#earthrunes

"Tip-of-the-tongue?"

He turns, deftly pushing the box to one side and unloading a number of bottles - amber-hued liquors with a 'Four Lions' logo, a marachino liqueur (from real marasca cherries!) labled "Three Lions", a double-malted Scotch called "Two Lions"... and a bottle of good Templeton rye, just to throw folk off. "Mmrrrrrr, yes, if I remember well, and I always do... I didn't even tell her my name for quite some time. She had to improvise, as it were."

"You remember that?" He frowns, deep lines in his forehead. "I can't... It's just -there- but I can't get through. I can't get it to come clear."

A surprised look. "You duplicitous beast."

"What?" Mild panic.

"You damn me with faint praise, Lady. How have I earned your words today? Well... tonight?"

"Not you, silly....the one with the tail."

"Oh." Relieved.

Tail? What tail? It whisks out of sight, and is... did he actually just tuck it into a pocket?

"I didn't know you hadn't told me your name. Sneak."

OOC I thought he was just glad to see them.....

(ROFL! Well, that too...)

"I am only as I was made." His voice, pious and innocent. "And as a very wise man once said, "Don't kill him, don't kill da lion... oh, he loves the little children...." His voice muffled for a bit as he leans down behind the bar to place a few bottles away.

And a hand on the counter lightly beats out drum rhythm for a moment as he purrs along to the reggae beat.

While he's ducked down, she looks curiously to August.

August is watching the pooka.

"And he so gentle... mmmm.. don't kill him....." his tail is free again and swishes to the beat, busied with putting away the bottles. "Oh no, my little brother...." And he stretches back up, the tune fading away as he takes the box to break down and tuck under one arm. "Well, that's all I brought for the day. No rest for the wicked, though? Jack being the vicious task-master, I've not had a moment to catch my breath.

"Well, Jack seems pleased with your work. He also seems confused that he hasn't really had a chance to meet with you, yet. Who exactly hired you, anyway, Whiskers?" Amused.

"Well, let's see." He puts on a studious air as he ponders. "Would it be Osmund and his cute friend, who sent me on to find gainful employ?" Naming one of the trollish thanes. Or perhaps my fine friend Ned, a shoe salesman by trade, cobbler by night, who sent me this direction when he saw my mane fading. No, that's not it.. truly, it was Delores, to tell the truth."

"For you see, I was in search of something, but I knew not what it was. And my travels wore me down to a threadbare tabby of my self. But when I met dearest Delores, she said to me, "Oh, you must be the new bartender." A hand goes to his heart, then makes a fist of determination. "Must I? Well, if Delores asks it, who am I to refuse that which I must?"

A pause, and a hidden grin. "And though I don't have much skill other than opening bottles and wiping down mugs, I am sure that I will learn quickly, to not be a burden."

She laughs and shakes her head. "Oh, the power of boggan-y certainty and a willing audience."

He recites this with pomp and flair to Coradel, but his eyes flicker back to August, lingering on the Liam, golden and searching.

She notes the glance, and seems to make a decision, moving to rise from August's lap, and taking the sidhe's hand.

"Vinci...Whiskers...I am glad you're here. And...I know that you two need to talk. At length. But tonight, I am stealing away with my husband to bed, after a meal."

"DaVinci." Quietly, and after some contemplation. "Welcome to EarthRunes."

"Now, I'd be a bear to keep you from your mealing and healing. By all means, carry on."

He pauses, then reaches over to lightly clasp August on a shoulder, nodding in response to the greeting. "It is good to see you, and that's..." A pause, and he can't stop the twitch of a grin that breaks his sincere expression. "no Lyin'. " Letting his hand fall free. A small smile to them both, and he turns to pad back the way he came, tail swishing behind him.

August turns to Coradel, sober as a very sober thing.

A slight groan at the pooka pun, and a smile, before leading August out of the tavern...both quiet and thinking.

... and follows her out. Gone.

A Satyr grump with curled horns, short sleeves, and well, a kind of blue collar air, comes on in then pauses when he sees Vince, "So you're Vince, right? " He offers his hand, "Jack. I run the bar you're working at."

Vince sets aside the next box he had carried in, having waited long enough for the sidhe to have cleared out before returning, and reaches out to clasp Jack's proffered hand in both of his, giving it a firm squeeze and shake. "Jack! I feel like it's been ages since we've chatted. What was it, days, weeks, since the phone interview?"

