RP:When The Song Of Friendship Ends

Part of the The Day I Tried To Live Arc

Summary: Alex just so happens to be passing through the shopping district of Cenril as Khitti was getting ready to leave. Things go alright for awhile, but ultimately take a sour turn.

Merchant Street, Cenril

Alex grows increasingly frustrated as his boot digs deeper into Adagio's side to strengthen his grip on the partly torn burlap sack filled with various drums, his back ready to give out at any moment from the stress of trying to heave the possessions from their hostage like hold of Adagio's big, fat belly. "Come on, you fuzzy bastard! I told you, there's food at the bar!" The bear groans an over dramatic tone causing the bard to grit his teeth with a final hefty pull, the sack ripping the rest of the way to send him tumbling over himself into the street with the bangs and bongs of crashing instruments. He isn't down long and soon has hold of both of Adagio's ears, pulling on them tightly forcing the bear to his feet. "Look at what you made me do you lazy overgrown rug! I'll make the next bag out of your fur and you'll look no better than that naked cat you tried to eat in Cenril!" The rant continues for a few seconds before the bear groans again and falls over, Alex huffing in defeat before collapsing onto the bear's side, Rattimus making his appearance from the tuft of fur behind Adagio's neck and scurrying over to the downed bard to lick at his sweaty cheek. "I'm tellin' you Rat, we've got to find better help." His words are taunting but the free hand moving to scratch at the dire bear's back speaks a different story entirely. The bright blue eyes of the bard watching the passers by as they judge him and the mess he and his band of beasts have made. "Watch your step", he's sure to command, ensuring the safety of his toys.

The words ‘come on you fuzzy bastard’ hit her ears first as she exited the music shop, even over all of the din from the main street in Cenril, before anything else being shouted by the bard did. Books of sheet music in hand--that she’d finally decided to buy after a few days of deliberating--the vampiress darted through the crowd until she happened upon that ever so tired and hungry bear, the rat, and their owner, “ALEX. You son of a bitch.” Oh, that probably isn’t good. She looked a little upset; a bit of a mixture of concern and anger, it seemed. “Vhere in zhe seven frakkin’ hells have you been?!” Yeah, probably more anger than concern, for the moment at least.

Alex is quite used to his name being shouted in anger. In fact, now that I think about it, that's the only way it's ever shouted. The bard rolls his head to the side to look over at his aggressor before the accent has a chance to register. The smug look of contempt vanishes in an instant as his lips part a sliver while his gaze turns to one of astonishment. Leaning forward to pick himself up he holds his left palm out to Rattimus instructing the rodent to stay while blue eyes narrow to fixate on Khitti, a thorough examination since he is unsure if the sight before him was real or not. The approach is slow, long black locks atop of his head pushed away for further clarity to confirm his suspicions that this was not a fantasy. This sudden affirmation of reality sets the bard's body in complete motion as he sprints to Khitti and throws his arms around her allowing absolutely no window of time for her to deflect or contest his embrace. And then, he weeps.

Khitti is...hugged? And cried on. This is not what she expected. After all, he -is- the one that ran away. There’s a bit of eyebrow raising made in his direction and a few pats given to his shoulder, trying to comfort the raven-haired male somewhat. It must be odd for people to see this: a rather tall man hanging all over and sobbing on the much shorter and thinner female. Khitti takes it in stride though, eventually sighing heavily as she attempted to pry herself out of his grasp and take a step back. The redhead opened her mouth, as if to say something, and yet, despite wanting to yell at him more, could find no words, so she only sighed again and shifted dark olive green eyes towards the street, clutching her music books more closely. Now that the moment of yelling had passed, she suddenly felt the need to be withdrawn, an unhappy frown lining her lips.

