2017-04-30: Friends in the Marketplace
- Log: 2017-04-30: Friends in the Marketplace
- Cast: Jacqueline Barber, Sephilia Lampbright
- Where: Adlehyde - Town Center
- Date: 2017-04-30
- Summary: In the aftermath of the Tragedy of Timney, Jacqueline meets up with Sephilia in a chance marketplace encounter and the two bond.
=========================<* Adlehyde - Town Center *>========================= The centre of Adlehyde marks the intersection between the east-west and north-south roads that carve the city into near-quarters. Large shops are packed along both roads, offering goods and services of a variety rivaled only by the merchant republics of Aquvy. The intersection between the two roads is actually a large circle nearly a quarter-mile across, allowing wagons and other traffic to move with a minimum of collisions and profanity both. The area in the centre of the circle plays host to an informal gathering of food and drink vendors and other barkers, who ply their wares to merchants and wagoneers too busy to stop and rest. As a result of the considerable merchant traffic, the Circle and the major avenues are absolutely lousy with wagons from mid-morning into the early evening. The buildings throughout the rest of Adlehyde are built of stone and tile roofs, and are generally well kept; as one moves away from the major routes toward the walls, however, poorer and seedier enclaves have developed over time. Still, even the poorest resident of Adlehyde has an easier time of it than all but the nobility of Nortune or Bledavik, though only Drifters and other travelers would be able to make the comparison. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MQRL7xws7w
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
It'd been rough lately for Jacqueline. There were a lot of orders coming in for her potions. She had been fine accepting the order from the Sparrowfeathers, but the recent Tragedy of Timney had put many on edge, and many felt were seeking to stock up on medical supplies.
She was only just now finally, finally, allowed some time to rest. She closed up her shop, sent her sole employee home, and took to wandering the streets. She wasn't looking for anything in particular - right now she just wanted to immerse herself in the sights and sounds of familiar Adlehyde.
There was an edge to the air - or maybe she was just imagining it. Still, there were other people walking from place to place and chatting amicably in the streets. Things couldn't be all that bad, right?
Indeed, the other merchants were still at their stalls, hawking their wares. She looked in on them to see what they were selling, though she had yet to find anything she felt worth picking up.
Well, that was fine, she supposed.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia is oblivious. A bout of overeating - "practicing for the Saucery Globe" - has left her unfortunately ill the past few days with some kind of stomach bug, and she's only just now getting out and about again. If anything, she looks relieved to be getting some fresh air and exercise, though still a little pale and slightly haggard.
Even Sephy can tell there's something in the air, though, as oblivious as she is. Maybe she's finally been around people enough that she's starting to be able to pick up on things like this? Or maybe it's something else. Nothing she can put her finger on, really, though--she's still Sephilia, after all.
Chauncey spots Jacqueline a moment before Sephilia does, but he remains silent about it--probably trusting Sephy to notice her friend on her own. His trust is rewarded as Sephilia waves at Jay, calling out to her. "Hi Jay!"
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Had the prices raised somewhat...? Jacqueline frowns slightly and folds her arms in front of her as she ponders this. Before she gets to far in, though, a familiar voice calls out to her.
She glances towards the direction, and her frown softens into a smile when she spots Sephilia.
"Ah, Miss Sephy. Good to see you!" Jacqueline says, unfolding an arm to return the wave.
She starts approaching her, though she pauses when she gets a better look at the girl's face.
"Are you alright? You're looking a little pale..." She comments with a slight frown.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia beams as Jay greets her, but her expression turns to one of mild disgust at Jacqueline's question. "Oh, I got a bit sick while trying to train for the Saucery Globe - I don't know if you know about that, it's this - oh you do? Anyway I've been a bit sick for a few days. I don't even know what's been going on outside my inn room..."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
The Saucery Globe, huh? Jacqueline was frankly surprised that someone like Sephilia would be interested in it, but she had tried it out herself, so it wasn't like she could talk.
She couldn't tell her that she had tried it out herself, though. No one could know the identity of the 'Mysterious Gourmet' until she'd gotten down to the...well, mystery, of whatever had happened to make Aunt Hilda create such a thing.
"Oh, that sounds awful...hold on just a moment." Jacqueline says, and begins rummaging through her bags.
"I've heard of it, yeah. I've actually been working on something to help the competitors recover afterward..." Eventually, she draws forth a bottle and holds it out.
"Here. It may be a little late, but you can hold onto it for next time. Consider it a free sample." She says with a smile.
At the mention of what's been going on outside, though, her expression falters somewhat.
"Well...you'd find out eventually, so I suppose I should tell you. The wildlife around here has been growing...violent. If you go out of town, you should be careful...and, if at all possible, bring a friend." She says. It was only fair to warn her. From what Jacqueline had gathered Sephilia was an adventurer, after all, young as she was. Telling her not to leave town would probably have the opposite effect.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy's face brightens again at the gift of medicine. "Thank you!" she cries, and gives Jacqueline a big old hug in repayment, impulsive as all heck. Her eyes widen in surprise as she's told about the wildlife growing violent.
"What, like...all of it? Cows and sheep and stuff even? Cows can be pretty scary, they're BIG."
To Sephilia, every animal is big.
Fortunately it seems that the girl's taking the warning seriously, and not as an invitation to rush into an ill-advised adventure.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
The hug came as quite the surprise. Jacqueline smiles, though, and pats her on the back.
