The Arkane Bookstore & Pub [Wednesday- Early AM Pub Hours]

[Aiyo Shinbatsu]

This poster greets all guests at the inner door of The Arkane Bookstore & Pub.

Bookstore Hours:
Monday-Friday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Pub Hours:
Tuesday-Saturday: 9:00 PM - 3:00 AM​

The Arkane Bookstore & Pub is easy to miss in the village of Sand. It was established eight years ago and relocated four years ago once its owner, Shinbatsu, saved up enough money to buy a more spacious and habitable place. Currently, the store serves three purposes: from eleven in the morning until five in the evening on every weekday it is a bookstore, and from nine in the evening until three in the morning everyday except Sundays and Mondays it is a pub. The entrance is near the end of a dead-end side street such that only guests who have frequented the premises before or have heard of the store from friends are likely to find it. There are bathroom stalls outside. The building is probably as old as the village's migration into the depth of the earth. The banner that bears the emblem of the store is beaten and worn, and the walls of the structure itself are beginning to show signs of aging. Inside, the main room is large and packed. There are bookshelves and books lining two walls, two large round tables that seat as many as six people, and four square tables suitable for two or four guests. On the side of the room opposite the bookshelves there is a bar in front of what seems to be a kitchen. There are no windows, but the place is well-lit during bookstore hours and dim during pub hours. There are two television sets hanging from the walls and streaming station news, advertisements, and music. The owner sometimes moves nights over to an adjacent room for light shows or to display new technology, but during bookstore hours this room is well-furnished for people to sit, read, and relax. The rest of the building, namely the other rooms and living quarters of Aiyo Shinbatsu, is seldom seen by most guests. The pub has always operated by two basic rules: you cannot enter if you have already been drinking, and you have to leave if you are drunk. The Arkane Bookstore & Pub is a classy little place. There is never trouble.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------​

It was a Tuesday, and it was the last bookstore hour of the day. Shinbatsu was seated in the leisure room, kicked back and re-reading a medical script from his youth. It seemed so long ago to him that he had received his medical education in the West. Now his life was run by this shop. The only days he consistently had off were Sundays. Occasionally, he had to depart on shinobi business, and during those days the place was usually understaffed. Up till this point, he had been fortunate, and nothing bad had happened in his absence. Shinbatsu wavered slightly in his seat as a chill ran through the room. The desert above was scorched, but the depths of the caverns were not, especially indoors. Still, he could not afford to turn the heat up with only one customer in the building. Generally speaking the heat was reserved for night hours. Shinbatsu turned the script over, looking up to the pub room; currently, the door that led there was held open. One of his workers was inside cleaning tables and waiting to receive anybody who would turn up. Shinbatsu half contemplated joining him and beginning cleaning the glassware; if he had everything prepared early, he could add an hour or so to his nap. There was, however, a lone customer in the leisure room reading The Time Machine, and so he figured it was best if he stayed put. He looked back down at his script. One more hour. If anybody showed up, he figured, he would get up to greet them.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore & Pub [Bookstore Hours]

Tuesday. Was it the first Tuesday of the month? The Steward took out his agenda from his lab coat. Yes. Yes it was. Sousuke rushed to the Arkane bookstore from the office. He had a particular few tomes he had to acquire which were coming out today. The first was a re-mastered and restored work of Sage Khan with a preface written by this great-great-great grandson. Sousuke was familiar with most of Sage Khan's work except for his moral philosophies. The great and ancient author was if anything a paragon of sorts in almost all ways of life.

Sousuke arrived at the Arkane Bookstore, and took out his pocket watch. The Steward's eyes narrowed. Was he late? Was the place closed? No. He still had an hour left. Sousuke stared at the poster on the door. He blinked twice. Was the poster new? No. Surely not. Sometimes, a kunai is just a kunai. A simple fact for some, and for others it was a matter of a state of existence. Was the message a riddle of sorts? Possibly. It could also be a sort of snide remark towards those who often expanded upon concepts in the grand metaphorical design. Maybe the poster was simply a reminder that things had to be simply taken literally. In the case of Sousuke, he took things literally in an extreme case.

