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Concrete Jungle - Chinatown
A wanderer has to wander. Sedition had been in Jaded Shadows only a few days and the need to travel over took him. Even at Berowick he had scouted and surveyed along with traveling into the nearby territories so this time shouldn't be any different. As a subordinate he didn't have many responsibilities and so, without much contemplating he set out. Concrete Jungle had been Salvaged's haunt of sorts although he had talked about "Luminous Sanctuary" more. The jungle though, left behind by the humans held so many treasures that begged to be seen. Packing up his satchel with a few things along with his carving tools he had managed to leave before the sun had rose the next day and now, hours later found himself standing along the twisting streets that marked the lands known to the humans as Chinatown.
Prowling through the streets, a leather vest draped across his shoulders and glancing his chest as he walked he stopped before a karaoke bar. Tipping his head in curiosity he went inside carefully not wanting to start some sort of avalanche of debris. Old microphones, old amps, a lonely bar with crusty bottles of ancient liquor. It was more than he had hoped of finding. Walking behind the bar the silver male grinned foolishly as he tossed a bottle of rice wine into the air and caught it behind his back. This would surely make juggling a little more interesting. Among the chinese and asian liquors were some north american liquors. His eyes quickly read the labels after scratching away the dust. Whiskey, Bourbon, Vodka, Sake, Rum... it was too much to handle all at once! His tongue had only tasted moonshine and some whiskey before this it ached to taste the new and strange liquor in front of him. "Which one to try first?" He asked the bottles, wondering if one would jump out and scream, "Pick me, pick me!"
When none did he grabbed the bottle of Vodka and settled back behind the bar, imagining the humans gathered around and laughing. He had only heard about karaoke through the elder's books but with the scene laid out before him he let his imagination fill in the gaps.
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Kieran had unintentionally made a habit of checking out the human city whenever he had some extra time on his hands. It was curious, considering he preferred the wild way of life rather than the tame and caged-in human one. But the city was filled with so many mysteries, strange objects, and useful materials that he couldn’t help but wander through the winding old streets in search of something he had yet to see.
This particular journey had taken the dark-furred wolf to a section of the city he had yet to see. The winding streets were lined with faded paper lanterns, many of which had fallen to ground. This part of the city was obviously different from the rest, and its distinct design revealed how multifarious the city could be. He glanced at the buildings standing tall with their unusual architecture and signs written in a language he could not decipher. The characters were very different from the ones he was used to reading and writing every so often. His golden eyes examined them for a moment before he sauntered along once more.
As he followed another winding path, a fresh scent caught is attention. Noting the faint scent of the Jaded Shadows lands, Kieran decided to see which of his packmates was around. He followed the scent to one of the buildings, poking his head through the doorway to have a look around. The other wolf was behind the bar and he seemed to have some sort of bottle in his hands. Curious, he stepped into the building. “Uh… hello there,” he greeted.
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Sorry for the wait.
The vodka definitely lived up to the moniker "fire water" but the sit for some many years after purchase had brought about a taste of clear and tangy mingling with the hidden burn. He took a big swig of the liquid and smiled as he glanced around the bar. The vision of humans seated and laughing was nothing like the way it had really happened but there was no way for the silver were' to know. He delighted in his imagination, laughing along with the imaginary figures until the delicate scent of pine came to his nose.
Despite the liquor the scent of Jaded Shadows was a wake up, perhaps even sobering in it's effect. Blue eyes, glanced with green swung towards the doorway and his rather animated gesture attempted to welcome the other inside. "Pull up a seat, stay a while. Can I get you a drink?" He waved the vodka bottle at the other Shadows male and jumped over the bar himself. Sitting down near the doorway he gave a sigh and then another swig of alcohol before stating his name. "Sedition Wick, by the way, current bartender." A smile then, almost like sunshine.
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No problem.
