Leuka stared at the bartender for a moment, then looked away as he stared back. What, did Khuta, who had ‘led’ them to the café and ‘knew’ the bartender, suddenly know more about her hometown than she did? She was somewhat angry that the bartender didn’t remember her. <font color = #2E8AF1>"Mm, nah I’m good."</font> She said in a voice quite unlike her own, taking her seat.
<span style='color:gray'>Erm, you okay?</span> Khuta asked, trying to catch her eye. The bartender came with two mugs of steaming coffee and set it down on the counter. He took another glance at Leuka and then went to greet a new customer. Someone from one corner was shouting obsene words and tripping over people. A group of males stood up form their table took hold of the drunk and pulled him outside. A group of Kosa, who were waiting patiently for a good place to sit, immediately took the seats of the group of males. Khuta chuckled a little at the scene before turning his attention back to Leuka.
<font color = #2E8AF1>"No, IÂ’m good."</font> She said again and automatically. There was an awkward silence on her half, and Leuka followed her companionÂ’s glance, keeping strangely cool at the drunk being thrown back onto the street. Feeling a need to keep up conversation, though attempting to remember if she had asked him already, Leuka turned back to Khuta as their coffees were presented. <font color = #2E8AF1>"So, erÂ… what dÂ’you plan to do after school?"</font>
Khuta decided not to press futher. The girl seemed a little distant and Khuta was wondering what he'd done when she asked him a question. His grey paw took the steaming mug of coffee and his white one ran through his hair. He knew what he wanted to do after school. Afraid he was though, that it might never come through. He took a sip and set the mug down. <span style='color:gray'>Find my parents...</span> he said in an oddly lowered voice. He cleared his throat and tried to smile. <span style='color:gray'>Other than that, I plan to become a successful artist in music. I have played here a couple of times and I've got some good compliments, but I'm positively sure I still got lots to learn.</span>
Leuka nodded politely at his words, for some reason attempting to avoid eye contact. Perhaps she felt rather rude for being sulky, but she was over that now. She had heard about his music from him already, and the teenage pendragon had been positively impressed, but now she turned at talk of his parents, brow raised in interest. <font color = #2E8AF1>"Your parents?"</font> She asked softly, in a very careful voice. Would Khuta have brought it up if he didnÂ’t want to talk about it?
Oh why did he mention his parents? He took another sip. This time it was longer than the last. Bidding his time, he wondered how much to say before he hit something inside him and set off something emotional. He nodded to the femme. "<span style='color:gray'>Yeah, that's right. My parents.</span> he replied, paused, and then continued. "<span style='color:gray'>I'm travelling around Ramath to find them. So far, Swaraj is a no-no... But enough about me, really.</span> He waved his paw carelessly around the air, hoping the subject would be dropped. However, his face remained a far away look. Are they still alive? How can he be sure?
Watching him for a sign of whether or not this really was his chosen topic of conversation, Leuka nodded attentively to Khuta as he finished. <font color = #2E8AF1>"Y'don't want to talk about it, eh?"</font> She asked softly, hoping to get this straightened. Just in case.
A hodded figure walked in while the males were still escorting the drunk from the bar. The figure carried a limp. The shadows over it's face kept 'dragons from seeing who, or what it was. It made its way to the bar and slid a chair out from under another 'dragon that was just starting to become drunk. It sat and motioned for the bartender to come over. It whispered in his ear and he nodded hesitantly before scurrying off. It pulled down it's hood revealing a golden femme with bright red hair. Yawning, she revealed a large set of Vamp fangs. Yet tonight, she was just to tierd to go about hunting the small criters that wandered around. The bartender hurried back with a large mug of red fluid. The mug was wooden and one area had holes in it, punctured over many times of drinking it. Taking a sip, she sighed and looked around.