Sousuke pushed the door open and pocketed his pocket watch. He withdrew his list of books that he was going to be picking up. The Moral Inquires of the Greater Galaxy. A Short History of Shadows. A Timely River Trail. The Chemistry of Food. Sousuke usually bought a book a month, but because of the pay cheque he received from Lady Haku Tomoko II for finding her ruby necklace allowed the Steward to have money for extra things. Sousuke was by no means a rich man. Such was evidenced by his often torn and handmedown clothing. "Salutations."<i></i> Sousuke spoke in his usual monotone voice as he looked up from his list. "Did the shipment for the Moral Inquires of the Greater Galaxy arrive today? I'm also looking for a Short History of Shadows. I know there were limited quantities on that tome."<i></i> Sousuke would begin his inquiry with the two books he wanted most.

 

[Aiyo Shinbatsu]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Bookstore Hours]

[OOC: I went ahead and read your profile. Please inform me if anything that follows in my RP is inconsistent with what would be known about your character, as I do not have a great understanding of the political standings in Sunagakure as of the time being. Also, I do not know if any of the books you have named are from a site-reference or something along the lines. I will assume they are not.]

The sound of the door opening came not too long after Shinbatsu decided to stay put. He looked up to the employee cleaning the tables and found that the man was looking back expectedly. The owner of the shop nodded and began to straighten up to rise, and the employee moved to a table further away from the door to resume his work. Before long, Shinbatsu was in the main room talking to the patron.

It was a familiar face, familiar not because of dear acquaintance but because he had been there before and Shinbatsu recognized him as a man of significant authority in the politics of Sand. Even though he was an expert at the mechanics of the human body, a genius at board games, and extremely adept at deciphering systems he was unfamiliar with, Shinbatsu personally thought of the politics of the village as too convoluted to follow and longed for a manual to summarize it all for him. As far as he was concerned, there were only two kinds of shinobi: those that were above him and those that were below him. He knew for certain that this one was above him.

"Salutations." The shop owner smiled and bowed courteously. "Good evening, sir." "Did the shipment for the Moral Inquires of the Greater Galaxy arrive today? I'm also looking for a Short History of Shadows. I know there were limited quantities on that tome." "Ah! You always have an interesting taste in reads. Give me a moment."

Shinbatsu knew full well what had arrived and what had not. A Short History of Shadows arrived earlier, but it was not on the shelves yet. Moral Inquiries of the Greater Galaxy, on the other hand, was authored by Nato Kaeno. Shinbatsu did not think much of his work and had assumed the same of others, and, as such, he never ordered any copies. After feigning a stretched-out glance at the book shelves, he raised a finger, murmured "One moment.", and moved past the shelves through a door and into another room.

Before long, Shinbatsu had returned with a copy of A Short History of Shadows. "I'm sorry: there seems to be a delay on Moral Inquiries." The shop keeper lifted the book he had found so that his patron could read the title, and then he extended it toward the man. "Still wrapped. You were right: three copies earlier today, one already sold. I have not had the chance to read it yet; if you come back anytime after Thursday Moral Inquiries should have arrived in stock, and then maybe you can give me an early synopsis on this one?" Shinbatsu smiled again, still extending the book to be received from his patron if he had not taken hold of it already.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Bookstore Hours]

((Terribly sorry for the long wait, each time I went to sit down and write this I wasn't pleased with the results))

Sousuke made the proper exchange. Crisp yen notes for the book he wished to have. "I will undertake to do that... and I look forward to fulfilling such an undertaking."<i></i> Sousuke spoke as he took the precious book with his left hand. The Steward glanced at the golden letters that read the title A Short History of Shadows. "I am confident that this will indeed be a most educating read."<i></i> Sousuke eyed the book and carefully removed it from the packaging. He began to finger through the pages. Not so much to spoil himself, but to get an idea if this book was going to be very much like its companion. Sousuke went through the Forward, prologue, chapters etc. and closed the book. Yes. This was very much going to be like the previous work by the same author.

"Did you by chance read the companion to this? A Non-Religious History of Light? It was certainly a lot longer due to the forward being an apology of sorts because the author was afraid of being called a heretic because he spoke of photons in such a non-religious nature."<i></i> Sousuke stroked his chin. Shinbatsu seemed to be a well read man. He did after all own the bookstore, and he certainly had many years behind him as he was Sousuke's senior by at least fifteen years. "I enjoyed it for his frankness on the matter, but also because he spoke of light having not-so-pleasant moments in history."<i></i> The Steward nodded his head. It was hard pressed to come by a writer who was not influenced by public opinion or outside forces. Such individuals were oftentimes critiqued far too harshly, but usually those doing the critiques were oftentimes influenced themselves.

