| The Usual Restaurant, Where the Bartender is a Phoenix | ||
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| Summary: Someone actually asks Gonfei about himself. Turns out he's older than he looks.      |
Ari strolls in, heading right to her favorite bar stool, since it appears to be open. She hops up and smiles. Gonfei nods to Ari as she sits. "Evening, Miss Ari. How are things today?" Ari smiles to Gonfei. "Not too bad. Club's coming along so I can't complain. You?" Gonfei grins to Ari. "Ooooh, that's right. You're making competition, aren't you? I can't complain much myself, either. Steady work, relaxing home, no worries really to report on." Ari chuckles a bit at that. "Well I don't know about competition. You're mostly food and drink based. My place is dancing first. But it is pretty wicked." she grins, then hmmms. "Any key lime pie today? Seriously got a craving going." Gonfei nods a few times in agreement. "Well, I might stop by on a night off when it's ready, then!" He glances over his shoulder then back to Ari again. "We should. I don't see why we wouldn't. Shall I get you a slice?" Ari nods, smiling. "Please! It just sounds really good right now." She thinks a moment. "And a glass of ice water, please!" Gonfei nods as he turns away to go get the order in question. It's not long at all before he returns with the plate-o-pie and a glass of water chock full of ice. "Here you go. Enjoy!" he says as he sets them down. Ari grins. "Thank you, looks great. You know, if I actually live to see my club open, I may have to try to hire you away." she chuckles. Gonfei frowns and slumps his shoulders slightly. "I like how this place attracts just about anybody and everybody, actually. But... how's that whole thing going? Well so far, I presume?" Ari takes a bite of the pie before responding. "Yup, good choice." she smiles. "It's.. going. Skeeve is confident that he can stop her. Though I'm half tempted to go handle it myself." she shrugs. Gonfei raises an eyebrow. "I... don't think that'd be a good idea, Miss Ari. Suicidal charges rarely accomplish anything." Ari shakes her head. "I don't charge. I sneak. If I can just get close to her I can at least knock her out until we can figure out something. I need her to just... get out of my head, you know? Gonfei hums and taps his chin. "Maybe some sort of... anti-magic field? Does that exsist? It might clear it out at least temporarily, right?" Ari nods a little. "Skeeve put up some stuff but.. she's getting out of hand." she shrugs again. "It'll all end soon, one way or another. Gonfei frowns as he picks up a glass and starts wiping it down. He seems to be pondering for a moment before saying, "If your plan needs a... 'meat shield,' as it were, I might be able to help." Ari takes a sip of water. "I appreciate the thought, but honestly, I don't want anyone else hurt. This is.. kind of all on me." Gonfei holds up a finger. "I can take one lethal hit, then I'd fly out." Ari shakes her head. "Again, I appreciate it, but no. I started this, I'm going to finish it without risking anyone else." Gonfei shrugs. "All right, then." He drops the subject. "But I'm fairly happy working here, so it's gonna be difficult for you to poach me away." Ari grins. "Fair. But if you ever change your mind." she chuckles. "I can't do everything, after all regardless of how awesome I am. Gonfei pauses again for a moment. "Hrm. On the other hand... I might be able to hold down a part time job at the same time. I might see if I can, say, get weekends off here. Work the busy clubbing nights there, maybe. I'll think about it." Ari smiles. "No rush, it'll be a while until I get it up and running, you know?" she eats more pie, and nods. "Really good stuff, by the way. Kudos to your kitchen crew." Gonfei nods in agreement. "They are amazing in there, I'll pass on the compliments. Really, I've not found anything they can't make in there. I have no clue how they do it... I pretty much stick to making Italian food, sometimes some Mexican. But mostly Italian." Ari smiles. "Well, they are more than happy to my vegetarian demands, which is amazing. I just wish I could cook at all, which is why I'm here like, all the time." Gonfei waves a hand somewhat dismissively. "You are far from the only vegetarian to walk into this place. Is it really that unusual for restaurants to have meatless options where you've been?" Ari wrinkles her nose a little. "It's hard to get unprocessed fresh food where I come from." Gonfei frowns, shaking his head. "Well, that makes for crappy food. I have a few tomato plants myself out back behind my house to get really fresh sauce when I can, but really, you can find some markets around if you look." Ari nods. "Well, then we're back to the inability to cook. I can make a salad, but that's about it. But when my sister, the kids and I lived in France? We had the most amazing