Timestamp: 40 Mia (Winter), 81380 Character: Fade Palasa, plus NPC Duke The small dusty town in the desert was a little distance from the central town with the temple, it was far quieter and more secluded. And inside the town was a small cafe which a large portion of the populace went to, in fact it was one of the only places to dine. Despite this today it was actually quite empty, only a few people around and most were trying to escape the mid day sun. The blinds were drawn and only the odd shafts of light peered though, cutting patters though the dust and gloom. The owner Duke Topiec stood behind the bar tending to the customers in his usual and quite manner, his dark Anubi features very similar to his personality. Dark and brooding, not really speaking unless spoken too. He had a little bit of a wild glint in his eyes today though, he was expecting a very old friend who hadnÂ’t stopped by in quiet a while. He had arranged the whole day for him. He stood their in the artificial light, normally it would be quite dark as the sun was kept out. But the simple electric lights on the ceiling dispelled any gloom. His tail swished nervous as he served another guest, he was begging to think he wasnÂ’t coming. A shame.
Damien touched down in the burning city of Uhai, His life long friend Duke had arranged a visit with him. And after all he had been through these past few weeks, he needed his friends company. Squinting his eyes he looked around for the only cafe place in the city, he was sure he had landed close to the place. And his notions were correct, only a little way of was the cafe that Duke owned. He strolled towards it, his slight limp barely noticable. His familiar as he liked to call it crooned in a sing-song voice, happy at her masters' cheer. Opening the door with a slightly dusty paw, his eyes waited to adjust to the soft light of the place. Sure enough, his friend was stood at the bar serving a few customers. Duke looked up from the glass he had been polishing and his glinting eyes said all. Damien smiled at the arden, closed the door behind himself, and walked somewhat faster than before. <span style='color:orange'>Duke!</span> He said audibly in the front room of the bar, going behind the counter, and emracing his old friend in a tight hug. Remembering his composure, he let go. Damien had so much to talk about to the old arden, About his familiar, what he had seen on his travels... He was bursting with stories. One of them he would not be saying with a smile however, And the dull pain from his newly healed arm began on that memory of Fade. Soon this sadness was wiped away by the small smile his friend returned, Not often would he smile, it wasn't in the brooding ardens nature. But Damien took it as a good sign and waited for his old pal to speak.
Duke smiled a little as his friend came in, his face muscles never really liked doing anything other than look but he could make allowances. He had been a little sad today too, but he could that behind him for now at least. He squinted quite a bit thought as the door had swung back open then closed again, letting in a brief stream of light that hurt his sensitive eyes. "Ah come on lets sit, we have some catching up to do." It felt weird sayings those words but it was a present change, one that was having great rewards too. He walked out from behind the counter, his feet making tapping sounds as they walked over the tile floor. He eased himself into one of the many seats on a small table for too, pulling the other chair out for his guests. He was fairly certain he wouldnÂ’t be getting any more customers today, most people were fairly regular and sticking to their routines. "So tell me, what have you been getting up to in all this time then." He said with another soft, almost no existent smile. A warm, wild glint in his eye.
Damien nodded briskly at dukes' request to sit, he wouldn't mind a rest... Flying from bhim to here took a lot of energy - especially when the sun was trying to make a chicken dish out of you. His dear familiar, was drying up with the heat. Which cued for her to slink out from his mane onto the cool table, and with a chirp to Duke she curled up in a loose coil in the middle. her almond eyes closing in sleep. Damien watched his dear pet, and smiled again at Dukes reaction to the little female. And when damien was asked what he had been doing, the little blue coil was the first thing he'd talk about. <span style='color:orange'>what have i been upto? </span> Damien said quietly playing the question over in his head. <span style='color:orange'> i've finally got myself a familiar... this little coil here hapenned with the last major summon i cast, she was much bigger though... </span> The little blue coil opened a peachy eye at the pair, knowing full well she was being talked about - neverthless she was tired and promptly closed her eyes and snoozed. <span style='color:orange'>if it wasn't for her, i wouldn't be here...</span> Damien had planned to talk about his battle last - fate seemed to want it talked about though and Damien suddenly went quiet, pulling out his canteen and taking a sip of the luke warm water - it clearing his throat slightly. <span style='color:orange'>Anyway, what about you ? met any nice ladies? </span> Damien would always ask this question to his old friend, knowing fine well even mentioning a female of the species would embarrass him profusely - but they were getting older now... maybe in all the years since his last visit the arden had found someone...
