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RULE UPDATE [3/6/2022]
Your OC gets to trade items with the OC above them. Will they trade food? Pokemon cards? Are they trading uranium ore for a newborn puppy? We'll see.
RULES AND GUIDELINES:
- Keep NSFW to a minimum -- suggestions, implications, and innuendos are generally fine, but keep in mind that minors have access to this thread.
- Romantic interactions are allowed, but only between adult characters.
- Sensitive or gory interactions are also allowed, but must be put under a spoiler or blacked out.
- Remember to post IC! The IC button is on top of the field where you write your post, just switch it on and select the character you wish to use.
- There is a five sentence minimum!
- As a general suggestion, not quite a rule, however, please try to match half the post of the person you are responding to.
- It is also recommended that you write a follow-up to the person below you, either accepting, rejecting, or bargaining the trade.
- You may only post every three posts or three days after the last post, not three days after your own.
- Example: [You] [x] [x] [x] [You] or You [x] [x] [three days pass] [You]
- You may post a "claim" to avoid getting sniped, but please do not take too long on it!
- You will be pinged here with a reminder after twelve hours of an unfinished claim. After twenty-four hours of an unfinished claim, you can be skipped by the next person.
- Though this is not required, you can write down characterization notes and/or prompts -- in the case of this thread, what items they might have to trade.
- Be kind to your fellow players, but know that in-character views are not their own out-of-character. Just because their character's rude to yours doesn't mean they themselves feel that way!
- Do not skip over users who have you blocked or who you have blocked. Wait for someone else to respond to them before posting.
- I supervise this thread as much as I can, but if you spot problems, please either DM or ping me.
Kiushhu tilted their head up, spotting Seung-Cheol as they had been searching for. They approached the man carefully, waving to catch his attention.
"Ah! I'm glad to have found you, dear arbiter!" They chuckled, holding some fabric tightly in their hand, "I have something I'd like to make an offer about."
Stepping just a bit closer, the uberhero slowly held out the fabric from their hand, "I heard you are a tailor, no? So perhaps something like this could be of use."
Humming in thought, Kiushhu shook their head a little, "I found it while I was out patrolling. If you're interested, we could trade for it. Anything will do, truly. I just enjoy the concept of trade."
A little awkward of a request, but it works out well enough, they think.
---
follow upducclord !
Kiushhu shook their head a bit, reaching back out for their mask desperately.
"I'm! I'm very afraid that's not for trade nor for sale," They half mumbled, keeping a kind demeanor, "That mask is-- very very important."
Relaxing, the uberhero took a step back, calming themselves down back to their usual level headedness. Perhaps an explanation was in order.
"You see that mask," they motioned to the object, "Is a source of power for me. It helps me greatly in my abilities to protect and server my people. Without it, I am weakened. And in the wrong hands...It could be bad news."
They dipped their head respectfully, "I appreciate your offer, truly. But I must have my mask back. Perhaps, if you are looking for interesting objects, I can help you find something else."
Lani has been at the beach for hours. She's been searching for all sorts of nicknacks and trinkets for the flea market come the weekends. So far, she's been finding mostly clams, corals, and 'odd' conch shell. Midst the sands she finds herself picking up a green mask. 'Huh, that's weird... The sea sure brings in the goods.' A thought comes to mind, perhaps she could keep the mask for the market later! Lani was about to pocket the mask when a warrior in green cape comes running after her.
"Oh hey, who are you?" Kiushhu introduces themselves and asked Lani for the mask back as it was one they had lost. Lani's a bit hesistant as it's such a good find and she hasn't gotten a lot of nice things for the market.
"A-ah, I see..." she pauses, pondering a moment. "W-well, could I interest you in a trade?" She opens her woven-knit bag filled with and assortment of shell, "Maybe you might find something you'd like from in here?"
----------
Late follow up but better than never :v
Lani looks at the cheese, then looks at her avocado. "Hmm... Cheese... Weird pear..." She says, repeating the two words over and over as if trying to find a connection between the two. "OH!" She snaps her fingers as an idea pops into her head, "ya wanna trade cheese for this here deee-licious avocado!"
Lani gets all giddy and says, "of course I'd love to! We can share food and try out cooking em in different recipes and-" she's going off topic from the trade as she gets more and more excited about the aspect of cooking with the ingredient she was just offered. Looks like Salvador just got himself a deal, though he might have to get thru Lani's rather long talk.
They formed a funny duo these two. The goat-herding small, not social, thief and the talkative cheerful goat like faejin. Salvador didn't seem to mind her company. Quite the opposite even. He thought she was pretty neat, and that was a high ranking title in Salvador's books. They even had one thing in common, (even if Lani liked that or not), goats. Salvador sat next to her. A small paper wrapper in his hand, while he eyed the faejin with a careful smile.
