Open!

[kirkhammer]

Who: Vivienne and YOU
When: Feb 7-11
Where: Around Caissa
What: Festivities are never easy. Pickpockets are even worse.
Rating: PG-13?



A: Feb 7

[Another festival? As she understood it, weren't they brought here to fight? To win a war? Why, in such dire times - dire enough that heroes need be called - is action not being taken?

Thoughts similar to those are what's circling Vivienne's mind as she helps one of the stalls perform their final set up before the festival truly begins. It seemed an easy enough task when she first read about it at the Town Plaza, but that was before they mentioned anything about food preparation. Following recipes is one thing, but some of these are extremely tedious and delicate, and patient as Vivienne can (selectively) be, she has a limit.

Which is why the stall owners have allowed her a break, and a small tray of dumplings, which she's now sitting with out the front of the stall. Should anybody curious walk up, Vivienne will tiredly murmur:]

They're not open.

[Except it probably isn't too convincing since she's.. you know, holding food.

Alternatively, feel free to catch her mid food prep!]

B: Feb 9

[Vivienne isn't the type to believe in things like fate, or destiny, and so the idea of a fortune is equally unreliable in her eyes. That's why she almost deadeyes the little slip of paper her Carrier - who she has finally named Gideon - insisted that she have. How it managed to get its little hands on it, she has no idea (though it likely just picked it up off the ground, as it's taken to doing), but she shakes her head as she reads it.

Unstable foundations forge stronger bonds.

It's nonsense, honestly. How can mere words on a slip of paper possibly foretell any coming event? It's impossible. Absolutely impossible, she thinks, as a slow splintering crack begins to fill the air. One of the wooden support beams at a stall begins to sag to one side, before giving way entirely and crashing down into the counters below, sending an array of fresh ingredients, hot cooked food and splintered wood into the air.

Some of the debris is heading Vivienne's way, and while she's normally much more alert, she's still thinking about unstable foundations and impossibility. Someone please yank her out of the way and tell her not to stand around like a deer caught in headlights. Though maybe not in those words - she won't have any idea what that means.]

C: Feb 11

[Recovering a lost item is a good way to not only make colle, but also to give herself something to do in her uneasy, restless state, and perhaps most importantly, properly acquaint herself with Caissa. The capital may be large, but she has to start somewhere. And the woman's request - "please bring back my pendant, it's a family heirloom! - sounded simple enough. But then the woman mentioned the culprit ran in the direction of the docks, which presents two problems:

1) Vivienne has no idea where the docks are in relation to her current location and 2) she can't swim. So if the pendant somehow managed to find its way into the water (and knowing her luck, it has), she's low on options.

Help a gal out? She's currently borrowing the ledge of the fountain in the Entertainment District, having unrolled a map of the capital she purchased, chin in hand. It's markings are smudged, and the roads seem unclear, but for only 15 colle (negotiated down from 25), you get what you paid for.]

[If you'd like to hash out any of the prompts with me beforehand, or come up with something completely different, feel free to contact me via PM or through plurk at paako!]

Comments

C. Feb 11

[ostagone]

[Loghain has spent most of his time here familiarizing himself with the Cassia, having been easily the largest city he's ever been in. Not even Val Royeaux in all its grandiose glory, he noted with spiteful amusement, could hardly even compare. Well, that and scouring the library for information to little avail. Which is possibly where he's heading. Who really knows, with him.

He does, however, slow slightly when he sees a familiar face sitting with a map in hand. He considers walking past without a word, continuing on his quest for some worthwhile information on their predicament. He almost does, until he catches a glimpse at the quality of her map. It's.... it's such a bad map. It's almost an offense to maps to even consider that a map.

Loghain sighs, annoyed with himself for feeling obligated to butt in, and walks up beside Vivienne.]

Well, you're certainly not going to find anything with that.

[kirkhammer]

Loghain.

[A name and an acknowledging nod is her standard greeting, one that's unlikely to change should she continue being so.. stiff.

Turning back to her map, she hums.]

I've little money, and so it was purchased for an insignificant amount of colle. [Hence why she's taking this job, and probably another one afterwards.] Perhaps I should have known...

[ostagone]

[The greeting is certainly enough for him. He doesn't seem to mind, and simply responds with his own short nod.]

It could probably be salvaged with enough effort, but I suppose that doesn't do much for you at this moment. [He rubs his chin thoughtfully.] You're trying to get somewhere specific then, are you not?

