2017-06-27: Turnabout
- Log: Turnabout
- Cast: Josephine Lovelace, Ida Everstead-Rey, Lily Keil
- Where: Lacour - Market District
- Date: June 27th 2017
- Summary: The ladies meet near the job board in Lacour before the tournament opens. A brief discussion on the paucity of decent jobs, Ida's ARM, and Lily's Malevolence problem ensues.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
The most important thing about a puncture wound to the gut is: it's kinda bad.
Still, with the aid of Lily's tender (??) care and good old time, eventually Josie recovered from her injuries, which had left her with a far more pressing problem:
Cash. She might be getting a favor from Noah, and the horse might be gratis too, but she has no doubt whatsoever that she's about to have a need for a whole lot of money if she's going to prepare to bust through the barricade. These things don't just happen.
Except when they do.
And with the advent of the exhibition, all hopes of a cheap room are dashed. So there's living expenses, too.
So, long story short, that's the reason why Josie is currently scanning the 'jobs posted' list on the board out this way, a frown on her lips. She seems almost entirely unaware of the black and white pigeon on her shoulder, who is currently attempting to pluck some of Josie's hair out of her braid. For what? Nobody knows.
"That one's not paying anywhere near enough... and... oh, honestly, ingredients for a love potion? They do know those never work, right? Oh well, it's the thought that counts~"
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
As it so happens, Ida was on her way to check the same board. Chemists, doctors, and more mystical types are always in need of plant specimens, and Ida's been putting her skills to work for them since the expedition went back to Guild Galad. She approaches at a slow, easy pace, scanning the crowd around the board with a curious eye. It's the usual assortment of locals and visitors, including people who are likely here for the tournament--and one person Ida recognizes.
"Miss Lovelace," Ida says, stepping a little closer and inclining her head. "A pleasure to see you again." She glances at Penelope, but does not seem to register whatever torments she's in the process of inflicting on Josephine.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
It's very bad, a puncture wound to the gut. Lily wasn't only being sharp when she insisted that Josie rest as part of her recovery. Her care was... Well...
Moving on. Surgery isn't going to pay Josie's bills. For that matter, surgery isn't going to pay Lily's bills, either. It's just lucky for her that she hasn't had any in a while, with all that's happened, and being part of a pirate crew.
Besides, she has some interest in the exhibition.
But she was out in the other room for a moment herself, addressing something. Now, Lily Keil steps in towards Josie at the board, dressed casually enough for her, but moving stiffly, her clothes a little bulkier than usual. She is... heavily bandaged. Considering that...
RECENTLY
Lily Keil is dragged about the Yggdrasil covered in her own blood, barely conscious and faintly laughing. She ends up in the Medbay in short order.
NOW
"Jo..." She pauses, looking over at Ida, as she hears the greeting. "Find anything useful?" she asks, and steps the rst of the way forward. "Hello," she greets Ida at the same time. She's glancing around even so; this area is... crowded for her, and the light air of discomfort easily registers.
The air of Malevolence, too.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
"Ah?" Josie turns her head, glancing over at Ida. "Oh-- Ida! How have you been?"
Josie distinctly recalls fleeing with the young noblewoman from Adlehyde. Among other things. Her gaze drifts downwards, as if searching for the sign of weapons.
It had been an interesting ARM.
She smiles, lopsidedly, just a beat later. "And, please! Call me Josie. 'Miss Lovelace' is too stiff!" She gestures, vaguely, with her left hand, before letting it drop.
And there, washing in like some fell ocean breeze, is the sense of Malevolence. Josie straightens a touch.
Penelope releases her grip on the lock of pale hair, then eyes Lily. Without further ado, the bird drops in a glide from Josie's shoulder to land easily on the paving stones below, trotting quickly to the side opposite from Lily.
Rude, Penelope.
Josephine's dark eyes drift towards Lily. "...Kiddo, didn't you say you were gonna take it easy?" She has not forgotten. And she may not forgive.
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Ida's coat is tailored to help conceal ARMs. If Devil's Due is there, Josie probably couldn't tell from a cursory glance. "Josie, then," Ida says, because she's not so stiff as to be formal when someone's made it clear that informality is just fine. "Well enough. The tournament will be a welcome diversion from..." Ida flinches a little as that awful sensation creeps up her spine. It takes heroic effort to suppress a reaction of visceral disgust, but Ida manages it, which is especially important because it's...
Lily, again. Why Lily?