"It's goat cheese, " he said. Out of nowhere. He even nodded at the wrapper while carefully unpacking it. "Dried, had it delivered this morning. My mum send it, " he continued. Dried goat cheese. Cheese that was send through the mail, by a thief his mum. Didn't sound great, now did it. "Ya wanna?" He ask, softly shaking the cheese in his hand. As he clearly never heard of the term 'no thank you I don't want dried-mailed-cheese' before. "Maybe we can trade?" Salvador continued his steady endeavor. "For a bite of that weird pear you got there, " Salvador said nodding at Lani's avocado.
--
He smiled. He did like the wool, especially the color. 2 bars of soap was expensive, but since when was Salvador a good business man.
"2, okay, " he said. His voice a bit rusty. "I'll take that deal."
Hadn't Noel ranted about his poor bathing habits before? Well, if he had, he was about to do it again.
The elderly man, again not unlike the girl he took care of, stooped down with his hands atop his old knees, trying to get on eye level with Salvador, instead of looking upon him as a normal person should. He wasn't sure if he had much to offer the other party. Sure, he had preserved meat, maybe a few rusted artifacts the aforementioned girl picked up in the nearby caverns, but he wasn't sure if Salvador would be interested in either of those things. But, wool. The last time they spoke to each other, Salvador wanted to learn how to knit.
Noel reached underneath his cloak for a moment, taking out a little metal box from his trouser pocket. He took out a plain, beige ball of yarn, weighing it in his hand for a moment. He needed it gone. He wasn't going to have any use for it, after all. He glanced down at the ball, before letting out a sigh and finally speaking to Salvador.
"I heard that you're able to craft soap. I don't know how to do that shit." he told him, "But, I'd like some soap, anyway. Just a bar or two, nothing so fucking fancy like-- don't give me a man made of soap. Just... soap."
He then held out the yarn, and continued on, "This yarn is cheap, but it's easy to work with. I've used the same type years ago, but gods know I'm never going to use it again. Maybe you will, though, and for that, I want... I want your soap, and you want this yarn. Does that work?"
HERE IS a follow-up post. noel is grateful.
"Oh, it's you!"
Three words to send a shiver down Noel's spine. He halted on the wooded path and quickly craned his neck to look over his shoulder, expecting someone coming to beat the shit out of him despite how chummy the newcomer's tone of voice was. He glared down at En, first taking into account how small the younger man was. Or, perhaps, Noel was just massive. In the same, almost belittling display as before, he leaned down towards En, looking him over. Muffins. He gave somebody muffins, yes. He didn't think he'd ever see this guy again, in all honesty...
"I remember." he drawled, "I'm glad you took them off my hands, but the girl got pissed at me." Of course she did. It felt like no matter what he did, he couldn't please her. He was tired. He wanted to sleep.
Noel fell silent when En opened the lid of the basket to reveal an abundance of berries, most of which he certainly wouldn't be able to get out in his neck of the woods. He stepped forward and peered more intently into the basket, reaching into it to take out a tall strawberry and holding it in between his fingers. Blink and you'll miss it, but he smiled, before exhaling and nodding. These berries for muffins. He could make a few batches with these combined with the ingredients he had at home, surely.
"Alright." he grunted, "Just take those berries and follow me up this way, will you? I'm heading home now, so I suppose I should just use those berries as soon as I do. That is assuming you still want muffins like that..."
The old man turned away and resumed marching up the forested hill. "I have leftovers from last night's dinner, too. Take what you want, I suppose..."
"Oh, it's you!" En beamed. He hurried over to Noel, a covered basket in his hands that seemed to weigh him down a bit. "You gave me strawberry muffins some time ago, do you remember? You said something about the person you made it for didn't want them? They were amazing! Better than a lot of the stuff I've had! I felt really bad about taking them from you, so I've been wandering around a lot until I ran into you so I could repay you!" He opened the basket to reveal a plethora of strawberries. There were even some cherries and blueberries mixed in.
"Here! I got these for you!" the prince beamed before suddenly turning sheepish. "It wouldn't be too much to ask for a couple more muffins for myself in exchange, would it?"
En stiffened at first when Arkine popped up, quickly calming down when he realized the man was no threat (as far as he knew). A map? Well sure, he didn't mind- En looked through his things, only to not find one. One of his friends must have taken it. Oh well, he didn't mind letting the guy travel with him for a while, and getting an onion out of that? What a deal!
The prince was just about to grab it when he heard the other offer. He froze. To be able to travel to anyone? Could it take him to people he'd never met before? Like... the person who killed his brother? En's breathing hitched. He wanted that. He wanted that badly. But--
Golden eyes frantically looked back at Arkine. "Sing?" he stammered. "I-I don't think you really want that from me, I'm not a good singer at all!"