[kirkhammer]

[Ah, that's a good idea, she can probably make her own amendments to it later, when she's more familiar with the city. For now, she folds up the map, slipping it inside her coat.]

I am. A woman claims the thief of a family heirloom escaped to the docks. She had no further information, but that seems a good a place as any to begin a search.

Would you know of its location?

[ostagone]

Ah yes. One of the listings at that tavern...--the Poisoned Pawn, that's it. I've seem similar postings while I was there. [He's been there a couple times for a drink. Or several.]

I do know where it is. I'll take you there but don't fall behind.

[He probably will wait if she does, but he'll complain about it.]

A: Mid food prep

[moreasleep]

[She was not the only one working here. Rory stood over a pot of boiling broth. The soup was now the perfect temperature to add the eggs. He beat the eggs and then stirred it in to the pot. This was the critical moment. He had to keep stirring, or else the eggs would clump and ruin the silky texture.

He added a pinch of salt and then smelled the soup's aroma. It was missing something. He looked around his station but he was missing some spices.]

I need white pepper!

[He announced to the staff and began looking around for it. There it was, at Vivienne's station. Rory could not go over there. He needed to keep stirring.]

Excuse me, you, over there. The white pepper, please.

[kirkhammer]

[Vivienne, meanwhile, is dicing an onion when she hears someone speak, but she pays it no mind until another staff member gently jabs her in the side with their elbow.]

Pardon?

[It isn't that she didn't hear what was said, she's just acknowledging the fact that she was, indeed, spoken to. But yes, white pepper... white pepper... reaching for a small jar, she picks it up.]

This?

[What she's holding is garlic powder, but at least they kind of look the same? Sorry, she's not normally in the kitchen...]

[moreasleep]

[He looked at the garlic powder. He looked at her. How. How does someone fuck up white pepper with garlic powder? He clenched his jaw. Had this not been a job, he would question her about what she was doing in a kitchen. Instead, he had to be patient.]

Not that one. The white pepper smells and tastes like pepper. It's right next to you. Bring it here.

[He cut the heat to the pot, though he continued to stir. Thankfully, the soup only needed white pepper. He did not want to ask her for more ingredients or else they would be here forever.]

[kirkhammer]

[Ah, so the other jar it is, then.]

I apologise.

[Wiping her hands on a nearby towel, she'll then come around with the jar and hold it out for him to take.]

Is that all you required?

[moreasleep]

Wait here.

[He took the jar and, just to confirm that she grabbed the right one, he smelled it first before he added a few dashes to the soup. There was no need to measure it, he had a feeling this would be enough. After he mixed it in, he took a bowl and poured a small amount of the finished soup in it. He held it to her.]

Taste this.

[He waited for her feedback. This simple soup had the rich taste of eggs and chicken in a smooth, silky texture. The pepper added a mild heat and depth to the dish without being overpowering.]

c!

[poleposition]

[ Estinien has found himself in a similar situation. As much as he'd like to ignore these people and get on his way back to Ishgard... it's not entirely possible. It's also not like the concept of running ridiculous errands before being allowed to get on with the important stuff is a foreign concept to him...

...he's looking (actually glaring) at you, moogles.

Except he doesn't have a map at all, but does have an idea where the docks are. ("They took my mom's hairbrush! She'll be so mad if it's lost forever!") It's a pretty good trade, he thinks, when he sees someone looking over one. ]

What are you looking for?

[ He's indicating the map with a hand—he's not assuming that this person was dragged into the same thing, but if there's a map there's often enough a lost person following suit. ]

[kirkhammer]

[It's taken her less time than she'd have thought to adjust to the fact that people here seem content to simply just... start talking to one another. That sort of compassion was a growing rarity where she comes from.

Still, that doesn't mean she quite knows how to react in kind. Not yet anyway.]

The docks. I have been tasked with seeking a stolen family heirloom. The thief apparently made for the docks.

[poleposition]

[ Even Ishgard isn't that bad and they've been in semi-isolation for years.... ]

You as well? Seems to me that things go missing quite easily around here. [ He's rubbing a hand against his chin, thinking. ] If I may look at your map for but a moment, I may know where they are.

[kirkhammer]

Yes, but if nothing else, it makes for a quick and easy method of gaining colle.

[Except the woman she met with about the heirloom didn't have much of a description regarding the thief. Honestly, she doesn't have much of a lead other than the docks, but gotta start somewhere.]

Yes, of course. [And here she'll hold it out to him. It isn't much of a map, honestly, but maybe she can add her own markings to it later.] It isn't the best, but it was inexpensive.

