|
|
Post by Ashe on Aug 23, 2021 5:11:40 GMT -6
  Maverick stood quietly outside the pub, his robot eyes glinting a brilliant green. It was dusk, with the sun having just dipped below the buildings. The city was busy with people going out to dinner, catching a show, or coming home from a shopping spree. Plenty of people gawked at Maverick as he stood; who wouldn't? He was a tall, shadowy, skeletal creature with a horn and some massive wings. Oh, and glowing eyes. But he acted oblivious to their attention, and continued waiting for his master to return. Ashe had been inside the pub for a good few hours now. He had gotten the news this morning and, after spending some time in denial, he'd headed here. If you asked Maverick, he was still struggling to process it, and he was delaying the processing as long as he could with some drink. Meanwhile, the Equillion had to stand outside and process it himself, to figure a way to help Ashe later on. Suddenly, there was a loud crash from inside, as if a chair had been thrown or a table upended. A few heavy thuds sounded, no doubt caused by boots as a fight broke out. And then the crash of glass as a stranger came flying out, hitting the ground by Maverick's feet. He got up, a little bloody but still on one piece, and stormed back inside. A few seconds later, three men - employees, judging by the outfits - dragged Ashe out the front door and threw him into the dirt. A blue flash darted by, and Inyala materialized next to him, chattering unhappily and checking him over. Instead of getting to his feet, Ashe just scooted into a sitting position against the wall and leaned his head back. "Goddamn assholes," He muttered grumpily. |
|
|
|
Post by Nadia on Aug 23, 2021 13:41:13 GMT -6
 It felt safer, to traverse the streets on horseback. Nadia was rarely out without company in some form - she had animals abound, as well as a knight on occasion, now the issue of her protection had been raised. Even with the knowledge that she was at greater risk by herself, sometimes she desired the freedom.
Dodger's presence didn't count (in the kindest way possible). He was akin to a part of her body; always there, crucial, a piece of her that she could not be without. The warmth of his sides against her legs and the sound of his hooves on the road were tonic to a weary soul. One hand was curled into his mane to keep herself steady, and the other rubbed at his shoulder, more for her own pacification than his. A circuit around the centre, and then they'd go home. A breath of fresh air was all she needed.
Or... that had been the plan, at least. A nearby kerfuffle had Nadia sitting up straighter and squinting to look down the road, just in time to see a familiar figure being forcibly removed from an establishment. Oh dear. She coaxed Dodger into a trot, and was hopping down from her saddle as soon as they came in decent range of the man.
"Ashe!" What to do, what to do... she had nothing on her to assist, but reached for her handkerchief on impulse, drawing it from her sleeve. "My goodness, what happened? Are you hurt?"
For whatever reason, Dodger didn't appear as keen. A large skeletal beast with bright eyes, and a blue shape that moved too quick for his liking? He'd take a hard pass. |
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Aug 24, 2021 3:09:11 GMT -6
Alarmed by the strangers quickly approaching, Maverick swiftly turned to face them, his wings snapping open. He did not appear to have intimidated the young woman, for she was already dropping down to check on Ashe. She sounded to be in good faith, perhaps a friend of his that Maverick didn't know personally. But the Equillion that accompanied her seemed a tad bit skittish. He eyed the other stallion territorially, but made no move to advance toward him. Black flames rippled across Maverick's body, fading in and out of the shadows as night began its descent.
Ashe blinked up at her, hearing a familiar voice but unable to place it. Fortunately, he didn't need much coaxing when there was a pretty girl nearby, and he grunted softly as he moved to a straighter sitting position. No reason to slouch with a pretty face next to him!
"M'fine," he said, his voice a little slurred and blending the two words together. "Don' you worry 'bou me, m'fine." He gazed up at her, clearly drunk and clearly trying his best to hide it. The effort might have been successful, but the focus it would have taken was now being spent on pretending things did not hurt. Part of him pulled toward the abyss of a spinning darkness, too, which didn't help things. He was running from something terrible, but he couldn't remember what at the moment, and he was fine with that.
Suddenly there was a spark of recognition in those eyes. "Nadi!" he exclaimed, his slur giving her an accidental nickname. "Nadi, wha' ar' you doin' 'ere?" He frowned, not sure why he was seeing her at a pub this late. He grinned, thinking he might have found the answer. "Are you on a date? Are you meeting a boy here?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Nadia on Aug 24, 2021 4:55:19 GMT -6
Truth be told, the oblivious Nadia had managed to almost entirely miss Maverick. In her flustered rush to get to Ashe, the stallion had been the least of her concern... and she was going to get a fine shock once he did capture her attention, because he was no butterfly. Dodger huffed heavy through his nose, edging closer to the kneeling woman. Even if he wasn't fit to take the beast on, he intended to shield her from him, should the need arise.
