pawnstorm | Open!

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!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ 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. ]

[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.

[ 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.

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.

[ 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.

You are also on an errand? [Though that makes sense, considering they had virtually nothing when they all arrived.] These thieves certainly had their hands full.

[Perhaps quite literally. Taking her map back, she regards the spot he pointed out for a moment, then lifts her head to orient herself. It's probably... down that way?? She's not exactly sure... and so her next request comes rather hesitantly, words almost forced.]

Might I accompany you? At least until you or I reach our destinations.

[ Well, it's not like he's not used to wandering around with people on quests to find things now... he spent far too much time with Alphinaud, he's losing his edge. ]

You may. 'Tis not a bad idea, anyway. [ ... ] You may get lost yet again.

[ There's like, 21.6% amusement in that statement. ]

[She goes a bit rigid at that last part. A FATAL BLOW to what tiny pride she allows herself to have.

But on the other hand, he isn't wrong.]

It will not happen again. [It might, though.] But I thank you. Lead the way.

[ With a jerk of his head in the right direction, he's already setting off without pause. ]

Not even an intrepid explorer could have memorised every street and lane since our arrival. [ That's the best he can do at comforting, really. ] I only know of it because I sought refuge nearby, from the constant affections of the townspeople the day we arrived.

[ The way he talks about it makes... it fairly clear he was heavily annoyed by it. ]

[It isn't that she doesn't appreciate the consolation, it's just that she doesn't feel that's a goof enough excuse for her. Caissa is large, but her first real attempt at familiarising herself with the locale didn't.. go well. At all. How embarrassing!!! How can she call herself a Hunter!!!!]

I am glad to hear I am not the only one to have had... concerns about the festivities after our arrival. The matter of being brought here involuntarily aside, we had done nothing but simply appear. Perhaps quite literally.

[ His snort is anything but pleased. He doesn't attempt to hide how he feels about the situation to anyone; he hates it, he thinks the people are ridiculous for entertaining it so much, and the festivities grind at him. ]

Full glad am I to meet someone who agrees with me. Some have spoken about giving the people hope, but I've yet to show anyone that I'm something to be hopeful for.

[Well, she can't blame him.]

Yes, that's what others have said to me also. Yet with current developments in mind, the restriction of crucial information, the expectation of our cooperation, and to say nothing of our lack of a guarantee of a return to our own worlds, I cannot say I am particularly enamoured by the idea of risking life and limb for this cause.

Their hospitality does not justify what is being asked of us.

Agreed. I've my own cause, one that is immeasurable to me when it comes to comparing who may have it worse. If I had arrived at a different time, I may have been more amicable. [ But then he's sighing, glancing down at her. It's not like there isn't an abundance of Hyur in Ishgard—and many who can share height with Elezen—but he's had to look down at everyone he's met so far. ] While I enjoy venting as much as the next, it seems we're nearing our destination and I've no real conclusion about the entire situation yet.

[She isn't particularly offended he has to look down at her. Though maybe not quite so tall, there were several of significantly larger stature than the average citizen where she comes from.]

You're right. At present we're only capable of talking in circles. [Or complaining in circles, as the case seems to be.] What item were you tasked with searching for?

A ceremonial dagger. Not so sharp as to be used as a weapon, but the value is high in sentimentality.

[ It's also very shiny, he's told. While they kept up the appearance, Estinien is annoyed that none bothered to keep up with the weapon's actual care.

Or managed to keep it from being stolen in the first place. ]

[You'd think such a highly valued object would receive better care, but on the other hand--]

If it had the proper care it seemingly deserves, perhaps you wouldn't be here. Not to mention these jobs seem to be relatively easier than the others currently posted.

I'm not keen on mingling with the populace before I'm forced to.

Open!

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