Alex could sense the discomfort and confusion in Khitti's posture but he didn't let it stop him from releasing the built up tension he felt in his chest. The human reluctant but willing to release her as she pried herself away and moved a step or two back. He's quick to turn away and wipe away at his eyes to clean himself up and at this point Adagio has risen from his laze to stumble over to Khitti, pausing only to give Alex a sniff before trying to lick the vampire's hand, Rattimus of course in tow. The bard gives a shaken sigh with his back to the woman and directs his line of sight to the drums scattered across the road. The urge to gather them up is strong but he knows it might be taken as a sign of... well, he doesn't know, something ill. So instead he gives himself a few more seconds to calm down and then turns to face the red haired woman, his expression much more somber and clean if not with stained cheeks. "The woods. The swamps. The rivers, the oceans, the burrows, the darks, the taverns, the graveyards, the barracks, the castles and my frozen home." He recalls, the speed of his voice picking up as he continues. "Everywhere." It wasn't a lie, the answer was genuine. Since the end of the war, Alex had been through a lot, most of it is blacked out by addiction or spotted from binge drinking but he manages to pull the most important memories to mind. It had been so long since he'd seen Khitti, he'd almost forgotten her face. Every night when he laid to rest, intoxicated or not, it would appear just behind his eye lids at the front of his mind but over time the features grew fainter and fainter. The man grew curious if he'd come across her again, the call of the void insisting she'd left the land in body or spirit one that often invaded his thoughts and yet now here she stands and he finds himself feeling more isolated than before. That feeling in his chest shakes with each passing breath as he looks toward her to examine the expression she carries. It looks like a blend of anger and confusion, a look he'd learned well from others. Tempted, his temper begins to rise and he feels the urge to lash out against her to deflect his own blame but the fallout that would proceed is a lesson he's learned far too many times. No, Alex would bite on his tongue, straighten his back and stand ready to accept whatever it is Khitti has to say to his next question, "Where did you think I'd gone?"

Khitti’d been through a lot too, but she wasn’t about to tell Alex that just yet. The war, fighting with Amarrah -and- getting rid of her, studying her necromancy, dealing with the problems that came with being with Dominic and Brand and Dominic's subsequent disappearance, helping the Warrior’s Guild--it all took it’s toll on her. And yet, somehow, she was still here. It had helped that she still had people on her side...at least it seemed like she did anyway, and for now that was good enough. “I don’t know, Alex. I knew you veren’t dead, at least. Vith as many places as -I’ve- been, I’d’ve felt it.” She watched as the usual crowd of people down this road went by, some eyeing them, others eyeing his stuff on the ground. Some kid stupid enough to reach for Alex’s belongings was promptly dealt with via a small ball of purple and black shadow-fire, the tiny bit of magic thrown at the kid’s feet. A much larger ball of flames was summoned up, purely as a threat, and the teen, who had considered retaliating against Khitti, took off instead. The necromancer was certainly different now. She wasn’t as anxious and flighty, had plenty more confidence...and well...a whole lot of fire, in both the vigor sense and the magic one. “Vhy didn’t you come find me? I got into zhat whole var for -you-, if you recall.” Nevermind the fact that that’s how she met Brand and it likely wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

Alex has a half-hearted smile when Khitti scares the little brat off with her pyromancy before it fades to provide a look of utter confusion at her final question. "I could ask you the same thing couldn't I?" The tone is almost insulting but he finds himself correcting it promptly, "During and after the war I was in a bad place. To be honest, I don't remember a lot of it because I was so *explicit* up all the time and crashing wherever my body fell. To be blunt, if it wasn't for Adagio here, I would be dead. The bozo managed to keep me warm and breathing." Adagio is still interested in Khitti and groans loudly at the mention of his name. "That entire experience changed me. I left my home to leave a life of war behind and then I find it knocking on my doorstep yet again a million miles away. I was useless. I love Frostmaw and her people and yet I was discriminated against and hated because of my race, forced out and even when I wanted to help I was too weak to contribute anything helpful. What was I going to do, sing them to death?" Ironic since he was actually getting closer to that little talent. "I had to find myself. I went about it in probably the worst possible way and even though I sometimes feel like I'm still searching, I do believe I've discovered that there's more to life than war and self absorption... and abuse." Alex shrugs and moves to start collecting up his drums as best as he can in the torn sack, clearly not holding them all. "I've thought about you ever night since the last time we saw each other... and to be honest, I did look for you. Maybe it was the drugs or booze but I decided after a while that if you wanted to be found you wouldn't have been so well hidden. After the war I went from having a best friend and protector to sleeping in ditches and eating out of the garbage. Hell, I basically live in Gamorg at this point..." He leaves out the bit about being a professor at the college. That was still a whole new thing and he wasn't quite sure how he was doing and preferred not to jinx it. "I'm sorry."