 

[Aiyo Shinbatsu]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Bookstore Hours]

Shinbatsu received the payment and issued his worker over to receive it so that he would not have to leave the patron's company. "Did you by chance read the companion to this? A Non-Religious History of Light? It was certainly a lot longer due to the forward being an apology of sorts because the author was afraid of being called a heretic because he spoke of photons in such a non-religious nature." the shopkeeper nodded at this, but he also visibly frowned. He did not usually frown in the presence of customers, but Sousuke brought up a point he did not think highly of. "I enjoyed it for his frankness on the matter, but also because he spoke of light having not-so-pleasant moments in history."

Shinbatsu scratched the back of his neck, and shortly afterward he moved over to one of the bookshelves. He crouched in front of it and began pulling out books to go through their pages, seemingly at random, and then return them to their spot. "I have read the book. Inu's introduction was something of an apology, but I am not sure he was afraid of being called a heretic. I actually met him while he was writing the book; I was younger then, but I was getting my first degree far in the west, and he was not very hesitant to share his ideas and knowledge." Shinbatsu stopped what he was doing, turned around and rose with a book in between his hands, elevating his eyes just enough to meet Sousuke's. "Chakra is a marvelous thing, sir. You must keep in mind that knowledge of Chakra is limited to these quarters of the world. In my whole stay in the west, even while I was receiving my medical degree, nobody mentioned Chakra even once. That's why my medical education didn't transfer over properly when I came back home and joined the Shinobi academy. Inu was writing for an audience that is, for the most part, unfamiliar with Chakra manipulation. None of them have ever controlled a photon in their lives, and their knowledge of photons are very limited; they only developed their photon theories about sixty years ago, forty from when Inu was writing that book. His apology is understandable."

About then, the worker gestured to Shinbatsu from behind the bar to catch his attention, and he held up a bottle before him. "Shin, the bottle of Kyoudaibun's is pretty much empty. What do you want me to do?" Shinbatsu only half turned around, pointing toward one of the doors. "We should have another two bottles in the cellars. Just make sure we have one available before pub hours." He turned back to Sousuke, shaking his head. "I feel that people still drink the fire-wine for its name, not its taste. I doubt the stuff is even made by the same people that used to make it. I had a drink from an original Kyoudaibun's once, and it was much better than the stuff they sell at the specialty stores. Anyways-" Shinbatsu held forward the book he had picked off the shelves. It was semi-thick, had a green cover, and had notably non-industrial bindings. It was a book authored by a man named Shiro Ginjiro and titled simply General Principles of Physics. "If you want to see what caused Inu's troubles, I highly recommend you read this. It's not exactly fun-- it is much more educational-- but it really nails down the problems he faced in addressing photons while simultaneously presenting you with the prevailing theories on light in the west. I had to read it for my first degree; it discusses everything from the now disregarded theories on luminiferous aether to the dual photon-wave theory of light, reflection and refraction, energy release pertaining to electrons traveling through orbitals, and the photoelectric effect. Of course, the book also covers the mechanics of physics, and you can read those parts too if you're interested."

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Bookstore Hours]

Having lived in the underground for most of his natural life, it didn't strike the Steward immediately that what Shinbatsu said was true. There were people on the surface unfamiliar with the molding and usage of chakra. Sousuke folded his arms. His eyes shifted upward as he was trying to imagine these groupings of people. The images could not form completely as the Steward was trying to picture people in their homes trying to light said homes with a different source of power other than chakra crystals. "I wonder..."<i></i> The Steward's mind went into rewind mode as he replayed Shinbatsu saying that he had travelled to the west. Beyond Soon's Sanctuary, and across the ocean. "I truly do wonder how people survive without chakra usage. You've seen it firsthand. Could I trouble you for an anecdote perhaps? For I am most interested."<i></i> Sousuke inquired politely.

