Armin shrugged slightly. 'It's just a suggestion. If you can't come up with anything else to do, then at least you have that option to fall back on.'

He gazed up and down the street as they walked, seemingly lost in thought. It was fully dark now, the road illuminated by the soft glow of streetlamps.

'Hey, do you just want to get on with your shopping, or do you have time for a drink? I was thinking of hitting the bar anyway.'

{Dianne smiles and shrugs.}

Dianne: “Sure, I have time for a round. Lead the way.”

Looking pleased, Armin headed onto a neighbouring street, where a small bar called 'The Sunken Ship' could be seen. There didn't seem to be many people inside. 'This place is pretty quiet,' he said as he led the way into the bar. 'I usually come here with Rex, and nobody's given us any trouble for being vampires before. It's quite nice to be treated like everyone else.'

He started looking around for a place to sit.

{Dianne eyed the place, looking amused.}

Dianne: Not all that popular, is it? Well, so long as the drinks are good, that really doesn’t matter.”

'They /are/ good,' said Armin. 'I have no idea why it's so quiet.' Spotting a vacant table, he went over and sat down, waiting for a staff member to notice him. 'Huh, this brings back memories... didn't we first talk to each other in a bar, back in Shacklestone?'

{Dianne gives an evil grin as she sits.}

Dianne: “Yes, we did. However, you seem more invested in your...little guest than you were with talking with me and Jerry.”

*Seemed

Armin huffed out a sigh and eyed Dianne with exasperation. 'Oh, come on. Yes, I was talking to a fourteen-year-old girl in a bar, and I know it must've looked bad, but I'm not a creeper. And I'm pretty sure you know that.'

{Dianne chuckles nastily at Armin’s response.}
Dianne: “Ok, but she was clearly underage, so how did she even get in to the establishment? And, in all seriousness, what was with your face? You had on this creepy smug/pleased look that just...ugh...Can you explain that to me?”

'OK, here's the story,' said Armin. 'I was on my way to the bar, and noticed this girl standing on the street just outside, waiting for her parents to take her home. It was dark outside, and Shacklestone's a dangerous place after dark. I didn't want her to get brutally murdered or anything, so I asked her if she wanted to wait in the bar with me, instead of out on the street. Also, I was /not/ wearing an expression like that.'

{Dianne sat and listened to the story, but she didn’t look convinced.}
Dianne: “Ok, that sounds reasonable, but why wait this long to tell me that? And Armin, do I need to resurrect Magnus, pull him away from his family, just so he’ll tell you that you were making a creepy face?”

While they were talking, a staff member approached their table and asked if they wanted anything. Armin ordered himself a bottle of the strongest whisky they had, then turned back to Dianne.

'I never really had time to explain until now. Besides, you never asked for the whole story, you just assumed I was being creepy. And I bet Magnus would stick up for me if he were here. He and I got along pretty well.'

{Dianne ordered a glass of bourbon, then turned back to Armin.}

Dianne: “Yes, you did get along. That’s why he’d tell you the truth, that you were making a psychotic face.”

The bartender left to get their drinks, while Armin just stared at Dianne with a long-suffering expression.

'I was not,' he said. 'And I'm not gonna change that answer, no matter how many times you bring it up.'

{Dianne smiles and shakes her head.}
Dianne: “Whatever you say, Armin. You might not change your response, but I’ll never let you live it down.”
{Dianne looks around the bar curiously.}

Dianne: “Nice little place here. I wonder why it’s deserted.”

Armin looked around as well, seeming relieved at the change in subject. 'It only opened a couple of weeks ago, so maybe it'll gain popularity over time. It definitely deserves more customers.'

The bartender returned with their drinks, setting them down on the table. Armin paid him, muttering a thank-you.

{Dianne thanks the server, then sips her drink.}

Dianne: "Oh, it just opened? I guess that explains it."

{Dianne takes a moment to contemplate something.}

Dianne: "Tell me, have you heard the legend of Triticum's Tavern?"

Armin opened his bottle of whisky and poured about half of it out into a glass, taking a small sip. 'No, I haven't. What's that?'

{Dianne eyed, Armin's glass before continuing.}

Dianne: "Well, Triticum is an Akhetian, like Lucci. Wait, I don't think that means anything to you...Anyway, he's the creator of the Akhetian Ale you sampled at the party last month."

