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Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalynne]

Postby Freezair » 12/15/2015 8:10 PM

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((Sooo... about that title? Yeah, I couldn't think of anything good. WOO!))


It was a perfectly warm and pleasant December evening, and that was just the way Amsterdam liked it.

He sat seemingly by himself along a seaside bar, sipping his Mai Tai and ignoring the world around him. A fire pit crackled off in the distance, challenging the sunset to see how red it could get, and while the fire put warmth at his back, the breeze off the ocean was cool. It was agreeable. Definitely agreeable. Having grown up in the miserable cold of Lambastia, Amsterdam enjoyed being able to stick his hands (or paws, depending on the situation) out in the winter.

But although he was by himself, he chatted animatedly.

"No, I can't say I agree," he said to seemingly no one. "Well, you have to understand, it's a world that's been experiencing thee severe seasonal changes since the beginning. The life on the planet, especially the plant life, probably evolved to adapt to this. ...Yes, Bell, I know it's fantasy, but that doesn't change that magic doesn't necessarily have to be involved..."

I'm so cool (too bad I'm a loser).
I'm so smart (too bad I can't get anything figured out)!
I'm so brave (too bad I'm a baby).
I'm so fly
That's probably why it feels just like I'm falling for the first time!

I'm so green (it's really amazing).
I'm so clean (too bad I can't get all the dirt off of me)!
I'm so sane (It's driving me crazy)!
It's so strange
I can't believe I'm falling for the first time!

Critters -Ramblings - Single & Looking -Majikul Wishlist -This Stuff's Important

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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Isalynne » 12/15/2015 8:29 PM

Image

Niamh was.. confused, to put it lightly.

See, there she was, without Daimhin's company for once in a very long while. The weather was more than pleasant down on the coast, with the unique sands and all that. Beautiful. However, that wasn't her reason for visiting the bar - she just wanted to try some fruity cocktails. While on her third, something tasting distinctively of pineapple and coloured some kind of orange, she heard someone talking near to her.

At first she'd assumed she was being addressed, but on turning her head, she discovered a guy chatting to what appeared to be thin air. Huh? Unwilling to trust her own mind at that moment, she gave her glass a very stern look, as if scolding it for muddling her brain. The conversation continued. The alcohol flowing through her system did wonders to make her more daring, so with an awkward half-wave, she endeavored to get the stranger's attention.

"Hey. Hiya." Nevermind looking about twelve, she didn't even sound old enough to be anywhere near a bar. "Not meaning to disturb you, but.. who you talkin' to?"
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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Freezair » 12/15/2015 9:54 PM

"Hmm?"

Amsterdam's eyes darted to the side. A fairly young-looking lady was approaching him--barely in her twenties, if that, he guessed--and she was certainly upfront about things. Directly asking him about Bell. Most people were too afraid to inquire directly, but she pulled no punches.

"And how many of these lovely drinks have you had tonight, hmm?" he asked, his tone measured. He sipped a bit of his own. "I've had two, but one of them was merely a nonalcoholic fruit punch blend. I can tell you've had something stronger, however. But so have I."

I'm so cool (too bad I'm a loser).
I'm so smart (too bad I can't get anything figured out)!
I'm so brave (too bad I'm a baby).
I'm so fly
That's probably why it feels just like I'm falling for the first time!

I'm so green (it's really amazing).
I'm so clean (too bad I can't get all the dirt off of me)!
I'm so sane (It's driving me crazy)!
It's so strange
I can't believe I'm falling for the first time!

Critters -Ramblings - Single & Looking -Majikul Wishlist -This Stuff's Important

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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Isalynne » 12/16/2015 9:24 AM

Niamh took a moment to wonder if she should've been offended by his words. He didn't look like he was being nasty, but admittedly she wasn't in any kind of state to be able to tell. While not wasted, she was.. merry. Merry enough to brush it off with a lopsided grin.

"Not that many, I'll have you know. Nooot as many as I plan to have!" She giggled, taking another sip from her glass and failing to disguise her impulsive grimace as the burn of the alcohol hit the back of her throat. That was the worst part. Eugh. "'m sorry, I thought you were talking to me for a minute there, so I did."

You know what, maybe she was missing something. Squinting, she looked closer at the spaces around him, endeavouring to find even the smallest sign of company. If Daimhin was here, she would've scolded her for being drunk and disorderly. Good thing she wasn't!
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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Freezair » 12/16/2015 2:28 PM

Amsterdam shook his head. "I assure you, I meant no disruption to your celebratory activities. I was merely engaging in some lively conversation with my friend Bellisario. I'm sure you're aware of the popular TV show 'The Sport of Kings?' He finds the show's central conceit, that of a world where seasons last for years, most unbelievable. I can't say I agree, but despite being such good friends, we rarely agree on everything." He held out his hand, almost as if he meant to introduce this friend. However, the seat behind him was decidedly empty. So was the seat in front of him. No one else was visible in his little bubble.  

