2017-07-16: An Abused Hankie

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  • Log: An Abused Hankie
  • Cast: Riesenlied, Jacqueline Barber
  • Where: Lacour
  • Date: 16th July 2017
  • Summary: Sniffly and beleaguered, Riesenlied visits Jacqueline for more medicine.


<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

It's been a few days since Jacqueline and Riesenlied last met, though it was under more trying and immediate circumstances -- since then, the winged commander has seen more rest, and yet... at the same time, there are days when her impure blood gets the better of her, and that is but one of the reasons she sets out to try to find the young apothecary. Looking around the Lacour Grande, the hooded, cloaked woman is -- sniffling and coughing a little, as she tries to ask the concierge if she had the number for a Miss Barber.

It probably wouldn't be too difficult, given she's been making a presence around town, so where does Riesenlied find the chemist...?

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Ordinarily, a hotel like the Lacour Grande would be out of Jacqueline's price range...not so much because she couldn't afford it, but because she tended to be fairly frugal. But its prices had been lowered due to the Tournament, and she seems to have wanted to stay close to the hotel for certain reasons, so the Lacour Grande it was.

The concierge looks Riesenlied over with a slight frown, and explains that Miss Barber was out and would be back later today.

Of course, not much later, as it turns out - it is shortly after that that Jacqueline walks through the doors, checking her bags for something. She pauses and looks up, and seems a little surprised to spot Riesenlied there.

"Oh, Riese, hello! How are you doing?" Jacqueline asks, walking up to her. The answer looked to be 'not well', but it wouldn't be polite to just come out and say that.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied lets out a little cough, as she looks towards her and smiles warmly, a little bashful. "Oh, Miss Jacqueline. I had just been inquiring after you..." A pause, as she tilts her head. "I hope that all is well? I've been a bit... well, I've been recovering, but--"

She pauses as she holds onto a handkerchief and blows her nose into it.

"Oh, goodness... um-- I was wondering if you had some cold medicine on hand, actually..." A Metal Demon, catching the common cold. "I have such days that I am under the weather..."

There's been stranger things.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Yes, everything's been fine, fortunately." Jacqueline replies with a nod and a smile. More than fine, actually, but Riesenlied wasn't here to hear her gush about things. No, it seems like she'd come here for a reason.

She nods in understanding. It is a bit unusual, admittedly, and if it was anyone else it would've gotten a chuckle out of her. Instead, she smiles good-naturedly and begins to rummage through her bags.

"Yes, actually, I think I should have some in here..." She says. She eventually pulls out a bottle of liquid, and hands it over to Riesenlied. "And, if I may ask...how's your supply of the other medicine I gave you?"

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied places her hand to her cheek and says, "I-- mm--" she rummages in a slightly clumsy manner as she takes the liquid, peering over its contents and its instructions... then takes the mostly empty bottle that Jacqueline first gave her. "It's helped me sleep, though-- ahem, Noeline had to struggle to pry me away from her the first night, it seems..." Her expression is a little red.

She tilts her head as she heads towards a nearby seating area, so they can be comfortable. "Can I take this-- now? I have some water..." A pause, as she says, "I'd like to hear more of what you all have been up to... it seems-- it seems that events have all taken us in tide, that we have not had the chance to speak comfortably."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Oh?" Jacqueline chuckles in a friendly manner and accepts the empty bottle before returning it to her bags. She doesn't press the issue, though, noting that Riesenlied appears to be slightly embarrassed by it.

She follows Riesenlied, then, choosing a comfortable-looking chair near enough for them to speak clearly.

"Yes, it should be fine! Go right ahead." Jacqueline says with a nod.

Riesenlied asks what she's been up to, and she smiles wistfully.

"Ah, well...a few of my friends are in the tournament, so I've been going to watch their fights. It's not usually my thing, but I like being there for them." She explains.

"Other than that...I've been using this as an opportunity to promote my business. Things have been coming along pretty well."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied uncorks the bottle and sniffs it, before taking a little swig and a cup of water with a timorous shiver. She tilts her head to say, "Mm... do you mean -- Mister Ethius, and..." she rubs at her chin. "... I must admit I do not know who you keep company these days... I would love to be able to meet them, though I understand if they have misgivings about me."

She smiles just a little wider. "I have seen the banners around town, though, as well as the advertisements at the coliseum and the restaurants. You've done very well for yourself."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"I have other friends in the tournament, but mostly I've been keeping up with Ethius, Shalune, and Lunata - though you'd probably know her better as Lululu Wait." Jacqueline replies with a nod.

