Old Friends And New (Open)

[Jacksoπ Flεtchεr]

    The young man sipped his drink, eyes on the ceiling fan above him as it cycled lazily. The cacophony of sounds permeating the establishment around him filled his ears with useless information. Conversation, the television. Jack wasn't interested in any of it. He wasn't interested in whatever sports teams were playing at that moment or the redhead across the bar who'd been trying to make eye contact with him or even the particulars of what he was drinking.

    The primary intent behind this particular venture was reacclimation, he told himself. Nothing more. Jack had been living in hostile environs for so long that dipping his toe into a pond of people who weren't trying to kill him seemed like a wise decision, if only to start coming down from the constant state of survival he'd been keeping up.

    Jack looked down, into his glass, noting to himself that it was almost time for a refill. The young man allowed his eyes to wander the room, seeking distraction in the details his mind would soak up. The structure was not particularly large, but it was rather cozy. Plenty of warm woods and a small area with a pool table, flatscreen on each wall. He'd never been here before, not that it mattered. Jack liked to visit new places. The people weren't exactly unfriendly but they kept mostly to the company they'd arrived in. He'd chosen it for these aspects. A place he could relax, drink, and, if the young man felt up to it, dust off ye olde social skills.

    Allowing himself a brief moment to meet those green eyes, he rewarded them with a smile before turning back away. Jack finished off his drink before asking for another, idly tracing the stitching of his jeans as he did so and thinking about the friends he'd left behind, hoping he hadn't promised too much.

    Wearing dark jeans and a casual blue shirt underneath his leather jacket, Jack blended in with the crowd well enough. He'd been away for quite a while, exploring new geographies and searching for undiscovered magicks. Many of his old contacts had faded away in the meantime which was only to be expected, he supposed. It was foolish of him to expect connections to remain intact absent care and support. He'd allowed them to atrophy and this was the result. Nevertheless, the young man expressed his regret through a sigh. Those that remain... Well, he'd reached out. Only time would tell if they would reach back.

    Right now, Jack was sitting at the bar. It should have been no surprise when someone sat next to him.

[Rosario Seoirse]

Hunger.

But not a hunger that could be satisfied by normal food. But rather, the food she craves is the emotions of others. The stronger the better. The feast of the succubus.

But that was not known to Rosario. The Cambion rationalized this need as being psychological in nature. Some twisted form of social need. For connection. To sympathize. Still, in spite of her mistaken beliefs, she had stopped trying to control it long ago. If she went to long without feeding, it starts to affect her. Not that feeding was particularly hard for her. Usually a stop by a rave, concert, or other large event would do her for a while. Among other, more personnal activities. She'd always had a talent for scaring potential victims, and when she really tried, those emotions always wound up so much more potent. But she was considering sating her hunger in a way more... Traditional to her demonic heritage.

Rosario was not really what one could consider sexually motivated, but it always seemed to fulfill her needs in a pinch. Although the person she had her eye on currently was trying to make eyes at was being frustratingly unreceptive. She may not be a dainty angel, but surely she's not that intimidating. Then again, she just might not be his type. Or maybe he's gay. Or maybe he's intimidated. Scaring him might work just as well. Whatever the case, he doesn't seem to be responsive. She sipped her drink casually as she gradually let her gaze begin to wander. She was almost about to forget about the boy at the bar entirely when he suddenlg flashed a smile her way. She was almost more focused on her curiosity now, her hunger briefly placed upon the side burner.

Standing up from her table, the shapeshifted Cambion slides into the empty seat beside the man and turns her artificially green eyes to look him over before speaking up in an idle tone. "I don't believe I've seen you around here before." The red head was something of a regular here while in town, although technically she was a bit young to drink. Her handy dandy fake ID helped with that little problem though. 

"So what brings you to this fine establishment?"

[Nyghtingale]

The red on black motorcycle roared up to the bar then screeched to a hault. Tight black pants clad the female from the waist down, and she was wearing a biker style jacket designed for women cleaved to her figure nicely showing off all those sensual curves that men loved to see. Thigh high boots completed the outfit as well as motorcycle helmet to protect her cranium just in case the unthinkable should happen.