"Good heavens," Ida says, turning that disgust into mild surprise over seeing Lily up and about. "Are you well enough to be up and about, Miss Keil? That woman almost severed your arm."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily remains silent at the matter of introductions and names between Josie and Ida; it's not really her business to begin with. And small talk isn't exactly her thing. But walking in after she hears it...
Lily notices Josie straightening. She sees a flinch. She guesses immediately at the reason for both. Before she says anything else however, she lets her golden eyes follow Penelope away from her. It's not the same as coming to her for help, exactly.
"I am taking it easy," Lily points out to Josie. She says it with a sigh, however; she knows how this goes. A look to Ida, "I'm fine, Ida. I only need one arm for most day to day tasks while I recover."
"I'm not going to sit back and stay in bed at a time like this." Pause. "So, did you find anything useful?" And a flick of her eyes towards Ida again, "...It's good to see you. I appreciate your help back at the camp."
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
No sign of interesting ARMs there -- but it probably would create a stir if Ida were wearing it visibly. Still, can't blame Josie for at least looking.
Josie is also sans visible ARMs (meaning the rifle, but possibly not the sidearm. It is a mystery.).
If briefly, Josie grins. "Great~ I'm just not old enough for a Miss Lovelace, you know?" She pauses. "Not just yet, anyway."
Oh yes, the tournament. "Hopefully. I mean, I'm not--"
What she's 'not' might remain a mystery, as a wild Lily appears.
And Penelope scatters.
Really rude, seeing as how Lily took care of Penelope while Josie was recovering. But perhaps that's just the way of Penelope.
Josie had probably been present at or around the time Lily had been dragged on board. Mock-despairingly, Josie sighs. "Kiddo... honestly." Her lips quirk upwards. "I'm tired of sitting around in the sickbay -- if you end up back there, you're going it alone! So just don't do anything too wild, got it?"
Silence ensues as Josie glances back at the board. "...Just some kids looking for 'love potion' ingredients and so on. I hope this stuff's not poisonous, young love's bad enough as it is!" She sighs. "And a few that just aren't paying enough. Maybe I should go and see what I can find on my own, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Ida's lips tighten a bit. "Very well," she says. "I trust you to use discretion. I speak from experience, you understand." Ida taps her right shoulder, lightly--Lily might notice, if she's perceptive, that it's a bit less mobile than the other, though Claude's physical training has made the difference less pronounced. She allows herself a look of slight annoyance at the 'love potion' thing. "I suppose they'll never learn," she murmurs.
Ida takes a breath. The stink of Malevolence isn't going away. "Perhaps that might be wise," she says to Josie.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily, on the oter hand, hasn't bothered saying a word about not calling her Miss Keil. Funny how that works in contrast to Josie. The black-haired sorceress wears no ARMs though; the only weapon she wears is a very large knife in a boot holster.
Wild Lily indeed.
Lily might confess to being surprised at Peneleope running from her... But she doesn't bother at the moment. Instead she looks to Josie and rolls her eyes. "You know I'm not likely to." A pause, "But fine. I'll avoid casting too strenuously, or fight, or... whatever." She shakes her head; it's grudging, despite the fact that some of it was in her plan. "I have no patience for being injured."
A look at Ida, and she notices the tap on her shoulder. She is perceptive enough. "...I see, yes." A pause. That's... certainly a private opinion. Lily glances to the side. "...I'm harder to kill than most," she explains. "Even most Drifters. I'd say we did fairly well for ourselves. A bit of injury doesn't matter if it'll heal, when the mission was accomplished."
She pauses, "I'm a military woman, and a medic. I'm used to taking care of injuries myself. I admit that I was more injured than I'm used to..." But still, her left arm doesn't move. It hasn't once since she walked in.
"Young love, though..." She pauses. "As long as you don't..." She frowns. "I can't tell you not to run around while injured," she says sourly, "But be careful. I worry enough about you as it is." She doesn't notice the slip.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
Penelope, already far from Lily, has begun to wander afield. This wins the bird a glance, and no more than a glance, from Josie.
"Hmmph. You should take life easier." Josie frowns, narrowing her eyes a touch. "...Just for that, kiddo, if I have to drag you out of somewhere, I'm gonna charge you for it. Who knows, maybe that'll be my next big source of income at this rate!"
That comment earns Lily a raised eyebrow. "You fought the king's murderer? I heard a thing or two from the rumor mill, but... Hey, Ida, what's the bounty on that one?" She pauses, as if realizing what she's saying. "--And no, I'm not thinking about that. There are probably some unexplored ruins in the area, at least in one of those you're likely to just lose a hand at worst. Though knowing you, you'd grow it back like a lizard." She grins, as if at some private joke. "Anyway, the last time I came up here, it was just to Linga on business... Do you know about anything good nearby, Ida?"
