A night of feasting and dancing

[geartopia]

⊙

Who: Everyone (guests and non-guests alike)
Where: Geartopia
Summary: Party at the Thirsty Mare Tavern for booze and dancing and everyone's invited!
Warnings: Cowboys and Gears and Parties and Booze but mostly Booze
EVENT INFO: Read about it here if you're a new comer!

With the issue still unresolved as the days passed by, the Visitors and the Guests of Geartopia were reaching a peak as more of them appeared from the time rifts. Morale could plummet, but the mayoress would never allow that.

Thankfully, the city itself was hospitable and welcoming to all. The villagers that composed it were a colorful cast, after all. Perhaps drowning your sorrows in booze and a night of dancing would be helpful. Don't worry about the kids... well, there aren't any age limits here after all (...wait...)!

The Thirsty Mare was a large building that could hold the entire town if it needed to do so. Carved out of wood from the nearby forest with the permission of the Ancient Spirits, it rose above Geartopia like a protective beacon. It was a new building as well, no older than ten years, thus new even to the heroes who had come here before. A symbol of the growing economy and peace all around them, it was half town hall, half tavern.

At night? Definitely a tavern.

Cages of fireflies are hung up in the air, as pieces of moss and leaves are strung decoratively against the large heavy trees forming the building's skeleton. Lighting is provided with gas lamps hung around and a gigantic crystal chandelier in the middle.

To the left, a bar seats a few patrons who get tired of dancing, serving drinks for all. Don't worry; it's on the house tonight. At the far off of the hall, a giant table had been prepped with food: entire turkeys, beans (everyone loves beans here, it's quite magical), rye bread, corn, apple pie and sugar pie.

And the alcohol is definitely felt tonight, as the musicians (two wolves and what looks like a bear) settle in and begin playing. Most serious work could be held off until tomorrow, after all.

For now, have some fun! Try not to get drunk too much, the Cactus Juice here is pretty potent...

Comments

[bondsofsuffering]

Well, like I said, I've mostly been killing time there. Having someone around who understands--

It's kind of a relief.

[And he's being completely honest, here. Ayumu should understand it just as well--

The fact that in all of their world, only Hizumi could fully understand Ayumu, just as Ayumu could only fully understand Hizumi.]

[melodyoflogic]

[He smiles a bit. He was starting to get that, just a little. They thought on a similar wavelength, didn't they?

His earlier desire to solve the problems of both the Blade Children and Hizumi hadn't changed, even if the situation had. And because of that, this place was a boon. It would buy him time.... and maybe more options.]

I'll try my best not to disappoint.

[As long as he could get through that gateway....]

[bondsofsuffering]

[Oh, Ayumu. As if you could disappoint. After all, Hizumi's only been waiting to meet you for a few years now.]

Something like this deserves to be celebrated, don't you think?

Ah, I've got the perfect idea!

[And in less than a second, he is flagging down a bartender. Yep, this is happening now.]

[melodyoflogic]

[Hizumi what are you doing.]

And what idea is that?

[He has a guess, but....]

[bondsofsuffering]

[The answer comes in the form of a mug of cactus juice sliding right in front of Ayumu. These bartenders are well-practiced.]

We've just gotta have a toast!

[Completely and totally necessary, all of this. Hizumi's already got his own mug raised.]

[melodyoflogic]

[....Was he ever going to lay off about that?]

Didn't I say--

[melodyoflogic]

[And then the bartender gives him an insulted look, cutting off his words.

....Damn it.]

[He reaches out and takes the mug in hand, not wanting to start anything.]

....Fine.

[bondsofsuffering]

[Nice try, Ayumu. Hizumi nudges Ayumu's mug with his own.]

Cheers!

[And, by virtue of that, bottoms up!]

[melodyoflogic]

Cheers. [He's going to get you back for this, Hizumi. He nudges his mug halfheartedly against Hizumi's, opting to take a small swig for appearances sake, watching as the bartender goes back to their job at last.

...Eugh. This stuff was....]

