Burning Skies Saloon

[Yiski]

Yiski looks to Surette.

"Well, I've got something called Wild Wind Ale. But let me warn you, you'll definitely have some sort of hallucination."

Yiski makes a mug of WWA and places it in front of Surette.

"I'll leave this here."

[MasX]

*looks around  wonders if it's to late to join in been hovering  out side for.a while*

[BdrLineAzn]

*BdrLine eyes the mug placed in front of Surette*

"If you excuse me, I'll be seating over there"

*Ny-Lee hears her borthers comment and chuckles to herself*

"Still can't take the wild wind I see"

*BdrLine picks up his drink and moves two seats down, he turns to his sister*

"I just don't want to be near that drink. You of all people knows what it did, especially to me"

*Ny-Lee just burst out laughing at the past memory when she forced BdrLine to drink one*

"That's what you get for spying on me and Roland on our date"

*BdrLine just shivers at that memory*

[Yiski]

--Port Tar Barrel--

Zill was managing the workers in the clean up the docks and managing the defenders in resetting the mine fields. Jun'ko helped out in supervising the clean up, allowing Zill to concentrate on military matter. Zill sighs to himself.

"Flak. Defense should be Yiski's job now. Why the hell am I still here?"

Zill's thought is broken with Jun'ko surprising him with a hug from behind. Zill couldn't see, but knew she had a giant smile across her face. The show of romance caused a few workers and defenders to look on for a little to long.

"If this isn't done by today, I'll send all of you on a three month long patrol duty!"

If the workers and defenders weren't working fast before, they were certainly in overdrive now.

--Saloon--

The thoughts of the past still kept creeping to the forefront of Yiski's mind.

"Skies, if this continues, I'm goin' to see if gettin' drunk of my ass will fix it."

[Surette]

"Thanks... I think." Surette stares down at the mug of Wild Wind Ale with interest, before cautiously raising it towards his lips. Taking a sip, he instantly gets a dizzying sensation. "Well, here goes nothing..." Surette takes a long swig from the mug, and finds himself deep in the heart of a jungle. Yiski? What happened to the saloon? Why am I in a jungle? Surette reaches down and pulls out his machete that he doesn't remember ever having, but this is no time for asking questions. He begins running along the jungle floor, hacking aside brush that happens to be in his way. With each slash, the trees around him change from green to blue to purple to red to yellow to white to slash rainbow.

With the final slash, the forest walls transform into a technicolor dance party. Trees are swaying in rhythm, the colors overwhelming. Animals scurry out of their homes to join the festivities. A polkadot tiger waltzes over to Surette, asking him to hop on. Naturally, Surette obliges excitedly as the two race through the trees, the colors blurring and whirling behind him. He lets out a war cry with his machete raised high. Nearby inhabitants cower in fear as the tiger deftly maneuvers around roots and branches, carrying the crazed Surette with ease. To Narnia! Surette commands the tiger. My people need me! The tiger edges faster, until the entire world blends into a single point of light. WAAARRBAAHARHAG!

Thud. Surette opens his eyes to the dimly lit saloon ceiling. The colors had drained, and Yiski, Bdr, Roland, Ny-Lee, and Liu stood circled around him, all grinning. "I think I'm good with the rest of this Wild Wind Ale. Although I did meet a tiger. My head hurts." Surette stumbles to his feet, picks up an overturned barstool, and takes his seat again. "I think I'll just sit here for a while."

[Yiski]

Yiski and the other patrons had a good laugh at Surette's expense with his hallucination.

"I gotta say, it's always interestin' to see how people react to the Wild Wind."

Roland shakes his head and hands Surette a Clear Skies.

"This should help a bit." Roland turns to Yiski. "I do not see how it is even proper to keep any Wild Wind in the saloon."

[BdrLineAzn]

*BdrLine chuckles at Surette's reaction to the WWA*

"Was I that crazy when I was under it?"