Besides, what with the rumor she heard about Marze sorcerors at the tournament, she's definitely not sticking around too long in town.
Josie pats herself on the stomach. "I'm not even hurting anymore, kiddo, I--"
There's a pause. A long pause. Josie stares at Lily. Then looks her over.
"...Are you sure you're feeling ok, Lily?"
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Ida blinks, once, at Josephine's blunt request. Oh, she realizes, as the other woman corrects herself. That's much better, and less likely to end in horrible things. "I'm afraid I can't remember offhand," she says to Josephine, because she did ask a question. "Linga still contains significant finds, as far as I'm aware. It isn't even a day's journey." Josie trails off. Ida falls silent, and then looks at her. Does she feel it, too?
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Penelope gets the same glance from Lily, at about the same time. But Josie dominates much of her attention for the moment. "Sure," the ex-soldier answers Josie distractedly about charging her. "That sounds fine." What?
But Josie mentions a followup on Ida's comment. Lily shrugs. "Yeah, I did. It seems like I drove her off... But I'm not so sure." Pause. "And I didn't fight her alone."
A shake of her head, "I've never grown back a limb. Ruins aren't a bad idea, though. I could use some extra cash."
A look over at Ida, next. "Linga..." But--Josie answered her. Josie answered her very clearly.
Lily, for her part, doesn't look terribly okay; she's still pale, paler than usual, and looks tired. Makeup covers most of it, but this close it's possible to see past that. "What? Why do you...?" She stops. She glances away quickly, "I mean... It's not like I'm that worried about you. It's just annoying to think I'll have to treat you again." It's a halfhearted defense before she sighs, and adds, "Being around this many people is messing with my head. You know me. I don't like people."
Herause. "What about you?" Bluntly, to Ida, "You've been off since I walked in. I saw the flinch."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Penelope gets the same glance from Lily, at about the same time. But Josie dominates much of her attention for the moment. "Sure," the ex-soldier answers Josie distractedly about charging her. "That sounds fine." What?
But Josie mentions a followup on Ida's comment. Lily shrugs. "Yeah, I did. It seems like I drove her off... But I'm not so sure." Pause. "And I didn't fight her alone."
A shake of her head, "I've never grown back a limb. Ruins aren't a bad idea, though. I could use some extra cash."
A look over at Ida, next. "Linga..." But--Josie answered her. Josie answered her very clearly.
Lily, for her part, doesn't look terribly okay; she's still pale, paler than usual, and looks tired. Makeup covers most of it, but this close it's possible to see past that. "What? Why do you...?" She stops. She glances away quickly, "I mean... It's not like I'm that worried about you. It's just annoying to think I'll have to treat you again." It's a halfhearted defense before she sighs, and adds, "Being around this many people is messing with my head. You know me. I don't like people."
Pause. "What about you?" Bluntly, to Ida, "You've been off since I walked in. I saw the flinch."
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
Not a bad idea? What? It's enough to leave even Josie briefly speechless.
"Still, I'm impressed there was enough of you left to limp on back..." Josie shakes her head. "So, you were there, too?" This is to Ida. And just a touch, she drops her voice, leaning in. "...That ARM of yours really packs a punch." She remembers. "I wouldn't mind taking a look at it sometime. Well, assuming you're letting people you barely know look at it~ Consider it purely professional interest, though! I won't even take it apart."
Ida doesn't know about the bounty. "Oh, well..." A touch sheepishly, Josie smiles. "I suppose it's somewhere, huh? ...Just curious. Anyway, that's right, there is some sort of labyrinth down there, isn't there? I was in town to talk to an old friend and I had to hurry out of town again afterwards, so..."
And then not long after that, Adlehyde had been attacked and everything had gone to hell.
"It's just surprising," Josie says, after a moment's pause. "...That's more like you, though..." She glances over then, meeting Ida's own gaze. Ever so slightly, Josie squints, as if attempting to read the noblewoman's expression. Then, moments after, understanding blooms across her features. Ahaaa. Rather pointedly, Josie glances over at Penelope, attempting to redirect Ida's gaze.
Penelope isn't entirely avoiding Lily. Penelope is circling Lily, keeping a wide berth between herself and the former soldier, as if something about Lily's presence were uncomfortable to get close to.
And then Lily cuts to the quick and possibly ruins Josie's attempts to explain without saying a word. Josie just closes her eyes.
