• PM To Join • Her special day

[Nauta F'mos Geey]

17 Cylus 718

While it was to be expected for Lizzie to be a little... unhappy about being forced to share her special day with the opening of F'mos Ate Most as the aukari even chose to use the girl's birthday as some publicity stunt, F'mos did not rest in his efforts to convince her otherwise. There was plenty of food, plenty of drinks, sweets and desserts just for her. With the celebration in the new restaurant she could even have more guests to her party. Not only her guests as the aukari tried to present to the girl excitedly, the idea that pretty much everyone else in the restaurant would be celebrating her party with her.

"You would be like... celebrity today. Like your friend!" he said which was one of the guests he invited and Lizzie better be sure to "take advantage of it!" F'mos already made sure to set up the room her celebration was in for that purposes with a nice, high chair. Like some throne for Lizzie to sit on. Of course, "don't feel like you need to stay on it. You're special. You can go out, meet people. You know. Have fun!" Still a lot of things which made her specific party special were present in that room and only that room like, the special dishes F'mos prepared. He did not feel like the girl should have any reason to leave or at least, not particularly.

Unless it was that entertaining performance Oberan had put on for the guests outside but then again, it was something for everyone. As far as F'mos knew, Lizzie could even see it from inside the room and he could not quite get why she had to go outside of it to watch.

It made him feel like the room was inadequate for its purpose and may hamper its appeal. Something he would have to look into the moment F'mos Ate Most's main revenue stream was secure. Eventually however, activity in that room started to pick up and F'mos was more than happy to lead Lizzie's party guests into the room- for as long as they could fit into it. It would be quite easy to engineer some form of a flow of guests which had to meet the girl of the trial and the ones she wanted to keep around her. If she wanted the company of more, well, she could always go out with them for a bit.

Ugh, even as he had that thought run through his head, the aukari was losing confidence in the private room. On its first day too! Something really had to be done...

Nevertheless the stream of guests kept coming and her presents increasing. If not F'mos at least the excitement in Lizzie was building up, until it reached the point she was enthusiastically bringing her guests in on her own accord. With that opportunity, the aukari left her to her own devices as he went out front, to make sure his restaurant's first trial would be as great success he could make it. Hopefully at the end of it, it would not only be a special day for F'mos Ate Most, but for Lizzie as well.

[Nightshade Eld]

Under any other circumstance, the half-breed would have most certainly not attended. She didn’t do social events, let alone opening events of some kind. But she had an unspoken obligation to attend all things considered. It was for Lizzie after all. Dread was heavy in her chest. She had work that still needed to be done and there were going to be people… A heavy sigh was used by the half-breed to silence her own thoughts. It was for Lizzie.

The half-breed upon entering the building was quick to spare a greeting to F’mos. The aukari had been the one to tell her about the party, but Lizzie had of course been the one to ask her to come. Should the little girl not have, it was rather unlike that Nightshade would have come. She noticed that there was actually a queue and for just a moment she second-guessed her choice of coming. That moment didn't last long as F'mos was quick to swoop in and lead her inside, allowing her to skip past the wait. She wasn't sure how to feel, being treated like some kind of... famous person... oh immortals did she classify as famous!? That thought alone was enough to send a shock of confused panic through her system as she tried to cope with the idea, though she didn't let any of her musing show on her actual features. Her grip got tighter on what she was holding under her arm. A simply wrapped package rested under her arm in an unidentifiable shape. The woman didn’t have the deftest hands in the world. After the greeting F'mos escorted her to Lizzie. When she got to the little girl she offered a kind, warm natured smile.

“Hello, little dear,” the half-breed cooed in a voice that was specially reserved for a select few. It was a gentle tone that was light and warm. Her smile wasn’t large and overdone, it was soft and almost motherly. “How is your special day?” She asked as she let a hand rest on the small girl’s head. Her smile only seemed to grow a little bit larger as she got an answer in return.

“How lovely,” she cooed. “Well, I’ve got a very special gift for you,” the half-breed said as she handed over the lumpy package that was wrapped as best as the woman could manage. “I hope you enjoy.”







