Fandom The Broken Hourglass and a Lost Soul

[Joyeful]

Aire sighed on the stool at the bar. A classy joint, for sure, better than the majority of the places she'd been in over her years out here in California, freelancing. What a stupid decision, right? Oh, wonderful that she was taking control of her future, when she'd had a perfectly decent life back home on the east coast.
Oh, that was a lie; that life had landed her here, in this situation, where she was bound to be wrapped up and stuffed like a cabbage, maybe someone would add a nice bit of kimchi to top off how out-of-place she was.

Just like everywhere else.
But she wasn't going to think about that, she had worse things she had to address. Like the fact that not only was she going near-broke yet again, but someone was going to drain her of her life if she didn't scrabble up something fairly quickly. Why on earth she hadn't just asked her parents to lend her money to aid her journey out to Cali, she had no clue, but boy oh boy, had that been a mistake. Really, who was stupid enough to go to a loan shark?

Apparently, her. She was going to lose everything, her house, her passion, her life. And she'd known that, when she'd signed that damning agreement. She wasn't like that foolish Disney princess, Ariel, signing without reading. Aire had read it, over and over, and yet still signed it- five years to pull herself together and pay back a hundred thousand. Oh, she had been a fool, just as foolish as those horror movie characters were, and she'd always made fun of them. Well, now she was in her own personal horror movie.
And as she called for another shot from the bartender, Aire was fully aware that she wasn't getting out any time soon.

(Closed to Venom Adhamm)

 

[Venom Adhamm]

The dying of the light brings rebirth, and life begins to sprout up within The Broken Hourglass as its owner and sole employee opens the place for the night. Its warm, comforting lights flicker on inside, while the animated neon sign outside lights up in brilliant blue and orange, depicting a liquid, likely alcoholic, trickling out of a cracked hourglass alongside the bar's name.

People found out about this place in all sorts of ways. Some heard about it from friends or online forums, some simply had their attention captured by the sign as they walked by on the street, and others heard of it from their employers who'd given them business there.

There's a single similarity among those who walk through the glass doors framed in black metal. They all become regulars. Even those who decide to give up alcohol still come in to enjoy the atmosphere and a glass of juice.

The interior of the bar had an industrial design, but with a bit of an Eastern flair. Dark brick walls and wood furnishings. Dim lights that hang down from the ceiling encased in metal fixtures. A few neon Chinese characters and small statues of the Zodiac animals sprinkled all around. Gorgeous traditional Chinese art and ornate hand fans were hung up on the walls. The place had personality and flavor, and it seemed like a living, breathing thing once people began to pour in.

California was home to more stories and characters than you could count. But somehow, almost all of them were drawn to The Broken Hourglass in some way. There was an allure to the bar. A sense of both comfort and mystery that compelled you to come in and sit down for at least one drink. Yet, no matter how good things were starting to go for him, Wei had a feeling they wouldn't stay like that for long. Good things never lasted for him.

He was waiting for the day. The day they came to try to collect by force. He started to carry an old war relic with him, an M1911 stashed away in his waistcoat, barely noticeable to anyone not looking for trouble.

Some old progressive rock song was playing faintly among the chatter of bar-goers as Wei fulfilled the young lady's request.
"I hope you know how to handle your liquor," he comments off-handedly, looking up from the shot glass as he finishes the pour and scanning the lady's face, squinting his eyes slightly as he takes her in.
"What brings you here, anyway? You don't really look like the type for bar-hopping, especially alone."

 

[Joyeful]

She rolled her eyes. "I don't care what I look like, I can handle my liquor. I wouldn't drink if the situation were reversed."
Seeing the Chinese characters, she observed them as she slowly drained the glass. It had always amazed her, the complexity of them, and yet the simple messages they left. Aire knew Korean, not Chinese, but was always interested in it.

Then again, this guy might be a poser, like the majority of folks who had neon signs in their windows- yet all the objects seemed to be solely Chinese.
"Nice choice of deco. Not many people know the difference between Japanese, Chinese, and Korean."

It was a mere observation, one she hoped he didn't take the wrong way. That would be the worst, honestly. This was a nice enough place, and it would really suck to taint it with her awful memory of accidentally offending someone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"You understand nothing. Respect your elders."