There was a quick exchange between employer and employee. The Steward reminded himself that the bookstore also operated as a social place for people to engage vehemently in the art of conversation. "Names bring reputations... it also brings with it a sort of community experience."<i></i> Sousuke would comment offhandedly. An image played out in the Steward's mind of this drink called fire-wine. He expected it to cause the drinker to breath flames for a moment. Sousuke was the sort to take things quite literally. The Steward proceeded to file away a mental note in his head to avoid this so called fire wine as he did not wish to be breathing flames without the use of chakra.

The conversation turned back to the aforementioned author. "Fascinating. Well, the concept of fun is to each's own. I would consider this to be a fun read. Oh... before I forget the Science of Cooking is still in print? I'll take a second hand copy if necessary."<i></i> The Steward again pulled out his wallet and noted the price of the books. More crisp yen notes in exchange for the books. "Back to photons, the theory work you've mentioned may help me in my studies of plasma-chakra. While plasma and photons aren't the same, for a time I considered the two having a sort of relationship of sorts."<i></i>

 

[Aiyo Shinbatsu]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Bookstore Hours]

"I truly do wonder how people survive without chakra usage. You've seen it firsthand. Could I trouble you for an anecdote perhaps? For I am most interested." To this, Shinbatsu genuinely smiled. His patron was like a small child imagining being denied access to his favorite toy. He wondered if Sousuke really could not imagine a life without Chakra or if he simply was not trying. "My goodness, sir, look around you! The creatures of this world have survived with far less. Wolves make way with nothing but four legs and an appetite. Don't you think that men, being smarter than wolves, could pack together and survive, even without the gifts of Chakra?" Shinbatsu laughed a little bit, but it was not a mean laugh. "But I'll tell you, they have done a lot more than survive. They have gone and mastered the elements without ever having direct control over them. Humans spent time watching their own anatomy and studying how it worked, and as they learned, they expanded their knowledge outward. By observing the relaxation of the diaphragm expanding the lungs and lowering the concentration of air inside them, man learned that substances will flow from places of high concentration to places of low concentration, and from there there was no stopping them. They have used this single concept to cause current to flow through conductors and called it electricity, and they have since spread endless spiderwebs of conductors throughout their cities through which they allow electricity to flow, and they discovered that increasing resistances at certain areas could elevate energy output at those areas, and from there they created light, developed circuitry, and... Well. As I said, take a look around you." Shinbatsu indicated toward the televisions which were streaming some foreign news station. They were powered by a generator, but it was almost wasted effort because none of The Great Nations had ever established signal stations by which to transmit any news that would be relevant to them.

Shinbatsu caught himself rambling. He pursed his lips and nodded as the guest asked if The Science of Cooking was still in print, and he walked over to the shelves to pick out a used copy that was still in good shape. The book really stood out amongst cook books, but Shinbatsu hoped Sousuke was not going to buy it to try to learn how to cook, as it was not really a cook book in the traditional sense. It assumed its readers already had a knowledge of cooking and were looking to compare diets and it offered small tips to supplement their skills rather than taught them how actually cook.

Once the books were paid for, Shinbatsu was surprised to hear Sousuke go back to photons. "Back to photons, the theory work you've mentioned may help me in my studies of plasma-chakra. While plasma and photons aren't the same, for a time I considered the two having a sort of relationship of sorts." "Yes, absolutely! I won't stand here and pretend to be an expert on the energetics of Chakra manipulation; I'm only a Chuunin for a reason. But photons are the basic unit of energy. I have heard of photon Jutsu and prefer to think of them as pure energy Jutsu, which sort of lands them in the non-elemental category. In this sense, any and all Chakra arises from photon Chakra, just as any and all Chakra arises from non-elemental Chakra."

Shinbatsu looked toward the clock. He and Sousuke had been talking for forty minutes. He would keep up his conversation with Sousuke if the man decided to stick around past shop hours, but Shinbatsu really hoped he would not. The thought of his nap and how many hours of rest he would be getting before getting up to entertain again almost made him uncomfortable, but as a veteran shop keeper, he knew better than to show it. "Also, I'll tell you what. If you want, I can set up a few galvanic cells for when you come back for Moral Inquiries on Thursday. You'll get to see how the non-Chakra driven world runs first hand, albeit on a much, much smaller scale."