Kieran smiled at the warm welcome, stepping carefully through the old doorway. He eyed the old machines that were scattered about the building, observing the set-up in the room. It appeared to be some sort of bar, though it looked a bit different than any he had seen before. His gaze followed the other as he energetically leapt over the bar and made his way across the room.
The other male wasn’t someone he had met before, the fact proven when he introduced himself with an unfamiliar name. “It’s a pleasure, Sedition. I’d be Kieran Heartsong.” It was good to finally meet another of the mysterious Shadows wolves, even better to find one in a place like this. Alcohol had a tendency to lighten the mood and bring about a good time; at least, in his case it was. Kieran took a quick look behind the bar, observing the numerous bottles of old liquor, before glancing back at the silver-furred male. “So, bartender… what would you suggest?” he asked with a grin.
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The other introduced himself and Sedition gave a firm nod in response. Another name to add to the growing list of Jaded Shadows members -- family members you could say. It wasn't Berowick but it was something that he was proud to call home and it seemed that so far the track record for pleasant pack members compared to unpleasant was 3 - 0. Another swig of vodka and he grinned gesturing towards the bar as the other wandered past. He asked what the bartender recommended and he offered up the bottle of vodka.
"This stuff, Vohd-ka. Although have you drank before? Might be a bit harsh if you haven't." Going behind the bar and taking out a dusty glass he cleaned it with a clean carving cloth (actually a piece of silk found on the violin sitting back in his den) and poured two shots of tequila and two shots of Jack Daniels Whisky. Downing the glass he shook his head and coughed then resumed his foolish grin. "Drinks called a 'snakebite' lives up to its name really. Want one?"
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Ah, Vodka. It was definitely one of his favorite drinks, out of the few types of liquor he had had the chance to sample. Back in Heartsong, every so often the pack would send some scouts out to the human city that was a good 30 or 40 miles from the pack lands to gather supplies. It was almost guaranteed that one of them would arrive with a sack full of the bottles, and a wonderful time was had by all. There was song and dance around a cozy bonfire before the elders weaved their tales and the sun rose the next day to put an end to their activities. His heart warmed just thinking about it.
Kieran brought himself to the present, hoping that the drinks would still bring him a pleasant time. He smirked at the other, leaning up against the bar as he spoke. “Oh, I’ve had my fair share of the stuff.” He was more of a social drinker than an alcoholic, though that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy it when he had the chance. Observing Sedition mix himself a drink, the dark-furred wolf realized just how long it had been since he last enjoyed one, feeling the liquid warm him all the way down to his toes. His grin seemed to grow wider at the explanation of the concoction. “Sounds like my type of drink.”
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I hope it's ok I join? :O -Hasn't had a thread with Xani in aeons, and Matrix is always up for a party.- 
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 Matrix liked to think she knew how to have a good time. Despite her somewhat introspective nature, she knew how to let loose and enjoy the company of total strangers. Watching others could almost be considered a hobby of hers, though it admittedly played more of a role when she chose to interact with larger groups--i.e. more than one other wolf. There was something about one-on-one conversations that made it easier to open up and discuss in depth topics. Sometimes, that wasn't what she wanted.
Like a moth to the flame, the yearling was drawn to the stench of alcohol, males, and merriment. Moving quickly and quietly, she singled out the old bar and made her way to the door. She could hear voices from within the tavern, and she grinned a little. With any luck, she'd get some free entertainment for the night. Inhaling, she took a shot in the dark and stepped inside. "Hey boys, where's my drink?" Making her way over to the bar, she deposited her sack on the counter and took a seat at one of the stools, then draped her tail neatly across her lap. Sometimes it was fun to make an entrance.
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No Zero I hate you and I want you to leave. 'Course. What did you think I would say? No? Lol.
