the past catches up [closed/social]

Orion had to do a double-take, as he found himself talking to Cheshire. It had been a while, too long in his own opinion, since he last saw her. He was out training, he remembered. He was still discovering his magic, learning the intricacies of god slaying, green in everything magic, when she had left. He had to learn about it from his guild master, which left a pang of sadness in his chest.

"Hey, you..." Orion wasn't sure how to go about this. He was a great conversationalist when it comes to really fun, exciting, and even stupid things. He can talk about the weather like there was no tomorrow, but more emotional interactions were not his forte.

He shifted, feeling awkward for the first time in his life. He wasn't like this. He was Orion. He was never awkward. "So, uh, how's life treating you?" He tentatively started, "When I heard you left, I, uh, was pretty disappointed in losing a...friend, yes, a friend." Orion scratched the back of his head, while sporting a small grin.

Cheshire Copeland

"Now if only I had a million bucks, instead of looking like one..." Orion smirked, before chuckling to himself. No matter what occasion it may be, seeing an old guild mate should still be a happy occasion, unless of course they've done something wrong. Orion remembered Cheshire, and truth-be-told, he was quite fond of the girl. She had been one of the non-talkative ones, but that never flew well when Orion was around. He'd get them talking, sooner or later.

"You're doing well, as well," Orion commented, taking another look at his old guild mate. She had definitely moved past Cait Shelter, whose missions really did not pay as well as most would hope for. "Which guild were you now hooked up to?" He genuinely did not know. Nobody told him anything, except for the fact that she had chosen to leave, which was her right.

Maybe one day Orion might choose to leave Cait Shelter. Maybe one day, he would be forced to leave because of a circumstance out of his control. But then again, he owed a lot to Cait Shelter, and he could never see himself leaving. Yet, as Cheshire proved, not everyone felt that way. He couldn't blame them. A better was a better life, and not one single person can deny that they've never wished for it. "I hope they're treating you well there! Do they have good booze?" Orion grinned, he was always eager to learn of new alcoholic concoctions around the country. Since The Calamity, there had been a shortage of good brewers. Something that needed to be rectified.

Cheshire Copeland

"As long as I know the right barkeep, a million dollars will get me quite far!" Orion laughed out loud, his own joke making him produce a bit of tears on the side. He was not one to live in extravagance. Orion, scion of the Prima family, preferred the quaint lifestyle. Money corrupts, he knew, and having a lot of money corrupts absolutely. This might not be the case before the Calamity, but afterwards? It was the stark truth. People who sought money and power solely for their own personal gain never really had a happy ending. Take for example his father.

There had been a time where Orion might have pressed the woman further, but looking at how she responded, he decided against it. There was an air of...nervousness, if that was truly what it was, around her. At least, she was uncomfortable, from what Orion could see. Under the mask of a happy-go-lucky man, Orion can be quite perceptive when it comes to serious situations.

"Hey hey, a barrel of the best always makes anyone's day better!" Orion grinned, inhaling his cancer-stick once more. At least, booze always made his day more bearable. It helped him cope quite a bit. Running away from your problems was never the solution, but sometimes, it just felt better tom run, and keep running. Sometimes, it's better to forget, than to remember. But, when it all comes crashing down, that's when the real problem starts.

"So, how about it? Share a drink with me, who knows when I'll see you next!" He smiled, pointing towards a bar around the corner that would have been deserted at this hour. "It's not busy, plus I promise to not tell anyone I've seen you today." Orion wiggled his eyebrows comically, "It'll be fun! Just like old times, then you can disappear to wherever you needed to go!"

Cheshire Copeland

"Fine fine, you cheapskate..." Orion stuck his tongue out at the young woman, as he followed in her steps. If he was being honest, Orion had thought that Cheshire would have said no to his invitation. He knew for a fact that she was not much of a social creature, preferring to be alone for the most part. Her acquiescence made him smile internally.

Orion grumbled as she made her comment about not smoking, "First you have me pay, then you prohibit me from smoking?! How demanding!" Orion mock pouted, before taking the cigarette from the corner of his mouth, and throwing it down on the ground. With another step, he flattened the thing, putting the lit part out, making sure that no fiery accidents can happen. The last time he forgot to do that: it was on a boat, out in the open sea, and the ending to the story was not a good one.

Taking the seat across from Cheshire, he could see that it was a strategic spot. Dark enough that most will have to walk close to see who was occupying the table, and far enough that if she needed, Cheshire could make a quick escape. Orion just nodded internally at the choice, before raising his hand and ordering, "Old man, a pint of the best you've got, and whatever my companion wants. On me."

