Private Dunnstads Gun Smoke 'n Ale

[Vivian Cruz]

The fresh coast waters triggered a serene and tranquil feeling within the future queen. Indigo eyes looked down at her palm, overlooking an interface with a back and forth message with a near and dear friend, Madison Freebird, one of the few people she knew in the game as well as out. The librarian had a snarky charm about her that made Vivian feel rather comfortable. During TS1 initial hiatus, a group of people had gone on vacation to Canada and, seemingly enough, where she had met Madison. The two had more than enough fun together that they ended up being good friends.

They had chatted once in a while, calls and text were given back and forth. Well wishes and Happy Birthdays, and the occasional surprise or planned visits between one another. Not that TS2 had fully launched, albeit Vivian was a month late from christening adventures of the world, the two were about to hang out. Apparently Maddy was a little busy with an event that was going on which delayed their in game meet up until now.

In Dunnstads, the port city teemed with excitement. Summer was in a full tilt and the denizens were chirping out happily like birds. Goods and food stalls lined the streets, the sea breeze air wafting and mixing with the populace as Vivian leaned on the outside wall of a Tavern to meet with her friend. From her lips, a long, ornate kiseru poked out. The metallic alloy smoking from the bowl of shredded cherry tobacco sent a pink fruity jet of smoke from her lips as she exhaled.

She was keeping her eyes open for her skulduggery friend. They had yet to meet up in the new version of the game, and she was quite excited. After meeting with Lucia, it had brought only a bitter memory between the two, but with Madison-things seemed a little easier to deal with. Besides, they were already great drinking buddies. Why not let loose and shoot the shit in one of the more well known establishments in Falderen.

---

@Madison Freebird

 

[Madison Mortiere]

It just felt like the proper yeehaw thing to do, didn't it?

Madison stood outside The Wrong Part Of Town; named so after a group of asshole sailors decided to start a brawl, but were politely yet firmly removed by the town guard and informed that "this was the wrong part of town" for their type, and that there were plenty of establishments down by the harbor for ruffians and vagabonds such as themselves who preferred their ale paired with knuckle sandwiches. The owner of the place, a known cheeky bastard, decided that The Wrong Part Of Town was far better than its original name--which was just the previous owner's last name.

The raven leaned against the railing, her hands buried deep within her pockets. She gazed out down the road--a gently-sloping hill that stopped at the shore overlooking the bay. The sun inched closer to the horizon with each breath she took. It reminded her of the sunsets she'd watch in the real world--but there, she could at least grab a hot dog and fries at Rudy's while she did so. In Terrasphere? The river that made her hometown a natural port city didn't exist, and Lake Ontario was a helluva lot smaller.

In-game, Dunnstads was the closest thing she had to a home.

Every few minutes, Madison would pull her right hand out, check her UI like an old pocket watch, and then check the roads. It was by chance that Madison and Vivian shared the same cabin (and a lot more) during a camping trip in Canada; and it was by accident that they both found out about their shared sort of... social circle in Terrasphere.

It was great to see your friends in the real world. But it was something else entirely to see them in their perfect, idealized self within the bounds of the VR game.

Madison kept an eye on the road until a familiar figure with a shock of long, amethyst hair walked up. The avatar was different; but the body language was immediately familiar.

Boy, Madison was glad that she opted to leave the skull face paint off, and instead slap on a bit of black eyeshadow instead. Less frightening for the kids in the market and the guard posted in the tavern, for starters.

A lopsided smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Thin fingers reached up for the brim of a cowboy hat that would never ever in a thousand years sit on top of her head. And with her best old west drawl, she greeted her friend. "Howdy, ma'am. Fancy meetin' you 'round these parts."

@Vivian Cruz

 

[Vivian Cruz]

Tendrils of the thick pink smoke trailed from her pink lips as her indigo eyes loomed over the southern accent and noticed, a pale featured woman with a dash of black eyeshadow. BUT, was not expecting anything less than from her friend, Madison. Harken to the days of TS1, this was a different look altogether but at the same time kinda fit in theme? Maybe? Followed by the accent was Vivian's brow, rising in question to the drawl and southern formalities, Vivian kicked off the wall with her foot and opened her palm to initiate a change in inventory. The kiseru pipe disappeared, and she placed both hands on her hips as if to examine the 'stranger.'

Indigo eyes were set on the woman before her. She really was appealing to that Cowboy theme and the Wild West.

"All that is missing now is a horse named Silver. You have a horse, don't you? If not. You need one. Hey, Maddy. It's good to see a familiar and friendly face again."