From out of nowhere Arkine comes popping out of the woods! And just started walking with En, as if they were old pals already. Arkine walking side by side next to him, then turns to the prince, "OHHHhh... WHAT DO I HAVE HERE... INTERESTING! A WONDERING SOUL! BETTER YET A WONDERING TRAVELER!" Arkine's voice was annoying! High pitched, high toned. Unbearable. And yet, he continues to talk. "A LOT OF WORK WALKING FROM TOWN TO TOWN. TELL ME ABOUT IT! HAHAHA!! ONE MUST BE SUPER HUNGRY THOUGH FROM ALL THIS ADVENTURING!!" And again, he keeps on chattering with that voice... "YOU SEE! I AM NEW TO THIS PLACE! NEVER EVER SET FOOT ON THESE SOIL YOU KNOW. I AM LIKE YOU, AN ADVENTURER TOO!"
Arkine stops in front of En and forces him to stop walking. "HOW ABOUT THIS? YOU GIVE ME A MAP TO THIS PLACE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE, I GUESS YOUR GUIDANCE IS GOOD ENOUGH! AND I'LL GIVE YOU THIS DELICIOUS RIPE FRESHLY PICKED ONION! SOMETHING TELLS ME YOU MAY LIKE THEM? OR JUST THAT YOU CAN EAT THEM RAW. YOU KNOW. I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS! BLAH! HOWEVER...." As Arkine devilishly twiddles his fingers. "OR I CAN GIVE YOU THIS!" He whips out his pendant. "A DESTINATION. HM? THIS MAGICAL ARTIFACT CAN PORT YOU ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD... OR OUT OF THIS WORLD. ANY PLACE OR EVEN TO A PERSON, AS YOUR HEART DESIRES. IT'S MAGIC! AND I KNOW AS A TRAVELER, DESTINATION IS IMPORTANT!" As he gave a sinister chuckle, as if what he was about to say was intentional. "HOWEVER! FOR THAT OPTION. IT WILL BE A DIFFERENT TRADE OFF. FOR THAT, I ONLY ASK IN RETURN IS YOUR VOICE. YES! YOU MUST SING TO ME!" Either Arkine had been doing his homework and has heard of the Kingdom of Sirens or it was a very random awkward request. "TELL ME PRINCE, THE ONION." As he lifts it up in one hand. "OR..." He takes out his pendant and wiggles it.
(HO shit! mentions of the golden knife!!! HOHOHO)
So someone wanted to trade a valuable for Arkine's golden knife. The expensive useless knife wasn't his to begin with. So would just simply be like having free stuff! And did Arkine like free shit. He loved anything free. Of course Arkine would agree! He wasn't attached to this knife like the original owner was. Though the knife was carved from one of the most famous smith's on a planet far far away. It did hold no meaning to Arkine.
"SURE!" With no absolute thought or care in the world. He agreed. "THE MICROSCOPE LOOKS AMAZING!" As he eyes the science object, fiddling his fingers excitedly. Then there was the mater of his voice. That was extremely annoying and high pitched. Arkine then looks up to meet M Pourife's eyes. A devilish smile came across his face. "I DO LIKE SMALL THINGS I CAN EASILY CARRY WITH ME ON MY ADVENTURES! HOW CONSIDERATE OF YOU OLD MAN!" Arkine reaching for it prematurely before handing over the knife, because he was just too excited to see it!! It was in great condition and Arkine just likes to touch shit that aint his! Then he finally stops half way to remember his end of the bargain. "OH YES. SILK'S STUPID KNIFE. HERE IT IS MR SCIENCE MAN!" As he carelessly hands it over to the scientist. "YOU KNOW WHAT!? I'M GOING TO LOVE THIS ONE! IT LOOKS RATHER HEAVY TOO! PROBABLY A GOOD WEAPON! HUEHUEHUE." Arkine then looks back at Pourife with giant grin on his face. "WHAT'S WITH YOU SCIENCE PEOPLE. DON'T YOU KNOW IT'S JUST ALL MAGIC. HA HAHAHA!"
Oh no, it's two loud-voiced men who don't really give a fuck about their place in society.
The scientist hobbled up to the younger man, hands clearly hidden behind his back as if he wanted to abstain from revealing his offer until at least some words were said. Yea, that made sense at least. A nonverbal exchange would likely be disastrous, as far as M. Pourife was concerned; he was known for having a silver - or was it bronze - tongue, and he needed to speak if he wanted any chance of getting his point across. And so, after clearing his throat, he did:
"I heard, sir, that you have some technology that could be of use to me and my lab. As for proper clarification, my name is M. Pourife, and I am a scientist. What do I study exactly? That is a mystery, and I doubt you would care about such things. All you really need to know is that science is a field that constantly needs to have its instruments updated in order for investigation and discovery to continue. There is no point to experimenting if you lack the equipment, and... I heard, yes... I heard... You have that one golden knife... Now, normally I would condemn the use of gold in this manner because it is so soft, but... I can make an exception for this time around."
He was planning to sell it to get some extra money for himself, huh? Not that he could mask it under a more generous reason.