"Common"

"Ith'ession"

OOC: Nauta, you can pick anything you want off the price list as Lizzy’s (try to keep it reasonable, under 500 gn).

[Noth]

Noth seldom had any time for trivial matters. The truth of the matter was that as the reigning leader of Al’Angyryl, much of his time was taken up with running the organization and ensuring that everything was operating at peak performance. When he was not plotting or scheming his next major offensive, he was scouring through maps of the local terrain and coordinating battle strategies with his lieutenants on the local caravans that would inevitably decide to venture through their treacherous territory. When he was not organizing these skirmishes, he would find himself reviewing the training and ability of his soldiers, ensuring that they were being properly drilled so that they would be capable of defeating any threat that arose against them. Even when the training of his soldiers had been dealt with, there was further time that needed to be expended in ensuring that logistical operations were being cared for both prudently and correctly so that necessary supplies and tools would reach the hands of his soldiers.

It was little surprise that the twilight hybrid had utterly purged much of the personal information of his soldiers from his mind. Of course, there were not so many that he forgot all of their names, and several were indeed kept at the tip of his tongue, either for commendation or for disciplinary purposes. No, he was aware of who they were, and he kept a careful list of each of their individual talents and skills; one could not utilize one’s minions to the fullest extent if they were not aware of what they were capable of in the first place.

Regardless, the hybrid made the occasional notes on his schedule of events that would be important to others. It was not as if though he genuinely cared about the little intricacies of their lives, because if he was going to be honest, they provided very little of interest to him, and he had far better things to spend his time on than the personalized holidays that people made themselves. Still, it was an important facet of his work that he occasionally present himself to others in social settings if nothing more than for the fact that they would take notice of his presence and realize that he was keeping an eye on them.

That was the reason that Noth had stealthily crept into the local marketplace for the sake of purchasing a gift for a young one that seemed fitting to her station and age. It would come as little surprise that he had kept tabs on the Aukari alchemist ever since he had first become aware of his presence, and the fact that he had recently gone through the struggle of starting up his own restaurant was of interest to the Avriel. Could it be that the man simply enjoyed the prospect of cooking his own food, and found it to be a recreational activity that could provide him enough nels to fend for himself? Certainly, but the hybrid scented the musk of intrigue even if none truly existed. The idea of a talented alchemist working in a kitchen as opposed to a laboratory seemed… subtle, to the murderous bird, and he sincerely doubted that the restaurant and its food was the be all-end all of the situation.

The gift he’d acquired was carefully placed within a cheap cage and covered in a drape so as to incite the entity within to a calm demeanor. It took him little time at all to locate the restaurant, and he took special notice of the rather numerous number of patrons swarming over the establishment. It seemed as though a fairly steady flow of persons going in and out of the building had been established, and he questioned how many were there for the sake of the restaurants opening, and how many were simply friends of the young child.

Slowly and with hopes of not drawing much attention towards himself; the Avriel donned a cloak and a hood to better ensure that his identity was concealed, Noth made his way into the building, the cage gently swaying as he carried it along. Crimson eyes briefly scanned the room, taking note of its layout, and especially gathering such vital information as where any additional exits could be located in the event that he needed to beat a hasty retreat. Thankfully, no opposition seemed forthcoming, and eventually he found himself streaming into the private room where the child could easily be found, surrounded by her closest friends and engaged in assorted conversations with them, a cheery smile plastered across her face which was infectious enough to make even the Avriel grin.

“Hello young one.” He spoke briefly, not bothering to reveal himself to her, though he placed the cage upon the table before her. “I thought you might want this to match with the other.” He spoke, drawing away the curtain and revealing a small bird that possessed quite similar matchings to the one that was already in her possession. It seemed a fitting gift to the hybrid, because it was simultaneously cheap enough to be a child’s toy, and its constant attention would no doubt keep her satisfied. Beyond that, though, the incessant chirping would be a reminder of the hybrid’s presence to her adoptive father, and Noth sincerely doubted he would forget how easy it had been for him to be found in the first place.

Without a second thought, the hybrid spun upon his heel, and set off towards the doorway, his task accomplished, though the sudden recognition of a familiar face immediately caused him to veer, planting himself rather immediately against a nearby wall as he watched a feminine face that he had not seen for far too long.