"You look very far from fine, sir, so speak no nonsense to me!" Her sternness was not born of annoyance, but of worry. "You are... most certainly drunk, if nothing else. Be still, be still... allow me..."
The handkerchief in her grip was put to use dabbing at the blood on Ashe's face. To be in such close proximity to him was embarrassing, not to mention improper, but she was forced to let it go. How else was she going to help? Her height and frame was meagre next to his, and even if she could manage to get him up, he'd be in no fit state to move anywhere. To her greater embarrassment, she flushed red at his comment.
"I am meeting no one but you, more's the pity!" She could feel Dodger's breath near her face as he leaned in. That reminded her - water, in the saddle bags. A bottle was retrieved and unscrewed, but she didn't offer it to Ashe to hold. Instead, she held it out, ready to guide it to him if he wanted to drink. "Please, take a drink."
|
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Aug 24, 2021 5:19:18 GMT -6
Ashe gave a series of sounds of protest during her scolding, from snorts to grunts, and the occasional scoff. The sternness in her voice managed to prevent him from actually saying anything else, like a child being scolded by a teacher and all they can do is sit there. He was drunk! This was for sure, and not something he would argue with her, because even he couldn't vocalize such a lie. "On'y....a li'l," He managed, holding up two fingers and having less than an inch of space between them. He was able to be ordered, because it was easier in this case to follow orders when given sternly than to try to act out. The words offered guidance. With his mind swimming, the persuasion of her words were enough.
She was so close. Every fiber of Ashe's being was acutely aware that a woman was within kissing distance. Something nagged at him, saying 'don't act, don't do anything, you can't, she will be so mad at you...' And then the pitfall in his stomach when it came back that she wouldn't care any more. Feeling like he'd been lost in thought for at least twenty minutes, when in reality it was more like twenty seconds, he brought his gaze to the face of his nursemaid. He held still while she dabbed, not wincing when she hit cuts - he was too enraptured by her eyes now to be bothered with drink-numbed pain. "Pretty eyes..." He murmured, sounding completely sober for a moment.
She moved away to get something. He was, on some level, surprised that- had she said, she was meeting him? Were they on a date? Had Ashe forgotten? He tried to process this quickly, try to save a little bit of dignity if he could pretend he'd remembered all along. But the fact was - he was pretty sure they weren't on a date! Surely. Ashe hadn't moved by the time she returned, but he had gotten a slightly rebellious streak worked up. When she wanted him to drink, he turned his head slightly to the side, keeping his eye on her. "Go'n a date w'me," He said. Even drunk, he knew they hadn't dated. But it suddenly seemed like such a grand idea! "'N I'll drink."
|
|
|
|
Post by Nadia on Aug 24, 2021 5:48:47 GMT -6
Flattery. Nadia had to steel herself against it, because it hit her like a punch - she was deeply unaccustomed to it, and it made all the more of an impact with Ashe's face inches away from hers. The most she could do was tut and roll said eyes, hoping that he was too drunk to take notice of her flush darkening and creeping all the way up to her ears.
There was something wrong. What would drive a man to drink himself into a stupor and get himself beaten up? If she had known Ashe to be a drunk, she wouldn't have questioned it, but with their acquaintanceship having been so short, her mind leapt straight to the conclusion of bad news. He had every right to be within his cups, but to endanger himself... it was concerning.
"Where do you intend to take me? Hm?" Her free hand stuffed the handkerchief back into her sleeve and went to pet Dodger's nose. The stallion sniffed into her palm, exhaling hot over the skin. "I shouldn't think you'll be welcome in this establishment. Furthermore, I would think that you would need to be able to walk to take a lady on a date."
|
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Aug 24, 2021 13:50:40 GMT -6
"We wou'n' go 'ere, oo'course," Ashe told her, snorting like he thought it was funny. To him, this was no place to take a lady. Maybe if he had a non-lady-like girlfriend who could drink men under the table and shoot pool, but when Ashe took a woman out, it would be much nicer than a pub. "'N I CAN walk. I jus...prefer no'to." He moved his legs, which had been stretched flat until now, and brought his knees up. He wrapped his arms loosely around the knees to keep them there. He could almost pass for some guy just sitting there - weird, but nothing else - if you didn't look at his face.
"If I too'you out on a date..." He said, piecing the words together carefully so he didn't slur as much, "I woul' 'ave'ta find the righ' spot. A for'es wit' a view, or a beach... Evenin', an' we can stay fo' the sunset. 'N I'll walk you home." He didn't do dates very often. The ones he had, had been with her on Equillion-back, in the woods. He hadn't known how to date and he had learned a lot in trying to impress her. He would use those skills, he thought, on Nadia too. He didn't even stop to question if she would like to be outside, or if she would prefer a nice respectable restaurant with a roof and waiters.
