I suppose." Almost as quickly as it arrived, the lower tone was gone and replaced once more with her normal one used in more wider range of conversations.

 

Chuckling again, Cliodhna shook her head, reaching up only to tuck an unruly lock of hair back into place before continuing. "But the effort to be ever respectful is noted and appreciated." Letting Nathan break eye contact, she once more returned her own gaze to the papers on the table. Pencil sashaying across the paper as the sketch became slowly more detailed with her movements.

[Gegenji]

The Judge remained silent once more as Inessa presented her "solution," or the general lack thereof, to him. A solution, by definition, solved a problem by providing an answer to the matter at hand. Doing nothing beyond using the plight of the refugees as a talking piece to complain about was not a solution to said matter at hand. She even went so far as to say she did not care about them, yet the vehemence in her words when talking about them showed that she clearly did. Even if it was in a negative connotation.

 

Jredthys' eyes narrowed behind the visor of his helmet. She was being disingenuous and dishonest to either him or herself, and quite possibly both. One thing he was absolutely certain of what that she needed to be more clear and defined about the matter; either by presenting a solution to the problem or ceasing to bemoan there not being a solution. After all, by not providing a valid solution, you revoked any claim to complain about it. She had failed to proved such a solution, ergo she could not - and should not - whine about it.

 

And yet here she was, doing just that while also trying to flippantly state that she didn't care either way.

 

She was trying to remain gray, he realized. The Judge hated gray. One was supposed to choose one path or the other and accept the results of the choice, not seek to hop back and forth between them as the situation suited them. It was dishonest and, more importantly to Jredthys, it was improper. That was not how you did things.

 

There was a light snapping sound as the stem of the wine glass broke beneath his grip. The conical upper half clattered into the wood of the bar top and rolled around in circles making a horrid grinding sound for its duration. When it finally came to a stop, the stub of the stem that had remained attached was pointed rather accusingly at Inessa. Not that wine glass could have an opinion - much less half of one - but it certainly seemed like it.

 

"NO," the Judge intoned curtly. "THAT IS NO SOLUTION."

[LiveVoltage]

"There does not need to be a solution." Inessa sniped back.

 

"I will not help people who will not help themselves first. Otherwise, what is the point of helping them at all? just because im opinionated doesn't mean I care. I do not care but it is also my job to pay attention to these things. Watch what happens and whatnot. I cannot willingly interfere unless there is something in it for me." She says passively, paying no mind to the glass that the Tin Man broke in his hand while taking a sip from her cup of coffee.

 

Inessa was always one to be passive about a lot of things. In the end, she only cared for two things, making sure nobody was gutted by the end of the day and money. She needed money. A lot of it.

[Gegenji]

"IF THERE IS AN ISSUE, A SOLUTION SHOULD BE PROVIDED,"  the Judge stated simply. Whether it was the martini or his ire at this distasteful clinging to gray, it was hard to say, but he was becoming more verbose. The words tumbled out of the armor like irrevocable truths. "'THIS' IS WRONG, SO 'THIS' SHOULD BE DONE. TO PRESENT AN ISSUE WITHOUT SUCH IS IMPROPER."

 

Jredthys turned away from her, the seat groaning as he faced forward and gathered up the two halves of his wine glass. He held one half in each hand, his gaze moving slowly from one to the other. This had certainly moved beyond the light conversation that he had sought to enjoy along with his drink. Even his thoughts about a meal to round out the Three Important Tavern Things had slipped to the wayside in the face of this... obtrusive force of gray.

 

"YOU CARE ENOUGH TO MAKE AN OPINION AND VOICE IT TO A COMPLETE STRANGER," the Judge continued, holding up the two pieces as if they represented the two sides of the story Inessa was presenting. "YOU CARE, YET YOU SAY YOU DO NOT. YOU WANT A SOLUTION, BUT ALSO SAY THERE IS NONE. YOU ARE FLIP-FLOPPING, AND THUS VIOLATING THE RULES SET FOR THIS CONVERSATION."

 

The two pieces of wine glass were moved to one hand. The other, now free from its previous obligations, reached into some manner of crevice in his armor and withdrew something. In one smooth, inexorable motion, he pressed the object against the masked Miqo'te's forehead with two fingers. A yellow-hued piece of stiff parchment no larger than his palm. He continued to hold it there as he spoke again with the utmost authority.

 

"YELLOW CARD. FURTHER VIOLATION WILL RESULT IN EJECTION FROM CONVERSATION."

[LiveVoltage]

Inessa tears off the yellow piece of paper from he forehead and tosses it to the side and barked at the tin man "Bite me you asshat. You do not make the rules."

 

"Don't judge others ways of interpretation or way's of thinking. Now then, if you want a solution, why don't you find it yourself and stop being so judgmental. After all, there is a solution in front of you, your just too blind to see it." She said, attempting to take a sip out of her cup but realized there was none left. She places the cup on the counter and says "Momodi, another cup please."

[Gegenji]

Slowly, the helmeted head turned back to face her as those two fingers held the remnants of his Yellow Card against her masked forehead. The Judge not being the one who made the rules? Well, yes, that was often the case when there were already rules set in place and he was not allowed to impose new ones. However, he had stated what was forbidden quite clearly enough earlier in the conversation and she had not refuted it. Thus she had acquiesced to his terms.

 

And then she promptly violated them.

 

"THAT IS WHAT I DO," he clarified flatly. "I AM THE JUDGE. I AM SANCTIONED TO PASS JUDGMENT IN MATTERS TASKED TO ME."

