[Ayenee Tavern] Safety In Numbers (Open)

Hoshi

Well-Known Member
Ayenee Capital City
Ayenee Tavern


There was a general unease in the little flame's center of mass as the cooler air under it rushed upwards. There was a bobbing and floating motion to it, an unconscious act on the flame's part, as it remained quasi-tethered to the wick of the candle. The bottom of the fire created a melted pool of wax and its vapor fed upwards until providing fuel for the little flame to live on. It was not self-sustaining, though, and knew that.

It wondered when a specter would come to allow the flame enough time to clamber on —heart, soul, and all— to a new host. There was no way for the little flame to know as the ill at ease feeling pursued to reside at the base of the fire. The specters had lessened their activity in the once-bustling Tavern. The flame knew not when or if they would get to the task of saving its life. That depended on a good many things, and whether or not guests would come.

It watched as the purple light of a setting sun lit up segments of the room while the wooden tavern door creaked open. As the open entryway let in the stream of the sunset's drawling end, the flame perked from its place on the bar's corner, close to the door. Swaying left and then jerking right, it was apparently moving in an unsettling manner to anyone that was used to non-sentient fire.
 
Mark entered in casual clothes given it was the weekend, wearing black jeans, a white tank, boots, and a blue button up dress shirt which hung open and unbuttoned. The light illuminated him from behind making his jet black hair seem not as dark, as his deep blue eyes looked around in curiosity. Falling on the animate flame, he stepped forward.

"Well, that is not something you see every day. Are you alive little flame?", Mark asked eyeing the flame with a slight wonder.
 
Kira
The short hunter had been away from the hustle and bustle of civilization for a few days and had only just returned and set about selling her excess pelts and meat keeping only what she needed to survive for herself, stepping into the tavern she noticed the newcomer observing the poor flame with curiosity and wondered what made it so special.

Moving towards him, a little too quietly having not changed from concealing her movements, Kira tried to get a better look and noticed its rather odd looking movements. "I have heard of many things possible through magic but never anything about strange flames" she spoke softly from just behind Mark
 
The little thing made one last slow wiggle before an opening that led down to the center of the wick opened near mid-flame in the shape of a desperate and gloomy mouth. Only a few low noises came from it as if in terrible, dire straights, but they were quite perceptible.

Not only alive, but making small vociferations, the flame made another soft, "Ufh~"

There was not much wax left on the candle shaft, most of it melted in the bottom of the chamberstick that held it. It mumbled aloud with its central mouth in a phrasing that Mark and the hunter both understood, despite them hearing two different languages.

"Oof. I need... He-he-heeelp..."
 
Darwin would have looked over his shoulder to see Mark entering the Tavern. Upon hearing about the Capital City of Ayenee, his interest was piqued almost immediately. It would be the first time he'd be able to meet locals, learn the culture of this world, and maybe even find some more questions to seek answers for.

With his typical Type-35 needing some washing, he would opt to wear his Type-31 working uniform instead. After all, it was available - and proves surprisingly comfortable. Plus, the utility belt provided some extra pockets in the event of needing some carrying space. Plus, the holster for his service pistol would be invaluable. As beautiful as this world is, to have something on hand in the event things got hairy was a must in his mind. If he could, however, he would have worn his Mindy armor. Too bad it would be dead weight with the helmet off, considering his lack of any sort of direct interface connection.

He peered his head around the doorway, taking a look at Mark, then raising an eyebrow at what appeared to be a candle he was gazing at. Though something about the flame's flickering dance seemed off to him, it did not look much different from a normal tongue branching from a wick at this distance. He stepped forward, only to hear the faintest of voices. Of course, his first assumption was not to gaze upon the small speck of light, his eyes darting around the room.

"Uhm... am I hearing things or did something just... talk..." The flame would have formed the shape of a maw, and he would glance between the two individuals before back at it. "Alright, either that fruit I ate earlier was laced with something psychedelic or that candle has a mouth..." He raises a hand to point a finger at it, eyes glancing around to see if there are any projectors or something. He has yet to grasp the fact that magic exists in this realm, deeming the very concept peculiar and rather nebulous at best, like describing a color that cannot be seen by the human eye.
 
"I'm not doing alright," the little mouth on it spoke, now in a distinguishably maidenly voice. "Do you he-he-heeear me?" The downtrodden flickering fire trembled visibly, shaking in a violent vibrating motion. Its mouth became gaping as it took in a deep breath, making a, "Waaah...!" It breathed, "Ahhh..."
 
"Yes we understand. Um...one moment." Mark said before snuffing a candle from another table that was normal and had much more wax before bringing it back. He thought for a moment, then having decided placed the still smoking wick under the living flame.
 
Mouth closed while making a low moan, the little flame's center —heart and soul and all— shuffled from one dying wick to the healthy, if not recently extinguished, one. Like a horse vaulting in competitions, it pushed through the cold air around it and sprung to the other candle. It gulped down once on and made a soft exhalation once on. As it spoke once more, a pair of wide, lidded eyes made themselves apparent as they remained three quarters closed.

"That was," came the archaic accent of the young female voice, "not my cup of tea, and I've boiled kettles half my life."
 
"Aaaand that's a talking flame." He takes a step back, watching while mark shifts the consciousness from one body to another. An entity entirely reliant on the use of other materials to sustain itself, putting out other specks of life for the sake of its own. Mark knew not if that other flame had its own mind, it's own consciousness and yet snuffed it right there, but Darwin need not think about it lest his brain drip from his ears. /not only that, the flame had obtained what appears to almost be a face. His gaze slips about the room to see if other candles are suffering a similar fate. "A talking flame... with a face."

