Multiple Settings The Helldiver- An RP to sit back and relax at a weird bar [Open]

[PixelSymphony]

Val blushed slightly at Jazz's remarks before giving a nervous laugh. "Ah, um... well I appreciate the concern big guy. I promise I won't do anything stupid; besides if you're going to be there, we don't have anything to worry about, right?" Her finger continued to tap a steady tempo on the back of her hand as anxiety gripped her momentarily, now worried about whether Jazusu would think her a burden on the expedition, but duty pushed her forward. "A-anyway, I'll just need a few days to gather a couple things; got a few things mothballed that might help us out. Sound good?"

Without even waiting for a response, she stepped back over to Jay, "So Jay, tell me about the car; are we talking some roided up muscle-car that looks like the owner flexes while he drives? A streetmobile with fifteen different brand stickers in the rear window and a drift charm? Some kinda weird track toy that barely possesses a dashboard, nevermind a windshield?"

 

[Breadman]

"Take all time you need, Val." Jazz shrugged "Gives me more time to visualize things."

"What exactly are you visualizing?"

"Our victory, boss." Locy just shook her head as he relaxed in his seat.

So Jay, tell me about the car; are we talking some roided up muscle-car that looks like the owner flexes while he drives? A streetmobile with fifteen different brand stickers in the rear window and a drift charm? Some kinda weird track toy that barely possesses a dashboard, nevermind a windshield?

"Good question." Jay took another sip from his drink "When I was behind the wheel, the Diablo was nice and shinny with a chrome paintjob. Engine poking out of the hood and nitros strapped...somewhere. It got different while driving though. I said it ate through other cars. That wasn't just a descriptive. I saw entire pieces of metal come off other cars and straight into its grill. Then they would show up bend and twisted over it like armor or improvised weapons. Got to hand it to Blackthumbs. He knew how to make the car that would have his soul bound to it."

"My guess is look for a car that is 'canonicalizing other cars' and sounds extremely angry."

 

[PixelSymphony]

Val hurredly reached for an order pad as Jay began to describe the hell machine, monstrous engine and chrome accents flashing in her mind as she scribbled notes like a madwoman. But soon her pen slowed and she was left to stare blankly as the (ex-)scion of hell described the car's voracious tendencies. "... cannibalizing other cars?!?" she repeated in disbelief. Her hand quickly sought her temples as she left off a groan and a sigh. "So this car could literally look like anything. Greaaaaat."

Come on Val, no whinging in front of the customers, that's just bad form.

"Right, I signed up for this, I gotta follow through. Don't wanna make it look like your sister just hires schlubs. Okay, so we got a description and a name: Blackthumbs. You think the car would respond if we brought it one of his personal items or something? Something like, I dunno, did he have like special fuzzy dice he'd drive around with?"

 

[Breadman]

"Maybe. Good old Blackthumbs was kinda attached to his wrench." Jay answered. "Not sure why. There wasn't anything remarkable to it."

"Oh, that thing?" Jazz pointed to the backrooms "Its in our garage somewhere. I had some business back home and passed by the old gig for some fun a few years ago." He shrugged "Saw that his tools were up for grabs, so I helped myself to them."

"Wait, you just go back there?" Jay was confused.

"We were there before Val joined us, actually." Lucy added. "You should see him on the ice, Val. Skates so well, you'd forget he's build for murder. He has it all. Grace, elegance. He can even do a photo finish." Jay placed a hand in front oh his face. Desperately trying to hid his grin. "Don't laugh. You'd do well to find some other talents." Lucy chastised her little brother.

"Ahem. Right." Jazz wanted to change the subject " We got some of his personal belongings. Entire toolbox of them." He glanced again at Jay "You shut it."

"I didn't say angel this time, Jazz." Lucy lifted her arms, in faux-innocence.

 

[PixelSymphony]

Val nodded at mention of the wrench. “Makes sense; some equate their sword to their life , some do like wise with their wrench. Personally, I just wish I could afford to equate anything I've ever had to anything beyond its potential trade-in value...” she sighed with a heavy droop of her shoulders. “But anyway." She finished up the few remaining notes she wanted to make on the order pad before tearing the page out with a satisfying riiiiip, tucking it into an inner pocket on her vest. "I think I’m starting to get the inklings of a plan. With any luck, we’ll have you joyriding around in no time.”