He sipped a bit of his own drink while looking at her. "You should be careful in your consumption, you know. They always tell people to drink responsibly, after all. I know that this place offers shuttle services back to hotels, if you happen to be here as part of a tour..."

I'm so cool (too bad I'm a loser).
I'm so smart (too bad I can't get anything figured out)!
I'm so brave (too bad I'm a baby).
I'm so fly
That's probably why it feels just like I'm falling for the first time!

I'm so green (it's really amazing).
I'm so clean (too bad I can't get all the dirt off of me)!
I'm so sane (It's driving me crazy)!
It's so strange
I can't believe I'm falling for the first time!

Critters -Ramblings - Single & Looking -Majikul Wishlist -This Stuff's Important

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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Isalynne » 12/16/2015 2:46 PM

Not even halfway through Amsterdam's explanation, Niamh was totally lost. TV shows weren't really her bag, but each to their own! Bit of an interesting thing to discuss at a bar, mind you. She shouldn't judge everyone by her own mindless standards - there was such thing as being eloquent while ingesting alcohol. Very impressive of him. Wait, what was going on again?

"I can't see him. Is he invisible?" She quirked a brow. It probably wasn't a question a normal person would have asked, but with her select experience, it seemed more than reasonable. "I gots a friend, so I do, and she's a weird watery gal and sometimes she don't wanna be seen. Yeah? So like. Is he a shy person?"

The comment about drinking responsibly made her laugh heartily, enough to wobble on her feet.

"Now you sound like my friend."
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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Freezair » 12/16/2015 6:24 PM

Amsterdam raised an eyebrow right back. For the first time since she'd approached him, he didn't take his regular sip out of his drink. Instead, he leaned over the counter and twisted his head around to look at her. There was something curious and appraising in his look.

"That's an interesting line of questioning," he said. "Asking me if my friend is invisible. Most people, you know, they wouldn't ask if my friend was invisible. No, they'd ask me if I was crazy. They would assume that a person talking with seemingly no recipient was babbling to himself. This alternative line of questioning implies some interesting things about you in the way it differs from the norm. Perhaps you possess some sort of spiritual sight that allows you to percieve things others don't, so the concept of people being in touch with the spirits surrounding them seems normal to you. Or perhaps you've spoken with the spirits yourself at some point. Or perhaps you yourself enjoy a rousing chat with yourself and recognize that it is not necessarily a symptom of a diseased mind. Yes, you present many fascinating possibilities." Finally, he took his sip again, staring at her--not necessarily with intensity. There was something dreamy and distant in his eyes.

I'm so cool (too bad I'm a loser).
I'm so smart (too bad I can't get anything figured out)!
I'm so brave (too bad I'm a baby).
I'm so fly
That's probably why it feels just like I'm falling for the first time!

I'm so green (it's really amazing).
I'm so clean (too bad I can't get all the dirt off of me)!
I'm so sane (It's driving me crazy)!
It's so strange
I can't believe I'm falling for the first time!

Critters -Ramblings - Single & Looking -Majikul Wishlist -This Stuff's Important

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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Isalynne » 12/16/2015 6:41 PM

It was always nice to have someone to talk to, but he was going way too fast for her drink-addled mind to handle! Consequently, she had to take quite a considerable amount of time after he'd finished talking to decipher his line of thought. Niamh was not an unintelligent person, but this was more complex than anything she usually encountered while enjoying a cocktail. Fascinating possibilities? That was kind of him - a lot of people just boxed her up as a weird drunk.

"I don't think talkin' to yerself is all that bad! No, sir. I do that sometimes when I'm feeling a bit lonely and Daimhin isn't around." Perhaps said person would be a bit upset by Niamh divulging her name to a complete stranger, but that was the last thing on her mind in the moment. "She's.. a nymph, all spirit like, and she's not too social. And - and people always laugh at me when I talk to her and they can't see her! But she's as real as anythin', I swear, she pinches me hard enough."

Her own anecdote made her laugh again, this time enough for her to spill a tiny bit of her cocktail onto the sand. Shrugging, she simply drained the rest of the glass to solve the problem and placed it, empty, on the bar.
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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Freezair » 12/17/2015 2:13 AM

Amsterdam was quiet.

He wasn't speaking spontaneously. Most people really did assume he was crazy--and it was awfully tiring having to explain that no, he wasn't crazy. Not any more. It was a topic he tried to avoid where possible.

But here was someone who not only jumped straight to the invisible friend explanation, they also apparently had one themselves. Sure, she probably hadn't come by her friend the same way he had. But she knew where he was coming from all the same.

Of course, the possibility that she was pulling his leg entered his mind as well. But he tried not to trust that suspicion. After all, if she was, he reasoned, she wouldn't have started with the "invisible" line of questioning.