'He's the one who created that liquor that's designed to get non-humans drunk?' said Armin. 'Huh, that's interesting. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I remember you mentioning his name before.'

{Dianne takes a sip before continuing.}

Dianne: "Yes. Long ago, when the Akhetians first came to our plane of existence, Triticum was curious about the people who inhabited this world. He took a special interest in the more festive activities of the people, and thus became a brewer of ales. He opened a tavern of his own, unveiling his Akhetian Ale for the first time."

'I'll bet his tavern became really popular once everyone found out,' Armin commented. 'Especially the non-humans. They must've thought it was amazing, someone finally making a liquor that actually affects them.'

Dianne: "It was. People from all over the land came to try his brews. It had a line damn near a mile long. And the best part? Because Triticum had no real use for money, his drinks were both the best in the land and dirt cheap."

'Hm, I like the sound of that,' said Armin, sounding amused. 'I can only imagine the size of the crowds that must have gathered around that place... What happened to him? Is he still around somewhere?'

Dianne: "Well, once the Akhetians withdrew from this world, Triticum had to go with them. So, to commemorate his departure, he had one last party, where he gave away barrels of his ales. Then, he left. Vanished like the breeze. What was left of his liquors skyrocketed in price, the wealthy hoarded those barrels for years, and Triticum was never seen again."

'So, there's probably not many of them left now,' said Armin thoughtfully. 'That's a shame. Do /you/ have any?'

Dianne: "As a matter of fact, I do. I have a bottle of Dragon's Fire, handed out from that very party. I was kinda depressed at the time so I went to get completely wasted...But, I woke up that morning in the middle of the woods, with a skull splitting headache, only one shoe, and that bottle in my hand, unopened and pristine."

Armin took a long drink from his whisky, contemplating that peculiar mental image. 'Do you have any idea what happened?' he asked. 'Because that's a heII of a strange thing to wake up to.'

{Dianne laughs an takes another sip of her drink.}
Dianne: "Nope, not a clue. That whole night is blank for me. Now, the party was outdoors, so it wouldn't be too far fetched for me to have gotten drunk, wandered outside the city, and passed out in the woods. I have no idea what happened to my shoe, though."

'Well,' said Armin, 'at least you didn't drink the Dragon's Fire that night. It would have been a waste of good alcohol. Though, just how long are you planning to save that bottle for? If you've still got it now, then you've been hoarding it for ages.'

Dianne: "Well, it's both an investment and a part of my treasure hoard. With every passing year, it gets even more valuable, as more and more of Triticum's ales are either consumed, destroyed, or lost. Plus, mine is from that legendary party, making it even more valuable. Last I checked, it was appraised for....ten million if I recall correctly."

Armin whistled. 'That's... a lot. I'm surprised no-one's stolen it from you yet... though, I suppose they'd have to be pretty stupid to try.' He grinned and took another sip of his drink.

Dianne: “Most people don’t even know I have it. And if anyone tried to steal it, I would hunt them down and slaughter them.”

{She added with a smile.}

“The appraiser I showed it to five years ago tried to convince me to put it on auction. When I refused, he was practically hanging off my ankles, trying to keep me from walking out. The commission alone would have made him rich. But, I came for an appraisal only, not to sell it. Poor fella...pretty sure Sargon killed him...

'So you still have it, and it gets more valuable every year,' said Armin thoughtfully. He then let out a small laugh. 'I bet almost no-one actually /drinks/ these ales anymore. They just get passed around, from one rich person to another. Like trophies.'

Dianne: “Yes, that seems to be the case. Most people just have them as symbols of their wealth. However, you and I had some at the party, so some people clearly do drink them.”

'It's a shame more people don't drink them,' Armin remarked. 'Alcohol that good shouldn't just be kept in a cellar for eternity.'

While he was talking, the bar door swung open to reveal a familiar figure. It was Ivy, accompanied by a young man with black hair and glasses. They made their way towards a nearby table and sat down, chatting enthusiastically. Ivy didn't seem to have noticed Dianne or Armin yet.

{Dianne gave a surprised look, then grinned evilly at Armin, subtly motioning towards Ivy and her date.}

Armin turned his head to look around, then smiled when he spotted the newcomers. 'Oh, look. It's Ivy and her latest victim,' he said, just loudly enough to carry across the room.

