Eyeris's Links
"There's something more to her, there has to be... Someone can't be alive for that long and be that happy all of the time... If I wasn't swamped with more important cases, I'd investigate further. Unless..."
"Hm. Kit is very kind. Very kind, yes... But I cannot help but get the feeling she is walking around the painted crow. Or perhaps I'm getting drunk off cold water myself..."
"Ay, a proper ace here, no frowns, no complaints, been around the whole time with nothing stoppin' her. Everyone could learn to be a bit more like her, I think I think."
"Ah, Kit! Yes, one of the first comfies I met when my partner no longer had any use of me! She put me right at ease in the untreaded path for me that was the Astral Pocket! One does have to wonder how she manages to know and keep track of absolutely everyone without being a machine, though... I'm a machine and I can barely keep track of everyone in town!"
"Yvonne is so cooool~!" Kit gushes, holding her face between her hands and cheerfully tilting side to side. "She's like, someone from a movie! Hmmm, I dunno if I can explain why though, since a lady's more mysterious with a few secrets yeah?" She snickers a little, and you can almost imagine her winking. "Well, nowadays I'm just happy she's happy, heehee~"
"Ah, yes, Kit... I love Kit, I really do, I just have... Worries sometime. I feel she knows me a little too well, and though I know she'd never do anything as to harm me, one can't help but... Worry. It's an instinct."
"Hmm hmm hmmmmm~" Kit happily hums and skips as she floats around the plaza, cheerfully hanging up flowery decorations as she goes. "Oh sure I know Glenn!" She laughs, not pausing for a moment. "He's a real good neighbor, y'know y'know? Probably one of the best there is, heehee!" She winds up and tosses a big wreath of flowers up atop a lamppost. "I love it when he's around, since there's always something good happening when he is~ Or, I guess that just means they'll be around when something good's going on. That's sort of the same thing, yeah?" She nods with cheery hum yet again as she goes about her merry way with decorating. She's got an event to prep!! And it's gotta be the best of the best for her friends~! :3c
"Ah yes, Kit! A good neighbor, and a better friend. I believe, if memory serves me right, that she was the first I met after I came out of dormancy. A great first impression, if I do say so myself. I see her all the time at little local functions, it's always a pleasure."
Bianca gently places a hand where a mouth would be and seemingly chuckles a bit, though there is of course no sound. They tilt their head curiously and pose as if in thought, but eventually gives you a rather content nod.
She finds the man charming, and a lovely member of the community. Though for some reason they always seem to shy away certain topics. Well, it's no problem keeping a few secrets, so long as we're not lying to ourselves.
"Ah! Encore, encore! I love to go see any sort of show, movie, play, that I happen to catch when I'm around the entertainment district! I've wanted to pitch my own ideas for a rock opera before, but I always get a bit too shy and star-struck to!" He laughs quietly to himself, about the silly reason for all these missed opportunities.
"Oh oh oh! Have you heard Rattles perform too? Isn't it so lovely?" She beams, clearly delighted to hear about a friend. "It's really nice because I get to see them at night too! He's a real busy fella though, so I just tend to leave him to it, heehee~" She does a little hop and skip before striking a silly little pose; a mini performance for nobody in particular. "They ask for a little something in return, but that's only fair. It's more fun when we all play together, don't you think~?"
"A friendly soul. I don't know what I would do if she never paid. I don't know if I could get my dues. But yet, we still dance and sing together and talk of travels and strange individuals late into the night. I look forward to seeing her when I travel, hah..! What a concept..."
"Ehehehehe I always love meeting a fellow jingler~" She bounces up and down a little with a soft jingle as if to prove a point. "Besides! We get along great in other ways too. A merchant's always gotta get paid their fair share for what they're selling after all! Performers are no different, so don't forget to tip~!" She laughs with a little salute.
"We jingle and jangle together! I love performing for her- for a good price, of course- but I love it nonetheless. She always has the most interesting of wares... I hope I will never have to collect payment for myself from her. It would be a tragedy!"
