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Post by Èdan on Jan 18, 2022 13:50:02 GMT -6
In an ironic twist of events, it's now the girl who takes up the job of trying to shoo her pet (or him) away from the very angry-looking beast that's barely containing themselves. Perhaps he is poking fun a little too much with this one, not unlike her dangling the fingers over the water's edge, but that's hardly his fault. (Well.. It is and it isn't. Personally, he would have had no issues with this seeker thing, but apparently the seeker rode up with an Attitude from the get-go, which is surprising for seekers, so there's only so many ways to go from there. And some habits are hard to shake). "Shame," he replies in a casual tone, eating the apple slice from before. "Would be an improvement."
If nothing else, the manoeuvring seems to show those horns aren't just some weird trendy headband, although that's certainly besides the point now. The conversation has turned to a whole other layer. The courier's head tilts, gaze switching between the girl and the beast like he - a plain-dressed low-paid courier - was just asked whether he knows anything about the great arcane sciences, as if he has any clue. There's a nonchalant shrug, "Not sure if I'm the right one t'be asking this from, I ain't a vet. Just looking to sell a fish and be on my way." He leans back against the box and does a bit of eye narrowing of his own, as if the evaluate the seeker, "If I was to guess, though? By the face of him, looks kinda constipated. So a vet visit might not be that bad an idea."
Then the look lowers back to her, "If you've him figured so well, why don't you ask him why he's all huffy? I ain't done nothing."
. 8 .
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Post by Syd on Jan 18, 2022 14:20:02 GMT -6
She clucks with her tongue in a chiding manner, mostly to convey disappointment and definitely not to buy herself time.
Final guesses?
He drops the weight of his skull on her head, ignoring the dull pinpricks of her horns, as well as the squawk it instigates.
He’s surprised I’m so well-behaved, he comments absent-mindedly, because holding on to any impressions of thought this man might have is taking more concentration that he would like. Like water through claws, as a tat-lung would frame it.
Only because he doesn’t know better~, she sing-songs, and he would bother commenting back when -
Look.
The seeker had been (poorly) attempting to hide his capabilities, which was usually pretty easy if only because most people saw ‘seeker’ and ran off of assumptions from there. So he doesn’t mean to react to the man’s words a beat later after hearing the echoes of it through his girl’s mind as it processes, but. They dip in and out of each other’s mind as casually as one dips their feet into a shallow pool, and when that becomes second nature it becomes extremely difficult to do the opposite of that, and …
So his patience had limits, so what? Look at the majority of his friends and family; he could hardly have it held against him.
He projects forward, each word as cold and solid as ichor-black rocks thrown into a pond.
The main problem seems to be that you exist, he answers instead of his girl. Would you like help in fixing that?
And she’ll intervene and smooth this out, honest, but who could blame her for taking the time to roll her eyes first? (No one; the correct answer should be no one.) Syd: +18 Java: 40 (3/10) / 47 (3/10)
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Post by Èdan on Jan 18, 2022 14:51:32 GMT -6
Up until that point, the man's mind has been splitting its attentions in quite a few directions, primarily on the girl when speaking (Although that black-eyed gaze and obsidian teeth certainly have taken up its share of mental capacity beneath the layers). And even then, he's expecting the answer from her, though in befitting her overall manner, most likely something that could be part-joke, part-dismissive, perhaps even a little absent-minded towards the real elephant in the room (Or rather seeker). To his credit, he has the decency to at least pull his head back and blink in surprise when the mental pressure suddenly forces its way in, no longer content with merely skipping along the surface, and delivers the answer almost as bluntly as the seeker's presence thus far.
The courier's tilted head rights itself and there's a confused frown for a split second, as the eyes suddenly dart back up from girl to beast, fully focused on him now. (The words are heard, absorbed, and sink somewhere deeper, out of immediate mind). When the courier has had a chance to compose himself more, there's a deadpan "Well shit, it can talk." that actually manages to come across far more expressive on him than it would on anyone else. As to the question.. Well, how does one answer that? Sorry, sir, I shall cease existing immediately? Don't want to bother you specifically with my continued living and minding my own business? Those thoughts aren't presented as the answer, but they flit by just close enough to the surface of the mind to be glimpsed briefly.