Upon hearing her name, Ivy whipped around, scanning the room for the source of the voice. When her eyes landed on Armin and Dianne's table, she looked annoyed for a moment; then her face split into a crafty grin.

'Oh, isn't that adorable,' she retaliated. 'The bloodsucker and the crazy dragon are having drinks together. Are you two on a date?'

{Dianne just laughs at the notion.}

Dianne: “Of course not. Armin doesn’t /like/ me. This here? This is a gesture of peace. But, /you/ look to be dating. You want to introduce us to your little friend?”

Armin's eyes flickered towards Dianne for a split second before returning to Ivy.

'Yes, tell us who this sad loser is,' he suggested, taking another sip of his drink and smirking.

Ivy beamed. 'This is Martin, and we met sometime last week! This is actually our third date already. It's been going great so far, hasn't it, Martin?'

The dark-haired man eyed Armin and Dianne with mild confusion, probably trying to figure out why Ivy knew them. 'Yeah, it's been going great,' he said quickly.

Dianne: “Hello, Martin, I’m Dianne. It’s nice to meet you.”

{Dianne offers her hand to shake, looking the man in the eyes.}

Martin hesitated, then stretched out his hand to shake Dianne's. 'So, uh, are you two friends of Ivy's, or...?'

{Dianne shook his hand firmly, smiling sweetly.}

Dianne: “Yes, we are. We’re all Shacklestone refugees. I must say, three dates in a week. That sounds intense.”

'Yes, well... we've been getting along really well, like Ivy said...' Martin began. 'And since I can afford all these dates, why not have them?'

'Ha!' said Armin, loudly and suddenly. 'Ivy, I get it now. You're only dating him because he's freaking rich.'

{Dianne glanced over at Armin, then to Ivy, then back to Martin.}

Dianne: “Oh, so you’ve been footing the bills so far? My, such a gentleman. So, what do you two talk about? What is it that you have in common?”

Ivy was the one who answered this time. 'We have /loads/ in common! We both like the same movies, and we both like going for long walks, and we both like expensive stuff...'

Armin finished his glass of whisky, eyeing Ivy with amusement. 'Well, who knows. Maybe you'll surprise me and this relationship will last longer than a month.'

{Dianne raised a brow, looking rather unconvinced. She then turns back to Martin.}

Dianne: “So, Martin, what’s your profession? What do you do for a living?”

'I help my father out with his business,' said Martin. 'He's a used-car salesman. Someday, I'll be taking over the business myself.'

'Are you done /interrogating/ us yet?' said Ivy, sounding rather grumpy. 'I'm here on a /date,/ thank you very much.'

{Dianne turns to Ivy, a sarcastically offended look on her face.}

Dianne: “Interrogation? Why, my dear, I am simply making conversation with this fine, young gentleman. Well, Martin, that is a fine profession, and I wish you good fortune in that endeavor.”

'Thank you,' said Martin uncertainly.

Ivy scowled for a moment, then - with obvious effort - forced a smile onto her face. 'So, how have you two been lately?' she said sweetly. 'It's lovely to see you talking again. I was starting to worry that you never would after what happened last week.'

{Dianne matched Ivy’s smile.}

Dianne: “Yes, well, we’re both adults, so we settled our differences as such. So, here we are, having a nice time as friends and enjoying a few drinks.”

'Well, that's lovely,' said Ivy, still smiling. 'I'm very happy for both of you. I just hope you're not jealous that my life is so much more interesting than yours.'

'What?' Armin exclaimed. 'Ivy, you're like a discount Anastasia, fawning over people in hopes of getting some attention. What part of your life should I be jealous of?'

'Oh, I don't know. The fact that I'm popular? I have a love life? I don't sit at home doing nothing all day?'

{Dianne looked mildly bewildered at that statement.}

Dianne: “Jealous? Of you? Sweetie, how many drinks have you had? First off, popularity is shallow and overrated, secondly, you know my stance on love lives, and third, I have a lot to keep me occupied, and so does Armin. We don’t envy you in the slightest.”

'The only thing I envy about you,' said Armin, 'is that you're apparently too stupid to realise that A) your life isn't perfect and B) not everybody likes you. It must be nice, being so oblivious.' He drank some more whisky while Ivy glowered at him, unable to think of a comeback.

