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Post by Ashard on May 16, 2013 9:44:08 GMT -5
It had been a few months since Ashards last visit to Meerin, and therefore since the last time since he had been to the Phantom of said town. The Phantom in Karador Keep was fun to visit as well but with Kiara gone it was not the same anymore. No one to glare at him with ghostly eyes or to laugh at the silly things he did.
The walk from the city gates came to an end when they finally came up the two steps that lead up to the front door and walked in, of course though, Ashard had taken on an invisible state a few blocks away so that none could be the wiser though he knew that Diala would probably still feel his presence.
Arriving inside before his new found friend, he decided to case the joint to see what kind of fun could be had and noted that Kiara was nowhere to be seen for now.
Not letting that get his moods down as she was bound to show up sooner or later if he stuck around town long enough, he set pace toward the far table in the corner where a hooded man was obviously trying to stay inconspicuous while taking a sip of his meed. Taking a seat exactly where the man was seated, Ashard took up the man's exact shape and size before making himself visible again and slowly emerged from the hooded man when he put his mug back down on the table.
In frantic horror Ashard looked at himself while he stood next to the mans table and then looked back at the man and back at himself. After those mere moments Ashard exclaimed in a tone that bore the same frantic horror that his face took on, "What did you put in my drink that would do this to me!?!"
The man at the table looked straight at the ghost and blinked once or twice with a shocked expression on his own real face, not sure what to make of the situation.
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Post by Diala on May 16, 2013 13:23:11 GMT -5
Diala had her own way i entering the Establishment and that meant that the door to the place opened up before she even began taking the two steps up to the threshold. She paused for just a moment before moving inside. Her attire had changed slightly and now the 'clothes' she wore looked like any that a hunter might be thought to wear. She moved to the counter with eyes upon her the moment she stepped through and the doors closed shut with a small click that could be heard from the now silent crowd. Silent not only by her mere presence but as well from the ghost of the man complaining of his poisoned drink. She proceeded to move to the bar and seated herself facing the bartender.
“Ale” She stated and slid a coin out to him.
“huh.. yes.. Ma'am” he replied in a somewhat shaken voice.
“Oh don't worry young man, I am not here to cause trouble and probably not what you think. I am a simple Bard and if you and your patrons would desire, I would tell you a story later.” She told him in a matter-of-fact tone.
The man slid her the drink and nodded at her though still looked a bit weary of her presence. To this, she knew he would relax as he found that she wasn't going to be his problem. She smiled and then turned in her seat and pointed at the ghost.
“I do believe that man over there, the ghost that is, has asked a question, isn't anyone going to answer him?” She stated now point at Ashard; once again putting all focus in the room to him.
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Post by Ashard on May 16, 2013 13:45:57 GMT -5
Not much time had passed since he had posed his question until Diala asked one of her own, “I do believe that man over there, the ghost that is, has asked a question, isn't anyone going to answer him?”
With that queue, the ghost continued, eyes wide in shock, "You can think to serve more drinks while this has happened to me?"
"I can assure you sir, it was not the drinks of this establishment that did this to you." Stammered the barkeep.
"You don't sound very sure about that and this happened right after I took a sip of my meed!"
A patron to the tavern chimed in at that point, "I'm sorry but as an apothecary I know nothing that could cause someones body to still show life while also having a ghost. Also, I know of nothing that could act so fast after just one sip."
Ashard turned to the patron and retorted, "You know of all the poisons and other things that exist on this plane of existence and others?"
"No but"
"Then why do you interrupt?" the keeper uninterrupted the apothecary before he could get anywhere. "I need a cure to this! I have a full life to lead! I had cunning and mischievous plans which lead me to sit here in this dark corner with my hood on in hopes that no one would notice me and now that's all ruined cause something happened here tonight!"
The hooded man, now snapped out of his shock from the blatant revealing of his schemes stood up and left the tavern.
"Now where is my body going!?!" Exclaimed the even more frantic ghost as it went after the hooded man.
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Post by Diala on May 16, 2013 14:04:01 GMT -5
Diala sat quietly and watch a master at work. Ashard truly was a master at the craft of annoyance and trickery and she liked that about the ghost. She took up her tankard and drew long from it and then turned to the barkeep and smiled a small smile towards him.
“No worries, I assure you that if this were poisoned, it wouldn't effect me anyway so I will still order more even if every other patron died in here tonight.” She offered up her reassurance to the man in a matter-of-fact manner.
The barkeep looked wide eyed at her comment and the way she presented it left him to believe that the ghost may be telling the truth. Of course he would wait to see if anyone else fell ill before dumping money down the drain.