Nyght killed the engine and used her heel to kick the kickstand down, before swinging her left leg over the bike to stand up. She reached up and unbuckled her helmet and removed it, letting her hair cascade down around her shoulders. She had been growing it out, and had several almost dreadlock style braids woven in to her hair now though not all of it was like that, leaving the rest flowing with soft waves down to the curvature of her rear end where as the braids because of their braided nature stopped somewhere near the middle of her back.

Nyght ignored the catcalls of the men and even a few of the woman standing around the entrance to the bar, carrying her helmet with her towards the entrance. When one of the men grabbed her arm, she turned and glared at him. "If you like that hand to remain attached to you, get it the hell off me." She influence the quick removal of his appendage by sending a soft electrical jolt through her own arm and in to the male's hand. Weak, like a static build up and discharge it was nothing to extreme and wouldn't hurt him or herself but it would cause him to jerk his hand back that was for sure out of nothing but instinct if nothing more.

Walking past the rest and ignoring them, she stepped inside and glanced around. She originally began walking for a table, but upon slowly looking around Nyght paused and grinned. She noticed somebody at the bar, an old friend. Well, more then just friends but she knew he would never admit to that. At least...she did not think he would. She changed her direction, heading towards Jack and the individual female standing near him apparently attempting to make some sort of conversation. Approaching from behind, Nyght did catch the last part of the sentence however.

"...brings you to this fine establishment?"

Nyght smirked, crossing her arms letting her helmet dangle by her side and cocked her head to one side.

"Well," she interrupted, "I can assure you it was not to be interrogated by yourself if I know my friend at all."

Nyght changed her smirk to a sincere smile now, looking towards the back of Jack's head to see if he would turn around. Whether he did or not was irrelevant as she would still greet him.

"Hello dear....fancy meeting you in a place like this. I always thought you found these places ill suited to your tastes...unless of course you are meeting a..." She glanced at Rosario, "uhh...client." She finished not wanting to give away anything of what Jack did but knowing he would know fully well what she was talking about. She did not know this female, nor did she want the rest of the bar thinking they where totally bonkers or nutty.

Suddenly she felt the urge again, and reached in to her pocket, pulling out a handkerchief. As she did so, somebody grabbed her elbow. Turning she noticed it was the man from early. He looked determined this time, but Nyght was not having any of it. Anger flared inside her and she barked angrily at him.

"What part of FUCK OFF did you fail to understand? I am not..ahhot..." and with that Nyght accidently sneezed directly in the male's face as that was what she had been reaching for the handkerchief for which still dangled from her other hand.

[Jacksoπ Flεtchεr]

    Turning to face the woman who'd sat next to him, Jack gave a friendly smile as his warm brown orbs met artificial green, unfazed by her apparent appraisal of him. Despite the lean, well muscled body he possessed underneath his casual, everyman clothing, there was not a lot to see. His scars were well hidden. Still, she spoke to him. She'd approached him. She was interested in him? Why. 

    The young man wondered what she could want from him. She wanted something, right? They always did. Not that he was complaining. He wanted something, too, though he was loathe to admit it to himself, to anyone really.

    She was pretty. Jack recognized that, admitted that to himself. At some point names might be exchanged and the young man had not yet decided whether he'd lie. He lied frequently, though he took no enjoyment in deception. Lying was a defense, to keep his crimes from catching up to him. The falsehoods kept his myriad of enemies at bay. Kept him lonely.

    "I've never visited before," Jack admitted, giving the woman a closer look as though trying to gauge her intent and level of interest. He graciously chomped down on the bait she'd offered. The young man just couldn't help himself. It was his kind of joke. "Do you come here often?"

    There was some commotion and, just before he could answer her question, a familiar voice interjected itself. Jack imagined he could scent her before he saw her, the breath catching in his throat. Although he didn't want to be rude to the woman he'd been talking to, the young man turned almost immediately to greet his friend.

