Aeval An Dohman

As Lapis stared into space, a waiter came to take her order. He gave her a sweet smile, as all waiters did. Lapis always hoped they were sincere… Sometimes it was obvious they weren’t and others it was too hard to tell. Lapis thought that this one was.

"Welcome Miss, though I do believe I already stated that to you once. Or twice. Anywho, would you like something to drink?" He asked her. He didn’t seem to be rude or obnoxious about it.

“Oh, goodness!” She said in a hush voice. “I’m very sorry… I didn’t mean to ignore you.”

Over his shoulder, the waiter shouted, "And Karma, if you are serious about wanting a Hot Chocolate, bring some damn chocolate next time! You should know by now that we don't carry chocolate often! There are some very obvious reasons why at that...." With a pause that seemed almost suspicious, he continued, “Anybody know that Dark Chocolate is supposed to be healthier, but tastes much more bland? At least, to me anyway. Random fact." His sentences seemed rushed together.

“How strange… I actually enjoy dark chocolate very much.” She spoke slowly, as she always did. Lapis always had a tiredness about her… “By the way, do you happen to carry anything non-acoholic? A fruit drink, perhaps?”

At hearing Miss Luna release a small bit of laughter, Vega raised her gaze up from the worn tea cup she had clasped in her hands and looked upon the white-haired woman with a hint of questioning in her too-placid eyes. The expression carried on Vega’s young face was one that bellied her earlier attitude—she appeared as if she had grown into a sort of unusually potent calm, a sense of certainty that didn’t belong to her. Why it was Miss Luna had laughed at her statement, Vega didn’t know or understand, and in a way it made her nervous on the inside. If she had said something inappropriate to the situation. . . . Well, that wouldn’t be too much of a surprise, her social skills were terrible, and she was inept at speaking with people as if she herself were a normal person; there was a reason her Mistress had made it taboo for her to speak to any of her guests when serving them; all she was allowed to do was to nod and shake her head, her mouth was to remain shut at all times.

This . . . was why, she would say something and mean well by it, but it would come out sounding like an insult, or it’d be funny. And, because she thought that she’d gone and made this mistake again, Vega felt herself slink down a bit in her seat again, as if she were trying to hide more from the world, to vanish from the Inn. People were still staring on at her and Luna, idly gossiping and giving her hateful glances. . . . “I am indeed Luna Aea and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Vega. I require no Miss in front of my name, I have never been addressed so and I do not intend to start now.” The gentle tone in her voice startled her, and it caused Vega to jump a bit, and sit back up straight while keeping the teacup in her hands. Her crimson eyes turned back to Luna, and she caught the friendly smile upon the woman’s face, and . . . it left a sense of questioning in her for a moment, kindness, and not having to address people with some level of formality, well that just wasn’t something she was used to. . . .

Luna was being so kind toward her, and Vega just didn’t grasp why, there was no reason for it; she’d stood up for her, and sat across from her when she had no reason. . . . “And if that is so, then women of this region need to get off their backsides and explore the world that is so ready to teach them wonders they could only imagine. And perhaps a few manners as well. Today is a whole world away from yesterday. The times are changing and they are stuck in the past with their judging, gossiping ways.” Miss Luna’s statement there made Vega slouch down in her seat again though, and for something of a faint blush to wander across her cheeks . . . such words might apply to herself as well. Though she were not personally like many of the women in the region, she herself had grown timid and fearful of the world, to the point where she was afraid of learning more about it. The point had always eluded her, the world seemed so terrible, and if things were already the way they were for her now, what more could she be risking by trying to step out into it? To have such a view of the world . . . was admirable, indeed, Miss Luna was a brave woman.

“So, this man is not known here? That is certainly curious. I do wonder if we should travel to the place he suggested and have it out with him. What are your thoughts on this ma-“ As the white-haired woman began to speak again, Vega forced her gaze back up to her . . . companion who was seated across from her, her musings had wondered over to the man from before, the stranger who knew the names of herself and Miss Luna. Though it seemed as if the older girl were about to pose another question for Vega, they were interrupted by another person seating themselves at their table, between herself and Luna. Vega looked upon him, an air of anxiety over her along with her seemingly calm outward appearance. She . . . recognized him, but knew not his name.