Leaning onto his stronger leg, M. Pourife coughed into his sleeve and revealed what he had offered for the other party: a compact microscope. It was admittedly heavy in the older man's hands, and it didn't even work at the moment because it wasn't plugged in, but it was in at least good condition. Too good, actually. He might've just taken it out of the box for the sake of this trade. Even then, it was impressive, with the various lenses to allow for proper scrutiny, as well as a pre-installed light source that the scientist imagined as very useful for a light microscope.
"It does not seem like much," he explained while flaunting his offer, "but trust me, it is always the smallest of instruments that tend to have the most weight. Not literally, of course!" He started to laugh loudly. "But figuratively, this might be of use to you! I do not know what you may do with this once it is out of my hands. Perhaps you will use it for its intended purpose. Perhaps you will sell it off. Perhaps you will salvage its materials and recycle them into something else. I do not know, really. But what I do know is that as far as I am concerned, this is a perfectly fair and legitimate trade. I checked the probable monetary and economic values, all that technical stuff. So I can ensure you that I am not trying to scam you here, good sir."
And as if he was contradicting himself, beads of sweat started to form on his forehead and hands, though... To be fair, it could've also just been that he was pretty nervous. Wasn't this other man really powerful and magical anyway? M. Pourife wouldn't want to mess with those types of people any day... Even if he didn't believe in magic.
gfbkjfbh adieu, sweet serpent.... also, valid @ Nath being edgy because I need an excuse to write about gore and darker topics oOPS.
time for... a follow-up.... cw for gore, violence, and animal cruelty under the spoiler!!
"Why yes, I am," M. Pourife immediately answered while brushing at his tie with a sense of fervent impatience. He didn't expect a visitor at this time of day: late afternoon, when most would try going back home to avoid the dangers of the night... The scientist supposed that the Easterling didn't seem too fazed by this, given that he looked like he could crush someone's skull with one solid grip, cause that ominous cracking of bone... M. Pourife, on the other hand...
The middle-aged man's eyes glanced off to the side before adding, "A biologist, to be more... Specific. Yes, specific! I suppose I could be more specific and say I would be a zoologist, but that is all I can provide." His nervous chuckling complemented the unusually fast rhythm in his voice. Obviously, he just wanted to get this done with, then take a rest; for him, the quicker, the better. The man's mustache twitched as he watched the box be settled onto the desk. It was covered in a black tarp, though a cluster of hissing noises could easily be heard from inside. M. Pourife could tell the contents were... Agitated, to say the least, and part of him wanted to reach out and lift the cloth himself-
Only for the other party to intercept him on that.
Drawing back, he was soon beheld with an array of constrictors, all of them looking pretty fucking pissed but also tired. Granted, none of them were what the scientist was accustomed to seeing, so he already had his mind set on accepting the offer, unless he was presented with something so egregious that he had to turn his nose up in refusal. He observed the snakes further, being able to determine that the involved taxa included boas, pythons, and one pit viper.
He looked up before nodding and stating, "I mean, they must be pretty exhausted from their journey, hm? Don't you think? If I use them as test subjects, I will probably have to nurse them back to health first, then quarantine them, just to make sure they do not carry any diseases..." His hands started to wring together as he bit down on his lip. "I would hate for this lab to be shut down because of a zoonotic outbreak, you know. I am already a bit tight when it comes to money and resources." Well, that was one way of forming a contrast.
One snake, a mottled brown python, was taken out of its cage and gently placed onto the Easterling's arm. It then coiled there, almost as if it looked like it needed a perch to rest upon. M. Pourife believed that was normal, given that the types of snakes involved tended to be arboreal, and perches were integral to simulating their natural habitat. Finally, all those obscure ass snake facts from years ago would come to use. That was enough to make the scientist rub his hands as he watched that, just barely picking up on the fact that his intern was being thrown into the deal.
Way to be a father figure, M. Pourife.
Suddenly, he could hear a cracking sound... The cracking of bone. M. Pourife didn't need to know that, nor did he want to know. He just knew that it was so often accompanied by the scent of blood, and that metallic odor was what hit his nostrils at that exact moment, as he then looked over and saw the poor serpent's head, all indented and clearly not moving on its own. He frankly thought it was impressed into the other party's arm, as the latter then flicked away the bits of grey material with much nonchalance.
In other words, M. Pourife was horrified by this sight.
He looked down at the mangled python for a second, then back up at the other party’s visage, before coughing into his sleeve. Whatever the hell just unfolded would, for sure, stay in his mind for a bit, and he wasn’t fond of that. The conversation should be finished quickly, lest more of his intended offer be mutilated like that.
“So… Information regarding the young man, huh?” the scientist nearly stammered as he leaned back against his chair, his hands growing clammy, “Like… Where he came from, and all that? Frankly, he… He never really told me… Just… That his parents were not the best, and that he has a dog, back at home. A big dog, but a good one. Was his main friend throughout the years. It shows. I think he has some social stunting, but that could be resolved through the internship.” He frowned and furrowed his brows as he eyed the Easterling.
