The barkeep raised his eyes to look at the boy,<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #FF0000">"None of yer fancy herbs n' spices I'm sure boy. We got gruel. Not the best tasting but it'll keep you alive another day."</span></span><br/><br/>Kosuke shrugged, not overly surprised at the tavern's limited food selection. Some doubled up as eating places and some were just beer and board, it was just luck of the draw. All the same, since he moved around so much Kosuke preferred to eat wherever he was staying while he was in a town. He was about to order some of the gruel the barkeep mentioned when the girl in front of him turned around.<br/><br/>The first thing the young man noticed was that the woman was rather beautiful, if a bit scuffed up. Then his attention was drawn to the pointed ears protruding from the sides of her face. This girl was an elf-- and the first one he'd ever been so close to. During his travels Kosuke had heard so many different rumors about these forest-dwellers that he wasn't sure what to believe.<br/><br/>Kosuke realized that he'd been staring and quickly took back control of his expression. This control was robbed from him once again when a half-ling girl took a seat at the bar. He'd seen plenty of half-lings; that wasn't what was surprising him. It was this half-ling's appearance that caught him off guard: dozen's of piercings, tattoos, and a rather flamboyant hair and dress style. Kosuke couldn't help but wonder if she was the type to cause trouble.<br/><br/>Now, turning his attention back to the elf girl, the healer realized that she'd started saying something and stopped, and was currently speaking again:<span style="font-style: italic">"So, what are your reasons for being here?"</span>His reasons? That was a rather personal question for what he assumed was a conversation starter. They hadn't even exchanged names yet.<br/><br/>"Well... it's not uncommon for travelers to spend the nights in taverns," he said, eyebrows raised. The boy was rather caught off guard by this whole situation, and proceeded to step aside as she'd been about to ask him to before. Since the elf girl had been between him and the counter, he moved to the side a bit (choosing the side with the wolf pup, rather than the surprisingly dangerous-looking half-ling girl). It wasn't like him to end a conversation so awkwardly, but it had been an awkward conversation from the start. Forgive him for never having spoken to an elf before! One's mind has a tendency to wander upon meeting something they've only heard about in rumors (and none so pleasant ones at that).<br/><br/>He leaned forward against the counter and put the appropriate amount on its surface. "I suppose I'll have the gruel then," he said, "And one night's stay. I'll stay away from the alcohol, but anything else you have drink-wise would be appreciated."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #FF0000">"We have whiskey, mead, and rum. Take your pick lad and ask the wenches." and the barman returns to his work.</span></span><span style="font-style: italic">Ah, I suppose I'll be eating my gruel "dry" then...</span>Kosuke thought.