Crimson brows furrowed as he posed that question and goes on to explain his side of things, her line of sight trailing away from him and back to the ground as she clung to those sheet music books again. She was silent for a bit, even after he’d stopped speaking, carefully chewing on her bottom lip, pondering on whether or not she should even tell him. “I vas...kidnapped by a dragon, not long after zhe var ended--me and a bunch of other mages, zhat is. Some from Frostmaw, during zhe var, some from Xalious, others from Kelay-Sage. After zhat, zhere vas more trouble...because it always follows me.” She moved to lean against the nearest building, giving a few pats to Adagio before she goes, her back sliding down the wall ever so carefully so that she came to sit on the ground. “It’s better zhat you vere off ‘finding yourself’. I probably vould’ve gotten you hurt--or worse.” Her thoughts trail back to just a week or so ago, back to the Shadow Plane, her frown worsening.

Alex looks over his shoulder while collecting the drums to loft a brow in an expression of pure confusion at the vampire's revelation, he was unsure if she was having a joke at his expense or trying to counter his own story with something unbelievable to hint that she wasn't buying his own but as he watches her slide down the wall he finds himself believing her story. "Mages, eh?" He knew little about magic, much -much- less than any mage he'd ever met so he wasn't sure what severity her encounter may have carried but judging by the look on her face he assumed the worst. "Well, if it's any consolation, I appreciate you not having me killed off." A joke, carrying his old tone of humor as he lifts himself up with the torn burlap sack held like a bedsheet containing all of the drums. Making his way to the downed woman he stops beside Adagio to tie the sack to his saddle before lifting up Rattimus and moving to Khitti, the rodent placed on her shoulder so he can give her the loving licks he'd been craving. The bard sliding into place beside her to look out into the street, "It sounds like we've both been to bad places then."

Khitti saw that look of confusion and likely disbelief, but she said nothing of it. Didn’t matter if he didn’t believe her, it happened anyway. “Yeah. Something like that.” She sighed, watching the seemingly endless crowd of people go by, “Everything’s different now -- everyone is different. It’s all happened so fast and I’ve barely had time to sit down and zhink about it all.” And now that she -was- thinking about it, she didn’t want to anymore. Khitti could feel the sadness, regret, and heartache coming on, but she pushed it away. If she didn’t bottle it up, everything was going to crumble -- -she was going to crumble. Instead of dwelling on it, she looked down at her new books, opening up the top one and flipping through the pages of sheet music. “I found out I can mix my magic vith music, “ she’d say at length, in an attempt to change the subject. “I don’t know if I ever got around to it before, I’m still a bit ashamed of it, even if it’s my own magic now zhat Amarrah’s gone, but I’m a necromancer. I especially didn’t vant to tell you, seeing as how I know how you feel about undead.” Khitti chewed the inside of her lip anxiously, whatever confidence she’d had in her was gone now. “I don’t really raise zhe dead, zhough. It’s a last resort. Didn’t do it at all during zhe var. But, anyway--” she paused, shaking her head, trying to get back on topic “--I found out I can soothe spirits, vhich I vas doing for a time up in Frostmaw, in zhe ruined city. I’m zhinking about going to zhat college zhe Bard’s Guild leader has made.”

Alex hadn't noticed the absence of the butterfly, the length of absence between the duo and his binges causing the insect to fade from his memory but the name being uttered flips a light switch in his mind cause his gaze to look over the top of Khitti half expecting to find Amarrah there. The topic of music pulls his interest back to her and a smile pulls at his lips when she confesses to be a defiler of the dead, he allows her to finish; "Well, Kat, while I may be a coward when it comes to those with pointed fangs and or rotting flesh, I've learned not to discriminate. The red headed girl I dated for a brief period upon arriving here was a necromancer if memory serves and you being one will hardly cause me to lose any sleep. I have no right to judge you or your talents. As for those talents, music is something I can relate too. As for the college, It might be a great fit for you. If you can handle all the super regal decor and constant sounds, both wonderful and terrible. I would know. I'm a professor there." He laughs at the title and his skin turns pink in a blush. Alex was indeed a professor at the college, specifically for the guitar but his only pupil thus far had been Pilar and they'd had but a single class. Out of the many months he'd gotten his title, he'd mainly just taken advantage of the free food and bed. That said, he took the job seriously and did his best to spread his knowledge to those that cared to listen.