Things were looking up! He had expected a quiet night in an asian karaoke bar and instead he got some company, some liquor and surely a good time would be had if he could figure out a way to get the amps going. He knew electricity didn't work but sometimes things that used to use electricity would use square or round hard rocks that trapped the electricity instead. He'd found the "rocks" back in Berowick and the elders had been able to get an old walkman to work. He had had hours of fun with that thing. Shame that his foolish siblings had broken it. Grinning at the other wolf's words he nodded.
"Back home we actually had a member of the pack that kept the firewater. Called him a tipsy-tender. He'd mix drinks and tell stories. Kind of like a bard and a bartender mixed together. Kept fights broken up too." His knee knocked something under the bar and he bent over to investigate. Digging in a box under the bar he laughed and his tail (currently the only part of him visible) wagged furiously. Standing up straight he shoved the box onto the bar and towards the other male excited and giddy. Tiny pink plastic umbrellas! Setting on on the edge of the glass he clapped his hands and then solemnly slid it forward. "One snake-bitten umbrella."
The voice made Sedition glance up and he smiled at the female hybrids entrance. Tipping his head slightly and inhaling he noted that this one wasn't from Jaded Shadows. No this one was from that coyote clan, what the devil had Salvaged called it. (He had called it plenty of names, none of which are G-rated but what was the name?) "Hey, name's Sedition Wick I'll be your bartender today. Care for a snake-bitten umbrella? Vohd-ka? Whiskey? Rocket fuel?" He whispered to follow, "That's gin, vodka, scotch and tonic water. Real strong." Pouring himself a 'snake bitten umbrella' and drinking it he wiggled as it burned his throat before slamming the glass down and exhaling. Tonight was going to be a good night.
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Kieran smirked as his pack mate spoke a bit about his old home, picturing this ‘tipsy-tender’ breaking up a drunken brawl. “Sure seems like an interesting job.” He was another who had journeyed from home and ended up here. The ‘Souls area appeared to attract many travelers. Suddenly Sedition almost disappeared behind the bar, before quickly popping up with a box in his hands. The spaher took a look into the box, noticing an abundance of some tiny, rather pink umbrellas. He grinned at the umbrella placed in his glass. It made the drink appear even livelier.
Another soul waltzed into the bar as he pulled his drink over. His gold eyes studied her for a moment as he realized that she was both unfamiliar in appearance and scent. He grabbed his drink, knocked it back, and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he enjoyed the long-missed feeling of strong alcohol burning in his throat. Then, turning to the hybrid lady that had just joined them, he introduced himself with a smile and a nod. “Kieran Heartsong. Welcome to the bar.” Well, this was going to turn into quite the little party, wasn’t it? The more, the merrier, he always said.
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Sorry about the wait. D:
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Sedition. The word conjured up thoughts of riots and unrest, and who didn't like a good rebel? She couldn't help but like this fellow already. She arched a brow in amusement as he theatrically took a drink, although she then smiled and shook her head at his offer. No, she didn't get most of her kicks from alcohol. She also knew her limits. The beverage had occasionally betrayed her, unlike her beloved marijuana flowers. "Now, now, I'd like to start a little slower than that," she said, although she left the statement hanging. He could figure it out from there, and she would just try to have faith.
While she waited for him to make up his mind, she now turned her attention to the other fellow that had come to the bar. She did not know what his name meant, but she thought that it had a pleasant ring to it. She noticed that both of them carried the scent of the same pack, although she could conclude no more than this. So far, she had been mostly sticking to her own affairs, and just barely Inferni's. (Implying, then, that she checked for signs of fire, flood, and intruders, and little else.)
Other packs were an enigma to her. She couldn't remember the names of any (although she might if she heard them), and she certainly had no intentions of showing up anywhere uninvited. She had no reason to go to another pack's territory. She could find plenty of food around Inferni or on neutral soil, and plenty of entertainment. The greenhouse was a monumental undertaking, and it often occupied her thoughts for great amounts of time. Not tonight, though. Although she didn't say much, her body language was relaxed, comfortable, and alert with interest.
