Rain Dance

Kimi sniffled pathetically and wiped her eyes. She continued to stare out into the rain, her old wounds throbbing like they were fresh from the memories.

"I just..." Voltaire continued, as another drink was poured before him. "I just don't want her hurt, that's all. Seems like she's already been through a bunch of crap by herself, so I just want to see if I can get her somewhere decent. That's all, Adair, that's all."

Adair just chuckled and shook his head. His head swam. Bad idea. The redhead stubbornly gulped down more of his drink. Even worse idea.

"You've got it bad, 'Taire. You've got it bad."

"Do not," Voltaire insisted almost childishly.

"Do too," Adair answered with a coy smile.

"Do not!"

"Do too."

"Do not!"

"Do too."

"Whatever, just go the hell away," growled Voltaire, turning his back on the Hero.

Adair just laughed.

-----

Adair wished their room was closer to the bar. He wasn't quite stumbling-down drunk, but it sure felt funny to walk. The uneven surface of the cave wasn't helping either. Voltaire was still back at the bar, drinking and simmering.

Kimi was making her way back to the cavern. She was still sniffling slightly.

Adair was just making his way back to the cavern entrance when he noticed Kimi.

"Oh hey, Kimi!" he called a little too loudly, giving a big smil and an exaggerated wave. "Feeling better?"

(does Kimi have any experience with drunk people? XD)

(none what so ever.)

Kimi jumped slightly. "A-A little" She murmured.

(this should be interesting then XD)

"Ah, good, good," answered Adair, still smiling. Things seemed so much better when he had a buzz going. The miracle of fire-water. " 'Taire worries about you when you're like that. He worries a lot in general. Too much, really. Anyway, come on back in!"

Kimi raised a brow, but followed him in anyway. "Are you alright?" She asked carefully. "You seem different."

"Oh yeah, great, great," Adair answered cheerfully. "Everything's great."

Ava, who had been napping, raised her head at Adair and Kimi's arrival.

"Fiery, you drank too much," she said sadly.

"Don't tell me that. Tell 'Taire about drinking too much," said Adair with some annoyance, some green fire coming out of his mouth. "He's still at the bar and he's drank way more than I have."

Kimi took a step back. "You're spilling fire." She stated.

"Huh?" Adair responded dumbly, before taking note of the flames. "Oh yeah, that happens when we fire-breathers get drunk. Alcohol is flammable and gets into our breath, so...yeah, don't get too close."

"Alcohol does funny things to you when you drink it," added Ava. "It makes people feel real good but they don't think straight or walk straight. Then if you have too much it makes you sick in the morning. You don't want to be sick in the morning do you, Fiery?"

"I'll be fiiiiiine," answered Adair, before giggling some. Everything seemed funny for some reason.

"..." Kimi raised her brow higher. "If you say so."

"I don't get what's so great about it either," said Ava, upon seeing Kimi's skeptical expression. "Sit, Fiery."

"Okay," answered Adair, plopping on the floor. "That's better."

Kimi took a seat a reasonable distance away. She sat with her knees drawn to her chest.

(is Ava going to stay in there for the entire conversation?)

Upon watching Adair's drunken state Ava seemed annoyed. She got up and ruffled her feathers.

"I'm picking up Volty before he makes himself too sick," said Ava.

"Probably too late for that," Adair answered with some laughter. "But go ahead, go ahead."

With an oddly determined look the phoenix strutted out of the cave. Adair seemed to find this funny, because he started laughing again. He looked over to Kimi, who still seemed sullen.

"You okay?"

"Yeah... I guess I'm alright." Kimi murmured "Just don't want to think about it. It only makes it worse."

"Makes what worse?" asked Adair, tilting his head slightly and nearly falling over in the process. "Neeeever mind. I don't want to think about things either."

He began humming a tune happily and he swayed back and forth, but abruptly stopped and looked sad.

"Doooon't want to think about iiiiit..."

"It can't be any worse than what I went through. You memories are probably a lishmar compared to mine." Kimi sighed. She rubbed her face lightly.

"Oh yeah?" asked Adair, before his expression grew more serious. "You ever have your family try to turn you into a heartless monster, all in the name of perfection?"

"My brother. Our father tried to make his heart be consumed by his own hate for power for him to be a true demon leader. My fate was worse." Kimi turned her face away again.

Adair seemed surprised to hear Kimi's affirmative answer.

"Wait, so your father wanted your brother to hate everything so he would be a good ruler?" the redhead questioned, seeming confused by this idea. "That doesn't even make sense! You can't protect others well if you hate them."

"Demon Kings must be strong. They rule by bloodshed. Not by compassion and honor." Kimi replied. "There is no place for females among our ranks. They are the lowest, the most worthless..." She sighed

"Oh, that kind of rule," Adair remarked with some disgust. "I know my family doesn't view females as much more than keys into other strong families and baby producers. They're hardly given any real education, or even let outside."

"I was a little better off since I was royalty... But only until mother died." Kimi replied.

"Never really knew my mother," said Adair. "I mean, I saw her around, but I was never near her much. Or my father, for that matter. Me and my siblings were mostly raised by servants."

"Imps." Kimi replied. "Mirra was specifically assigned to my brother and I. She also taught me most of my healing magic. But mother always made time for us..."