Friday Night Fever [Private]

[Felix Satou]

Felix checked and rechecked his scroll as he stood outside the entrance to Spades, his breath illuminated by the glow of the screen. At least it hadn't started to snow! He'd dressed a little warmer for the occasion, just in case. His black t-shirt and suspenders were mostly covered by a stylish, navy blue hoodie. His matching cargo pants were plenty warm enough and slung across his back was his weapon of choice. He adjusted the strap that went across his chest as he waited for his newfound friends to show. Thirty minutes early was probably overkill, but he'd been too nervous to leave any later! He would have died if he was late for something as cool as this. He eyed the guitar over his shoulder. Was he even going to end up playing it tonight? Was it a little too show-offy? Was he overthinking things?

He took a deep breath and turned to look at the bar. It looked so unassuming from the outside, and it felt so much more spacious once you stepped in the doors. The tiered seating, the stage, the charming brickwork and cast iron railing, it all made the place seem older than it really was. The interior walls were covered in all manner of eccentric posters and trophies. He was sure he'd seen a lamp that was shaped like a leg in there somewhere. It had attitude! It screamed to the night that it was here and different and maybe a little dirty but it had heart, damn it! It made him feel a bit less nervous. He was quirky. He was different. He was definitely not dirty, but two out of three made him feel like this was his kind of place. That, and the drinks were pretty reasonably priced, too! No need to worry or fret, he'd just have to wait until his friends showed up and he was sure things would work out from there.

[Terra Fennel]

This was more like it. A cold crisp night that gave her breath life as it left her body. It was still no where near as cold as Mantle, so she hadn't bothered to dress any warmer or nicer than necessary. Not that she had entirely sorted out the lack of lien to buy anything nice. Her threadbare jeans hugged her legs enough that an outline of her scroll and wallet were visible in either front pocket. Several places were worn enough to warrant a patch and were just a couple broken threads from being a hole. The temporary violet tips of her hair was clearly visible against the white t-shirt she wore, yet not a goosebump was visible on her arm from the cool air. She'd wanted to look at least somewhat presentable, but her handmade earcuffs holding her dust was still hidden beneath her hair.

Terra wasn't the only one early, though she knew he couldn't blame it on leaving early so he didn't get too lost. He was probably just excited, and maybe a little cold. She could fix that. It was tempting to sneak up on him and surprise the boy with a hug, but he'd invited someone else too. Best to be on good behavior, but a little teasing could still be fun. “Heeey pretty boy. You look like you're a little cold.” Her smile was warm, and her eyes caught the light causing them to shine before she winked. “Hehe, hi Felix. Hopefully we've not left you standing in the cold too long. I still don't know the city all that well.” She knew she was early still, but not by how much. She wouldn't mind standing in the night air however long it took for the Felix's other friend to show.

[Keid Sharma]

Vale's atmosphere was very different from Mantle's noisy and neon-lighted main streets. Maybe it was just this particular area, but more probably it was too cold outside for most people. For Keid, the night was just chilly enough to put on shoes and socks instead of his usual sandals, though he was still out in short pants and a floral print shirt. He wasn't one to care much about his overall appearance, but he'd still spent a bit of time painting over his exposed lights with various marker pens, because the idea was just too good to pass up.

He hadn't been running late, just running a bit to catch a Bullhead with Lauren. Even if he'd only talked to her once, he'd been right in thinking she'd enjoy a night in town, but actually asking her hadn't been easy. Or rather, she hadn't made it easy, because of course she'd jump on the occasion to resume her teasing. Keid had been fighting a light blush and trying to convince her that this wasn't a date for most of the trip to Spades, in between regular suggestive jokes. Lauren's whole behavior was as distracting as their first meeting, which he didn't mind as much now since the whole purpose of going out was to distract themselves.

When they reached the street with only a few people outside, Keid double-checked his scroll to make sure this was the right place and wished for a second that he'd put a tracker on Felix, before spotting him and shouting his name from across the street with a big wave. The building in front of them wasn't really standing out, but Keid would wait to see the interior that Felix advertised so much. He extended a hand as soon as he got close, then to the girl chatting with him.
"Hi, I'm Keid", he repeated a simple greeting that worked so well before. "And she's Lauren."