"Give or take ever, yeah," the satyr's own grip is solid enough but not trying for some macho wilder test of strength "Look. If Delores suggests you, I'm willing to give you a chance, and then some, but this came on a bit sudden. The guy I wanted changed his mind on me. I'm hearing a lot of praise, but I gotta test what you do myself before we make it official. Okay?"

"Ah, I see. You heard the rumours, but wanted a roaring orgasm of your very own?" Continuing to hold his hands lightly until the Satyr pulls away. "I'd be most happy to whip something together."

Jack laughs, "Oh you're gonna fit in a Fiona hold fine. Make me whatever you think you do best, but it better impress." And he takes a seat like a customer would, but he watches with a pro's analytical gaze.

Vince ponders a moment, rubbing at his chin, but then gives a grin as it comes to him, and gets to work. Jack may notice from the pooka's movements and smooth grasp of this tool, that bottle, that he has already familiarized himself with the layout here - that, or he is genuinely practiced behind a bar.

The drink he makes is one that Jack will likely recognize - an absinthe sazerac. Not one that you can simply create from a recipe, the flavours must balance on a knife edge to hit the perfect balance.

Rye whiskey into a glass washed with laphroig, a spoon to hold a cube of sugar upon which the green wormwood liquor is dosed. His fingers snap a few times, gesturing as though he is holding a lighter that just won't quite catch - click...click... and foom, a spark that lights the sugar cube to flare up in a greenish gold flame. It dances for a moment before being extinguished by a squeeze of lemon, quickly shaken with a cube of ice, and strained to top off with just a spritz of soda water.

"A Da Vinci, my good man."

"Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder" He takes it up, sniffs it lightly, then takes a drink. His eyes widen. One hoof taps on the floor to the tune of 'Sweet Mystery of life at last I've found 'you' then "Not bad, not damn bad at all" He enjoys it

"Mind you, if it were a steak it might be medium and I prefer near rare, but..ha, no, this is very good."

He grins, wiping a hand across his forehead. "Whew. Does this mean I shan't have to pack up my things just yet?"

"The art of a truly fine bartender is not to make them the drink anyone will like, but to find the drink that they will truly enjoy. And that, my friend, is a rare medium, well done."

"Mmm well, that's one area your kith has a knack for, getting folks to chatter. " he savors the rest of the drink before finally setting it down done, "Nah, you're good. If I find out your some shadow court simp or otherwise here to mess things over for the new Baroness and her beau I'll have your head on a wall, but for now? It's behind the bar. " He grins "How do you feel about working the odd shifts?"

"Well, I feel like that would make us just about even." A somewhat sheepish smile. "Since I did somewhat slip my way into your domain. I -am- grateful for the opportunity. And the chance to catch up with, ah, old friends."

"Old friends? Huh, story in that somewhere, but I'm too tired to hear it right now. " he rises, "Glad you're making friends or have found some already either way. Rest easy, Vince. I'll let Delores know you past muster."

"Ah, one thing. I hunkered down by the fire last night, and wouldn't you know it, the poor lad who came to tend the coals caught a glimpse of me in my altogether and fainted dead away at the vicious beast. Should I, perhaps, find another corner to nap in, where I shall not scare anyone out of one of their nine lives?"

"I would as soon commute, but I'm sad to say, that I'm a bit lacking of the other end of the trip at the moment. Although, surely I might find some motel." An easygoing shrug.

"Oh shoot, I'm sorry, I thought Delores would have gotten you a room by now. Tell you what, there's one up the stairs, down the hall to the left, then a right, and 2nd door to the left from there. It's not a big room but the bed is comfy. I was going to hand that one to Vance so I..." He pauses, "Vance? Vince? Oh..yeah I get it now. No wonder. Yeah, it's your room now since Vance isn't showing. If you don't like it, ask Delores for an upgrade."

"Simply delighted! And fear not, I shall be sure to bar the door to avoid any wild beasts from roaming. Who knows what sort of trouble one might get in? Why, if any beasts happened into my room, they might just get eaten right up, and more's the pity." He rambles a bit, before covering a jaw-cracking yawn. "Much obliged, Gentleman Jack. " And he takes his leave after tidying away the leavings of the cocktail fixin's.

And Jack nods, and heads out himself. For now, the bar is closed.

(End Scene)