"All the tables are full with gossipy old ladies. I hope you don't mind if I sit here." he stated, only for Miss Luna to reply before anything could come from her herself.

“You are more than welcome young man,” she seemed to be examining him following that. . . .

Vega herself simply kept her eyes on the redheaded boy; knowing he looked young, but that he was a teenager as herself. He seemed the perky sort, happy and confident . . . the opposite of herself. She didn’t mind him sitting with her and Miss Luna, but why he would want to be around her if he were a local, she didn’t understand. "I feel so small here!” He commented, only then did that make Vega realize that he was indeed a small lad, maybe even smaller than herself. . . . "Could I learn your- Oh no, wait! I haven't even introduced myself. Mama would be disappointed. . . I'm Karmanine, but you can call me Karma. And you two?" he asked.

Karma . . . ? Vega questioned, not sure how she would address him with such a name. He looked her age, and seemed to be a kind one, happy and such; something she had little experience with herself. I do not know how I am supposed to. . . . The Mistress would. . . . she thought, drawing her gaze down and away from the boy uncertainly, tightening the grip she had on the teacup perhaps a bit too much. . . .

Miss Luna introduced herself, “I am Luna Aea.” and gestured to her before continuing on, expecting her to do it herself. Understandable. “And what brings you to the Inn on this foul evening?”

Seeming somewhat flighty, Vega looked over at this Karmanine boy, her face red before she spoke her own name in uncertainty, preferring to not given the treatment the last one got her. “I-I am V-Vega. . . .” she mumbled quietly, looking back to her hands and the cup between them, her grasp getting firmer, to the point that both of her hands were shaking along with the cup.

“And Karma, if you are serious about wanting a Hot Chocolate, bring some damn chocolate next time! You should know by now that we don't carry chocolate often! There are some very obvious reasons why at that...." the man who was working the Inn’s customers called over to the boy seated at her table, stopping as he seemed to realize something before he trailed on into another direction completely, ”Anybody know that Dark Chocolate is supposed to be healthier, but tastes much more bland? At least, to me anyway. Random fact."

“How strange… I actually enjoy dark chocolate very much.” A new voice spoke up, one that Vega did not recognize. . . . It was sort of a tired voice, but a kind sounding one just the same. “By the way, do you happen to carry anything non-acoholic? A fruit drink, perhaps?”

The people were still chattering about her, and even with Miss Luna there, being a brave woman, and now Karmanine . . . so much she just didn’t understand. These two were being nice to her, they weren’t looking down on her or judging her for her last name, they were treating her like they would anyone else, and Miss Luna even had stood up for her without knowing anything about her. Why? Why was that? Everyone she was used to in her life was always so . . . so annoyed with her, disgusted, and bitter. They treated her as if she didn’t belong, like she shouldn’t have been born. But, here were two strangers just being pleasant with her, they weren’t judging her or acting like she was annoying at all.

I do not . . . understand it. Vega swallowed, shutting her eyes as she turned her head down. Kindness, there is no reason to show it to me, nor is there reason to be brave for one such as myself, not when I have done nothing to receive such treatment. Again, the grip on the cup tightened in those little hands of hers . . . until it couldn’t take it anymore. Though she was not a strong girl, the pressure Vega had been applying to the cup was just too much for it to handle.
It was only when a sharp crack sounded through the air did Vega’s attention return to reality from her anxieties and nervousness. An “Eh . . . ?” came from her throat, as she blinked, staring into space it seemed before a rush of warm liquid hit her gloved hands and pulled her eyes downward.

Blinking with a flabbergasted look upon her pallor face, Vega’s eyes widened as she pulled her hands apart and away from the cup, the thing falling into three distinct pieces without her hands there to keep them together, the tea it’d contained leaked out over the surface of the table, and her hands were now soaked with it too. She’d . . . broken the cup. By just holding it, she’d managed to break something. Vega just sat there silent, and stunned. She was guilty of breaking things out of her own clumsiness often, but . . . managing to break a cup by just holding onto it, that was a new one, even for her. . . . How much more of this would she manage before her Master and Mistress finally just gave her the boot? How much more before the world just got sick of her and did the same?

