Found You Once More. (Bob)

[Jason Alexander]

Summer 2, 512

Walking through the streets of the city, confused as hell to where he even was. Jason turned around at what seemed like the hundredth dead end he had walked into. Sighing out of frustration, he stopped and looked around the walkway. Looking at all the different buildings and people, nothing looked similar to the part of the city that he needed to be in to find the Inn he stayed at his first time here. Shrugging his shoulders Jason started a new path he would have to find it eventually, he hoped. It would only happen as long as Ionu allowed it, but the God was probably having a good laugh at changing everything before his eyes keeping Jason running in circles over and over. “Ionu please allow me to find the Cubacious Inn soon.” Jason whispered to the God, hoping the Patron of the city would allow it. Seeing no change after his whispered prayer, he just shook his head and continued walking.

After what seemed like hours or it could have been minutes, but Jason wouldn’t ever know the difference as time and what was real were just as confusing as the layout of the city to him. Rounding a corner, Jason finally found it. The Cubacious Inn, the one of two primary Inn within the city was his home during his last stay in the city a few years ago. Walking over to the door and allowing relief to come as he reached the door and grabbed the handle and turned it, hoping it wasn’t some illusion Ionu had created to make Jason life miserable. As it opened, he finally release the his breath, which he had held unknowingly as he turned the handle. Walking inside the Inn, he allowed his eyes to adjust to the difference in light between inside and the outdoors.. A few moments later, Jason walked over to the older Innkeeper at the bar.

“What can I get you stranger?” The white haired lady asked while wiping a glass with a cleaning rag. “I would like a common room for a few nights, as well as a pitcher of tea.” Jason responded with a smile to the motherly looking woman. Nodding she told him the price and Jason slipped the coins from his purse on his hip and handed them to her. Waiting for his pitcher, he looked around the room at the different patrons of the Inn. Noticing one in particular, he left the bar and walked over to the guest that caught his eye. Looking at the little man, with a big sized mug he chuckled and spoke to the man. “Isn’t that mug a little big for you? I mean it’s almost the same size as you.” Smiling for the first time in weeks, Jason chuckled at his joke once more.

[Bob Barton]

Bob was quite familiar with the inn because it was a place he has spent time in during his early days in Alvadas but now there was not much of a reason for him to be there especially since he has his own place to live in and another possible backup too. The question now therefore is why was he sitting there with a mug in hand? The answer was simple. Bob has long learned that there is no reason to go against where Alvadas takes him. When he finds himself passing by the inn three times, he already knew that he was supposed to go in there even if he did not know the reason.

The mug was because Bob was not having a really good day. Bob is not the sort to drink his problems away, and the mug was not even filled with any alcoholic beverage but he knew that it would work as an effective deterrent. People do not normally approach a drinker in a bar, especially if it at random unless they were looking for trouble and trouble was something that Bob did not want. He already had enough of it for the day at work. Losing in gambling is inevitable no matter how good someone is but losing that much? That sneaky bastard he played with must have been cheating because otherwise Bob's reputation would be in jeopardy. He did his best in damage control, even to the extent of trying to stop the game but because he could not find out what the petching cheater was doing, he had to wait...right until he became someone else's problem.

But Bob never stopped making it his problem and even out of work he still tried to recall everything the man did. He was watching as closely as he could. Every movement of his eyes and hands but there was nothing too special about it. When Bob stole a glimpse around the Wager to see if there was an accomplice, he could not see any suspicious people that the man might have been working with. The hands had nothing either. Even though it was irregular all that was being done was holding and handling the cards normally. It was frustrating him and in the middle of it all, someone had to make the height jokes. As usual.

"No its big enough. Want a closer look?" Bob asked before lifting up the mug and preparing to smash it over the head of "Jason? What are you doing here?" Lucky that Bob recognized his old friend from Syliras before he could follow through. He was not thinking straight if he wanted to be responsible for the damage to the Inn's property.

