RP:Back In Town

From HollowWiki

Summary: Irenic and Meri run into each other after a very long time. The last time Meri saw Irenic, he was being hauled away by guards.

Sea Breeze

Irenic hasn’t got a clue as to what he thinks he’s doing. He hates Larket and Cenril isn’t too far down on the list of hate lately, but his dumbass is flying there for no other reason than stupid ones! Of course he can’t keep away, it’s like a scab he’s gotta pick at. So, he’s just going to casually run into his late wife again… and then what? Huh? Genius. Anyone hanging around the beach will see a fire in the night sky in a controlled trajectory and this causes a few to worry maybe, until the mass gets larger and they can tell that whatever it is, isn’t moving fast. Soon enough a shirtless man lands, dusty blonde hair being smoothed back by the Phoenix avian’s large hand. The man looks young, no more greying around his temples, no crows feet etched there either, no scars on his face or torso and no tattoos for that matter. He takes something that’s hanging from the back pocket of his black slacks and matching silver colored eyes glance around after he puts the simple short serve grey shirt on. Remembering the direction of the bar and contemplating on stopping for a drink… he hasn’t had one since his rise from the ashes.


Meri is standing outside at the present moment, currently working on securing her shop for the night so that she can head home with. At her feet sits a child. Meri is not the one that initially notices the flaming bird-man, it is her daughter that actually spots this and brings it to her mother's attention by pointing and babbling. She was old enough to formulate words, but not old enough to put together a sentence complex enough to really explain what she is seeing. Fleur does not seem scared, instead she is saying things like 'fire!' and 'pretty'...At least until Irenic actually lands. The girl then lets her disappointment be known by crying, as children do. Irenic's crime? There is no more fire. Now Meri has to deal with two things, a crying child and some dude who evidently can turn into an inferno. Meri does not recognize him though, and she does not go out of her way to greet him either. Mom life is rough. Once the door to her gallery is locked, the blonde swoops up the raven-haired girl and plants her upon her hip. "Oh shush your fussing," the werewolf says, her tone not a particularly harsh one. Just...what does one say to a toddler currently having a one of their more unreasonable melt downs? While Meri might be a werewolf now, the blonde pretty much looks the same she did the day that she and Irenic last saw each other, down to her manner of dress. She's might be a mom, but she still looks and dresses like she could pack a mean punch. Irenic though, he looks different. This contributes to why Meri does not notice him. She's also not able to identify him by scent, due to the fact that well...she was not a werewolf the last time they saw each other.


Irenic would always smell like whoever’s favorite scent, nothing particularly distinguishing about him. His voice is the same brash and gravely timbre as he bellows an obnoxious guffaw before walking towards the blonde, “my eyes deceive me! Belle femme?!” That devious smirk spreads across his angular features and reveal not so crooked teeth - they were actually nice and straight. Trotting over to her and looking down at the new addition in her arms, “well look at this. Ahah, and who is this cutie?” Unusual for such a (lack of a better word) prick of a man, he adores children and is quite pleasant with them. We all remember Quizzical (Irenic never forgets). Those striking silver colored eyes pick up on the features the child has inherited from her mother, “this is your doing?” Bending a little to accommodate their height difference and tittering a wave at the kiddo with a grin on his face, “she’s beautiful Meri.” He says in a way that says ‘look at this awesome thing! Props!’ Irenic definitely would’ve wrapped Meri in a bear hug when he seen her, but probably not a good idea while she’s holding a toddler.


Sorry Irenic, despite a very valiant effort...the toddler is currently only impressed by fire. Fleur does not give much of a reaction, but she does manage to slowly stop her fussing. Which is all that Meri can -really- ask for. The fact that Irenic was standing before Meri was both surprising, and also unsurprising. "The last I saw you, you were being hauled away by guards. I cannot say that I am surprised that they did not manage to keep you locked up forever..." I mean, he does have wings to fly away if he got half the chance...! "But you look different." Which is stated quite matter-of-factly, as Meri was really just stating the obvious right now. "Yup. I did this. Callum helped. Her name is Fleur." It is probably not very shocking to Irenic that Meri is not very chatty. In this current moment, seeing Irenic was a bit to wrap her head around. She was also trying to process which questions would probably be appropriate. She's not sure things like 'how are you' or 'what have you been up to since I last saw you' would be appropriate. 'How was jail' was definitely a nope. Meri finally settles on a more cautious, "Are you still wanted?" Blue eyes tip skyward, half expecting guards to swoop down from the air like they did the last time.


Irenic shrugs half heartedly, “no not forever, but just a couple years until I was executed by guillotine.” The avian states such a nightmare way to be executed with a soft grin still on his face. “I’m just as surprised as you,” he was honestly ready to just be at rest because he’d lived a long and dastardly life, but his time in Lithrydel caused him to really feel the ache in his bones. Irenic’s smiles down at her daughter again, “hi there miss Fleur.” Placing his fist over his heart and bowing to her in his own traditional greeting, “my name is Irenic.” He holds his arms out with his hands palm side up, “no idea, they probably assume I’m dead. At least they looked pleased when I was still staring up at them from the head basket for a truly terrifying several seconds.” Seems Irenic hasn’t quite left the basket with the way he’s so blasè about his own horrible death. “What are you up to these days?” In the back of his mind, he is wondering if she knows Valrae is alive, but if she did know - Meri isn’t the type to talk about it. A woman of action and few words.