Here she was now, beginning to break things that she merely grasped. . . . It wouldn’t be long before it grew worse, before it got worse. And Vega herself, she didn’t know what to do then, under her Mistress’ eye, if she broke something, she was often met with physical retaliation; a kick, a slap, being made to pick up what she broke with her hands bare, so that there might be a chance that she’d get a shard of the broken object stuck in her skin as punishment. Here though, here in a place that was not under her eye, what would happen? Would someone get even angrier at her for this and do worse than her Mistress did?

The thought numbed Vega though, and though people sat near her, Miss Luna and Karmanine, the poor dark-haired girl could only stare at her soaked hands with her crimson eyes wide, and her face white as a sheet, before getting out a simple and timid, “A-Ah . . . I-I broke the cup. . . .”

“I am Luna Aea.” The white-haired woman extended her hand to him. Karma stared at it before shaking it happily. “And what brings you to the Inn on this foul evening?” Karma shook his head in annoyance.

"Deliveries. You know, I deliver my Mama's cakes." he said quietly, smiling softly, before groaning and putting his head on the table. "It's annoying, cause my Mama says I'll grow if I run around a lot but I see no growth here." he joked.

The boy's easily distracted eyes swivelled around the bar, looking at each individual person. “I-I am V-Vega. . . .” It was a quiet voice, but Karma heard and he could see her shaking visibly. He said nothing, before nodding his head enthusiastically. She looked small, frail, but he wasn't one to talk about height, in any way or circumstance. Oh yeah! That was why he'd come here anyways, wasn't it? To give her a nickname. He already had a rather random one for Luna, but he couldn't think of anything for Vega.

Quickly, however, he looked up at Jordan as he heard his voice. "And Karma, if you are serious about wanting a Hot Chocolate, bring some damn chocolate next time! You should know by now that we don't carry chocolate often! There are some very obvious reasons why at that...." He said, before pausing. "Anybody know that Dark Chocolate is supposed to be healthier, but tastes much more bland? At least, to me anyway. Random fact." Karma looked at him and shrugged quietly, and just as he was about to say something, another voice spoke up.

"How strange… I actually enjoy dark chocolate very much." He turned to see where the voice came from; a blue haired girl. She sounded nice and calm, yet tired. “By the way, do you happen to carry anything non-alcoholic? A fruit drink, perhaps?”

Karma pressed the tips of his fingers fingers together and smiled, grinning. "It's so busy here." he mused, before it settled in that he couldn't have hot chocolate. What a shame. . . "Jordan," he drew out the vowels, something he knew most people found annoying, and placed his face on his hands which were pursed together. "I'll have some tea if there's no hot choc-"

He was cut off when he heard a loud crack. As he looked to the source of the noise and saw the Vega girl staring wide-eyed at three large shards on the table. Alternating between looking at the broken cup and the girl, a horrified look washed over his face. "Hey." he said, his voice significantly more mature than earlier as he turned as pale as the girl herself. "You're not bleeding, right?" Karma looked at the girl calmly, even though his eyes were visibly flashing fear. He checked over her hands without touching her and noticed that luckily, she was fine. He breathed out in relief, beginning to pick up the pieces carefully. Glancing at the girl, his childish grin soon returned though it faltered when he felt one of the sharper edges press into his finger.

The boy frowned and brought his finger to his mouth, before looking at the girl. Ah, whatever. He didn't care much for his own blood, not really. "A penny for your thoughts, ?" he said, going on to ramble aimlessly, almost incomprehensible due to his finger being in his mouth, at how his parents would always ask he and his sister that when they were upset, but he froze at the very name of the girl. ". . . then Mama would always say that to me and Marrif-" he sighed softly and looked at Jordan. "Where should I put these, Jordan?"

Lucius' voice rang in Vega's ears, his parting words reviving themselves in her head.
"If any of you wish to know more, I'll be waiting in the big house at the foot of the volcano to the South."
His words would provide an answer, anyone who had heard them would feel that, and if anyone could explain things that had happened, his staying dry in rainy weather, her destroying a cup by just holding it, it would be him.