Bianca nods, a rather chipper and excited gesture despite the movement maintaining the same sluggish pace of all her movements. There's never a day where she doesn't enjoy mingling with friends. The old lady gestures, towards the same old collections and stage, but remains enthusiastic throughout the silent demonstrations. By the time they reach the sitting room, the coffee should be just about ready. Perhaps it should've prepared some cake.
"Ah, yes, hello my long-necked friend! Do you have any new antiques to show? Any good shows put on in the theater lately? I'd love to catch up over some plum dumplings and coffee!"
"Gasp!! NickKnack!!! It's been a while!!" She says, as if that amount of time had any relative meaning at all. "Always always always, c'mon c'mon show me whatchu got! >:3c" It's not like an explosion would hurt her any anways~ Though if it did, she'd bet Qi-qi would love to see that.
"Why-hy-hy, I remember you! How've you been nowadays? Wanna see somethin' new I've been a-workin' on lately? It won't explode, I promise!"
She's currently happily squatting down, her face cupped with both hands as she watches a mildly concerning amount of little centipedes scuttle around an open field.
*Tink* The sound of a coin being casually flicked upwards can be heard rather clearly in the quiet alleyway. Kaneko catches it and tosses it up yet again, seemingly absentmindedly, but you knew better. "The fuck do you want?" They say, evidently unhappy to have you intrude on what was a relatively peaceful moment. "It's nothing, just heard some rats were sniffing around and I'm annoyed about it. They went to visit the blacksmith but apparently some guy kicked em right out. No, not the smith." She shrugs. "Not that he wouldn't do that too but, it was the other one. With the smoke and menace. No, that's not the smith. Yes, there's another one, with frankly a lot more smoke, and a lot more menace. From what I've heard and what I can tell, he's respectable." Qi-qi certainly had nothing but positive things to say, and he didn't seem all that bad on the odd trip or two they happened to be together on with Qi-qi, so they can at least assume he wasn't really an issue. Though admittedly she has no idea how a guy like that wound up with this particular crowd. Regardless, she's had more than her fair share of headaches lately, and was admittedly grateful to have someone stay out of her business. "Doubt he'd be any help though, not really the type of guy you wanna mess with anyways. Seems like what the guy wants is to retire, the lucky bastard. Probably why he kicked em right out at the first sign of trouble. ...What do you mean 'what was he doing there' he fucking lives there. Yes, with the s- How am I supposed to know??" Kaneko slams her staff on the ground, annoyed once again. "Look, I don't really give a shit what their deal is. It's just something I heard." Actually, they hear about them quite often. Hard to not hear about it when the people involved are directly related to your friend. She didn't actually believe Qi-qi when she said Maddock was her brother at first, and it's honestly still rather unbelievable, but whatever. "Point is, just leave em be. They're the least of my worries." Kaneko readies her staff as a loud clang echoes from around the corner; looks like someone's set off a trap. "And I've got rats to catch."
The man in the back of the shop glances up at the merry jingle of the doorbell, but his attention doesn't last for long- the second he decides you aren't immediately going to run off with something his focus is back towards the potter's wheel at his front. Dismissive, completely uninterested.
"...What. Shotgun girl?" He barely looks up at the question, his tone practically dripping with disinterest and head firmly bowed towards the project hidden beneath his bare hands.
The question about Kaneko is pressed, and he grits back a sigh when you don't leave through five deeply awkward minutes of silence. Can't ignore them *all* away- especially when they're in your space.
"...She reminds me of... well. Ain't a fuckin' compliment. 'Swhat I'll tell you." Though, not necessarily a bad thing, either. He doesn’t bother to voice that particular clarification. Elsen doesn't quite feel like he knows Kaneko well enough to justify dragging the point out, let alone to a complete stranger. "...Strange tastes in music. Very particular." Tap, tap, tap...
"Long as that woman wipes her dirty paws on the mat, we won't have any problems." His shoe raps against the stonework floor, stifled beneath the gentle whirr of the magically powered potter’s wheel. What little commentary he was willing to be forthcoming about trickles into silence, the rough ball of clay he'd been centering on the plate when you first walked in beginning to take shape.