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The tipsy-tender had been a job his siblings had always fought over. Zerstorung and Amarelo had won in the end but Sedition had done it for about a week. It wasn’t a job he enjoyed though, he much preferred mixing drinks than dealing with the after effects of them. After all, he was a lover not a fighter. "It was alright, got to do it for about a week once. Ended up with a concussion or something like that.” Vorr’ had apologized ad nauseum about that punch but he knew she hadn’t meant it.
As Kieran took the drink and the nameless female declined the rocket fuel Sedition mixed up a gin and tonic and set it in front of her with a smile. She didn’t seem the “tell my life story” kind of girl but Sed liked to think that this was a safe atmosphere to enjoy themselves. "Gin and tonic, nice little drink with only a little bite.” He added afterwards, "You got a name ma’am?” He had a flash of her beating the crap out of him if he called her girl or likewise flirting. Better safe than in a coma. He poured himself another drink and then rooted through his satchel. Pulling out a very small joint he exhaled and set it aside mainly wanting to gauge the reaction of the others before he started smoking. After all back in Berowick the tribe had been divided on their opinion of the drug. Bleeding Souls still had those that wandered around in four-legged form, anything was possible.
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Ugh, Very sorry. x.x It took me way longer than it should have to reply.
He chuckled softly, when Sedition explained how his week as the tipsy-tender went. “Demanding job,” he commented. There was surely quite a list of occupational hazards associated with the job, most of which probably came from the uncertain behavior of a drunken wolf. Kieran lifted the tiny pink umbrella from his glass, twirling it in is fingers as Sedition mixed a drink for the lady. He wondered momentarily where she had come from.
Kieran watched the bartender reach out into his pack and set whatever it was he had grabbed down. The vaguely familiar sight of a joint greeted him from the counter top. He remembered a few of his old packmates had taken a liking to the drug. Most of the pack had wanted to ban the substance, but the few that enjoyed its effects hid the stash and kept it to themselves. Thus, Kieran never had the opportunity to sample the stuff or really form his own opinion of it. But honestly, he didn’t care whether someone chose to smoke it or not. It was called free will, and anyone could use it as they liked.
“What ya got there?” It wasn’t a scrutinizing or condescending question, just Kieran being curious and making sure he was correct in his assumption.
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As she had missed the first part of their conversation, Matrix was uncertain about the topic of discussion. Apparently Sedition had to perform some sort of duty in the past which made him prone to head injuries--her mind absently toyed with varying hypotheses and ideas as to the nature of this job. Some were more realistic than others, and some were just silly. A mental image of him leading an epic conquest into some dense forest where squirrels dropped things onto wolves' heads came to mind, and she did her best to suppress the laughter that would typically accompany such outlandish thoughts. When she was alone she would laugh freely, but seemingly unprovoked laughter in the presence of strangers made others think you were mad. Hm.
To the drink she smiled and offered a polite murmur of thanks, then she took it and sipped on it. It was tasty and had a slight burn to it, but after she tested the waters she managed to get it down rather quickly. "I'm Matrix," she said, looking to both of them. She had to admit that she was rather pleased when Sedition pulled the joint out and placed it on the counter--the fragrance of marijuana now became evident to her, and she picked it up and examined it carefully. Her eyes then trailed to Kieran, who seemed curious--and therefore, probably inexperienced. She held it up to him so he could examine it first-hand (to her it was normal to want to do this, and normal to assume that inspection would answer the question of "what is it?"), and she then looked back up to Sedition. "Maybe you could teach me how to roll," she said. "I usually stick to glass, myself..."
Reaching into her bag (which she had placed on the floor near her seat), she produced one of her most prized creations: a black pipe, custom-designed for a werewolf's paws, decorated with streaks of blue, gold, and green. She placed it on the counter between them so they could both examine it, if they so desired. "But then there's always the risk of something breaking or getting lost," she explained further. Regardless, her stance on the drug was very clear--and the several grams she offered next made it even clearer. Smoking was essentially a part of her life, as it was something she did at least once daily. If there were things to be done she would wait until afterwards--but especially before bed, she found that the intoxicant lulled her to sleep very nicely. Otherwise, she would spend hours awake with her mind racing, long after the desire (or need) for wakefulness had worn off.
