The young man just smiled as he reached over and grabbed the drink that was in front of him. He was 19, of legal age to drink alcohol... but he didn't have proper I.D. for that, for.... various reasons. But that didn't stop him from enjoying the non-alcoholic version of a long-island iced tea. He loved the taste of it, and it was his 4th that he slammed back, before letting out a refreshed and satisfied breath.

He then looked at the one sitting across from him, and smirked.

"What?" he asked. "I know it's your birthday and all, but I can't help it." he told her. "After all, can't get these back home, and I have yet to find a way to recreate or emulate them." he reasoned.

He then chuckled as he moved one of his bangs away from his face, revealing the light-blue eye it'd been hiding. It matched his other eye, as well as the streak of blue in the sea of blonde that was his hair.

"But for real, though. Happy Birthday again." he told her.

"I tell you, you really know how to pick a place to enjoy one." he went on, before looking around and noticing that a lot of the people were starting to get a smidgen more rowdy, as the local sports team's game was starting up on the various televisions that surrounded them.

"Hm." he mumbled.

"You want to stick around for dessert?" he asked her.

"Or want to head out before things start to get... well... louder." he added.

He nodded in response.

"Sure thing." he said.

He then sighed quietly, and looked at her, gazing into her ice blue eyes.

"I'm glad I got to spend your birthday with you." he told her. "It's been a while since we're even talked to each other." he commented. "I was beginning to wonder if we were just going to drift apart." he went on, sighing again, but this time a bit more... somber.

"I miss you, you know." he said.

"Just... it gets lonely when I can't really..." he continued, but stopped himself.

"No. Such depressing talk is not fit for a joyous occasion such as this." he reasoned.

"Shall we be off?" he asked, pausing for a moment.

"....your highness?" he added at the end with a VERY slight smirk.

Kai just laughed in response.

"Oh, relax, Callie." he said.

"There's been nothing on that since... well... since you moved here." he told her as the server she flagged down started to approach. "I'm pretty sure you're safe for the long-haul." he finished.

He then shut up at the server got into conversing range.

He knew this was something that other people should not be privy to, so he kept his trap shut in case the servers ears told tales.

"Yes?" the 30-something year-old male asked.

"Is there anything more you'd like?"

"...I know." Kai responded.

"Trust me... I know." he said. "I know that coming here was a risk as well, but... damn it all to The Void, I refuse to be away from you for ANOTHER of your birthdays." he told her.

"I HAD to. Even if just this once until... eternity." he then muttered, grabbing the glass that had the drink in it... what very little was left... and sucking at the dregs of it through the straw.

It was then that the server returned with the bill.

"Cash or card?" he asked.

"Cash." Callie responded, putting some bills on the plastic tray after checking the amount. "Keep the change." she told him.

"Thank you very much." the server replied.

"Have a pleasant evening." he finished, before turning and walking away, glancing back at the two... specifically Callie... and smiling lightly.

Kai looked over towards the group that was crowding the entrance/exit to the place, and groaned as well.

"Lovely." he said. "Figures that your birthday falls on one of this places big... sports day things..." he mumbled, in quite the odd statement for someone to make, even someone that wasn't into sports, but he continued before anyone could possibly call attention to it.

"Yeah." he answered her.

"That works." he said. "It goes into an alley or something, but... eh, while it's pretty dark out there, this is a nice area." he reasoned with a shrug.

The two of them then left their seats and made their way out into the night. When they stepped outside, Kai stretched his arms out and let loose a loud sigh of relief.

"Feels good to be outside!" he declared, before looking around, and pausing when he noticed something jutting out of a nearby dumpster.

"...is that... what is that?" he mumbled, seeing what looked almost like a limb poking out from over the rim of the large garbage receptacle.

"Ah...!" Kai exclaimed, catching her phone.

"Right." he said, as he fumbled with the device.

"Ugh, darn technology, never could get the hang of it." he mumbled to himself, just as the door they came out of opened, and a figure slowly emerged from it, revealing themselves to be the server from earlier.

When Callie approached the dumpster, she paused for a moment, hesitation in her body language... before she swallowed hard and forced herself to peer into the over-sized trash bin.

What she saw horrified her. It was a man in his mid-30's, but his eyes were hollow and faded, and his mouth was agape, his chin and collar soaked with drool. But it was clear he was dead, from the blood leaking out from his nose and ears.

But what really made it frightening... was that the man was the server from inside.

Kai was surprised by the ice spear that Callie had created... but only because he was wondering why she was doing it. Not that she COULD do it. But he then whirled around and saw that the 'server' was there.

"What the!?" he exclaimed, jumping back a little, as the server managed to catch the spear that Callie had thrown.

"....well, well, well." he said, his voice darker than before.

"I was hoping that this could have been done a lot quieter, and far more elegantly." he commented.

"But it seems that this world's inhabitants have a natural gift for throwing plans into chaos." he growled, glancing back into the restaurant. "And you've discovered something you shouldn't have." he went on.

"No matter, I still have finally located you." he continued, looking at Callie.

"...princess."

Kai was silent, but started to allow himself to be taken by Callie... but the man that was there was apparently not having any of it. He narrowed his eyes and swung his arm out to the side, connecting with Kai's shoulder.

Instead of a hit, though, it was more of a violent shove, as his follow-through wrenched Kai free of Callie's grasp, and send him flying into the wall off to the side.

"Out of the way!" he snarled.

"YOU are nothing." he snapped, before looking at Callie.

"Now that the trash has been dealt with... we have business." he told her.

"I think it's high time we were... properly introduced to each other."

The man, the one she referred to as 'Vyran', just smirked as she started to quickly head to her friend. However, he was quicker than she had anticipated, and darted towards her, extending a hand and grabbing her by her wrist.

As he did, his eyes flashes a clear and deep lavender, as though something inside him were pulsing... yearning to break free.

Which he DID let slip... and right into Callie's system.

"Ah, ah, ah." he said.

"That's no way for royalty to speak." he told her.

"Show some more respect for those that you ought to." he continued, his smirk growing ever so slightly.

He smirked when he saw this, and continued to hold onto her wrist for about 3 more seconds, before letting go.

"Now." he said.

"Let us be rid of this foul world and its trash inhabitants." he told her, glaring at the motionless Kai, the impact from earlier either dazing him immensely or rendering hi straight-up unconscious.

"It's time to return... home." he added, waving a hand in the direction of the opposite wall, and the very brick and mortar seemingly twisting and turning and morphing, as though it were nothing more than particles in liquid. It all twisted in a clockwise direction, before it turned into a pulsing hole... what looked like a portal to another dimension.

"It took so long to learn, but it's now paying off." he said victoriously, as what looked to be a tunnel of energy could be seen forming within the hole, leading deeper into... nothingness, it seemed.

"Ladies first." he told Callie, gesturing for her to enter.