'...Yeah, whatever,' she said at last. 'Can we just go back to our date now?'

Dianne: “We were never stopping you. You could go back to it at any time. Or, are you just opposed to our presence here?”

'Well, I won't deny that seeing you two lurking in the background is kind of ruining the mood... but it doesn't matter! I'll just ignore you.' With an air of finality, Ivy turned away and started trying to get the attention of a nearby waiter.

Armin just shook his head, looking amused. 'You like picking fights but can't handle it when people fight back, huh, Ivy?'

Dianne: “Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it. Anyway, Armin what were we discussing before?”

'Akhetian alcohol,' Armin replied. He glanced down at his empty whisky bottle with a faintly surprised expression. 'Speaking of which, I need to get some more of this.' He telepathically summoned a staff member over and asked for another bottle.

Ivy just turned her attention to her date, ordering some food and drinks and beginning a conversation with Martin.

Dianne: “Ah, yes, Triticum. Actually, there have been rumors that Triticum has returned, but, by some cruel trick of the divines, he was forced to set up his tavern on a lonely, snow capped mountain in a desolate region of the world. Only the most daring adventurers could hope to reach him.”

'Hm, I wonder if that's true,' said Armin thoughtfully. 'If I knew his tavern actually existed, I'm sure I'd be willing to take the risk and fly up a snow-ravaged mountain to visit it. But it's probably just a story somebody made up.'

Dianne: “Well, the only being who would know for sure is in town right now. Couldn’t hurt to ask Lucci, right? Tell me, the cold can’t kill a vampire, right? So, you could get up a snowy mountain without any issue, right?”

Armin nodded slowly, taking a sip of his drink. 'Yes, I should definitely ask Lucci about it the next time I see him. I don't like the cold much, but it wouldn't kill me... so I could definitely get up a snowy mountain, no problem.'

{Dianne grimaces slightly.}

Dianne: "Yeah, the cold really doesn't agree with me...I kinda hate it. Winter in colder regions of the world is just pure pain for me. Luckily, I have winter armor so...I guess I'd be ok."

'That's not too surprising. I wouldn't have expected a dragon to like cold weather much,' said Armin. 'Us vampires... well, we can't get frostbite or hypothermia, so I'd be OK, though I'd probably complain the whole way there. I'm used to this country's milder climate.'

{Dianne chuckles.}
Dianne: “Ok, but if we do this trip, don’t be surprised if I gag you and drag you up the mountain, ‘cause I’m not historically good with whining.”

'I'll try to keep the whining to a minimum,' said Armin, smirking. 'Alright, so we'll ask Lucci about this. And if it turns out to be true, then we'll fly to the mountain, find Triticum's tavern, and bring back as many bottles of liquor as we can carry. I quite like the idea of having a personal stock of it.'

{Dianne raises her glass to Armin.}

Dianne: “Sounds like a plan. The guy’s so intrusive, so I doubt we’ll go long without seeing him.”

Armin raised his glass as well, before downing the contents in one go.

'Well, I'm gonna head off for now,' he announced, pushing the empty glass aside. 'You probably have other stuff you want to do tonight, so I won't keep you talking any longer.'

{Dianne stood, finished her drink, and grinned.}

“Yeah, I have some more shopping to do. This was nice, Armin. Thank you for the good time.”

'Thank you, too,' said Armin, standing up and adjusting his jacket, ready to leave. 'It was cool to hear the story about Triticum. With any luck, we'll soon be embarking on an expedition to find him.'

Dianne: "Hopefully. I miss that big lug. Friendliest barkeep you'll ever meet. That is, so long as you follow his rules."

{Dianne takes a moment to consider something.}

Dianne: "Huh, y'know, if he is here, I could set up a supply chain with him and sell his ales down here."

'He'd probably appreciate that,' said Armin. 'He'd finally get the chance to distribute his ales around the world again. If he really does live on a frozen mountain, then I doubt many people have ever found him there.'

Dianne: “Yeah, I think he would. He always intended for his brews to be enjoyed, so by not drinking them, it defeats their purpose. But, people don’t drink them because they’re so scarce.”

(Posted a new room, this one's lagging on my DS.)