[Jason Alexander]

“I am here returning from my travels heading home to visit my father, you know it’s that time of the year. As I have up until the last few weeks been in The Spires, the mighty tree city of the Jamoura, fantastic plants in the forest and all around the city. But my return home I have found this is the quickest way back to Syliras. Using the docks and traveling by boat cuts off many days of travel.” Jason sits down next to his longtime friend, who he hasn’t seen in many years while continue his rambling about his traveling and discoveries, after a few minutes he pauses as his tea was delivered. Pouring himself a cup and looking to Bob. “Enough about me and my talk about trees, flowers, and other plants that are not found around Syliras. Let’s hear about you, why are you here in Alvadas of all places. It seems a little, weird for your taste in places to hangout. What have you gotten yourself into the last few years?” Looking at his cup of tea long enough to make sure he wasn’t going to spill it picking it up, grabbing the handle with his first three fingers and bring the cup to his lips. Taking a small sip and sighing as the hot tea washes away the dryness of his days travels. Placing the tea back on the bar Jason looks back towards Bob, studying his old friend who he hasn’t seen in almost five years.

[Bob Barton]

"That time of the year?" Bob had no idea what Jason meant by that and found himself even more confused than when the man talked about visiting his father because as far as the midget knew, Jason's father was dead. However the Spires and Jamoura, Bob knew a bit. Still what he thought is "you're just monkeying around there with the stupid monkeys?" No one in their right mind would believe the chatter about intelligent, talking apes and Bob was one of them. For him animals should know their place below their betters and even their rumoured leaders should be below his feet as one of the supreme humans. With all the power they had they should not do whatever they wanted even to Bob Barton if they knew their place but barring any unfortunate incidents he knew it will never come to that. Unlike Jason, Bob had no reason to go to the Spires.

All the good things was in Alvadas, or Syliras so "why wouldn't I be here?" Its not that weird because like Bob the city was very misleading and he still has not even gotten too used to it yet. To answer Jason's question, "someone needed me to do something in Alvadas. The reward was quite good" especially to someone like him although he has yet to see any but "more things popped up which made me feel like staying here is a pretty good choice" compared to places like...Sunberth. The scum which infests the area. It even extends to the highest reaches unseen by others and the sad part was those people act like leaders and hold all the powers. While Bob Barton would not know them he could feel it. Like the Spires, it was bad news and Bob would never go back to it unless he had to or things somehow got better.

Overall barring those two things which have hassled him so much "the last few years have been good, I suppose." Jason already knew Syliras and the others after that were "the usual. Meeting some new people, maybe swindling them if I don't like them too much. Trying to get the big dreams for the little man" but of course the pursuit of fame of fortune are "not as noble as what you want to do with your plants. How has that been going out for you?" Probably good if Jason felt he can go back to Syliras at that point but of course Bob wanted some details. He might now have learned that much from his uncle but then he could still understand good things if they were explained to him properly.

"Maybe you've found what you're looking for? Or a clue to it?" he asked casually but still paying full attention.

[Jason Alexander]

Looking downward Jason answered the shorter man, “You know the time of year that I return to Syliras to visit my father’s grave” stated the taller man with sadness. Shifting this tea cup between his hands, the taller man continued to speak, “well I will not complain that your here, I do hope you keep safe and not take all the risk you used to do back in the day.” Taking another sip from his now cooling tea, Jason looked over the room once more before speaking again. “I hope you did not take all of their belongings when you swindled those people” laughed Jason. Knowing Bob for some time, Jason understood the man and knew of his more unhonorable ways, but he has learned to over look it knowing Bob only stole from those who deserved it. “And to your question to if I have discovered anymore on my research, I will just have to show you what I have learned and how I think it will help me in the future.”

Leaning back in his seat and finally finishing off his tea. He closed his eyes rested for a moment. “I have had a long day. I think I will go get my room for the evening before they fill up. Do you have a room here or somewhere else?” asked Jason. As he got up to go get his room a group of three men walked up on the table and spoke towards the shorter man. “I believe you owe me some money midget man.”