pear orchard. I used to sit out there all the time and read." Gonfei pauses, thinking about this. "Reminds me of an olive tree I used to sit under to relax in my younger days. I didn't read there, but it was nice to just get away from the villiage and just... look at the sky for a while." Ari smiles at that. "Exactly. I was hoping to plant a few pear trees here. If Miri's got room for them, anyway." she chuckles. "Though nothing beats a fresh mango." Gonfei frowns. "Do mangos grow this far north? It's not a plant I've ever tried to grow, but I thought they were more tropical." Ari shrugs. "No idea. I'm the world's worst Elf, so stuff about nature and what grows where is way beyond me. But I'm sure Skeeve or Miri have a spell to make it work. Gonfei nods. "Good point. Magic and all. I really should go about learning proper magic." He holds a hand up and a tongue of fire lights up in his palm. "Sure, I've got the fire affinity thing, but this is a lot less useful than actually knowing magic." Ari blinks at the fire. "Oh, my, did not know you could do that." she smiles. "Apparently I'm a psionic, but really really mild. Skeeve is trying to teach me, but in addition to being the worst Elf ever, I'm also the worst apprentice ever." Gonfei closes his hand, extinguishing the flame. "Well, I'm hoping you're not the worst nightclub owner ever as well, then." Ari grins. "Nah, that I can do. Done it before. Same place, actually. Just looked a bit different. Plus I helped my parents run one in Seattle." Gonfei nods. "Well then. You don't need to be good at the other stuff. If you're a good night club manager, why would that need you to be a good elf or a good apprentice?" Ari nibbles her lip again, looking at the almost empty plate. "Because I'm half-Elf, and I don't think I'm a good human, either, and I feel kind of useless when I fight against magic users. Plus I'm a techie in a relationship with two spell slingers. When they get talking, I feel.. left out. They're all I got, I don't want to feel like that, you know?" Gonfei pauses a moment before slowly nodding. "Yeah... yeah, I can get that one. Sometimes bringing something outside to a relationship can make it work better... but then again, I've not had your type of relationship before." Ari smiles softly. "It's unconventional, but full of love. I just want to stay as connected as possible." She blinks, then looks up. "I keep blabbering. I actually don't really know anything about you." Gonfei offers a bit of a smirk at that. "Isn't that the point of a bartender? Someone to vent at and speak out what needs to come out, and maybe hopefully get some advice? I don't really talk about myself unless I think it's relevant to the conversation... But since you brought it up, what do you want to know?" Ari thinks about that. "Um.. Well, basic stuff, I guess? Where ya from, little background, that sort of thing." Gonfei looks up slightly, then says, "Well... Sicily. Grew up there, kinda just enjoyed hunting around Mt. Etna, occasionally visiting at the settlements around. Carthage kinda screwed my village over, though." He pauses, gauging Ari's understanding of that. Ari tilts her head a little. "Sicily I've heard of. Carthage, not so much. Gonfei nods. "Well, they don't really exist anymore after the last Punic war. Rome kinda... got tired of their shit, so to speak. So yeah, after Carthage more or less wiped out my village, I sided with Rome, stuck with them 'till the end." Ari says, "Huh. How old are you anyway? I mean, after those places stopped existing would indicate it's been a while." Gonfei shrugs. "Roughly five thousand, give or take a few centuries." After keeping a straight face for a few seconds, he grins. Ari blinks, jaw dropping slightly. "Okay, that means you're probably the oldest person I know. So I take it you're not human, then? Gonfei shakes his head. "Actually, I'm a phoenix. My whole tribe was. While I'd argue I'm human as well.... most people don't seem to see it that way, despite what I look like." The blood drains from the half-elf's face. "Ph-phoenix?" she stammers. "Any relation to... anyone named Karrde?" Gonfei raises an eyebrow. "I think I've met the guy in question, but no, we're from completely different universes. I don't even think we work the same way as phoenixes. I'm going to have to assume you've some history with 'im?" Ari gulps before saying quietly. "He was my sister's husband. He's dead because of me. That's why my sister is.. yeah." Gonfei sighs and looks up. "Yeah, maybe it's right that I not get involved in the situation between you and her, then." He looks back down to Ari and shakes his head. "If I worried over everyone I got killed, I'd never get anything done anymore. You shouldn't dwell on it too much. Like you said, you did something stupid. You already have learned from the mistake, right?" Ari nods. "Definitely. But she