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Bookstore Hours]

A sort of metaphorical light bulb went off in the mind of the Steward. Yes. Electricity. Of course. The Steward's eyes lit up as Shinbatsu put his anecdote into a sort of perspective. It was the sort of perspective that one would take for granted until it was taken away. "I believe there is a saying that people use ... one can't see a forest through the trees? I believe ... I finally am capable of understanding the saying now. For that I am most thankful of your perspective."<i></i> The Steward nodded his head. It was a saying that his father used from time to time, along with many others. Time and time again the Steward would come to understand these sayings with a little help. The Steward expected that in time he would be able to use these sayings just like his father did, in the most appropriate sense possible.

The conversation moved along back into the concept of photons after having made another few purchases. The Steward thought about the concept of the non-elemental chakra being the key and the foundation to all. Yes. He could very much see that being the case. The Steward pictured non-elemental chakra being an ocean of sorts. He had never seen the ocean but he was told it was a vast body of water. The various types of elemental chakras then taking a location and occupying a sort land mass. In the end the Steward had pictured a sort of globe metaphor. "Energy cannot be destroyed or created, merely transferred..."<i></i> The Steward spoke referring to the concept of photon as a basic unit of energy. If that was true then ... what would an anti-photon be? The darkness element would need to be considered as something else entirely then if not an anti-photon which would be considered anti-energy if Shinbatsu's theory was taken into consideration.

Rounding out the conversation towards its end was an offer the Steward could take the proprietor of the shop up on. "I would very much like to see that."<i></i> Sousuke spoke. The faintest form of a smile would grace the Steward's face. Sousuke was not known for his facial expressions as most of the time he was dead panned and lacked the capacity to express himself proper. "I will return Thursday to acquire Moral Inquries, but more importantly to watch your demonstration. I must say I am looking forward to this. Till our next meeting then. I wish you the best and may you complete your undertakings."<i></i> With that the Steward bid Shinbatsu farewell (for the moment), and made his way home with several new titles to read.

(Topic left, and I have to say this has indeed been a slice!)

 

[Aiyo Shinbatsu]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Bookstore Hours]

Shinbatsu bowed lightly upon being thanked by the patron of his store. He picked up on the offer to return to the store and headed out; bait taken, fish hooked. The shopkeeper bowed again, bid him off, then saw to the last customer who had been in the relaxed room earlier before locking the front doors out. Bookstore hours had passed.

"Will you be needed anything more of me, sir?" "You're all set for the night Kaibatsu. Tell your brother to show up a few minutes early today. Have a good night." The workers were dismissed, the store was closed, and everything was quiet. Shinbatsu looked around him. Everything felt heavy. A huge sigh came from the man's lungs as he worked his way to the back of the bar and stood there, contemplating his day. Everything passed fluidly when he had company, but when he was alone, it all dawned upon him as it did now. He was thirty seven years old. He was alone. His parents were overseas and old, possibly gone to a better place now. He had loved a few times, but it never amounted to anything. He had no children, no spouse, and nobody to pass his life's earnings on to when he passed away. His parents were lucky to live as long as they did, but he could not assure himself that he had that much longer: he was a shinobi, after all.

Yes. Yes, he would drink. He would drink for the fire to burn, the pain to settle. A simple concoction: when you were running at one hundred and twenty eight proof, you did not really have to worry about what was in the remaining thirty six percent of your drink. It all tasted the same. It tasted like years of hard work squandered, of effort that led to nowhere. It tasted like decades of isolation, of living off the scraps you pull together and calling it a good life, of knowing nobody and having nobody know you. They came, they left, they came, they left, and what difference did it make? Never a name, never an address, never an off-hour to truly get to know the ones who inhabited his life and re-entered it so frequently. Shit! He wasn't spinning yet. Another drink. If he punctured a lung, would anyone notice? He saw it now. This was his last waking hour. When Tsukimodo came in the evening and found his body lifeless on the floor, he'd worry for a minute, try to resuscitate his master, maybe call a medic, then seek employment elsewhere with scarcely a memory. The world tipped slightly in its dizziness. Ninpocho had been drinking tonight. Why didn't he join it for a drink? How rude! Another drink, another spin, another swirl, another shit-

Maybe he was already dead. Maybe this was what death felt like and he had been deceived his whole existence into thinking this was life. Maybe life came after the darkness, the final closing of the eyes. The floor definitely seemed to agree on the matter. Close your eyes Shinbatsu, it said. Everything will be alright.