The memory struck her with a force she really should have expected- she was drinking, after all, and three years of hell in South Korea were traumatizing enough without alcohol. That really wasn't the worst of them, but still, it had her taking a deep breath as she pushed away the glass.
"What am I going to do..."

It was muttered in Korean, so what other people heard was something like, "Nan mow hal ko ya?"

 

[Venom Adhamm]

"You think so?" He replied at her comment on his choice of decorations, a faint smile forming over his lips as he glances around the bar he'd put together. You could say the place was a reflection of himself, he'd poured his soul into it in much the same way he pours liquor in glasses for all those that enter.

That was his favorite thing about it. That was the best part. Knowing he put it all together. He didn't want to lose this place. Not to them, not to anyone. And he wouldn't. This bar was special. It had something innate that set it apart from any other building in the world. No matter what happens, it would stand against time for as long as Wei drew breath.

"You're far from home, aren't you?" Wei asked, leaning in to get a slightly better look at the girl. He didn't understand what she said, but knew it was in Korean, and a closer examination of her facial details seemed to confirm her ethnicity.
"I know what that's like," he added as he took a step back, cleaning a glass and shifting his gaze between it and his customer.

"If you've got no one else to listen, well... you're free to talk to me, if you'd like. In English, that is. Besides... Nobody really goes into a bar just to drink, you can do that for way cheaper at home. From what I see most nights, the regulars that come in here do it because they like my atmosphere and they like my drinks. But the first-timers, usually... they just want someone to talk to."

 

[Joyeful]

"I just need to get things off my mind. Like some student loans I was an idiot about," she sighed, "Though this is a pretty good drink. Maybe drinking isn't the best way to go about it, but what else am I supposed to do?"

It was certainly a rhetorical question, but it did have a note of confusion ringing through. Hopeless confusion, really. "I've been far from home the day I left," she shrugged, "And that was a long time ago. A really long time ago."

Her relatives were spread across the globe, the furthest about a 14 hour flight away, which hit about as light as a train wreck every time she decided to think about it in-depth. The shortest flight was about 6 hours, and that also hit hard. 6 hours any time she wanted to see someone she was close to- and it wasn't like she had very many friends out in the land of perpetual joy and sunny weather.

It had enough droughts, for sure. Droughts that seemed to suck away more and more of her paychecks over the years, along with her self-worth and happiness.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, dark, honey. Bring it back, just a little. Can't let your mind go down that road- remember those months in self-therapy? There's no way in hell you're going back to that place. Alright? Just drink, pay, smile, nod, laugh, leave. Got it?

 

[Venom Adhamm]

"Hmph, loans... Those are always the worst, aren't they? I'm in a bit of a... financial problem too right now. Sometimes you just pick the wrong people to borrow from..." Wei said, murmuring near the end of his sentence and pouring another drink for the girl.

"This one's on the house, I'd feel bad getting you to spend more money here if you're in debt. It doesn't bother me much, I don't intend to pay mine back..."

He looked off to the distance at the door to the bar, thinking for a moment, as though visualizing some future scenario, before coming back to the present and smiling at his customer.
"Well, I've borrowed from this group and... they're asking me to pay them way more than I agreed on. I'm not doing it. I won't let anyone play me like that. So... I'm waiting for the day they send someone through that door so I can... negotiate with them," he chuckled a bit, almost nervously, as he brings a flask out from behind the counter and takes a sip.

"What about you? You've gotta have some plan to clear your debts... You doing any work?"

 

[Joyeful]

She sighed. "Looks like we're in the same boat with financial issues. Same thing's going on with me- damn loan sharks always want more when they come back. I used to be smarter than that."

Pushing the drink away, she took another look around, careful to keep her voice low and even. Who knew if someone was listening? Maybe she was paranoid, but what did one expect, with military parents? Even her phone listened to her. Wonderful.

"I can't take charity," she smiled, "Never been my thing. I freelance, so whatever paycheck I have is used almost immediately. I don't really have a plan- and I'm definitely not going to ask for help from anyone. They don't need to get involved in this mess."

Aire knew how to contact them, anyways. Social media wasn't completely out of her orbit- yet. Who knew what would happen, once the sharks got her? She'd have to try to get off the grid, but the question as to how to do that remained, as it always did.

 

[Venom Adhamm]

"Don't think of it as charity, then. Think of it as... appreciation for your patronage," Wei suggested, leaving the glass right where it is should she change her mind and go for another drink.