“That… That is what you would consider satisfactory, right-“ added M. Pourife right before the snake’s head got bitten off. Frankly, this shit terrified him more, as his hands freed themselves just so they could wipe the droplets of blood and grey matter off his vest. Frowning at the other party, he furrowed his brows and sighed with a resigned drawl, “Just… Please, do not hurt the snakes anymore… What is the point of giving them to me if all you will do is treat them like that…”
Besides, as far as M. Pourife was concerned, this exchange was all but a little too visceral for him.
god Fizz is here with another blacked out Nathaniel post agsge. I'm sorry for my edgy fish y'all. Tw: animal cruelty.
--
"You're a scientist right," Nathaniel said. Eyeing M.Pourife with a mild distaste. The other man didn't seem too pompous. A bit, but not too much to trigger Nathaniel's punch-happy fist. "Well I hope you like critters, " he said before placing a large box on the scientist table. A thick heavy black blanket was laid on top of the chest, but even that couldn't muffle the hissing sounds the box made. Whatever was in there, it wasn't happy. Nathaniel smiled lazily, his teeth bared. "Biologist hu, that's what they call you? I've got something you can chew on, or" Nathaniel drummed on top of his chest, "well something that can chew on you. I suppose." With that Nathaniel removed the blanket. Showing the glass box underneath. Snakes. The entire box was filled with snakes, exotic one's definitely smuggled. As thick as M.pourife arm, in different colors. Crawling and slithering over each other like a liquid rainbow,as there was just, not enough space for them all. "These bad chaps are good in constricting" Nathiel said. Leaning a bit on the box with his eyes fixated on the beasts. "There pretty good at it, but no match for a Kraken of course, " The Shipper let his gaze switch from the snakes and back at his potential customer. "They're yours, ' he simply said. " I don't need money, just some cargo I... intercepted." Nathaniel opened the lit and picked up one of the snakes before closing it. The poor creature unfimiliar to human(oid) touch and skin directly wrapped itself around Nathaniel's arm. Loosely and tired. "I just want some..information," Nathaniel cooly said. His gaze fixated on the critter around his arm. It's half made attempt to constrict. "About that kid you shelter? What's his name, " Nathaniel placed his bare hand on top of the snakes head. "Oh," he said as if he just recalled something. "Fitzgerald right?" He asked M.pourife with a big, smile. Now baring all his teeth. Crack
Nathaniel had crushed the poor thing's skull. It's body went limb He stared at the other party. Waiting for M.Pourife's reaction. It was just all a game too him. "I will not hurt the kid," Nathaniel calmly said as he removed what was left of the snake of his arm. Holding it weighing in his hands. "I've just..got a mild interest in his past, " Nathaniel continued. Before biting off his fresh kills' head.
--
His ears pricked. It was an beautiful harmonica and it clearly peaking his interest. It has been years, since last he had the change to play such instrument. To have fun, to have a crew. Nathaniel softly scratched his beard, trying so hard not to show his interest in the instrument, with no avail. "Oh I haven't seen him lately,aye, but I can keep an eye out," he said with a sheepish grin. "Maybe sniff him out aye," Nathaniel continued. Tapping his nose with his finger. He carefully took over the picture Cecili held out to him, weighting it in his hand as if he was carrying money or important paper. Oh, did he knew him. Nathaniel's ear twitched, like a mare's one would do to scare off any nearby flies. "A mare hu? Like a horse?" he asked. More a formality then an actual question. He had seen the creature. It had nibbled his hand not so long ago. He smiled, a big brighter now, "Oh ya, I keep me eye out for him. Maybe more then my eyes," he said nodding. "You got a deal, my service for that lovely instrument sounds pretty good in my ears."
Elize was... quite fascinated by the appearance of this girl. She looked like she could be a student, but she did not recognize the clothes she wore. Where was she from? Elize just had to know... but without talking. She didn't want to do that. As nonthreatening as she thought the girl was, she still did not want to get involved with a stranger. Looking her over... she looked something like a noble. Perhaps...
She approached the girl, from the corner of her vision, having followed her around for a bit, as she did. She always hoped she would never startle anyone in doing so, though calling out to people also was not her forte. As she did, she reached into a small satchel at her side- she had been working on this for a bit, and figured now would be a fine time to present it. Once she was standing before the girl, she murmured, "I... um... wanted to know where you come from... I haven't seen anyone who looks like you...
"If you're... going to go again, could you... share anything that comes from your home? I... come from Seru... we are known for making beads like this..." Elize held out her hands, where she cupped a small charm, made of two large beads and a knot between them. They were hollow, as evidenced by the soft rattling they made. She'd engraved light symbols into them, so that they vaguely resembled a pomegranate's seeds- somewhat chaotic, but charming. Both of the beads were reddish in colour, accented with brighter hues closer to the centers.