[bondsofsuffering]

[It takes a bit longer for Hizumi to finish his own drink, having more or less chugged down the rest of his, but it doesn't take a whole lot for him to notice Ayumu's expression.]

Told you it was strong!

[melodyoflogic]

[He sets the mug down, a sip being enough to assure that he's definitely not touching that stuff again, pissed off bartender or not.]

And yet you drank the whole thing.

[bondsofsuffering]

Sometimes it's not just about the taste.

[melodyoflogic]

I don't think anyone drinks stuff like this for the taste.

[bondsofsuffering]

See? You're learning already!

[melodyoflogic]

[It's not like it's hard to guess.

He needed something to get rid of that awful taste.]

I'm going to get another piece of pie.

[Aaaaand he's pushing himself up from his seat. He'll be right back, don't worry.]

[bondsofsuffering]

[Hizumi laughs, waving him off. Already, his motor skills are dulled, no doubt from the alcohol he's been drinking steadily even before he started chugging.

Looks like he'll have to stop at a single mug. But that's alright; he wasn't planning to get any more than a little tipsy.]

[melodyoflogic]

[Ayumu doesn't take too long to come back. His mobility is improving every day, even if he's still healing, which is the reason he'd left his crutches behind somewhere this evening.

But when he slides back into his seat across from Hizumi, it's with two plates of pie, not just one, so apparently he's not as irritated as his earlier reaction might have implied.]

[bondsofsuffering]

[And another short wave from Hizumi.]

Yo.

[He looks mildly surprised at the extra slice, but still pleased.]

You didn't have to you know. [Not that it'll stop him from taking up his fork again to dig in.]

[melodyoflogic]

It would have been rude to be the only one eating, wouldn't it?

[And since it tasted that bad, another slice couldn't hurt. He picks up his fork, cutting off a bit of pie to eat as well.]

[bondsofsuffering]

In a place like this? Not really.

[He takes another large bite, chewing thoughtfully. And once he swallows...]

Hey, Ayumu. Have you ever thought about what kind of song you want to sing? As God, I mean.

[...Maybe the alcohol really is getting to him. But at least he still has the sense to keep his voice on the quieter end, even if it means being a little more difficult to hear over the din.]

[melodyoflogic]

[Ayumu's response takes a moment as he chews his pie, a pensive look on his face. When he responds, it's equally as quiet, his tone calm.]

A song of resistance. To defy fate until the end.

[The circumstances might have changed, but his decision had not. It was exactly as he'd said before, when he'd been asked: He'd kept his options open up until now. He planned to try to solve the problems of both Hizumi and the Blade Children... without giving into or being locked down by fate.]

[bondsofsuffering]

[What a troublesome song.]

...Then I think, I would have liked to create a song of love. One that would heal those defeated by fate.

Aah, but... It looks like my voice will be silenced before that could happen.

[It has to be. There's no other option.]

[melodyoflogic]

[He had given up. Ayumu had been more or less convinced before, but now.......

What had caused this? He would have expected someone like Hizumi, who had everything to begin with... who hadn't lost everything to his brother, to have had more determination than this. That was part of why his brother had set up everything up until now, wasn't it? That was why he'd expected another tactic from Hizumi himself.

He wanted to solve Hizumi's problem. But if Hizumi himself had given up..... it complicated things.]

You say that like you can't anymore.

[bondsofsuffering]

Well, it is what it is. You know how it goes - c'est la vie and all that.

[He waves his hand a little nonchalantly. There's no reason for him to fight anymore. No matter how much he fought, how much he struggled... it wouldn't amount to anything.

Ayumu is absolutely right to note that he's given up; he can't even pretend that it would be fine for him to live at this point.]

[melodyoflogic]

I wouldn't have expected you to have given up so easily.

[He'd considered it, but logically it had seemed the least likely option. Hizumi had no reason to lack value in his own life or consider death a first resort rather than a last. He had to reassess this situation, his options, his choices..... Would Hizumi even consider the possibility there could be a chance of salvation...?

Or did he simply want to die? Had he given up, like Kanone Hilbert?

Or worse..... for Hizumi, had he already lost sight of any further options? Did he already try to find a solution and fail?]