"Well, if you can't scrounge up the money to pay them back, maybe it'd be best to skip town. Take a drive to the next state over, Hell, maybe go up to Canada. I thought about doing that for awhile, might've been better if I went through with it. But..."

His eyes took in the scenery. What he built. Sure, the money that went into it wasn't all his. But the blood and sweat certainly were. Here, he had a place he could care for and see grow. Once, something like this was an impossible image. He could never see it through the dense jungles of Vietnam. It was real now, though. It wasn't all he wanted out of life, but... it was getting there.

"I can't really leave this place behind. I'm just a bit too attached," he chuckled, a facade hiding his worries.
"I suspect one of these days, it'll get a bit... messy in here. But I'll make it through. I always have. You'll find your way too, as long as you've got the willpower for it."

 

[Joyeful]

Aire sighed again. "Now you sound like all those inspirational speakers online. I lost my willpower a long time ago. Now I'm just hoping and begging that maybe one day I'll get a decent break. Going out of the country isn't an option. Sharks can probably trace me, anyways. I'd have to start completely fresh- and I've heard folks don't take too well to people without homes. Barely even got my own apartment, and even that's up for grabs every time I don't get a paycheck in time."

She was lucky. Her landlord wasn't a complete imbecile, and understood when she couldn't get the rent money in on time, but a week or two, and that would change very quickly. It was difficult to not panic whenever the check didn't come in, but the day it did, she was so grateful she would nearly start crying before cashing it in.

"You can probably pay off your loans relatively quickly," she sighed, looking around, "Looks like you've got yourself set."

She wanted something like this, a comfortable life, a warm home, really, a place to call home. She barely furnished her apartment, knowing she might have to leave at any moment. That hurt, knowing she didn't really have a home. California was barely a home, warm as it may be.

 

[Venom Adhamm]

"Yeah... I could probably pay it all off, maybe even by the end of the year," Wei admitted, his expression shifting as he considers the disparity between his words and actions. He could pay off the loan for sure if business kept doing as well as it did. But there was something inside him that refused. Refused to give in to that group's demands.

"But I won't. They're asking me for far more, trying to play me as a fool. I won't give in to them. I won't be pushed around like that." Not again. Not again.

"You're going to have to come up with something though. If you can't pay them back, and you don't think you can run from them... There aren't too many options, are there? Maybe you could call the Avengers to help you out," he joked, glancing to the bar's door again, as though expecting someone to come in at any moment.

 

[Joyeful]

Aire coughed, almost choking on the drink she decided to take. "Oh, yeah, because they'll come all the way from over in, what, New York, I think? They moved locations a bit ago, yeah? Travel that far just for two people who got caught up in a scheme that was pretty clear from a mile away."

California was so far from there, even a flight took a bit of time- though with all the technology they hoarded, she wouldn't have been shocked if something flew faster than a normal plane. "Anyways, even if I could, this is hardly worth it. I don't know why the sharks want so much from me, anyways, when they already know my financial situation. If my hopeless romanticizing of life in California had panned out, I'd be able to pay the debt with no problem. Even then... you have a point. I don't feel like being played like that."

 

[Venom Adhamm]

"Nobody wants to be played out. Sadly, it's only a small percentage of people who can keep themselves from it. Most get swept up and ensnared by... by whatever. By their society, their country, their ideology, their work... their creditors. Maybe I really am a fool if I think I can fight against their demands, but my mind was made up a long time ago."
Wei looks down at a clock behind the bar, the only one in building, hidden from the sight of the public. It was also the only thing besides Wei himself to be unaffected by the deceleration effect.

All people who enter The Broken Hourglass seem to lose their track of time, and it's especially dramatic for those coming in for the first time. While it feels like only minutes have passed within the confines of the bar's four walls, hours will have gone by just outside. A byproduct of the extreme calming effect the place has on its customers, as well as being the simple result of everything inside being slowed down while everything outside moves as per normal.

"It's getting late, I'll be closing up pretty soon. Can you get home alright? I'd be glad to call you a cab, or just walk with you if you live close by. Not like I've got much else to do when sun starts to think about coming up."

 

[Joyeful]

Aire shook her head. "No, I think I can get there alright by myself. Thanks for the offer, though- and good luck with your debt."

