1x1:::INK:::Mystic and Shells

[Shellpepper]

Cole shook his head. "Nah, my lady," he said with a shake of his blonde head. "That one." He pointed to a dumpy looking little cafe. "Best food in this town, I promise you." He took another few steps. "Watch your purse though." He laughed and walked her to the door. Inside it was a little bit dim and rather run down, but clean enough. A girl looked up from fiddling with her hands. "Cole!" she shouted excitedly. "Darling!" She trotted happily to him and hopped up into his arms. He spun the girl around and set herback on her feet.
"Are you going to be this excited every morning Flea?" he asked with a laugh in his eyes and his voice.


Arabella smiled awkwardly, still blushing. She was grateful for his covering her blunder. She laughed at his question. "Well," she said, feeling awkward again. "This town? Only a couple months..." She twisted her scarf. "I like people. Just..." She shrugged. "Anyway..." She stood and walked back to her counter.

[XxMystic]

Alyssa rose a brow at Coles suggestion. Well that wouldn't have been her first choice. "Hope you are right." Alyssa replied to Cole, while shaking her head. It had better have been some dang good food. She thought to herself. Alyssa made sure her satchel was kept close to her side. "Well you must know quite a bit of people here. They either hate you or really like you." Alyssa said from the events she had already been through with this mysterious man. "Well, mind if we get a seat here?" She asked the girl.

Nic held his hands up. "I won't press my lady." He said with a smile. He let her go, though he did really enjoy the company. It was probably time that he found a room to stay for a day before heading back out. He had to admit this little tavern started to grow on him. Nic finished off the rest of his plate before shuffling through his pockets, placing what he owed on the table as well as extra for Arabella.

[Shellpepper]

Cole laughed quietly. "Nah, they all love me," he said quickly.
Flea nodded at Alyssa. "Sit wherever pleases you," she said with a chipper little grin. "Any morning the Magician wakes up alive is a good morning in my book." She turned away and walked to the counter. She stood up on tip toe and grabbed a couple plates and a pair of cups, stretching as she was only about 12 years old and not that tall yet.
Cole smiled as he sat down, unperturbed at her label for him. "Flea I'm not a magician, I'm a good guesser," he chided.
Flea shrugged "Potato tomato," she said, almost getting it right. She brought them cups of water. "Anything else to drink? Are you hungry ma'am?"

Arabella appreciated him letting her off the hook again. She smiled and was going to express her gratitude when he lay down his money but she still didn't want him to leave.
A quiet growl drew her attention to her dog and she looked from Jax to the front door, the direction in which her dog was focusing his anger. "Away," she ordered softly and Jax didn't need to be told twice. He trotted out the back.
Arabella adjusted her scarf again and quickly scurried to Nic's table. She pocketed his money and took his dirty dishes quickly away. "Boss is coming," she said softly.
A moment later a crooked looking middle aged man entered the tavern. He nodded a greeting at Nic. "G'mornin," he greeted cheerily, though it sounded somehow false. "New in town? My girl keeping you looked after? Ara! You keeping this fine young man well fed, yeah lass?"
He talked like a wheel, once words started they just kept rolling.
"Yes sir," Arabella said quickly. She smiled and started washing the plates behind the counter.

[XxMystic]

Alyssa let out a short laugh. "Yea just like...what was his name? Stone?" She questioned raising a brow. Alyssa took a seat near one of the windows to the far side of the room. She wondered why such a young girl was working here, she figured it was just a family business. "Cole here says you guys have some good food. I must say I am starving....could eat a whale...and am very eager to try your food." She said to the girl known as Flea. "I honestly will have pretty much anything as long as it isn't raw fish or something weird like that. "Is Flea your real name?" She asked curiously. The door to the restaurant opened again and a group of 4 young men. probably in their mid twenties walked in and seated themselves a few tables away from them. They came in rowdy, noisy, and looked as if they were up to no good. She glanced over for a moment before returning her attention to Cole and Flea.

Nic watched as Arabellas boss walked in. He could feel the atmosphere change negatively. Nic instantly kicked his feet up, resting them on the other chair across from him. His arms folded across his chest as he leaned back watching this man with a bad reputation walk across the room. Well he already wasn't a fan of this man. "Aye. She has done a fabulous job running this establishment. You're lucky to have such a hard worker here. You don't find good help these days." Nic replied watching the man closely to study his answer. It made him uncomfortable to have others scared of people like this man. He decided to stay awhile longer. Maybe he would regret it, or maybe he was meant to be there for now. He wanted to play it out and see.

[Shellpepper]

Flea shook her head. "I'll get you my favorite thing then!" When asked about her name, Flea replied "Nah my name is Felicia," she said. "But everybody's been callin' me Flea since before I can remember."
"It's because you're such a tiny little speck," Cole teased knowing she hated to be teased for being short. "I'll have my usual," he added.
Flea crossed her arms and glared. "You'll have what I give you!" She was all in a fuss now as she put together breakfasts for them.
When the group came in Cole looked from them to Flea, then to Alyssa. He wasn't really one to judge off appearance but a group looking this questionable in the middle of the morning wasn't exactly cause for relief... Nor was the fact that apparently Flea was alone here this morning again.
While Cole and Alyssa's food was cooking, Flea brought water to the boys.