[Lauren Voltaire]

Lauren would be an idiot to turn down a night on the town - especially with someone as easily-flustered as ol’ Cataclysm. So she said yes, teased him mercilessly for the whole ride over, and dressed for the occasion.

Or at least she WOULD have done if it weren’t so damned cold. Say what she might about her never-again home, it was always warmer than this. She’d settled for a sleeveless tie-dye t-shirt over a nice yellow tube top with an easily-removable navy pea coat and a pair of tight, short jean shorts over a pair of grim purple leggings. She’d even done her hair(!) into a loose braid down her right shoulder.

”l’m cold,” she announced after Keid introduced her, hugging her coat a bit tighter for emphasis, ”and you,” she turned and looked Terra up and down, slowly, ”are HOT.” She shot an accusing look at Keid. ”You didn’t tell me your friends were as good-looking as you!” she mock-pouted before breaking into a wide grin.

Okay, rein it in, girl, you don’t wanna scare them.

[Felix Satou]

Felix started, not expecting anyone else to show up until after the appointed time, Terra's voice didn't register in his head and for a few seconds he thought he was getting his first cat call out in the wild. It didn't last long. Terra's familiar face, her warm smile, it put him at ease right away. All of them were a little new here. They were all in the same boat! Best to just try and have some fun, right? "Only a little cold," he replied with a nod. "And, no, it was my own fault for showing up so early. But better that than late! Oh, I love the highlights, by the way." They didn't have long to talk about it on their own, as Felix heard someone else shouting at him. His eyes widened at the sight of Keid, an amused look on his face. It was cold enough for his breath to come out in rolling clouds of white and this maniac was dressed like he was going for a summer stroll. Felix just shook his head. Some people didn't mind the cold. Some didn't seem to know it existed.

His amusement boiled over into a bright bout of laughter at Lauren's unrestrained flirtation with Terra. "Hokay, well, now I feel foolish for worrying about what kind of friends you might bring along, Keid," his voice bubbled with nervous energy. "Nice to meet you Lauren. And the hot girl's name's Terra." He couldn't help but give Lauren's outfit a long look. Sometimes he thought his own tastes were a bit eclectic. Seeing someone else who didn't mind being bold in their choice of outfit was reassuring! "I don't know how much Keid told you about this place, but Spades is a sort of...dive bar meets club meets amateur performance venue?" He shrugged. "But the long story short is the drinks are cheap, they've got live music, and if you feel like making a fool out of yourself on stage the crowd's always supportive even if you're barely holding it together. And if you hate the place there's a half dozen other clubs within walking distance. Uh...more like three if we're talking really drunk walking distance," he said with a sheepish grin on his face.

[Terra Fennel]

“Thanks. I'm thinking about dying it all soon. And if you're cold...” She trailed off as Felix's friend got there. Friend, became friends as the pair approached. She probably just misread the text. While Felix's aura felt like effervescence to her senses, delightfully so at the best of times, these two stood out in their own way. The man, Keid as he introduced himself, felt like a beacon to follow. “Nice to meet you, Keid.” Terra felt something like static crawl up the lighting-made scar on her arm, and it wasn't just from the way Lauren's eyes moved over her. Oh, but that was something she could get used to. Maybe Felix wasn't crazy after all when it came to her being good looking, but it was clear the woman herself was electric. More than her aura or her looks though, the wolf was pleased to see another human so at ease around faunus. “You too Lauren, and to be fair to Keid, I don't think he knew about me. Cracked dust, you're both easy on the eyes yourselves.” She wasn't shy about taking her own chance to look them both over before brushing some of her hair out of her face.