Odd. It had only felt like a few minutes, but oh, well. She was known to lose track of time from here to there- especially that day at the sewage plant. A small shudder went through her as she remembered nearly heading down a drain before she had evaporated, and somehow been able to move like that.

Rising from the bar stool, she checked that she had all her belongings, and glanced around once more. "Might come back here sometime. Thanks for the drink."

 

[Venom Adhamm]

"Good luck with yours," he said simply, waving the girl off as she takes her leave.

The rest of the bar's clientele followed suit, one-by-one leaving the premises and heading off to wherever 'home' was. Some left to rundown motels, some to their childhood houses that they never made the cash to leave, and some to a warm place, to the arms of someone who loves and cares for them more than anything in the world. The lights of The Broken Hourglass dimmed, then shut off, and soon Wei headed off to the closest thing he could call 'home.'

But that word would never leave his lips, at least not to describe this place. A small apartment, not too well-kept, but not overly messy either. It didn't bother Wei much that his apartment wasn't the roomiest place. It didn't bother him that the lights were faulty sometimes, it didn't bother him that the water heater had problems, it didn't bother him that the neighbors were too loud at night.
It bothered him that he was alone. That he was always alone. Nobody would ever be waiting for him here. It made him cold. It made this place to him, not a home, but something closer to a prison. Like a purgatory where he must reside until he can return to the bar.

He never slept well. That night he dreamed of it again. It always felt so real. The smell of napalm. The sound of bullets. The sight of the jungle that hid within it horrors most men will never know. Hearts of darkness all around him, all consuming, knowing no limit to what they could swallow up. Something came for him quick, darting out of the shadows to sink its claws in.

And then he was awake. Cold sweat. Eyes wide. Heart racing. The sun was already in the sky. Wei touched his chest, decelerating his own heart for a moment to help calm himself down. Taking in a few deep breaths, before finally, he helped himself out of bed to have his shower and meal. He had time to watch some of the news on television, much of it still talking about the Blip and what will become of the Avengers now. It felt like that was all they talked about, but it was a good way to pass the hours, as before he knew it, it was time to head to the bar.

 

[Joyeful]

It was difficult for Aire to leave the bar, but she did. Warm, safe, someplace she might come back soon- but for now, she had to go home.

The night was chilly, and as she entered her apartment, she sighed as her bag was set down onto the table, and her body prepared for bed. Some days, it felt like someone else was in her body and she was just observing- it was how she felt ever since the time her body changed.

It was only when she was in another form that she truly felt like she was real, like she could maybe be a part of the world.

When she ended up waking the next morning, not knowing how she got there, she finished the last bit of a freelance project that was going to give a huge payoff. It was new, this feeling aimless.
Calculating the amount of money she'd need to set aside for taxes, roughly, Aire headed out.

No new auditions today, and nowhere to go.
The bar seemed as good as any a place.

 

[Venom Adhamm]

The regulars had already found their way into The Broken Hourglass by the time Aire had stepped inside. The bar was as expected, just the same as before. The same people for the most part, the same lights and decor, and the same bartender, cleaning out a few glasses. It was almost as though this place was locked in time. But how much could really change in the mere course of a day? Would the two lost souls be surprised by the answer?

"I'm glad to see you back," the bartender spoke, looking up at Aire with a smile that failed to reach his eyes. He looked tired. Long day, or just a long life?
"You know, I don't think I ever got your name. I'm Jing Wei, but you can just call me Wei if you'd like."

 

[Joyeful]

She gave a little smile in return, eyes a little brighter than the day before, but maybe that was just decent sleep.
"Glad to see you again- nice to have a slightly familiar face around this state. The name's officially Faireachdainn Briste, but I just shortened it to Aire, corny as that might be," she chuckled.

Her parents had wanted to be interesting. Well, they'd certainly accomplished that much, but making it unpronouncable didn't exactly give a ringer for memory. She didn't hate it, it was just... odd. Certainly helped employers remember her, though.
Even if she was "that girl with the F name", it helped.
Everything helped, except for that dammed debt of hers.

 

[Venom Adhamm]

(Do you wanna go ahead and bring in the creditors during this scene?)

Wei blinks a few times at 'Aire.' He was used to people here being thrown off slightly by his name, but he'd never been on the other end of that with someone. Not once in his tragically long life. He wouldn't even try to pronounce it. 'Aire' would do.

