No interruptions this time, thanks Freddy (Private; Marick and Kyll)

The figure of the now recovered Solitaire was seated on a bench in Fiore's capital city of Crocus, his eyes looking up at the clouds above him as day began to slowly turn to night. Cities like this used to be where Marick would make a killing in poker back in the day and the temptation to take that up again was almost too much to pass on, however he remained composed on this occasion for one very simple reason; he was waiting for a certain someone.

Earlier in the day he had sent a letter via owl to a certain woman in Eclipse Soul. A woman he'd worked alongside a group of other magi to bring home and a woman who had captured his attention a long time ago, back when he was still a guildless mercenary with very little direction. A woman who apparently had mutual feelings for him, or so that Wish Demon had announced. Thus the letter was to invite Kyll Vie here to Crocus to talk and, most likely, continue where that night in the Snuggly Duckling had ended. Only this time hopefully she'd stay conscious a little longer...

Kyll walked down the alley ways of Crocus. She looked for the meeting spot, but had gotten lost. Of course no one was really helping much. Kyll sighed as she finally found her way to Marick. Kyll wondered what he brought him out to Crocus. She then remembered what she saw in the streets. Oh yes, a bar crawl. Kyll was invited to a bar crawl. She smiled happily as she walked up to the bench and waved. "Hey there Marick," Kyll said. She had remembered what the Wish Queen had said to him and the closed eyes mages cheeks turned pink. Kyll immediately pushed the feeling of affection down and her face returned to it's normal pale color. "So you invited me out for a drinking tour, here in Crocus right?"

Kyll began to wonder to herself what kind of trouble the two would get into. She even thought about playing poker with him. Though she would lose. She walked up to the bench and sat down looking up at the beautiful starry sky. "Quite odd for a city. Normally you can't see the stars in Magnolia from all of the light."

Marick got to his feet as the figure of Kyll Vie appeared from the crowds, a warm and welcoming smile stretched across his face. "Hello Kyll. I'm glad to see you've recovered well." he said softly. "So you invited me out for a drinking tour, here in Crocus right?" the lady asked him, causing the Solitaire to chuckle somewhat sheepishly. "Well...I actually invited you here for a drink but it appears I haven't done my research. The city crawl was...unexpected hehe."

As Kyll sat herself upon the bench the Rising Star decided to join her, placing his arms across the width of the back of the bench, his eyes following hers up to the sky and bouncing from star to star as he considered what to say. Thankfully the Eclipse Soul Ace spoke first. "Quite odd for a city. Normally you can't see the stars in Magnolia from all of the light." He gave a warm chuckle and sighed. "Ah yes...I remember many a night in Magnolia. The only time you can see stars is if you're on a roof somewhere away from the guildhall that resides there. There's actually a very good spot where I used to crash there back when I was a young man...I ought to take you there sometime." He suddenly realised what he said and immediately followed it up with a quick "If you'd like to take a look of course."

His eyes drifted down to the female beside him and a somewhat cheeky smile crossed his face. "So, what the wish queen said. About you holding rather dear feelings for a certain someone." he began, before remaining silent to see how the younger woman would react. Sure it was mean, but that was simply his style.

Kyll smiled as he spoke of Magnolia. He then spoke of what the queen had said to Marick. Her eyes opened revealing the glowing green irises. "O-oh really.." She said straightening her posture. Her hands curled into fists out of nervousness on the middle of her thighs. She was silent for a bit. What do I do? What do I say? It had been a long time since she was able to feel some sort of close affection to someone. Her cheeks turned extremely red. Her heart rait began to increase. "W-well... It's sort of hazy." Kyll said lying. She then took a deep breath and sighed. "Who am I kidding?" Kyll said smiling and finally closing her eyes. "It's very ironic, that a possession would have to explain my feelings for that someone. I haven't felt like this for years, I never was able to feel this way. So they were placed to the side. I thought just being a hero of the people would really help me forget, but every time I see this guy after we ran into each other the first time... I would just get nosebleeds. All the time." Kyll reached into her obi and took out her signature bloodstained handkerchief. "Now that it's gone, I completely forgot what affections really are. What it feels like to be around someone close to me." She looked over at Marick and smiled. "I guess I should ask this someone to teach me how to understand what I feel."