"These... um... red is the colour of energy. And the sound they make is supposed to make you feel happy too... you can hang this near a window, and... if they rattle, then you will have good fortune," Elize explained, "And they're made of wood, but... they're coated, and won't rot."
While her quiet voice was somewhat dull, her eyes were focused intently on her- hoping that she might have something to share about her home too...
---
this is a little late because,,,,,,, earthquakes :,) gotta love southern california
Elize was not the type who was often approached by adults. She kept her head down and didn't get into trouble, unlike some of her friends- and when she was addressed by the elderly woman, she was... unsure how to act. So she simply stared up at her, very much like the little kid she was. She wasn't necessarily intimidated by her, but she was certainly intrigued. Even moreso as she spoke like some of the higher-borns around the estate. She didn't say anything about it though, as the woman kept speaking. At least she was inclined to like her if she liked to talk. And yet, as she did, Elize frowned just a bit. "I do not understand... a certain scene... but... they look like the layers of the earth... I don't know what a... marsh... mallow is either..."
She seemed more troubled by the letter than the former. Marsh and mallow... she wondered what kind of animal it was- she'd never heard that name even around the nobles. It sounded like one. "I know what flowers are good..."
The hesitation in her voice did not escape her- but she supposed that was just how she spoke. It was too early to know what that meant. She did best with people she knew well... but she also wouldn't pass up the opportunity to run through the woods and look for the flowers that meant friendship. Especially when she saw what was in it for her. She peered up and around it, and back up at the woman. The fact that it was worn was especially enthralling to her- it was something that had actually seen some use. Maybe it was a good guide, but she liked the idea that there were more appreciators of bugs. Maybe it wasn't the woman before her, if she was giving it away, but she wondered if she might find personal notes and drawings. It would be incredibly fascinating- and maybe it would tell her what a marshmallow was.
"No, um... I don't need coins... if it's really okay... I promise I will make at least its weight back for you... I can do that," Elize said, kneading at her knuckles as if she was practicing to make the bars already. She had blue eyes... she could find nice blue hues like that- and... she could easily find strong things. She was staring up at her with moony eyes, as if waiting for her to dismiss her on her wild search.
Given that both parties were rather... Reserved, this was going to be a bit awkward. In Dolores's case, it weighed particularly heavily upon her, because she had the feeling that she had to reach out first, and that was always a bit stressful when her years had taught her that she should wait for people to refer to her first... Not vice versa.
Nevertheless, she gave the younger party a curtsy before asking, "Do you have the time to make a trade, miss? Because... I do have something I can trade away in exchange for one of your items... Of course, that applies only if you have the time." She tittered gently into her knuckles before waving her hand aside. Already, she could feel the miasma settling down upon them, but... Dolores almost felt that she had no choice but to continue the conversation, at least so she could explain why she was here at this time anyway.
"But... That asides," the older woman continued as she tried her best to maintain her usual smile, "I... I heard you're good at making soap, right? Like... One of those fragrant soaps, the ones that automatically make you think of a certain scene when you smell them... Like marshmallows roasting near a fireplace, or a field full of flowers..." She trailed off. Her voice, in fact, was starting to choke up ever so slightly as she mentioned the soaps - particularly the flower field - because...
It's what I miss a lot about the lowlands, Dolores wanted to explain further, There are so much beautiful smells back from home, and when I was working... Now all of that is gone, up in the mountains.
Yet she kept her lips shut on that, and - instead - the elder sighed, "And... I also heard that you like bugs, so..." She put her hand in her bag and pulled out a relatively mint condition field guide for bugs. A corner of the book was worn, and a dog-eared page was clearly visible if one squinted hard enough... And that ignored the fact that some of the colors on the cover appeared faded, but that was a minor flaw that could easily be attributed to a printing error. Other than that, the book looked... Nice. "... I was wondering if you wanted this book, in exchange for one of your bars of soap? I hope that doesn't sound too ludicrous of a deal, and if you want, I can just pay with my money, but..." She perked up with a gasp, before rummaging through her pockets once more and pulling out some money.
"Actually, how about you take the money and the book, for that soap of yours?" she suggested. Oh, poor Dolores... Being a little oblivious to the concept of bartering... "I'm not particularly picky with the scent, by the way, but I do want something that's strong. You know how older people's noses are... A little weak..." A taut titter came out of Dolores's mouth as she offered the money once more - as well as the book.
"But... Please, do take this, but only if you want. I... I understand if this might be an unfair trade, and I'm more than willing to adjust the terms if you need, dear..."
yeehaw, it's fucking time for Dolores to activate her mom energy- >:((((
here's.... a response to Shamus's offer....
