Scene #8387: The Birds and Bercilaks

Owner	Pose
Kale Hearthward	Back to Secundus. Back to the site of the first resonance surge. The area isn't as weirdlyreactive or prosperous or dangerous anymore, it's just become another part of the multiverse, subject to the same slow advancement or decay as everywhere else now. The work that was done here during those busy days remains, though. In Kale Hearthward's case, that included a rolodex worth of connections made and favors owed - chief among which wasn't the Paladins new airship drydock, or the cache of strangely potent coffee-like substance, or the dozen other things useful to the faction. No - at the top of Kale's list is a certain bar. The sign at the top of the street level entrance simply reads 'BAR', and the official paperwork names it as 'Robbiffer's Bar' - Kale simply calls it 'that one good bar in Secundus'. It's a simple affair, countertop with stools at one side of the room, a half dozen tables and accompanying chairs in the other half of the room. There's a dwarf behind the counter cleaning a glass, and Kale's already seated at the bar - and the rest of the place is empty. Not eerily so, but definitely empty.
Rubi-Kan Vagrants	PHONE: Bercilak says, "Ei. Strawberry Princess?" PHONE: Strawberry Princess fumbles for her headset. After getting it on: "Oh. You're... Bercilak, right? Yeah. It's been a while." PHONE: Strawberry Princess pauses. PHONE: Strawberry Princess says, "Is it Ishirou again?" PHONE: Bercilak laughs. "What? Nay, fuck that bicche. Bahaha! 'Tis Hearthward." PHONE: Bercilak says, "Is he sik? Oth that, ded sonli?" PHONE: Strawberry Princess says, "Oh. No, he's not... I don't know anything wrong with him. Unless you mean, like, the way he's been sort of down?" PHONE: Bercilak says, "Yea, doun, per happes. Ak so als, yeven to ithinkinge of what loten withinne him," he adds with audible surprise. Then, "Of wherefore he shalt ofact in swich a wai, wherefore him ifightes. PHONE: Bercilak says, "'Tis unlik him, yea?" PHONE: Strawberry Princess murmurs, "'What loten withinne...'" Then, "Oh. Introspecting. Um." PHONE: Strawberry Princess says, "Yeah. It is. I think I'm why." PHONE: Strawberry Princess says, "Or- a mistake I made, is why." PHONE: Bercilak says, "HA! Bicche, plese. Ani-thing thou couldst do, which shalt encause swich withinne him, couldst scantlie bi cleped 'misfon.'" PHONE: Strawberry Princess says, uneasily, "Well..." PHONE: Strawberry Princess says, "Even if it led to good things, it's something I shouldn't let myself do. Sometimes things are like that." PHONE: Strawberry Princess flumps backwards onto something soft. PHONE: Bercilak makes a rumbling sound of understanding. "So noten," he says. "Hure, him ofaxed me to hong oute." PHONE: Strawberry Princess says, "Oh. That's good, I think? Are you two, like... close?" PHONE: Bercilak says, "Nay." After a thoughtful pause, "Leng hath I liken ille of him, sothli. Uncourteis, hard of herte, misrewarden the lothfolk. Ak what thou hath bitellen me is... bihowing, ponderate with what elles I am toknoue." PHONE: Strawberry Princess says, "Oh. Yeah. I'm- not really close with him, either. He's sort of... he's got a lot to work through. Right?" PHONE: Strawberry Princess says, "'Bihowing'?" PHONE: Strawberry Princess says, "Oh, like... confusing?" PHONE: Bercilak says, "Nay, lik..." PHONE: Bercilak says, "Wel, yea. Hah. Ak, 'bihowing' is..." PHONE: Bercilak says, "Hit cacches the attentioun, in a som-what god wai." PHONE: Strawberry Princess says, "Oh! Okay. Um, like 'intriguing'." PHONE: Bercilak says, "Yea, preciseli." PHONE: Strawberry Princess says, "Well... I hope you can help him, uh, sort out some of what he needs to sort?" The Green Knight's mind is occupied with a certain portion of a certain conversation, as his hoverbike passes through the warpgate. He's dressed in 'hanging out' clothes--tight black jeans, motorcycle boots, a studded leather belt, and of course, his timeless combo of sleeveless vest and black slogan tee. His undercut mohawk blows in the wind as the bike lowers to ground level, red eyes searching for a spot to park. It almost certainly causes noise complaints--the bone-rattling hiss dies down to an aggressive, explosive staccato as the bike slows. Kale can no doubt hear it from inside. If, somehow, he took it as the comings and goings of this part of Secundus, he is relieved of that notion when Bercilak barges in. "Hearthward!" he calls, waving a thickly corded arm, fingers splayed in greeting. Bercilak takes a seat beside him. "What itides?" asks the Green Knight good-naturedly. More good-natured than the fight between them, and certainly more than their previous dealings.