[XxMystic]

(Feel free to play any of the guys )

Alyssa chuckled at the little spit of fire standing in front of them, and then gave a friendly smile to Flea as she went off. The group of men talked quietly where only a few words here and there were audible. The word "Money" was mentioned several times and the other words that Alyssa was able to put together didn't help ease the rough air. Her guess. Bandits. Bounty hunters...but even then the ones she had ran into didn't seem this rough. Finally the words "Marked beings." Popped up. Alyssa tried not to jump to conclusions, but this type of problem had already been going on for a long while for those who were gifted with any ink marking. Bounty hunters looking for marked beings to turn over for some extra coin. Alyssa took her foot and made sure her pants were covering her ankle instinctively. She wasn't sure if she was the only one in this room with ink or not, but something told her even without being marked these guys would stir any trouble they would be able to. "Well, so much for a peaceful lunch." Alyssa sighed, now more focused on them than her appetite. "Is she alone here?" Alyssa turned to Cole. When Flea walked over to them the men had quieted down quickly. The biggest one with red hair looked Flea over as she brought water to them. "Ah lassie. Water won't do. Got any ale in the back?" He questioned. "While your at it, I would enjoy the company of your older waitresses." He commented waving a hand impatiently earning laughter from the group as well as a few agreed exclamations.

[Shellpepper]

Cole nodded, his expression serious for once ever. He watched Flea passively, as if he had nothing of more interest to do than glance at the waitress now and then. Ink hunters, he thought grimly. It had taken him years to quit checking his gloves every time somebody mentioned tattoos. All part of playing a convincing show. Still, with so many Purists and the like out there hunting down ink, he was having a hard time staying entirely carefree...
"Ah, that'd be my mother then," Flea said. "I could run to the back room and grab her if you like. Or my father, he's here too. They're both a good deal less agreeable than I am, though, I warn you..." She started walking back to get them some of the weak Ale. She was good at bluffing, her parents weren't here...

[XxMystic]

Alyssa grimaced. Not safe for a young girl to be here alone. That made her uneasy. Perhaps she would eat more slowly today until those men left. The men at the table had a displeased look. He leaned forward "what kind of restraunt is this!? If you don't have company for a man. I demand a free dinner for myself and my boys for the inconvince." He spat nudging is water off the table.

[Shellpepper]

Nic watched as Arabellas boss walked in. He could feel the atmosphere change negatively. Nic instantly kicked his feet up, resting them on the other chair across from him. His arms folded across his chest as he leaned back watching this man with a bad reputation walk across the room. Well he already wasn't a fan of this man. "Aye. She has done a fabulous job running this establishment. You're lucky to have such a hard worker here. You don't find good help these days." Nic replied watching the man closely to study his answer. It made him uncomfortable to have others scared of people like this man. He decided to stay awhile longer. Maybe he would regret it, or maybe he was meant to be there for now. He wanted to play it out and see.

"Aye, finding good help is a challenge," he agreed. "Finding help in general, well, that's easier." He gave Arabella a clear "look" as if to remind her that she wasn't in control of much. "Tell me boy, where ye from? I never seen you around here a'fore, has I? Have ye a place to stay?"


Flea paid no mind to the mug that clattered on the floor; it was neither the first, nor probably the last. She simply remained bent on her task of filling new mugs with ale.
"Sorry if this goes poorly," Cole muttered to Alyssa as he stood up. He walked over to the men's table with his usual easy manner, though there was an undeniable darkness to him. He stooped and picked up the mug. Walking a few steps closer to them, he kept his eyes disinterestedly focused on the mug as he rubbed his thumb against a chip in the lip. "Boys, you've broken my girl's property," he said, sounding disappointed. "Now, I know you didn't mean to, so let's just agree to pass the rest of this meal in peace. If your commotion brings that girls father out here, I'm entirely certain it would ruin my breakfast." He set the cup down with a sharp clack on the table, and clapped his hand on one of their shoulders.
Time dragged to an abrupt halt, and Cole felt as though he were stepping out of it as his sight narrowed until he was blind, and then he Saw. The walls, ceiling, and floor blurred away, leaving only Flea, Alyssa, and the men at this table available to Cole's senses.
"Hands off!" demanded the man Cole had touched. Then Cole somehow watched, yet only felt himself choose to remove his hand, raising them up harmlessly.
"Easy now, big guy," he said.
Flea re-entered the room and one of the men cat-called her. She ignored them but as she reached the table and set mugs down full of ale, the same one who had whistled at her reached out and pinched her through her skirt.
"Ah, she may not be full size but she's still a lady, ain't she lads?" He asked with a laugh that others around the table echoed. "Come 'ere, honey, show a sailor some Tuskan hospitality."
Flea looked at Cole, and he felt her fear rising.
Cole grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him as the man slammed his hands on the table and stood, followed by the others and- and then-... The window closed and Cole could See no more. He was left only with a strong sense of that man's determination.
With a snap, the present resumed and Cole stepped back with a small, sharp exhale.
"Hands off!" the man demanded. Cole blinked. What he had seen was a certainty, unless...
"Flea! I need a pint of the Special Seasoned Brew," he shouted just as she appeared in the doorway. She looked from him to the table and nodded. She turned on her heel and left the room again.
Before the men had time to act, Cole shot an apologetic look at Alyssa and threw a solid, hard punch at the man who was going to cat call Flea. He grabbed his hand in pain but still started running toward the door. Flea was out the back by now, actually on her way to find her Papa.

Now, if you don't like what I wrote tell me! IDK why the heck I made his skill foresight, it's hard to do without overstepping my rights You just let me know if ever I write something you don't like.

[XxMystic]

(Oh no that is fine you do whatever you want. I'm not a picky person about it. Sorry for the slow reply, classes started back up for me.)

Nic
Nic waved his hand as if he was uninterested in the conversation with this man. "You could say I am from everywhere. I continuously travel around. Don't like staying in the same place too long, trying to see as much as I can I suppose. How long you been here?" He asked.

ALyssa
I'll finish hers soon