The Empty Bowl

[Mero]

Part 1 Ymdin 717

Chapter 3, The Empty Bowl?

There is not a soul who does not have to beg alms of another, either a smile, a handshake, or a fond eye.
Lord Acton

Ymdin 55th, Midday Scalvoris town.
Working was… hard? Or maybe it wasn’t? it was hard to tell. The other people around him didn’t seem to have any qualms or difficulties with what they were doing, but even under the guidance of Faith he felt like he was barely treading water. His fingers were clumsy his wings got in peoples way. He didn’t feel like he was helping at all, if this was what a job was, then even if Faith said he was helping he didn’t feel like he was helping at all. The people in the kitchen were still somewhat strangers, and he could tell his clumsiness was creating more problems for people than they were solving. So when the time finally came for him to be done doing helping for the day he felt fragile, he was learning… a little at a time but he felt stupid and slow compared to all the amazing people around him. They were always moving and doing things while he was just trying to follow the orders he was being given and he was doing it poorly at that.
So when the time finally came for his day to be done he was well miserable and wore out, there was a mild swell of pride in him for being able to accomplish some of the small things he was able too, learning was something that made him happy. But there was so much he still didn’t know and remembering everything that he was being taught was hard, even things like what a whisk was or a ladle was hard, so many new words he didn’t know.
Leaving the kitchen he frowned slightly before letting out a long silent sigh, the thought that he’d be doing this every day was scary, he didn’t know if he could ever be as good as everyone else, for a moment he wished he could be back in the cage. At least he wasn’t causing other people trouble that way. It was an entirely new emotion to him it made his cheeks hot and made it hard to look at people cause he felt inferior. He wasn’t sure how he felt about people Faith was nice and so were the people that had found him, but he still didn’t feel comfortable in the presence of strangers. So as he meandered out of the kitchen to the common room of Cally’s he found himself momentarily frozen, there were people, looking at him, someone pointed at his legs and commented that they’d never seen anything like them before, and the people he was talking too also turned to look at them. Then other people also looked. It wasn’t like they were being unnecessarily cruel, but attention of any sort was almost always unwelcome his uniqueness was not something he took pride in.
So like an animal blinded by lights, he stood motionless completely frozen by the stairs of strangers unsure of what to do. He could feel his face flushing as that weird emotion filled him again glancing left and right he looked for an escape but his panic wasn’t even allowing him to remember where his room was so he could flee. So there he stood pinned down by curious gazes that felt as weighty as anchors

[Pash Raj'oriq]

Pash was not as early as usual, though he wasn’t at all late, either. The salty bard had found it hard not to linger aboard his sloop, if only because he’d sailed into the warm current of good company. Some evenings were harder to leave Kali’rial for Cally’s than others, it was true, but it was also nice to have warm hands smooth his shirt and send him off with a kiss. Still, he liked being a little early, smiling as he made his way into the back entrance. Jo’get was busy already, a few diners already enjoying meals in the young evening.

Trudi stopped him, a quick hand catching his sleeve, though she wasn’t playing. She pointed to the winged boy standing between the kitchens and the common room, unmoving, and whispered with an uneasy smile, “I think he’s stuck. Poor thing.” He was a cute little thing, even the waitress would admit, but she had things to do and the boy didn’t or couldn’t talk, “Give Mero a hand, would you? I’ve got a few orders to get out.”

Ah, the boy had a name! Pash wondered if it was given or if it was told. Faith had a way with people that was quite different from his own.

The tall Biqaj smiled and nodded, humming his yes before coming up behind the half-arviel quietly and placing a calloused hand on his shoulder. His tide pool gaze didn’t miss that the winged boy had caught the attentions of some of the patrons, but he gave a warm little squeeze and pointed in the direction of his quiet corner with two chairs, one of which an Immortal had once sat in, “Ah, aye, it’s busy already, eh? Don’ worry ‘bout them, Mero,” he whispered in his baritone with a wink, “they’ll go back t’ their meals an’ forget ‘bout you soon ‘nough. Y’ all done for th’ night? Workin’, that is? I’m jus’ gettin’ started. Y’ can come sit with me if y’ want. There’s an extra chair.”

If he would follow, Pash would lead. The boy would notice that the salty bard was far better dressed than he had been on the beach (as in, he was actually fully dressed as well as dressed well), blending in with the staff, and his sun kissed hair carefully tied back to stay out of his way. He’d wave Mero to the chair of his choice and offer him some of the water that was always at his little table by the window. The seafaring minstrel didn’t seem to care if anyone watched them cross the room, if patrons continued to stare or whisper their comments. He’d slide his lute from his shoulder like he always did and settle into his chair, fingers moving to tune it as he spoke quietly, though he was aware their conversation was limited,

“I hear y’ got a place t’ stay, too. An’ it was good t’ hear your name—Mero.” Pash smiled, tide pool gaze watching the winged boy with a curiosity that wasn’t unkind or cruel. It was just who the tall Biqaj was. While it was clear that Mero was still afraid, nervous, and most rightly intimidated by strangers, Pash’s corner where he played music in the evenings wasn’t at all center stage and gave him a bit of shelter. The overstuffed chair was big enough to get comfortable in, and the window had a nice view of Central Square and the fountain,

“Have you eaten? If y’ don’ have anythin’ t’ do, we can eat t’gether. You’ll jus’ have to wait ‘till m’ break.”