Kale Hearthward	There's a lot of strange things in Secundus. The Elites here were basically exploring multiple new worlds on a day basis, each. Who knows what hasn't been catalogued yet? But 'loud motorcycle' prrrrrrobably doesn't ping on anyone's unknown danger radar. Probably. "Bercilak!" Kale's not sure what Bercilak's last name is. He's not even sure he has one? "Glad you could make it!" "There's not a lot going on, really, so... really glad you decided to join me out here. My medic's still on my case, the two new Paladins are from a world that's... resistant to being helped, Rook's off doing something or other in her home world, and Ishirou is... maybe dead again? To be honest I haven't really felt motivated to check on him after that first time." Kale has not quite yet put together the 2+2=4 of 'Petra is imprisoned in Lilian's homeworld' and 'Lilian is spending more time than usual in her homeworld'. "So I've just been... spinning my gears till something or other changes, really. Not that that's the reason I asked you to come out here, I mean," he adds, quickly. He waves over at the bartender, who (without looking up from his mid-polished glass) reaches under the bar and pulls out a tray of onion rings, followed by a pair of beers, each of which are slid down the bar towards Kale and Bercilak, coming to a rest in front of them with precise precision. "My treat. Real imported dwarven beer, and if there's better onion rings in the multiverse, I haven't found them."
Rubi-Kan Vagrants	Bercilak, who kind-of-sort-of has a last name, listens and nods along with Kale, his eyes focused on the career soldier to the exclusion of the bartender, and most of the furnishings and decor. If there's a suitably dive-y neon sign, he does pay it at least a moment's notice. [Vicinity] Kale: So I've just been... spinning my gears till something or other changes, really. Not that that's the reason I asked you to come out here, I mean. Bercilak makes a rumbling noise of acknowledgment. "Nay," he says. "I didst not awene as swich," he says with a carefree half-wave of his palm. No worries! He hadn't taken it that way. "Sothli, I didst not e'en awene thou the kynde to esteme al this." he continues, twirling an index around to indicate the bar, generally. "Bul shiten, I imene. Tis god for the herte." [Vicinity] Kale: My treat. Real imported dwarven beer, and if there's better onion rings in the multiverse, I haven't found them. Bercilak's brows raise in appreciative surprise. "O, rele shit?" he asks. "Gramercy!" Before partaking of the beer, he lifts it in a toast. "Wes heil," he salutes, nodding to Kale. "To strength of herte."
Kale Hearthward	> "Sothli, I didst not e'en awene thou the kynde to esteme al this." "I like it just fine. Just less often than other people, I guess?" "Most of the time, things like... the theater, shops. The movies. Fights. But all of those are... distracting. Not the sort of place to focus or figure things out. I mean, I focus on the stuff that's happening, and that takes my whole focus, and there's not much room left over for..." He trails off. "Anyway." He raises his beer as well - though hesitates when Bercilak brings up strength of heart. "To strength of heart," he says, finally, echoing that. Drink! "... I'd been thinking about what you said, that reminds me. About joy, and laughter, and love. The reasons you fight," he says, after the beers had been lowered. "... Do you really find all that, in what you do?"
Rubi-Kan Vagrants	[Vicinity] Kale: I'd been thinking about what you said, that reminds me. About joy, and laughter, and love. The reasons you fight. Do you really find all that, in what you do? "Hit dependen," says Bercilak, after sampling an onion ring and making a little 'mmh' of appreciation. They look comically small in his hands. Even the stein of beer looks 'normal-sized.' He smiles at Kale. "If thou imene, bi thy ofaxinge, 'doth mine everi ifighte yeve me theim things,' thanne nay." He shakes his head, and takes a hearty swig of beer. "Thire art times," he says, stein lowered, "Whanne ifightinge shalt verily yeve me preciseli the countre. Ak," he says, one index held up, "Ifighte I must, al-though hit be dificultuous--elles that thire shalt be lasse of theim thinges withinne the world." "Thire is difference," he further explains, setting the stein on the counter, "Bituhhen 'ifighting for som-thing otheres may hath,' and 'ifighting that thou may hath it thyself.' I am abled of unk bothe, lanhure. And unk bothe shalt make me ifele wel-paid whanne I am done, e'en whanne 'tis dificultuous to do."
Kale Hearthward	Maybe Kale should have gone someplace with larger beers. Fortunately, the bartender is on it, and the next drink for Bercilak comes in a stein that's more appropriately sized. "So fighting for other peoples' happiness," says Kale. "That's..." "... I guess, that's..." "I mean, that's what I do already, right? As a Paladin. I'm trying to keep order in the world, so people can grow and thrive and all of that." "... So I should just... keep at it, then," he decides. "Whatever it is I'm missing will just... sort itself out. I just need to give it some more time."
