[Video]

[foundafamily]

[Firo addresses the camera with a frown of concentration. It’s the kind of look that he fancies is appropriately serious and gangsterly. To the outside observer, it may look more like the kind of stern expression a kid would practice in the mirror; being intimidating has never been Firo’s strong suit.]

If you all wanna run around killing each other over some stupid list, that’s not my problem, but you’d better keep it out of the speakeasy if you want to keep all your teeth.

So we don’t have any trouble, I’ll let you know about the new rules in advance:

First, if you bring any weapons, you’re gonna have to leave ‘em at the door—that goes for everybody, except me and Rey, obviously. I don’t care if you’re on the list and think you need to defend yourself. 

Second, if you wanna start something, keep it outside. If you don’t like that, you can get your booze somewhere else.

[A pause, and then he continues in a lighter tone, his best customer service voice, as if nobody was just talking about the recent dark news. Might as well plug too, while he’s here!]

Obviously we’re still open for all of this, so if you want a drink or want to gamble, come on over. We have darts and pool too.

Comments

[so_dark_a_road]

You promise you'll take good care of my sword and my firearm if I check them at the door? [ Smile. ]

[ You're talking to a regular at the bar, here! Firo may well have seen Curufn before. ]

[foundafamily]

[A regular! That means Firo can muster at least a modicum of politeness, along with a smile. It may look a bit pasted on, but it's the thought that counts.]

Absolutely. Would anybody come back if we didn't?

Nobody else goes in the offices, so we can put them there. That way nobody'll steal them, either. How's that?

[so_dark_a_road]

[ And not only a regular drinker! -- also a musician who performs there regularly, as he told Rey he would be willing to do, a couple of months ago. Hope Firo likes harp, fiddle, and reed flute. Also, Elvish indie rock. XD ]

[ Chuckle ] Probably not. We drunks love our weapons.

The office sounds good. But you might need to padlock it or even post a guard at the door. With all that Null crap going on right now, you never know who might decide they desperately need to have some weapons even if they have to steal them!

[foundafamily]

Guess I should've said something about stealing in that message too...

[This is getting a bit more complicated than he'd hoped. Isn't it always, though? The headaches of dealing with people and their vices just comes with the territory when you run anything like a bar and casino.]

Nobody's getting in there. They'll lose their hands first. I'll make sure me or Rey's around to keep things under control. And if somebody needs to be made an example of, that's their problem.

[so_dark_a_road]

Better not put ideas into their heads. [ Chuckle. ]

[ Indeed! ]

Be tough. That's the way to control the scoundrels!

[foundafamily]

Don't need to tell me that. I didn't keep my place running back home by being nice to people who don't know what's good for 'em.

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Curufin smiles. ] I suppose I don't. You act older than you look, and so I guess you must be. And it sounds as though you are proficient in bar management. Did you own your own place, back home? Or manage it for others?

video

[sheathes]

[ Saber blinks when she sees his face. It's the same one from her dream — and though she's more than a decade older now, she looks no different either. She considers responding with voice or text, but she can only run for so long.

Wryly: ] Not all weapons are easily seen. [ Her own, for instance. ] But a neutral ground is welcome. At the very least, there should be places people will feel safe.

Re: video

[foundafamily]

[Firo has to pause as well at the familiar face. Seeing real people in your dreams isn't new for Hadriel, but that doesn't make it feel any less strange.]

Yeah. Bad for business if people can't relax in a bar, you know?

[That and... Firo's not quite as cold as he pretends to be.

A tad wryly,]

As for hidden weapons... You'd better not be saying you're gonna try and sneak anything in. I woulda' thought that big old sword would be pretty obvious, anyway.

[The one from the dream, that is, if she has it in real life.]

[sheathes]

[ Her expression is a little tense. ] Ah... I no longer have that sword. The one I possess now does not need to be carried on my person.

[ Because she can summon it — not to mention make it invisible. Saber hides some things about herself, but she doubts she's the only one with weapon-summoning abilities. (Just look one thread down.) ]

I have no plans to make trouble, of course. But be aware of the possibilities. The guard is quite far, if any issues should arise.