Her furred tail swayed lazily behind her as she listened to Felix. The wolf half-stepped close enough that it would brush against his leg while they were still standing around out in the cold. While she was excited to meet some of his friends, especially two as attractive as the pair in front on her, and enjoy a night out, it didn't quite matter what the club was like compared to others. She'd never been to one at all. “I'll probably just follow everyone else's lead on whether we stick around here or head to another one after we get inside. Though, I may try my luck singing before we leave. Get us kicked out nice and proper.” As exciting as it was, there was some nervousness at the thought of trying to keep up with anyone else drinking. She never really drank more than one or two with food.

[Keid Sharma]

Keid had clearly underestimated Lauren's priorities by expecting her to actually say hello before she started hitting on everyone. To be fair, the four of them together probably made a whole jar of eye candy. He grinned at the free compliments and felt obligated to throw one back, but actually commenting on the looks of a brand new acquaintance was a bit beyond his confidence with women. "I'll admit there is some competition, but nobody's as good-looking as me", he corrected Lauren, choosing to go with fake arrogance instead and dramatically running a hand through his hair.
"Maybe you'll be a match after you get rid of your ski suit", he joked and waved at her coat for emphasis.

Felix' second teaser for the bar instantly broke Keid's patience, so he took Terra's remark as an occasion to usher the three of them inside. "Come on then, it's gotta be hotter inside!", he encouraged before clapping both humans on the shoulder.
"If you already know how long your 'drunk walking distances' are, then I predict a good night!"

[Lauren Voltaire]

”Don’t worry, hot stuff, I’ve got no plans to steal your date,” Lauren said, shooting finger guns at Felix. ”Unless you wanna share?” she added, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

At Keid’s comment, she turned to him in mock surprise. ”Sir, are you implying that I’m not as good-looking as you?” She paused just long enough for him to register what she’d said before giving him a playful smile. ”Cuz you’re right. You really… light up the room.”

Cheap drinks? Hot guys? Hot girls? DRUNK hot people on a dance floor? HELL yes. This would be a good night indeed.

[Felix Satou]

Felix could feel his spirits lifting already. The butterflies in his stomach had flitted away. How could he possibly end up making a fool of himself when everyone else in their little party had no shame? He shook his head at Terra. "Unless you start trying to tear the place apart, your singing can't possibly get us kicked out." He'd heard it all, professionals and drunken first timers, everyone got a round of applause. Some got louder, more jubilant rounds, but no one was ever booed off stage. Keid's call to action was enough to get him moving towards the door, too. Getting out of the cold sounded fantastic. A little bit of heat was already coming to his cheeks thanks to a pair of finger guns and light teasing.

"I don't think I ever said anything about a date," he said, rubbing at his neck while making sure he was not looking at Lauren or Terra. His strides put him slightly ahead of Keid so that he could push open the door leading in himself. The interior hadn't changed much from the last time he'd been inside. Beige walls were nearly impossible to see through the knickknacks, posters, ornaments, and stage lights (Some operational and others decorational) that covered them from floor to ceiling. The tables and chairs were mostly made of what looked like black cast iron and illuminated by everything from candles to leg lamps. On the ground floor, there was a stage large enough to fit a moderately sized rock band with a little room to move around. Right in front of it was a large area cleared to ostensibly act as a place to dance or mosh depending on the atmosphere. Beyond that were tables filled with patrons in various states of sobriety. The high ceiling allowed for two more seating areas directly above the well-stocked bar. There was still seating available for them, but it looked like it wouldn't be long before the place was full.

"Wow, looks like we got here just before the rush," Felix said, holding the door for the others. "Bar? Tables? I don't really care one way or another but we shouldn't take too long to decide."

[Terra Fennel]

Felix's reassurance brought a smile to her face and she shook her head. “Don't worry, I don't intend on causing that kind of ruckus.” Lauren's idea though wasn't half bad, though she wasn't certain if she even knew what she'd do in that kind of situation. A fantasy was one thing, but reality could be a bit overwhelming. At least her own hesitance didn't slow her tongue. “I think we'd render the poor man catatonic.” Or herself. Stars, this was going to be a night to remember. Either that or for once she'd be thankful for a shoddy memory and a blank spot that left everyone else turning red when it came up.