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Post by Ashard on May 16, 2013 14:22:48 GMT -5
Minutes passed since the ghost had left the tavern in pursuit of the hooded figure and having had all the fun he could potentially have at this mans expense, he returned to the Phantom, still in the mans shape and once inside asked exasperatedly, "How do I get my body back? It keeps on rejecting me like it does not want me anymore!"
Ashard looked around the room with pleading eyes and finally rested them on the apothecary, "Are you sure you can't find anything in your books about this? Or do I have to figure out how to summon a demon lord to get this fixed?"
The apothecary looked at the ghost a bit stunned, not thinking that there was anything he could honestly do he did not want to be shut down again or to be known as a being bad at his job so he offered up, "I can do research on it but it may take time. Your body may get away in that time and I'm not in the profession of tying people down so you'll have to find someone else to help you with that aspect."
"Oh thank you!" proclaimed Ashard. "Anything you can do would be more than appreciated!"
Looking around the room again he posed a new question, "Would anyone be interested in hunting down my body and capturing it? You can take the money I have on me as payment for your services rendered." Pausing a moment, he continued, "as long as you can get passed my bodys' defenses anyhow. I am talented in melee combat after all."
A few of the patrons gave each other looks but none of them were sure if they should go for it or not.
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Post by Kiara Karador on May 16, 2013 14:38:25 GMT -5
“Oh Ash, dear sweet Ash...” Came a voice from the rafters. “You are as always quite entertaining to say the least.” she continued, her ghostly figure now appearing in front of him.
Kiara had been listening and watching from the rafters. She'd been in the tavern for a few hours before he had even arrived. She appeared now as she most always did, wearing her armor though without the helm so that her long locks of raven black hair spread out over her shoulders and down her back.
Many patrons in the bar gasped when they saw her and a couple even took from their seats and knelt before, behind and at her side.
“Oh, do proceed with your drinks soldiers, at ease already.”” She turned and gazed at all around her. “It is my pleasure to still remain in your company and I would like a jovial crowd not a tense one.” She told them all. They of course gave her one last bow of their heads before returning to their seats.
Now she returned her attention to Ashard. She smiled at him and laughed all at once it seemed.
“I truly have miss you friend.” She told him. She then turned to Diala and inclined her head to the Unchained who had proven herself a dear friend to her family.
“Diala, it is always a pleasure.” She stated with a smile.
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Post by Ashard on May 16, 2013 15:19:43 GMT -5
“Oh Ash, dear sweet Ash...” Came a voice from the rafters. He could have pursued his course and pretended to not be this Ash she spoke of but he knew there was no fooling her of all people. That sentence barely had time to finish that he was back to his own form with a grin that spread from one ear to the other as he gazed upon his friend whom he often wished was more.
The patrons and the soldiers bowing down to her did not even register in his fore-thoughts seeing as he was so used to it happening with her around. He just stood there before her with that silly grin on spread across his face.
"And I have missed you as well Kiara, or else I'd be patronizing the Phantom in Karador Keep." He smirked at her. "I should have known you were hiding in the rafters though. You always seem to be there." Ashard looked up to the ceiling and back down to her again.
"Thankfully for me you don't stop my fun before I even start." He smiled earnestly with a sparkle in his eyes.
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Post by Diala on May 16, 2013 15:26:46 GMT -5
Diala inclined her head to the Lady and as well raised her tankard in her honor before taking another swallow. She didn't say a word but instead settled back against he bar and listened and watched as she drank. She wasn’t ready to begin telling tales yet, the night was too young. She would wait fro more patrons before she would do that. Provided of course that Ashard didn't chase them all way, of course. Then again, with the unveiling of Kiara she thought perhaps Ash would have other interests to keep him busy now.
Had she been more human Diala would probably had wished that these two ghosts could have not only been of the same noble birth but had met in a time when they could have been more than simple friends. They did seem rather fond of one another. Then again, memory served her that Kiara and Cassius had quite the complicated thing going on right before the war took place those 100 years ago.
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Post by Kiara Karador on May 16, 2013 15:37:06 GMT -5
“I wouldn't dream of interrupting your magical ghostly fun.” Kiara smiled most widely at him. “It is the single thing that caught my attention all those years ago and what makes you who you are today.” She continued.
Kiara motioned him over to a table and moved to sit on a chair for herself. She moved the chair out without touching it and sat down upon the seat. It wasn't as though they needed to be seated it just seemed proper somehow that they be so.
