Passive Aggressive

As Esquimo and his steed are slowly trotting towards a town, Cordayl walks calmly by their side, tossing an apple up in the air and catching it.

"Bored, lad?" Esquimo ask.

"Frustrated. I can't seem to activate my power," Cordayl says, continuing to toss the apple.

"Ahh, the infamous gravity control. I thought that was something your tribe unlocked, young?" Esquimo ponders.

"It is, but for some damn reason, I'm having trouble tapping into it now. Probably this damn amnesia." Cordayl states, giving up and handing the apple to the horse.

Suddenly, he remembered the question he had wanted to ask Esquimo. "So you never told me why you felt obligated to escort me on this mission to regain my memory," Cordayl reminds him.

Esquimo hears the question but is still slow to answer. "Long ago, not that long, about a decade, if my memory is right, was the first time I saw you."

"Really?" this surprises Cordayl.

"Yup. You were just a child, but, even at that age, you had a very memorable presence. And I met your father. A true man, even amongst kings," Esquimo answers.

Hearing his father complicated brings a smile to Cordayl's face.

"I was also there on that infamous day." Esquimo admits.

Cordayl's face loses all emotion as hearing the second half of the answer.

"I had no idea of what would happen that day. I was with the king to oversee the battle, but… what happened happened." Esquimo abruptly wraps up his answer.

"After that, I retired from my position in the kingdom and moved into the home we departed from yesterday. Then, after I saw your face again, I did not know why it was me who found you, but I knew I owed you a debt that I may not be able to repay."

Cordayl is dead silent at first but asks Esquimo, "So you had no notion of what King Juulian was going to do that day?"

"I swear on my life I did not. I returned afterward and…" Esquimo's voice trails off. "That was unforgivable."

Cordayl has his eyes cut at Esquimo, watching closely to pick up any hint of a lie. "I believe you, Esquimo. The sin doesn't fall on you. But if you ask me, you just needed to get out of the house."

Esquimo laughs a hearty laugh. "What makes you think that?"

"Just observation. We've been traveling for only a day, and already you seem healthier and happier than you were in that cozy home." Cordayl smirks.

"Very true, lad, very true. Back in my heyday, I was a warrior to be reckoned with. Fighting all over the continent!We would battle for days at a time. Only stopping when you were the victor!" Esquimo exclaims.

"When did y'all go to the bathroom?" Cordayl ponders.

"Whenever you had to," Esquimo answers.

"That's disgusting," Cordayl replies, putting his hood on as they enter the town.

Walking through, the city seems very peaceful and calm. The day is beautiful as everyone goes on about their business.

Esquimo and Cordayl finally stop in front of an abandoned business. Abandoned for good reason too, having multiple holes in its storefront. Giant holes, as if someone were rolling boulders out of the place.

Just randomly catching a man walking by, Esquimo asks the man if he knows where the owner has opened up his new shop. The man does and gives Esquimo directions to the man he is looking for.

"How do you know the owner has opened a new business? Those damages look kind of fresh. You think he would be up and running already?" Cordayl asks.

"Oh, yeah," Esquimo responds. "This guy has been running bars for almost 5 decades now. The little scrap that did that damage probably made him yawn. I was with him one night, and his bar literally burnt down. The whole place! The fire department finally put the fire out and realized he had been sitting inside the joint the whole time. The next day, he bought a new venue and threw a grand opening party. That one almost caught fire too, but he wisely bought a place with a sprinkler system this time," Esquimo tells Cordayl.

"Damn. How does a guy like that stay in business being so unlucky," Cordayl ask.

"It's the company and the company, lad. He runs a bar that is inhabited nightly by the baddest of goons. Not all of them are tough, but their line of work isn't the type to put on a resume," Esquimo answers.

"I couldn't do it," Cordayl says.

"Ehh, he's used to it. His grandfather and father were the two biggest gangsters on this side of the country. He's actually considered the black sheep for deciding to become a barkeep instead. He has a good heart, though," Esquimo says as they finally arrive at the bar.

Walking in, the lights are off, but there is enough natural light to see everything. Focused on cleaning the water marks off of a glass, the man at the bar casually says, "We're closed right now. Come back in 6 hours."

"Aww, that's too bad because I was going to buy you a drink as well," Esquimo says.

Hearing Esquimo's voice, the bartender looks up, and a smile comes across his face.

