It's 5 o'clock somewhere

[deal_me_in]

WHO: Everyone and Anyone
WHERE: The Deep End
WHAT: It's always a party at the bar
WHEN: All month
WARNINGS: I take no responsibility for whatever happens in any ensuing threads


Cayde had done his best to cover up the gaping hole in the adjacent corridor. Unfortunately that consists of a large tarp that's been strung up along what was left of the top of the wall like a makeshift curtain. It barely kept the chill out, but at least most of the cold stayed in the hallway.

Inside the bar...okay, it's not that much warmer. Hard to be when you've got one whole wall of glass with water on the other side of it. But the lamps are lit and the karaoke machine playlist has been programmed to play some mood-appropriate background music when not in actual use, which is most of the time, really.

As usual the bar's open for self-service if Cayde's not in and no one else wants to play the part of bartender. There is however someone more often than not watching the bar. Whether it violates health codes of any kinds or not, a hen struts along the bar counter or around the rest of the place at times. She doesn't seem to spook very easily. If she's on a barstool preening her beautiful red-brown feathers then don't you dare move her.

Comments

[fatedsacrifice]

Noctis needed a drink, and was wandering around the halls trying to think when he happened upon the bar.

Well now.

He wasn't quite sure what to do about that hen, and wasn't taking any chances. So Noct ended up taking a seat two chairs away from her and ordered a drink. It was called The Hierophant cocktail.

Huh, sounded interesting even if for reasons the Lovers cocktail sounded good too. For now he'd stick to the Hierophant one that he ordered.

Moving slightly to the side to allow someone room to sit next to the hen the king shook his head. "Does she belong to you?"

[crystalmaster]

Radley wasn't a drinker, but he had just wandered into the bar out of curiosity and happened to be sitting there pondering on the weirdness of it all and watching the aquariums.

"Nah, she's from my ship," he said. "At least, I'm assuming there's only one chicken around here." He smirked.

"Hi, how have you been?"

[fatedsacrifice]

The king somehow is but isn't surprised to see his chef friend there so he nods with a smile. Noct isn't a drinker either but he's sure not sure what else to do by himself.

His handlers aren't around at the moment.

Still he smiles and nods at the comment about the chicken. "Good thing someone knows where it belongs."

But then theres a big smile. "I'm good, how have you been?"

[crystalmaster]

"Yeah, I was kind of surprised to see her in here," Radley smirked.

He smiled. "Pretty good. I'm working at the diner now. It's nice."

[fatedsacrifice]

Noctis nodded and half laughed. "Good thing no one's decided to cook her."

He wouldn't even want to be around for that trick.

But when Radley mentions the diner, there was a nod.

"So you're whipping up all those great recipes then."

[crystalmaster]

"I guess everyone knows not to?" Radley mused.

He smiled more. "Yeah, I'm really enjoying it."

[fatedsacrifice]

The king smiled. Hopefully everyone knew that.

At the last though, he took a quick sip of his drink. "What's your favourite thing that you've made so far?"

[crystalmaster]

"I learned how to make lasagna with some of the local foods," Radley said. "It's pretty cool."

[fatedsacrifice]

Ok the foodie in Noct came to the surface.

"Lasagna? Damn. Do you know when you're going to be making that again?"

Because he sure as hell would be there.

[doubled_speed]

"She's Cayde's."

Tommy had arrived, like he often did at the bar, in a burst of speed and carrying a crate of more bottles of red fruit drink. He'd been bottling some on the ship, but also making his own with new spices in it for the winter. He was actually pretty proud of the taste, even if he couldn't speak to how potent it was.

"The eggs we've been having lately? Hers."

[fatedsacrifice]

Noctis turned and noticed Tommy once he spoke. That guy sure knew how to make an entrance.

So he looked at the chicken and back at Tommy. "No wonder they seemed tasty lately."

Well it made sense now.

[doubled_speed]

"I know. I like real eggs over the local fauna eggs. Bigger, better suited to cooking," he said as he unloaded bottles. "And the lady here does good work."

[fatedsacrifice]

Noctis nodded in agreement and then turned his eyes to the aforementioned lady. "How did she get here?"

[doubled_speed]

"Don't know. She was Cayde's back where he's from or something. And she just appeared one day apparently. It happens sometimes. Gifts from the Agrii I guess. Most pets from home don't happen though."

[fatedsacrifice]

That had the king giving Tommy a puzzled look.

"I didn't realize pets could how up here."

Which made him think of Carbuncle.