[Mero]

Like cool water, he appeared the soothing feeling of his presence in tow. When the warm hand appeared on his shoulder he jumped slightly, but the shock of contact was enough to shake him out of his terror. Looking up his frown lessened by a large margin as he met the man’s aquatic eyes. He recognized him instantly he was one of the people he could count on his fingers as being trustworthy. When the man spoke his heavy accent momentarily perplexed him but he got the gist and nodded slowly. Pausing after doing so he smiled a little bit, it was a small thing but he was beginning to learn the gestures people used to talk without to talking, the knowledge making him smile.

Following the man he kept his head down using Pash’s presence as a guide to there destination, he didn’t have anything better to do so following the large man didn’t bother him much. Following him over to the place where he was going to sit letting the large man take the lead. When he waved him to a chair he eyed it nervously for a moment before finding his own temperament mildly ridiculous and sitting down finding the way he sunk into the chair amusing. He’d never had anything as soft as the bed faith had given him and he was constantly amazed by how everyone else seemed to do things with things he’d never seen before. Taking the water offered by Pash and gripping the cup in both hands he quickly downed the entire cup in moments. Perhaps a holdover from, his time caged he still drank quickly and ate ravenously when food or drink was placed before him, due to a time when he wasn’t always sure when his next drink or meal would come. Sighing happily at the sensation of slaking his thirst he shuffled back into his chair.

When Pash said his name he looked at him for a moment his expression becoming blank for a moment, he was still unused to hearing his name said by people. People that were being friendly too, the only other person that had used his name was not someone he was terribly sure he wanted to see, but Faith had seemed very happy for him to have a name, so he’d accepted it. Then the man went to talking about something he knew how to respond to, he asked him if he’d eaten, giving a vigerous shake of his head to confirm that he had not he gave Pash a thin smile indicating his pleasure at the thought of a meal.
Happy to be in the familiar company of one of the four finger people he liked, Pash was the third and funnily enough assigned his longest middle finger. Counting them off he had, Kali, Baya, Pash, and Faith. So cozying up into the chair he looked down to see that when he had sat all the way back his feet no longer touched the floor so his taloned toes hung inches above the floor. Settling back into the corner it was easier to ignore the glances of strangers. Though he was still mildly aware of them.

[Pash Raj'oriq]

The tall Biqaj noticed the boy react to his name, so at least he got it right. He chuckled at how Mero all but drowned himself drinking the water, whispering but not admonishing as he tilted his head in the direction of the jug that somehow, magically, Trudi always kept full, “Y’ can have all y’ like, y’know. No need t’ rush. It’s no’ goin’ anywhere.”

Once satisfied with the soft tones that came in chords from his lute, Pash was quiet for a few bits, lagoon blue eyes looking over the patrons and the restaurant, out the window and to the fountain, praying silently to himself for Zanik to be honored by his performance and give meaning to his music, for hearts to be made as full as stomachs while dining, and for the evening to be an enjoyable one for everyone. It was still strange to think that the Immortal had been sitting where the winged boy now was, that Zanik himself had held his lute and played it for all to hear, and those memories still stirred a warmth in the hull of the seafaring musician’s chest.

Playing at Cally’s could be described as somewhat of a taming experience for Pash, though to explain what that even meant was difficult to put into words for anyone but himself would even understand.

Meeting the Immortal here had brought meaning where there had been struggle.

“Y’know, I keep m’self busy while I play by watchin’ folks. There’s some interestin’ people who come t’ dine in a place this fancy. Let’s see who we can see tonight, eh?” He whispered, the baritone of his voice mischievous. While he also sometimes indulged in exploring the feelings of patrons through Empathy on a particularly interesting evening as well, he kept that to himself, “Th’ first one ‘f us who sees someone with a red tie wins a surprise, a’right? Jus’ gimme a thumbs up an’ a nod.”

Pash demonstrated, having been a boy once (and having taken care of siblings and nephews and nieces) and wanting to make sure that Mero was somewhat entertained. Much like he’d told Arwel a season ago, the best way to get over your fear of people was to be around them. For Mero, he was safe in a chair by the window and the hearth in Cally’s and could safely people watch with very little notice and judgement once the current patrons finished their meals and paid their coin and went home. The tall Biqaj would play some quiet, background music that was light and airy, strangely just as calming as his presence, and enjoyable to dine to for a break and a half before stopping early so that the two of them could eat and the boy could head home before it got too late. For now, though, he thought a little game would keep them busy together, even while he was occupied with his lute.