As she listened in on her boss talking about visiting home, a pained look began to form on her face. “Ah, heh, yeah, I’d uh... I’d love to see it some time, Jazz,” Val said with a polite smile, though the corners of it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m imagining it as like when those hockey players go on those ice dancing shows. Elegant to a fault, and just as willing to knock your teeth out if you look at them the wrong way. Though now I have to ask; is your hell the traditional... you know,” she motioned with, her hands moving as if part of a great conflagration. “Fire and brimstone, red and hot type? You know, the kind you always see on certain holiday commercials and less than completely clever advertisements? I’m just trying to imagine where you folks would get enough ice down there to fill a rocks glass, never mind a rink.”

...angel?

 

[Breadman]

"Oh the Hellish kingdom of lord Smaragt is very diverse compared to some of his contemporaries." Xrithin commented. "The reasons are two." He held up both sets of left hands with two fingers extended. The drinks were getting to him. Lucy poured more into his glass as he talked. "One he wants a wide variety of subjects to draw into his armies. He's a big believer in all that diversity in strength, but also works as a way for him to pit the groups against each other."

"She asked if the Hell was all fire and brimstone, X" Jay looked over to the faceless minion "Not what dad's politics are."

"I'm getting to that. The different hellish biomes attract different types of demons. So the ninth circle of his Hell is cold beyond what mortals would call the absolute zero. Something about the light of the divine never making it there contributing to it, but I think he just made that up." He paused to drink again and flipped another coin on the counter as payment for the refill. "Now the second reason." Lucy and Jazz both made gestures for him to stop. He didn't seem to notice "The man is never got over Lucy's mother and AKH-" He felt a sudden bold of pain from inside. "Abyss damn-it!"

"Every time he mentions dad's love life, he gets shocked." Lucy sighed. "You'd think he'd learn after the first twenty times, but he's such a blabber-mouth." She reached for another bottle behind her labeled 'Sundown blues' and poured him a glass of a deep blue liquid. "We keep a stock of this just in case a client activates a curse they're under. Eases the pain." She slid it to Xrithin, who proceeded to gobble the glass down. "To save him another jolt." She turned to Val again. "Remember when I told you that dad has a lot of half-demon offspring? His Hell has a lot of seemingly romantic vistas. They're full of things that can kill you. Tourist trap in every sense of the word."

"Yeah, Lucy's mom was an angel." Jay spoke. "Mine was a void terror."

 

[PixelSymphony]

Val's eyes swept between Xithrin's slightly inaccurate math and Lucy's continued lubrication of his lips. Every bar policy she'd ever had to learn technically erred on the side of caution when dealing with inebriated customers, but this wasn't exactly a normal situation, and for what it was worth, the Helldiver wasn't exactly a normal bar. Welp, your call boss. Val certainly wasn't one to stem the tide when a rich vein of information was found, and Xitrin was anything but unwilling to talk, so for the moment she simply took to swabbing the counter, a dampened cloth beginning to work its way across the counter in slow, practiced motions. She remained silent- right up until the moment Xitrin cried out like he was having a heart attack. She jumped upright in a tizzy, cursing herself for not remembering where the bar's AED was, before noticing Lucy's blase expression and slow walk to the back shelves. "Oh," she dumbly let out as her boss explained the situation, "that's, good to know I guess. I'll hold off on asking about the old man's paramours then, numerous as they are revealing themselves to be."

She went back to her bar cleaning, a bit more frazzled but still listening. "Still, romantic vistas and tourist traps sound nice. I'd love to visit someday, although," she said with a bit of a frown on her face, "it'd be nicer if I ever had someone to go with. How's that old yarn go? Lucky at life, unlucky at love? Well lemme tell you, flipping one of those doesn't flip the other..."

 

[Breadman]

"If you want to visit one of those 'romantic' vistas, we can schedule the next team building exercise somewhere. Say...Cliffs of sorrow?" She looked at Jazz as thought of good places to actually visit. "Burning pools? Maybe the Darkest jungle will be good next time." Her bouncer gently nodded as he thought about it. Xrithin was now back to his 'normal' self.

"Agh, avoid the Cliffs. Place has a bat infestation." He balanced himself on his stool.

"Bat infestation...in the cliffs." Lucy looked at the demon. "You don't say." She then turned her attention back to Val. "So lucky at life, unlucky at love? Its something like that, isn't it?" She paused for a second. "Although, you sound like you have more insight into that than us. If you want to share, feel free."

