[center][h3][color=DDA0DD]Sasuke Stormwind[/color][/h3][/center]

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[quote]Frustrated with the behavior and apparent ungratefulness of his cohorts, Fergus grumbled to his fellow patrician. [COLOR=FF8C00][B]"I swear... no matter how nice I try to be, the poor always seem to hate me just because I have the ability to help them. Do you get that much as a Tepet? Or is it just because I hail from the House of the Empress that I'm treated with a bit of extra disdain?"[/B][/COLOR] A sigh, then a hand motion for Sasuke to follow him inside. [COLOR=FF8C00][B]"Let's go in and get bitched at for paying for everything, shall we?"[/B][/COLOR][/quote]

[color=DDA0DD][b]"Not even kidding you, it happens to me all the damn time. It gets annoying, but you also get used to it."[/b][/color] Sasuke was clearly as irritated as his counterpart, but he chose not to make a big deal of it. [color=DDA0DD][b]"We're a pair of patricians in the company of several very high-strung people. Their pride isn't going to accept what they see as handouts. But in my mind, I think they've more than earned it at this point."[/b][/color]

Still, he couldn't hide his disappointment at their actions the second they walked up to the bartender. Sasuke felt the sting of jealousy as Axley did what she did. But, if anyone could have seen it, it would only have been Fergus catching the sight of him ever-so-briefly clenching his jaw to keep himself from impulsively saying something nasty about the place. Still, there was a subtle fire in his eyes at the scene. He wasn't tossing around scrip for those he gave a crap about so that everyone could see them choose to debase themselves like this.

But, he was here for business, after all. As much as Sasuke wanted to remove some uncouth hands trying to grope his friends, business demanded restraint. And business needed to be good if they wanted to move on and keep from getting themselves killed by those dead things back there, and avoid starving in the process. Speaking of business, he had a feeling that Axley and Cilia were about to have their asses chewed out by... a burly maid? Nope, it was the bartender's wife letting loose like some sort of beast from the attic. Sasuke didn't have much time to do anything about it, as if he'd stop the fun in the first place.

[quote]Saving the day was Fergus, who overheard the tail-end of the apparent owner's rant toward his female traveling companions. [COLOR=FF8C00][B]"Now now, there's no need for that. I apologize. My friends here are just a stubborn pair, and used to doing things their own way. I assure you, we're all paying customers. Both for some foodstuffs from the delicious-smelling kitchen as well as some soft beds for the night. We've... been walking for a while."[/B][/COLOR] Kicking his toe against the floor at the end of his little speech to bring attention to the dirt caked onto his otherwise very fine boots, Fergus then flashed a few pieces of lesser scrip to show he had money to back his claim.

The woman's demeanor shifted almost immediately to that of a cheerful barmaid. [B]"Well why didn't you lot say you were customers? Have a seat! JARRA! WHAT'S ON THE MENU TONIGHT?!"[/B] the woman literally shouted toward the kitchen. A few seconds later, the voice of a young man shouted back: [B]"RABBIT AND POTATO FRITTERS, FRIED ONION BREAD BALLS, OR TURNIPS AND RICE WITH RED SAUCE! ANYTHING ELSE, MA?!"[/B] The woman ignored the last bit and returned her attention to the group of strangers in her establishment. [B]"There ye have it. If none of that tickles yer fancy, we can see if we have anything else. But thems what's we got ready for quick eats."[/B][/quote]

[i]Kiss ass.[/i] Sasuke really didn't like that woman, but he at least respected her for doing her job efficiently. One moment she goes full banshee mode on everyone, and the next she's kissing the lawyer's muddied boots. As poorly as he thought of the bar security, he at least knew that whatever it was cooking, it smelled pretty damn good. 

[color=DDA0DD][b]"I'll have a large helping of those rabbit and potato fritters."[/b][/color] Sasuke noticed straightaway that Fergus had chosen a table with the best lighting in the room. Fergus's very fine clothes were painfully conspicuous to everyone in the room. [i]Not what I wanted, but I at least should play it for all it's worth.[/i] 

Sasuke made equally sure that his sword was just as plain to see as Fergus' clothes. [i]If he wants to warn these people, now would be a good time to do it.[/i] In the meantime, Sasuke passed an extra yen over as a tip. Even if he was a borderline savage, Sasuke knew he was a noble and with that came certain hard requirements in the way of etiquette. Tipping was common courtesy, and it wasn't as if he bothered carrying around fractional currency these days, anyway.

On the side, Sasuke made sure that he had easily enough cash to go to the general store and order dried fruit and meat for the road. This region was known to be treacherous, and there was also a chance that they'd go days on end without being able to kill something big enough for all of them to eat. Hopefully, just hopefully, he'd also be able to pick up a few cheap weapons like knives the rest of the group could easily use. He hated that most of the group was so poorly armed, and he was borderline obsessed with being prepared for journeys as hard as this one.