Making sure that Cheshire had ordered as well, he turned back towards the young woman and asked, "What brings you back here?" Stretching out his legs, he stared at Cheshire for a moment before continuing, "The world is such a big place, and yet the first time I see you since leaving, it's in this dreary backwater village." Orion meant no offence to his now-hometown, but he knew wherever Cheshire decided to leave Cait Shelter for, it must've been a much better place.

Cheshire Copeland

"Tsk," Orion took a huge sip of his beer, the bitterness of the drink was suddenly overpowered by the after-taste. Piss poor, that was what this beer was. Yet, it was the best Rhyolite could offer, and he could never complain about it. it wasn't like he could have any other kind, especially since trade between towns and cities was not as bustling as it use to be. Take whatever he could get, that was Orion's motto. And it has served him well these past couple of years.

He waited for Cheshire to be given her wine, before he answered, "I get out often now. Remember when I used to just lounge around? Well, I've finally decided to go full-time on this mage thing. It's been," Orion stopped for a moment, trying to find the right words for his experiences so far. "Interesting." The world was a big place. He knew it from the start, but seeing it himself was a whole different thing. It was gorgeous, if not dangerous. But there was still some sort of beauty within danger. It appealed to Orion.

"That's nice of you though, giving back to your family. I know lots of those who don't once they leave." Orion sighed, thinking about the families torn apart due to one person's greed. It happened more often than Orion would have liked. People left Rhyolite all the time, searching for something better. None of them ever come back, and he wasn't sure if it was because they've found something better for themselves and refuse to come back, or they had died. Either way, it destroyed a family, and Orion was never a fan of that. "Why don't you tell them you're around? They might appreciate seeing you. I'm not sure how your parting worked, but family is family, after all."

Orion smiled a small smile, taking another sip of his beer. It was still piss poor, and getting worse as it lost its chill. "Cait Shelter will always be unhappy when someone leaves. The guild functions more like a family, rather than a business organization like some of the guilds I've been so honoured to meet." Orion chuckled, remembering his chance meeting with some rowdy guild members at a pub. "But, we're also happy that you have found something for yourself. When someone leaves, it has to always have some sort of reason, and I believe that it must have been very compelling." Orion stopped for a moment, "Do you believe your reason was compelling enough? Was it all worth it?" The man sat back, watching Cheshire with an intense gaze.

Cheshire Copeland

Orion couldn't help but smile as he watched her enjoy the wine. Alcohol, no matter the occasion, made everything better, and from her subtle reactions, Orion knew it had made her feel good- at least a little bit. Not many are like Orion, who enjoyed drinking for the sake of drinking. When running away got the better of you, the drink doesn't help much anymore. Sure, it drowned out the more negative and debilitating emotions, but sometimes, the drink just made for a good conversation starter. It loosened lips, so to speak.

"Understandable," the lightning god slayer acquiesced. The world was bigger than what it seemed to be, and sometimes, people needed to just go out and experience it for themselves. It widened the horizons, and opens up doors for some. For others, its petrifying. "We also have to remember that there is a reason people don't want to see the world." Orion grimaced, "It can be too much. The world isn't what it used to be anymore, and I can't blame people for not wanting to take a risk. Not everyone has the capability to protect themselves after all."

Safety came in all forms, and for the people of Rhyolite, it was staying within the village boundaries. The guild protected them, and in turn, the guild benefits. It was a symbiotic relationship. Cait Shelter, however, tries its best to be more familial, "Belonging is a tricky thing," Orion started, taking a pause as he stared into his mug, its contents bubbling unexcitedly, "it's a two-way thing after all. The guild tries its best, but the member also has to." Orion smiled, "You can't say I didn't try when it comes to getting you to talk more!"

The life of a mage, no matter how dangerous, also revolves around their peers. The people they work with, and spend their time around. Orion chuckled at her comment about his stare, instead taking another long sip from his mug. The content was getting worse and worse every moment, and Orion enjoyed every drip.

"You know, I was asked the same question once," Orion started, after listening to Cheshire's reply, "was it worth becoming a mage? Becoming a mage under Cait Shelter? And you're right, it's hard to say now. We're in our prime, we're at the starting line." A frown creased his forehead, taking a small calculated sip, before continuing, "Every day is a mystery. Every time we wake up, it is a gamble. We gamble our lives away, and as a mage, we have higher stakes with higher rewards. The question at the end of the day will always be: why do we do this?"

Cheshire Copeland