Back at his house, Lucius broke a charcoal rod, and a man in red stepped out of a burning portal, the embodiment of Chaos. Before we continue, let me explain why Chaos would always take this form in front of Lucius. Chaos, as I'm sure you all are aware, is incredibly chaotic, and normally wouldn't take the same form more than once, and would appear different to everyone he met. However, Chaos appears as Chaos is viewed, and Lucius saw that there was order in Chaos, and so, he would always be a man in a suit to Lucius. His hair would always be well-kept, and his nails always perfectly even and smooth. The aura around him, however, worked in perfect desynch with his image, making one feel like they would need to shower after speaking with him. Only Lucius was able to stay within five paces of Chaos without feeling uneasy, due to his already being soaked in chaos himself. Unlike Chaos, however, he didn't show it except to the most empathetic out there. And those were the most easily corrupted.
"Ugh, did you have to summon me on your day off? I get sick of you on your days on!" Chaos groaned, adjusting his suit.
"Funny. I was actually planning on asking for a few more days."
Aww, did you fall in love with another mortal girl?"
"Actually, they aren't really mortal, if you catch my drift. No love, either."
Right, those other Stones... Planning on converting a few?
"Yeah, but I need your help for one."
"Vega?"
"Yup. See if you can't get her to... Sway our way."
"I feel like a fucking genie, but as you wish."
Chaos disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Vega's mind started to fill with questions she would feel only Lucius could answer. They would be no more than just questions, but they would still be enough to make her at least want to visit Lucius' house, if at least to settle an answer or two.

Oh, goodness! I’m very sorry… I didn’t mean to ignore you.” Jordan shrugged at her statement when he turned back around to face her. "Not a problem, Miss. You seemed to be a little distant anyway." He bluntly stated to her, but with no rudeness or harsh annotations. He merely stated the truth as he saw it - and it reminded him a little of Mako. That guy would always drift off for no apparent reasons, and just thinking about it made Jordan miss his home and Mako ever more. Thing was, he knew that if he stepped foot back in his home town - nay, even back in that damned country - he would probably be arrested, and sentenced to death or worse: Living with Miss Rosa. He shuddered at the thought as she pointed something out. How strange… I actually enjoy dark chocolate very much. Jordan once again shrugged, not really caring if she did or not. He did care about the next sentence, however. By the way, do you happen to carry anything non-acoholic? A fruit drink, perhaps? Jordan's shoulders slumped somewhat out of exasperation. What is it with these odd folk and their non alcoholic drinks? Next somebody will want a virgin tequila. Hell, can I even make one of those?! Besides, what does 'tequila' mean anyway?!

"Yes, we do have some juice if you would like." He gave a small smile before swiftly leaving her presence to continue his business. He was about to hop the bar when he heard his name: Jordan, He raised an eyebrow at the way it was spoken. It was that stupid way that children who were annoyed said it, enunciating the vowels over the consonants (Wait, Jordan knew what those were?! Impressive, to say the least). He turned back to see Karma being all smug and such, and his brow furrowed a little when the kid continued. "I'll have some tea if there's no hot choc-" Jordan was about to commend Karma on his actually decent answer when he heard the crack, just as Karmanine did: The little girl Vega broke the tea cup with her hands. Jordan's eyes widened, and then a smirk showed up on his face out of nowhere. Some of the other patrons turned to look at the girl, but most just continued on with their drinks.

A-Ah . . . I-I broke the cup. . . "So it would seem, eh?" He mumbled to himself, surprisingly impressed. Miss Vega was pulling off tricks of her own, and that was quite the feat for a girl no bigger than a twig. Karma instantly jumped on the situation to ask her if there was any blood, and he began to pick the pieces up while Jordan put a kettle of water on the hot element. He couldn't keep that smirk off his face, that a little girl could somehow break a tea cup right into three pieces by holding onto it too hard. There was more to her than thought, no doubt. After the pieces had been collected by Karma, he brought them over to Jordan as he the kettle was near boiling. He was babbling under his breath, something that annoyed Jordan enough, but had to bring about his name in that stupid, childish way again.

Where should I put these, Jordan? Jordan gave him a dirty look, and pointed to the edge of the bar. "You put them in the trash can, Karma." He gave a bemused smirk, before adding. "Now, do you need something for that finger or are you going to suck on it?" He said with a smirk, but a little puzzled as well - he didn't know many kids that were Karma's age that sucked their fingers anymore. Jordan only sucked the blood off his fingers so he never wasted it.