As the other three lead the way, she trailed a couple steps behind. For a moment, her scroll was in her hand, her thumb gliding between the letters to send a message she hoped wouldn't be too necessary to the boy who invited her before she slipped it away and took in the sights. To most Spades likely wasn't anything special, but to the wolf from worst parts of Mantle, it was a sight to behold. She slowly spun in a circle as her feet carried her inside, her eyes wide as she took in the sights, sounds, and smells. Any of the clubs back home would have tossed her to the curb worse for wear had she even thought about setting foot inside.

“I think I'd like table. I'd rather not test if I'll fall off a barstool when I'm drinking.” Her eyes were still darting around with a sense of wonder. What were the other clubs like? Stars, she hoped she'd actually brought enough lien.

[Keid Sharma]

Keid's smile widened, but he held back laughter so as to not encourage Lauren. He would be happy to let Felix be her new target if it got him a respite, but nobody was safe apparently. "Gods, she's back to puns", he rolled his eyes and took the opportunity to look around the place.

Spades was certainly a unique sight, and for once the vibe didn't rely solely on well-placed lights. Lighting atmospheres often did little for faunus with varying levels of night vision, but the decor here easily made up for it as the walls and furniture gave the bar its character. And a leg lamp was still a hilariously outlandish leg lamp, stood right next to the table Keid pointed at. "A table sounds fine, the bar is bound to get crowded at some point. Let's take that one, and maybe get the drinks we'll need to cope with Lauren's jokes", he suggested with a cheeky grin. "What's your poisons?"

[Lauren Voltaire]

”Bold of you to assume that I can’t make puns and flirt at the same time, sonny,” Lauren smirked at Keid and waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

This was a nice place. It had a unique style, and if she was being honest it was pretty cool. Definitely a place she’d be frequenting, if only because she’d just seen a member of waitstaff carrying what was the. PERFECT. drink. for her to start tonight with. ”Tonight? Get me an Electric Lemonade.” Another wink at Keid, since he’d be the only one to get this particular pun, then she made a show of slipping out of the pea coat, revealing the tube top and shorts before hopping into a chair and lounging in it lazily.

[Felix Satou]

Felix took a quick peak at his scroll before taking a seat at Keid's choice off table. A few taps of his own and it was back in his pocket. "Bars aren't so bad for drinking at. Honestly, you're more likely to just fall asleep on the counter than out of your chair...I think?" He shrugged. His confidence in that answer was quite low. A heavy drinker he was not. He was about to answer Keid when Lauren's stylish choice of coat came off. He'd thought her coat was nice enough, but what she had on underneath was...well...electric. "Something to match the outfit?" Felix hazarded a guess before turning to Keid with his own order.

"Well, since you're buying the first round, I'll take an appletini." He was sure he'd end up returning the favor before the end of the night. It wasn't as if he was going to have a hard time paying for a round or two for some potential friends. He was just hoping that whoever ended up serving them didn't recognize him. He might actually die of embarrassment if the staff were going to refer to him as 'prince' all night.

[Terra Fennel]

“I'll have a mojito, thanks.” It was one of the few cocktails she'd managed to learn the name of by searching her scroll on the way over. “And, I don't mind puns, but the real talent will be if you can flirt with your puns. Get 'em to blush before they groan and you have a winning combo.” The wolf gave a quick snap of her fingers like it was matter of fact as she took her seat at the table. Bawdy word play and clever innuendos were a fast way to get her giggling and cracking jokes of her own.

“Psh, Felix you already know how shaky my legs can get so I don't know why you're underestimating how clumsy I'll be with a few drinks in me. We'll be quite thankful for a table by the time the nights out.” There was no concealing the curve of her lips quickly becoming a smirk as the words left her mouth. If the there was a way to get the whole lot of them tongue tied and blushing, she'd find it or have her fun trying one. She rest her elbow on the table and leaned forward to rest her chin on the palm of her hand.