 

[PixelSymphony]

"Want is a funny way of putting it boss." Val sighed as quickly became her hallmark. "I'll spill the beans about my love life, but fair warning, you may as well start pouring a second glass of that stuff. I might not take 300 volts across the bits and pieces whenever I bring it up, but some days I wish I did."

She sauntered out from behind the bar to alight upon one of the stools, leaning heavily against the bar as she began her tale. "So, right. I think I mentioned this when I first dragged my sorry tail in here, but before Lucy gave me a job here, I was working for, and at one point _owning_, a cross-worlds bar somewhat similar to the Helldiver. The bar went through a couple of names, but eventually was known as the Crossroads; it seemed apt both in the sense of being a nexus between various other realities, as well as a place where you'd meet... well, you know," she said, touching her horns in implication. "I met a lot of folks back when I worked there: magicians, warriors, rogues of all sorts, but the one girl who made an impression on me right from the start was-"

Val seemed to suddenly run out of breath, a look of hesitancy plastered across her face as her mouth opened without a sound, before diverting course. "-was a young firebrand of a woman. A former police detective, she'd gone into private investigations at that point and was always searching about the mysteries of the world and of existence itself. She was intense, a woman of pure will, unwilling to back down at any challenge that came before her, and i became fast friends with her, eventually living together in a small apartment near the bar." As she spoke, her mind drifted off to the memories of those halcyon days. "We were happy and had a lot of fun together, or at least I did, and I'd like to think she did too. But there was always this sense of... I'm not quite sure how to describe it. Like... there was always something going on in the back of her head, something dark and hidden that whenever she thought I wasn't looking, seemed to weigh on her."

"Well, I found out what it was one day in a way I never could have imagined. In through the front door one day at the bar comes this mature lady with, how do I say, definite dommy-mommy vibes." She pointed at Jazuzu and Xithrin in turn. "Don't laugh, it's the best way I can describe her: confident, powerful, eminent, a true girlboss in everyday. Clad in long coat and peaked hat, she looked like she would be equally at ease attending a royal ball or slaughtering a hellish beast, and indeed this very much was the case, as she described herself as a somewhat of a hunter of the unknown. Needless to say I was smitten beyond all belief, and what starting as flirting ended in a relationship. A relationship which in turn revealed that she was in fact the very same woman as my roommate, but from her far flung future. And, worse of all, she was running on borrowed time; the dark secret I'd been suspicious of this entire time was a sworn vendetta at a particular cosmic being which had caused the insanity and imprisonment of her father, and in order to become powerful enough to destroy them she'd traded her own being to another of the Old Ones. Every day that passed, the less she was herself and the more she became Other, until one day... until one day she-"

Val looked away as tears began to form in her eyes at the memory. "She was just... gone. All existence of her, just... gone. Wiped from the slate of reality, forever barred from returning."

 

[Infab]

"...I'm so sorry, Val." soon spoke up Amriel, having listened in on the conversation. A look of sadness on his face.

Kelly, meanwhile, had been more focused on one of the televisions. A football game was on, the kind of football with the brown leather ball shaped like a weird pointy oval. Kelly seemed to get excited when one player in red darted down the field towards one of the goal posts.

Amriel nudged him to calm him a bit, before looking back towards Val. "The Old Ones are always tricky to deal with, from what I've heard... Really, any eldritch being is." said the angel, "...What did you do after she vanished?"

 

[Breadman]

The bar quieted down as the group around the counter let Val speak. There were sounds from other members of the staff seeing to the patrons and their wishes as well as the humming of the TVs showing the different sports. Harry in perticular would hurry up with his orders as he could sense something was going on in the other side of the bar. Lucy trusted that her newest bartender wasn't just fooling when she said she would need a drink, so she prepared a clean glass just in case and then they listened. A familiar first half. Plenty of similar cases for her and others who have worked here, but not quite the same as Val's. Jazz was prepared to make a joke on the 'dommy-mommy' comment, but quickly shut down when Lucy gave him a cold look. He knew better.