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For some reason I didn't know Zero had replied. The new reply thinger didn't come up.
Pouring another tumbler of whiskey (after he thoroughly cleaned the glass) he settled back on the barstool behind him and crossed his ankles. There was marijuana, free flowing alcohol and some companions who he found interesting and friendly. Times in Bleeding Souls like this only reminded him of Berowick all the more. It was a good kind of reminder though and he glanced at the plants the now named Matrix had brought. His own small joint seemed rather unimpressive but his nose had told him that although there was demand, supply had definitely kept up. Smiling he drank the whiskey in a gulp he cleared his throat with a cough before replying. "Sure, rolling takes a little getting used to but s'better than glass when you're traveling. Keeps lit too.” Admiring the glass pipe his eyes widened slightly, it was gorgeous nothing at all like the stuff Zer' had made back home. "One of my sibs used to blow glass but this, this is gorgeous."
Taking out a small lighter he had found and restored on his travels to the Bleeding Souls lands he lit the end of the joint and held it out between the other wolves. It was an offering gesture as he poured more whiskey with the other hand. "I've got a little store back at the den it's something my old tribe used to be pretty split about. Some worried it might give you, uh, what's that word. Canker... cancer? Cancer. Dunno it it's true. Whaddya think?" Perhaps either one of the other wolves would know. They seemed intelligent.
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Kieran examined the small joint as Matrix held it up for him to see, confirming for himself what it was. The vaguely familiar scent, the way it looked, told him that it was indeed marijuana. He listened silently as his two companions conversed about the stuff, attention soon drawn to the well-crafted pipe the hybrid lady pulled out. “You made this yourself? Very well done,” he commented. The creation itself was unfamiliar to him—the wolves in his pack had stuck to rolling—but within the context of the conversation around him, he understood what it was used for.
He watched Sedition bring out a lighter to light the small joint before offering it to them. Kieran took it from him, examining it for a moment as the silver male questioned the possibility of getting sick from it. Kieran himself didn’t believe the stuff to be harmful; those friends of his that had used the drug seemed just fine. “Cancer? Nah, I don’t think so. I’ve never seen anything bad come of it, anyway.” With that, he took a small puff and held it out to pass it along. He was the open-minded sort, willing to try anything once. Sure, he was inexperienced, but when did that ever stop him?
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Ugh, sorry. Chaotic week. >_o;
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Social gatherings could occasionally become exhausting, but lately the girl had been keeping mostly to herself as she worked on her project. Although she may have been starved for some sort of interaction, she did her best to beat it down and ignore it. Matrix did not want to grow dependent on others for entertainment. It may have been strange, but she enjoyed that she could generally entertain herself and she did not want to lose that. For now, though, such paranoid thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind. She nodded and listened as Sedition offered rolling lessons--great. She was also pleased that they seemed so impressed with her creation, and she beamed a little bit on the outside and a lot on the inside. She considered it a form of art, and every artist loved to have his work appreciated.
As the joint was passed her way, she took a puff and offered it back to Sedition with a quick murmur of thanks. As for the topic at hand-- "You only live once, anyway." She had heard mixed things on the subject. Some suggested it was entirely harmless, but she knew they were full of it. Too much smoking could create breathing problems, and she definitely noticed more mental clarity when she avoided the practise for even a week or so. As for cancer, it seemed as though it would take a very long time for that to happen, if at all. She knew other forms of smoke could cause it, but she had never really heard a solid answer for marijuana. A wolf only lived for so long either way, thus her response. "I'm pretty sure that ingested, it has nearly no negative side effects at all." Other than the ones they voluntarily sought out, that was.
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