    Nyght was just as beautiful and deadly as the last time he'd seen her, if not even more so. His heart quickened at the sight of her long hair, eyes quickly traversing the curves of her body before glancing behind her, embarrassed to be caught looking. Jack shifted in his seat slightly as a mixture of emotions coursed through him. Hope, regret. Fear. Lust. He never felt less in control of himself than when he was around her and part of him liked that. Part him wanted to run for the hills.

    "I'm not being interrogated," Jack chuckled as he rose to his feet and attempted to draw the woman into an affectionate embrace before kissing her lightly, briefly, raising one eyebrow quizzically as though to question her use of the term friend. 

    "It's good to see you and, no, she's not a client of mine." This place was new, unfamiliar. That was why he had chosen it. Precisely because the young man had been hoping he would not be recognized.

    "A new friend, I hope," He gave Rosario a warm smile. She was not forgotten, would not be discarded. The young man liked her and hoped she would not leave just because Nyght had appeared. "Though we haven't even exchanged names yet."

    Watching the man grab Nyght's elbow, Jack's face flushed with rage, his outward appearance otherwise remaining calm and congenial. But he did want to fight him. To feel the ache in his knuckles from pounding the drunken fool into the floor. To hurt him. But he did not act. Nyght could take care of herself and trying to fight her battles for her would be foolish. She might have a case of the sniffles but Jack knew she could still wipe the floor with a simple drunk.

    "Do you have a deathwish or are you really just that drunk?" He asked the man, honestly curious, letting slip some of the hostility he felt.

    What would the fool do, after so public a rejection? It was likely he would back off, seeing that Nyght was now in a group and no longer a lone woman he might bully. But it was just as likely, if not moreso considering his hearing difficulties, that he would get violent. If not with Nyght then with Jack. What a mess, things would become, if he had a couple buddies with him. Guys like him always seemed to travel in packs and Jack didn't want to trash the place.

[Rosario Seoirse]

The Cambion couldn't help but turn a slight frown towards the woman that interrupted her introductions with the man before her. She couldn't help but chuckle at him. Just from the way he looked at her, she could sense a little distrust and it had almost nothing to do with the tastes of his emotion. Of course, he wasn't exactly wrong to watch her with at least a little suspicion. She couldn't exactly deny having ulterior motives, per se. They just weren't exactly harmful to anyone.

Rosario was unlikely to give her real name unless pressed, for much the same reason as Jack, although she had a second reason as well. Rosario wasn't exactly all that great of a name, after all. It was a little embarrassing.

Still, as he responds, she gives a friendly nod and a smile, "I often come by, when I'm in town." And then she was so rudely interrupted by the approach of another woman. She was about to make a snarky reply when she noticed a change in the guy's behavior. Guess he knows the chick. The Cambion resorts to her usual strategy, quietly observing. However, her next words caused the redhead to raise an eyebrow. She was certainly no client in this situation. Usually she was... Oh. Interesting.

She chuckles slightly, as she shakes her head, "No, I don't believe I'm hiring. As for names... You can call me-" Oh great. A drunken fool. There's always one. The Cambion was about to rise from her seat when she felt it. The anger. That certainly hit the spot. Although, maybe she should do something  about this. The cambion slides out of her seat, turning her rather steely gaze upon the man. She even managed to keep a straight face when the new girl sneezed in the man's face. She was still going to hold that over her later though. 

But rather than any attempt at a one liner, she used a much more unversal language. Silence. A drunk fool like him did not need words. He merely needed to move on. And yet, she remained attentive of the man, waiting to see his emotional reaction. If he showed any sign of fear, she knew that she'd be able to amplify it as well, and maybe send him running for the hills. Preferably before he lets fear transform into spite. It could go either way.

