Maribel first widened her eyes and then frowned deeply as Donny snatched up her drink and downed the whole thing by himself in little less than a few seconds. Well wasn't that a way to start out first impressions? The red liquid would become all too familiar to Donny as it slid easily down his throat, the taste strong and acidic in its flavor and texture. Maribel was honestly surprised that he had fought off the urge to vomit almost instantly.
"You...You realize you just consumed a mug's worth of stale blood, right? Also, it's rude to steal other people's paid drinks."
Donny gulped. He didn't think blood tasted that... Strong. "She means animal blood right? Not like... People blood?" But Donny quickly resumed his cool as if he totally knew what he was doing. "I apologize. I'm just a bit... Blood thirsty. But I guess now I have to make it up to you, huh? Anything you'd like from me?" He said in a sultry tone. He just hoped that she wasn't going to make him drink more blood.
The young girl sighed at his cheesy lines. So he was one of those types of people. Fun. She considered making him drink more blood since he was so inclined to not only show off but to pile on a terrible pun at that. But she didn't because frankly she didn't want to deal with a sick Hunter.
"No, but I would prefer if you bought me another drink," Maribel replied, frown still creased into her features as she crossed her legs. "To answer your first question, you're in what's known as the World of Wasted Dreams, specifically the last human village, Iredele. The rest of this world is populated with monsters and nightmares, hence the prey your fellow Hunters are in pursuit of even now."
"Of course. What counts as cutter round these parts anyways?" Aside from the clothes on his back and the weapons on his belt Donny was fairly certain he was broke. Nothing he had on him would indicate he had any sort of currency unless... She doesn't mind drinking his blood. Not that Donny liked that sort of exchange of fluids.
Putting those thoughts aside he mulled over the new information she gave him. He didn't know a single thing about anything she said. World of Wasted Dreams? Iredele? Monsters and nightmares? Sounded like something out of a game of fantasy. But here he was. Whatever story he was in now, he was a character within it. He supposed he ought to go with the flow.
"Alright. Can't say any of that makes sense to me, but considering that I hardly know much beyond my name I suppose it's all the sense it'll be. Not much reason to know the boss 'round here. Gunna take a wild guess and say it's the most starry hunter here. So I guess now we're down to one question. Who are you?"
"Well there is an entity called the Absolute that's supposed to watch over this land. That's why there's a church in this town, supposedly. But me...I'm not exactly sure," Maribel answered, acutely aware that he still hadn't bought her a new drink.
"I don't remember much just like you admittedly. But I know that my name is Maribel, I don't have any parents, the monsters of this world avoid me, and I drink juice not alcohol," she announced with a little pride.
Nodding his head Donny noticed a ragged looking fellow behind the bar. He must have been the barkeep but he looked... Dim. Regardless Donny snapped his fingers to get his attention. "Aye bartender! One more for Maribel. My tab." Did they take tabs here? He certainly hoped they did.
The barkeep with the glassy eyes seemed to jump both at Donny's snap and order before lumbering about to fulfill the request. He returned shortly, a fresh cup of that same stinking red juice before placing it next to Maribel and shuffling away without a word.
Maribel spoke something about "The Absolute" which had something to do with the church. Some sort of deity from what Donny could gather. He wasn't a religious man, but he was still rightfully god-fearing and such. After all, no need to earn the ire of the great beyond. Aside from that Maribel also told him a bit about her. Or what she knew about her anyways. Must have showed up here like he did: out of the blue. But monsters avoided her and she drank "juice". If her idea of juice was stale blood she was pretty freaky. Donny liked freaky.
"Nice. But if the monsters avoid you, does that mean you're a hunter? I mean... You don't look the part, but then again what do I know? Ya peet with blood and call it juice. Obviously there's more to you then that."
"Not really," Maribel said with a shake of her head. "The monsters attack anyway regardless if they're a Hunter or not. The instinct to consume is greater than fear. They avoid me like I'm some kind of...plague I guess. Or like I'm not one of their kind, like an ugly duckling."
The girl took a sip of her drink and waited for Donny to respond. After all, they had all the time in the world and it wasn't like the others would be back any time soon.
Ugly duckling... Donny was familiar with the tale. He wondered if it had more significance then Maribel realized. "Ya don't say? Interesting... So I guess that must make you a guardian angel of some sort, eh? Monsters wouldn't come near you, so you stay in the town, make sure they don't just run everyone out. Something like that anyways." Donny's throat was getting a bit parched, not helped by the fact that he still had a sick feeling in his stomach from drinking that blood. "Bartender, something for me too. Whatever wines you got, water if not."
