Open The Bilge In The Bucket Drinks All Around

[Tal'Rakan]

Rakan was listening and absorbing all of this knowledge. This... red giant, roughly his size, seemingly was an expert on the local myths and legends. The others? They were the ones those were created of. Truly a Marvelous group. His short tail was now swaying behind him as his curiosity rose beyond the level he could contain it.

After downing the free drink he was offered, he pulled a small box made of pure jade, one split to chambers filled with caramelised fruit. Opening it, he made sure the smell of candized bananas, papayas, dragonfruits, pineapples and many various berries had spread around. He left the box open as he picked a piece of papaya with his claw and slowly devoured it, licking his chops from the thick syrup they were kept in. Then, gently pushing the box forward, at a glance accidentally, but in reality in a gesture of offering, he finally chimed into the conversation with a voice filled with interest and curiosity.

"I hope this will pre a proper apolotchy for listeninkh upon your words. I was very curious to hear from and aprout the preasts that have such letchendary status that it even reached into far away lands." The lynx so far was confidently smiling. After a short pause, a slightly less bold admission came. "Sadly, mine was isolated from any word for the past years. No word of khreat preinkhs from preyond the water came to the Phoenixes. If you can excuse my... meddlesomeness," He spoke the last word very carefully, after all, he was still learning this language. "I would love to hear of your deeds, proth past and present."

 

[Ruffano Quickwhistle]

Ruffano lifted his mostly-emptied glass toward the retreating forms of Jeshal and Tanya, putting on the grandest farewell he could muster without tumbling off his stool.

“Goodbye, you ghostly gallant and your ever-glamorous companion! May your next haunting be just as heartwarming!” he called after them with a flourish. “Do look me up next time you want a proper encore!”

It had been, undeniably, one of the most delightful nights he’d had in recent memory. Expensive rum always helped, but it was the company that truly counted.

He was just settling back into his seat when Pomodu caught his attention once more with the full force of her oversized enthusiasm and colorful book. A musical? Of that? Of all that?! His ear twitched, his grin widening.

“Pomodu, my delightful demonessif such a musical is ever to be written, you must take a lead role. Passion!” he declared, jabbing a dramatic finger into the air. “That’s what shows are missing nowadays. Passion! And you, my dear, are overflowing with it!”

Before he could be swept away in his own ideas, a familiar accent tickled his ears. Ruffano blinked once, then twice.

“Birdcat!” he exclaimed, twisting around in delight to point at the jade-toting lynx. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this! Friendship requires a change of scenery, don’tcha know!”

He eyed the box of syrupy fruit with keen interest, gesturing delicately in a “may I?” fashion before plucking a morsel.

“I think you’re onto something, dear Pom,” he said through a satisfied chew. “Clearly we’ve got an audience. Our feathery feline friend here is positively brimming with scholarly curiosity. What better way to educate than with dance numbers, power ballads, and the occasional dramatic betrayal on a fog-drenched barricade?”

He slapped the bar with his free paw.

“Yes! Tonight’s history lesson has me inspired! Let the record show: history belongs to those who sing it loudly!”

 

[Caden S. Freemont]

Perhaps he should have taken the option of the conversation with Tanya. As Pomodu flipped through her book and dredged through some of the history that Caden had been attempting to avoid in the months since his return to the Imperium, he felt himself internally cringing as he kept a guise of open interest.

Another beast approached, one Caden found himself unable to identify his species or accent, a rarity given his travels over the years. The marten sipped at his cider, allowing the conversation to flow around him. He was unable to hide his wince at the boisterous fox's enthusiasm.

"You would need quite the venue for the student revolution story," he offered, attempting nonchalance. "Perhaps if you're on terms with Niceties they could provide the Opera House. I'm sure there would be interest in, uh, a theatrical rendition of Imperial history."

 

[Pomodu lu Modokunomulo]

Pomodu's eyes widened as a tall wildcat inserted himself into the conversation - and then utter befuddlement fell upon her as his accent collided with her own. She looked quizzically to the fox and the marten, checking to see if they had perhaps better understood than she had. It seemed like the fox understood it - though Pomodu found it difficult to follow the verbose vulpine's verbiage, with so many words thrown in that vaguely sounded as if she might know them, but she couldn't define their meaning with a blade to her throat. She certainly considered herself well-educated in the Vulpinsulan language, but there were far too many words, she now realized, that she had only ever read, and never actually heard spoken aloud.

She resorted to nodding vigorously along with what the others said. "Goo'du tinuki'ngu," she complemented, looking between the three. "We te'llu many sutorisu, do i'n pulay. My boo'k wi'llu do?" She patted her book fondly, uncertain whether or not her stories would be accepted as a template.

 

[Ruffano Quickwhistle]

Ruffano smiled warmly, placing a paw atop the worn book with theatrical reverence.

“Dear Pom,” he said with a grin, “we’ll make it our gospel. Trimmed a tad to fit the humble stage, of course.”

Then his eyes shifted, catching the fluffy albino pine marten who had spoken. Caden, was it?

“Good sir,” he began, adopting the mournful cadence of a tragic leading role, “while I yearn for the grand stage you are offering, I must -alas!- decline. My current status under the Ministry of Niceties forbids me from even holding a ticket to that venue, let alone setting paw inside!”

He clutched dramatically at his own chest.

“Blacklisted, dear beast! Exiled from velvet and spotlight alike! Relegated to the depths. Performing for the scum of this city for mere pittance.”

 

[Caden S. Freemont]

Caden tapped at his glass. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize they could do that to somebeast. Seems a shame, really. What does a beast have to do to get blacklisted by Niceties?" He gave an apologetic shrug. "If that's something you want to discuss, that is. I'm not one to pry into another beast's business."