Instead, the man's demeanour seems to change. The courier, while languid, is an open personality, but now there's subtle changes as it closes off - shoulders squaring, hands tensing, eyes no longer calm - the hints of being insulted (even threatened) rising to view. Finally, when he does reply, out loud to both girl and beast, there's a cooler edge to the tone than before, "And why would my existence be a problem to you? To end someone you don't even know? Who doesn't know you? Doesn't seem very sensible at all.."
. 9 .
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Post by Syd on Jan 18, 2022 15:55:41 GMT -6
Finally; something to work with.
What is? Syd makes a disgruntled face below his field of view, but he certainly feels it all the same. “Java, don’t be rude,” she chides him, purposefully and blissfully unaware (or uncaring, same thing) of how criminally hypocritical that statement is coming out of her mouth. This not being anywhere near the first time she’s had the audacity to say it, he doesn’t even bother getting offended, if only because that energy will be better spent towards the next inevitable stunt she pulls.
(There is a small box of fine sand at home in Chip’s possession, from a close counterpart and a sphinx, and is sometimes jokingly used to keep track of the span of days between Incidents; as using claws as dexterous writing implements can be rather difficult, but tallies are well within his capacities. Chip also swears that one time he got to trace three whole lines in the sand, but Java was too busy mucking through harachui disputes that week and refuses to believe it ever happened. Because there’s just no way.)
I make him nervous, but not surprised, he quietly replies to her in triumph.
Still; makes it hard for me t’ help the poor sod if you tell him you’ll eat ‘im, the girl shoots back.
The huff he gives is mainly through his nose and ruffles the few loose and longer curls that haven’t been swallowed whole by the snarls of her hair yet, before shifting to the side. He gives the briefest of nods (or was it to be an insultingly high bow?) to the man before he hears:
Just offering my services; in case you were in need of them and looking for something that you weren’t selling yourself, he demurs politely, the tone quiet almost to the point of submissiveness, if not for the satisfied glint in his eye. Then the seeker fully turns to inspect the tank and the fish inside - now that this whoever-he-was man knew exactly what would happen should he stray too far into things he shouldn’t pry into, the next problem to deal with was this …fish with teeth. Teeth-fish. Murry’s emotionally disturbed cousin. (Maybe Syd would let him put it in Sierra’s pool? Everyone has dreams.)
In the land of the spoken word and two-leggeds, the ympe rolls her eyes in an ever more dramatic fashion before addressing the (allegedly? But surely Java was overreacting) poor fish-seller.
“He doesn’t eat people for real, honest; he says it’d probably get stuck in his teeth,” she frowns as if trying to work out that math herself, before giving up seconds later. “But sure, I’ll make sure he don’t eat you.” And Syd smiles with all her teeth; sweet enough to tease but sharp enough to …perhaps seed doubt and unease in the beholder, depending on their disposition.
“So: ready for your next favor?” Syd: +20 Java: 40 (4/10) / 47 (4/10)
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Post by Èdan on Jan 18, 2022 16:23:48 GMT -6
If either answer is intended to defuse the situation, both end up somewhat stumbling over one another in the process. To the seeker's answer, the courier quirks a brow that seems almost confused - If he was looking to end his own existence, there's certainly a lot more painless ways to do it than via being-eaten-by-seeker. (Some of them might even be pretty blissful, depending on the general amount of alcohol and/or conciousness involved. Although the entire notion of even seeking that out would be allergic to him). The eyes still remain trained on the beast as he walks over to the tank, ending in a side-eye glance that absolutely doesn't trust the implication of the assurance, nor the manner it is given in. To be sure, the City is far from being a safe place, in particular because of the beasts that inhabit it, most more wild than any form of trained, but one would think the intelligent ones would know the difference between an offer and a threat. (Although that rather didn't seem to be the point, now did it..)