He seems... uncharacteristically relaxed, if you could call the annoyed tension building between his shoulders that. You can see the cup slowly darken in shade as the ash from his hands intermingles with the clay, working it into shape in a routine motion. It's clearly not his first, judging by the wooden board covered in a short row by his side.
You try to press the question about Kaneko for the third time- casual, light. Maybe not light enough, a very familiar paranoia rearing its ugly head in response.
The pottery wheel glides to an ominous halt, half-thrown cup still gently cradled between his hands. He doesn't particularly know what, exactly, Kaneko has been up to, and he doesn't give a damn as long as it stays out. Do they have a fucking admissions letter nailed to the door?
"...Are *we* going to have a problem, you little rat? Fuck do you want? Evidently you're not here for work." Uh oh.
"I don't play those damn games- and neither does Maddock, for that matter. You try and talk to me about her in his shop again, and I'lll fucking-" He pulls away from the clay, hands flexing like he's giving some real, genuine consideration to trying to choke you out on the spot- that line of questioning's retroactively overstayed your welcome before you even got here. He comes to the astral pocket to get *away* from the slinking and the obnoxious fucking nightmare of people trying to be sly. As little as he fits with the quaint charm of Sanctuary Square, he never left it for a very specific reason. "Get the hell out of here, or I'll give you something *real* interesting to think about in the nursery." It's clear he means it- Elsen always does. Looks like it's about time to cut losses.
"Hound?" His head wings uncharacteristically perk up with interest, albeit only briefly. He pauses for a moment before awkwardly clearing his throat. "Yes, I know him. I um, hope he's in good health. I'm sure we all know that recovery isn't always the easiest thing," He knows that firsthand, actually. "but he's come a long way. I'm very glad." He seems rather charmed by the pup. "Ah, now if you'll excuse me I must be going." He adds quickly, walking off with his clipboard in hand once again, though clearly in a better mood than before.
"Puppy!!!" Kit cheers with both arms raised up in the air. "I love puppy~! Isn't he cute?" She laughs. "Hmmm? Whatever do you mean? Of course he's a puppy! There's no way I wouldn't be able to tell, silly~"
"...I don't quite know." Oscar states plainly when asked for an opinion. It was entirely the truth too, as he didn't exactly have any particularly standout encounters with the nervous lad. "I've seen him somewhat but, not much." He tilts his head a bit, a tad troubled. "In fact, I get the sneaking suspicious he may be...intimidated, by me? I would certainly hope not but, call it a hunch." He knows from experience how that reaction tends to be. "The fellow is also, a touch difficult to place. So I'm afraid I can't quite give any more of an opinion besides that. Apologies." Their meetings always seemed rather brief and fleeting, at least in recent memory. Perhaps someday they'll have a proper chat.
You don't even get Oscar's name completely out before Maine reacts with a start, hands snapping the hood lower around his face. You can't even make out the glow of his core with how far he's curled into himself. It's pretty clear that the only thing keeping him here long enough to even react like that is the animal keeping him down.
"He-" Maine begins with a start, muffled by layers of thick cloth. "I- Don't- um- wanna. um.... talk... about- about him? Ever? To you?" They've 'met' in relatively loose terms, and it would be too soon if he ever saw the man again. The thought fills him with a bone-deep sense of dread, a familiar terror settling at the back of his neck. By all means, Oscar's never *done* anything to him- he was... nice. Nice enough, to someone who wouldn't tell him anything other than to go away. It doesn't change anything, though. Not for an intensely irrational fear like that.
Mostly irrational.
"Please go away- go away, go away, go away please, please- plea-se go away-"
"Ehehehehehe~" Qi-qi chuckles like she knows a secret you clearly don't; a reeeeal funny one at that! "Maine's such a funny guy! Just the funniest little guy, y'know y'know? Ehe~" says the nearly child sized comfy. "It makes you really wanna tease him juuuuust a lil lil bit, yeah? Ah but he's still a little sensitive for that kind of thing, so for now we just hang out and play games~ Did you know he's really good at Cat's Fable? Eh? You don't know? Oh oh you don't know what game that is do you? Ehehe, yeah!" She barely holds in another laugh. "Most people wouldn't!"