"The latter two have been friends of mine for...ages, really. They might as well be family. I'm sure they'd both love you if they got to know you." She comments with a warm smile, then chuckles.

"I have you to thank for all of this, really. I don't know how well I would have been able to continue my business after...everything, without your help. And now my friends are going to be helping me with it, as well." She explains. "What you gave me...be assured that it's being put to a good use."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied cups her mouth for a moment, before smiling warmly in turn as she nods in return. "A friend of yours is a friend of mine, and I'll do my best to meet them..." she squints, and says, "I think I have heard of Lunata before -- Noeline always goes at length about a waitress that tends to her back at the Saloon." A pause. "It seems like so long ago, those days..."

She hesitates just for a moment -- and then lets out a little sneeze, rubbing at her somewhat ruddy nose again. "It's... Miss Jacqueline, it was the least I could do..." she lowers her head. "It does not really change what we have done... but I am glad that it has let you recover and be on your feet again."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"That's the one." Jacqueline confirms with a nod. It was a meeting she would like to see, though for reasons she could never understand it was unlikely to happen.

So long ago... Jacqueline nods, a bit sadly.

"Yeah, sometimes it does...but I suppose things had to change, at some point..." She comments, shaking her head. She looks up again as Riesenlied sneezes. She wouldn't say it out loud...but it kind of did help lighten the mood a little, that had gotten somewhat heavy.

"You didn't have to do it...but you did it anyway. That's the important thing." Jacqueline says. "I can't...I can't hold what's been done against you. I know that you would have preferred things to go differently."

She shakes her head slightly.

She's quiet for a moment, looking down.

"Sometime after the tournament's over, my friends and I...we're going to be moving out west. I've been hard at work arranging for something that'll make it safer for us." She explains. "What will you be doing from here, once you recover?"

She catches herself slightly.

"Oh...but I suppose you probably can't tell me that." She admits.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

It does rather lighten the mood, does it not? Riesenlied seems unfit to hurt a fly as she is right now... though she drags her hood down to give herself a little bit more breathing room. Her horns, strangely, seem just a little bit wilted, like they're low on energy.

"No... we--" a pause. "We plan to move west too. That much I can tell you."

She thins her lips, focusing her thoughts for a moment. It seems a little hard for her at present. "Adlehyde and Lacour, in truth, are out of the way of a lot of the trafficking and supply routes for many of the ARMs and Fossil trades. If I am to focus on my mission of stopping the abuse of such artifacts... it makes sense to head out there."

She gestures with a quiet sigh. "Aveh and Kislev are both major buyers and stimulants of such trades -- and the black market and illegal trade around them is immense. If I can at the very least cut at some of the roots..." she lowers her head further. "I can at least put some of my ancestors to rest."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline sees the slightly droopy horns, of course. It's...a little hard not to pay attention to them, but she manages to keep her eyes on Riese's face.

Jacqueline was a bit surprised that she actually told her, but listens carefully. If Riesenlied was trusting her enough to tell her this, she would listen.

She nods in understanding, then. The situation...it was certainly a difficult one. She couldn't imagine how it must feel, having your ancestors converted into weapons to be used to horrible ends.

"...Well, I wish you luck, Riese. Be careful, alright?" Jacqueline replies with a nod.

"I don't expect to deal with anyone like that myself...but a merchant is inevitably going to hear rumors. If I hear anything...I can pass it on." She offers.

Was this the right thing to do? In some ways, helping her would be helping the Metal Demons...

But this was something beyond the conflict. She could put that aside for now.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied places her hand to her cheek, then murmuring quietly, "I... ah..."

She lowers her head, even as she looks just a little bit more reticient. "... it would be a boon, I won't lie. But please -- don't put yourself in a difficult situation just because you heard of it..." she sighs quietly. "But at the same time, it is an issue that affects more than just us -- the illicit trade of weapons threatens Ignas as well. The more weapons are accumulated each and every day..." A pause.

"Have you been out to Bledavik, Miss Jacqueline? I imagined you might have, given that you are a merchant... but the air there is a bit -- different. There is trade all the same, of course, but... there is less mirth, and more of an eye for opportunity. There are warhawks around every corner... it saddens me to see that that is the kind of culture that has risen there. And beyond the warfront, Kislev is even worse..."

