Roy
"Ah! That's wonderful! A little birdie flyin' outta the nest!" Cherny cackled to himself some.
"I'm Cherny! I run a smith shop down the street." He smiled and cheered as two drinks were brought around, one handed to him and the other to Cecilia. The bartender smiled and walked off. Cherny began to sip at his drink when a brayer two seats over demanded Cherny's input on something. Cherny's eyes widened and he leaned over the bar.
"Yer kiddin'! Three, even with my hands behind my back!" He bellowed.
"Yeah, maybe fifty years ago! What about now?" The brayer teased and chuckled. Cherny's face became red and he sputtered some. The brayer, the aforementioned steppe elf, and another woman who was seated another seat down from the Brayer all began laughing in unison. Cherny grumbled some before smirking and joining them.
"Face it, you're old." The reptillian woman cooed, taking a swig of her ale. Cherny laughed.
"Yeah, whatever. You wouldn't still be doin' what I can't if I wasn't givin' you half offa everythin' in the shop! Maybe I should stop!" He laughed and turned back to Cecilia.
"Sorry about that Ceci... Can I call you that?" Cherny took another sip of his drink as he awaited an answer."
Douglas
*Cecilia thanked the bartender and Cherny gently, taking a small sip from the glass - screwing her eyes shut as she processed the strong, musky taste.*
"Eeeuuuhh... Wuh! Uh, yeah! I don't mind! So, you're a blacksmith?"
*Her expression grew glittery with curiosity, the small blush on her cheeks from the immediate effect of the alcohol giving her a childish expression.*
Roy
Cherny smiled and nodded.
"Yes! I make all kinds of wears, mostly weaponry and armor, though sometimes people ask for weirder things. They usually pay me a *Hefty* Fee for my commission though, so I prefer to shape the steel and not ask questions!" He laughed and sipped from his drink. The steppe elf asked Cherny a question and he answered, though the exchange between the two was rather muddied down by the loud bar. Cherny turned back to Cecilia.
"What brings ye all the way out here on yer lonesome? Lookin' fer adventure?"
Douglas
*She giggled along, a few more sips causing her to sway subtly.*
"Oh- Yeah, of sorts. My parents want me to look for formal magic studies, maybe a teacher or a school. But my main reason is to search for some people!"
Roy
"Hah! A fine call to adventure!" Cherny raised his glass and took another swig, already halfway through what he had only just got.
"What kind of people? Allies, friends, rivals, enemies? There's plenty of all of 'em here!" He laughed and nudged his steppe elf friend, who leaned over to give a word.
"I've met my last five lovers at this bar." He smirked at Cecilia.
"Yeah and maybe this time number six will be the last!" The brayer butted in and the group all laughed, including Cherny.
Douglas
"Uhh..."
*She paused a moment, realising she hadn't asked what drink this was, but shrugged and continued anyway.*
"I *Think* They're all centaurs - but I'm not sure right now..."
Roy
Cherny gained a clearly puzzled look on his face.
"Centaurs?" He chuckled and stroked his beard.
"Why so specific? Who comes to a place like this looking for *Just* Centaurs?" He turned more to her, his intrest thoroughly piqued.
Douglas
"Well, my old master was a centaur, and his children were all centaurs-*Hic!"
*She paused as she hiccuped from her last swig, giggling softly at herself before continuing.*
"-so I'd imagine they would be who I was looking for..."
Roy
"A quest from an old master! Haha, it's almost like a story book! Are ye takin' this quest alone?" He asked, now suddenly with only a quarter of his ale left, even though, to Cecilia, it almost didn't look like he had taken a swig. Cherny also took a notice to how she was already clearly drunk after such a short time, but he had already asked a question, so he saved it for later.
Douglas
"Yessir! I didn't... Have many friends..."
*Her mood slowly dropped to melancholy, visibly deflating as she dropped her gaze into her glass.*
"None, actually... Other than the medics..."
Roy
Cherny's own cheery attitude seemed to drop as well. His smile dropped and his eyes widened. He looked to his mostly empty glass and hummed. His eyes stayed steady on his glass as he was thinking. He nodded.
"I think I understand... I can't say I've ever lived like that. My whole life I've been surrounded by people who love me, and have called me friend or brother. However, I do understand what it's like to be lonely. Sometimes I will have a long period of slow days, and my only company will be my cat. He's wonderful company, but I can't converse with him, ye know?" He looked up to Cecilia.
"That feeling of... Sadness and boredom all crumbled together into a big ball of shitty yuck... I can't stand living with it for more than a week- I can't imagine how much it would suck to live yer whole life like that..." He grumbled and looked back down to his mug. A bartender came around and asked if he wanted a refill. His eyes grew wide and his smile returned. As it did so, he laughed.
"But that's why we have pubs! Can't feel lonely when everyone's drunk and chatty, ye hear?" He looked to Cecilia and laughed as the bartender quietly walked away to retrieve him another mug.
Douglas
*The young healer felt herself slowly perk up at his words, nodding contentedly and finishing her drink, giggling and swaying happily.*
"Yeah!~ I hope I meet a lot of new friends, mister!"
*She agreed with a nod, knowing that he was trying to cheer her up, and it had worked for now.*