Well, on a supposed "up side" the seeker is no longer staring daggers into his skull, so current net profit remains positive? (Time will tell).
"So, what, he only 'fake' eats people?" the reply continues that cool deadpan, as he keeps the eyes on the seeker. "That's assuring." Eventually, when convinced the beast has enough interest with the dish, he finally turns back to the girl. The sharp grin doesn't help (More so in other matters that really ought to be processed much later) and the courier remains on the tense side. "No offence, kid, but it's not much of a favour to stop something from killing you, if your own guy's doing the threatening. So if there's more where that came from, I'd rather like to pass on that. I ain't looking for trouble, I just want to sell a damn fish. You want it, or nah?"
. 10 . (added)
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Post by Syd on Jan 18, 2022 20:46:16 GMT -6
His response immediately becomes a distraction that starts to derail her sales pitch.
"Why're so obsessed with him eatin' you? 'Cause he's more like ...you ever see momma birds hatchin' eggs and takin' care of babies, but also they're super angry 'bout it? It's more like that, but all the time. An' who fake eats people anyway, when you gotta pick eatin’ ‘em or not, although …” She pauses here to contemplate the pros and cons of such move.
“I bet you can get som’n to pay you for it, like, faking y'r death or whatever? JAVA,” she yells at him, and bless his indoctrinated little heart, he doesn’t even flinch and instead silently indicates he’s ready to listen to whatever comes out of her mouth next.
“You could pretend to eat people for money, we should ‘member that f’later,” she says as solemnly as an accredited scholar would upon proving a theory that would change the scientific community forever, and ignores the dull ‘thunk’ she hears as Java lightly headbutts the fish tank, as the nearest flat surface, in despair. Syd was a kind, forgiving, and far more lenient person that most people gave her credit for, but she would trudge on regardless.
Anyhow.
She claps her hands together decisively upon remembering what on earth she had planned to present to the man, and pointed at him with said business hands.
“So. Your problem is that no one wants your fish,” (she had no evidence to support this fact other than the fish still being here, but that was neither important nor relevant) “and you'd like this fish t’make you money. What if I tell you I c’n borrow your fish, and then give it back with a little …extra? And then you can sell it again f'r money too? I mean then you’d get money and extra stuff; so I mean that’s basically sellin’ the same fish twice.”
To be fair, she made it sound like she thought it was fool-proof. If that helped at all.
Syd: +22 Java: 40 (5/10) / 47 (5/10)
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Post by Èdan on Jan 19, 2022 9:16:28 GMT -6
The question and explanation - while well-intended, he's sure - does even less to help improve the situation. For one, it's not like he himself was the one who brought up the whole would-you-rather-be-eaten topic (Few in their right minds would, though perhaps it is something more relevant to the beast community, instincts and all, now that he thought about it..) For another, the fact this seeker is portrayed as a brooding mother hen with anger issues means this kid is a walking liability of unintended consequences. It's obvious to anyone with a hint of perceptive ability that she's not overtly concerned over her own well-being, nor the sticky situations certain.. topics can cause. And something tells him that's regardless of the seeker's presence (Meaning there can be people who end up on the predator's shit list long before they even realize it).
But, in the interest of avoiding further pressing of the matter for some things are better left UN-topical, he watches the exchange between her and the seeker without comment (Though certainly the seeker's headbutt into the glass has cathartic elements. If only one of them is the sensible one, surely the responsibility of teaching sensibility to said child ought to fall on them too. And it looks like she's missed some lessons, or the seeker's not that great at teaching).
