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rubblerouser) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
finalflight2019-12-04 02:56 pm
rubblerouser) wrote in finalflight2019-12-04 02:56 pm
Oh--
[ It's soft and chagrined, too quiet to be really annoyed by this change in situation, but to anyone walking this quaint dirt path looking for a mark or just... walking along for the sake of a stroll, there's a young woman in a wheelchair struggling to both get her chair over a deep impression in the path and to pick up a briefcase that had toppled off her lap at the unexpected bump in the road.
What would one do, coming across her? ]
[ It's soft and chagrined, too quiet to be really annoyed by this change in situation, but to anyone walking this quaint dirt path looking for a mark or just... walking along for the sake of a stroll, there's a young woman in a wheelchair struggling to both get her chair over a deep impression in the path and to pick up a briefcase that had toppled off her lap at the unexpected bump in the road.
What would one do, coming across her? ]
[An easy mark’s an easy mark, quick pocket change if nothing else — but then there are girls like her, the sort that you’d feel pretty scummy taking advantage of, and Erik isn’t that kind of thief.
He is the kind of young man who’ll stop and frown at the sight, though, for a whole three seconds before letting it go lopsided on his face. A few seconds more and he’s walking in her direction, casual as can be; though he has a sheathed dagger swinging at his hip with each step, there’s nothing particularly threatening about his approach. His words are a careful kind of exasperated, edging on concern if you listen hard enough.]
Dropped something? [-he asks, not really needing to ask, made obvious by the way he’s bending down to swoop up the briefcase by its handle. Straightening, he holds it out, dangling mid-air. Erik then gives it a lazy shake.]
Hope there wasn’t anything too fragile inside.
He is the kind of young man who’ll stop and frown at the sight, though, for a whole three seconds before letting it go lopsided on his face. A few seconds more and he’s walking in her direction, casual as can be; though he has a sheathed dagger swinging at his hip with each step, there’s nothing particularly threatening about his approach. His words are a careful kind of exasperated, edging on concern if you listen hard enough.]
Dropped something? [-he asks, not really needing to ask, made obvious by the way he’s bending down to swoop up the briefcase by its handle. Straightening, he holds it out, dangling mid-air. Erik then gives it a lazy shake.]
Hope there wasn’t anything too fragile inside.
[ Being raised as a magus means Fiore has to listen hard enough to everything, to register a thing as important when it might not seem as such. It's why she picks up that thread of consideration, and why she doesn't tense as much as she wants to when he swoops up the briefcase and shakes it experimentally.
What's inside isn't fragile, no. But certainly valuable. ]
The case itself is durable, but it's still not something I wanted to fling carelessly. Thank you for picking it up.
What's inside isn't fragile, no. But certainly valuable. ]
The case itself is durable, but it's still not something I wanted to fling carelessly. Thank you for picking it up.
Sure. [One hand moves to his hip, the other still holds onto the briefcase, though he allows his arm to drop back down to his side.
Erik considers her for a second again, trying to decide if she’s going to need help getting past that dip in the path, too — the storms from last season had taken their toll, and now that the sun’s bright and shining in the sky, the land shows the consequences of it, all along the earth. Makes travel tricky in some areas, even for those used to booking it back and forth between point A and B.
So, while he considers that—]
What’s in it?
[The briefcase, like it’s any of his business. But curiosity is a thing.]
Erik considers her for a second again, trying to decide if she’s going to need help getting past that dip in the path, too — the storms from last season had taken their toll, and now that the sun’s bright and shining in the sky, the land shows the consequences of it, all along the earth. Makes travel tricky in some areas, even for those used to booking it back and forth between point A and B.
So, while he considers that—]
What’s in it?
[The briefcase, like it’s any of his business. But curiosity is a thing.]
[Uh.
The contrast between her words and demeanor make Erik wonder if he heard her wrong, but— No, she definitely said that in this briefcase is some great and terrible weapon... or something.
And now she’s asking if there’s anything that she can help him with, like he’s suddenly the one on the spot— hold on a second, here.]
Wait, what?
[Is she messing with him?]
I’m just asking questions, that’s all. What kind of powerful weapon like that is kept in a place like— [He holds up the briefcase once more, glancing down at it in his hands.] —this? Honestly.
The contrast between her words and demeanor make Erik wonder if he heard her wrong, but— No, she definitely said that in this briefcase is some great and terrible weapon... or something.
And now she’s asking if there’s anything that she can help him with, like he’s suddenly the one on the spot— hold on a second, here.]
Wait, what?
[Is she messing with him?]
I’m just asking questions, that’s all. What kind of powerful weapon like that is kept in a place like— [He holds up the briefcase once more, glancing down at it in his hands.] —this? Honestly.
[He arches a brow, the hand at his hip tapping a finger for a beat or two.]
Do I get an explanation if I hand it back? Can’t tease information like that and not follow through, you know. It’s rude.
[That, or he just wants to know. Curiosity and all that.]
Do I get an explanation if I hand it back? Can’t tease information like that and not follow through, you know. It’s rude.
[That, or he just wants to know. Curiosity and all that.]
What, do you think I’m going to steal it or something?
[Haa...]
I like learning about one-of-a-kind objects, that’s all. Anyone would be curious, especially after a claim like that.