"I'm surprised to see that someone else out there has experience in the realm of invisible friends," Amsterdam said, his voice somewhat cagey. "It's a subject that often earns me scorning looks. Yet here you are, walking up and talking to me about it as if it's the most normal thing in the world. You must know a fair deal about the subject, to speak of it with such confidence in public."

I'm so cool (too bad I'm a loser).
I'm so smart (too bad I can't get anything figured out)!
I'm so brave (too bad I'm a baby).
I'm so fly
That's probably why it feels just like I'm falling for the first time!

I'm so green (it's really amazing).
I'm so clean (too bad I can't get all the dirt off of me)!
I'm so sane (It's driving me crazy)!
It's so strange
I can't believe I'm falling for the first time!

Critters -Ramblings - Single & Looking -Majikul Wishlist -This Stuff's Important

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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Isalynne » 12/17/2015 11:11 AM

Deciding that this was something that needed to be discussed with more stability, Niamh hopped up onto one of the bar stools. Wobbling around the place would do nothing for her credibility in the conversation, especially now it sounded a tad more serious. It took a lot of effort to get comfortable with her short stature, and she kept one hand on the bar to keep herself from swaying.

"I dabble. I spend a lotta my time in a bar where there's all sorts of folk. That's where I met me Daimhin, actually." She explained unabashedly, barely concerned whether or not exposing the club was a good idea or not. He didn't look like a slayer type. Looks could be deceiving.. oh, bother, it didn't matter at that moment. "So I ain't one to disbelieve ya if you say you've got an invisible friend. I've sure got one!"

There was something of kindness in her expression while she spoke. Okay, maybe she looked a bit wacky with her pastel hair and her curved horns, not someone that would usually be considered trustworthy, but she spoke in earnest. Despite being demonkind, she could at least vouch for her own honestly.

"You wanna talk about it?"
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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Freezair » 12/17/2015 3:25 PM

If she'd been trying to pull the wool over his eyes, he'd figured she would'be backed off once he accused her of being an expert in invisible friends. But, no. She was serious. So serious, she'd decided to sit down and take her wobbling legs out of the equation. Amsterdam tapped his tie and smiled.

"Bellesario doesn't often ask me to talk to others on his behalf," Amsterdam admitted, folding his hands in his lap. He opens up to me, but he rarely shows interest in other people. I'll have to consult with him before I can proceed."

Amsterdam held his pose for a moment, silent and still. His eyes closed, then opened suddenly.

"Well, well," he said, sounding pleasantly surprised in a cool way. "Bell seems to like you. 'You should have a chat with her,' he said. He seems to think that you might be able to offer me some insights that I need."

He drained the last of his drink. "Alright, then. With the blessing of my own friend... which of us should start?"

I'm so cool (too bad I'm a loser).
I'm so smart (too bad I can't get anything figured out)!
I'm so brave (too bad I'm a baby).
I'm so fly
That's probably why it feels just like I'm falling for the first time!

I'm so green (it's really amazing).
I'm so clean (too bad I can't get all the dirt off of me)!
I'm so sane (It's driving me crazy)!
It's so strange
I can't believe I'm falling for the first time!

Critters -Ramblings - Single & Looking -Majikul Wishlist -This Stuff's Important

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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Isalynne » 12/17/2015 9:07 PM

Niamh was more than happy to let Amsterdam consult his friend first - if she'd gone introducing Daimhin to anyone without her permission, there would have been hell to pay! So, she took the moment to call to the bartender and order herself another drink. This time, something fruity but decidedly non-alcoholic. She wouldn't miss that silly burning in her throat.

"Hey, great! You could tell Bell that I'm sure he's a mighty fine chap too.. or I could just tell him meself!" Bell must have been able to hear the conversation to know what was going on, after all. "Bell, I bet you're a mighty fine sorta chap. I like your friend here."

The thought of being the first to speak about her experiences made her sit up very straight and adjust her top for some reason. Most likely an unconscious mimicking of the tapping of his tie. Without even telling him that she wanted to start, she dived into her story.

"So, my friend. She's old, ya know, really old. She's.. a nymph? But all ghost-like, and a lot of the time she hides away from people because they don't take too kindly to her spookin' about the place, you see? So I gotta talk to her when other people can't see her. But I know she's there. You can feel them, so you can. It's just that some people can feel 'em better than others, is what I think!"
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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Freezair » 12/18/2015 3:25 AM

Amsterdam smiled at her drink order. "Excellent. I was just thinking you looked like you could use a slightly less stiff drink. One for myself as well, I think. Bartender?" He didn't shout, and he spoke the title of the bartender surprisingly quietly. "One virgin strawberry daquiri." He paused. "No, Bell, I disagree. A non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri is far more than just strawberry limeade. The chilling of the glass is a crucial part of the equation. A splash of cream soda provides the necessary body. Certainly, you could call it strawberry limeade, but I find many cocktails are just as much about the presentation."