His eyes, widened like the dinner plates of a wealthy entrepreneur, turn to Mark. "Please tell me that flame wasn't alive... or that not all fires in this universe have consciousness. I don't think I'd be able to handle a campfire screaming as it's being put out let alone a candle." He brings himself towards the stick of wax. "Though, I doubt you appreciate just being called a 'fire.' who are you... or... maybe 'what are you?' would be more appropriate."
 
Kira
The hunter slowly removed the hood of her cloak revealing her soft and kind looking face which she pointed towards Darwin "Hi there, you guys must be new from that ship right, I'm Kira and a talking flame or I think sentient may be more appropriate, is not as out of place as you might think since this place is filled with magic."

With a palm outstretched she closed her eyes in concentration as a small glow began to radiate from the center of her hand before fading out quickly once again. "I'm only a beginner so thats about the best I can do but there are stories of great mages from all over" Kira smiled at the pair hoping she wouldn't make too much of a mess of the chance to meet some new people.
 
"Take a chair by the brick fire place and let me light up some logs," the effeminate voice from the fire said as her eyes widened and showed two black, shiny pupils in thee center of partially obscured white orbs. Her flames licked at the wick graciously while she spoke.
 
"I am a flame. Like the Hunter's Daughter said, I am sentient," she chirped as she was moved. "And, you are? Oh," she said, looking about and then to her right and down. "Someone should grab the wood near the hearth just right there!" She sounded warmer and less inclined to moan and complain as she had been when they had first come in to find her.
 
Kira had watched the exchange with curiosity unsure of what to make of the situation, hearing the flame call out for the wood she moved over and arranged them in the fireplace as Mark held the candle.

"As you have said I'm the daughter of a hunter and a beginner with magic use, my name is Kira. I've not seen a sentient flame before it's quite intriguing." She said stacking the smaller sticks below the larger logs before backing out of marks way allowing him to move in closer. The small girl then found a chair and pulled it up near the fire interested to hear more about this little flame.
 
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"You can say that again. Where I come from, the only sound fire ever makes is crackling or some kind of whoosh. It hever has eyes or a mouth, either, so this... this is pretty new stuff." He raises a hand to the back of his head, approaching the fireplace where the hunter and Mark now stand. "Though... flame or not, I guess it's rude to not introduce ourselves. The name's Darwin. Darwin Schultz. Itto-Hei Infantryman of the YSS Kaiyo II -" he pauses to raise an arm as a gesture towards Kira. "The ship that arrived, yes." He turns to look at the fellow lowering the flickering light of the living flame to the pile of wood. "And the guy over there is Mark. I'll admit I never caught his last name, though. He joined the ship's crew just a little while before I did."

He narrows his eyes for a moment to think, then raises a finger. "Hey, think you'll need kindling to ignite that wood? Or maybe some tinder? Maybe a rag from one of the torches or something?" The human tips his head before looking around the room. Gotta be something easily ignitable nearby like a wad of paper or a maybe some pinecones. Do they have newspapers on this planet? Or is it too early in their development for the existence of the printing press?

"Or can you ignite that on your own? I don't know much about magical flames so I ave no idea how intensely you burn."
 
"My name is Mark Oaklen, Santo-Hei, and resident amnesiac of the Kaiyo crew. A pleasure to make you acquaintance. How did you get here, if you live here, why does no one take care of you?" Mark asked as he kneeled before the hearth waiting to see if Darwin found some form of fuel.

Mark took a curious glance at the local before turning back to the flame, having not paid her much attention sadly, "Please let us know if there is any additional aid you require."
 
“Co-coal,” the little flame said, “Coal would be good. But there’s enough of it here in the fireplace to last me the night. If you stay long enough to see me off tonight or tomorrow in the morning, think about grabbing some more and throwing them under me…” The flame said, then thought, “But if you wouldn’t mind, a newspaper, like that one on the chair yonder…” Her wide eyes had swiveled in their flamey sockets to look at a rocking chair nearby the hearth. She had been speaking predominantly to Darwin and now turned to Mark and her mouth turned into a wide smile.

“I was cared for before. I was taken from the very depths of the planet, below any Hells, and my flame was imbued into the heart of a living soul. They lived with me for the rest of their life, but I did not grant them eternal life and they died of their own species’ form of old age. I have passed hands of very caring people, but nearly died countless times. Tonight, when you found me, that wasn’t even close to the perils of death I have faced.” Her mouth had become set in anything but the wide smile that she had held when beginning. "The magic that keeps my heart and soul and flame alive is strong, though."
 
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"I'm sorry you have had to face such situations alone recently. How long have you been stuck here? Is there no where you would wish to be, or go?" Mark said giving sad sympathetic expression as he knew the pain of losing those close to you.
 
The flame burst into excitement suddenly as its edges glowed and flared bright and its center of mass became a deeper shade of red than it had been previously. "There is somewhere I want to go, there is..." the flame's eyes became less receptive and wide than they just were and the flame said, "But I don't even think all of you have had a chance to get to know me to accomplish such a task of taking me where I want to go." She looked to the fireplace. "Let me have a rest of my own on those logs while you settle in and tell me of your own tales, if you have them."
 
"well, me and Darwin are from the Kaiyo as we said earlier. It's a Star Army vessel. I really don't have much to tell myself, as I only remember the recent events from awakening aboard an enemy station. I was rescued by the crew. I even took part in the mission that lead to us coming to your world. Only recently did I enlisted and become a member of the crew. I would like to think of them as family." Mark explained to the flame of what little he could.
 
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