The bartender's step faltered slightly before he processed the request. Moving like a dead man, he made a short trip and back to the table with a cup of something dark and bellowing, something that had bubbles fizzing at the top with a rancid odor. At least it was alcohol as opposed to the less...dilute stuff Maribel was drinking.
"I wouldn't call myself a guardian angel Donny," said Maribel once the bartender was gone. "I only visit this town occasionally sometimes. I usually just travel around outside the village though I do deliver wandering strangers I come across to this place. In fact, I even brought you here Donny, along with the rest of the Hunters. You were unconscious near the Lake of Tears."
Now here was something. Donny just figured that he showed up in the church, perhaps fell from the skies, not too long ago. Certainly would explain the initial vertigo and amnesia. But instead Maribel said he arrived at this place called the Lake of Tears. Not the most sunniest place he'd imagine. "Lake of Tears huh? What can you tell me about that place?" When the barkeep arrived with his drink, some sort of fizzing and putrid thing, Donny gulped that down without much thought or fanfare as well. "Another!"
Maribel frowned at his insistence to the local drinks. Not that she minded since he was supposedly using his own money, but she didn't want to have to explain again when he eventually became too drunk to understand her.
"It's cold. That's all you need to know since I doubt you'll be visiting that place any time soon."
Scowling at Maribel Donny tried to press further. "Oui? What if I need to go there tomorrow? Seeing that you've been there before, and who knows what could happen later, wouldn't it be better to now know then later? If it's where you found me and the other hunters surely it's important. Otherwise how else did we end up there?"
The effects of the drinks were hardly bothering Donny. While it certainly didn't sit well in his stomach, his mind was still quite lucid. It'll take more poison to do him in then just a mug of blood and whatever other spew he just drank.
"I said that's all you need to know," Maribel reiterated. "Besides, I didn't find all the other Hunters there. Only you. Everyone else was scattered around the World of Wasted Dreams. I just happen across you all during my travels."
The girl narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, refusing to give in like a child clinging onto their favorite toy.
Letting out a bit of a chuckle Donny rested his chin on his hands and looked at Maribel. "That's cute. Though you say otherwise, you're still trying to protect me. My own angel." While the girl was smaller then Donny, she surely was much more experienced. She may claim otherwise, but if she hadn't come along Donny would have been alone and defenseless at the Lake of Tears, at the mercy of the monsters there. Surely there was some good will in that.
"I-I am not your angel! I just couldn't leave you there to die, that's all," Maribel protested, a light shade of red tinting her pale cheeks.
"Heh heh... Well, I guess that's all I wanted to know. So, my pretty ptitsa, anything you want to ask about me?"
"Well, I can ask you where you got such rude language. I am not some old tavern woman," Maribel said with a little heat in her voice to match her budding cheeks.
Donny was almost about to laugh seeing that he was finally getting some bite from Maribel. "Oh? I never thought of you that way. More like a... Molodoy nadsat. Heh, if you're wanting to know my lingo, I suppose I could teach you a thing or two. Or maybe I could keep my secrets so you can keep yours." Donny's playful smile suggested this was a joke, but it also masked his intent to use this as an opportunity to learn more about Maribel. That and he honestly couldn't really remember what or where he learned these words from. As far as he cares to know they're just a part of his language, much like the words he spoke already.
"Nice try, but you get what I give," Maribel said with a sense of finality before a sly smirk crossed her face. "Unless of course, you're willing to pay for more drinks."
Finally letting out a hearty laugh Donny motioned for the barkeep to come over. "Another round for me and my angel! Mark my words Maribel, I'll open your doors one way or another. But until then how about a toast? From a stranger to my savior."
Maribel sighed in annoyance as he continued to refer to her like that. Still, at least he was being jovial about it. Reluctantly, she raised her own glass and toasted his mug of smelling alcohol, the clank of glass filling the room.
Close by, at the town square in fact, the collection of dead dog bodies was beginning to smell much like the drinks of the Tavern. However, it had to be noted that only two bodies were still around for Roless to pick up and deliver. The other three seemed to have vanished off somewhere. The notion of them walking right back up was absurd so one had to wonder where those corpses had gone to.
Back inside the Temple, Rotting Bone looked up to see Roless kick his way in with the two dead dogs in tow. The hooded man indicated towards the corner of the Temple to where the corpses should be laid to rest.
“Messy as it always is Roless,” the old man replied knowingly. “As for the young ones, do what you see fit. Just be sure to grant this hardened soul some peace for the night, yeah? It’ll take some time blessing these monsters back to a holy land.”
