Young Writers Society

Maggie had finished her drink and was just about to walk back over to the little group when the hyper one screamed "muffins" what do muffins have to do with anything? Maggie pushed her cup and some money towards Nate's side of the counter. By the time she had turned around and back again the tavern group was staring at fighter girl who was holding a knife and laughing. The hyper one was out on the floor. Maggie jumped into action, crossing the room at light speed, grabbing the knife and ending up in a far isolated corner of the room. Maggie held her breath and hoped she had gone fast enough so that no one had seen her.

"What in the world?" The knife girl grasped where the knife was and looked to the floor.

Maggie felt a slight tug at her elbow. She looked down slowly to see her old friend Payne.

"I saw that." She whispered. "You got from the counter to here in less than one second and managed to pick up that girl's knife on the way. That's speed."

Maggie smiled. put the knife on the table and rushed back to her spot.

Barefootrunner stared at her empty hand in astonishment.
"Come on, people - show a bit of spirit," she moaned. "That was just a very promising start to a bar brawl! Having disappearing knives really spoils the fun. No matter... I'll whip us up some other bit of fun in no time."
She subsided reluctantly into her chair, deep in thought. Finally she settled on a less violent form of entertainment than armed combat. Grinning, she pulled out a beautifully carved flute and, with a flourish, released her captivating melody like a bird from its cage. The notes flitted and hummed, lingering on the edges of the conscience. People felt their feet beginning to tap of their own accord. Within minutes, everyone's legs were jerking in sporadic jigs, reels and tapdances. Wild cries filled the air as they wove around the tables.
Barefootrunner smiled impishly from behind the mouth of her magic flute, evading all attempts to snatch it from her grasp.

Avarice stared, but made no move to dance; she despised dancing and anyways she was partially deaf. She could hear naught the music that this woman played so freely. She watched the fools who danced with jerking movements, whose arms flailed in attempts to steady themselves whilst their feet were drawn by the rhythm. Avarice rose and leaned a hip against the bar's counter, raising a glass of ale to her lips and taking a hearty swig. "Barefootrunner!" she called, her voice strangely loud though she had yet to raise it. She had three endowments of voice, and rather disliked having to use it. "May I have a word?" she asked politely, tipping her strange straw hat down to cover her abnormal eyes.

Payne crouched on the floor, peering out from behind her chair. There was too much dancing. Far too much. And it wasn't even natural dancing.

The loud woman with the large hat seemed to be the only other person who was unaffected. Payne scurried across the floor on her hands and knees, then stood when she reached the stranger. "Any idea how to stop this?"

Barefootrunner skipped over to the unaffected people, still playing.
"Isn't this great?" she said, between two flowing phrases. She considered taking the music up a notch, but then, what was evil tavern domination if you had no-one to boast about it to.
Maybe evil was taking it a bit too far. It had to be the drink - bareffotrunner knew that she was really a shy, sweet girl, but today her mind had just exploded. She watched Nate executing a frankly embarassing allemande. Serve him right for serving weird rubbish.

Avarice glanced down and raised her gaze as the first woman rose to her feet. "I have a hunch," she responded coolly, raising her glass to her lips and taking another swig of the fine ale served. "Barefootrunner, mind you, I seem not to care much for this music that you so enjoy endowing upon others. 'Could you tone it down a little? Perhaps stop the foolery that is the dancing folk on the floor?" she asked calmly, scratching the bridge of her nose.

Why was everyone so set against nice, lively fun?
"Alright," she conceded, lowering the flute and stowing it inside her dungarees. "Who're you? And why is everyone so lethargic in here? Back home, we love a good brawl or a wild dance at the local shebeen. What happened to spirit? Why is everyone so opposed to activity?"
Unnoticed by her, people slumped exhaustedly over tables, taking huge gulps of drinks and nursing twisted ankles. Several were giving barefootrunner dangerous looks.

"Lethargic? Choicey words, ma'am. I myself find it rather lively in here. What, with all the talk goin' 'round. It's easy to pick up a word, or a bounty bein' named." she answered, setting the empty glass onto the bar counter. She sighed long and low, "D'you want to brawl?" she asked, as sudden as a strike of lightning. Her left hand fingered something at her belt, but at the same time she never thought to show her teeth; her smile was tight-lipped.
Avarice pushed herself off of the counter and glanced over to Payne, "Mind you, step out of the way, ma'am. There may be some... trouble a brewin' in here now that the music 's stopped. She glanced back to Barefootrunner, "What say you? A healthy brawl ain't never hurt n'un. Shall we give it a go? Or would you rather blow int'a that flute o' yours?"

Oh, the music stopped! Muffins sat down and started to massage her ankles. She glanced at Barefootrunner, finding immediate dislike towards her. First the apple at Titi's head, then the music. Really? Muffins looked around the room. Few hadn't been affected by the music, but most who had, shared the same dislike towards BFR and a few even gave away dangerous glances. Muffins looked over to her brother and her best friend, "Are you guys okay?"
Titi, who was in quite a nasty mood, snapped, "What do you think?"
As Muffins was about to reply, something to her far right caught her eye, where BFR stood. Between BFR and the unfamiliar YWSer, a heated discussion had started. Really?! There is more? Can't she just give it a rest! Before a fight could start, Muffins quickly stood up, and marched over to the two brawling YWSers.
"Yah!" She shouted as she closed by them, "Yes, yes you two!" BFR and the other one - her name was Avarice? - looked at Muffins in dismay. Muffins walked so close to them, her face just a foot away from theirs.
"You guys want to fight, then fight. But not here." Then, turning to BFR, "You want us to act like normal people? Why come to "Crazyville" then? You want some fun? Want to party-dance? Then play some good music, and not with a magical flute that will force us to dance." Muffins waited a moment longer for effect, "You look like lot of fun, and I think I can actually become great friends with you, Barefootrunner, if you didn't cross the line."
BFR stared at Muffins, her eyes wide open. Muffins turned around in a cool manner, and started walking back to her table.
The entire of YWS (the ones who were present in the Tavern, at least.) was staring at her. Everyone shocked. I'm so cooooool~ I'm sooooooooo cool~ I should cat-walk! It'll make me look cooler! And she did. She tried "cat-walking" her way back, but her legs tangled up, and she fell, head-first.
Murty let out a sigh, and Titi giggled. Muffins shot up straight, and hurried over to her chair, a deep red shade settling on her face.