"Well that's smart of you, I'm sure a lot of people appreciate you shortening it for them," he comments with a cordial smile, "So, what'll it be tonight? You here to drink, or just looking for a place to... settle down and take it slow?"

 

[Joyeful]

(Sounds good- and sorry I took so long replying, life's been a slight bit hectic)

"Honestly, not sure. It's just warm here. And it's got a nice environment. But sure, I'll take a drink- IPA or straight up whiskey'll do."
She meant what she said. Aire loved the feeling of the bar, how time seemed to stop. How all her problems could just be dropped outside and she didn't have to deal with any of it.

The other, unavoidable point, of course, was that she wasn't exactly averse to alcohol. Tried not to drink, not too much, but the burn some nights was a welcome distraction. Today, however, she felt good. Felt alive. Why not just chill?

 

[Venom Adhamm]

(It's all good, I take way longer to reply anyway lol)

Wei nods, turning away from Aire for a moment to fix her a pint of IPA from the tap, before returning and setting it on a coaster, sliding the drink over to her. A slight smile remained on his face, but this one wasn't out of cordiality. It seemed, well, genuine. Wei always appreciated any kind of compliment, either towards himself (which he never received) or to his bar (somewhat more common).

"I'm open every night, so you're free to come by any time you like. A lot of people around here have their own problems too, maybe you'll find someone to really... confide him. Of course, I'm always here to listen to my customers too, if they'd like."

 

[Joyeful]

Aire laughed, a light sound, but also a sad one. "I don't ever stay in one place that long. Stay in the same state, though. A bit like a wishy-washy gypsy, if you know what I mean... anyways, I haven't given you a chance to speak. What made you create this place?"

She was avoiding talking about her problems, she knew that. But it was alright- she had a journal to confide in, a bed to sleep in. Those two things had served as a shoulder to cry on since the day she moved to Cali. Not the hreatest of setups, as far as those went, but better than being trapped in a 9 to 5 in a dead end.

No one really needed to know about her problems, and besides- Wei's own story was far more interesting than hers.

 

[Venom Adhamm]

"Interested in me now? Well, I worked in other bars for a long time. I guess owning my own was just a natural progression. That's part of it, anyway. What's kept me going is what this place has become. If I, or anyone else were to tear it down, a lot of people wouldn't have anywhere else to go. For some of my patrons, this is all they have to get away from it all."

Wei pauses for a moment, looking out at his bar and at the people drinking. Trying to forget, trying to remember, or trying to escape. And in that moment, it seems as though he is trying to do all three at once.
"The world breaks people. Sometimes it just feels like it's getting worse out there. I just hope none of that awfulness gets through those doors."

 

[Joyeful]

Aire shrugged, eyes downcast.
"Yeah... I guess this would be a nice place to stay."
She hated staying places. Feeling trapped, that's how she saw it. "我是傻子..." she muttered under her breath, before looking up again.
("I'm an idiot")

"So, how long have you been around this town? You seem pretty young to have this much success- compared to me, at least," she laughed. Self-deprecating as it was, she preferred to keep things light. And for the time being, Aire had to be light. Stay positive, not pessimistic, stay alive.
Run, when the time came.

 

[Venom Adhamm]

(Do feel free to bring them in whenever, I think it's about time to get the plot moving forward anyway)

Wei smiles at her comment on his rather youthful appearance, but decides not to touch on that topic further. Some secrets were better left kept instead of let out.

"How long...? Hard to say, you'd probably get a more accurate answer from one of the older regulars," he chuckles, "I've got a real bad sense of time, everything just feels like it goes so slowly, sometimes I don't even notice when the next year comes around. I bet you've got a better memory than me though, how long have you been around here?"

 

[Joyeful]

"My memory? You've gotta be kidding. But let's see, depends on which town you're talking about..." she trailed off, eyes moving to the door as it opened, revealing some particularly nasty faces. Faces that she would rather not see, in here, of all places. "Well, my memory is dying for the moment. Mind telling me where the restroom is?"

And if it had a window, but she had no doubt that the people surrounded the place. She needed to buy time- though it seemed like she was fresh out of luck, and money, to trade out.
But how the hell did they find her here? Sure, she wasn't the best at hiding out, but Aire had evaded them more than a few times before. And why such a priority?