Seeing that Ashe was doing okay, and this girl was being nice and trying to help - though not quite sure she liked the closeness of that strange Equillion with a horn! - Inyala hopped up onto Ashe's shoulder, to both announce her looked-over presence, and to remind Ashe she was there. He leaned his head slightly into the blue demon, his eyes still on Nadia.
|
|
|
|
Post by Nadia on Aug 24, 2021 15:01:49 GMT -6
Nadia frowned with the effort it took to keep up with comprehending him. Ashe wasn't too drunk to be understandable, but it was an uphill struggle with the words slurring, and she was also occupied with keeping an eye out for his movements. Anything too sudden could spell disaster, which was the last thing they needed.
That did also imply that disaster hadn't already struck.
"That is very romantic indeed. Alas, this is not the right spot, nor the right moment," She said, and then allowed a smile to creep onto her face as she held out the bottle again. "If you should even be so lucky as to have my consent. Now, drink, or I shall get cross."
A bit of humour and teasing might've softened him up, she hoped. The flash of blue leaping into frame all of a sudden made her flinch, but she steeled herself, as not to make matters worse. It was a peculiar thing indeed, a species she was not familiar with. Her disposition of fear towards the unknown had her heart thud in her chest. Dodger wasn't impressed either, pushing his head closer to Nadia's shoulder so his horn was plain as day.
"You shouldn't like to see me cross, sir. Best heed me."
|
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Aug 24, 2021 18:51:18 GMT -6
While Ashe had noticed that she hadn't exactly said no, she hadn't said yes, either, and that was what he'd been trying to get in exchange for drinking the water. He didn't feel like drinking water, but here she was trying to make him, so he wanted something out of it. He glanced at the water offered, then back up to her face, and he made half an effort to scowl in a grumpy fashion, like a child not getting his way. Inyala leaned in and made a rhythmic chattering noise, which Ashe seemed to comprehend. He furrowed his brow, then rolled his eyes and relented. He took the bottle and opened it, taking a drink. The blue Imp appeared to care for Ashe, at the very least, and convinced him water was good.
"We can't 'ave ya bein' cross wit' me," he said, as if her petiteness and her soft equillion intimidated him into obedience. He took another drink, his gaze dropping to the ground. He looked a bit thoughtful, a bit sad, but mostly he was concentrating on drinking the water. He took sips, feeling like a big gulp would be too much for his liquid filled stomach.
He'd finished two thirds of the bottle when he spoke again. "What ARE you doin' here, if not goin' on a date wit' me?" he asked, with an eyebrow raised.
|
|
|
|
Post by Nadia on Aug 25, 2021 3:25:27 GMT -6
Ah. The strange blue critter was not to be feared, then - it had been integral in getting Ashe to drink the water, and Nadia was grateful for that. It wouldn't do an awful lot for him with the amount of alcohol already in his system, but it wouldn't harm him, either. With a bit of luck, it would clear his head somewhat.
"I suppose a lady is not allowed to have a hobby?" She teased, as her fingers scratched underneath Dodger's chin. The equillion was making no disguise of glancing between the man, the imp, and the other stallion, just in case anyone wanted to start anything unfortunate. He was hardly violent, but he was protective. "I fancied a ride before settling in for the evening. Taking in the air."
That plan had flown out of the window, but there was no way she was going to leave him there without at least trying to assist.
"I think you should go home, sir."
|
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Aug 25, 2021 14:39:37 GMT -6
Maverick's ears went back, not liking the brown Equillion's 'tone'. He was the one keeping a horn in range of a man on the ground, while he, Maverick, was standing back. The black stallion really didn't care for the audacity, but could find no reason to start a fuss over it. Unlike Ashe, Maverick had a solid head on his shoulders and would think things through. Spirit knew one of them had to! It might as well be the horse. So the ears swept back, the flames rippled, and otherwise he remained stone still.
"I wou' prefer the hobby was me," He said, with a charming grin directed up at her. "Bu' I 'spose a lady may have two hobbies!" He held up two fingers and wiggled them. "I, too, 'ave an Equi'on, for'n evenin' ride." He nodded over at the black stallion, sitting there in flames. He was blending into the night around them as the sun sunk further and further in the sky. The bones stood out, almost glowing, and the green eyes glinted. "Tha's Mav'rick," He said, introducing them. "An' this is 'Yala," He added, leaning his head into his imp. Inyala looked up at Nadia and swept down into a bow politely.