“Yeah, vell, Mr. Hotshot Professor, you still owe me violin lessons. I learned a bit in zhat dragon cave, as she vas kind enough to give ‘her pets’ something do vhile ve sat around in jars all day. Zhat’s how I got my sister’s violin back. Turns out zhe damned dragon’s had it all zhese years since I pawned it and I guess it’s even enchanted too. Probably vhy my magic vorks vith it.” She shrugged a bit, eyeing the pages before her, “I zhink I need more help vith vriting zhan anything at zhe moment, zhough.” No butterfly made itself known as she spoke and she didn’t bring it up again. “I vrote a song for someone but it’s not quite finished yet. It’s all up here too.” A hand raised up and tapped the side of her head.

Alex watches Khitti with admiration as she speaks though his smile is a clear indication at his confusion of her story, the man had no idea what she was rambling on about and yet he had no reason to question her or the details so he simply sits with the smile until she's finished and tapping at her skull. "I'd be happy to help you if you'd have me. That is, if you can handle me being in charge of something, it can get a little hard to follow, the ramblings of a recovering addict and all." He reaches his hand out with an open palm, "May I?" he asks in hopes of thumbing through her purchased books before following up, "What kind of song? Loss? Love? -Murrrrrder-?" his tone playful as he extends the last word.

It didn’t take much or very long for Khitti to realize that Alex wasn’t really paying attention. Whatever smile she held slowly disappeared and was promptly replaced with a disappointed frown. “You know, I really should be getting back to zhe ship.” There was a rather intent scrutiny of him now as she eyed him, taking the books back from him and not at all answering his questions--especially about the topic of the song. That bit about murder? Yeah, she didn’t take it too kindly. Not that he -knew- about that fact that she might’ve actually murdered someone while he was off galavanting around on drugs--a few people actually. To be fair though, two of those people were Amarrah’s fault. The other -was- Amarrah, heh. The books are snapped shut rather quickly and she’s standing again, taking a few steps away from him, letting Rattimus hop off of her shoulder before she was fully vertical again. “You, um, take care, Alex. I’m sure ve’ll meet again eventually.”

Alex is actually surprised as he watches Khitti jump to her feet and the expression upon his face turns from interest to foul as he waves to his hand in dismissal to her claim. "You know what Kat, *explicit* it. It's clear there's some sort of significant barrier between the two of us. A year ago, you would have never told me to "take care" because you damn well knew better." The bard picks himself up using the wall and spits to the feet of the vampire while jerking on the neck fur of the bear to force him to come his way. "Everything else has changed so drastically, I don't know why in the *explicit* I expected our relationship to be any different. I hope whatever trials you faced gave you the answers you were looking for because to me they were one hundred percent god damn worthless. As for our meeting again, I'm sure you'll find a meaningless god damn corpse." He decrees with a snarl, while securing his rodent and mounting Adagio and making his leave with little else given to the vampire. It was clear, the duo weren't close any longer. Alex had trusted their bond far too much for it to be broken by her experience, but granted the human had minimal knowledge of what she'd been through. The only thing his absent mind could comprehend was another friend was clocking out on him and this time - it was his last one. *explicit* them. He didn't need any of them. He'd set his own path, he was going to teach and regardless of how he felt on the inside, he was going to do it well. He swallowed to stomach the near hatred in his heart - Alex felt alone and truth be told, he was. To hell with them. He'd make his own path.

Khitti could only stare at Alex as he rambled on far more than she had at any point during her conversation. The difference is that she heard every word he said. Another difference, is that she didn’t shout back at him. Once upon a time, not so long ago, Khitti probably would’ve lashed out back at Alex, whether verbally or physically. But, she just stood there, the faintest hint of amusement dancing about in those olive green eyes.

You know, they say that after spending such a long time with someone, that an individual can take on another person’s qualities. In Alex’s case, he was acting rather like a those ogres he’s been living with in Gamorg, all hot-headed and grumpy and whatnot. Khitti, well… She’d been around Amarrah for a long time. A -very- long time. As Alex threw his child-like temper tantrum, Khitti wondered how easy it’d be to kill him. How many people would miss him? Certainly not a bunch of ogres; they could find any old bard and be right as rain. She could make those nightmares of his come true. Just like he’d thought, someone of the undead community would kill him. Maybe she’d even used his skull as a goblet and drink that blood of his from it? And what if he was right? What if next time she found him, he was dead in a ditch somewhere? Well, things could be arranged with that too, you know. Khitti is a necromancer after all. There was the barest hint of a malevolent grin as Alex stormed off elsewhere, but the redhead soon composed herself and returned to the Tranquility.