His head snapped towards her with an almost mechanical quality. "By the way. Bell thanks you for the compliment."

He waited to continue until the bartender slid him his drink, brimming over with chunks of deliciously crushed strawberry over a mound of snowy ice. Amsterdam scooped up the strawberry on top with his tongue alone and chewed it thoughtfully. "Despite what appearances may suggest, I'm not actually particularly sensitive to spirits," Amsterdam admitted. "I can sense them if they make themselves known, but when they want to hide, they hide. My good friend's nephew built a device that lets one see spirits. Wears it like a monocle. Handy device."

He sipped at the drink, his lips already turning red. "No, Bellesario is... different." His eyes wavered for a moment, and he was quiet. If this girl had anything else to say about her friend, he'd let her, first.

I'm so cool (too bad I'm a loser).
I'm so smart (too bad I can't get anything figured out)!
I'm so brave (too bad I'm a baby).
I'm so fly
That's probably why it feels just like I'm falling for the first time!

I'm so green (it's really amazing).
I'm so clean (too bad I can't get all the dirt off of me)!
I'm so sane (It's driving me crazy)!
It's so strange
I can't believe I'm falling for the first time!

Critters -Ramblings - Single & Looking -Majikul Wishlist -This Stuff's Important

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Freezair
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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Isalynne » 12/18/2015 1:01 PM

Niamh may typically have been annoyed with someone checking up on her drinking habits, but Amsterdam seemed like a pleasant guy. He didn't sound like he meant anything mean by telling her that she should perhaps lay off the booze for a bit. It was pretty wise if she wanted him to take her seriously. When the bartender brought her drink over, she took a long hard look at it - it was very yellow, if that was anything to go by. Oh well. She couldn't knock it until she'd tried it.

"Hmm." While she was listening to his explanation, she took a little sip just to taste, and was pleasantly surprised. Yummy! Passionfruit and orange and something a little bit minty too! All the taste with none of the unpleasant sting of alcohol. Marvellous. Niamh would have to make a habit of this.

"Yeah, I getcha. They can be tricky things. I don't know how I actually saw Daimhin - she told me I was predis.. predep.. prone to seeing her sort." Long words were tricky with a drunken tongue.

Different? Huh. That was something else entirely, then, a field she didn't necessarily know much about. Even so, she could still offer a chat if he wanted one! The whole thing about people being rude or judgemental about his apparent speaking to thin air made her think that he needed contact from someone who wouldn't think him odd.

"D'you wanna talk about how he's different? Sorry, Bell, I don't like to talk about ye like you ain't here but it's a bit awkward."
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Re: Imaginary Friend Buddies at a Seaside Bar [Me and Isalyn

Postby Freezair » 12/18/2015 8:42 PM

Amsterdam let out a sigh. He admitted he didn't often let his guard down. But, then again, this girl seemed to understand. She seemed like she'd dealt with the funny looks and the jeering words too. But being teased for talking to someone invisible was one thing. What he'd went through... he didn't know many people who would understand that.

"To tell you the truth... my closest experience with spirits has been... possession. Of a sort. I don't know if you're familiar with an old movie called The Roraldian Candidate, are you? Jack Dextria--Ol' Green Eyes himself--plays a Purine soldier who is captured during one of the many Imperial-Purine wars. He believes he has escaped back to Barakka unharmed, but is plagued by recurring nightmares. Only later does he realize..."

Amsterdam downed his totally-not-strawberry-limeade in one solid, booming gulp.

"He's been brainwashed. A certain hypnotic trigger--the Ace of Hearts playing card--causes him to become an assassin. Well, really it causes him to blindly obey the next suggestion he's given with no memory of doing so, but the suggestions are for assassinations. Widely regarded as a classic, although the original novel it was based on is sometimes called into question for its allegations of plagiarism."

He stared into the bar.

"It wasn't Lambastia who used to do it. Not exactly. But close. And it wasn't hypnotism they used. It was demonic possession. But it was close."

Amsterdam's eyes trailed off to the back of the bar, where the drink bottles were arranged more for aesthetic effect than the convenience of the bartender. He was silent.

I'm so cool (too bad I'm a loser).
I'm so smart (too bad I can't get anything figured out)!
I'm so brave (too bad I'm a baby).
I'm so fly
That's probably why it feels just like I'm falling for the first time!

I'm so green (it's really amazing).
I'm so clean (too bad I can't get all the dirt off of me)!
I'm so sane (It's driving me crazy)!
It's so strange
I can't believe I'm falling for the first time!

Critters -Ramblings - Single & Looking -Majikul Wishlist -This Stuff's Important

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