Khuta smiled lightly at Leuka. <span style='color:gray'>I'm sorry 'bout that. It's just that it's kinda painful to talk about it, know?</span> Just then, a new customer had sat not far from Khuta and Leuka. The youth looked over to the red head and noticed that she was no ordinary pendragon. His suspicions were comfirmed when the bartender brought the punctured mug containing red liquid. However, he brought his attention back to the femme beside him. <span style='color:gray'>So where you planning to go on your er... break? Do you plan to move to Mansukh or anything like that?</span>
Leuka nodded dumbly. He was kinda brave even to mention it, but she knew she’d stepped far enough. “Break"? It was Leuka’s turn to smile. <font color = #2E8AF1>"Well… I dunno, really. I’m interested in alchemy and stuff, and I’ve got enough funds to ask about and explore the whole area. Area of alchemy, I mean. It’s, er…"</font> she laughed at her own rambling words; <font color = #2E8AF1>"It’s complicated."</font>
<span style='color:gray'>Alchemy, huh? Interesting.</span> he said and took another sip of coffee. He nodded. <span style='color:gray'>Then you should keep studying. Anything that's interesting for you, you should go for it.</span> He swung one of his tails around him and started playing with its blue flame. <span style='color:gray'>That's the only thing that interest you now?</span>
Leuka smiled into her coffee before lowering it to think that Khuta didnÂ’t seem to find alchemy remotely interesting. Ah well; that didnÂ’t make him uninteresting, and alchemy seemed like a rare interest anyway. The only thing that interests her now? She raised her brow suspiciously; was he insinuating something? Perhaps he was being unkind about her interests. <font color = #2E8AF1>"Oh, just the usual stuff."</font> she said happily. <font color = #2E8AF1>"What about you? Is your music the only thing that interests you?"</font>
<span style='color:gray'>No, actually. That's not the only thing that interest me. I have this odd attraction of hypnotism.</span> he drained the rest of his coffee down. <span style='color:gray'>This interest doesn't really go with music, but...</span> He shrugged. He turned to the bartender and ordered plain water. Then he turned to Leuka. <span style='color:gray'>You've stayed here your whole life, right? Can you show me places where you have fun at? A disco or a pub or arcade or... where do you go?</span>
<font color = #2E8AF1>"On the contrary, musicÂ’s often hypnotic."</font> She mumbled, half to herself. Peering at the dregs of her coffee, Leuka pictured the dark street outside, attempting to remember it. <font color = #2E8AF1>"ThereÂ’s a club along there somewhere."</font> she admitted, expecting its music to still be throbbing in her long ears; <font color = #2E8AF1>"But sticking around in my home town is not the best way start to travelling."</font> She looked up and smiled apologetically.
Khuta smiled. He'd forgotten for a second that the person in front of him was into travelling. Besides, he didn't really feel like going to a club today. A little too risky since he'd gotten into some trouble few weeks back. <span style='color:gray'>Right. Of course. Hmm...</span> he said as he rolled a ball of blue flame into his hands and played with it like he was playing with a ball. <span style='color:gray'>Do you like to stargaze?</span>
Leuka watched the cerulean flame play between his fingers for a moment, then nodded at his positive/negative noises. Stargaze? She snickered, but caught herself. What, he wouldnÂ’t mind lying alone beside a girl beneath the stars? SheÂ’d bet on it. <font color = #2E8AF1>"ThereÂ’s a garden out the back this pub. We could go sit there if yÂ’want."</font> She picked up the large glass of water she had just ordered, making to stand up. <font color = #2E8AF1>"You can tell me aaaall about Janardan. Every detail."</font> She smiled mischievously.
What? So soon? Khuta thought about it for a second. Stargaze now... Ah what the heck. As long as there was a pretty femme, he don't mind. Besides, it has been a long time since he last stargazed. Surely it would be a beautiful thing to do now after all his misadventures. He too, took the glass of water in his paw. <span style='color:gray'>Don't count on getting those details right.</span> he smiled and make to stand up too. He nodded to Leuka and then said, <span style='color:gray'>Lead the way.</span>
It was well past midnight, and the moon was larger than Leuka remembered, in a clear night’s sky; utterly navy, cloudless and speckled with silver stars. Leuka led the way through the hustling pub, and pushed open the thin double-doors at the end and into the ‘garden’ which was, in essence, a patio surrounded by various short pieces of foliage. Leuka felt herself blushing at the sheepish idea of the pair of them having to be alone in this romantic setting, but there were three pendragons by a table in the corner, chatting darkly over their drinks. <font color = #2E8AF1>"Jeez, it sure is crowded."</font> She murmured sarcastically (and with relief; they wouldn’t be alone after all) as she sank into one of the two deck chairs lit up by the various lanterns about them. <font color = #2E8AF1>"So."</font> She said, looking at Khuta expectantly. Janardan; <font color = #2E8AF1>"Fire away."</font>
Khuta followed the femme to the back of the pub where the setting was romantic and the atmosphere was much more quiet. <span style='color:gray'>Ah, but I'm sure there will be enough space for us.</span> he replied to her sarcasm. Though his reply wasn't a good one, he really didn't care much. The change of atmosphere left him quiet too. He set himself beside Leuka. He lay down and looked at the sky. <span style='color:gray'>Janardan... Hmm... Well for one, there are plentyful great teachers there. The place is huge! I got lost a couple of times trying to get to my classes. The students there are so different from my last academy.</span> he said, listing down the things he know. <span style='color:gray'>But to find out about Janardan, you should ask those who'd spend their times there longer than I had. I've only been into it a few weeks. However, it is a very nice academy to be in.</span>
Leuka chuckled, and crossed her ankles, legs stretched out before her on the undeniably comfy deckchair. As he spoke, she closed her eyes for a moment, trying to imagine Janardan. She pictured long, hardwood corridors plastered in banners; halls with high ceilings and intricate, high-tech classrooms. Her blue eyes flickered open again, and she smiled – the place wasn’t for her. Feeling that she had to say at least something, Leuka spoke up with surprise; <font color = #2E8AF1>"Only a few weeks! Wow. And you’re just, like… on vacation? Already?"</font>