Kyll took in a deep breath as she began ask Marick. "Marick you have a lot of qualities I love in people: A straight forward way of speaking to people, you're kindhearted to the younger mages in your guild, but you have a strict hand as well, which goes on into the straight forward way of speaking...." Kyll looked at Marick, "But you weren't straight forward with your question to me... Which makes you a prankster and lighthearted at the right times." Kyll giggled. "And on top of that, you love to have a good time." Kyll had gone off in a tangent. She paused and was silent again. "What I'm trying to say is... Marick, I know nothing about what I feel for you. I have no clue why you would feel the same for such an ignorant fool as me. Someone who has no idea what she feels."

Marick listened intently to what Kyll had to say as he lost himself for a moment in her shining leaf-green eyes, a smile on his lips as she stated each of his traits - particularly the parts about being a prankster and knowing how to have a good time - before shaking his head at her last comment about how she didn't know how she felt or why he had feelings for her. The answer to that was all too simple. "Kyll...that makes two of us. It's...it's no secret that I've never really had a serious relationship - something I'm not exactly proud of I might add - and so these feelings I have...well, truth be told I'm as lost as you are when I think about them. I don't understand them or know exactly how I feel." His explanation wasn't great, but then again it wasn't exactly the easiest of feelings to explain. This whole scene was almost like they were schoolkids first learning about the entire 'love-game'.