[Nauta F'mos Geey]

Despite being a guest he invited, F'mos was a tad bit wary of Nightshade not because she was an avriel, but because there was always an incident whenever she was around. It was the other avriel which came after her he would blame the faults of the race on; as it happened when he instigated a fight she failed to deter. It was for that reason he stuck around when the gift was passed over; just to make sure it was not anything dangerous, her disastrous performance at the Inn for Dinner. He was relieved the package only contained clothes, a gift typical for girls but that relief was short lived.

How Nightshade got it was anyone's guess as F'mos only knew of her work as a mapper and did not believe it would provide... much. Even he had to take not-so-legal jobs on the side for his affairs in Etzos; which was why despite clothes not being in his field of expertise, he could tell Nightshade's gift was pretty and also damned well costly. It made Lizzie's excitement understandable, though F'mos was sure the girl was not aware of the value of the gift she received. It was probably the best of all those she received that trial and, over and over she continually commented on how beautiful it was. In fact she treasured it so much, she immediately rushed off to change into it without a moment to spare.

That was not how he wanted to lose to Nightshade when it came to Lizzie. After all he was the one who took care of her, unlike the friend which spent her time with the girl at her own convenience. Not only that, he was the one who set up everything for the party! He did it along with the opening of his restaurant but still, the effort was there... Then he realized it was the perfect time to give the gift he had set aside, the one he got along with all the unique items he got for the restaurant thanks to the sudden increase in stock by the Fence before anyone else could even have their eyes on it.

After Lizzie left the room to show off the dress Nightshade gave her, with the avriel obviously being among one of the first to see it, it was F'mos who rushed into the room and it looked as though Chrien herself had ruined it from the way he searched through it. Trust him to be so impeded because he had to make sure Lizzie could not find where it was hidden but an excited cry from the room announced the aukari's return and in his hand, a wrapped up package of his own. Understandably there was no expectation it would top Nightshade's expensive dress but the girl opened it up anyway and screamed...

"A TIARA!"

F'mos knew it was not as expensive as Nightshade's gift but at least, it looked pretty. In his mind, he may not have won but at least he did not lose to Nightshade either. The delighted girl and her friends were not something the aukari wanted to deal with and quickly made his retreat to occupy himself with something less exciting but he should have not done so as another aukari, the less pleasant one somehow slipped in to the restaurant unnoticed and gave Lizzie a gift of his own. It was a little silly that he went through such lengths as F'mos remembered he sent an invitation to Lizzie's benefactor during that wild mutant-mage melee but, he supposed the crow which was just as sleazy as he was had his own reasons.

The conversation he had with one of his colleagues and the mutant boy he shoved unto the man as F'mos really did not want the trouble at the time was interrupted by an even shriller cry, bird and girl who mistakenly believed it was as well behaved as the one the aukari left in her care, as they started their own jaunt throughout the restaurant. Lizzie regardless was thrilled; F'mos and the other customers less so. As he put Big Franko and Swain on hold, F'mos intervention needed to get the girl and her new pet under control and neither of the two from the Fence able to pay Lizzie a visit while she was otherwise occupied, the aukari took note of Noth and then the woman he had his eyes on...

What in Faldrun's name have they unleashed upon him and his restaurant...

► Show Spoiler

Since its up to me, will detail Nightshade's gift within her limitations later on.

[Nightshade Eld]

The half-breed kept two jobs that she consistently worked. She was a hard worker and put a lot of effort into whatever she did, so the half-breed was paid a lot more than the average person. Not to mention, the woman had more loyalty than anyone in Etzos. She had never left the Smarter Charts and unless her co-workers turned completely toxic she had no intention of leaving the Smarter Charts. On top of that, Mercenary work paid well if customers had complete and total faith you weren't going to jip them and you'd get the job done well in a timely manner without extra casualty. The half-breed Renown left her reputation with that exact impression which meant people were willing to pay her a lot more for jobs that another Mercenary might get paid half for. To top it all off, the half-breed had no concept of the worth or value of money since she mostly grew up in the middle of nowhere, wasn't paid until she actually got a job two arcs ago, and hadn't known what money was or that it could be spent until an arc before that. That had led to the half-breed having a giant stash of golden nels that she didn't fully understand the actual worth of.