When he was finished with the tea - he made another for Miss Vega, since she sort of broke hers - and the juice for Miss Bluehair, he put them on a tray before quickly saying to Karma, "Your tea is ready kid. It'll be on the table." He passed Karma onto his way to Miss Luna WhiteHair and miss Vega, and quickly gave Miss BuleHair her drink before setting down the two tea cups. "Here is another tea for your troubles, Miss Vega. No need to worry 'bout the cup, although it was apparently one of Miss Georgesons' favourites." He gave her a little wink of mischief. "I'll probably just blame myself, saying that the customers got roudy again. Always works." He paused, and his face straightened out quite a bit before continuing in a softer, more mumbling kind of voice, like he really wasn't planning on saying anything. "While many people may despise you for being a Delacroix, I for one have no problem with it - you people probably saved my sorry ass anyway..." He paused, and then stated something a little random. "You know, that tea cup wasn't just made of cheap glass - that china was built to last in a bar against nearly anything - so cudos to you for being able to break it with your hands." He gave her a smile once more before putting the milk on the table and prepared to leave once more.

“Not a problem, Miss. You seemed to be a little bit distant anyway.” The waiter replied. His voice lacked any hardness that would indicate an intention of being mean. He was simply stating things as he saw them. He seemed to be the kind of person who was honest no matter the situation. He didn’t seem to care how one might respond to his statements.


Lapis, being the space cadet she was, didn’t take the statement in a bad way as some might. Simply, she nodded her head in agreement. She was fairly far away.



“By the way, do you happen to carry anything non-acoholic? A fruit drink, perhaps?”


The waiter slouched in response to Lapis’ question. He seemed a bit… Exasperated. “Yes, we do have some juice if you would like.” And with that, he gave a slight smile before rushing away.


“Yes, thank you.” The blue haired girl responded, not noticing that the man was gone already. Lapis spoke with a tiredness. It wasn’t that the waiter bored her… She was always this way. But perhaps a cold drink would wake her up… Not that anything ever woke her up. Lapis was always tired and could fall asleep at any time without warning.


For a few moments, Lapis left again. She was once again engulfed in her thoughts. Should she in fact go to the base of the volcano where she might meet the man who came in earlier? If she did, what sort of answers could she obtain? What answers were there to obtain?


CRRRRAAAACK The sound of breaking porclean boomed through the bar. The sound broke Lapis of her concentration and seemed to have silenced the bar in a matter of seconds. Everyone seemed to turn to look at the dark haired girl, but many returned to drinking after seeing what was going on.


“A-Ah… I-I broke the cup.” Vega spoke. She seemed nervous, from where Lapis was. Luckily, the dark haired girl didn't seem injured. However, it wasn't as though Lapis could see from where she was...


No one likes others to notice them while nervous. In response to the nerves, Lapis decided to just continue her journey of spacing out… If healing was needed, Lapis would try to catch the words that would indicate such. Unfortunately, darkness seemed to engulf her vision and she didn’t space out… She dozed off.

Dreams fluttered behind Lapis’ eyes… Dreams of life and harmony. Everything seemed to flourish in the green world of her dreams. Animals frolicked, birds flew and fish swam. Even bees buzzed around in abundance… The world itself seemed much brighter. Lapis didn’t know a world could be so beautiful.

Vega continued just to stare with wide eyes at her tea-soaked hands, and at the broken cup before her as its contents spread out across the surface of the table. How much worse could she get? She was already so bad at trying to serve others their tea under the eyes of her Mistress; even before she’d been kicked out of the house, she’d broken a tea cup, though that one had been a delicate little thing; specifically made for looks rather than for use. Even still . . . she always broke things, left and right, she was always making those sorts of mistakes, and now, she was even making them in regards to her own self. Her own cup, with her own two hands. . . . It wasn’t like she’d clumsily stumbled or had tripped and dropped it, no, this time she’d squeezed it until it finally just cracked into three. With just her hands she’d . . . how? How had she mustered up enough strength from her tiny body to have broken such a well-made cup? It wasn’t as if it were delicate and flimsy. . .

H-How did I . . . ? Could such an act truly just be written up to me being clumsy again? she asked herself, a true look of wonderment and confusion passed over her young features. At least when she managed to break one of her Mistress’ and Master’s cups, it was theirs, but here, she’d broken something that belonged to the Merryfellow Inn as an establishment. That wasn’t so easily remedied.