Then the second half of the story hit and it hit hard for some. For others, like Xitrin, this was an everyday occurance and Kelly...well he was distracted. Amriel at least nudget him in the right direction. Jazz didn't have anything to say. Not sure where exactly if he could say anything, instead he looked to his benefactor with a look that said 'Well, you wanted to know.' Lucy picked up the glass she had prepared and poured her something else. Magic or supernatural brews and tonics couldn't heal this pain, only make it go away and come back like a hangover. The mortals were right on this one. Instead she picked out something from the upper shelves. That perticular bottle of vodka was there for a while, but was a reliable drink. With one hand, she would hand Val a drink and the other one she would place on the bartender's shoulder for comfort.

"Sorry to hear about that, Val." Jay said as he fished a hankerchief from the breastpocket of his jacket. The demon prince offered it to her so she could dry her tears. "If you don't mind me asking..." He was quiet for a second, not to pester her with too many questions. "Did she do it? Did she get to the thing that was responsible?"

 

[PixelSymphony]

Val glanced upwards solemnly at the attempts at comfort the others offered, genuinely thankful to be among those who cared for her, but still heartbroken at the memories of her last moments with the fated woman. Slowly she nodded at Jay's question, and after gathering herself slightly, she spoke. "She did... Blew him, or, I guess it asunder like a cannon aimed at a hot-air balloon. In some ways, I should be glad she got to fulfill her life's purpose; Creator knows I've been struggling to even find mine, nevermind achieve it, but... it still stings, hard. Like a piece of myself was lost along with her." She reached out gently for the glass of vodka Lucy had poured for her and took a slow sip, the clear liquor burning slightly as it went down her throat but helping to ease her nonetheless. Once, twice, three times she breathed before continuing.

"As for what I did after she ceased to be, well, that gets even more muddled. Literally the day after, the present time version of my roommate came to ask me what was going on, and why I was so downtrodden. At first I thought it better to try and keep what had happened secret from her, particularly since the future version had said flat out there was nothing I could say that would stop her younger self, but... well, she was a detective for a reason, and could tell in an instant. I ended up handing over the diary the future version had given me- oh, sorry," she suddenly apologizing, realizing she had left out a detail. "The future version of her had been keeping a diary of everything that had transpired, and it was the one thing that was left to me after everything had vanished. I gave it to the present-time version, and... well I don't know, things got strange. We actually ended up trying to date each other at that point since it seemed like it was a forgone conclusion, but then that got more and more strained as she began down her path of researching this cosmic entity and becoming this future version of herself, and I was left to merely watch as she became the person I know who would one day meet the final fate I had been a part of."

"We parted ways on... very rocky terms, to be perfectly honest." At this, she fell silent, returning to simply sipping her drink.

 

[Breadman]

As Val finished answering their questions, the gang was quiet once again. A tale of sorrow and lost love, not unfamiliar to anyone, but heavy non-the less. The two demons at the bar didn't say anything, both out of respect for Val and not wanting to draw the ire from Lucy or Jay. Even so, Xrithin placed one hand on his chin and started flipping mentally through the catalogue of whatever old one could be in this story. Likely didn't matter anymore if the creature was destroyed.

"Again, sorry you had to go through all of that, Val." Jay spoke again as he swirled the drink in his glass. "Was there any way to break the cycle?" His curiousty got the better of him and it caused his sister to give him a disaprooving look, but that failed to deter him from asking. "Like was this something locked in from fate or did she find that every alternative was worse in her research?"

Tho the questions may seem innaproprate, Xritihn was in the same line of thinking. He's seen plenty of anguish and torment and many times the knowledge of what could be or what could not is the reason for mortals to harm their loved ones or to drift apart. The faceless one would keep that to himself for now. His prince was walking that path of questions for them both.

 

[PixelSymphony]

Val took another draw of the vodka, the clear liquor burning as it went down, and she gave an audible exhalation in immediate response. "I wish there had been, Jay," she said, speaking at her glass as stared through half-lidded eyes. "But her devotion to this ideas was central to her being; Without this drive, she'd be lost in space, and literally stop being herself. And I think the worst part was everybody knew it, future her, present her, and me myself, even as I tried to come up with an alternative. Even her future self told me, as she lay slowly losing herself, that even if I told her younger self what would happen, she'd still do it. That was just the nature of her; like you said, it really was like she was locked down this path by fate."

"But yeah, so there you go." Val concluded, gesturing with a hand. "That's my sordid love life in a nutshell: dramatic, bombastic, but cursed as hell. And that's only the most notable occurrence of this; I've got a variety of other examples too but... I don't think Lucy's got enough recovery alcohol to go through them all in a night. Besides," she said, standing once again and sauntering over to the service side of the bar once again, clearing her throat and adjusting her tie. "... I'm a bartender for the Helldiver. Turning the night dour is no way to repay your dear sister who took me in."