[Mero]

The man had a way of speaking that made it difficult to take offense to him, though Mero had a tendency to be wary of other peoples words Pash’s at least seemed sincere. So when the man laughed at the way he drank, he shrugged off the words he might’ve thought of patronizing if they came from someone else. He knew that he wasn’t smart and he didn’t do things like others did, so taking others council when it came to such things was something he was having to get used to. It was hard however to change the ways that you’ve always done something on such short notice.

Listening as the man tuned his instrument watching as the strings made sounds as his fingers played across them, it was kind of mesmerizing seeing the instrument make sounds, even without speaking the man was vocalizing noise, but instead of with his mouth he was doing it with his fingers. Only looking away from the instrument when the man began talking again this time he was talking about keeping himself busy he wasn’t too sure what he meant but he listened none the less. He asked him to look for someone wearing a red tie. Mero nodded out of a giddy interest to absorb more knowledge and if the man was being honest it might even be fun.

However he realized that, he didn’t know what a tie was, he did however know the color red. So taking his chances he began searching for anything that was even that color, hoping he’d get lucky and figure out whatever a tie was. Looking about his eyes finally alighted upon a well to do fellow wearing a bright red cap. Looking the man over frowned, that was certainly red, and after a quick inspection there weren’t too many things that red in the room besides that. Pulling on Pash’s sleeve gently Mero nodded towards the man in question giving Pash an unsure look. Was that what he was looking for?

[Pash Raj'oriq]

Pash had trouble sitting still. He had all his life. As a child, his precocious need to always be in motion or have something to do generally led him into trouble, much to the worry and chagrin of his parents. As an adult, he preferred motion—sailing a sloop was constant motion, playing music required him to be doing something with his hands, and so on—but while sitting in his comfortable chair at Cally’s, even while improvising music or perfecting old songs, he occasionally found himself itching for more to do, his over-active mind unable to handle the stillness. This is, of course, what he meant when he told Mero that he needed to keep himself busy, that watching people was just another way to satisfy both his insatiable curiosity as well as occupy his mind so that his feet didn’t carry him out of the restaurant too soon.

The boy, of course, had lived much if not all of his life in a cage, as far as Pash knew, and so his needs and attention span were clearly very different and far out of the tall Biqaj’s ability to comprehend, their lives vastly different. He could only do what he knew, and Pash had always enjoyed entertaining the young.

So he watched as Mero listened and looked at him playing for a bit before the winged boy began to peer about the room. Did he know his colors? Did he know what a tie was? Even if Pash had asked him, could he have explained either? A few people left their tables, satisfied and full, though a hefty sum of nel lighter. A few more patrons entered the restaurant as the seafaring minstrel shifted into a new song, and the boy’s fingers found his sleeve. He didn’t tug hard enough to cause his hand to slip on the frets, and his lagoon blue gaze followed the nod.

The cap was red. But it was a cap.

“O’ aye—pretty close, Mero.” Pash whispered with a grin, “That hat’s red, but a tie, um, er, hangs from th’ neck.” He tilted his head in the direction of another table, where an older couple sat quite noisily finishing off a bottle of wine, laughing like they were at least three decades younger than they looked, “That man there’s wearin' a blue tie. It’s kinda a fluffy version, that one. I think it’s called a cravat. Neither ‘f us need t’ know that. I’ll never wear one, that’s for sure.”

He grinned, rolling his lagoon blue eyes, as if to say that such formalities were entirely unnecessary in his life. Which, as far as he knew, they were.

“So, one more try? Red. Tie.” He smiled, offering Mero another chance while he settled back into playing quietly.

Off Topic

We should change this date to like the beginning of Saun and I can steal it as my job thread instead. LOL!

[Mero]

Right color wring thing, looking down for a moment to hide his embarrassment he was relieved that Pash didn't seem to have any plans to dwell on the fact but instead encouraged him to try again, pointing out what a tie was, but of the wrong color.

Listening to him and nodding he grinned he could figure this out. Looking at the blue tie one last time he went back to his search for the red tie. Listening to Pash play as he searched he was happy to be in this place it was warm and welcoming. “red, Tie” Pash said it, and he would find it.

Scanning the may faces of the people who came through the restaurant he was again amazed at how many people there were, he'd come a place where it was the same people every day, day in and out. So to see that so many unique people could exist in the same place and shift out with more new people as the day went, It made him wonder how many people there were in the world. Watching the door where new people come in he spotted many things, a woman with a hat that seemed to be growing flowers. A man with a cane that looked like somebody had turned a snake to wood, could people do that? Even a woman with a small... rat... no... ugly dog? The procession of the people who seemed to be.... what was the word.... refined? Refined enough to come to this restaurant all seemed to have something to set them apart from everyone else.