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
"Perhaps," Ida says, to Josie's proposal. It's noncommittal, but she doesn't want just anyone poking around with a treasured family heirloom slash powerful weapon. "I could certainly explain the theory behind the mechanisms, as there are several novel ones involved." And then...
Lily asks a question. Knowingly or not, she has presented Ida with a horrible dilemma. She can't just go out and say that she's sensed some horrible eldritch energy on her, that would be horrifically rude. And what if she's wrong? Then again, Ida's seen what that horrible stuff does to people, and if she keeps silent, Lily could end up being turned into something like the monsters they fought in Timney.
"You investigated the Hollow, some time back, didn't you?" Ida's tone is gentle and curious, but to Lily this may be an aggravatingly roundabout way of getting to the point. Ida was not raised to be blunt.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily doesn't notice that Josie goes speechless. She doesn't even blink at it. Instead she looks to Josie when she mentions she's impressed and shrugs. "I would've been fine if I hadn't been so dazed. Fei brought me back, as it was." A pause. "It's... been a while... Since I've been hurt that much in a fight, other than..."
She gets a distant look in her eyes.
"Nevermind." She looks between the two considering the ARM and doesn't step in. The bounty, "750,000 Gella." She reattles it off really easily. "Ah right, you did visit Linga."
Lily pauses, as Josie says it's surprising, as this is more like her... "Right," she says. "Good."
Lily then ruins the explanation entirely and handles the question bluntly. As a former soldier--as a military woman regardless--Lily is much more accustomed to being direct. Josie's attempted explanation aside...
Staring at Ida--looking directly t her--for a few moments, Lily eventually nods. "Twice," she answers. "After I was present for the assault on Port Timney. I had..." She looks to Josie, "An eventful expedition, the first time."
"Regardless, you're uncomfortable because you sense the Malevolence around me. If you weren't aware, that's what it's called. Am I right? A strange, nauseating feeling of wrongness."
A half-shrug, as only one shoulder moves. "I sense it. You're being very polite about it. Someone once told me it smelled. That... irritated me."
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
There's a low whistle. "Damn, that's a small fortune. Too bad, but I guess it's that high for a reason." Though, why did Lily have it memorized?
If she's disappointed, Josie sure doesn't show it. The archaeologist instead waves a hand through the air, as if to dismiss the request. "Hands-on is always best, but I wouldn't mind a lecture on the theory. Consider me interested."
She had sort of gotten lucky with Gwen. And even then, the girl had only let her investigate her ARM so much. Trust is a precious commodity -- and it's honestly just as well that Ida's being a bit cagey.
Josie would do the same in her shoes, after all.
Ida circumvents the bluntness with which Lily approaches the topic somewhat. Josie, silent for the moment, glances between the two, before shedding a glance towards her bird. Still pacing, it seems.
She looks back at Lily. Twice, she confirms in silence with a nod. Narrowing her eyes, she then looks away.
Because of the blood...?
"So what are you going to do about it?" She pauses. "Lily."
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Ida's face settles into a calm, nonjudgmental expression as she turns to Lily. It's pretty clear she's practiced it many times, given that little tic, and the nature of what Lily just confessed. "Then you must know what it means," Ida says. "It's a sickness. Please, Miss Keil..." Ida takes a step forward, allowing her concern to show through. "You cannot let it fester, or you'll end up... like those people at Port Timney." There's no way around it.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily keeps an eye on bounties. That's just true. But is that why she knew Lady Harken's...?
No. No it is not.
"Definitely that high for a reason," Lily answers Josie. "She's incredibly dangerous. Going into melee with her was a mistake... Though she seemed to appreciate it." A shake of her head.
The question of the ARM continues not to be Lily's concern; she doesn't even have hers with her. ...She can't use a rifle one-armed with any real effectiveness. Not that that matters.
She spots Josie's narrowed eyes, looks away. She can imagine the question the older woman must have. She hears the tone in Josie's voice. She knows what that means. And Ida...
"Yes," Lily answers. "I know what it means. At least, some of what it means. I'm learning more." A look at both of them, and a shake of her head.
"I'm working on it." Another half-shrug, as she looks over at Penelope. "It's difficult. But I've been researching and experimenting as best I can to understand it properly. Then maybe I can do something. Thus far I've been fine. It's just... I can sense it. My own. And being around large numbers of people makes it... Worse. It's more difficult to control my emotions as a result. I can feel... Other things."
Lily looks down. "I didn't tell you, Josie, because I saw no point. And Ida... Well, this is how it is."
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
"...Sounds like it... Fengalon's teeth..." Josie mutters, shaking her head. 'That high for a reason'.