won't listen and I can't blame her. He didn't even get to meet his youngest." she sighs. "I'm a horrible person." Gonfei frowns and shakes his head. "Oi, you're letting that brainwashing thing into your head again." Ari shakes her head in return. "No, that part is me. She's on a new tactic now." Gonfei rolls his head around on his neck. "You're not a horrible person if you regret it. Not anymore. Maybe you were in the past, but not anymore, unless you've a lot you're not telling me still." Ari sighs. "I do regret it. Every damned day. And you pretty much know all of it." she nibbles her lip. "And now I need vodka." Gonfei nods. "And a vodka you can get," he says, then goes to get a glass of the stuff. He's a bartender! It's what he does! Returning, he places the glass on the bar. "Then you're not a bad person anymore." Ari stares at the glass for a moment, then downs it. "But I still feel like I am. And I probably always will. Another, please?" Gonfei nods in silence and takes the glass back for a refill. When he returns, he says. "Slow down a bit after this one, okay? You're making me regret talking about myself at all, now." Ari is sitting at the bar, talking and drinking. "Not your fault. I pried. Besides, I'm pretty resigned to enjoying what I can while I can" she smiles a little. "Besides, it's good vodka. Skeeve, for once, actually uses the door to walk into the UR, whistling a cheery little tune with his hands in his pockets. He makes a beeline straight for the bar, offering a wave. "Well, hey there." Gonfei nods to Skeeve. "Evening, sir, what can I get you?" Ari's mood seems to lift a bit as she sees Skeeve. "Hi honey. How was your day?" Skeeve, after glancing between Ari's glass, and Ari, and giving her a speculative look, replies to Gonfei, "Strawberry Sunrise, please. I'm Skeeve, by the way, it's nice to meet you." He takes a seat next to Ari. "I had a pretty good one. Looks like you got the party started kinda early, huh?" Gonfei looks between Ari and Skeeve and nods to the mage with a smile, though it's not quite a full smile. "Nice to meet you, Skeeve. I'm Gonfei, and I'll be your bartender for this evening. One Strawberry Sunrise, coming right up!" he says as he turns to fulfil the order. Ari shrugs a little. "I had pie first, and to be fair, this glass here is only my second. Promise. You know I can handle a lot more." Skeeve returns the smile in kind. "A pleasure, Gonfei." He can't help but chuckle a little bit at Ari's statement. "That's true. And I suppose the pie does help." Gonfei returns after mixing the drink and places the glass in front of Skeeve. "And it was apparently quite the good pie if you're interested in a slice yourself." Ari chuckles. "It's key lime. I actually wouldn't mind another slice, honestly." She picks up the glass and just sips the vodka this time. Skeeve replies, "Thanks. And sure, I'll try some of that pie." He slides across a 10,000 yen note, takes a sip of his drink, and makes a pleased noise. "For her tab, too. This is actually rather good." He's sitting at the bar next to Ari, and the two appear to be chatting with Gonfei, who's behind the bar. Fluttershy pokes her head in...looking about...nobody scary here? She steps in, carefully looking around just in case... Gonfei nods to the two. "Two slices of key lime, coming up!" he announces. Before he turns away, he spots the pegasus entering and offers her a quick wave. Then he's off to get the slices of pie! Ari smiles at Skeeve. "So what have you been up to, anyway?" She glances to see who Gonfei is waving at, and blinks. "Is that a.. horse?" Fluttershy says, "Hello again," to Confei, "Um...oh! I'm sorry...my name's Fluttershy, I forgot to introduce myself before..." she walks up to the bar, sitting up on one of the stools, "Maybe I please have an apple cider?" she asks, she glances aroud at the other patrons. No scary guys tonight. Phew!" Skeeve takes a sip of his drink, just as Ari turns to look at Fluttershy, and he turns as well to see what she's looking at. There's a pause. He looks down at his drink, then back at Fluttershy. Finally, he looks over at Gonfei. "Alright, so, clearly you've spiked this. I'm not mad, exactly, it is pretty funny. BUt I'd like to know exactly what I'm drinking." Fluttershy looks to Ari...and blinks. She speaks in a very soft voice. "I'm not a Horse..." she says, "I'm a pegasus.." she opens her small wings as if to say 'see?' Ari blinks, then frowns slightly. "Sorry, my mistake!" she then picks her smile back up. "I'm Ari, it's lovely to meet you." Gonfei returns with the pie, then nods to Fluttershy. "Coming right up, Miss Fluttershy." With a look at Skeeve, he raises an eyebrow. "I didn't spike anything. This is the Usual Restaurant... does a pastel pegasus really strike you as that odd for here?" He then makes his way off to fill the aforementioned pegasus's order. When he