Avarice's eyes had narrowed at the tone used by the unfamiliar patron of the tavern, and she immediately found that the tone wasn't much to her liking. She fingered the holster at her belt and debated whether she should act violently or simply turn back to Barefootrunner with a smile and another offer of the brawl she'd offered. "A fool that one is, can't even put one foot in front o' the other." she snorted, tipping her hat some to cover the betraying anger in her eyes. "Somethin' tells me that we'd take a step away from them horses and take a gander at what any'un else would do; which I reckon is not t'a fight in the first place." she sighed, and reached into her pocket for some chewable gummies which she chewed as though she were chewing tobacco (but she would never do that). It was gross.

"Ouch. That hurt!" yelled HPR at BFR. She didn't seem to hear her, but HPR made no effort to try again. Now her hyperness had left her and she was in a really bad mood. Why couldn't BFR just try to get along and have some fun? Here was HPR, trying to make The Tavern even more lively, and there BFR was going around throwing apple cores at people's heads. She walked back over to Murtuza. "Are you guys okay?" Muffins came over and asked. "What do you think?" HPR snapped, and immediately wished she hadn't. She watched Muffins walk over to BFR and Avarice and stop them from fighting. While walking back, she tried cat walking, but her feet got tangled and she tripped and fell on her face. HPR giggled and went over to her. "You okay?" she asked, offering a hand. Muffins got up and dusted herself. HPR noticed that the other people were still staring at Muffins. "What're you guys looking at?" she snapped. Everyone hurriedly went back to their conversations. Meanwhile, HPR and Muffins walked over to the counter and sat down again. HPR reached into her pocket and took out her mobile phone which she connected to a mini speaker that had also appeared from the depths of her pockets which mysteriously seemed to be able to hold a lot of items. "Wait and watch." she said to Muffins. She went through the songs on her mobile and found a song that was good for parties. She hit play, and suddenly the tune of the song filled The Tavern. At first, no one seemed to notice. But slowly, people moved to the empty space in the middle and started dancing. HPR leaned against the counter, satisfied. She could create a party mood, but she wasn't the kind of person who liked dancing. She reached out and grabbed her hot chocolate to take a sip. Her head still hurt where BFR had hit her with the apple and she needed a drink.

Maggie watched the events unfold. This stranger, Avarice, was a very interesting character, able to withstand the magical music, stand up to Barefoot, and still try to pick a fight. Barefoot and Avarice slowly slunk to a corner of the room with other shady characters, losing Maggie's interest.

Slowly, a fun party song began to play louder and louder as time continued, taunting Maggie and her two left feet. She stayed at the counter on her stool when HPR strolled up next to her, setting a phone and a speaker on the counter. Maggie slid to a stool closer to the phone and began searching through songs.

"I noticed that your pockets hold an awful lot of stuff... why is that?"

Barefootrunner glanced in sudden dismay at the crowd of displeased and resentful people around her. She looked back at the calm but alien personality in front of her and suddenly realised just how far from home she really was.
"I apologise, mistress," she said humbly. "I have done naught but cause trouble and strife since my arrival here. I have played and spoken badly and out of turn,not knowing that my actions, which would have brought joy in other lands, would here be met with disapproval. Pray allow me the honor of begging to be your pupil while I remain here, to study the customs of these people, whom you seem to understand."
She hoped that this odd, slightly frightening person would be able to throw some light on the unfavorable reactions of the people of The Tavern.

"Because they're... magical." said HPR, refusing to reveal anymore about her pockets. "Go through the songs, if you like. But I hardly doubt you'd find one that you like." Since Maggie looked like she might not want to be disturbed, HPR turned to see BFR talking in a slightly weird manner to Muffins who was sitting next to HPR. She chuckled and BFR looked up. "It's not that your ways aren't disapproved here, BFR." said HPR. "It's just that, you seem to be a little too serious. And here, we're all just trying to have fun and get high and all, y'know? We just want to spend time enjoying with our friends. You're most welcome to act the way you want, it's just that people find you too serious that way. Not that being serious isn't bad, it's completely alright. Though you could have been a little gentler with that apple." HPR laughed, rubbed her forehead because it hurt, and then, to the amazement of BFR, Mggie and Muffins, she pulled out a pack of ice from her pocket. She saw their faces and just chuckled, amused. They had no idea what her pockets held and could hold.

Avarice peered at Barefootrunner, "Ma'am, you ain't nothin' but a confused bundle a' strange." she sighed, "Now what're you askin' me t'a do?" she asked, licking her dry lips and lifting her hat until her grey eyes were visible. She had little to say, but she'd seen that other woman peering over at her with a look of curiosity. She idly considered walking over to see what the woman had been looking at her for.