[poleposition]

[ Estinien thinks it amusingly ironic that he once complained about Ishgard sending coin-starved adventurers after him... and now here he is, one of the same.

He's taking the map in one hand, rubbing his chin with the other. He hasn't been around the entirety of Caissa yet, but he has seen enough that he can pinpoint a general area of the docks. After a moment's perusal, he taps a spot on the map with a finger and holds it back out to her. ]

Around here, I believe. Near to where I am to seek out yet another lost item, in fact.

feb 9;

[cutiepanther]

[ While they might all now be considered "Heroes" in name, Maki hardly considers herself one at the moment. She's an idol, a pianist, maybe even on her way to be a doctor someday. She's never had to save anyone before, never had to fight for anything.

But when she notices the sound of debris crashing down, about to hit someone, she can't stop herself from acting. ]

Look out!!

[ By acting of course, that means that she screams loudly, hands to her mouth, trying to get the woman's attention, hoping that she won't end up crushed beneath it all! ]

[kirkhammer]

[And that definitely does the trick. Vivienne jolts out of her almost trance-like state, jumping backwards several paces. She's quick enough to avoid larger debris and splinters of wood, but she's unable to avoid a stream of boiling water , which manages to splash against her right shoulder. While the majority of it is soaked into her uniform, she still feels its heat. But all in all, it's a minor burn at best.

Far better than the alternative.

It takes her a moment to collect herself - she's still trying to register what just occurred, why she didn't act, what the cause even was - but eventually, she regards her saviour; a young girl.]

Was it you who called to me? You have my thanks.

[cutiepanther]

[ There's a gasp from Maki, her hand moving over her mouth as she watches the debris fall, nearing hitting the woman. Worse, that water that splashes on her looks like it must hurt, making her feel all the worse that she couldn't do more to help.

Unsurprisingly... her legs are like concrete on the ground. She's not used to dangerous situations, despite the role that she's been brought to this world to play. ]

You don't have to thank me! You must be hurt, that water looked boiling! [ The smaller girl, redheaded, about 17, is already looking around, the guilt clear on her face. ] I'm sure we can find some aloe vera or something to put on it.

[kirkhammer]

[This sort of vitality? ...Energy? Vivienne doesn't quite know what to call it, but it's a personality she doesn't often see, much less usually interact with. It isn't awkward, just... maybe a little jarring.]

That isn't necessary. I'm- ["not hurt" she wants to say, but using her other hand to touch her shoulder, it... well, she supposes it does sting. But definitely not to the point it would require immediate medical attention.] It doesn't appear to be a serious affliction.

All the more, if you had not called to me... [With a tilt of her head, she regards the broken stall.] I loathe to think what may have happened.

[cutiepanther]

[ Maki has plenty of energy and vitality, she's an idol, used to being up on stage and singing and dancing her heart out for crowds of fans. She even went to America and performed in Times Square! But in her usual sort of life she is much quieter and aloof as she is right now. ]

If it's a burn you still need to get it checked out. It could get infected and you'd be very sick. [ Does this world even have antibiotics? She isn't sure. Probably magic of some sort... but she doesn't know much about that yet. ]

I guess it could have been a lot worse.. I wonder why it all just came down like that. Someone should be held responsible.

b

[liberal_arts]

-Kasen not only yanks her out of the way, he just as quickly drew his sword to swat away some of the wood and catch a piece of cooked meat onto the tip. Some spices had collided with it midair, and finding himself curious (and ignoring the woman he just saved), he pulled the meat closer to his face, taking an exploratory bite of it, chewing slowly.-

Ah... this is pretty good. -He finally turned his attention back to her, raising an eyebrow.- Did you want to try some?

[kirkhammer]

[The impact forces a gasp out of her, but not much else. Not to say she isn't surprised by the sudden contact, she simply has a firm grasp on her emotional output.

Well, nearly anyway. Between regaining her balance and her own embarrassment at having spaced out so hideously, Vivienne actually can't help but furrow her brow at the odd display in front of her.]

No.

[That probably came out a little firmer than it needed to, but she's quite... perplexed.]

But-- Thank you.

[liberal_arts]

Are you sure? It'd be a shame to let such beautiful things go to waste...

[kirkhammer]

All the more reason you should enjoy that for yourself.

[Regaining her composure, she straightens out her coat, giving herself a quick once over for injuries or... food related mishaps. There is something she noticed though:]

You've quite the skill with a sword, to be able to perform such a feat.

[liberal_arts]

As is expected of me, I assure you.