dissonates | [Voice/Action] backdated to Day 1 of the event until the end!

Entry tags:

[Voice/Action] backdated to Day 1 of the event until the end!

[Asch will be leaving a single message on the journal network on the evening of the first day, his voice flat:]

[Voice]

I know that the village is being its usual mad self this week, but Guy Cecil's gone back to his world. With the recent departures, Good Spirits is shorthanded.

[....oh, right.]

Also, considering the bar is in the area where alcohol is apparently prohibited, thieves have been after the stores. Most of the remaining supply's been hidden, but I could use help guarding it.

As far as I know, the journal network has always been for our eyes only, so if you want any for yourself and the staff doesn't recognize you, try to come up with something only one of us would know.

[After that, he won't be doing much exploration. Asch is having none of this silly experiment business; he woke up wearing this, and since his closet seems to be full of clothes either like it or much worse, he just rolls with it. He's been around the block before. He'll be staying in the bar pretty much 24/7 (besides food runs and emergencies) to make sure the collection doesn't get completely depleted; he may be a recently returned staff member himself, now, but the bar was important to Guy, so he can at least protect it for a while. Alcoholic drinks will be served through the back door to villagers only, so if you want some booze, better figure out a way to act convincing.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...Your accusation. Not mine.

[ curious, now. she grips the edge of a barrel and leans forward. ] You must have a favourite drink. Right? A favourite to imbibe and not to pour.

[Oof. The subject shifting habit of hers is appreciated but he's not used to the suddenness of it. Or maybe he's just not used to talking to people in general. Ugh, socializing is hard...]

I'm not so sure about that. I don't drink enough to have a favourite.

Forget favourites, then. What can you actually stomach? I'm a pansy with anything stronger than a very diluted white wine spritzer.

[ unless she's in a dark mood and then it's shots of whatever's on hand. she's been nearing that tipping point for a while, now. ]

[Okay, that's something he can actually answer.]

Wine is alright, and I can handle most cocktails as long as they have a decent flavour. Beer makes me ill, and shots are too strong too fast.

...Hah. What a pair of bartenders we make.

[ buffy is trying. she's making an effort. she and asch have never been buddy-buddy, but if they were to be coworkers...? she needs to have his confidence and he needs to have hers. she understands how a team works.

and suddenly, she's once again at its head. seniorest barstaff.

a sigh. ]

Luckily, we don't get too many cocktail drinkers. Most ask for a beer. Well or call shots. They try for top shelf but we don't always have it. And as far as I'm aware, we only have the one blood drinker in town at the moment -- and he likes to come in during my shift to be my personal heckler. So you might not even have to deal with him.

Blood doesn't really bother me anyway.

[Watching someone drink it sounds unpleasant, sure, but it's not like he'd have to even look after serving it. And he's washed blood out of plenty of things before, so glasses would be simple in comparison.]

Any troublemakers?

Oh. Always. Jack's probably gonna be a handful whenever I'm not in to shaky my head at him. You can threaten to call me up on the journal if he acts up -- 'cause he's just about the only person that'll actually work for.

I think I can handle a single pirate.

[He hasn't really met Jack personally, but he's heard stories. And witnessed plenty via the journal, too. Anyway, he's not about to say he can't handle it or go running for help, either.]

...I believe you. [ only she also suspects that jack can handle a single bartender. in fact, it might be entertaining to watch... ] Just try not to let him serve himself. Anyone else? I don't really care. But not him. It's a point of pride.

One of those people who can't stop serving themselves once they start?

[He's met the type. They tend to be messy, which is fine as long as it happens outside where he doesn't have to clean it up.]

A-actually? He's not that bad -- though he likes people to think he's drunker than he is. [ unfortunately, it seemed the man was practically raised on booze. ] But it's important to maintain...boundaries with pirates. Firm, inviolable boundaries. And this is one of them. Let him reach over the bar and soon he'll think he should be serving everyone else, too. Kinda like that kids' book. If You Give A Mouse a Cookie.

...Noted. I don't like the idea of strangers infringing on my territory, anyway.

[Not that it's really his territory - yet - but as long as he's working at this place, boundaries will definitely be set. Probably between co-workers before long, but that might be their choice rather than his own. Depends on how they deal with prickly tempers.]

[ her head tilts. ]

The sooner you stop thinking about your patrons as strangers? The better. People don't just come here to drink. Some of them come 'cause their lonely. Or because they need a refreshing dose of non-judgemental company. The kind that also comes with a tall glass of something alcoholic. I'm not saying you have to make friends with every Tom, Dick, and Harriet that comes in, Asch. But you can't treat them like strangers. Not when they're gonna be back again and again.

[Asch doesn't respond to that immediately, though he's visibly uncomfortable with the idea. 90% of his life philosophy is treating everyone like a stranger. It's just a defense mechanism- or the sort of mentality he's built up over the years. Strangers do the sort of damage that people who actually know you can.

Just what kind of treatment is he supposed to give them, then? Neutral territory doesn't really exist for him.]

...And if I don't?

[If I can't?]

...Then we'll just have to be very very thankful that this place doesn't actually run on profits, 'cause an unfriendly staff doesn't make for repeat drinkers.

[Huh. That isn't a "you're fired" like he expected.]

...You're too easygoing to be a boss.

You should tell that to my girls back home. Seriously. They'd never believe you.

[ it's tough to be the firing sort when slayers were slayers for life. therefore, buffy has to believe in second chances almost by default. ] Besides, just wait a few more weeks and then you'll see just how easy-going I'm actually not.

[ keeping him on might be punishment enough. ]

I can deal with that.

[Probably. He's handled a lot more hardheaded people back on Auldrant, and most of them either actively dislike or outright hate him. Someone who seems more neutral about him would presumably be easier...]

[ just wait until she starts expecting good things from him. personal growth. character development. deshelling. ]

How are you with sob stories...?

[Oh dear, he really is doomed.]

...Generally, I try to avoid them. My success rate varies from person to person.

[Mostly because he seriously doubts the sob story of most people could beat out his own, and in that case he's more likely to tell them to get the hell over themselves. Not the best thing to hear after you've bared your soul to someone.

Really, it's just mutually beneficial to not bother.]

Where I'm from, tending bar comes with a certain...expectation. Y'know, of being the sympathetic ear when people come in for a therapeutic shot or two. [ guy was so good at it; it's not wonder he'd managed to talk buffy into working here. ]

Avoidance might not be an option any more. Consider that fair warning.

[Hrngh.

Challenge accepted.]

We'll see how it goes, I guess.

[It's said with a shrug, though; he's not making any promises, but it won't really kill him to try, either. If he doesn't like it, he'll quit. It's as simple as that. His life is too valuable to waste it trying to do something that's beyond his capabilities.]

Sure thing, probie. We'll play it by ear. I know you're no stranger to lending a hand here but...if this is for reals, now? Then I expect good service.

A-and staff parties. While not strictly mandatory, they are...suggested. Encouraged, even.

[Probie.... and parties...

...dammit, Guy. Why did you ever think this was a good idea.]

I'm starting to think that the only duties I'm qualified for here are washing dishes and escorting out unruly customers.

...You'll do fine. [ an indulgent sign. ] Like I said, we're not for-profit. It makes for a kinder learning curve.

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]