And speaking of sensibility.. When she finishes the offer, he looks at her for a good long while, trying to work out what exactly she means. After all, there are many different ways to barter, but he's pretty sure 'I only want to borrow it' isn't one of them (And in fact is generally not that indistinguishable from what's a commonly used phrase for stealing). For a moment, the man closes his eyes, leans forward and looks to her again, brow slightly furrowed, "So.. You're telling me I should just give you the fish on loan, without collateral, and assume yer going to give it back on a promise of 'something extra'?" There are more obvious scam formulas, but not many. "And what would that 'something extra' even be?"
. 11 .
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Post by Syd on Jan 19, 2022 12:32:07 GMT -6
If the seeker was any kind of neutral about the courier and his existence, he might have taken the time to clarify and expand on his girl’s stroke of a paintbrush about him - that not only was he far calmer about her antics than any other soul with even a hint of intelligence back home, but that he found himself worrying about what Syd would do to and around other people far more than about what others did to her. (Seeing as she was incredibly more dangerous to herself than other people were.) By his account, he was more a Syd-wrangler than a bodyguard, and he had a funny feeling everyone else who knew the girl thought so too. How effective he was at his job however …depended on the day and the measuring stick used, most likely.
But Java had already decided he didn’t like the man, so he would just have to find this out the “fun” way instead. (One way to tell how long you have been exposed to the mildly radioactive element that was Sydulvri could be measured in the amount of gratification you got out of the exasperation and confusion of others. Which was, incidentally, also directly proportional to the desire to make others suffer as you have with a smile on your face. Java’s smiles, while still rare occurrences, were both wide and deeply unsettling to the uninitiated - which is why when a smattering of thoughts regarding his ability to teach Syd anything skittered across his awareness, he made sure he was well within the man’s peripheral vision when one broke out.)
Always the bigger person; her eternal lot in life. “While devastatin’ that you don’t trust me,” she began in the most long-suffering tone of voice possible, “I’ll decide to overlook that. ‘Cause I know you gotta be smart enough to want an EXTRA fish t’sell once I give it back.” The humanish spread her hands wide in what she probably assumed would be the everyday businessman’s way of mic dropping after an offer is beautifully presented for the other’s viewing pleasure. The eye roll came in halfway through the gesture, but she had complete confidence that it wouldn't marr the sentiment she was going for.
“An’ I guess if you’ve gotta have collateral, you c’n keep Java with you ‘til I come back. Or come with us!” She points her finger at him. “Can’t say I’m scammin’ you if you stay with th’ merchandise.” Nailed it. Forget teaching idiots how do not set themselves on fire next to a tree, she should be doing this instead.
Syd: +24 Java: 40 (6/10) / 47 (6/10)
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Post by Èdan on Jan 19, 2022 14:12:23 GMT -6
There is certainly something about this girl that is difficult to pin down. The man doesn't imagine there's too many people willing to trust her so far as they can throw her, exactly for that same reason, so he's hardly in limited company on the matter (Though perhaps more unique in terms of the perspective. Spend enough time around liars and cheats and you kind of understand the basics of the game better than most. But that was also the thing - She wasn't lying.. At least, not in any sense that he could tell. Omitting details, yes, but that is different, largely in that it's considered far more fair game. And there's certainly something to be said about doubling down on your words, regardless of the scepticism they're met with, or how thin the veil over them).
The man leans back, and the frown gradually lifts, as he shrugs "..Alright, sure. You can have the fish." It isn't because he just wants to get rid of the fish, and it certainly isn't because he ends up wanting two fish when all is said and over (Goddess knows, one is enough). It isn't even necessarily because he assumes that saying 'no' will incur the wrath of the seeker (Though the peripheral grin over shared misery seems to go unnoticed), nor that saying 'yes' will make them go away that much sooner. At the heart of it, the offer is a mercantile shamble of an attempt, one which few would even think to attempt, much less press. But she's sticking to it, shameless and stubborn, like the world would rewrite itself if scolded long enough (Which perhaps is why it's so oddly endearing. And he really isn't that attached to the thing anyway).
