2017-12-19: A Meeting at the Square
- Log: A Meeting at the Square
- Cast: Jacqueline Barber, Lunata Croze, Lee Knight
- Where: Krosse - Sunlight Square
- Date: December 19th, 2017
- Summary: While gathering supplies for his test with Layna, Lee stumbles upon merchants of the Caravan Kinship at work...
========================<* Krosse - Sunlight Square *>======================== Krosse is a walled city, and the killing grounds inside the entry to the castle have been given a much nicer spin than is typical. Known as the Sunlight Square, it is a wide-open plaza with a fenced-off grassy park in the centre. The square occupies the same sort of role as a village green, and residents of the city frequently gather to socialize, work, or even kick off their boots and enjoy a nap in the sun. Small shops surround the edges of the Sunlight Square, offering a variety of goods and services to travellers. A three-story building in the northwest offers lodging at a reasonable price, and a stone cathedral in the northeast is one of two surviving houses of worship of the Warrior of Light remaining on the continent.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
The Caravan Kinship had a tendency to attract attention wherever they went. This was no problem for a merchant, of course - in fact, attracting attention was part of the job. Primarily it was the work of their preferred choice of storefront, which was a rare sight to see. It took the form of a large, wheeled vehicle, and those weren't particularly common...and certainly not in the manner the Caravan Kinship possessed. Its durable plating might be intimidating if it weren't painted in bright, friendly colors and bearing the Caravan Kinships logo. It even had a kitchen in the back!
Unusually for a vehicle of its kind, though, there are a series of panels on both sides that can be folded out to form a series of sturdy shelves. When they were in business, the shelves could usually been seen carrying a veritable rainbow of potions, each possessing different effects, as well as a variety of other miscellaneous goods...and this was the case today, as that Kinship was currently open for business.
They could be found in a corner of the plaza, nestled out of the way of the town's typical walkways but still plenty visible to those passing by. After all, it wouldn't be good for their reputation if they got in everyone's way...
Jacqueline herself could be found with the vehicle, of course, tidying up the place as she waited for visitors to arrive...
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata's a sweet young girl (mostly) with white hair and pale skin, usually dressed in monochrome as she currently is now. She's usually a present in the CaraKin on its side, where the portion of the vehicle's opened up to become something of a food truck where she's currently selling tacos and soup.
TODAY'S SPECIAL
Mahi mahi in lime sauce served with pico de gallo
wrapped in soft shelled tacos
She's pretty worn down from the battle in Dazil, but she's trying to put up a strong front since she feels guilty about what happened...
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Lee, for his part, is one of those drifters it'll be hard to forget. At least, him and the massive boulder he casually carried over one shoulder while he'd walk along. It seems he was well aware of size limits of the boulder and surprisingly hasn't hit anyone with it.. yet.
Pausing at spotting that slightly out of the way shop setup, it's two main things that holds his interest.. potions.. and food. Lee would head over, carefully lowering that boulder so it didn't crack cobblestones in being set down and steps up to look over the items of the store. Although it's a hard moment to not get the food first, especially considering what he's going to be getting into.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline's been worried about Lunata, admittedly. Ever since that battle, she's been keeping a close eye on her, making sure she's alright... She pauses in her tidying, turning her attention towards Lunata. It looks like she's trying to think of something to say...but before she can come up with anything, someone approaches.
Jacqueline turns to regard Lee for a moment. While the Carakin itself was pretty unusual, so was a fellow carrying a massive boulder on a pole like it was nothing special. He seems to be interested in their wares, so she offers him a polite smile.
"Welcome! Is there anything I can help you with?" She asks. "If you're looking for traveling supplies, the Caravan Kinship has you covered...and if it's a meal you want, we have you covered there, as well! On the road or in town, you won't find better food at better prices, I guarantee it."
Jacqueline gestures toward the various product lined on the shelves, and then to where Lunata waits with the 'Today's Special' sign up for all to see.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata rubs at her forehead and smiles just a little more weakly, waving at Jay in turn. "Mm, mm! Hi, I'm Lunata! If you're hungry, the CaraKin's got you covered there too! We've got tacos of all kinds, we do vegetarian and cater to other dietary needs too!"
She can't be more than seventeen, and she kind of gawks at the giant boulder for a moment... but turns her smile back on.
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Lee looks between Jacqueline and Lunata. Musing to himself as he'd look over what's offered. "Actually.. I do need supplies. I attempted to explore the sands.. but was rebuffed by a wurm." Shaking his head a little at that, he'd smile first to Jay. "Some supplies for travel.. I uh.. do want some food too."
Lee looks over to Lunata and then the boulder. He'd nod a little and reaches out to pick it up, shifting it so it didn't block the view of the back of that cart. "Sorry. I should of thought of that."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline offers Lunata a smile and a nod before turning back toward Lee and considering what he had to say.
A worm, was it...? Jacqueline nods in understanding.
"Ah, I see...yes, those sandworms can be dangerous...I feel like they've been becoming more and more active of late, as well..." She comments, then turns and walks over to her stock.
