Pirates ahoy...

[Drake]

Drake inhaled sharply. Picked up his drink and downed it all. He would then let out his breath placing the cup on the table.

"Run."

With that Drake would stand up and begin running!

[Bauldar]

Stunned, Bauldar found himself leaping to his feet, spilling his drink in the process, and for reasons he could not fathom, chasing after this strange one-armed man.

In for a penny he supposed. And where else did he have to be?

“Why are we running?” He could’t help but ask, despite already being committed to whatever it was that they were doing.

[Drake]

"Spike. Didn't. Pay. The tab."

Drake would say. As if to confirm this point a man started running after them.

"GET BACK HERE YOU PUNK ASS KIDS!!!"

[Bauldar]

This startled a laugh out of him- a great, deep, but halting (for it had been ages since he had any good reason to smile let alone even let out a chuckle) bellow of a laugh and he couldn’t help but smile at the sheer ridiculousness of it.

Feeling a burst of life and a sudden giddiness, Bauldar could’t help but belt back over their shoulders, “And the drinks weren’t even that good!!”

With that bit of silliness fueling his system, he tried to lengthen his stride; his not inconsiderably long legs attempting to eat up the distance between him and his fleeing companion.

[Drake]

After a short bit they finally lost the bartender. Drake breathing heavily. Would chuckle, and sit.

"Jackass."

Then he would look at Baulder.

"Surprised you were able to keep up ya big lug."

[Bauldar]

Letting out a few breathless chuckles of his own, Bauldar joined Drake on the ground with a thump.

“Heh. Not bad yourself my friend. That didn’t seem to be your first time running from dining staff- you do this often?” He asked with a teasing smirk.

[Drake]

"Heh... not much anymore these days."

He would turn to look at the large man.

"First time for you?"

[Bauldar]

Bauldar laughed again before saying, “Definitely. My home before was way too small to be able to get away with anything like that... but boy did we try...”

The smile on his face faltered as his mind drifted to darker places, tempting him back into the emptiness that beckoned.

He shook his head in an attempt to physically wrest himself back to the present. It was in that moment he took a second to glance around, confirming his cluelessness about their whereabouts- but considering he only had that one port as a reference to anything in this foreign land, that wasn’t that surprising.

“Where are we anyways?”

[Drake]

Drake would look around for a moment and then shrug.

"Eh, beats me. But at least we got away from the angry dude. I'd hate to have to fight him, especially when he already lost money to us."

Drake would stand back up. Opening his PT to get his location.

"Ah, we aren't far from Cabal, still some ways from Lightning though."

He would let his arm down and look to Baulder.

"So, what brings you here anyways, you trying to get to anywhere in particular?"

[Bauldar]

He looked at the thing on Drake’s wrist but didn’t ask after its purpose, distracted by the questions.

“Cabal? Oh, no- nowhere in particular. I was... no longer welcome at my home.” Bauldar’s eyes drifted away and down to his hands sadly, looking lost in every sense of the word. “Honestly? Now that I’m here I don’t know what to do.” His eyes flickered up to meet Drake’s gaze again with something almost determined glittering in them- this place may be unknown to him, but he would not let that fear defeat him. Bauldar was bent but he wasn’t broken yet.

He was going to find a way to keep living and nothing would stop him.

[Drake]

So he... Drake nodded and held out his hand for a handshake.

"Drake Sudeki. I'm sorry for being an ass earlier... it's just. I, too, know what it's like to not he welcome in my own home. So, it's easier to make enemies than it is to try and keep friends."

[Bauldar]

An easy smile came to his face and he happily reached out to meet him halfway.

“Bauldar Rand. Consider it forgiven and forgotten my friend.”

He thought himself lucky that the first two people he met were at all kind to him, even if suspicious, after his strange experience with the pirates and his own unusual appearance.

And what he said about friends and enemies... He understood why that would be less painful, so he did not begrudge his new companion for it.

[Drake]

"Well, now that you are here. I guess you have a few options on where you can go."

He would say taking his hand back.

"First. There is the closest and most... typical option. Cabal. It's a military-esque academy/school. The teach you just as much as they train you. I've met some interesting folks there, but it ain't really my speed. The next close location would be where Spike and I are from. Lightning Country. There you can just be a citizen or... well, if you're looking for a more 'off the books' kinda job you could join one of the families there like Spike and I have."

He rubbed his chin and thought, he wouldn't recommend Prota, because fuck those brainwashed freaks. Zekunft are probably to stuck up to accept him. Stupid hippies. Vindicta... he might be cool there?

"And, if you are keen on your strength and don't use Qi. Ever. Then you might consider traveling to one of the Vindictan territories. They are swol meat heads that like to punch things. With their faces. And that's pretty much all there is to them. Fighting."

[Bauldar]

Chuckling at his descriptions, he slowly shook his head.

“I don’t think I’d fit in very well in Vindicta. I will fight if I have to, but I hate fighting for the sake of it. I mean, friendly spars are one thing, but anything else I try to save as a last resort. Besides, I quite like my Qi.” He said placidly. “About where you are from though- you mentioned joining a ‘family’? What did you mean by that?”

[Drake]

Drake shrugged.

"To be honest I'm not quite sure myself. But apparently if you party with the people in the Tower and you get a tattoo you get assigned to a Family to work for. For instance I work for the Thane Family. Spike works for the Sudeki Family."