Third Drink | Video | Day 97

[justrunsasaloon]

[Ellen doesn't look real happy. She's not, but normally she's a bit better at hiding it.]

New batch is out of the still but it's weaker than the last one. If anyone wants a bottle, stop by and pick it up.

[She sips water out of a glass. She's got other things to say.]

We're going to need things to run through the still. Rice, oats, cornmeal, frozen fruit, anything that can be run through the still.

If you find anything in the forest, dandelions can be used to make wine, too.

[She almost turns it off, but stops for a second.]

Also, got a haunch of venison, if anyone's willin' to trade for it.

Comments

[bluesrat]

[His eyebrows rise, but he's got the sense not to ask. Rat does watch her thoughtfully, though, long fingers moving on the strings again. Strumming slowly, he starts with a hum and plays.]

You better come on, in my kitchen, 'cause it's going to be raining outdoors...

[justrunsasaloon]

[Ellen actually knows this one and hums along. She can barely carry a tune in a bucket, but that doesn’t matter to her right now. It’s not quite a bar, or home, without music. She doesn’t care if it’s live or on the jukebox.  
When
When dinner is done, she dishes him up a huge plate in thanks.]  

Here, thank you.

[bluesrat]

[Just because Rat is an excellent musician doesn't mean he expects that of others. He's just as happy to have an audience who wants to hum with him. When the song's done, he fiddles with tuning and an absent melody, but pauses when a heap of food is put in front of him. Either he rarely gets enough to eat, or he's one of those people who just puts it all away in a pocket dimension, because he's built like a beanpole. At 40-something, the first one seems more likely.]

That's... a lot. Are you sure?

[justrunsasaloon]

[Ellen smiles. It's been too long.]

I'm sure. You earned it. You keep playing, and maybe pick up a few things for the still, and I'll keep you fed.

[Because she likes people who are easy going like that.]

[bluesrat]

Playing isn't work. I'll play music whenever you want. But I do know how to do dishes, too. [He offers this with a smile, and he's hungry, but he's careful to put his guitar just out of the way before he eats. It's the only guitar in town, as far as he knows, and the most valuable thing he owns.]

[justrunsasaloon]

[Ellen appreciates people like that.]  

I almost never turn down a man to do dishes.

[bluesrat]

[He laughs softly, pausing in eating. His manners are decent, even if he is hungry.]

Dishes, and any other odd jobs you need done. [At 6'8" he ought to be useful for reaching things up high, anyway.]

[justrunsasaloon]

[She eyes him up for a minute.]

Might have something else for you to do. Goin' to be painting the ceiling, soon. Feel like helpin' out?

[bluesrat]

[He blinks at her, then laughs.] I might need a stool or something, but sure.

[He's tall, but he's not that tall.]

[justrunsasaloon]

[She shrugs one shoulder, smiling just a bit.]  

As long as you can follow a pattern, then you’re hired.  

[Pretty symbols on the floor, on the ceiling and everywhere else.]

[bluesrat]

I think so... it's pretty. This place feels... familiar. Homey. It'd be nice to see more people gather here. I hope rebuilding the diner hasn't ruined that... [He helped there, too, after all.]

[justrunsasaloon]

[Pretty? Ellen looks at the symbols around. they aren't pretty to her, but necessary protections against Meg and others like her.]

There's one that isn't allowed here. The symbols keep her trapped and away from me and my daughter. Everyone else is welcome though. No reason they can't stop by.

[bluesrat]

[To somebody who doesn't understand them, they're just so much fancy graffiti. He may be trying to be polite.]

...Somebody specific? It took me a while just to learn not everyone here is human.

[justrunsasaloon]

[Ellen's silent for a moment. It's hard to break the old rule about not telling people things. But she also wants to warn folks about Meg. Damn the position she's in.]

Yeah, someone specific. She's not human, no matter what she looks like. Don't worry, she's on a pretty short leash.

[At least she'd better be.]

[bluesrat]

[Rat just nods, looking thoughtful, but also aware her tone is telling him not to pry further.]

I'll admit I don't know that many people around here, but the only lady I know offhand that isn't human has definitely been in here a few times. And Balthazar seems harmless enough...

[justrunsasaloon]

Balthazar's not bad. It's his older brothers when they get crabby that are bad.

[She likes Balthazar, but she's not disillusioned about what they are.]

Oh, who's that?

[bluesrat]

I'm... not sure if I've met them, yet. Balthazar saved my life, though, and he seems like a nice guy. He's tried to tell me otherwise.

[Rat has a hard time seeing Balthazar as what he really is, but he'll learn, in time...]

Have you met Fortescue?

[justrunsasaloon]

Angels are as nice as they want to be and have the power to back it up.

[She respects that, at least.]

Nice girl, good with a flamethrower. I've met her.

[bluesrat]

[He chuckles softly.] A flamethrower, really? I haven't seen that, but yeah, I can sort of picture it. She's just full of surprises.

[justrunsasaloon]

When everyone was in everyone's heads. Flamethrower. Part of the job back home.

[She smirks.]

[bluesrat]

I... saw a little of that. And that whole week was a mess.

[He's both amused, and a little pained remembering. Exploring other people's dreams was all right, but having guests in his own was not so great. Rat suspects everyone else feels the same way, though.]