"Esquimo, is that you?" the man says, walking from behind the bar to greet his old friend. "Damn, my friend, long time no see, very long time," he says.

"I know, Barry, I have grown lazy in my old age. But my friend here has lit a fire under me, so I have risen from the bed. How have you been my friend?"

"Great man. I just opened up a new bar today. She's a beauty, isn't she?" Barry remarks.

"And what number bar is this?" Esquimo inquirers

"#128. But I have a good feeling I will be here for a while." Barry sighs happily.

"You really believe that?" Esquimo ask.

"Hell no," Barry laughs, inviting laughter from Esquimo. As the laughter subsides, Barry asks who Esquimo's friend is.

Cordayl's eyes nearly pop out and punch Esquimo when he casually gives up his identity. Esquimo brushes it off, stating that they can trust Barry.

"Cordayl!" Barry asks, shocked. Cordayl, already being made out, lets his locks escape his hoodie, and Barry gets a good look at him. "Wow, I'm honored," Barry says, extending his hand to Cordayl. Cordayl shakes the man's hand, and Barry turns his hand over to look at his knuckles.

"Yeah, you have the hands of a fighter. I'm still not convinced you did all that, though. Especially by yourself," Barry says.

"Yeah, me neither," Cordayl responds.

"How about a drink?" Barry ask.

"Just one, for old-time sakes," Esquimo says, "We're only stopping by as we have a long journey ahead."

"Okay," Barry opens a new bottle. "Just one," Barry smirks.

Half a bottle later, the two older men are laughing and howling as they share old tales. Cordayl sits there smiling as he listens to Esquimo's history, amused by the festive energy of old friends.

Suddenly, the door is thrown open and slams into the wall with a disruptive bang, forcing everyone's attention on the one who opened it. Stepping into the bar, a scruffy, ogre of a man yawns loudly as he walks towards the three men at the bar.

"What's up, Barry," the man says, sitting on a stool, making it bend under his weight. "Give me the usual, will ya."

"Gnarly, you know you're banned from-"

"Ahh shut up and just get me the drink. I already apologized for destroying ya last bar," Gnarly rudely responds.

"Watch who you're talking to, Gnarly," Barry says as he quietly prepares the beverage.

"Sorry, Barry, ya right. I want no smoke with ya," Gnarly apologizes as Barry hands him a giant mug of beer before dropping a glass of liquor in there as well. Gnarly downs the whole thing in a series of big gulps, slamming the mug down once he finishes it.

Rudely belching, Gnarly states that that is better than breakfast as he wipes his mouth. "Another one please," Gnarly ask, but Barry refuses, asking for payment first.

"Just put it on my tab, will ya," Gnarly asks.

"You don't have a tab anymore, boy. You lost it when I lost my bar. So money first," Barry states.

Gnarly sucks his teeth. "Here. This was my lunch money, but I want ya to have it," Gnarly says, dropping a big sack of money on the counter.

Barry takes the money and drops another drink right after. "This makes us even," Barry says, counting the money.

"Yeah, yeah," Gnarly says, finishing his second mug. It's nothing. I took it from the copper's office after they released me this morning."

"Released?" Barry asks, knowing the truth.

"Released, broke out. Tomato, potato. Nothing they aren't used to. Don't even know why they bother anymore," Gnarly replies.

Barry shakes his head. "Honestly, if I weren't in a good mood, I would not have even let you sit down."

"Come on, Barry! I've apologized and paid my tab! Drop it, will ya? Plus, the guy started with me. It wasn't even my fault."

"Gnarly, I saw you throw the first punch," Barry responds.

"Yeah, but he was staring at me crazy. I can't look at myself!" Gnarly defends himself.

"So why did you fight everyone in the bar?" Barry retorts.

This question catches Gnarly off guard as he doesn't have a lie ready. "They looked at me funny, too," he cracks up.

"If you say so, Gnarly," Barry says, dropping a glass of water in front of Gnarly. Gnarly picks up the glass and quickly spits it out on Esquimo and Cordayl, who wipe it off in quiet disgust.

"Did ya seriously just give me water, Barry?!" Gnarly asks in anger.

"Yes, you need to learn to pace yourself, Gnarly," Barry tells him.

For the first time since he walked in Gnarly is silent as he stares at Barry with evil intent.