[Keid Sharma]

"Fruity drinks all around, eh? Do you try to convince yourselves that this is healthy?", Keid chuckled at the eclectic selection of cocktails. Electric lemonade... that was 100% for the pun, wasn't it? Well, he liked fruit too, so no reason not to match their orders. He hadn't thought about paying for everyone, but he'd kind of walked into it by asking. Besides, if it gave him a minute to escape the flirting and let the blood flow away from his cheeks, he'd gladly pay for all customers. The blush he'd been sporting on his face for the whole evening couldn't be attributed to the cold anymore. To be fair, he had very pale skin; to be unfair, Lauren was incredibly skilled at embarassing him.

She proved that once more when she removed her coat like she was posing for an ad campaign, and Keid's eyes were immediately drawn to the bright colors underneath. He whistled jokingly, not going to deny her the attention she asked for so nicely, but the sound died at Terra's comment. She was encouraging the puns. Where had Felix found this friend? Why was she encouraging the puns? Were puns contagious? Oh gods, he'd just wolf-whistled next to a wolf faunus...

The last straw was Terra's innuendo, made pretty obvious by her smirk, at which Keid finally did the only sensible thing: throwing Felix to the wolves. "That's... my cue to give you three some privacy. Don't do anything I wouldn't do... Nor anything Lauren would do!", he advised the doomed boy with a wink as he walked away towards the bar.

[Lauren Voltaire]

"Hey now, I resent the implication!" Lauren called after Keid as he headed toward the bar to grab the first round. "... that I'd do anything without inviting you first," she added in a lower voice so he couldn't hear her, waggling her eyebrows suggestively at her two remaining compatriots.

Then another thought came to her, and her expression quickly turned serious as she sat forward and folded her hands on the table, catching the eyes of her two new acquaintances. "Okay, so I should probably get this out of the way while everyone's still, y'know, sober... I am cool with pretty much anything, and I'm also a REALLY shameless flirt, but my mind-to-mouth filter is only gonna get harder to hotfix as the night goes on, so, I gotta ask: are there any kinds of nicknames or subjects of conversation that I should not under ANY circumstances bring up tonight?" She shot a nervous glance at Terra in particular because while she knew plenty of Faunus who didn't mind flirty remarks or light teasing about their bestial traits, she knew plenty of others who wouldn't take kindly to such things, especially from a human, and she REALLY didn't want her dumb, drunk ass to kill the mood later. She pretty much knew already what to avoid around Keid, give or take, but she'd never met these people.

Speaking of which: "b'cause, like, I'd REALLY appreciate it if people didn't make jokes about arson - not that that's anything I think you'd normally do, or... But yeah, s'there anything like that I should, like, NOT do?" Gods, this was awkward, but Lauren knew from experience that if she didn't ask, odds were good that the more alcohol she ingested the more likely she was to say something that was insensitive without meaning to; after all, she wasn't in her hometown anymore - jokes about Faunus-y things weren't okay with people you hadn't hung out with for years. And she DEFINITELY didn't want to say something triggering.

[Felix Satou]

Could Terra's legs be shaky? He couldn't think of any times where she'd been lacking grace. The few times they'd hung out together she'd been nothing but normal as far as he could tell. Felix merely shrugged at Terra's choice of words. Maybe she was making an innuendo of some kind, but it went over his head this time! "Don't worry, if it comes to that I can always carry you home," Felix lied boldly. Beacon student he may be, but the distance back to Beacon would be tough to cover with another person in his arms on foot. No, he'd be carrying her to a bullhead and then maybe from the bullhead to a door! He waved at after Keid, the perfect picture of innocence as the generous faunus went off to grab them some drinks.

His attention quickly turned to Lauren as her demeanor changed to something a little less light-hearted. He knit his brows together to try and think of anything that she might have to worry about from Felix. "Uh...I can't think of anything off the top of my head, but I'll be sure to say something if you cross any lines?" He shrugged. "I don't think a few puns or some idle flirting is gonna hurt my feelings. Oh, er, but thanks for asking, though! It's cool of you to do that." If anyone had something to be worried about it would maybe be Terra, but if Lauren had been invited by another faunus to come to their little event then she surely couldn't be in the habit of making obscenely offensive racial comments, could she? Unless Keid was into that? No, that definitely didn't seem right.

