2018-05-06: A Potion For Your Ills
- Log: A Potion For Your Ills
- Cast: Riesenlied, Noeline, Jacqueline Barber
- Where: Vane
- Date: 6th May 2018
- Summary: Riesenlied and Noeline catch up with Jay, with a personal request from the Hyadean...
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied is spending some time away from Janey and Mikaia today, while they go work their shift at the Wolfsbane Tavern. She'd heard the Carakin were coming to town today, so she wanted to drop by and say hello, do her own part to trade for the ailing city and see what they can offer in turn, and...
Well, she had a more personal request too.
The Hyadean is dressed a bit more warmly today, with her usual old capelet back around her shoulders as she approaches the vehicle.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline is already ahead of Riese, having been on the periphery of Vane when the caravan arrived; she's definitely taken up residence as something approaching the town's guard, usually the first to respond to calls of monsters in the outlying tents or else word that the Guard might be coming to snoop around. For the time being, she's marvelling again at the large shape of the Caravan, glancing along its length as she mentally ballparks its size.
"Really, making something like this move through controlled, consistent sorcery. I'm sure there's some sort of 'technology indistinguishable from magic' phrase that can be applied here," she mutters half to herself and half to her partner, though there's a smile playing on her lips as she turns to offer Riese a hand in general support.
"I'm almost amazed the Guard allows it to operate," she comments out loud. "But I suppose that genie is already well out of the bottle, at least in a general sense."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Vane was a frequent stop for the Caravan Kinship - their library was a lure that Jacqueline could scarcely ignore, and the people there were hardy and good-natured...if a bit resigned to their fate, at least the ones who didn't have ambitions to go elsewhere.
Their prices were noticeably lower any time they set up shop in Vane, which probably helped smooth things along.
It's as she's arranging things, preparing goods and decorations to be brought into the town proper, that she sees that someone has already come to visit. Under one arm, she has a piece of the brightly-colored cloth gazeebo that had become synonymous with the Caravan Kinship, which she sets down carefully to send a friendly wave toward Riesenlied and Noeline.
"Ah, hello there!" She greets with a cheery smile. ...If she hears Noeline's comments, she doesn't outwardly acknowledge them just yet.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Something of a head for accounting and making sure things go smoothly -- as much as she's broken down, there's still ultimately a mind in there that helped the Metal Demons' Ignasian campaigns succeed, after all -- Riesenlied has taken the role of helping the Premier ensure that goods and sundries are kept flowing, and shortages are addressed in quick order.
"Miss Jacqueline... I hope Shalune and Lunata are doing fine?" Riese asks warmly as she looks towards the tent and its contents. "I scarce heard about something dire going down... but I'm glad to see you coming up and about."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline would surely sulk at Riesenlied describing herself as 'broken down'. As shrewd as Noeline can be when it comes to planning and investigation, she isn't particularly good at matters of pure logistics, and seems more than happy to leave that side of their affairs up to Riesenlied. She'd be the first to admit that her skills still trend towards the individual rather than the group, even if Wayside allowed her to sharpen them a little.
"Miss Barber, good morning. You seem to be well enough?" she asks mischievously and with a slight lilt to her voice, already aware that she's dealing with one of Riesenlied's finest students in the art of downplaying questions like that one. "You are gathering a name for yourself, I hear."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"We're...hanging in there." Jacqueline replies with a slight smile. That's pretty much confirming that /something/ happened, though she doesn't immediately say what. "How about you two? Everyone's doing fine, I hope...how are Mikaia and Janey?"
"Good morning, Noeline." Jacqueline adds, with a polite bow of her head. "I am... Just getting ready to start the day, really."
A name for herself...she chuckles slightly.
"I don't know if I'd go that far just yet...but business has been doing well, at least." She replies with a nod.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied isn't the type to pry, even if Shalune probably confided in her a little. She nods gently at Jay as she expresses, "Oh, they're really taking to the tavern too well... I do hope that it doesn't advance their future desires to be a Drifter too much. They wind up hearing a lot of gossip and rumours, after all..."
Like that time they wound up wandering out to that artificer's workshop.
"Here's the list for Vane's supplies," Riesenlied passes a note over. "They really appreciated the new mix, the elderly said it was far easier to ingest than what they had prior."
A pause.
"Ah... I wanted to ask about medicine, on that note, if you would..."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
For a moment, Noeline looks rather askance at Jacqueline's answer, one eyebrow raised in a 'really now' fashion that suggests she's well aware what that evasive form of speech implies. It doesn't last along, but only because she's then turned it on Riesenlied instead, scoffing softly and with amusement as she shakes her head. "I think we're long past the point where we can suggest it needs to 'advance'. They've ended up in actual ruins - where they even did better than the adventurers," she grumbles fondly.
She looks over at the list passed between the pair with a mild sort of curiosity; even if she'd admit she's not very good at this sort of planning, she can at least recognize the chance to osmose what she can out of it all. "A public proclamation is more than I would have expected. I'm glad that the White Knight, for all his many foibles, does at least appear to have some sense of priority."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"I'm glad to hear that. It's good for them to get some experience in, it'll definitely help them later in life." Jacqueline says with a smile...and then chuckles.
"Yes...I think at this point, the best you can do is make sure they're as prepared as they can be."
She nods, then, and accepts the note from Riesenlied and begins to look it over.