"So then... would any body else like anything? Perhaps something special?" she said, a polite smile returning to her face, even as the remnants of tears still clung to the corners of her eyes.

 

[Breadman]

"Sorry Val. Didn't mean to dig in too deep." Jay said as he finished his own drink. "A refil would be nice." The yound prince felt guilt. Something the faceless horror next to him noticed and was somewhat surprised by. He didn't think this bloodline was even capable of that. "What are you looking at?" Jay noticed being observed.

"Nothing, just wondering...maybe your older brother could do with the same excursion you went on."

"You mean going MIA?" Xithrin simply nodded as he rolled another coin. Requesting a refil for his own drink.

Harry had crept up behind the group while they listened to Val. The ellisive Plumber agent that Izrovut had been waiting for finally showed up, but he wouldn't talk without getting something down his gullet first. A specific blend from the part of the bar Lucy was standing in front of. While he ran his bony fingers along the general area looking for the bottle, he couldn't help but evesdrop on his colleague's story. Her tale hit a few familiar notes, but her own pain was slightly different than his. The innevitable loss of a loved one decided by fate was there, but where it differed was that his was an act of his own doing. The skull shook for a second to rid himself from the creeping regret as he focused on finding that one bottle. A few seconds more and he would remember where the damn thing was.

"You sure know how to pick us, boss." He finally spoke as he turned around to talk to Lucy "You got the key for Izzy's clients? Forgot to restock between visits."

"Here." Lucy passed him a key. "What did you mean by picking you, Harry?" She narrowed her eyes towards her old bartender.

"Making an observation, since both your bartenders have some baggage." Harry pointed to himself. Lucy's eyes widened a bit as she made the unfortunate connection. "Odd when these things happen." He leaned to the side to look at Val "Sorry to hear about what you went through. You wanna talk shop or take your mind off work, you can come by during your breaks." He pointed with a thumb over his shoulder over to where his usual spot.

 

[Infab]

"So then... would any body else like anything? Perhaps something special?" she said, a polite smile returning to her face, even as the remnants of tears still clung to the corners of her eyes.

Amriel was about to speak again, before he heard a rapid trio of beeps. All originated from a small square device on his hip. He glanced down and sighed. Not again. He reached down and hit a button on the device instinctively, before standing up and drawing out his wallet.

"Well, I was going to ask for something special, but it looks like work is calling me." he said, drawing out a few bills and setting them on the bar counter. Most of it was a large tip for Val. "Its a rare occasion where I get any more than a few hours away from Heaven. At least lately, that is."

He said his goodbyes, for now, to the others before giving Kelly a pat on the shoulder. And within a few moments, had disappeared into a portal similar to the one he had entered through. Though, it wouldn't be long before another portal would open in a different section of the bar. And a familiar tall, red, white-haired demon entered through it, clad in a blue tropical shirt and cargo shorts.

"Yo!" said Mackenzie, giving the group at the bar a wide and cheerful grin and a wave of the hand. "How's it goin'?"

The relaxed wrath demon only made it a few steps into the bar, however, before someone else came sailing through the portal behind her in a dive. They hit the floor, tactical rolled, then popped up with their finger leveled at the back of Mackenzie's head in an accusatory stance.

"FINALLY! NOW I KNOW WHERE YOU'VE BEEN SNEAKING OFF TO!" spat this new individual, a sinister cackle following afterwards.

Mackenzie looked over her shoulder, turning slightly so she could look behind her. "...Blake?" said the wrath demon, entirely confused.

"Yes! I've been following you since you left the gym! I had to know where you've been sneaking off to all this time! You always manage to lose me, but NOT THIS TIME!" responded the demon. It was a woman, about the same height as Mackenzie and almost built the same muscle-wise judging from her figure. Her skin, visible only from the neck up, was near paper white and her eyes were the typical demonic black sclera with crimson red irises. Her black hair was cut into a bob, and a pair of long horns curved upwards from her forehead. They matched her skin in color, but faded into a pitch black near the tips.