[foundafamily]

We wouldn't go running to the guard anyway. We'll take care of our own problems.

[The emphasized word could not possibly drip with more disdain. Somebody is clearly not a fan.

His voice softens a moment later, and he looks away. As far as he knows, she's not in the guard, so there's no point in taking his enmity out on her.]

Anyway... um, thanks for the tip. I've seen a lotta weird shit, but I've never heard about a weapon you don't need to carry. How do you do it?

video;

[knockthemdead]

Theoretically, how would you go about enforcing this rule if someone's weapon was capable of being summoned out of thin air?

Theoretically.

[foundafamily]

[Firo frowns and barely swallows a sigh of frustration. There's always something, isn't there? He hates dealing with superhumans and all their weirdness--he thinks without a hint of irony, despite being what he is.]

Well, theoretically, once they brought it out, somebody might break all their theoretical fingers. Theoretically. That answer your question, pal?

[Does somebody seem on edge? Not Firo, no way.]

[knockthemdead]

Well! That's... that attitude is just entirely uncalled for, really. See if I visit this establishment again anytime soon.

[He will.]

[foundafamily]

[Firo stiffens slightly, offended. Somehow, he didn't foresee at all the possibility of losing business by publicly acting like a jerk--you don't think about these things when your business has always been illegal and so doesn't have competition.]

Right, you can just go to one of the other five bars in this town. If you wanna make sure you're getting the good stuff and not some rotgut, you'll come to our place.

[He doesn't actually know if anyone sells crappy moonshine like at home, but he assumes somebody has tried or will try eventually. It's just the nature of these things.]

[knockthemdead]

I think I'd rather take my chances.

[He would actually rather throw himself into acid than drink rotgut, but's fine. Firo doesn't know that.]

[foundafamily]

Then it's your funeral. Just don't expect me to send flowers.

[knockthemdead]

It would take a lot more than some poorly made alcohol to kill me.

[is he????? bragging????? or just offended Firo would think that??? probably both]

Video

[fracturedbeauty]

[Yukari actually stares at Firo for a solid moment. Look, youthful appearances can be a thing, but...]

Are you even old enough to be drinking? I understand that rules are often neglected to the wind in these caves, but I cannot say I approve of developing minds wasting it away on alcohol.

[Congratulations, Firo. You triggered Yukari's somewhat-maternal button.]

Re: Video

[foundafamily]

[Firo was ready for a certain amount of pushback--hence the outwardly abrasive tone to begin with. ...He was not prepared for this.]

I--wha--Obviously I am! I run the damn place, you know!

[Well, co-runs. But that's beside the point!]

[fracturedbeauty]

Running a place does not a proper age make, especially in this world. So it's not particularly that obvious.

I do hope that you at least drink responsibly when you do. Teenage rebellion does not need to include unbeautiful havoc.

[foundafamily]

Do you think you're funny?

[He must be joking, right? Firo's mistaken for being a kid... well, every day of his life. But he's still not too happy accepting it.]

I'm not a teenager, and anyway, it's none of your business. Don't you have your own problems to worry about?

[fracturedbeauty]

You've certainly got a mouth like one. Isn't that word-for-word what a teenager would say?

[Look, it's not his fault you remind him of someone back home, Firo.]

I believe I'm entitled to make this my problem if I so desire. Taking care of oneself is important.

[foundafamily]

[Allow Firo to just... not address most of those points (except with his glare somehow intensifying) and slide into the one he thinks he can most easily say something about.]

Exactly. So you take care of yourself, and I'll take care of mine. Got it? Everybody's happy.

[voice] /gentle threadjack

[circumitus]

[HELLO SLIDING IN HERE REAL QUICK HI.]

Can confirm that Firo is not a child. He knows his shit and is a great deal of help -- would not have asked to work together otherwise.

So you can stop fucking with him.

[It's more like she knows how much that this is a sore spot for him.]