He closed them. The floor embraced him amorously. They shared another drink together. It burned. It burned his heart and throat. It burned his eyes and nerves. It burned his senses, his feelings, and his life. Or his death. His eyes remained closed. He would not wake up. Not for now, at least.

Shit.

[Good RPing with you sir. I look forward to seeing you in here again! MFT]

 

[Aiyo Shinbatsu]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Tuesday-Closed Evening Hours

[Here's some music.]​

It was almost midnight, and things were rolling. Three tables were currently taken up, and between cooking meals and serving drinks, the three workers Shinbatsu had working at the time had their hands full. He, on the other hand, had the chance to go around and maintain things. Plates were being picked up and washed, customers were arriving sober and leaving satisfied, and, every once in a while, Shinbatsu had a chance to stop at a table and tell a short tale of his adventures. There were no disagreements to be had and the feel of the night was good. It occurred to Shinbatsu that he should install pinball machines at some point. It was decided: he would.

 

[Kokomo]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Wednesday- Early AM Pub Hour

And A Good Midnight It Was!​

There were, ironically, plenty of places to get drunk in Sunagakure. Too many places to get cheap alcohol, stale chips, and test the newfound drugs that came out every week. It was, to say the least, one of the most tiring adventures that Kitanai embarked on for various nights at a time. It was decided, after a rather brisk talk about the drugs she had been using, and was currently weaning herself from, that straying away from those places would be the best choice.

So why not a dual bookstore and pub? Someplace in the better parts of Sunagakure where she could be (at least half) certain that her drink wasn't spiked with some unfamiliar and possibly deadly concoction. And so, the raven haired beauty, with sharp and bright cyan eyes, entered with the same air of confidence and cocky behavior to her. Those long midnight tresses tossed in light waves and curls down her back, and kissing the small of it lightly. Her skin, fair and pale, clashing with the color from her lack of sunlight in the musky cave Suna called home.

The woman, gowned in nothing special but a dark blue pair of tight pants, tucked into knee high black boots, and a white camisole (to add some "color"), sat directly at the bar, rather than embarrassing herself by sitting at a table alone. She leaned forward, ordering 'anything with a lot of ice', and laid her fair skinned arms, toned and littered with beauty marks, across the sticky and slightly damp wooden counter.

There were plenty of stories the young woman had based on the past month or so. Stories of heart break, murder, failure, and success, all wrapped into a long love and loathe story, if that were at all possible. Receiving the mystery drink with a small red stirring stick, invented, probably, for her particular case. The plastic rod made for the people who came to pubs to think rather than to drink, idly twirling her finger around it, listening to the ice attempt to move out of the way as the liquid seeped between each crack and crevasse.

 

[Aiyo Shinbatsu]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Wednesday- Early AM Pub Hour

... What was that smell?​

Shinbatsu's eyes fluttered away from the corner he had mentally dedicated to pinball machines; a single woman about his height that he had never encountered before had just walked in, and she was headed straight for the bar. Shinbatsu pursed his lips lightly. He was processing the matter for what it was, and suddenly pinball machines did not interest him at all. This was a potential new regular. He hastily made his way to the back of the bar, and the man presently functioning as bartender immediately caught on and cleared off to go fulfill some other task.

The patron ordered 'anything with a lot of ice'. A lot of ice? The shopkeeper was already filling the cup with ice, but he had to think on the matter. To say she wanted a lot of ice was to suggest that she was hoping to water her drink down, but what would a girl be doing alone at a pub at this hour if she wasn't having a bad day and did not want to forget things? The answer was obvious: she was waiting for somebody here. That was why he had never seen her before: a regular had pointed out this place to her, and he had not yet arrived. Thirty proof ought to do it, he thought. All the ice would bring it down to twenty, and given her size and weight she could down a handful of them before her company arrived and still be sober enough to recognize him when he got here.

Her behavior upon receiving the glass seemed to agree with Shinbatsu's deduction. She simply received it and swirled the contents, seemingly not interested in actually drinking much of it. There was something else, though. After Shinbatsu serviced another patron who had edged toward the bar after Kitanai's arrival (possibly because of Kitanai's arrival), he looked back to her, taking in the look in her eyes. He then spoke to her lightly, just loud enough to be heard over all the noise in the pub. "I was just telling those fellas over there about a girl I once knew who reminded me of you, a lot. She was a student with me far in the west. Are you waiting on anybody tonight?"