*Ny-Lee calls to him*

"Nope yours still the funniest"

*He goes red*

*Liu goes over to Ny and whispers*

"You should tell me what was his before I go"

"Oh I wouldn't miss it"

[Yiski]

Yiski's idea of drinking to forget the past was a bad idea. One, because it usually takes a lot of alcohol to accomplish it. Two, because he couldn't forget causing more drinking in a vain attempt to forget. After a number of drinks, Yiski just stopped.

"Roland... I'm go... goin' to the back... for a bit. You think... think... skies, handle the saloon."

Before any response is made, Yiski slinks off into the back at sits down at his workbench and lays his head down. Ny-Lee looks at Roland inquisitively.

"You think this has to do with the mystery woman?"

"More than likely."

[Yiski]

--NARRATOR--

Yiski eventually found his way to his bed. There, he laid staring at the ceiling and still thinking about Lauren.

"Almost eight years huh? Skies, seems like my past is always comin' to bite me in the ass."

Yiski reminisced about their time together. The two had actually met in Anvala. Eventually, Yiski stayed in Anvala to attend the Academy and Lauren traveled to Lord's Point to become a pilot. During his stint in the Baronies, before the Baronies/Guild Conflict, he had crewed for her on a few recon missions. When Yiski left the Baronies and returned to Anvala, he kept regular correspondence with Lauren. Given his early start of running the Burning Skies, Lauren did visit Yiski often.

All their time together led up to the events nearly eight years ago when Yiski proposed to Lauren. He was devastated when Lauren couldn't give him a yes or no question. It also didn't help he had sprung it on her when she had a mission to the Firnfeld in two days.

Remembering how he felt when she didn't give him an answer though didn't compare to the news of her now alleged death on the mission. Reports had stated that a severe ice storm mixed with raiders had taken down her ship and crew. What was odd in the reports though was the fact the wreckage was never found despite the other pilots pinpoint location. Given the current situation, Yiski guessed Lauren had faked her death.

"But why?"

This was something he couldn't figure out and the only person who could had probably already cleared the distance between here and Chang-ning. That thought brought a stifled chuckle from him. He knew Lauren to be a speed demon when it came to piloting.

Eventually, the alcohol exerted its influence on Yiski and he fell asleep quickly. His last thoughts of her being far away from Anvala.

His very wrong thoughts.

--NARRATOR END--

--END OF DAY 76--

[Yiski]

--START OF DAY 77--

--NARRATOR--

Roland and Ny-Lee came downstairs into the main floor and, to their surprise, saw no sign of Yiski. Concerned about his drinking binge last night, the two go check up on their pseudo landlord. They knock on his door, but get no response. They then decide to enter his room and see Yiski face down into his pillow.

"Yiski? Are you feeling well?"

"...ugh..."

Yiski rolled over to his side and barely cracked his eye open to see the couple standing at the door. Yiski then rubbed his face.

"...ugh... You know what ...urk... don't worry about openin'."

"Are you sure? You know we do not mind helping."

"No... no... ugh.. can't have you doin' this everyday. You two ...urp... enjoy yourselves."

The couple stood in a doorway for a few moments. Yiski simply waved his hand in a 'shoo' motion. The two still hesitating, but left the saloon. Few minutes later, Yiski felt a presence still in his room. Without looking or opening his eyes...

"I swear you kids need to enjoy yourselves."

"Well, I'm not a kid anymore."

The voice made Yiski snap his eyes open. Before him in his bedroom doorway, was Lauren. She had the same grin on her face he remembers from eight years ago. Yiski was speechless. Lauren laughed.

"I think this is the first time I've seen you speechless."

Yiski closed his mouth to think for a bit. He looked Lauren over.

"So, how the hell are you still here?"

"Funny you should ask."

--NARRATOR END--

[RearAdmiralZill]

Zill opened his eyes slowly to the sunlight creeping into the dusty galleon chambers. Across the room was Jun'ko getting herself together, clothes missing. He just quietly got comfortable and watched. She was humming a tune that was foreign to him, and getting her hair done up nicely. She normally just put it up for work,  so it made Zill curious what she was planning. Suddenly she turned around and grinned, noticing her audience.
"Well good morning my admiral."