Duke looked at the little snake as it worked its way onto the little table, he just blinked at it in mild surprise then returned his gaze back up to Damien. He didnÂ’t think you could do that with summoning, but then he wasnÂ’t really an expert on that sort of thing. It was very kewl however. He listened with a keen eyes and his friend talked about his little adventures, or hinted about them. It sounded too ominous to press and he was sure it was nothing out of the ordinary, if fact he had a good idea of what it was. "Sounds like a clever little snake then." He said with a smile, he was thinking about petting it but then decided to leave it. CouldnÂ’t tell with magical creatures what they were thinking, far to smart for their own good. "Ah ladies, me. Noo, not likely in this dump, I would need to find someone to cover the shop while I went off. A bit to busy to hunt in here." He said with a little wink. And although it wasnÂ’t busy in here now, later on around 6 it was very busy. He found it somewhat hard to work and socialise at the same time, and getting a girl wasnÂ’t on his top priorities at all. He looked at the snake all curled up, still looked a little to alert for his liking. When an idea struck his mind on how to change that. "Would you like me to get it some water and food, looks like it needs it." He said with a more blank expression, the same glint in his eyes though.
Damien Shook his head at the mild reaction of his old friend - he never was the one for being surprised, He still didn't know how she had come to be - he didn't even have a name for the female. Speaking of which she once again opened her peachy eyes, her gaze watching duke with interest - there was a familiar smell around this town that she didn't like. Duke typically hadn't been on the hunt for a mate yet - it was a shame though - Duke could make a girl very happy. He still held a unsure air about his blue skinned companion. <span style='color:orange'>Pet her if you want... she's quite the attention seeker</span> Duke didn't seem to register the question and upon the offer of a drink for his creature, he nodded graciously at the arden. Even the little blue female, chirriped at duke doing a little dance to show she would like a drink and food would not go amiss. Damien answer dukes' question of refresments for the summon. <span style='color:orange'>Could you? Its hotter than what she likes - shes an ice element you see.</span> Duke still had a strange glint in his eye, was he keeping something from him? He shrugged it off as the arden trotted off to get some food for the pet.
Duke just smiled at the little snake, touching it didnÂ’t seem like the best plan in the world, but he just smiled and shook his head to say no as he stood up and went to get some food. A few funny ideas were running thought his head when he began to rummage around for snake food. He thought it would be better to just fling it something more suited to its kind, he was determined to find something filling for it. He made his way back to the table with a dish and something furry in his hand, he placed the water dish in front of the snake. A single ice cube floating in the water, he guessed it would prefer cold water. Then he laid down a small rodent type creature, he wasnÂ’t overly sure what it was but they sometimes chewed on the refrigerator cables. "There that should sort it out for a while." He said with a smile, he had hard snakes were quite lethargic when they had eaten and couldnÂ’t really do much. To see it fast asleep would help his mind rest a little easier. "So what you got planned next then Damien." A small and faint grin on the edges of his lips.
<span style='color:orange'>what do i have planned?</span> Damien repeated thoutfully as he watched the arden place down the ice water and a furry creature. Peachy eyes stared at the furry creature in front of her. She sniffed it hesitantly as she lacerated its side with an icy mixture of acid, stopping its blood and non-pleasant smell from filling the room. Duke had asked a hard question, he wasn't sure on what to do - he needed to relax for a while, until he was fully healed. <span style='color:orange'>oh, i'm not too sure actually, just some relaxation time, i need to re - enroll at the academy, i haven't been there for a while - find my familiar a name. Y'know you should come enroll with me at the academy - or at least come visit me...?</span> Damien leaned abck in the chair, his firey mane, flickering at the prospect of the brooding arden being with him at the academy - hell Duke might even find a broody lady - or guy. He was never sure on his sexual preferance. Hisblue pet was heartily sipping at the icy water, after taking her fill, she crooned to Duke in thanks and curled up, promptly falling asleep.
Duke just shock his head and smiled, Damien obviously wasnÂ’t going to do anything productive with his life. All action and violence until he met a bitter end somewhere, probably not the greatest idea but well many chose it. They said Pendragons were civilised and stupidly advance yet their were very violent. The crime rate in Ramath-Lehi was hardly perfect. "I'm too old to go to the academy, cant be a student forever Damien. We have to do something with our lives sooner or later." He said with a nod in the direction of the counter. "See run a business or something, you donÂ’t need to graduate for that." He said with a laugh, personally Damien was already too old to be going to school again. Not that it all mattered anyway, things were a little different these days. Plus they had both changed, some more than others. "Well, what ever you chose. We will be happy for you." He said with a soft smile.
