RP:I love livin' in the city

Gualon Grogshop

Music from a flautist sitting in the corner greets your ears as you enter. The smell of old and new liquor rushes into your face, making you reel for a few seconds. The bar to your West is an enormous hunk of wood carved out of what looks to be a tree from the swamp North of here, and has been sanded and buffed to a glossy shine. High stools stand in front of it, occupied or waiting for an occupant. The main floor area is taken up by small tables on which card games are being played. This seems like a nice place and you stay for a drink or two. When you leave here your choices are North, to Gualon Way; or South, to Arena Avenue.

Stryder was sitting alone in a crude chair with his feet propped up on the table before him. A glass of ale clinched tightly in his right hand as he rocked the chair. His blue eyes scanned the pub finding all of the orcs and slummy barbarians rather distasteful to his likings. The man took another deep chug of his poison as he kept his free hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword. A rather uneventful day had become another boring evening of drinking and watching drunks. The human was growing bored of this local and was getting ready to head to the small settlement of Kelay in hopes of finding something a bit more interesting. That is, until a newcomer appeared at the entrance.

Lisi pushed open the door to the tavern letting the breeze of the winter air help push her in. As the door shut, she opened her eyes, which were squinted from the cold, to see the inside of the tavern. It was full of its usual guests, none of which ever offered her a single thing, no matter how revealing she was. She slipped the cloak off of herself and hung on a makeshift coat rack by the door, leaving her with just her corset, fishnet sleeves and pants. The feline strod over to the bar, sat at the stool on the very end and looked over her speckled shoulder, finding a man looking back at her.

Stryder kept his eyes locked onto the newcomer and to his surprise found it to be a female. Not many of those around the swamps of Gualon. As the feline slipped her coat from her body a single thin brow arched as Stryder's face seemed to come to life. Perhaps tonight wasn't going to be so boring after all. The man lifted his glass and downed the rest of its contents before slamming the empty bottle on the table as he lowered his feet. Standing up he kept his hand on the hilt of his blade and used his right to navigate through the horde of the Grogshop. Pressing each patron to the side and each snarl responded to with a roll of his eyes. The human reached the bar beside the female and pushed himself up into a stool beside her with his back against the counter and his eyes out to the crowd. "Well hello there, What is a lovely little woman like yourself doing out here in the slums?" His gaze slipping to the woman as a coy smile is presented.

Lisi rolled her eyes back to the bar in front of her and turned her head away as she saw the man get up from his seat and begin to make his way to her. She smiled to herself, knowing she'd be able to get something out of this one. She could tell by the way he walked, the way he looked, he had a bit of gold to offer. As he placed himself beside her, Lisi looked at him with her emerald eyes, "I'd ask the same of you." She replied to him, shifting her body to face him, placing a hand on her hip, and resting the other on the bar surface.

Stryder jerked his head back a bit and tilted his head. "You'd ask what a lovely little woman such as myself is doing out here?" His head dropped down as he scanned over himself in search of breasts or other womanly evidence. He simply shrugged as he laughed his own joke off. His blue eyes locking with her own emerald ones as he twitched his nose at the smell of her. She had a strange scent. One most of the Feline race carried. He liked it and hated it all at the same time. It was a strange topic. Reaching into his bag he pulled out a glass of ale and then another. Popping the top on his own he proceeded to take a long swig of the alcohol and sighing at the bite of the drink before holding up the spare to Lisi. "Thirsty?"

Lisi laughed at him. "Of course not. Not a fine looking man like yourself." She said to him, eyeing him as he did her. She let her ears relax and her tail started to sway. The feline looked down at the ale he offered, and she smiled. Good start, she thought, and took the drink from the man. She watched him drink before taking small swing herself. She gritted her teeth from the bite of the beverage and then smiled lightly at him. "So, you look like you can hold off well in a fight, all nice and strong." The feline placed herself closer to him and peered down at his sword, then back up at him. It seemed like this man was taking a liking to her, which was good. She'd been spending too many nights alone.

Stryder took another sip of his ale as he let his eyes slowly fan up and down Lisi's body. The man admiring her form and getting particularly excited about her corset of choice. At her compliment a simply grin is given as he proceeds to joke once more. "Yeah, Pretty much I'm the strongest thing to walk the face of this world. Killed seven demi-gods, an ascendi and even took a punch at Sven once. He went running." Running his tongue across the front of his teeth Stryder chuckled. "So how about you tell me what you're really out here for? Apart from digging for gold?" Stryder's gaze held playful. He knew this woman's game. Yet little did she know he played for the same team. A womanizer and a general bastard when it came to love, Stryder couldn't help but lead her on for a bit.

Lisi shook her head playfully at him as he explained himself. "Oh I'm sure." She said, taking another drink from the ale. She ran her hand through her dark brown hair, turnin to face the bar. Her tail arched a little, the flicked itself back to normal. What was she doing out here? The feline wasn't sure. She'd just kept wandering around the past few days, after hearing about what happened to the ogre. She rested her elbows on the bar, then placed her chin in cupped hands. Something bothered her about it. To anyone else, he was just a beast, a monster. But he'd saved her from being torn alive in that cave. And despite being thrown in a prison cell, choked to the verge on unconsciousness, and being ordered around as his slave, he did have his kind and softer moments. He let her go before he'd run off, and it was the last she'd seen him. She wish she would have said something while in the healer's home. "Looking to get away." She said simply.

Stryder took note of the felines sudden change of mood, a frown presenting itself as she spoke. Perhaps it was just another boring night after all. He raised his hand and patted her on the back. "Well good luck getting away in the city of barbarians champ. Have fun." The human would then turn and chug the rest of his ale before tossing the empty bottle into the crowd. Smashing it across a humans head. The angered patron glared to Stryder who simply shrugged and pointed to a near by orc and a smile came across his face as the two began to fight. His interest in Lisi had dropped severely. He had no want for this drama, all he wanted was some love. Some sloppy, careless, time wasting love.

Lisi blushed as the man patted her back, and sat up when he started to walk away. This man was going to be difficult, and she hadn't worked so hard for a man in a long time. The rush of a chase was starting flow through her. Maybe this was the thing she needed to let go of the weight she had on her chest. She sneered at him, then smiled as she yelled out to him through the crowd of now stir crazy bar goers, "You wanna help me get away, big guy?"

Stryder couldn't help but smile as her voice reached his ears. Game. Set. Match. The human turned to the woman and extended his leather-bound hand. "But of course. Let's find some place, Quiet shall we?" A wicked grin appearing as he awaited the feline to take the extended appendage.

Lisi smirked at him. Her leopard tail swayed in excitement. She looked down at his hand then back up at him before placing her small hand in his. Her eyes met his, and she wondered what kind of ideas the man had in mind. It was part of the fun, though, not knowing what the other is thinking. By the look of him, he seemed to be the same kind of person as her. She couldn't help but wonder what he knew.

Stryder smirked as he jerked Lisi up and wrapped his right arm around her waist. Escorting her out of the grogshop through the crowd of barbarians. A soft chuckle as he whispered beneath his breath. "I love livin' in the city."