The makeshift tavern had been cobbled together from salvaged materials and stubborn human determination, its mismatched walls and flickering electric lights creating a surprisingly welcoming atmosphere in the heart of the recovering settlement, proving once again that humans always found their way back from the catastrophe. Despite the ramshackle construction, the establishment buzzed with conversation as survivors gathered to share drinks, stories, and the simple pleasure of human company after years of isolation. The air hung heavy with cigarette smoke and cheap alcohol, while patched furniture and salvaged bar equipment gave the place a rustic charm that spoke to humanity's refusal to surrender completely to despair. It was exactly the kind of place that attracted both the hopeful and the desperate, creating an volatile mix of personalities under one barely stable roof.
Strength sat hunched over her drink at a corner table, her four massive mechanical arms folded against the wall behind her while her amber eyes glared daggers at a loudmouthed patron who'd been running his mouth about "freaks" and "military experiments" for the past ten minutes. The sudden crash of splintering wood and shattering glass filled the tavern as she hurled the heavy wooden table straight through the wall, leaving a gaping hole that let in the evening air and sent other patrons scrambling for cover. <font color=#E49B0F>"Keep your fucking opinions to yourself next time."</font> she snarled, her rough voice cutting through the stunned silence as she stalked toward the new exit she'd created, mechanical arms moving with threatening precision. As she stepped through the debris filled hole into the street, her fierce gaze fell upon a figure standing nearby, Du, and something about their presence made her pause rather than continuing her angry departure. <font color=#E49B0F>"You..."</font> she called out bluntly, pointing one massive mechanical finger in their direction. <font color=#E49B0F>"You got the sense to stay outta other people's business, or are you another loudmouth idiot like the rest of these wastes of air?"</font>