"Let's see...for travel, I would recommend..." Jacqueline points at a bottle of black liquid. "...This. It's beast repellant - it'll drive away most creatures, or in the case of a larger one, like your sandworms for instance, provide a distraction. Careful not to get any on you, though. It's, um...pretty potent!"
She then points to another bottle, an icy blue one that's cool to the touch.
"And, of course, I'd also recommend some of this as well, if you plan to travel through the desert. It'll keep you cool as well as help regulate your body temperature, to help fight off over-heating." She suggests. "Other than that, we also have our typical, everyday wares - healing potions, various medicines...that sort of thing."
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata has a soft smile on her face as she wags her fingers to say, "Then, one fish taco coming right up, mister!" She's listening to Jacqueline's pitch somewhat adoringly, but eventually her attention's gone to the back where she's starting to sizzle up some pre-cut fillets of fish. A delicious citrusy scent wafts out of the food truck quite soon...
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Lee nnods to Jay. "Quite large.. I've never seen one so big.. Made it difficult to do much of anything to it." He'd listen to the sales pitch and nods, pointing to the blue one. "I'll take one of those then, along with some of the healing potions. I'm not afraid of the beasts and I'm hoping to put in a better showing if I do run into it again."
Looking over to Lunata at her calling out, he'd nod his agreement with a smile. "Thank you, Miss." Looking between Lunata and Jay then, he'd nod slightly. "I'm Lee. You two do a good job here. You just cut down my shopping trip signifigantly."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
One of the primary hazards with working at the Caravan Kinship is that the delicious scents coming out of the vehicle sometimes made it difficult to keep one's mind on the job. Her eyes drift to the kitchen as that scent comes drifting out...but Jacqueline manages to keep her mind on the job, taking one of the cooling potions and putting it in a bag along with an assortment of healing potions.
"I'm certain you will. Now that you know what's out there, I'm sure you'll be better prepared to face it next time you go out there...just be careful, alright?" Jacqueline says, setting the bag on a table near Lee before listing off an amount. It's quite reasonable, really, especially compared to some of the shops around town.
"That's our goal! We aim to provide convenience and peace of mind for our customers. There are usually more of us around for a wider variety of services, but it's just the two of us right now. We also sell armor, flowers, compounds, curries, do repair work...many things!" Jacqueline says. "With us, any way you'll always win!"
There's a bright smile, the sort of smile that always accompanied sales pitches and advertisements...
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata looks back after the food's on the grill and everything's sorted, for her to lean out of the food truck again and prepare a paper plate and napkin. "Yeah, it's kind of a quiet day for us since most of us are out... you should meet the others too! Lunie'll be able to fix up anything you need machine-wise..."
A pause as she claps as Jacqueline espouses their catchphrase. "Haha, yeah! We also do Digs from time to time..."
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Lee pulls his coin pouch out, weighing it, then nods and would pull out the money to pay Jay. Putting the pouch away, he'd smile to the two of them. "Well.. Maybe I can work out a deal. I help you with the Digs and you help me with a discount on supplies? I wouldn't mind meeting others although.. I don't really use armor.." He'd take the food with a grateful nod to Lunata. Leaning back against the boulder then, he'd savor that smell a moment. "Mmmm.. And I'm not sure a boulder really has too many moving parts. However.. I'll be happy to share the word, too."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline chuckles sheepishly as Lunata claps for her, and then nods before looking back to Lee.
"A deal, hmm...? Well, I'd need to see what you can do first, or hear from some good sources before I can commit to that, but if you prove reliable then I'm sure we could work something out!" She says, taking a moment to consider it.
"But that was just a simplification, really...Carina does more than just traditional armor. You'd have to see her wares for yourself." She adds, and then smiles.
"I'd appreciate that! Word of mouth is important for a merchant's continued survival..."
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
"Well, you definitely do look strong, Mister..." Lunata does have to concede, but nods as she wisely (unlike Shalune) leaves the negotiations to Jacqueline herself. Pretty soon, though, she's gone back to go wrap in on her tacos and prepare a delectable and fresh mixture of vegetables and sauce atop -- sliding it out with a smile.
"One fish taco, ready to serve!"
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Lee nods in response to Jay. "Of course. Actually, that's part of what I'm prepping for.. A test with Captain Layna. To show in part what I can do. So if she counts, maybe I can ask her to share with you how I do." Lee straightens up as Lunata offers the taco and accepts it with a nod. "Thank you. And.. yes. I'm strong. But so is a tornado. The difference is, I've worked with a trainer to make sure that I'm skilled and able to focus it too."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"Captain Layna? ...I can't say that I've heard of her..." Jacqueline admits, taking a moment to think back. "...Well, either way, good luck on your test! I hope it goes well."
She listens to his comment on strength and nods, too.
"Yes...having strength is nice, but if you don't have the skill and technique to focus it, it can be a liability. Being able to use what you have efficiently is vital, in any situation." She comments. "And...it's also important to use it properly, for the right reasons."