"Look...I think the best way to learn how we feel is to go out tonight as planned and see what happens. We're both adults and mature enough...okay MOSTLY mature enough to accept whatever happens and whatever we learn about these feelings we have." he continued, getting to his feet and offering his arm to his date. "So...shall we?"

~~~~~

Marick entered the first bar on the street with Kyll in tow and walked straight up to the landlord without hesitation. "I'll have a bottle of your best wine please..." he began, then thought for a moment and chuckled to himself. "...and another for the lady!"

Kyll blushed at all of his remarks. Kyll smiled and went back to her closed eyes nature. Kyll took his arm and hugged in close to him. She put a hand on her nose thinking she would have a nosebleed but nothing came forward. Kyll leaned her head on his shoulder. His cologne reached her nostrils. He must have really prepared for this. The two entered a tavern with in minutes of walking. She could hear the band music as they walked through the door. The area was rather full of people. Her eyes opened wide as she looked around. The furnishings were great. She could smell the tobacco and alcohol all over the place. She could see people to the far left dancing around in circles with each other to the music. Some where stomping their feet and clapping. Kyll smiled happily looking at Marick. "For not being able to scout this place, you seem to know where I like to be the most," Kyll said with a smile.



She heard the ocarina's, flutes, guitars, violins and bodhran playing. Kyll loved every second of it. Marick led the two to the owner with in distance so that they could hear each other talk. He ordered a couple of wine bottles. Then Kyll pulled him toward a table that was near by and sat down with Marick. "Could you make mine a red wine please." The cosmic mage smiled. She then leaned in on the table and put her hands under her chin intertwining her fingers like a bridge. She looked at Marick deeply trying to keep her eyes open. "You know... You never asked me about why I keep a fox like face all the time." The bottles of wine were served onto the table then opened. The landlord placed to glasses on the table.

"Our finest selection.. Enjoy."

Kyll poured herself a glass and drank it down pretty fast, then poured another. "I have been trying to have a more 'normal' look." She poured herself another glass and smiled subconsciously closing her eyes again. "After doing this for so long, I forget so easily and can't break the habit." Kyll hoped her small talk with Marick was working.

So he was right in thinking Kyll did indeed like pubs such as the one the pair were in now. It wasn't a difficult guess considering this was almost exactly how the two of them had first met - the one exception being that Marick was not yet singing and dancing on the tables. He bowed his head and smiled in response to her statement. "Well I didn't pass out that night, so I'm more than aware of what you do and don't like. This particular pub was suggested to be by Devlyn over a year ago but I never got chance to come here after that. It's been...a busy old year." he replied before chuckling. He couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Devlyn. Maybe he'd finally found a woman of his own? Pfft, maybe. Marick chuckled to himself as he and Kyll walked towards a table and seated themselves.

"You know... You never asked me about why I keep a fox like face all the time." the Eclipse Soul mage stated, although Marick didn't have chance to say anything before two bottles of wine were placed on the table in front of them. Kyll immediately poured herself a glass and then downed it almost as quickly before pouring herself another, causing Marick to raise an eyebrow for a brief second. "I have been trying to have a more 'normal' look." She poured herself another glass and smiled subconsciously closing her eyes again. "After doing this for so long, I forget so easily and can't break the habit."

Marick nodded to show he understood before drinking a large glass of wine himself and filling his up to the very rim again. "Change is difficult no matter how large or small it may be. I've learned that from experience, although I've still a long way to go." he replied, smiling at his date before raising the glass to his lips and sipping some. After a moment he placed the glass back onto the table and grinned. "So...how many pubs do you think you'll last this time? I don't think you managed even one last time." he joked as he winked before raising the glass to his lips again. Tonight was going to be interesting one way or another and he was rather looking forward to it. The main issue was whether or not he'd have one too many to drink here and end up repeating his antics at the Snuggly Duckling. The music was certainly more than infectious enough and was easily comparable to the songs he'd often gotten up to sing to. "Also...I apologise in advance for anything I may do tonight."

Kyll looked at Marick. "Too bad the Snuggly Duckling is shut down now. There was no beer that will ever taste so good." Kyll said slowing down on the wine. "So stout... That beer so so strong too. Almost like pure alcohol." Kyll giggled. The giggles had started. "I believe you have just challenged me. I feel I could drink you under the table." Kyll smiled. The music was so enticing to her. She watched everyone dance in their festive ways. Spinning around in circles and holding their hands up. Kyll smiled as it reminded her of the festivals in Era that her mother would take her to. "Before I get too drunk to appreciate this.." She grabbed Marick's hand and led him down to the dance floor. Kyll straightened her back. She held Marick's hand then placed her opposite behind her back. She raised his hand up and walked in a circle with him.

Ahh the beer at the Snuggly Duckling. There was certainly very few places that had such a satisfying beverage as the Duckling's home brew and absolutely no beer compared to how quickly it could get a man hammered. Marick was snapped out of the thought as Kyll giggled - a beautiful sound that he'd almost completely forgotten about over the course of the past year, but one he was so happy to hear again - before stating that Marick had challenged her. He couldn't help but chuckle as she suggested she could out-drink him. "Miss Vie, I could out-drink every person in this bar put together. Yourself included." he replied cheekily.