A long time friend, the Vivian, didn't bother with boundaries between the two. Immediately, she had gone in and hugged the other, giving a friendly pat on the back and an arm around the shoulder.

"Hope you are thirsty, friend. We got a lot of catching up to do. Come on, let's kick back and drown in some good ale... Whiskey... Beer. Whatever."

The port tavern was lively with sea folk. Seaman, Sailors, Wenches, a crew of players looking to be pirates and swashbucklers of all kinds littered the port tavern. There was a ruckus going on in the back, laughing and hollering, gambling over some card games with in game currency, some rather choice words of cheating being used. It was rather rowdy and loud, but the two women were MORE than capable to handle the rough stuff if things came to that. But they weren't here to start trouble, they were here to drink.

Finding a somewhat quiet booth, Vivian raised her hand to signal a woman coming by to take their order. Friendly and observant, it looked like an NPC, as she appeared happy and ready to help them in whatever capacity.

"Evening, folks! Rowdy gang today it looks like. What can I get you fine people today?" After taking some time to order up their drinks or whatever else they needed, the woman carried herself off and began preparing the order. Vivian leaned forward and flicked the brim of Madison's hat.

"You certainly changed up your motif bit there. Going with a theme, I am guessing? Cowboy from Hell- I gotta be close to right. But I think it fits you, you even blew me away with that accent. Fun role play idea if you are keeping in character with it. But...what's packing beneath all that garb, eh? You aren't doing what you did is TS1, I imagine? How's the bookstore also? I've been meaning to call you, but I got buried in work. Bought another place in Manhattan that needs a remodeling. So... I've ended up missing from what I hear a pretty big event. Guessing you were part of that?"

Vivian was full of questions, but it was only natural after not seeing hide or hair of one of her close and personal friends for a while.

---

@Madison Freebird

 

[Madison Mortiere]

After hugs and good-to-see-yous were exchanged, Madison led her friend into the tavern. "So, you're not going to believe this; but I tried dabbling in horses already. Had a ghost horse I was riding around for a while. But, y'know what? I'm a city girl, not a horse girl. Even if it's technically dead and doesn't require food or care or any of that. So I gave that up pretty quick."

Booth found, drinks ordered. A quick glance cast around from wall to wall, marking anyone who could be considered semi-dangerous. Orders placed. Feet kicked up on the table, casual as you please, as if the two women owned the place.

For how many skill points they dumped into their respective builds, an argument could be made that they probably could.

"Pretty much," Madison grinned. "Cowboy from Hell, ghost vaquero, Weird West ranger--whatever you want to call it. When I logged back in I saw that all my shit got refunded, so I took a peek and--" She leaned in closer, her eyes wide. "Did you see they finally figured out guns 'n shit? And just like that, I decided fuck being a bog witch, Viv."

The raven leaned back in her seat, folding her hands in her lap. "Good at guns, good at aiming, good at hiding in the shadows, good at being quick about all that. And to top it all off--I had enough left over to be able to see and speak with the dead."

Pleased as punch she was, to be able to carve out a little slice of the necromancer pie for herself. Lucia could hog the rest, for all she cared.

"I feel you with getting buried at work. I don't think I told you--I run the bookstore now." She cut off Vivian before the sorceress could speak. "Yeah! The owner passed away about four months ago, and his wife decided she wanted to retire down in the Outer Banks, so..." She threw out her hands wide. "She handed everything over to me."

Long story short, meeting Vivian in Canada was a blessing. Seeing this woman take over New York City block by block gave Madison the kick in the ass she needed to get her whole deal together. Became manager. Helped the bookstore muscle in on the college textbook racket (it is a racket, don't argue). Took some night courses on business. Things were looking up! And now? Practically couldn't be better.

"It just sucks that all my new responsibilities have kept me too busy to call, too." It was a bummer; but friends understand.

Then, the sorceress asked about the event. Madison's shoulders tensed up, and she dragged her feet off the table. Her boots hit the floor with a pair of heavy thwunks. "Yeah. That. I was there."

And in two words? "It sucked."

Actually; three. "It sucked ass."

If Madison's eyes could have rolled back in their sockets any further, they would have done 360's. "It reminded me how much I hate hate hate big world-shaking events. The four guilds dragged us all on like this seven day wagon ride up north to investigate some Explorers camp that got stricken with some plague and killed themselves. Turns out, there was this huge-ass demon corpse spilling corruption everywhere nearby and a massive insect that was feeding off it or some shit."

The gunslinger rolled up her sleeve and showed the bite marks that were still healing. "We got feasted on by razorflies before we nuked everything. A fair number of people died. Just... awful, all around."

@Vivian Cruz