Her outfit was the more eye-catching part of her, as she wore a full, form-fitting tactical jumpsuit colored dark gray. It made one think of a wet-suit, with how it hugged the body, but was reinforced in the joints and was far less shiny. Covering up her torso, however, was an open jacket-style peacoat with the collar upturned around her neck. It seemed she actually wore it that way, instead of it having popped up during movement. Underneath the coat was a tiny tactical vest with barely anything on it, beyond a few pockets. One of which had a pink cell phone.

"Blake..." said Mackenzie as she fully faced the woman, "...This is a bar. I haven't been sneaking off anywhere, since I come here all the time with Kassidy and Kelly. Shit, Kelly's right there!"

Mackenzie pointed over towards the bar, to where Kelly was sitting. He was staring back, and slowly rose a hand to wave. "Hey, Blake." he soon said, just as surprised to see her as Mackenzie.

Blake's hand, still pointing at Mackenzie, slowly began to lower as Blake looked about. "... A... A bar?..." said the demon, a look of confusion washing over her own face. Her eyes darted between the other patrons, and her cheeks slowly shifted in color to pink. Shit, now she was embarassed.

 

[Breadman]

"See ya around, angel-guy." Jazz said his goodbye to Amriel. A few moments later he would feel something in his blood tingle. Another wrath demon was coming in and soon enough it was Makenzie. He knew she wasn't a trouble maker and laid back enough not to worry about anything. He spun on his stool and before he could say anything he saw the other demon come barreling out of the portal and make her accusations of their patron sneak away.

The demon sighed, put the glass down, got out of the stool and prepared to get involved. From the look of her, she was a warrior and maybe a professional soldier. Possible high enough rank to command some poor souls under her. He had the upper hand here, but it would be a brawl. But once again...things would change on the fly.

... A... A bar?...

"Yes. Welcome to the Helldiver!" Lucy called out from behind the counter, not giving her bouncer a chance to say anything. "Don't mind Jazz, he's just doing his job."

"Makenzie is fine." He finally got a chance to say something. He looked at Blake a bit more carefully. He caught the blush of embarrasment, but wasn't going to bring it up. Not now at least. The rest of the occular patdown was didn't reveal any hidden danger despite the dramatic entrance a few moments ago. Not like there was much space to hide. The tactical vest was also nearly empty save for that phone. "You're good too. Enjoy your stay." He said with a friendlier tone as he moved to the side so she could go to the bar.

 

[Infab]

Blake slowly looked about the bar, her arm lowering till it was hanging at her side once more. There were some... strange looking demons here. And a sentient skeleton... Was it sentient? Or was someone here a necromancer?

"... I... I've never heard of the Helldiver. Is this like one of those hole-in-the-wall places?" she soon managed to force out, as her attention shifted back to Mackenzie. However, Kelly soon drew her focus with his response.

"More like one of those crossroads-between-universes places." he said, flashing the tall demon a grin before looking back to a nearby screen. He sipped some of his drink, as Mackenzie spoke next.

"Kass brought me here a while back. Thought it was rad, so I swing by when I can." she said, motioning around the bar. Blake eyed her for a few moments in reaponse, before her crimson eyes moved about the room again.

"...Right." muttered the demon, straightening up and fixing her jacket. She shoved her hands in the jacket's pockets, then gave Mackenzie a look of annoyance as she walked towards the bar. A whisper was spoken into Mackenzie's ear as she passed. "Your tailor always manages to find the weirdest places and strangest friends."

The near silent comment forced Mackenzie to roll her eyes as she turned about, and she soon looked towards those at the bar. "This is Blake, my younger sister." she stated, motioning a hand towards the white demon as she approached one of the bar stools.

"Half-sister. Same caring and devoted father, but completely different mothers." corrected Blake, as she soon slipped onto a stool near Val. She glanced to the bartender, flashing her a smile and a wink. "My mother is a pride demon of rather high standing out in the colder reaches of our Hell. Her mother was a grunt."

"An officer in Hell's grand army. Died a long time ago during a clash with fallen angels." said Mackenzie, soon moving to a seat next to Kelly. "The same grand army you're an officer in, Blake."

"As per our dearest father's wishes. You were one too. Once." responded Blake, "And now you're a... personal trainer?"

"Yeah. Something I like doing as opposed to the family business." was Mackenzie's quick retort.

 

[Breadman]

"Ah, daddy issues. Something we're well aqainted with, huh sis?" Jay spoke as he looked to Lucy. She gave him a quizzical look in response.