“So, what manner of mischief have you been up to these years?” She then asked, not even waiting for him to join her. “I do apologize for not sticking around after my sister left the City but without her there, I felt rather lost.” She then told him, her smile loosing fading quickly.
She knew why her sister had to leave it just saddened her because the only reason Kiara even stuck around was so that she and her sister would be together. She was taking it rather hard to be honest. Sure she could have chosen to travel with her sister but then she would have easily given her away to any stupid assassin who wanted her dead. A ghost for a companion with a famous face was not what Kalista needed right now.
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Post by Ashard on May 16, 2013 16:28:38 GMT -5
Without even really thinking about it a chair pulled out across from Kiara as she motioned for him to sit. In his own mind he made jokes about himself being whipped but he did not mind.
“So, what manner of mischief have you been up to these years?” She asked him while he took a seat on the chair that he had just moved out from under the table. He listened to her thoughts as she spoke them out to him, “I do apologize for not sticking around after my sister left the City but without her there, I felt rather lost.”
It did him no pleasure to see her smile fade from her face like it was just now but he understood why. Family is important and those two girls had known each other for a very long time. It was no small thing for them to be apart.
"I do not ever hope to take up a place in your life such as your sister has but I would like to think that over the years I've helped you find your way when you got lost." He smiled gently at her. "I am however glad that your sister gave me proper helpers for my graveyard as it allows me to escape Karador Keep now and then to visit you here. It's not good to be too long without seeing old friends."
He frowned slightly as he recalled she had asked him a question prior to apologizing and upon recalling said question he continued, "Ah yes! What mischief you ask? Well, same old things really, though I do try to not do the same thing twice so as to mix things up a bit as always." He smirked as he recalled a few different occasions in the graveyard and at the Phantom or in the middle of the city. "The gargoyles are doing well too. They are now accustomed to the new help and know to be gentle with humans. It took them a while to learn that." He laughed with a bit of unease as he recalled the first several encounters and the scratches and bruises that ensued from said occasions.
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Post by Kiara Karador on May 16, 2013 17:31:54 GMT -5
“Don't think that my brooding over the loss of my sister at my side in any way diminishes the fondness I have grown to have for you and your trickery Ashard.” she told him without missing a step. “I value your company and am happy to call you friend.” She finished as she looked about the tavern before continuing.
“My sister did what she did for you for just that reason you know.” She then stated with a smile. “She did not want you to be confined to that dreadful place for all eternity you know.” She told him and then gave a half laugh. “Besides the fact that I also believe she wanted to be certain you'd seek me out.” She then said with a playful wink in his direction.
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Post by Ashard on May 16, 2013 18:33:47 GMT -5
He smiled almost bashfully when Kiara spoke of how much he meant to her and then laughed when she explained her sisters reasons for giving him extra help at the graveyard, "That and she probably wanted to spare the city some of the mass panic I cause now and then." He replied with a grin as he raised and lowered his eyebrows quickly.
"What about you, Kiara? What have you been up to aside from cleaning the rafters?" he asked her teasingly.
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Post by Kiara Karador on May 16, 2013 18:47:19 GMT -5
Kiara laughed at his raised brows as well his commenting on his mass panic making abilities. To that she was certain could have been another reason for the help the Ghost had been given. The less strain on Adriana the better. She may have been a very dear friend of Kalista's but she was also the First vampire and as such more likely to become agitated at Ash for creating more problems than she needed to deal with.
“As for me, aside from cleaning the rafters...” She looked upwards at her favorite resting spot in any tavern and smiled. “They are pretty clean by the way. Just dusted them this morning in fact.” She stated and then returned her gaze to Ashard and winked. “I've been walking.” She stated quite simply. “Doing a lot of walking.” She finished not giving out too much information, but she figured if he wanted it, he'd get it out of her sooner or later.
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Post by Ashard on May 16, 2013 19:09:36 GMT -5
Resting an elbow on the table and arm upward, he leaned in setting his chin on his thumb while his index rested against his lips and he raised a brow at her in questioning. Slowly he put his arm down on the table and asked her straight up, "Is this one of those times where I have to lure you to a graveyard so we can talk openly or are we able to discuss your last 100 years here?"
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Post by Kiara Karador on May 16, 2013 19:34:22 GMT -5
Kiara laughed, this time it was genuine and full of mirth. “You do indeed have a knack of knowing when I am obviously avoiding a real conversation about me.” She replied with a raised brow in his direction. “I think for the most part, I can relate most of what I have been up to right here in the quiet of the tavern.
Just as she said that, someone tipped over in his chair making a loud BOOM on the other side of the room and Kiara burst out laughing.
“I stand corrected.” She said between laughter.
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