People were staring at her again, she could feel it. And with that notion, a weighted sensation played upon Vega’s shoulders, and it caused her to begin sinking down in her seat before. . . . “Hey.” the voice of Karminine broke through Vega’s nervousness and uncertainty, and she wound up looking at the redheaded teenager, anxiety still written clearly across her features. She hadn’t quite realized that his voice and attitude had seemingly shifted into being a much more mature individual. “You’re not bleeding, right?” he asked her, his eyes flickering over with traces of fear here and there as he took to looking at her soaked hands without laying a finger on them. Vega could only shake her head in response to his question; she hadn’t been injured by the cup when it broke. . . . But it did raise within her some grave doubts and scare her.

He seemed relieved, his usual smile returning to his face as he began to pick up the pieces of the cup without minding himself too much . . . he was looking at her, when there was a notable waver there. Vega’s eyes flittered to his hand, and she saw a spot of red, her eyes widening as a stunned look overtook her features. Karmanine had managed to hurt himself because of her mishap. A whimper slipped from Vegas throat as she quickly moved her hands to her lap, looking back down at the remnants of the mess she’d made. He was injured because of me. she told herself.

Karmanine went onto ramble again, sucking on his bleeding finger before he abruptly stopped, and simply sighed. Vega just didn’t understand this, this kindness from these people still. They didn’t know her, and if they did . . . they were still. . . . Why? What was the point of it? All she did was cause messes and troubles like this, and yet still, no one was berating her, scolding her or trying to hurt her, she wasn’t even being kicked out. . . . Why were they so nice to her? Why when she’d done something so clumsy and was so troublesome? "Where should I put these, Jordan?" she looked at the redheaded boy when he called out to the barkeep, This was actually the first time she’d heard his name considering she’d tuned out the man from before, the one who knew her name and Miss Luna’s.

[b"You put them in the trash can, Karma."[/b] Jordan called back to the boy, but Vega didn’t look at him as he spoke, and in the end she wound up finding herself tuning him out as a worrisome look etched itself across her delicate features. She didn’t understand how one of her size and build could’ve broken that cup. . . . When it was that yet another cup of tea was placed down before her, Vega was again wrenched away from her thoughts, and she quickly looked up at the person whom had set it down. Of course, she knew who it was before that, even still though; she could not help but being startled. . . . If only for a moment. It was Jordan of course, he was the one who was working the bar, yet, why he was getting her another cup of tea for when she’d managed to break one she didn’t comprehend. "Here is another tea for your troubles, Miss Vega. No need to worry 'bout the cup, although it was apparently one of Miss Georgesons' favourites." he gave her an amicable smile, but what he said just made Vega’s stomach feel like it’d leapt into her throat. Wonderful, just wonderful. . . . But then, he gave her a mischievous wink for some reason. Again, something she didn’t understand.

"I'll probably just blame myself, saying that the customers got roudy again. Always works." After that was said though, the expression on his face became . . . serious, and Vega tensed up in her seat a bit. What was coming next? "While many people may despise you for being a Delacroix, I for one have no problem with it - you people probably saved my sorry ass anyway..." He half-mumbled that to her. . . . And the message made Vega’s eyes widen a bit, she didn’t understand that at all. What was that suppose to mean? Saved him? How? What did she do? He couldn’t mean the . . . almost-war from those years ago? The one that Richard had been involved with, and the reason she’d even married into the Delacroix name in the first place? How did that save him?

She could only look away in confusion before Jordan went on, prattling on over the cup again. ”You know, that tea cup wasn't just made of cheap glass - that china was built to last in a bar against nearly anything - so cudos to you for being able to break it with your hands." Though she still didn’t understand how it was that she was able to go and shatter that cup as she had, she was more confused by what it was Jordan had said to her—he didn’t hate her for her last name, and somehow the Delacroix family had perhaps saved him? None of this was making sense, nothing at all . . . confusing, that was all this was to her. Things had gone from ordinary for her that night to stranger and stranger; people who were actually being nice to her, standing up for her, another odd one who knew the names of many people there, her name too, and she didn’t know him. Saying something about answers. . . .