"Okay, no jokes about burning the house down or the roof being on fire," he nodded, hoping that didn't sound too much like he wasn't taking her seriously. He was!

[Terra Fennel]

Terra didn't know whether to be disappointed or impressed at the lack of reaction. Somehow, he'd kept a completely straight face at her innuendo, not even so much as a blush. She'd go with impressed. Either he was prepared for them or somehow naive enough to miss them. At least Lauren wasn't shy or missing the beats of the conversation. “The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned.” There would come a point where she had to figure out just how serious Lauren was being, because she was certain she'd balk at the idea if it got that far. For now though, there was fun to be had. Fun and a dose of seriousness it seemed.

Lines not to cross while drunk? Stars she hoped she could keep a promise there. She simply didn't know. At the mention of arson, her furred ears perked up but she managed to keep herself from looking like there wasn't one hell of a story behind a statement like that. “Well, I'll scratch off a karaoke song or two. As far as it goes for me, I don't like being called puppy, wolfie, or things like that.” She looked off in the direction Keid went. “And, you probably know this, but lets not even talk about some of the worst of us...” She made a motion with her other hand like she was putting a mask over her face. “Even a single whiff of that could cause some asshole to call the cops and get me and Keid arrested “on suspicion.” I'd rather spend my night in a warm bed than lockup.”

[Keid Sharma]

"Hey, new face!", a booming voice called out to Keid, who turned to look at a man waving him over from behind the counter. "You looking a little lost here!" He didn't mean anything by it if his grin was any indication. Keid stopped looking around and fastened his pace to reach the bar. He barely got a "Hello" out before the man started talking again with infectious cheer, and all Keid could do was insert short answers in between his questions.

"Welcome to Spades! Enjoying yourself?" "Yeah" "How did you find this place anyway? We're not exactly advertising" "Um... A friend brought us here" "Ah, that explains it. I have to say, and no offense but, heh, you don't look like our typical customer" "I... yeah." Keid could well believe that as he glanced down at himself; his summer clothes and multicolored lights did clash a bit with the room.
"Unless it's for a performance?" As much as the man seemed eager to hear a yes, Keid wasn't a singer nor a musician. "Ha, maybe later, er... I hoped to get drinks first", he changed the subject with a laugh.
"Of course", the bartender nodded and clapped Keid's shoulder to steer him to the left, where a woman had just come back from the table area carrying a tray. "I'll leave him to you" were his final words to her before he walked away.

I thought he was the bartender? Keid looked confused for a moment, until he realized she was waiting for his order with raised eyebrows. "Right!", he shook his head and brought his smile back, still disoriented by the intense welcome. "We'll take an electric lemonade, an appletini, a mojito and... Do you have something with orange?" He looked at a menu while he asked. "Oh! Grapefruit, that's even better! I'll take a spicy paloma too, please."
The bartender chuckled at the order, or maybe at his spontaneous choice. "You're committed to the rainbow theme, I'll give you that." She then set to work on the cocktails, juggling a bit with the bottles which was always fun to watch. The price was what you'd expect for four drinks in the middle of a city, but thankfully Keid still had some pocket money left from the year prior.

He came back to the table a few minutes later with a tray of flashy glasses, setting it down and grinning brightly. "Ladies and gentleman", he announced in an overdone posh voice, "your fruit salad."

[Lauren Voltaire]

Terra's ears had noticeably flickered when she'd mentioned arson - Lauren supposed she could offer a little information so as to sate her new friend's obvious curiosity. "Let's just say that my Semblance awakened during a... formative event of my childhood and leave it at that." Speaking of wolves: "Ixnay on the 'rettypay olfieway'? Caaaaan do," she said, shooting finger guns at Terra with an eyebrow waggle.

Keid promptly arrived with their drinks, providing an easy change of subject. "♫Yummy yummy!♫" Lauren sang immediately with an exaggerated stomach rub at his proclamation before picking up her drink happily and raising it to make a toast. "To new friends and old whiskey: may we age gracefully, and taste great." She was definitely gonna have to order a round of shots of old whiskey now that she'd brought it up, but hey, the joke was worth the cost of a round of shots that went for 600-800 lien apiece.