 

[Kokomo]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Wednesday- Early AM Pub Hour

The young woman didn't give it much thought as she stirred the drink around, taking a slow sip of it, grimacing and putting it back down. It was bitter, and unfamiliar to her, but the burn was good in her throat. She took in a slow breath, dropping the condensating glass back on the counter as she moved the ice around with the small stirring stick. She was, to say the least, oblivious to the moving world around her. Kitanai was sitting alone at a strange bar, trying to 'grow up', per sé.

Lost in a moment of thought about how she planned on spending the rest of the night when the bartender leaned forward and spoke gently to her, "What's that?" She asked, her lips twitching a bit as her masked eyes looked up into his, "No..." It was a little embaressing to admit that she was sitting there, by herself, with no need for anyone to approach her. Rather, she was, drinking alone. "A girl who reminded me of you?" The story behind that intrigued her as she leaned back a bit and offered a welcoming smile, "How so?" She asked curiously, Kita's raspberry lips curling up slightly as her eyes carefully watched him.

 

[Aiyo Shinbatsu]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Wednesday- Early AM Pub Hour

Shinbatsu was surprised to see the look on Kitanai's face as she took a sip of her glass. It was hardly more alcoholic than beer. Maybe she just wasn't much of a drinker? He really could not tell at this point. Nonetheless, he wasn't going to judge her. That wasn't his job. His job was to give this girl something to remember and come back for.

Which apparently was a job he would not receive any assistance with. He had been mistaken in his assumption: she was alone here, and she was not waiting for anyone. This caught the shopkeeper off-guard, and it certainly complicated the game. Unluckily, she had taken his queue for a conversation starter and wanted to hear more of it. Shinbatsu blinked twice. He had in fact known a girl who reminded him of her, and he had just been telling the other patrons of the pub about her, but he felt that telling her was just a bad idea. Unfortunately, he did not have much of a choice. "Well... She didn't remind me of you too much. Just her appearance, you know? Something was always wrong with her, though. She couldn't bear the life she carried, and so one day... She just dropped it."

A frown overtook Shinbatsu's face. Her eyes were upon him now, so the frown quickly disappeared and turned into a light smile. Nobody wanted to see a frown when they went out. That was rule number one in the anything business. "Again, she only reminded me of you in appearance. I'm sure you don't have those problems."

 

[Kokomo]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Wednesday- Early AM Pub Hour

The man was friendly enough, and she wasn't sure what his affiliation with the bar was, but he made pretty decent drinks. Despite the fact that she wasn't sure she liked it, it was alcoholic nonetheless, and better than some of the cheaper drinks sleezey people would buy her. And yet, the kindess in the man was reassuring, and by no means felt threatening to her, which was a nice change.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that..." Kitanai's voice had lowered to a whisper as she dropped her eyes to her drink as he talked about the burden of his student's life. The idea that she looked like someone who had suffered in such a way upset her slightly, and yet, she hoped it was somewhat nostalogic and comforting to him, rather than painful. "No, I don't have those problems." Kitanai was fully capable of supporting the life she had, and she, quite frankly enjoyed it. And there was no way she was going to drop it, in fact, she was heading in the direction of changing it for the better.

"What about you, stranger?" She asked, taking another drink of the alcohol she slide between her idle hands, "Can you bear the life you carry?" It wasn't meant to be a personal question, but a simple yes or no to measure what kind of situation he had, and why the light smile on his face was there. Was it hiding something? Was it sincere? Was it hurt? Was it inviting? Was it flirty?

 

[Aiyo Shinbatsu]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Wednesday- Early AM Pub Hour

Shinbatsu's face lost some color for a moment, although he did not lose his smile. Instead, he followed the color loss with a light chuckle, shaking his head. He pulled Kitanai's glass from her for a moment, refilled with the same proportions he'd devised earlier, and returned it. "That one's on me."

The shopkeeper broke eye contact then, indicating to one of his workers who was servicing one of the tables that they needed to swap jobs with a quick rotary gesture of his index finger. He then looked back to his young female patron, smiling once again. This time, it was more or less genuine, although she wouldn't be able to tell the difference. "Life leads people in strange directions. As a famous author once wrote, some go east, some go west, some go over the cuckoo's nest. The important thing is that you don't do any of it alone."