Meri was indeed a woman of action and few words, but that was not the only reason that the blonde would not freely offer up information about Valrae. If Irenic were to brave inquiring directly about his ex-wife, he would soon find that there is nothing but salt in Meri's voice. "Oh," Meri states in response to the execution portion. It's not a bid to be awkward, but Irenic is not the first person she has known to come back from the dead. Meri has learned that...it is not a subject that people appreciate speaking freely about. Fleur let's Irenic know about how much she cares about his name. Spoiler: it's not a lot. While the toddler does not share her cousin's chicken obsession, she currently does seem to be interested in Irenic's wings, but for different reasons. Fleur is currently pointing at said wings and repeating 'fire, fire, fire.' Does this cause Meri to be alarmed? Yeah, just a bit. She's definitely trying to play it cool though. "Trying to stay busy, like usual. Just instead of tattooing people and running that shop in Larket, I am out in Cenril. Also leading the Adventurer's Guild...While trying to raise a daughter who is both witch and werewolf. At least I have Callum to help with that last one." She is certain, given Irenic's connection to Valrae, that the avain will understand the double whammy in that statement.


Irenic glances her way and gives a sort of surprised blinking second look like that guy from the gif we all like that people think is Cary Elwes, but isn’t. Letting out a low whistle, “by someone’s gods Meri… that’s a lot.” His gaze switches from her to the shop and back again, “good. Larket sucks…. I hate Larket.” If Irenic says it enough, maybe it will be Fleur's first sentence. In a way, the avian does end up talking about his late wife, or ex wife? It’s quite a grey area, “that last day. You came to,” hesitant to call that place his home, “Valrae’s. Did you come to say your goodbyes or anything? I felt like you didn’t even get a moment to say anything at all before I was hauled off. I’m, uh… sorry by the way.” It was uncomfortable for him to apologize, “I had been grieving and just gave up. You didn’t need to see that.” He chuckles at Fluer, “maybe you’ll get to see them again when I fly off.” Being able to tell Meri’s discomfort with her daughter’s desire for the chaos of fire.


Meri is certain that Fleur has heard both mom and pop mutter the sentence 'I hate Larket', one way or another their daughter is bound to adopt their sentiments. Mention of Valrae has Meri frowning, the blonde is not entirely sure how Irenic feels about the woman so she is mindful of her wording. "At the time, yes. Much has happened since that day though...She was a ghost for a time. Some of us saw her, but for some reason the person Valrae attached herself to the most was Lionel." Meri cannot help but roll her eyes when she is forced to explain this. "Several witches banded together to gather these crystal skulls, I helped both Lanara and Talyara collect their skulls. Once they were all collected, we used them to bring her back from the dead. Well, after Hudson and I found a suitable replacement body for her soul to inhabit, at least. She does not look like the same woman that you knew, and these days she tends to mask her appearance with glamor spells. What she is doing? I don't know. And honestly? I don't care anymore." It sounded like there was more that Meri could say, but she was keeping her tongue in check for Irenic's sake.


Irenic knows some of this. “Yeah. Ran into her and I uh, thought she was some deranged fan of her work or something. Ended up shaking her and shouting at her. Not my finest moment,” how else would someone react to a stranger being like ‘oh yeah, I’m your dead wife.’ There is still a sinking feeling he gets in his chest when he’s reminded that she moved on, but what else was she supposed to do? “Guess her ghost couldn’t attach itself to her husband who was on the other side of the world in a torture chamber,” a short chuckle given as he rubs the back of his neck, but he can’t help the awkwardness that fills this moment. Fact is, he wasn’t good enough. “I get it, I mourned my wife and accepted her death, I know she’s not the same person anymore,” he grins down at Meri. Unexpectedly, his brow knit together and not to entirely change the subject, he asks, “Meri… are you okay?” A kid, a leader, werewolf (he’s assuming) and a business owner stands before him, but it is a genuine question of concern for his friend.


This conversation was indeed awkward, but it sometimes has to be had. The fact that Irenic was asking if she was okay as Meri lifting a brow out of surprised. A smirk pulls at her lips as she replies in a rather sardonic manner, "Heartbroken, actually. Talking of Valrae is just a horrible and painful experience. You're actually going to have to excuse me so that I can go cry now." Cue another roll of her eyes, the blonde has always been a bit on the feisty said, eh? "In all honesty though...? I'm fine. Life is great. I've got a beautiful daughter. A business. A roof over my head. It's just the current subject matter, unfortunately. Valrae's just an ex-friend who has left me with not enough pleasant memories to be able to speak fondly of her." Yet Meri is also trying to not speak too negatively, just enough to express her current opinion on the witch. She's not dreadfully interested in sliding into a slam session against Valrae. "In all seriousness though...? I do need to be heading home." Meri gives the child on her hip a bit of a bounce, "Mini-me has a bed time she needs to adhere to. Cranky and rampaging toddlers pale in comparison to cranky and rampaging werewolf toddlers." Not that Meri really has that much experience to talk about. She still only likes a handful of kids, one of them luckily being her own. Emphasis on luckily.