[Haa...]
I like learning about one-of-a-kind objects, that’s all. Anyone would be curious, especially after a claim like that.
Works for me.
[Simple as that, Erik offers the briefcase back. With his other hand, he gestures at that cumbersome dip in the path.]
You need, uh, help with that too?
[Simple as that, Erik offers the briefcase back. With his other hand, he gestures at that cumbersome dip in the path.]
You need, uh, help with that too?
[In that case, Erik steps around and behind her, grabbing hold of the wheelchair’s handles—]
Right then, up you go.
[—and pushing her forward, with just enough force to free her from the uneven part of the ground.]
Where you headed, anyway? Figure I could walk with you, if you don’t mind the company.
Right then, up you go.
[—and pushing her forward, with just enough force to free her from the uneven part of the ground.]
Where you headed, anyway? Figure I could walk with you, if you don’t mind the company.
I don't mind, no. [ She doesn't think she comes off as all that interesting, but maybe he really does just want company.
Or his curiosity about the briefcase is eating him alive. ]
I was actually heading to... ah. I forget the name of the town, but they have a shop there that specializes in foreign and unique materials that I wanted to look into.
Or his curiosity about the briefcase is eating him alive. ]
I was actually heading to... ah. I forget the name of the town, but they have a shop there that specializes in foreign and unique materials that I wanted to look into.
[Probably the latter, but who’s to say he wasn’t heading in the same direction? Erik has an interest in the towns in this area — what they can offer, what kind of company he can keep. Just like he knows all the backroads to take, heading from one to the other.]
Little place just up north, right? Same way I’m going, so it works out.
[At least the path is relatively straightforward from here on out.]
What do you need “foreign and unique” materials for?
Little place just up north, right? Same way I’m going, so it works out.
[At least the path is relatively straightforward from here on out.]
What do you need “foreign and unique” materials for?
Okay.
[As good as a non-answer for him, Fiore. Down the path they go, Erik’s pace casual.]
Meaning what, exactly?
[As good as a non-answer for him, Fiore. Down the path they go, Erik’s pace casual.]
Meaning what, exactly?
[It’s an ancient stone temple, worn and run-down by the passage of time, corridors vast but relatively empty. It makes him feel small, much like all these old and hallowed structures often do, so it’s all the more liberating to know he can quit this place as soon as he finds the treasure nestled within. The leather sheath of his dagger lightly bumps his hip with each step, and Erik is acutely aware of its presence, not knowing what could be waiting around any given corner.
So far so good, though. No scuffling of monsters, no rival thieves or nosy adventurers threatening to get in his way — not yet, at least. According to the local rumors, this temple of the ancient past was sprawling and many-roomed (and cursed), and Erik doesn’t doubt that’ll mean trouble one way or another. Either he stumbles across it first, or it comes looking for him.
A few winding corridors later, a few dusty rooms, and he thinks he might have found it.
Trouble, that is. He hears the echoing footsteps of someone else, and just ahead, the shape of a young girl comes into view, unfamiliar to him. Well— what to do? If she’s competition, then there’s no point in sneaking about; she’s probably heard his own muffled footsteps encroaching, so he calls out—]
...You lost or something?
So far so good, though. No scuffling of monsters, no rival thieves or nosy adventurers threatening to get in his way — not yet, at least. According to the local rumors, this temple of the ancient past was sprawling and many-roomed (and cursed), and Erik doesn’t doubt that’ll mean trouble one way or another. Either he stumbles across it first, or it comes looking for him.
A few winding corridors later, a few dusty rooms, and he thinks he might have found it.
Trouble, that is. He hears the echoing footsteps of someone else, and just ahead, the shape of a young girl comes into view, unfamiliar to him. Well— what to do? If she’s competition, then there’s no point in sneaking about; she’s probably heard his own muffled footsteps encroaching, so he calls out—]
...You lost or something?
Believe it or not, I’m familiar with magic. Plenty of people use it around these parts.
[Not so much Erik, but he can swing a spell or two if required.]
But ‘spirit evocation’, though? What kind of spirits are you evoking?
[Not so much Erik, but he can swing a spell or two if required.]
But ‘spirit evocation’, though? What kind of spirits are you evoking?
Eh.
[It’s the sort of “eh” noise that couples with a flappy hand motion.]
Sort of. I know a little earth magic, but I can’t go flinging spells around like some people. If I get into trouble, I’ve got to rely on a dagger and my own wit to get out of it.
[A sidelong glance, back down at that briefcase.]
So what do you do with these animals spirits after the fact, huh? They fight for you, or...?
[It’s the sort of “eh” noise that couples with a flappy hand motion.]
Sort of. I know a little earth magic, but I can’t go flinging spells around like some people. If I get into trouble, I’ve got to rely on a dagger and my own wit to get out of it.
[A sidelong glance, back down at that briefcase.]
So what do you do with these animals spirits after the fact, huh? They fight for you, or...?
With your mysterious weapon all bundled up nice and secure in that briefcase, right?
[The path curves again, this time along a gentle downward slope, and the faint trace of a town in the distance can be made out along the hillside.]
When do I get to see it?
[The path curves again, this time along a gentle downward slope, and the faint trace of a town in the distance can be made out along the hillside.]
When do I get to see it?
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