As for the collateral, his head turns towards the seeker, there's a brief stink face and he turns back to her, "Pass. You can keep that one. How long is this 'thing' you need it for gonna take, anyway?"
. 12 .
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Post by Syd on Mar 25, 2022 19:07:12 GMT -6
That it, she’s quitting the critter business. And any other venture she has done or ever might consider. She is the most amazing person to ever person and no one could argue with her ‘cause she’ll have a whole damn fish (on a temporary basis) to show for it! She shouts out a “HA” in victory, swinging a long and accusatory arm towards her companion in triumph.
“You tol’ him you were gonna eat ‘im and he still said yes, I am literally the best.” She proceeded to hold this pose for a few long seconds before the dead-pan and long-suffering look he angled her way transitioned into a nip of her fingers that had her recoiling them back to safety with a gasp.
“Rude,” she volleys back, and the roll of his eyes is accompanied by the rolling of his head in a small circle, because it turns out it can be difficult to show someone you are rolling your eyes at them if you have no visible distinction between the iris and …the rest of your eye.
Who knew?
That done, Syd turns back to her new charity-friend, (stop calling him that, he insists, which is of course promptly and totally ignored) and opens her mouth to answer when she realizes she doesn’t quite know how long it would take. Or even when it would be gotten to, because fill a town/city with people fervently obsessed with strange and abnormal creatures and the demand for services becomes an ever-present and never-ending problem.
(Not her problem, mind you, but a problem …for someone. Probably.)
The humanish scrunches up her nose again in thought, giving the impression that she was mildly perturbed from having to do so in the first place. Her anticipated answer turns out to be a shrug.
“Honestly? I dunno. It’s kinda hard to squeeze into line sometimes …how ‘bout this then: I save a spot an’ when I need Toothy McChomp Chomp over there, I'll let you know?” Syd: +26 Java: 40 (7/10) / 47 (7/10)
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Post by Èdan on Mar 26, 2022 11:00:25 GMT -6
The family quarrel between girl and seeker is left uninterrupted (For it's not the courier's business, and what doesn't start as his business is not something the courier would make as his, either), as he lets them sort out their differences with a well-practised indifference of his own. Even so, as he sits leaned against the crate, quietly slicing off another piece of the apple with the knife, the dryly expressive veneer has just the tiniest of cracks when her triumphant proclamation towards the seeker causes the corner of the mouth to twitch upwards just a fraction (Have to respect the impossible spirit in that girl).
He brings one of the legs up to rest on the crate, and the hand to rest on the knee once things settle. Just as expected, it doesn't look like her plans had evolved beyond that initial point of 'get the fish'.. But an extension of the time frame isn't necessarily a bad thing. (For one it would allow him some time for doing a bit of research of his own). "I appreciate the honesty," the courier replies in that dry lilt, but there's still sincerity behind the words. The copper-on-black gaze briefly diverts to the side in momentary thought as well, though by no means having as much indignance about having to do it as the girl did. When a decision (Or solution to the handover predicament, in this case) is reached, they quickly flick back to her.
"I'm guessin' it's some Lab-related work. Makes sense, that lot's not the best in consistency. A'ight, I'll keep the thing on hold for you in the meantime, and when the time's right, you can leave me a message at the tavern down at the docks. Place called Saltcrust Barrel." The knife in the hand makes a small flip as he switches grips and pins it point-first into the crate he's sitting on, then holds out the freed hand for a shake, "Deal?"
. 13 .
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Post by Syd on Nov 28, 2022 14:32:01 GMT -6
Syd’s posturing is the reason she misses the ‘blink and it was never there’ smile the man reluctantly makes, but the fond-esque impression of his girl that floats almost involuntarily across this stranger’s mind almost makes the seeker want to not despise him.
Almost, mind you - Java was far less easily swayed based on whims and split-second decisions unlike others that could be mentioned (or loudly and dramatically gestured to, because their mere existence could be arguably used as proof that the gods’ sense of humor was cruel and torturous at best). Was a positive view of his girl more desirable than a negative one? The latter would probably be easier to deal with than the former with a firm use of violence, despite any laws and farces of regulation the Labs insisted they stood by. Was simpler better, he wondered?