Taking guests into her house was by no means a novelty to Dolores, nor could it even be considered an activity exclusive to her post-retirement years. It didn't take a lot of mental gymnastics to realize that the older woman's commitment to hospitality could be interpreted as a continuation of the deference and extreme generosity she was almost required to display during her years as a maid, though if one called it that... Dolores would probably just nod along and say that they were right.
Oh.
The emaciated being standing in front of the doorway as no exception as Dolores couldn't help but gawk at his form. How is he even alive? she wondered with a concerned knit of her brows before she quickly stepped back and off to the side, if only to make room for the other party and allow him passage into her house.
She had seen battered people before. That was inevitable when she lived on the mountains, let alone a part of it that was sometimes notorious for the extreme snowfall and chilly winds. Frostbite and hypothermia were two aliments of the cold that the elder was familiar with - and that ignored the very real risk of altitude sickness. Dolores silently shuddered as she eyed the pitiful figure, allowing him to explain himself while she scanned him for any signs of any of the three maladies.
"You really shouldn't be talking so much, sir," she piqued in while wringing her hands together, "It only means that you're spending more time outside and in the snow, and you're clearly not in the condition for that." Her voice rang with concern as she further gazed at him, her frown only deepening as he dug his hands into his pockets and pulled out... What looked like a bookmark. Dolores tilted her head at him while listening to both the gentle whir of snowflakes falling, and the pop of her knuckles as she continued to fidget with her hands.
After a period of silence, the older woman muttered in insistence, "I... I don't think we should be trading at this time, sir. You should get inside, right now. You don't even need to pay me for the phone, or barter me. Your safety is more important than whatever I might get in return. Now, please, do step inside. I'll make something for you while you warm up, okay?" And she meant it, because now, she was starting to feel the cold draft drifting in from outside and biting at her ankles.
The sooner both of them were inside, the better.
"I do appreciate the gift, though," sighed Dolores while hastily rubbing her nape, "I just don't think now is a good time to be offering it..." With a nervous chuckle, she stepped inside and attempted to beckon the fellow over. "Now, I have the feeling you're suffering pretty badly from hypothermia, and maybe altitude sickness too. I think I have a heated blanket somewhere, and if you need to rest, I have plenty of couches and pillows for you to use while you get used to the mountain environment." She then bit down on her lip and glanced off to the side, for a question now pricked at her that she really, really didn't want to ask right now but persisted nonetheless.
How did he get here in the first place?
Shamus stood shivering at a door and knocked on it, being dressed only from the waist down left his unhealthily skinny torso exposed to the elements. He had become upset and panicked and had unconsciously summoned his large black raven wings and took off in a random direction, now his wings had disappeared and he was completely lost with no idea how to get back home. Shamus jumped as the door opened and a figure stepped forward into view.
"Ah...." Shamus said immediately bowing his head and bending at the waist in a polite bow. "S....sorry for....t...troubling you...m...my name is....S..Shamus....I....I am lost and I....I don't know how to....g....get home." He could feel tears beginning to sting his eyes as he stood up straight. "D....do you have a phone...t....that I could use...t....to call my d...dad p...please?" Shamus began searching his pockets, his hands shaking. "I....I'm s..sorry I...I don't h..have much, ermm......I..." He pulled out a item he had made and held it out to the woman. "W...would this be....o...okay?" It was a charm that had several small black feathers which splayed out at the bottom of it and were all joined together by several purple beads, some being a transparent purple with preserved flowers inside them whilst other were made from purple crystals which were shaped into rounded shapes. Coming off the charm was a elegantly carved silver flat cane object. "It...it's a b...book mark...t...that I...I made."
He gave a sniff and furiously rubbed the tears away from his eyes with his spare hand, this movement allowed his torso and arms to be seen better. Shamus' body condition was extremely poor, he looked like a skeleton with tightly wrapped skin around it, every bone in his body could be seen along with faint scars which ran across his whole body, as well as this his arms look completely frail and fragile. He wished that he hadn't summoned his wings, then at the very least he would have and his hoodie to hide under and keep warm. He stood waiting for a answer, his legs shaking in the cold, he just wanted to go back home to his adoptive father Kichiro.
---------------------------------
Follow Up:
Shamus turned to the approaching man and tensed, the sky above him crackled and boomed in response. The raven above him narrowed it's gaze and cawed loudly into the sky before observing the stranger. Shamus' purple eyes looked to the badge that I'sen was showing to him and relaxed his shoulders slightly and listened to the mans words carefully. Hesitantly he stood up with the help of the man, part him didn't want to leave his raven family but at the same time he didn't want to get in trouble because he was breaking the rules of the city. Should I be going with this man? What if he hurts me..... Shamus then looked into the mans eyes and saw a softness to them, something paternal shining through. Before he knew it a large and beautifully woven cloak was wrapped around him. Shamus blinked a few times in surprise before giving I'sen a rare smile as he shyly held the fabric of the mans sleeve with his pale and bony hand.