It might not be obvious to look at her, but Josie is actually having -- at this very moment -- her crash course in Malevolence. Beyond what she's already seen, that is, so perhaps it's a bit more like cramming for the practical. Malevolence warps people -- she could tell that much. People turn into monsters. "It's been a while since then," she says at length. Bluntly, even. Nothing about Lily looks like she's warping before her eyes, but to her senses...
She'd felt it, over and over. It had dulled with exposure -- or so she'd thought -- but it burns sharply in a place like this.
She gets it. Even when they had met, it was clear that Lily didn't like being around people. "...So, what's the answer, then? Have you come across anything? There was that kid who seemed to be able to get rid of it..."
But Josie shakes her head. "You didn't have to tell me anything. I already felt it." She glances at Penelope, who is standing now, near to the building and a good distance from Lily. As if to say, in silence: her too.
"Whatever you're gonna do, though... I'm in." She pauses, her lips quirking into a crooked smile. "As long as I'm here, anyway."
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
"She revels in it," Ida murmurs. "Not mere destruction--combat against those she feels are a challenge." Which is plenty terrifying in and of itself--it means that Ida's weird streak of luck might have piqued Harken's interest. She certainly seemed interested in Lily. Of course, Lily has other problems...
"I see," Ida says. She blinks, and a little more of the poker face falls away. There's worry in her eyes, and her overall expression is tight, anxious. "There is, I feel, something to be learned through experience, as risky as it may be. I don't want to see you become a danger to innocents, and I'm certain that Fei, Bart and Leon wouldn't want that, either."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily nods in agreement with Josie, remarkably calm for a woman who faced Lady Harken and--being realistic--nearly died in the process. She looks thoughtfully to Ida. "I suppose she does. I barely noticed." But then, Lily was doing some revelling in it herself at the time.
Lily has obviously at least found out a few things about it. She indeed isn't warping or changing; the only change since the Hollow... Well. There are a few, actually, if Josie thinks back; she's been tired, she's been avoiding people even more than before... Locking herself in her room...
Lily doesn't need much of a poker face. She pauses. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable letting Sorey use his magic on me," Lily answers. "I don't know him that well. I have no idea whether there are side effects." The bird is still far away. Ida... "Yes, experience has taught me a lot so far. That's..." She pauses. "That's very conscientious of you. No, I'm sure they wouldn't. Thus far I've had no strange urges to hurt others. I think I have time yet before... Something happens, if anything. For all I know I can just hold it here. That's what I've tried to do so far."
"The answer is I don't have an answer yet. But now that you mention it... I think there's someone I can ask."
The woman Anna. She's dealt with Malevolence for some time, Lily thinks.
"...If she survived Adlehyde, and I can find her..." A pause. "But... Talking about this is aggravating it. I'm tired. So I'm going to head back to my inn. Enjoy your job hunting. Ida, good to see you."
Lily lingers on Penelope, and then Josie, and turns away to go.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.
"Trouble best avoided then, huh." Josie punctuates that comment with a shake of the head and a shrug.
All as if she hasn't had her own moments of reveling in the shedding of blood, or the exultation of the pure expression of violence.
"That's his name, huh?" She'll file that one away for later. Sounds familiar -- perhaps one of his allies shouted it on the battlefield? "...Well, yeah. I don't know anything about it. It's definitely not Symbology." It didn't seem like whatever Lily used, either. She smiles lopsidedly, though this particular typical smile of hers is somewhat more forced than usual. "Caution's not bad. Still, an uncertain risk's better than a certain doom. Got it?" She gives Lily a Look. "Experience's a good teacher, probably the best there is." She glances at Ida, nodding but once. "But it's also the kind of teacher you can't fail." Flunk it, and you're dead.
Her gaze lingers steadily on Lily for a moment.
"A women, huh? --Hey..." For all that Josie raises a hand, as if about to reach out for Lily, the former soldier is off, stepping away from her.
Then gone, into the crowd.
"...That girl..." Josie sighs, taking a few steps forward to stoop and collect her wayward bird. "I don't know why I even try." Turning towards Ida, a warmer smile greets the young noblewoman. "Anyway, I'd love to talk shop with you about that ARM sometime. Maybe we'll have a chance before the tournament starts? Well, unless I head out to Linga instead... I've never been much for watching fighting tourneys, honestly."
Josie prefers to do the shedding of blood herself.
She glances, once, in the direction Lily went. "...I guess I should go after her, though. Maybe I'll see you around?"
Penelope squirming in her grasp, Josie steps off out into the crowd herself.