She pauses, as she scratches her cheek and -- sneezes again. "I'm-- sorry, I didn't mean to darken the mood, or make light of your successes... but, while I am not a merchant myself, I thought it would be wise to express the different.. kind of clientele you may end up dealing with..."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline listens quietly. She doesn't say a word, at least not until Riesenlied's finished.

"I have, but...it's been a while, admittedly. I imagine it's gotten much worse since I've been there..." She says.

It was true. That was years ago. It wasn't the most pleasant then, but now that the war was back in full swing...

"...I understand, Riese, and I thank you for your concern. But...I'm aware of that. I know what kind of environment we'll be heading into." She says. "That's why...I have to keep an ear on things if we plan to run our business, going forward. If I'm not careful, my friends and I might end up making an enemy of someone we shouldn't. Ignoring that completely...that would be far more dangerous."

She shakes her head slightly.

"I don't want that for any of them. I just want them to enjoy the ride without having to worry about the darker side of it all. I can handle that myself."

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

"I don't want that for any of them. I just want them to enjoy the ride without having to worry about the darker side of it all. I can handle that myself."

Riesenlied frowns softly as she says, "I know... it-- would be wrong of me to think you cannot take care of yourself. I know you can, through all this and more... and, of course -- in turn..." There is a hesitant pause, before she slips her hand towards her pouch. "... if it would not be too much..."

She takes out a small emblem -- it looks like a crest, with wings, harkening to a similar design to that of the pattern on her cloak. "This is an ... empathic charm, passed down from the Fereshte, a very long time ago. I only have a few of these, but... in times of great trouble, it can help us communicate with one another."

A pause. "If you and your friends ever have need... do contact me. I can't promise anything, but... I will see what I can do."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline watches Riesenlied curiously, and there's a sharp intake of breath from surprise when she sees the emblem she produces.

"This is..." She murmurs, reaching out to it hesitantly.

It was a lot to accept. Something this rare, this powerful...did she really have a right to something like this?

After some thought she takes it, and holds it to her heart.

"I'm...honored, that you'd entrust me with this...it must mean a lot to you." Jacqueline replies, a little overwhelmed.

"Thank you. I'll do that." She nods thankfully then, and offers Riesenlied a smile.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied would smile, and she begins doing so as she feels relief at Jacqueline's acceptance--

--before she gasps, gasps, "Ah-- ah-- atsoo---" she covers her mouth again as she lets out a series of sneezes and hacking coughs, dithering for a moment with her horns wiggling in what Jacqueline no doubt is getting used to seeing as embarrassment at this point.

"--that-- that was inopportune," she grumps quietly. "Thank you, Miss Jacqueline..." sniffle. "You were willing to give me a chance even after all that's done... it seems only right. ... it's what the tribe would have wanted, back then as well."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

O-Oh no. Jacqueline has to struggle not to smile in this serious, heartfelt moment as she watches Riesenlied's horns wiggle like that.

"It's alright. Hopefully that medicine I gave you will kick in soon enough." Jacqueline replies with a nod. The reminded her that she should probably supply Riesenlied with some more of the relaxant as well, though she'd have to retrieve it from her room. The formula she had given her, and by extent the formula she had given Lily, was a little too much on the strong side for most people, so she didn't always carry it on her.

When Riesenlied thanks her, Jacqueline shakes her head slightly. She seems a little embarrassed herself, now.

"When I first found out, I was...enraged. I even tried to hurt you. But despite that you left me unharmed, and because of that I was able to treat those who needed it. After that, along with what I heard afterward...I felt as if you deserved that chance." Jacqueline explains.

Admittedly, she didn't know who the Fereshte were. But...

"...I'm sure." She agrees.

<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.

Riesenlied nods rather bashfully, even regrettably. "... I realised, at the moment. You were needed, to heal those that were injured... to aid those that were abetted..." she lowers her head. "I am only glad I could relay that to you." A pause, as she sniffles again. "Mm -- we should speak again sometime, perhaps with the others... but for now I--"

She sneezes again into that poor abused hankie.

"I should... return and take a rest. These kinds of days are no good at all for me, I'm afraid..."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"I'd like that." Jacqueline replies with a nod and a smile. She enjoyed talking with Riesenlied, and a chance to talk to her along with the others would be wonderful, as well.

She could imagine that this condition was taking a lot out of Riesenlied, though. Honestly, she was just glad she had lasted this long.

"Yeah, that might be a good idea...you're staying at that inn we spoke at last, I'm guessing? I'll have someone run you by some more of that medicine as soon as I can." She says with a nod.

And maybe another dose of the cold medicine along with it...