[Felix Satou]

"Well, here's hoping that the only calls to the police are going to be for the riot demanding an encore performance after Lauren kills it with her comedy routine." Because her puns were downright criminal? That...didn't sound any better in his head, but present company didn't seem like the type to care. "Because her puns are downright criminal?" He raised his eyebrows a few times, obviously pleased with his own idiotic wordplay. It had sounded as stupid outloud as it had in his head, but that was hardly a reason to feel bad about it. It was likely just proof that it was a good pun! Not like his smile was going anywhere anytime soon. Keid had just arrived with their first round.

"Cheers, friend," he said as he retrieved his liquor. His eyes lingered on what could only have been Keid's choice of drink. It looked as colorful as he did. "Stars," he muttered at the sight of it. This had been a good decision.

He raised his glass to Lauren's toast with a nod before taking his initial sip of the sweet and sour (Mostly sweet) appletini. He swirled the contents of the glass, musing a little too loudly. "How do you know what someone tastes like?" There were a lot of options, weren't there? Raw? Cooked? Was there a specific part of them you were supposed to taste?

[Terra Fennel]

It was a story like many others, a semblance awakening during a traumatic, or in Lauren's words formative, event. What was the event in question? While her curiosity was far from sated, she certainly wasn't going to pry. Even if she had been about to the gibberish that followed moments later, sounded familiar enough but was about as clear as some of the old Mistrali words she'd heard on her travels. Terra's head tilted and her face twisted in confusion for a moment before she shook her head and brushed it off. She could trust Lauren at least wouldn't push that button intentionally.

“Thanks Keid. It certainly looks as fruity as the lot of us.” The drinks were as different as their owners, splashes of color and scent that mingled faintly with the mint of her own. She lifted her drink to Lauren's toast, a smile and an old Mistrali cheer on her lips. “Kanpai!” The taste of mint and sweet rum were refreshing and tasted better than she'd expected. It was no sake, but at least she had something she could enjoy that night. A something she damn near choked on with Felix's offhand question sending her brain rolling through the gutter. Terra covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she coughed.

[Keid Sharma]

Keid raised his glass too with a grin before he took a seat and a big sip, rolling the liquid around his mouth for a few seconds. "Oh yeah, it's good to be alive again!", he sighed as he enjoyed the pleasant burn, which had more to do with the spices than the alcohol in this drink. It still felt incredibly refreshing after such a long time — relatively long, but he wasn't going out weekly like he used to.

How weird and funny was it to describe someone as 'fruity'? "We're in the right place, then. The bartenders seem like... fruity people, too", Keid answered Terra with the somewhat fitting qualifier.

Then he heard Felix' question and mentally chastised him for his wording, though now they at least had alcohol to cope with whatever follow-up Lauren would come up with. "Ever been told 'you have good taste in women'? Turns out it's not at all figurative", Keid joked after the sip he needed to say that sentence with a straight face. Atlesian drunks probably weren't a reliable source to quote.

[Lauren Voltaire]

How do I know what someone tastes like? Oh, my sweet summer child... Lauren's mouth curled into a mischievous grin at Felix's (doomed) innocence. "L'chaim," she said quietly after Terra's own Mistralian toast.

Her intended tease of Felix ('you lick them, obviously') died in her throat as Keid's assertion about the supposed fruitiness of the bartenders caused her to snort so hard that her nose burned. Hastily swallowing, she managed to clear her mouth of liquid just in time for Keid's next comment to reach her ears, and not a moment too soon - she'd surely have choked on her drink otherwise. "If you're up for finding out exactly how literal yours is, you're welcome to take your lanterns on a little... spelunking expedition later," she told Keid once she'd got her breath back, because there was no way she was going to be outshone by anyone, even if that someone could literally outshine her.

She held up her hand for Keid to high-five, subtly adding a strong positive charge to it so that he'd get a static shock if he took the bait. She was drinking an Electric Lemonade, after all....