[Nyghtingale]

Nyght watched as anger filled the man's eyes. Her gripped tightened upon the helmet in her other hand, ready to swing it as a weapon if the need should arise. Apparently, this male did not enjoy the fact she had just blasted snot all over his face. His face turned an impressive shade of crimson she rarely saw upon humans but had often upon demons and he stepped towards her raising his hand as if to strike at her. Nyght tensed, but never had the chance to know what the man was going to do.

Another male stepped up behind the other, and Nyght watched as the obviously fairly strong guy grabbed the jerk. She laughed silently to herself realizing who it was. This was a bar....the bigger badder dude was clearly the bouncer.

"Sorry ma'am...." The bouncer grunted, then hauled the individual off and apparently out of the bar. Nyght shrugged, turning to the other two again now that that situation was diffused. She looked between Jack and the other female. Jack's expression was strange, and rather more inscrutable then usual. He was clearly agitated by the idiot, however it seemed more then that. Was it the fact she had called him a friend and nothing more? Or that she hadn't spoken his name yet. Well that was sorta obvious she thought. He usually lied to people about his name, and she had once before spoke his real name directly after he had lied about it and his irritation had been real. She was simply attempting to refrain from making that mistake a second time.

Nyght needed to stall for time and let Jack either introduce himself truly or with his pseudonym. So she introduced herself instead to the female, stepping forward and extending her hand.

"Sorry, that guy interrupted you while you where giving your name. I am Nyght...actually my name is Morgan but I prefer to go by the name Nyght for personal reason. That is just like night...but spelt with a 'y' instead of an 'i'." She smiled warmly, hopefully showing the other female she had not meant for any hostile actions with her first interjection of words. Nyght slowly looked the girl up and down, eyes appraising her form in several ways before returning to her face.

[Jacksoπ Flεtchεr]

    Jack noticed that the woman with red hair had grown rather quiet upon Nyght's arrival, only really speaking to answer his question from earlier. He hoped she wasn't intimidated or feeling cornered or anything, finding herself caught between two strangers. Rosario was about to introduce herself when the man interrupted, grabbing Nyght's arm. 

    Luckily, more sober minds prevailed and a bouncer appeared to take the belligerent drunk away. A bloodless conclusion to an unpleasant encounter inside an establishment the young man had just begun to think was pleasant enough to visit a second time.

    As he watched the man be led away, Jack allowed the anger he'd so meticulously gathered slip away. He wasn't used to having bouncers around to solve problems. In his time away he'd grown tense. With every potentially hostile encounter a life or death situation with no help forthcoming, he'd begun to believe only in himself and his own abilities in that other world. Now that the young man was back on Earth he would have to remember to exercise some restraint.

    Although he'd been an obnoxious drunk, the man didn't deserve to die for his behavior and it would have been wrong for Jack to hurt him. Bullies hurt people for trivial reasons. Jack wouldn't let himself be a bully, wouldn't let himself be anything like a bully.

    Nyght introduced herself and started rambling about something. The young man tore his eyes away from the door the drunk had been tossed from long enough to realize she was stalling. For him? She'd spoken her name, but he hadn't introduced himself yet.

    "My name is Jack."
    
    Yes. He'd decided not to lie. Not any more than usual, at least. Now he and Nyght had both introduced themselves but Rosario had, unfortunately, been cut off earlier by that rude drunk. Jack anticipated she would rectify that soon enough, though.

    "Sorry about that, ma'am. For you three, next rounds on the house." The nearby bartender apologized, glaring after the departed drunk.

    The young man finished the drink he'd been working on and asked for another from the bartender who'd discreetly signaled the bouncer moments earlier, turning back to the two women as he attempted to slip into something of a peaceful state.

    "Anything for the two of you?"

[Rosario Seoirse]

The Cambion was a little surprised when the bouncer actually came to drag the drunk off. Oh how she had missed mid class establishments like this. Places where the bouncers actually did their jobs. It was a nice change of pace.

She had long since learned to deal with her own problems. Growing up in poverty and crime ridden streets, she had learned to fend for herself.