<span style='color:orange'>business?! you know thats never been my thing, and you know why i do what i do... </span> But Duke was right... he had to settle down... find a job... he already had a flat and a dorm... but no one knew what might happen to him if he kept his revenge spree up. But it just didn't seem fair, to let all his family die without trying to find who did it. How could duke be so calm about it. <span style='color:orange'>hey, you never know i might meet a classy lady, get married have kids...</span> And that prospect was quite allurring, a secure family, one that he could protect and love. Maybe a classy lady was what he ccould do with. All this thinking was giving him a headache... and he left it there, for fear of another telekinesis episode. <span style='color:orange'>how is the business going for you anyway? </span>
And you know why i do what i do... He had absolutely no idea, but he assumed it had something do with revenge, most violent things did. He needed to try and keep up conversation for at least a little longer anyway, just for the preteens. He was having to use his mind a little more though, read between the lines and delve into subconscious clues. "Well you wont settle down until you leave this thing behind, you cant get them all Damien." He said sombre expression, and a dull tone. "And yes the business is fine, not much ever happens here." He said quietly, this sleepy town was boring at best. it made thing every thing so difficult to because every one knew every one and it any one disappeared they all asked. He had been living off animals for weeks now. Fade held back yawn, he was already getting tired of this charade and was preparing to take things up another level. Plus he felt strangely uncomfortable in the alien body, he had held back the changing process so it remained Duke. To an extent anyway, he even had some of the memorise. The glint in his eye returned.
Damiens' ears' flicked forward towards duke Well you wont settle down until you leave this thing behind, you cant get them all Damien. He wasn't trying to get them all, once he found the vampire he was looking for he would stop, until then he would continue. Duke wasn't his usual self either, but so many things could cause someone to act differently. <span style='color:orange'>Duke, are you alright? i mean, you're not like i remember, and you keep referring to yourself as WE. You hiding someone?</span> Damiens tone had taken a suspicious undertone, but he couldn't help but remain soft to his old friend. <span style='color:orange'>ahh sorry, the sun's getting to my head. do you close this place at all today, you said you'd show me your house... right?</span>
Fade smiled as Damien questioned him, maybe he wasnÂ’t so stupid after all. He would have to be a little more cautious this time, after all their was only one of him here and he wasnÂ’t fully Fade. "Well you have been gone a very long time, every one changes, including yourself." He said with a little grin, he hadnÂ’t actually noticed the "we" part. Guessed it was just habit of having such a large family. "Yeah why not, although let me get my hat and clock. IÂ’m not a fan of the mid day sun." Standing up and retrieving some cowboy hat and a heavy, thick cloak. The sun wouldnÂ’t kill him like this but he still didnÂ’t like it, it stung his eyes way to much to be pleasant. He didnÂ’t really care if any thing was stolen while he was gone, not like he actually owned the place. He stood by the door waiting for Damien. Revenge was at hand.
Damien shushed his thoughts and the part of his brain screaming to stay in the bar... he was just leaving the bar unattended? maybe one of the staff was back from lucnh - or sitting there? He frowned but followed anyway, squinting as sharp sunlight hit his sensitive eyes. He had scooped up his reptilan like friend on the way out, sleeping happily in a special pouch for her. <span style='color:orange'>so where is your place?</span>
Fade flung his heavy cloak over this bodies broad shoulders, he had to admit he quite liked being more bulky. The anubi features of this annoying but necessary husk drove him made though, he hated the anubi with passion. He just found them so irritating, especially since they tasted so rank. He led Damien through the sun laden streets as his paws complained on the hot desert sand. He was glad for his thick skin, over wise he would be hoping and jumping like a deranged loon. They approached a someone nice looking house, the bleached bone coloring to the walls with a hint of yellow added to the whole desert theme. He pushed his key into the door and swing it wide open. "Yere ya go, lets get out of that sun." Ducking into the shade with a natural ease as his unnatural frame took off its cloak and such. As he hanged them up on his rack, he moved around his house. His house, the phrase felt so alien to him but for now it will do. "Welcome one again."