"Yes...lets call it that." She tried not to get into that in front of a new potential client. Not yet anyway. "I'm Lucy, the owner of this place." She moved her hand to point to her brother "This little demon is my brother, Jay. The large one is our bouncer, Jazz, but you already met. Next to me..." She pointed with her other hand "Is our newest bartender, Val." She next looked to the faceless one. "This is Xrithin, a regular. The rest of the staff is busy with other clients, but you'll get to know them should you choose to come by more often." She gently clasped her hands as she finished the introduction. "I suspect Makenzie already has a a drink picked in mind, but how about you?"

 

[PixelSymphony]

"It's... okay Jay, honest. It's just something I haven't thought about in a long time." She waved a hand him in dismissal of his worries. "Better you know sooner than later what all skeletons your sister's employees have in their closets."

Speaking of which...

Harry's appearance near her was welcome, if a bit surprising; she always found the other bartender surprisingly warm and cordial for a literal skeleton; indeed during her first few days at the bar he'd been the one to show her all the weird locations of some of the stranger devices and concoctions that the Helldiver possessed. "Oh, Harry, that's kind of you," she said with a sigh. "Yeah, maybe some night when it's not so busy, I'll come take a load off. Try to get some of these lingering existential questions out of my head so that we can try wringing them out over a glass of whiskey." She glanced over to where Amriel was departing, giving a cheerful goodbye and a wave, before spotting MacKenzie's arrival and subsequent settling at the bar. "Alas my good friend, tonight calls out for us. Bid me farewell, as I charge back into the fray!"

Sauntering back over to her side of the bar, she gave a smile as she came into distance of MacKenzie, always happy (and a little smitten) to see her. "Hey hey big girl, how you-"

This was all she was able to get off before the portal the wrath demon had stepped through spat out another guest, one who opened up with a shout forceful enough to send Val diving for the secret floor panel Jax had shown her. Though as MacKenzie turned to acknowledge the other demon with a confused question, Val paused her rapid loading of shells to listen and... hweh? She summoned up enough courage to peek gingerly over the bartop, perplexed at just what exactly was going on. Holy moly that's a lotta beef... she mused, a small blush coming to her face as beads of sweat formed on her brow. It didn't seem as if the two were about to come to blows, so the addled bartender stood slowly, one hand still on the firearm as she concealed it below the counter.

Slowly the situation revealed itself; this (other) walking mountain of muscle appeared to be MacKenzie's half sister, and although she bore the sin of Pride about her like a banner, the switch from her haughty entrance to an embarrassed crawl to the bar seat made Val almost have a heart attack from the adorableness of it. Concentrate Val, she's a guest, you gotta serve her before you start getting any bright ideas... The interplay between the sisters was clearly caring, albeit slightly strained, with familial expectations being the center of it. And here I figured it'd be something a bit more exotic... just goes to show ya I guess.

Regardless, as Lucy introduced her to the newcomer Val gave a polite bow, delicately setting the shotgun down on the counter. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Blake. Can I get you something to drink?"

 

[Infab]

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Blake. Can I get you something to drink?"

Blake eyed the shotgun briefly, raising an eyebrow. "Nice hardware." she said softly, before looking up to Val and smiling. "The pleasure is mine." was her response, before her eyes shifted from Val to the wall of drinks behind her.

Blake had never really been to a bar. Most of her drinks were store bought, and the most she had ever drank had been different types of wine (a trait drawn from her mother.) She knew the variations of liquor, thanks to Mackenzie, so she wouldn't have trouble with that. She, however, didn't know much about the multitudes of cocktails and mixed drinks. This was all a new experience for her, really, and it showed quite quickly on her face as that same pinkish tint to her cheeks came back. Embarrassment.

Mackenzie, nearby, watched her closely. As she noticed Blake's cheeks changing color, a sly grin slowly began to creep across her face. Eventually, she looked past her half-sister to Lucy and spoke. "The same as last time. Those craft beers were radical." she said, glancing back to Blake briefly before shifting her attention to the screen that Kelly was watching.

Blake eventually spoke, although with more of a whisper as she leaned in towards Val. "I-I... err... uhm..." she started, before taking a brief moment to think. "...What would you suggest? Something... uhm... fruity would be nice. I think."