As Lizzie started to play with her bird and all her other lovely gifts the half-breed started to put a little more distance between herself and everyone else. She'd come, she'd handed over her gift, and now she was starting to feel a little uncomfortable, not really wanting to be the living endorsement advertisement F'mos wanted her and her presence to be. She hadn't taken any kind of note of Noth being there, she hadn't caught him in her line of sight so she was unaware he even existed. Her focus completely shifted to trying to make her way out before she had to actually participate in a conversation when it suddenly started to... snow?

The half-breed looked up and around as cold little flakes of white came from... somewhere? The last time something had randomly started appearing they were cacti and she was starting to get really bad flashbacks of that little mess. She wanted out.

"Common"

"Ith'ession"

[Noth]

The Crow HasTurned

The twilight hybrid didn’t think that he was liable to ever eat at F’mos’ establishment. There was simply something about the atmosphere of the area that tickled the back of his neck, and which warded him away from the area, despite the fact that there was no truly logical reason to worry about any of it. Perhaps it was the mere presence of those he recognized to be criminals, of individuals that he had seen occasionally flickering about the edges and corners of the bar, their faces known to the Avriel solely due to his own personal time within the streets and alleyways and gutters of the Etzori area. Or, perhaps it was the fact that F’mos himself seemed to extravagantly pleased with the collection of persons who had managed to come to see his ward’s party. There was something incredibly unsettling about the alchemical fellow, as though a great deal of his concoctions were secretly administered to various shadow organizations across the entirety of Etzos. Could it be that even within the very food that he served, there were reagents and medicinal herbs which had been placed in order to achieve some hidden agenda? It was terrifyingly possible… though somewhat unlikely upon second reflection.

Nevertheless, despite his reservations in regards to ever dining in the establishment, there was still plenty of business which needed to be resolved before he had made his exit. He still needed to speak to Big Franko as had been arranged by the alchemist, and he further needed to ensure that no other persons of interest caught his crimson eye. Where one gutter-runner was, others tended to flock, and though Noth was aware that F’mos was likely quite careful about whom he had invited to the place, there were bound to be agents of other organizations scattered about the place, ensuring that everything fit into their tiny visions.

Of course… there was also a certain figure that he wholeheartedly wanted to avoid… at least for now. He hadn’t seen her in a long while, but this was absolutely NOT the time to re-acquaint himself with her presence. He was involved in far too illicit dealings for it to end anywhere well, and he frankly didn’t have an excellent excuse for his presence beyond the fact that he had once assisted the child in surviving a potentially traumatic experience at the hands of what could only be described as a freakishly tough mutant. It was honestly a shame that he couldn’t find such mutations among his own rank and file, because an army of such individuals would have been nigh unbeatable by any opposing forces who relied solely upon their numbers and traditional strengths to overwhelm.

A great deal of attention had mercifully been placed upon the birth-trial girl and her many gifts. She seemed completely and utterly fascinated by a great many of them, and the hybrid listened with a smile as she gleefully shrieked at each new present, especially those provided by persons he knew. It was… pleasant to hear the joy of children, considered the Avriel, his crimson eyes lazily taking in his own hands, taking notice of the metal and feathers that he found there, curious what his life would have been like if he had simply managed to avoid a single violent outburst once upon a time. Would he still be filled with childish awe and wonder as he had been when he was a youth, or would he have become jaded and hard with time and observation of the many horrors of the world?

His introspective considerations were quickly snatched away from his mind as something wet and icy gently fell upon his flesh, stinging against it briefly as it dissipated into merely water which was absorbed by his skin or else fell away upon the floor. Immediately, crimson eyes snapped up from their resting place, scanning the crowd for any evidence that this was not a solely isolated event, his brain attempting to disseminate what had just touched him… and coming to a simultaneously uncouth and unrealistic answer.

It was snowing inside.

Why was it snowing inside? When had it started snowing inside? Did it often snow inside?

If the hybrid knew one thing for certain… it was that he would never be eating here.

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