first entrance

[almosthonorable]

[ oom: they're gonna hang me in the mornin'
before the night is done
they're gonna hang me in the mornin'
i'll never see the sun ]

The man in the doorway eyes the room as he brushes the dirt from his black duster.

This isn't the not-so-respectable establishment he expected, but it's a bar.

Which means there's whiskey. And he's thirsty.

[

Comments

[song_tra_bong]

There's a blonde at the bar who's thirsty too, judging by the full glass in front of her.

(Her drink of choice is tequila, however.

Doesn't mean she doesn't know where the whiskey is.)

[almosthonorable]

Wade approaches the bar, and the blonde gets a second look and a measured half-smile as he places a hand on the counter.

"Evenin', ma'am."

[song_tra_bong]

She looks up at the sound of his voice, smiling back.

"Evenin'."

[almosthonorable]

He lets his own smile widen, glancing behind the bar, then back to the woman.

"There a 'tender in this place?"

[song_tra_bong]

"Sometimes," she says.

"Other times--and this is going to sound crazy--you just ask the bar and she'll get you what you need. First one's on the house."

[almosthonorable]

"You're right - that sounds crazy."

He looks at the counter and back to the blonde, his eyes narrowing slightly beneath the brim of his black hat.

"Just ask ... the bar?"

[song_tra_bong]

"Warned you," she says.

"And yeah, just ask the bar. 'S how I got mine."

She takes a sip of tequila.

[almosthonorable]

He raises an eyebrow.

Well, what the hell?

Addressing the bar, somewhat warily, "Whiskey, please?"

And it appears.

"Well, now. How 'bout that?"

He's smiling now.

[song_tra_bong]

Mary Anne grins.

"Like I said, Bar'll get you pretty much anything you ask for: drinks, food, clothes--anything but weapons and ammunition. She'll also keep a tab running, so you don't have to worry if you left your cash on the other side of the door."

She pauses with her glass halfway to her mouth.

"...which reminds me, can you still see the door you came in by?"

[almosthonorable]

"No weapons?"

His hand automatically moves to check the holster at his hip, then he turns toward the door.

Or what should be the door.

"What happens if I say no?"

[song_tra_bong]

"None that she'll give you," she repeats.

"Having 'em is okay, though Security here frowns on picking fights."

She takes a slightly longer drink of tequila before explaining.

"If you say no, then that means you're Bound--stuck here until the door comes back."

[almosthonorable]

Stuck.

He stiffens; he's just traded one prison for another.

At least this one has alcohol.

"How long's that take?"

[song_tra_bong]

"It's different for everybody; could be days or weeks."

She decides to leave out 'months,' for now.

"There's rooms upstairs to stay overnight; Bar can give you a key. The back door--" She points it out. "--leads to the grounds. There's a lake, woods, mountains; space to wander, basically."

[almosthonorable]

He gives a short nod.

Space to wander. Least that ain't nothin'.

"Much obliged - I'm sorry, didn't ask your name."

[song_tra_bong]

"It's alright; the whole magical bar thing was a little distracting," she says, holding out her hand.

"I'm Mary Anne Bell. Pleased to meet you."

[almosthonorable]

"A little," he chuckles, taking her hand.

"Ben Wade. Likewise."