Above the skies had begun to settle and the clouds slowly dispersed, the lightening sky showed that the whole roof of the building that Shamus was originally sitting by was completely covered in hundreds of ravens who were watching the pair with beady black eyes. The pale boy turned to them and began to make caws and clicks at the birds who responded with their own calls, the two parties talking to each other for a few seconds before many of the birds took flight, making a large cloud of feathered bodies rise into the sky and disperse throughout the city.
"Technically," sighed Smithson as he eyed the elder with a raised brow, "the closest concept to 'trading' that I have is 'bribery.'" Nice! Way to expose your illegal practices - and in such an underhanded manner too! With a taut chuckle, he held his hand up to his mouth before coughing into his sleeve. Clearly, the aristocrat wanted to present that as some type of joke, but his tone made it all too clear that he was anything but joking. Besides... Smithson wasn't even the type of man to be joking in the first place?
Way to shoot yourself in the knee there, sir!
After a period of silence, the man shifted his arms so that he could reveal what he had been uneasily hiding beneath his sleeves prior to then: a bottle of- Hey. What the fuck. Is that a bottle of fermented mare's milk? Smithson scrunched up his nose as he allowed the familiar scent to waft away from his clothing and towards the other party. Clearly, someone wasn't a fan of the strong smell, yet the aristocrat silently insisted to himself that he simply had to go through with the offer, as he had his eyes locked on one item...
That just so happened to be his wolf's mask, wherever it may be.
Smithson didn't even need it himself - and he knew how much his wife disdained the wolf and its associated figure - but he nonetheless proposed, "I know last time that sheep's milk didn't treat you well, and... Neither did the whiskey, apparently." He winced as he remembered Walker telling him how the whiskey had knocked out the elder to the point that she had waited for almost an hour before he awoke, and that was after... What, one shot? He wanted to tell her that wasn't really how alcohol worked, but as his fingers reluctantly touched the chilled bottle, the man wasn't in the mood to complain. "... So here's something you'd actually like, at least in my opinion. You're familiar with this, right?" And with that, he nudged the bottle forward.
"In exchange, I just... Want that wolf's mask of yours. I know that the wolf is... Sort of a cursed creature in our household, but it's also impressive. Impressive in the sense that it evokes strong emotions in those who look at it." He paused. In reality, Smithson wanted to destroy the thing, purify it through flame, but... He bit down onto his lip.
"... I don't know how common it is, but if you're willing to let it go, that's fine by me. If not, that's okay too. This is... Sort of an offer generated by the spur of the moment anyway, you know..."
I AM WHEEZING AT THIS ONGOING DYNAMIC THEY'RE HAVING RHSGFFVSRFDV- here's.... a follow-up. big fucking rip for Smithson here!!
"For the last time," the man grunted as he glared at the other party, "I'm not here for a sleepover. I'm here to get my items back. You took them from me, and illegally too. So you really have to deal with me, if you don't want me to report this and get them back a... Harder way." Wait.
Now that he brought it up, Smithson really was holding back on the reporting bit! The aristocrat looked down at his hands for a second, considering how awkward this was becoming for him. Why am I not even doing this? I could easily get rid of him forever that way... And he won't have to bother me ever again... No thievery, no flirting... It all seemed so genuinely appealing to Smithson as he started to glance around the house for any sign of a phone, but...
Even if there was a phone, he had other reasons for dealing with all these incidents himself. None of them being sentimental. Ouch.
He preened himself for a second before freezing when the other party brought up another option besides just... Smithson taking back his items - or the thief just returning Smithson's possessions like a normal person. A... A trade? Smithson stood himself up, looking quite confused given that - honestly - the closest he had to a proper trade was bribery, and... Smithson did have a lot of money! He was perfectly willing to buy back his items, since his income was so high that it didn't matter, but imagine the cost to his dignity!
The man was about to interject when the other party continued. Oh. Oh goodness.
"A... Kiss?" parsed Smithson with a grimace, as he folded his pointer fingers together, "... Per... Item?" Already, the man could tell this was all a ploy - likely to repeat what had happened the first time they met. Goodness, was that awkward. The thief had stolen his planner, and the older man had to kiss him to get it back! In that regard, Smithson had to reprimand himself for being caught off-guard by that; it was a tried and true strategy, in the worst way possible! He glanced off while shuffling his foot against the floor. "... Or... A date..."
At least bribery was still a feasible option.
"I'd rather just give you money for it," the middle-aged man sighed while crossing his arms. "I'm married, and you know it, though..." Wait, didn't this guy flirt with his wife? So... It wasn't like marriage really stopped him from these types of antics... Smithson let out a long sigh before bracing himself, then taking a step forward.
"... If that's the only way I'll get my stuff back, I'll go with... The date. I guess. Whatever that is. Any ideas for that?"
Goodness, did those words feel shitty to say. Hopefully Walker would understand when he returned home and explained everything at length to her.