[doubled_speed]

"Not many," Tommy said. It mostly seemed like droids and the chicken. "I mean, that Lark lady has a dog. So that's the best guess I've got."

[fatedsacrifice]

"Huh." Noct replied thoughtfully. Of course it wouldn't do to have Carbuncle here because no one could see him but that was okay. But he wasn't sure he'd ever see him again anyhow, so he might as well just stay wherever he was.

"They must just be lucky then."

[catchable]

It had taken some time, but eventually someone forgot to shut the door properly behind them. The flapping of the tarp and faint sound of music was hard to ignore as Salem skulked close to the tower, smelling the water and what surely must have been the buffet it held beyond, and quite unable to find his way closer to it as he circled the structure. But there was the music.

It wasn't that much warmer, but he was glad to be inside and clambering up the stairs where there wasn't any more snow to stick to his feet at least. He only slowed down as he slipped into the room with the music, keeping close to the wall and sniffing at the warmth in the air. Smelling more fish, definitely some booze, and something else warm and tantalizing. He licked at his chilled feet primly, twisting his ears to try to figure out what that smell was, trying to listen now under the sound of the beat that had lured him.

There was movement coming around the bar, close to the ground. Feathered. Slowly, Salem lowered into a watchful crouch, doing his best to keep still and unable to control the eager lash of his tail as he watched the chicken strut with so much confidence out into the open. A whole chicken! This bar was great!

The moment she was clear of the legs of the barstools, he was pouncing.

[deal_me_in]

The hen's head jerked sharply at the sudden movement, and the next moment was a flurry of brown feathers and squawking.

Never! Never before had anyone ever dared attack her! The very nerve! She was hardly going to take this sort of behavior from anyone! She was a privileged bird who was given only the finest spring water and muesli mix! Sure, the selection had gone down quite a bit ever since she'd walked into this new roost but it was quieter than the noisy hangar and its jumpy Guardians.

This was her domain and she would take down this infidel who thought otherwise!

[catchable]

There weren't a lot of birds in Salem's life that had fought back. In all fairness, most of the birds he pounced on were a fraction of the size, more of an appetizer than a whole meal, and he was finding out quickly that he was unprepared for taking on such a task. As soon as she fluffed up instead of trying to escape, he knew he was in trouble. And she made so much noise!

The flapping itself was enough for him to drop back down close to the ground and try to slither away, chanting, "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!" as he went scuttling across the bar and trying to find a surface suitably small enough for a cat to slip under, and a chicken could not follow. And deep enough that she couldn't still peck his eyes out.

[deal_me_in]

Colonel fluttered her wings before tucking them primly against her sides, her clucks curt and almost reprimanding as she eyed the fuzzy black shadow that slunk off.

"What's all the fuss here?" The Exo had heard the unnatural sounds of his chicken in possible distress just as he'd come up through the window. Inside the bar he almost panicked at the flurry of displaced feathers on the floor. "Colonel- oh, there you are. What's ruffled your feathers dear?" he asked as he scooped up the disgruntled hen.

[catchable]

For a brief, wonderful moment, Salem thought his rescue from the powerful bird had arrived, and he wailed, "Help, she's crazy!" as he went sliding under the karaoke machine. From there, he could see the chicken get picked up, and the boots of the man who then cooed at her, and Salem had to sob for this pitiful end to his life, trapped behind enemy lines and outnumbered, when all he wanted was some chicken and maybe a margarita. He would have even settled for shots.

[deal_me_in]

"Someone say something?" Cayde glances around but the tables are empty. That was something moving over there though, right? His Ghost helpfully directs his attention towards the karaoke machine.

Turning, the Exo sets Colonel on the bar before he starts towards the other end of the room.

"Hellooo? Olly-olly-oxenfree~"

[catchable]

Uh-oh. Now Salem had some chicken-loving mortal thinking he heard a human man speak, and here he was with only a house cat to show. He tried shrinking back more (and stifling his crying), closer to the wall and away from the light, trying to think quickly. What he came up with was, "Uh...boo!" In case that wasn't enough to send a mortal running from a haunted karaoke machine, he threw in a wavering, "OooOoooh! A ghoOoOst!"

[deal_me_in]

Cayde looked at the karaoke machine in amusement.

"I got one of those already," he said as he came in front of the thing and stooped down to peek beneath it. Which might be quite the sight for a cat that's probably expecting someone with, well, skin.

Glowing optics blinked.

"-Ophiuchus?"