Jacqueline chuckles a bit sheepishly, then. "Sorrry...I hope it doesn't sound like I'm trying to lecture you."
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata has a bright smile, encouragingly, as the food goes out. "A trainer? I haven't had someone to really teach me how to hone my skills more... but I guess for me it's a little bit more of a strange case. Jay's been getting really skilled at using her crests on her own, though!"
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Lee smiles to Lunata and Jay, nodding his agreement with Jay. "I'm seeking.. well.. My home town got.. taken over by the sands. I'm trying to find something to stop that. To stop the sand spreading. Maybe even reverse it. I feel to me.. using my hammer for that is a good reason to do it." He'd pat the boulder lightly. "I was under attack when I pulled this out of the ground. I thought I'd just get the metal haft.. But.. well.." He'd shrug, shaking his head and then would eat that food. Polite enough, but the hunger was definitely there as it was gone quickly!
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"W-well, I did have some help starting out...I wouldn't have made it this far without a strong basis..." Jacqueline says with a nervous chuckle. Most of her research was done on her own, though...though Jacqueline wasn't the sort of person to boast about her abilities.
She listens to Lee, nodding in understanding.
"I'm...sorry to hear that..." She murmurs. "But yes, that is as good a reason as any... We're hoping to find answers, ourselves...though we haven't found anything yet. Despite that...I'm sure that one day we'll see a green Filgaia again. I know we will."
Despite that serious comment, she can't help but chuckle out how quickly that meal disappears. He must've really enjoyed it! ...Or he was just that hungry.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata seems terribly pleased about how fast Lee's devoured the taco! Yay! She's always pleased to see someone having a good time with foods -- it's one of the best reasons to live, in her mind! To eat good foods. "Oh no..." she furrows her brow. "I know how hard it can be... we came from a city fruther to the east that-- got attacked by the Metal Demons."
She droops her head for a moment, but smiles as she says, "But, stop by anytime! I'll give you a hearty meal whenever you're hungry."
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Lee smiles to Jay with a small nod. "The guy who trained me was a drifter too.. He told me strength was good and all.. But passion and wild swings would only get me so far." Shaking his head, he'd sigh softly at the information of not finding anything. "I look forward to that too. My parents were farmers.. So.. I'm trying to let others be that again."
Looking to the plate, then over to Lunata, Lee smiles with a nod her way. "It was quite delicious. Thank you. I enjoyed the meal a lot. As for them.. well.. I have a big rock that tends to make sure things which aren't 10 times bigger than me don't bother what I warn them away from." He'd offer the plate back. "How much for another one?"
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline could definitely agree with that philosophy! But even better was doing so with good company around, too. Lunata tells him of their home and the attack that fell on it, and Jacqueline nods.
"Yes..." She replies. She watches carefully as Lunata's head droops, but fortunately she seems to recover quickly enough. And when he asks for another...Jacqueline smiles, and glances toward Lunata. That seemed to be permission to reply as she pleased...
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata awws quietly and says, raising her finger, "I'll give you another one half off, just because you look like you really need it!" Well, that's a bit better than Shalune giving away service for free, at least. "Spread the word to your friends! We'd be happy to accomodate all kinds of events!" And with that, she's back into it already...
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Lee smiles warmly to Lunata and nods. "Thank you. I appreciate it." He'd shift the plate to one hand while pulling out the money to pay with that other. Once done, he'd watch Lunata work on cooking that food.
Glancing to Jay, Lee nods a little. "We've all been affected by the sand.. or the dangers that sand holds. I.. don't know how I do what I do. I just know I can do it. For now? That's good enough for me to try.. Because nothing changes unless people stand up and try."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"That's right. The only way for things to change is for people to do what they can, and work together for the sake of a brighter future." Jacqueline says with a nod of agreement. In the end, every little bit helped. Even something as simple as a smile or a friendly gesture could help make the world a better place...
That was her belief, anyway.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
The only way for things to change is for people to do what they can...
Lunata glances towards a certain black matte coaster for a moment, furrowing her brow for a moment. She sighs just a little deeply.
"Yeah," is the answer she comes up with... and she decides to sweep that thought aside in favour of making that promised second taco for Lee.
"Oh, I uh-- I didn't catch your name, mister."
<Pose Tracker> Lee Knight has posed.
Lee smiles to Jay, then Lunata as they'd both agree. He'd lean back up against that boulder again, watching Lunata as she'd cook. "Hmm? Oh.. My name is Lee. Lee Knight." Chuckling, he'd tap that boulder he leaned on. "And this has the unwieldy name of Rock."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
There's some silence from the kitchen. Jacqueline glances that way, but doesn't say anything, instead looking toward Lee as he introduces himself again for Lunata's sake. She hadn't introduced herself yet, so it's as good a time as any anyway...
"And I'm Jacqueline Barber. It's been a pleasure meeting you. I'd offer you a handshake, but I imagine you'll be needing that hand free here in a moment." Jacqueline says with a smile. "We hope to see you again, Lee!"