"That, I will not do!" Ashe declared, shaking his head. "The night is young. I have much to do." It seemed the more passionate about something, the clearer he spoke.
|
|
|
|
Post by Nadia on Aug 28, 2021 12:35:14 GMT -6
Nadia only glanced at Maverick once he was mentioned, and then had to do a double take. It was fortunate she had a reasonable grip upon herself that day, because otherwise she might've leapt back or made an exclamation; she hadn't seen a stallion quite like that before. What was of greater surprise, the bones or the eyes?
"Um... g-glad to make your acquaintance, both," She opted for saying, giving both the equillion and the imp a polite nod but refraining from making any other comment. "This one here is Dodger. Excuse his... um, overbearing presence. He is a worrier."
Worrier, indeed. There was no need for him to be getting so involved, but he felt it necessary to keep a physical barrier between Nadia and anything (or anyone) that might try something smart with her, so there was no helping it. Keeping one hand on him kept him soothed to some extent.
"You are not a hobby, you are drunk, and I cannot leave you to amble around in this state!" The sternness was back with a vengeance. "You will not get much done like this. Please, reconsider."
|
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Aug 28, 2021 18:49:15 GMT -6
The girl's reaction didn't slip past Maverick; he was mildly amused at her timings around himself and the imp, seeing how quickly she looked away and how she barely addressed them. It was strange to the stallion, as he was used to Ashe's friends that were used to the aesthetic already. He then wondered what someone like Ashe would be doing making friends with someone like her. How strange. And she hadn't even heard him talk yet. He did, however, give a dip of his horn in response to her greeting.
"Dodgerrr," Ashe said, drawing out the name affectionately. He did enjoy equillion, obviously, and this boy looked super soft, like a brown marshmallow. "No need t'worry, Dodger, we won' hurt you or Nadi. No worries." He held out a hand to the equillion, at first aiming to Pet because who wouldn't try to pet the soft-soft? But he caught himself and offered it to Dodger to sniff instead.
"Nonsense. I will get plenty done," Ashe told her with a light shake of the head. Too hard and he would make the world spin. It might not be worthwhile or productive stuff done, but he was planning on getting stuff done anyway. Like finding another place to purchase another drink or two. "Like dancin' at the Midnight Panther. You ever dance, Nadi?
|
|
|
|
Post by Nadia on Aug 29, 2021 14:32:43 GMT -6
The worrier, as he'd been called, eyed Ashe for a moment. Dodger wasn't one to doubt Nadia's judgement, but it was possible that she was crazy. The man's extended hand was sniffed, and after another brief period of consideration, he decided giving it a light nuzzle was not beyond the realms of possibility.
"There. See, nothing to fear," Nadia cooed, rewarding the stallion with additional scritches under his chin. "Besides, look at him. The man couldn't hurt a fly in such a state."
That was doubtful, but also besides the point. His stubbornness was more of an issue than anything else- if he was going to stumble off and get into his cups again, he could do himself worse damage than a bloody nose. She couldn't, in all good conscience, allow that to happen.
"No, I do not. I have been to said establishment only once... but I met a nice person there. I believe you two are courting, in fact." Blissfully ignorant to the circumstances that had led Ashe there, she spoke. "Vixen? We had daiquiris. Now, please, would you at least take more water..."
|
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Aug 29, 2021 17:36:07 GMT -6
At the nuzzle, Ashe turned his hand with palm facing Dodger and stroked the muzzle slow and gentle. He crooned softly to the stallion, murmuring about what a good boy he was and how soft and good job protecting Nadia. Drunken baby talk, as Ashe was prone to do with his equillion. But he did say something that would be of the level of hearing: "Ignore her, I could hurt a Murp right now if I needed to." Even though Nadia's statement was probably closer to the truth, Ashe had to save face in front of Dodger or some reason. Hopefully he didn't understand Common, or else Ashe might be back on the shit list.
It wasn't until Nadia actually said her name that Ashe realized the dangerous course of the conversation. He was too busy imagining Nadia hanging out at the Panther, a place Ashe danced at and got drunk at and partied hard at. But when she said her name, he tensed up. Well, that was sobering. Suddenly, his mind filled with the games, the chase, the things he and Vix had done behind those closed "staff only" doors. How she danced with him, cleaned up his wounds after a fight. They ruled as king and queen of the hottest parties back in the day.
Abruptly, Ashe hauled himself to his feet. He stumbled once, caught himself, and walked on toward his black steed as if the stumble hadn't happened. He wobbled slightly, but not as much as might be expected. "Let's go, Maverick," he said, putting a hand on the stallions neck, to help balance. The ice cold chill was the main thing keeping him, and Inyala on his shoulder, upright.
"As you wish," Maverick said outlook. His voice was a deep rumble. He dipped his horned head and bent a knee, to better aide a drunken rider. Soon enough, he was up.
|
|