"Aww, you're welcome." She replies.
She has to think a bit about what to say next.
"Hm...not all, fortunately. Some of them have just been feeling...antsy. Perhaps they can feel whatever's causing it. They can often sense these things before we can." She comments.
Under her breath, she utters 'Malevolence', though whether or not she realizes she'd said this is hard to tell.
"It's not just the big ones, though. My friend Lunata was attacked by a rabbit. It was...quite harrowing, for her, but fortunately we managed to get her out of the way before she was hurt." She says.
Did she...realize she had accidentally made a pun?
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy's eyes nearly bulge out of her head. "Lunata was attacked by a RABBIT? She didn't say anything--but then, I haven't actually seen her lately..." She frowns. "When did this start? What about the people out on farms--they must need help!"
Uh-oh. Maybe Sephilia HAS decided to dash off on some misguided adventure.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline seems to realize she made a mistake, but she doesn't try to backpedal. She simply sighs and glances away for a moment as she tries to decide what exactly to say.
"There've been rumors of it circulating, but...well, Port Timney was attacked a few days ago. It was...like they'd gathered in one big horde..." She explains. From the look on her face, it seems like she'd seen this personally.
Nervously, she massages the back of her neck.
"Don't worry. We've...already got people mobilized to try and do something about it." She says. She didn't sound too confident that they would be able to help.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia frowns, tapping her nose. "That's good," she says. "I wonder how I could help most?" Whew--running off to smash doesn't seem to be Sephy's immediate plan. "Did you see it yourself? Was it bad--did you get hurt? I hope Talise is okay--she's probably in the thick of it somewhere."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
'Did she get hurt'? A good question. One of Jacqueline's hand goes to her side instinctively. She had actually been wounded pretty badly, though not as much as some. She couldn't just come out and say this, though. Instead, she simply forces a smile on her face.
"Oh...no, no, I mostly just stayed back and helped the medics treat the wounded afterward. But thank you for asking." She lies.
Talise? Jacqueline thinks back.
"Oh, is she a tall beastwoman with a sword? I think I saw her there. I believe she made it out alright, but I don't know what she's doing now." She replies with a nod and a shrug.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
"She is," Sephy nods, worry for her friend crossing her face. Then the worry deepens, to a visceral panic, as she visibly realizes something.
"H-how far ranging is this happening? C-could it be everywhere?"
Home.
Sephilia's already pale face turns chalky-white. "D-dad and Mom live off away from town, back home..." she whispers.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Oh no. Worry appears on Jacqueline's face as well, as she sees the change that comes over Sephilia. This...was not what she had intended. She felt horrible now, for placing these concerns on Sephilia's shoulders.
She closes the distance again, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"L-look...as far as I know, they've been keeping to the area between here and Timney. I'm sure they're fine." She says, trying to reassure her.
"And...your dad's a famous explorer, right? I'm...I'm sure he'll know what to do if something does happen. I'm sure they'll be safe. You just...have to trust them." For now, it was all she could offer.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy nods, biting her lower lip to keep it from trembling visibly. She won't cry. She won't!
She does, however, hug tightly to Chauncey. "Yeah," she says. "Dad's a famous explorer. H-he taught me everything I know!" She tries to put on a brave face, a proud face, but it's not very convincing.
"What if I never see them again?"
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"That's not worth thinking about." Jacqueline replies, shaking her head. A smile appears again, forced on once more.
"You will see them again. I...don't know how you got here, but there has to be another way back. Somehow. I don't know how long it'll take, but...just stay strong, alright?" She says.
Not that she sounds very confident about it, but she had to make up for worrying Sephilia somehow.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy has managed not to cry! Doesn't seem like it was easy for her, but she's regained some of her composure. "I'm sure...I'm sure I'll see them again. You're right. It's just scary to be away from home at times like this."
She falls silent, staring into space, distracted.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline could only imagine. She knew what it was like to be on a long journey away from home, but it was something she had chosen for herself. It wasn't like she'd been whisked away to somewhere far off, against her whims. So, she wasn't really sure what was going through Sephilia's mind right now, as she looked off into the distance like that. There was only one thing she could say that she thought might help.
"...You seem to have made some good friends here, at least." She comments, her smile more genuine than before.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia, impulsively, hugs Jacqueline again. "I have," she agrees, squeezing as tight as her little arms will let her. (That's not very tight, poor Sephy's got noodle arms.) "I'm glad we're friends," she adds.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline knows all about noodle-arms, possessing them herself. If they were the same age, their levels of physical strength would probably be about the same - which wasn't really saying much. Despite this, she reciprocates.
"Me too. If you ever need help with anything just let me know, alright? My door's always open to you - even if the sign says 'closed'." She adds that last bit with a slight chuckle.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy manages a smile, sincere and with a ray of hope. "Thank you," she says. "If...if you ever need my help, with anything, let me know. An'...if you can think of any way I can help out with this, or hear anything about people in need, please let me know, too. You must hear a lot, running a shop, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"That's right. I'll be sure to keep an ear out." Jacqueline replies with a nod, taking a step back. She wasn't sure what that would be, but maybe she'd come up with something - even if it was just to assuage Sephilia's admirable desire to help those in need.
"For now, though, take care of yourself, alright? And bring a friend if you do decide to go out of town." She'd said this already, but it was important to repeat. Fortunately, it didn't seem like she'd have to worry about Sephilia running off and doing something reckless.