 

[PixelSymphony]

Val gave a smile at Blake's remark at the firearm but left it at that. "Well the good news is if you're looking for something fruity, I'm your gal. We have a variety of drinks that might suit your palate, from standard fare like a Strawberry Daiquiri, spiced wines like Sangria, maybe a Pina Colada if you're feeling beachy, or a Beliini if youre feeling peachy? And of course," she said, leaning in close over the counter, "if something a little more personal is your taste, I could always make something... special for you~" She let the offer linger in the air for a moment before standing up and beginning to unload the shotgun. "So what tickles your fancy?"

 

[Infab]

"Well the good news is if you're looking for something fruity, I'm your gal. We have a variety of drinks that might suit your palate, from standard fare like a Strawberry Daiquiri, spiced wines like Sangria, maybe a Pina Colada if you're feeling beachy, or a Beliini if youre feeling peachy? And of course," she said, leaning in close over the counter, "if something a little more personal is your taste, I could always make something... special for you~" She let the offer linger in the air for a moment before standing up and beginning to unload the shotgun. "So what tickles your fancy?"

Really all she suggested had sounded nice, but the offer to make something special for her plucked the right string inside of Blake. Maybe it was because she already found this specific bartender rather appealing to her senses. Maybe it was her pride demon half surging forth yet again. Special. Special often meant Exclusive. Made only for her. Val had said just the right words... and in just the right way, too. A slight smile appeared on Blake's face, the corners of her mouth gently curling.

"Special... Special sounds great." said Blake, watching Val work with the shotgun. The bartender seemed to be a weapons expert too, so that was another plus in her book.

 

[PixelSymphony]

"Special it is then," Val repeated, shucking the remaining shell into the glass she'd been depositing the others before moving both below the bar. "Now then, where shall I begin," she hummed, turning to the back wall to gaze at the liquors on offer. In actuality she'd had to stock these shelves so many times at this point that she could name the bottles in her sleep, but a bit of show never hurt now and again. Rum base, natch, and I'm gonna avoid the usual pineapple and coconut blends as she doesn't exactly seem like a beach bum... hrm, what can I do that's aggressively fruity? She snapped her fingers in epiphany. Cherry. Maybe take a Cuba libre and swap out some of the cola? Kind of a shame, cola pairs well with cherry, go figure. And pairing with cherry could go lime definitely... ahh, I know where this is going, she thought with a smile, and got to work. Rum, grenadine, and cherry liquor were dragged to the wooden counter top where the shotgun had moments ago lay, and behind them came a pair of tins. Val's measurements were quick and precise, her practiced hand adding ingredients in tempo with her pours, and ice was tossed into the shaker like a grenade into a basement cellar, the top tin going on to seal the deal. Then into the air the closed shaker went rapidly agitating back and worth in her hands, back and forth, to and fro, up and down, until with a plunk she set the whole mess down and whacked at one side to loosen the now present vacuum that was keeping everything contained within.

The pour was strained, the bartender wishing to keep the amount of ice merely to three transparent cubes arranged in a tall glass, and as the crimson drink filled the vessel, she topped it with a set of maraschino cherries and a lime wheel hung over the side of the glass. "Here you go, tall, pale, and handsome, a weapon to surpass any taste buds, the Cherry Bomb."

 

[Infab]

Blake watched Val prepare the cocktail with slight amazement, eyes following her deft movements. And soon, she found herself gazing down at a beautifully crafted drink topped with her favorite fruit: Cherries! Small and delicious (and sometimes a bit bitter,) they made for great snacks.

"Here you go, tall, pale, and handsome, a weapon to surpass any taste buds, the Cherry Bomb."

Blake's cheeks shifted back to their slight pinkish hue at the compliment, as her eyes continued to inspect the drink. "The name certainly fits. And I love cherries!" she said, smiling as she leaned down and looked through the glass at the cocktail's colors. "Good snack for deployments."

She soon heard Mackenzie speak up nearby, forcing her attention away from the drink and towards her sister. "Are you going to actually drink it? Or just flirt with the bartender over it?" said Mackenzie, flashing both her and Val a grin.

The pink in Blake's pale cheeks grew hotter, as her eyes snapped back to Val, then the drink. She wouldn't suffer her embarassment like this! She then lifted the glass to her lips, and took one long drink. As if to defy her sister's prodding. As she lowered the glass from her mouth, she seemed to be either savoring the drink or doing something with her tongue. Her jaw moving slightly as her eyes gazed down into the liquid remaining in the glass.

It turned out to be the latter, as she soon poked her tongue out with one of the cherry stems tied in a knot. Expertly done!