returns, he introduces himself properly as well. "And my name's Gonfei." Fluttershy says, "It's very nice to meet you," to Confei, then too Ari, "It's okay..." she smiles a bit shyly, "We're...um..related sort of...my name's Fluttershy," to Ari, "It's very nice to meet you as well." Skeeve blinks a few times at that, looks back down at his drink, and nods. "Fair point, my apologies." He drains his glass, then sets the empty glass on the bar. "I think I'ma need another one of those..." He shakes his head lightly, as though still not quite trusting what he's seeing. "Nothing much, Ari, just a bit of errand running. Ley line near the house was a bit messy, so I had to clean the node up." He offers a polite wave to Fluttershy, almost hesitantly. "I'm... Skeeve. It's... nice? to meet you?" Fluttershy looks to Skeeve, maybe a bit puzzled by his reaction. "I'm...hoping it would be nice to meet me..." she adds shyly, "I'm...um...I'm sure I'm not what you're used to." Gonfei nods to Skeeve again. "Coming right out!" he says as he heads over to mix the drink again. Ari takes a bite of the pie, enjoying it. "Love, is it alright if I pretend to understand what you just said?" she chuckles. Skeeve flushes a little bit. "I apologize, Fluttershy, that was rude of me. It is nice to meet you. I've never met a talking pegasus before, but that's hardly your fault, now is it" Clearing his throat a little bit, he glances back at Ari, "Ah... let's say the internet was running really poorly, so you went and fixed the problem at the junction box or base station or however we get our internet. Make more sense?" Fluttershy says, "It's quite alright, Mr. Skeeve...I'm sort of used to it here. My friends and I sort of stand out." She picks up the cider with amazingly dextrous hooves, then sips at her drink. "It's nice meeting you all, though," she nods polietly." Ari grins at Skeeve, leans over and kisses him on the cheek. "Perfect sense. Thank you, dear." Gonfei returns with the drink for Skeeve. "Enjoy!" he says, then backs away slightly and looks up and down the bar in case anyone else is trying to get his attention. Skeeve smiles a little bit at Ari's kiss, picks up the glass, and salutes Gonfei with it. "Thanks." He takes another, more delicate sip, then asks, "So... uh... have you been here overly long, then, Fluttershy?" Fluttershy blushes brightly at the kissing and stuff. Then collects herself a bit, "I-I've been here for a bit...maybe a couple of months. Several of my friends are here too, so, I'm not as homesick as I might be," she sips her cider almost as if it were a beer or stronger drink. It does, in fact, remind her a bit of home. "There's Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash and Stalwart heart; oh, and a dragon as well. Though he's just a baby." Ari smiles at Fluttershy. "Having friends from home is always good, right?" she chuckles before taking another bite of pie. Fluttershy says, "Oh my, yes...I'd be a wreck if it was just me...I don't know what I'd do." Gonfei nods to Skeeve at the salute, but it seems he's withdrawn himself from the conversation now that the customers are talking to each other. Skeeve pokes a little bit at his pie with his fork, not taking a bite just yet. "A dragon, huh? Sounds like you've got a pretty diverse set of friends. I've known some dragons in my time too. And yeah, this dimensional travelling stuff is a lot harder when you're alone. YOu should count yourself lucky." Ari tilts her head a little at Skeeve, a look of concern on her face. "You alright?" Fluttershy says, "I do," she nods softly, "I'm not very brave...so..if I was here by myself..." she doesn't like thinking about it, so she takes another sip of cider." Skeeve nods a few times at that, offering Ari a smile. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just a little nostalgic, that's all. I'm sure you know how that goes." he takes a bite of his pie, then adds cheerily, "Ah, don't sell yourself short. If you can walk into a Usual Restaurant on your own, you can go anywhere you want." Fluttershy says, "I'm trying to be braver...and there are some people I've seen that really scare me...but...I can't just hide away all the time either." Ari nods a little, smiling softly at Skeeve. "Yeah, I can." she looks back to Fluttershy. "What he said. If you can walk in here alone, you're braver than you think. Fluttershy says, "That's what my friends tell me, too...maybe it's true." Cu walks into the UR, carrying a fishing pole and an empty bucket. The bluenette dude in a hawaiian shirt gives a sigh as he flops into a chair at the bar, He proceeds to flag down a waitress and oder a strong drink of some sort...of course it means he also has to get some sort of flirting in as well. However, once that's done with he offers a wave toward a certain yellow pegasus. | |
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