Rubi-Kan Vagrants	Bercilak gives the bartender an appreciative thumbs-up. Turning his attention back to Kale and setting his barstool to creaking, he makes a so-so wobbly gesture with his hand. "Som-what," he says, helping himself to another couple of onion rings. A thoughtful pause follows as he chews, his chin gradually coming to rest on his knuckles, elbow propped up on the bar. "Thou, and everinne withoute," he eventually says, circling his free hand in a wide motion, "Al theim that mortual art, and mani bisideforth... Thou wert dight for joie. For love and laughter. I was dight to fraist thee--to espy hau, and wherefore, and e'en whither thou ifinde theim things. Whither thou ifinde theim justli, oth ivelli. Hau thou greue, insekinge theim. If a wight is withoute theim things, thei may lif, yea--but 'tis an unjust lif." "Thou'rt a soudiour, Kale. Custumed to laues, and yea, to ordre. Ak I hath espied thy felwes, in mine travails. Lilian, Strawberry, Ishirou, and indede, thy Grandmaster." His free hand falls, flirts with the base of his stein, taken instead to drumming his fingers against the countertop as he searches for words. "Ordre may dight a Petra as esili as complete confusioun may, if hit is mistorten. Doth thou understond? Thei sai that 'what is god for the gos is god for the gandre,' but this is not al-wais treu, and ne is the versant." "What thou nede, if I may bisaie swich--if thou lest to ifinde som-thing to yeve thee that sense of wel-paidnesse, whanne-so thou ifight... ifinde mo tim for 'distractiouns.' Thou shalt not espy al of ani-man, if moments like anau art as 'distractiouns' to thee."
Kale Hearthward	Kale thinks on this for a while, without answering. Wordlessly, the bartender refreshes drinks, and the remnants of the fried onion rings are replaced with lightly breaded pickles. These are not 'best in the multiverse' level of quality like the onion rings, but they're still pretty good. "Alright, well, there's only so much that can be done without people enforcing order..." "... Nevermind. Forget I brought that up." Kale decides that trying to start a debate about factional philosophy isn't really the best use of his time right now, and... probably wouldn't serve him well right now either. "... So I've been missing..." "... This. The quiet moments. The... connections." A support system. One that's not literally paid to spend time with him, at least. "I guess I've been... maybe too focused on my work lately," he admits. "Lately being... the last two and a half years. Time's flown." "Alright then." He takes a moment to drink and wet his throat. "Would you have any... suggestions? On how to get to know someone?"
Rubi-Kan Vagrants	[Vicinity] Kale: I guess I've been... maybe too focused on my work lately. Lately being... the last two and a half years. Time's flown. Bercilak utters a short bark of a laugh. The twinkle in his red eyes suggests 'yes, I gathered.' [Vicinity] Kale: Would you have any... suggestions? On how to get to know someone? Bercilak takes a moment to really enjoy the fried pickles. Yeah, they're not the Multiverse's best, but the presence of fried pickles alone can make a lot of things markedly better. "Damn," he exclaims, "Shit atasten the bet thanne a stif coke! Bahahaha!" His fist smacks the counter, sending his drink and the plate of fried pickles briefly but harmlessly bouncing into the air. Taking a hearty swig from his now appropriately-sized stein, Bercilak finally ponders Kale's question. "Mm... anau bisideforth, thou imene?" It seems he thinks this is going fairly well. "Wel... sheu thy bihowing, of what bihowes theim. And be not fered to sheu more of thyself than 'Kale the soudiour.' To be tender and temptable. Per essaumple, ne'er didst I awene thou wouldst ofaxe me todrink," he admits. "Ne didst I trow thy atastes wouldst be so sweteli frank," he says, with an index pointed down and swirled, again meaning the bar. "Glathe am I that I accepten," he says, reaching over and putting a hand over Kale's.
Kale Hearthward	The bartender does not so much as give a single glance when things temporarily go flying. He'd keep on polishing that glass during up to and including world war 4 breaking out in the middle of his bar. "... Well..." "... He looks down at the hand on his. That... feels nice. How long has it been since he felt that sort of contact? "... I'm glad to hear that. And... I'll try that. And keep that in mind." "... You, ah..." He glances to the side. "You want to go out again? Show me what you're into, next time, then?"
Rubi-Kan Vagrants	"To go oute ayen?" The Green Knight chuckles, though not at all derisively. His red eyes can convey many things--the wild thrill of battle, the electric spark of mischief. "Is that what this is? Hm..." In this moment they have nothing but the warmth of a familiar hearth, and his hand squeezes Kale's lightly. "Yea," he says. "Ithinke I that wouldst be sportful."
Kale Hearthward	"Um-" Wait, was it... not clear what this was? "... Yeah." "Then... it's a date."