Part Time Old Timer [John]

[Vice Ysal]

"You don't have to make it seem so out of the blue, you know?"

Vice commented, easily shrugging off the look he was getting from his friends from behind the counter. The old place he had used to work for before was still operational, though it was already beginning to finally get some signs of life as compared to the barren wasteland that it had used to be before. From the dreary old rotting wooden chairs to the same dreary old rotting wooden chairs with actual customers using them as opposed to the employees making them their makeshift entertainment appliances.

Chairs were never meant to be stacked that way, and how it actually worked Vice would rather not know. Super glue, maybe, but that was a bit of a stretch. "The owner of the place just kinda went ahead and did it still, I dunno why though. You might have been showing up a lot less but then again it wasn't like we needed that much manpower to begin with." The blonde across the counter retorted as he finished polishing up a glass and putting it back at the usable rack. Shaking his head in return, Vice just silently accepted the argument and turned his head back to look over at some of the people in the restaurant.

"But at least we've got customers now. Any chance of getting a drink on the house?"

---

John Nicholson

[John Nicholson]

John was out on a trip in the golden alice district. It wasn't a trip with any real purpose, just a small excursion to clear his mind. For the last few days, Vice's passing had been on his mind near constantly. Even now, as he stood here on the prestigious shopping street of mosaic city, there were still so many questions about it haunting him. What had happened exactly? What role had the blonde woman served? And what was the nature of the winged humanoid shadow that the blonde woman claimed had been Vice's killer. It was likely John would never be able to find the absolute truth to those questions. Maybe that was for the best. Obsessing over such small things was a trap he had fallen into once before after all.

As he was lost in thought like this, he saw something in the corner of his eye. He came to a halt. Hardly beieving what he just saw. No, it must have been but a mirage, someone looking quite like the red haired man so many were currently mourning the passing off. There was a nagging feeling left by that thought however. To still this feeling, he turned around to get one more look at the Vice-lookalike.

John could not believe his eyes. It wasn't just the clothes, or the face. It was the mannerisms, the behaviour of Vice. What was going on? Had his death been a carefully prepared lie to sow discord among the ranks of the users? Had e somehow survived what had seemed like certain death. He had to dig deeperinto this matter. And thus, he entered the cafe, resolving to not leave until he had at least a single one of the questions darting through his mind answered.

"Vice? is that you!" There was no doubt about it, the man standing in front of him was indeed Vice. John loooked upon him with confusion, but also relief. Vice was still alive.

[Vice Ysal]

"You disappear and get fired, then you start asking for freebies then? You're a complete, and total, asshole you know that?"

That said though, Vice's friend had already began to prepare the next drink for the black haired male. A small grin on his face, and the shadow was easily pilfering through his human's memories while idly waiting for the drink to arrive. Dressed in his black parka once more, the red eyed male took another look through the vicinity when the chimes of the door way began clinging. He was just about to say welcome as if he was still an employee of the establishment but held managed to hold back at the last second. The guy's already had enough free time as it is. They might as well get some shit done without their customers having to do it for them.

The new patron though was a familiar face. Old man with a shotgun from the last full moon, military standing, and apparently learned the tricks of the trade under his Human way back when the old man was still a novice at the whole shadow hunting gig if the pilfered memories were anything to go by. Not quite the most impressive individual but he knew how to work with others. Provided that the shadow didn't really see much of said teamwork at the last full moon, so maybe he was just making a wrong estimate about things. Well whatever, his drink was now here and he might as well enjoy it.

Really, the only sort of acknowledgement the shadow bothered with was a curious raise of an eyebrow as he began to tilt the drink backwards in order to quench his thirst. Oldman was probably hallucinating or something.

[John Nicholson]

Vice's response was quite puzzling. Maybe it was due to him not wanting to lose face in front of his friends due to appearing to be friends with an old man? Regardless, it wasn't the time nor the place to call him out on it. Regardless, he had come here expecting some answers. "There's some things we need to talk about" It was said in a neutral tone of voice. Though he looked at Vice with eyes that made it clear he wouldn't be taking no for an answer. The shop's employees seeemed tp be looking at John with some bewilderment. It was understandable. It wasn't an everyday occurence for an old man to barge in and demand the attention of a tough guy like Vice after all.

[Vice Ysal]

"What's his deal, Vice? Old man you pissed off?"

The accused biker just give a derisive snort at his former-colleague before turning around on his seat and facing the insides of the kitchen. Pointing at something only the order taker and he could see, Vice then pretty much asked for a few chicken fingers to go with his beverage.

"Leave it be, man. Just a guy I know."

Looking back at the old man, the Shadow just tilted his head towards the right to signal the other user to come on over and take a seat on the stool next to him. Now if the guy didn't get that, then it wasn't Vice's fault anymore. Though he wasn't quite busy right now, he wasn't exactly feeling up to socialising with people who felt like calling his name out in the middle of the restaurant and making a scene (right after they finally started getting customers again).