I'm At An All Time Low

What was particularly odd about this scene was that Rye wasn't her normal cheerful self. At all. In fact, she sat brooding at one of the smaller, quieter taverns with a mug of ale in her hands. Emerald eyes that usually sparkled with ideas or happiness were as dull as the lake that they fished on not long ago. Half-lidded pools of lake green wearily stared at the mug in her hands, idly tracing the wood patterns with her fourth finger and somewhat barely breathing. Her tail listlessly trailed against the floor, wrapping around her waist as if to bring her some comfort.

Recently... Rye rubbed her hand fiercely against her face, a soft keening noise escaping her throat unconsciously. She'd just been fired from her part-time job, and she was having some difficulty trying to find a new one so she could pay rent. It was due sometime soon, but the latest royalty check was a few days after the check for rent, and... yeah. Right now, life sucked. So she sought reprieve in Terrasphere, where she knew she could vent some. After angrily taking down a few monsters, she felt somewhat better.

Now that she was in Stokbon... Maybe she could call up one of the guild members, and they could talk for awhile. Taking a gulp of the ale in her hands, she hesitated slightly and brought up the palm menu almost reluctantly. Who to call, though? Steele was off doing some stuff for the guild, one of her recent deep-talk buddies and a very good friend. What about... Akino? Was he doing anything? Pursing her lips, Rye tilted her ears towards the barman and idly watched him rinse out a few mugs. The tavern wasn't that full, rare for this time of day.

Yeah. Let's bring him up.

Quickly typing in Akino's name at the top, she sent a message:

Rye Emerson

Hi Akino, Rye here. Would you mind meeting me at a small tavern on the outskirts of Stokbon?

Within the message, she would type the address and merely wait at her corner booth. Just staring down at her ale like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

@Akino Kokoro Ame

 

Akino had actually been racing across the rooftops of Stokbon at the moment. Along with the many peaceful pastimes the felis kept, he also maintained a few lively ones. Beast taming, constant hand-to-hand training, and other such fiery acts. And running across rooftops happened to be one of them. Leaping deftly down onto a small shop's roof, likely causing the owner to have a fright at the mighty whump of his form as he came down in a roll, the well-balanced male would break out into a run the moment he was back on his sandals. Tail still as a could be, he'd kick up on a wall and grab the ledge with his finger tips, momentum carrying him over onto his side, which he rolled into as well. It was urban acrobatics, and he adored the thrill. The freeing sensation of having your body leave the ground was unlike any other, and his tail only augmented his skills as he trained. It was a far leap from the way he felt in the real world, though his balance was on par there as well. More along the lines of the fact that it came far easier here.

A ping on the messenger system let him know that someone had just reached out. Not a common thing, though the male had a fair amount of friends in the world so far. Wondering which of the lovelies it might've been, he skidded short in his flight across the city, crouching low on a ledge as he swiped open the message. It was from Rye! One of his guild companions; she was a fine lass and a fellow felis! Still, the tone of her message worried him a bit. She typically had more energy about her. So, the redhead was swift in summoning up a response. After all, he didn't want to keep his friend waiting.

Akino Kokoro Ame

Absolutely! I'm over in the heart of the city now, just out for a run. I'll be heading your way in a few moments, so be on the look out. See you in a sec, Green Eyes!

​

Pressing send with a clawed finger, he'd give a slight hm, then pivot on his heels. Facing the outskirts of the city now, and the general direction of the tavern she had linked him too, the marked young man would take off in a sprint, not hesitating to toss his weight across a narrow road. Fingers snagging on a window sill, he'd haul himself up, just put one foot in front of the other, and be on the move once again. It'd take him only about two minutes or so to reach the place at his pace. That was his goal, at the very least; Akino enjoyed setting personal challenges.

Dropping down in front of the tavern's doorway and slipping into the dimly lit den, the redhead's bright presence stood out against the low-key atmosphere. Instantly his golden eyes settled on Rye, and grin would ride up on his lips. Seeing that she was looking glumly at the table, the cat man made the executive decision to keep the smile on as reassurance. Crossing the room in a few steps, nodding to the servers and tender on the way over, the redhead would slip wordlessly into the booth, seating across the way from his glum chum. Calling for some tea politely, he then fold his fingers together and look at the girl with an entirely supportive, though not zealous, gleam in his eyes.

"I'm glad you shot me that message, I was bored to tears. It's great to see you. How're you feeling?"

@Rye Emerson