Tsuchimodo presently arrived by Shinbatsu's side, and they traded rags before Shinbatsu stepped out from behind the bar, siding next to Kitanai for just a moment longer. "Make sure you find someone while you're still young. It doesn't matter if you end up in a ditch or a palace; so long as you're not alone, you'll be alright. Enjoy your evening dear."

With that, unless stopped, Shinbatsu would very lightly pat Kitanai on the back before walking off to service the rest of the pub. She would be well attended to by the new bartender for however long she needed it; all Shinbatsu's workers were more than competent.

 

[Kokomo]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Wednesday- Early AM Pub Hour

The woman had stepped in the wrong, which was clear by his behavior as he circled his fingers to get the flow of the pub moving. Kitanai took the last swig of her drink, nodding slowly. She was really off her game tonight, and wasn't even sure why she had tried to go out in the first place. Nonetheless, as he moved around the bar, the man moved beside her, speaking softly to her about finding someone and keeping them close. He spoke so kindly to her, she nearly forgot what she had said to him as he moved away.

Placing her yen on the bar, she gave the new bartender a subtle nod and slid out of the chair, making her way out of the bar.

Topic Left

 

[Aiyo Shinbatsu]

Re: The Arkane Bookstore &amp; Pub [Wednesday- Early AM Pub Hour

Shinbatsu sat down to write something. It had been a while since he'd expanded upon his book, and he knew he had to keep going or he never would.

Once again, to be clear, I have nothing against democracies. As a matter of fact, I am sure that, in certain contexts and environments, democracies can work; however, The Village is a small community, and the majority of it is uneducated. I cannot adequately portray the danger that accompanies putting something of such fragility and impact into the hands of a giant horde of the illiterate. Those who cannot read, write, and understand the world around them are prone to cause as much damage as possible as individuals; they pursue what they believe they want and need at the time, though this might change the next day due to their lack of knowledge of what it is that they actually need or want. I was placed into power because of my status as a young person with experience; certain minds who directed the democracies campaigned for me, lying to the population and saying that I would be much more liberal with my command and simultaneously running propaganda against my predecessors’ ruling tactics. They recognized that if they could get somebody they could sway into power, they would be able to control him, but they chose the wrong man; it was because of this that, after I took the role of leadership, they started campaigning for The Village to become a democratic nation that was as ‘beautiful, sound, and just’ as Cyst country, and the people, knowing no better and lacking proper ruling to keep them in line because I could not provide it, opted for this ‘democracy’ that they heard of. I had no option but to grant them it, robbing myself of many of my executive powers but not absolving myself of the consequences. Not surprisingly, just as they made the uneducated decision to swap into a democracy, they made many other uneducated decisions, most of which will be listed under my name in the textbooks.
Over the next few years, I tried to establish some schooling systems to help educate the people so that the democratic voting would be less terrible, but most of the population refused to get educated because they did not understand the use of education, and the systems failed quickly and miserably. I was beginning to lose hope when the foreigner that would change my fate forever arrived in The Village.
Ren was odd-looking. He carried himself with a hunch, spectacles sitting on the edge of his nose despite the force of gravity trying to pull them off. His hair was far too gray for a man his age, and it was long and hung at either side of his face; when he looked at me, I truly felt that I was being watched by a devil. His proposal was neat and well-organized; I remember thinking that the organization of the proposal was surprising, given the presenter’s appearance. Till this day, I doubt that he wrote it, and I hold that if I were to ever write a document of the kind, I would organize it the same way. Beyond the organization, however, there was nothing swell about the document; I detected the conspiracy, which was very rudely left unburied on the surface of the paper, and killed him before the democratic voting system we had going would cost us more than we could afford. Before I knew it, the ‘New Powers’ were turning against me. I knew it was my time; I fled before I could be captured, and for the next five years I lived in the Raging Storms, as I have told you. I suppose my life here was delightful, in a sense. Though I could not lead the place which I grew up in and learned to love, I got to be king over myself. Truthfully, with the rising Democracy, I had just as many executive powers at this point as I did during my last few months at home. And why not? I enjoy being King Nothing.

MFT [Topic left temporarily]