Answers. . . . she thought, beginning to chew on her lower lip. Though Vega didn’t quite understand why it was, there was an urge brought to life within her, a strange need to go see that strange man from before, who knew her name, and Miss Luna’s. Yes, she had questions, and he claimed to have answers, but what in the name of Nature could he possibly offer her in that way? Information? He couldn’t know anymore about her than she knew herself, there was no way, nor reason, but yet . . . her heart felt odd, like it wanted her to go there, like it . . . needed it. Why . . . ? She didn’t know that man, there was no reason for her to want this. I-I do not. . . . she thought, beginning to feel as if she might be sick from the anxiety and confusion plaguing her. I don’t know him, there is no reason for this feeling.

Forcing it back, Vega shook her head and brought a hand up to the side of it, opening her mouth to speak to Jordan before he could leave; she wanted to know what he’d meant before. “J-Jordan? I, I do not understand what it was that you meant, I would please ask you to explain it to me, if you would. . . .”

Though she got those words out, Vega was fighting on the inside, with something she didn’t comprehend, that strange urge to see a man she didn’t even know for answers she didn’t know she desired.

Back with Lucius, he held out his hand in the air, and a disembodied hand with a red sleeve gave him a down-low.
"And I didn't think you could do it that easily."
"Every guy needs a hobby."

Jordan was about to continue on with his life as he always would, never having to look backwards, always moving forward: never caring about tomorrow, yesterday, even today - Jordan cared about minutes, seconds and hours. Yet all of those tiny seconds and long hours seemed to crash and burn at the little girl's question. True, he had somewhat set himself up for it, though he hadn't figured that out until her voice made its soft little way to his ears. With her simple question, everything that he had done with his life suddenly seemed like a lie; a burden that stuck to his back and forced him to carry it around. Why he hadn't just cut that damned thing off, Jordan couldn't answer that. But it didn't matter, since the question was probably bound to be asked sooner or later. Just probably not in the context Miss Vega used.

J-Jordan? I, I do not understand what it was that you meant, I would please ask you to explain it to me, if you would. . . .” Miss Vega's voice was soft, almost a whisper, like she was trying to ask him something private. Perhaps it was, maybe it wasn't - Jordan didn't really care. All he knew was that his witty smirk slowly faded from his lips, his eyes lost that mischievous sparkle, his step lost its edge. It was as if he was finally slowing himself down to the fact that he really should tell somebody, or at least talk about it for once. Jordan's teeth gritted together hard, and he nearly bit his tongue off in the process. Instead, hot blood started to seep its way into his mouth, and he resisted the urge to swallow it, instead grabbing a dirty mug and spitting into it. The blood-spit combination made a loud PING! as it rocketed off the mug with powerful force, then came to a stopping pool on the bottom. He turned around to face Miss Vega, his eyes somewhat devoid of what they had been originally - almost like when he was in an argument, only Jordan's eyes basically lit on fire. There was nothing there now.

"Surely you know of your little onslaught with the Patienis Family and their home country." While his voice was at a bare talking volume, many people turned around in their chairs or stools at the name. When Jordan gave them a glare, the slowly turned their way back, grumbling as they did so. When his eyes finally came back to Miss Vega's, he had leaned in to be closer - didn't have to speak as loud. "You see, that is my home country - I grew up in a little village where nobles would shit on us for entertainment. " Of course he was exaggerating a little, but nobody could probably tell - nothing about Jordan seemed to be normal anymore. Gone was the charming voice, the ambition to riot and cause problems. Jordan was down for business. "It was there that you were either a slave, drug trafficker, gang member, whore, or a nobody. The few of us that could learn a trade couldn't find any use for it since money wasn't much of an issue. There was none to begin with. So as you can imagine, most people in that damn place would jump at the opportunity to make a quick buck anytime. My..." He nearly couldn't say the word, it made him want to punch something. "...parents decided they could cash me in to Patinenis, while I was to be wed to the glorious, charming Miss Rosa Patienis." He nearly spat out her name as well, but kept his voice down still - he was still unsure if the Patienis were still looking for him, and it was best to keep himself away from them for now. "So, since that little war went on, less men meant I had to beat up less people. So I must thank you somewhat."

With his explanation finally over, Jordan returned to his normal personality, and looked over t the bar. "Should probably wipe that down soon, beer sticks quite distastefully. By the way Miss Luna, did you feel the need to pay tonight, or tomorrow morning? It is a stupid question, but somewhere in the protocol of barkeeps says something about asking such a question..." It was a wonder how that man kept on topic for that long of an explanation.