 

As Momodi returned to refresh Inessa's coffee, the armored figure handed off the two halves of the wine glass with a curt, apologetic nod and a handful of gil. He had damaged Quicksand property, thus he had to pay for the damages. That was how it worked. You broke the rules, you paid the consequences. Inessa had broken the rules, thus she had recieved a Yellow Card.

 

"IF I AM CALLED UPON TO PRESIDE OVER THE ISSUE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE REFUGEES, I WILL," Jredthys continued, folding his arms over his armored chest. "AT THAT POINT I WILL EVALUATE THE SITUATION AND PRESENT A VERDICT. IT IS NOT MY PLACE TO DO SO BEFORE THEN."

[LiveVoltage]

"And is this judgment a sanction passed to you? I think not. Otherwise, we would be talking business rather than the political landscape. Now if you have nothing better to do then act all high and mighty, you can bugger off." She says, taking a sip out of her sup of coffee.

 

Inessa was naturally an extremely defiant person. Not one who works well with others nor does she get along with others. She always likes to set her own rules. Follow her own path. No judge was about to walk over her. She would drop dead before that.

[Telluride]

Seeing that the barmaid was not yet attentive - at least not to himself or his alluring table-mate - he returned his attention to Clio, and plucked out the first few bars of a ribald tune.

 

"Only say the time and place, my dear, and you shall have your bard, for the purposes of entertaining the crowd and providing a spectacle which would be the talk of several towns for fortnights to come. For anything else, we can negotiate as well as our inclinations, situations and adherence to personal values admit. Just speak nothing more of pumpkins, lest I let forth a torrent of things best left unsaid here."

 

He nodded in satisfaction as she had returned to her book and penciling.. but the snap of glass made a tinkling echo that made its way even to their table. It attracted his attention to see the metal clad figure do... something?... to the forehead of the Miqo'te.

[Warren Castille]

Warren took another drink and continued to survey the armor-clad giant and the masked woman. He knew her from out and about in his travels, but Warren kept his opinion off of his face. He knew who he would bet on in a fight, though.

 

This always happens when I try to relax...

 

With a quiet sigh, Warren capped the bottle of expensive whiskey and waited for voices to raise. He wondered how many of the faceless nameless inhabitants of the Quicksand were doing the same.

[LiveVoltage]

Me: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

[Gegenji]

"YES," the Judge responded neatly. "WE ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION, WHEREIN WE BOTH HAVE EQUAL SANCTION ON THE DIRECTION OF IT. I SET A RULE, WHICH WAS WELL IN YOUR RIGHTS TO REFUTE, BUT YOU DID NOT. YOU INSTEAD BROKE THE RULE, AND RECEIVED YOUR JUST PUNISHMENT. I WOULD EXPECT THE SAME WERE THE SITUATION REVERSED."

 

He seemed rather unmoved by her harsh tone and insulting manner to which she spoke to him. Actually, Jredthys very clearly looked like someone who would not be moved unless he so desired it, conversationally or otherwise. So, "buggering off" was certainly not in the equation at all from his point of view. Besides, it wasn't "acting" high and mighty when he was in his perceived right as both Judge and equal participant in the conversation. It was not his fault for her not refuting the rule or setting her own.

 

"SO YOU MOVE TO END THIS CONVERSATION, THEN." If it was a question, it certainly wasn't worded like it. "VERY WELL, I SECOND THE MOTION. HOWEVER, I WILL REMAIN WHERE I AM. YOU ARE FREE TO RELOCATE IF YOU WISH."

 

He turned back towards Momodi to inquire about a second martini and perhaps even a menu, if one existed.

[LiveVoltage]

Inessa rolled her eyes and returned back to her paper. Clearly, she did not think it was worth the effort to dealing with the Tin Idiot, so she set her cup of Coffee back down on the counter and returned to her paper.

 

The Tin Idiot clearly did not understand how Inessa thought and interpreted things. In fact, she found it insulting that he would set rules and that he said that Inessa agreed to them using clever word's and bending the truth. However, Inessa was not about to start anything. While she would love to beat his face in, there were others here and she wanted to be respectful and mindful of the other patron's, so she swallowed her pride a little bit and decided to focus on her reading.

 

Of course if the Tin Idiot threw the first punch, then Inessa would have a BEEF with him.

 

((Im so not sorry))

[Branson Thorne]

*quickly snaps to attention upon hearing the word BEEF*

[Gegenji]

The Judge's hand in the matter was over and done with, despite Inessa's desire for a more physical resolution. He had engaged in a conversation, albeit one with someone obviously against following proper etiquette and structure, and it had ended concisely and clearly enough. There would be no punch thrown unless she herself initiated it. Which would probably be quite the disappointment to all the onlookers who were expecting a brawl to break out.

 

Well, except for Momodi and her staff, of course. A look of stern concern had crept onto her features as the conversation started to look more and more like it would end up with fists flying and damage to her fine establishment. It melted away, however, when the situation seemed to have defused itself somewhat. Neither side looked willing to throw the first punch, leaving just a tense air about the bar, and she was content enough to leave it at that. The menu reached Jredthys with slightly larger martini glass in silent thanks for not letting the discussion devolve into fisticuffs.

 

Now the Judge perused the menu, trying to decide what the proper choice would be from the provided selection. It was not quite the time for a proper full meal, so something light was in order. Perhaps along the lines of a soup or a small salad, or something else from the list appetizers. Maybe even something as simple as some bread to balance out the liquor and stave off any hintings of hunger until the proper time to eat.

 

Hm.