"It is indeed. What's the occasion?"

"Well, I was thinking instead of the usual work load, you took a day and we went to City Center."

Zill glanced over to the parchment the courier from yesterday left for him. Jun'ko saw it and put it in a drawer.
"I'm you're boss today. Now get ready for a day off."

"Can't argue with that, now can I?"

Zill smirked as he got up and ready for the day out. Jun continued to hum her tune as he got on his best uniform, followed by his bandana mask. She took out a nice dress she saved from her eviction, and slipped it on. They stood in front of eachother for a minute to see the results, and they both laughed. The transformation was interesting, and they both accepted it and went outside.
"I'm rusty with the gentlemen stuff so you'll have to deal with me."

"Oh please, I wouldn't of stuck around this long if I cared one bit. Just be you."

Hmm. Be me? What could go wrong...

[Yiski]

Yiski locked the main door and shuts the blinds. He still was feeling hungover, but right now that's was the least of his worries. What he was worried about was his supposedly dead lost love, now alive, who is also a wanted fugitive within Anvala was sitting in the middle of the saloon and smiling at him.

Yiski walked over to the bar and made himself a Clear Skies and his hungover remedy. The combined drinks quickly got rid of his hangover, but now he was left with a splitting headache with the situation before him.

"You know I need to report and turn you in."

"I know."

"Then why are you here?"

"I thought I'd stop by and see you."

"You've got a hell of a way to do it. Also, you look good for a dead woman, but not as good as I remember."

"Eight years underground will do that."

There was a long awkward silence. Lauren walked over to the bar.

"So you want to serve me something?"

[Honeybadger]

Honeybadger: Hmm, I need to leave for the Baronies soon. I should write a note for Liu should I not be able to tell the story.

*Honeybadger reached into his bag and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and begins to write*

[Honeybadger]

*Honeybadger had finished writing the letter OUTSIDE OF THE SALOON, he took an envelope and a red wax sealer from his bag and put the letter in the envelope sealing it*

*The letter reads*

Dear Liu,

I regret to inform you I will not be here for dinner tonight on the grounds that I will be leaving the provence to go back to my home town in the Baronies to visit my friend who has recently been tinkering with a sort of electronic instument. Anyways, I felt bad because I didn't tell you the story so I'm writing it down here.

When I first met your sister I was a traveling magician and showman as you might remember, I didn't have many enemys (at least not in Yesha), but in the short time I knew your sister, I met many men who wanted to put me six feet under, but I'm a magician and they were filled with rage so I would always draw faster, and sometimes first. Then I met a man, who I learn is now a high ranking general in the Emporers Army. Back then he was a Lieutenant, on several airships. He had his eye on your sister and he wanted me out of the picture, so he got some of his friends, made up that I was a wanted criminal and swept me aside from society. I was at the brink of public execution when all of a sudden a bandit/rebel made a bombing run of the city, so while he was mooning the crowds of people he was bombing, I made my escape to the Arashi League by breaking free of my chains and escaping authoritys to a nearby military airship.

I spent long days and nights wandering in the dunes, I thought I would die from heat and exhaustion, when the same man who was bombing Yesha accidentally had a crew member fall off the ship. After he came down to retrieve the man, I snuck up on the ship and made my way to the league where I stayed and made a living off magic and crafting.

I felt bad about leaving your sister. But I felt worse about leaving her with that General. After I get my hardware from the Baronies, I will return here and then go back to Yesha to try to repair at least some of my past. It's a start.

See you soon,

~Honeybadger

P.S. Thank Papa for me.


*Honeybadger sealed the letter AND SLID IT UNDER THE DOOR BECAUSE IT'S LOCK*

[Honeybadger]

(OOC: For the post above my letter, I am sitting on the coutch OUTSIDE OF THE SALOON BECAUSE I CAN'T GET IN)