And then he watches Syd reach across the distance between them and meet this man halfway in a hand shake, and he finds he does not have to wonder any longer. Not about this. That being said and done, he turns around (perhaps more gracefully than one would think given his size and stature) to begin firmly pushing Sydulvri back down the market and into the crowd in an almost gentle but never-ending headbutt. And she allows it, remembering at the last minute to shout, “Also I’m Syd okaybye!” while they’re still in ear-shot, waving with one entire arm covered from shoulder to first knuckles with fabric of all kinds, bandages and blanket scraps alike. That being done, she turns to start walking forward under her own power, letting her pale shadow sniff and inspect her all over, taking care to rub off the man’s scent on her hand as best he could and replace it with his own.
A smile is accompanied by a roll of flat silver eyes, flashing brightly in flickers from the afternoon sun. So you really didn’t like him, huh?
There is something wrong about him, he snorts aggressively, and does not care that he receives some mildly panicked looks from the two-leggeds around him. And I do not like that he was interested in where you were from.
She shrugs off his concern, something that is not surprising to him but still elicits a grumble in response. Did’e seem mad about it? About me maybe bein’ from there?
There is a long, reluctant pause before he answers in a negative, and he grumbles even further when she grins quick and sharp at him.
Maybe I’ll ask him about it next time …
PLEASE do not -
Her laugh echoes off the cobblestone as they turn to narrower city streets, leaving the market and its bustling chaos behind them.
Syd: +28 Java: 40 (8/10) / 47 (8/10)
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Post by Èdan on Nov 28, 2022 16:21:17 GMT -6
He hasn't forgotten about the seeker, far from it. Even though the eyes focus on the girl (As one would when coming to an agreement, it's just politeness), there's still that ever present awareness that should he make the slightest of wrong moves, he might as well say goodbye to that hand. Despite that, the shake is brief but firm, perhaps made more confident by the fact it is her returning it, something even the seeker could surely not blame him for (Though he suspects he'd try).
At the strange assortment of decorations on her hand, the humanish's head tilts slightly, "Nice fabrics," before he lets go just as the girl is being coerced away by the pale reptilian. A curiosity, considering she doesn't strike him as the most fashion-minded person, by mere appearance and mannerisms alone (But it gets filed away all the same). The hand has a chance to rest on the raised knee listlessly for only a few mere moments, before the girl gives one last contribution to the encounter, in the form of a (very late) introduction. "Syd," he repeats, as if to confirm, then the hand giving a brief wave in return, the return call not as strong as her voice but still audible, "Aedryn. See ya."
And then they're gone, at least in so far as the girl is - the seeker's spines still make an unmistakeable cut through the crowd, even from his eye level. The man leans back against the tower of crates behind him watching them draw off into the distance, but the thoughts don't quite come yet (He's not quite sure what the range for that reptile is, but he's more than certain tabs would be kept. One generally only makes a mistake once, particularly with mind readers). It does not stop that sense of wary curiosity from increasing, however.. As he watches with restrained contemplation, a small shadow slowly seeps up from the collar of the shirt, eventually blinking open emerald green eyes next to his head.
Curiosity. A dangerous thing (But far too many pieces are at play in this, far too many things that ring uncomfortable at best).
The copper eyes regard the departing duo with mild interest, staying on them even as the head tilts towards the shadow, and he murmurs low, "Follow them. See where they go, what they do. See what you see." As the head levels out, the shadow nods and disappears back into the folds of the cloth, before darting out from the base of the box - a tiny sliver of darkness jumping from one shadow to another, following the duo's wake at a distance.
There's a closed sigh, and the fingers on the resting hand fidget briefly. Well.. this certainly took many turns.
. 14 . (added)
(exit)
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