Still, as the man was lead away, she finally let out the laugh she was holding back. "Well that's one way to drive off an attacker." She then sits back down, resting her back against the bar liesurely. Still, the dynamic between the two was odd.

Still, now that that was over, it seems introductions were in order. Still, she also was not one to give out her name out carelessly. Most often, she used a variant of her middle name for casual introductions. Or Rose for business. Most would assume it to be a mere nickname, in spite of it's basis in actual name. Even those who know her actual name, she didn't use it. Although that had more to do with her dislike for said name than concealing her identity.

"I suppose you can call me Valerie." She nods to them each as she returns Nyght's appraising stare with a raised eyebrow. "A pleasure to meet you two." Briefly, she considers whether Jack is lying or not about his name, but decides that it's none of her business.

Although that train of thought is interrupted by the offer of free drinks. "Oh. Hm... I could take some Cider, please."

[Nyghtingale]

Nyght nodded as the female sat down and began to speak. She looked from left to right, debating on which place she should sit before finally deciding. She sat down on the other side of Valerie, as she came to introduce herself thus sandwiching the girl between herself and Jack. Well, not literally but yea she was not sitting beside Jack was the point. She wanted to give Jack the chance with this chick if he so wanted. She did not think this was Jack's type of girl, but then again she did not think she was his type either. So there was that as well.

"Well Valerie, it is a pleasure to meet you. However..." She raised her handerchief to her nose and sneezed softly, "I do no think alcoholic beverages go very well with colds or flus or whatever it is I have." She sighed, shaking her head. Ever since that run in with that thing on the boat she had this bad habit of picking up whatever was going around. Colds and flus where most common, but she also had gotten strep throat once as well already. It was such a major inconvenience. She sincerely hoped whatever this thing was would pass quickly because she was getting sick and tired of being, well...sick and tired actually.

[Jacksoπ Flεtchεr]

    Still staring at the back of the drunk as he was led away, the young man turned to Valerie, somewhat startled by her laughter. Jack didn't know quite how he felt about the event's conclusion but he supposed it was something akin to disappointment. It certainly wasn't mirth. Regardless, the stranger seemed somewhat more relaxed than a moment ago. That was good, he supposed. The chance to gain a new friend might have passed but that was alright. The young man would continue to make some conversation until things were truly beyond recovery and his presence was rejected. The usual.

    Jack didn't want to stand there parroting what Nyght said so he simply inclined his head and smiled once Valerie had introduced herself, biting his lip and the thought of saying greetings and repeating his own name. Introductions having been made, it seemed they might not be strangers anymore and whether or not she had given her true name never crossed his mind. He would think of her as Valerie until given reason to believe otherwise.

    Frowning, the young mage attempted to cover his brief flash of concern with a sip from his drink. He couldn't recall ever having seen Nyght sick before and, after that incident aboard the ship, the young man felt there might be cause for worry. Jack wanted it to be nothing serious. A sneeze was just a sneeze, after all. Right?

    "Well, then, it can't be good for you, being around all these strangers," Jack fussed, torn between initiating some awkward physical contact with Nyght in an attempt to comfort her and glaring at the walking bags of germs occupying the establishment as though they were the source of her illness. "Can I get you some soup? Cold medicine?"

    "I'm sorry, Valerie," He sighed, brow furrowed slightly with a sheepish grin on his face. "I was hoping to get to know you better but there have been so many distractions, so many recent developments."

    "Nyght is a good-" The most brief of pauses, not even half a heartbeat, as Jack resisted the urge to look questioningly at the woman he spoke of. Nearly undetectable. "-friend of mine. I've known her for a good while now. Not that long, mind you, but longer than I know most people."

    "I hope you're not feeling outnumbered," The young mage winked, an attempt at playful humor to keep things from growing awkward. He'd never been that gifted in social situations and lately Jack had felt so tongue tied in Nyght's presence. He actually could not remember the last time they'd been alone together and actually able to talk. A wiser individual might've taken that as a clue but no one had never mistaken him for someone wise.