Finally he spotted it, a tie, the red in color, with spots of various other colors on it that made his eyes hurt the more he looked at it, the man it was attached to was... more like a potato in shape than a person, the neck the tie was tied about seemed to be attempting to escape the binds it was in, the rolls of flesh threatening to bust the fragile band, the rest of his outfit spoke of similar stress to contain something similarly burgeoning and scary. But... it was a red tie, even if it was attached to a man who Mero thought might eat him if he was hungry enough. Tugging Pash's sleeve once more he pointed at the man.... but when he did so he thought the man saw him pointing, the eyebrows on his greasy face knitted together and his beady eyes locked on Mero. Perhaps the man had thought he was being made fun of... after all.. Mero didn't like to be pointed at... but he had just wanted to point out the tie.

[Pash Raj'oriq]

Watching the winged boy work through his correction and figure out what Pash was looking for, he found a comfortable tempo for his melody, calloused fingers moving skillfully over the courses and frets of his grandfather’s old mother-of-pearl inlaid lute. His quiet background song was calm and relaxed, and the tall Biqaj sat up straighter to attempt to follow Mero’s exploration of the room.

A few tables emptied and filled again, Trudi leading some new patrons to their tables giving the pair in Pash’s corner a curious look. What kind of trouble were they getting into?

The seafaring musician only winked.

Then the winged boy tugged on his sleeve and he did his best not to skip a strum, fingers leaving the strings for a moment. Grinning, he followed Mero’s pointing, forgetting for a moment where they were and how some folks most likely would consider such an innocent act of curiosity from a child as rude. Clearly the large, overstuffed man in a red tie thought just that, eyes narrowing at the two by the window, and he leaned toward the tall, wirey man next to him as if whispering some sort of complaint.

“Aye, you’re right.” Pash smirked, not looking away from the now clearly annoyed man even as he whispered kindly in his warm baritone. He kept the man’s gaze for a moment, not looking to Mero to assure him right away. He’d told himself that he’d stay out of the tangles of Cally’s patrons in order to keep his work magic-free lest he brush the tangle of another mage or, worse, another Empath and end up with the restaurant in some kind of strange, inexplicable trouble. While he’d used his Elithem abilities and moved the room, he’d mostly behaved himself with the customers, only occasionally reaching into frayed tangles and smoothing over the emotions of rude patrons for Trudi’s sake on busy nights. He’d saved her a telling off more than once, and yet she had no clue.

After the man whispered something else without avoiding eye contact, the tall Biqaj made the choice to break his guideline again, reaching into the larger fellow’s tangle, seeing the threads of his anger and offense, searching them out as if he was looking for particular colors in a pattern on a woven rug. He cut them away as if he had a pair of scissors, trimming them back out of the man’s emotional landscape to calm him, strumming the cords of his feelings of anticipation for his meal and his feelings of excitement about the dinner. He watched the man’s tangle shift and change under his guidance, and while he couldn’t make him forget what had happened, he attempted without words to make Mero’s small offense feel small, insignificant, and not worth acting on. Blinking to break contact and wait to see when Trudi returned to their table with their drink orders,

“I guess he didn’t like y’ pointin’ though. Some folks ‘re like that. M’haps he’ll get over it, eh?”

Pash shrugged, looking back at the winged boy, “This game’s a lil’ more fun with someone else. I can only entertain m’self for so long studyin’ strangers alone. There’s some folks that come here on th’ regular. If y’ learn their faces, you’ll wonder how much nel they’ve got t’ be spendin' it here so often in a season.”

Unsure of when Nero’s break was over, the seafaring musician was happy to keep playing, never one to complain about company while performing. Mero was quiet, after all.

Off Topic

Didn't know if you wanted to keep going or not ... so I left it up to you to write about the man with the red tie's reaction! Teehee.

[Pegasus]

Pash

Overview

Oh, such a shame this wasn't finished, it was such a lovely little thread. I really enjoyed what I read and I thought that Pash was really caring, very concerned and supportive of Mero. Lovely description of your place of work and the people watching! Love it love it! Shame it wasn't finished, but lovely writing.

Points

XP:15 (may be used for Empathy)

Fame: +10

Loot

Knowledge

Caregiving: Greeting someone by name
Caregiving: Distracting with simple tasks
Lute: Holding conversation while holding a tune
Lute: Keeping a tune while being physically distracted
Lute: Transitioning to a new piece of music
Empathy: Exploring the tangles of a crowd
Empathy: Calming an irritated tangle
Socialization: Studying your audience
Socialization: Paying attention to the grumpiest member of the crowd

Mero: If you want your part of this review at any point, please just post it up in the queue and we'll get to it asap!