His competitive attitude didn't last long however as he soon found himself being pulled up to the dance floor by his date. He wasn't even drunk yet...this was beginning to feel awfully familiar as he had flashbacks to Era and a certain amethyst-haired young lady over a year prior. Before he knew it he was stood opposite Kyll with a hand placed on her back and the other grasped by the young woman's opposite. "You're good...better than most people I've danced with. My toes are still untouched for starters." he said with a soft chuckle. "I'm glad you dragged me up here...I'd like to remember this in the morning as well."

Kyll smiled as Marick complimented her dancing. Kyll opened on of her eyes as if winking. "Well... When you're raised in nobility, you tend to have to learn these things." Kyll opened her other eye letting the words slip from her mouth. She then closed her eyes and smiled with a blush. "Well now, THREE people know I gave up my status." Kyll said grinning. "Just so you know, I enjoy every minute of my life like this." Kyll laughed as the song came to a close. "Thank you for this dance." Kyll said as they stood together. She tilted her head to the left. "Well I am now wondering, where did you learn to dance?" Kyll asked. I might need to slow down on the drinking a bit. Kyll thought. I might wind up bringing up all of my luggage to him.

"Well then that's two woman of noble - or in your case former noble class that I've had the privilege of dancing with. You certainly dance better than she does though." Marick replied with a warm smile, bowing as the song came to an end. "I learned to dance out of curiosity if I'm being honest. I then found that I was rather good at it and that I could find more work if I broadened my knowledge of everyday things such as dancing as much as my magic." He brought Kyll's hand up to his lips and kissed it softly as he would have done were he at a noble's ball, a cheeky grin and a wink being given towards the young lady before he began leading her back to their table. The night seemed to be starting off well and with no interruptions thus far.

"So then...after these bottles would you like to go elsewhere? Or are you quite happy here?"

As soon as his lips met her hand Kyll blushed and out of habit covered her nose with the opposite hand. Oh right, Kyll thought, My mother helped me heal myself of that issue. She slowly put her hand down realizing that she felt a bit awkward.

"Sorry," Kyll said with a nervous laugh. "Force of habit. I think you remembered the blood last time." Kyll sat down at the table and poured herself another glass. I seriously thought I was going to calm down on the drinking, but he ordered a great wine, Kyll thought. It was sweet and dry at the same time. The drink was amazing to Kyll. The drink never burned her throat and she never felt the need to stress her cheeks. She drank the glass down pretty fast. "Wine is on the top of my list of spirits. If I come across a good wine, I drink it til it's gone." Kyll said openly admitting she was a bit of a wine-o. "My mentor has this one wine he loves, it burns... so hard. Plus he doesn't drink it fast, he enjoys every minute of the torture of it."

Watching his date's free hand rush to her nose was enough to make Marick chuckle as he remembered clearly the last time the two had been together without interruption. Her nose bled like a river on that occasion. This time however there was no such display, much to Marick's relief. This wasn't the classiest bar, but the last thing they needed were questions on why there was blood everywhere.

Kyll apologised as they sat back at the table, before drinking down her wine and revealing that wine was perhaps her most preferred drink. "Well that makes two of us. I'm a renowned beer drinker but I do enjoy a good wine. Unfortunately it never lasts for very long." he replied, emptying the remainder of his bottle out into the glass as if illustrating his point. The mention of a strong, burning wine piqued the Sabertooth man's interest. "Perhaps I ought to meet this master of yours and try that wine. Might get me to slow down a little." he joked, winking before he drank down half the glass. Some could say he wasn't appreciative of the wine. The fact was though that he didn't need to keep it around long to appreciate it. He would undoubtedly have another bottle or two before the night was through.

The picture of Einrich meeting Marick went through her mind. She then thought of Zeno AND Einrich. Her outer emotions were a great mask. However, inside of her mind. She was totally not happy with this idea. Mainly because Einrich always gave her such a hard time about guys while she was under his wing. Zeno would be another thing. Especially with the two TOGETHER. Let's change the subject, Kyll thought to herself shoving the image of Einrich revealing every fear and silly memory. The more entertaining thing about this to her was how she thought of Zeno as her older brother and Einrich more like a really silly father figure.

"I want to know... What else do people do one dates?" Kyll was quite curious. She had forgotten this was actually her first actual date. Kyll was hoping that she wasn't putting out any hints of her luggage. Maybe I'm giving him too much credit. I mean it's not like we didn't go out... Well... not much... Kyll thought to herself.

It seemed as if his comment about meeting Kyll's master hit a little bit of a sore spot as she immediately changed the subject to something else. Unfortunately her chosen topic wasn't exactly one that would be much better as Marick suddenly found himself backed into a corner. Her question was a good one that was for sure, and Marick wasn't one hundred percent sure how to answer it. I...have no idea. I've not ever 'dated'....but I can't tell Kyll that. I don't think it'd go down all too well... His hand moved from his glass to the back of his neck as he scratched it nervously. For a man who was an amazing card player, his poker-face just went clean out of the window in a split second.

"I...I've kinda been out of the dating game for a long time. Your guess is as good as mine." he replied sheepishly, trying desperately to hide his lie. Why was it so difficult to keep a straight face when talking to this woman? Whatever the reason, it had made a good evening into a tough situation. "Well...we could go to another bar or something? There's bound to be various things happening down the street what with it being the event it is today. Shall we go take a look?"[/color]