"Good, good...I was hoping that was the case. I try to make my mixtures easy for anyone to take." She says with a nod, and then glances over toward Noeline.
"Sir Leo...I might not agree with everything he and the Guard do, but...I'd like to believe he's a good man. If...a little over-exuberant." She comments.
"Hm...I think we can manage this...oh, maybe I should throw in a few of those, too..." She murmurs to herself as she looks over the note again, but looks up as it seems Riesenlied has a question.
"Medicine? What did you want to know?" She asks, stowing the note away for later.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied looks nervous, but it's that good kind of nervous she has when she's doting over her children and trying to not push herself too much and wanting to let them grow. Still, when they entered the Trial Cave, it seemed like Janey and Mikaia found more than she did, because she didn't even find the toys they wanted...
She nods a few times as Noeline and Jacqueline talk about Leo, thinking back to the time the beastman let her wounded go.
She won't soon forget it.
"Do you have much experience with medicines that help with..." A pause. "Um... mental illnesses?"
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline's entire posture changes in an instant; she's immediately wary and protective, her hand curling around Riesenlied's as a gesture of support. Rather than chip in and risk being insensitive - especially because she's not sure she fully comprehends the situation that Riesenlied is in, and doesn't want to muddy the waters by trying to speak for her partner - she simply squeezes the other demon's hand in hers.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Mental illnesses... Jacqueline has to think about that for a second. She notices the sudden change in Noeline, too - she knows this is an important moment.
"Hm...I do know a few things, but...I'm afraid that's a territory that I haven't really...explored." Jacqueline admits apologetically. There was no one answer for everything, after all, and it was delicate ground to tread.
"I know it's not much, but...if there's anything I can do, let me know." She offers.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied kind of pauses awkwardly as she realises she's just grabbed the tone of the conversation and pulled it one way. "... I suppose it's not really a secret, but-- you've... seen, say, what we got pulled into with Wayside. And... other moments, where I've struggled."
There's a scowl from Nasrin as she speaks, with raised voice, "You can't make me disappear with drugs."
There's a longer pause, as Riesenlied says to Jacqueline, "Fractured memories... repressed memories... moments where my-- own ability to cope may be compromised. I suppose I should also speak to other specialists... but I'd wanted to know if you, as a pharmacist, had any experience..."
She nods gently as she says, "But, thank you. I trust you, after all, so if you'd had any ideas... I would gladly listen to them."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline has a quiet frown on her face, letting out a sigh as she runs her hand through her hair; she offers Riesenlied and Jacqueline both a lopsided smile, tilting her head quietly as she nods. "... it is not as if we expect a miracle cure, I suppose. Just that we may have need of something to make it a little easier, I suppose."
After another pause - she's still kind of feeling her way through this - she looks to Riesenlied with a quiet frown and a light touch. "I dare say that anything we could do to try to look into it might have to wait until Elru... unless Kalve might know of something. That said, I would not-- really turn to him first when it came to matters of emotions or memories," she adds with a gently amused chuckle.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"...Ah, yes..." Jacqueline murmurs, with a nod of acknowledgment. She remembered that. Undoubtedly, they remembered what she went through, as well...
"I think...that might require something beyond what I am capable of producing..." She admits. And, perhaps, beyond what she was comfortable with producing - even if she could affect the mind in that manner, she wasn't sure she should. She nods toward Noeline then, however.
"But to make things easier...I do have mixtures that can help calm the nerves and make sleep easier. I don't know if that's been a problem for you, but...I can provide them, if you have an interest." She says. Admittedly, a part of her wasn't entirely sure they might work on a Hyadean...but it would be Riesenlied out of anyone, if they did.
Elru and Kalve...she didn't know much about either, but she did remember the latter from...the event.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"I've used your sleeping concoctions for a while now... I still have a dosage left over from when you granted me in Lacour, actually..." Riesenlied thinks of it in consternation, suggesting, "It's only been a when-I-need-it kind of a thing."
She thinks a little deeper of it... then says, "Medicine to calm the nerves may be useful, but Noeline is right... going to Elru is definitely a pivotal step to trying to... understand things better."
She sighs quietly and-- admits, "... I wasn't quite sure what to think. I'm no pharmacologist at all, so I wasn't sure what was available to help. But it wouldn't help me to continue worrying about it."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
With a rather rueful chuckle, Noeline nods her head in understanding. "I suppose that's fair. I can't say what a potion like that would entail, but-- well, when you think about it, something like that is only a stone's throw from love potions and other very unconventional things. If those existed, I'm quite sure we would have seen them before now," she notes with a rather lopsided grin. "And I'm sure the world would be a terribly different sort of place."
Of course the trashy paperbook reader went straight to that idea.
She lets out a quieter breath, though, patting gently at Riesenlied's shoulder with unmistakable affection. "... it may not help terribly, but as far as I am concerned you are still the same Riese. Not as physically capable, perhaps, but that was never why I followed you."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"Oh? I see...it's been a while, so I wasn't sure you still had any. I can give you some more, though, just in case. And some of the other, as well." Jacqueline replies with a nod.
Elru...it may be some time before that becomes possible, though she's sure that neither of them need her to tell them that.
"I agree. I am...glad, at least, that you chose to trust me." She comments with a slight smile. "It's important, I think, to try, even if you're not sure there's an answer."
She does shudder slightly at the mention of 'love potions'. One can imagine that she's been asked about those more than once...
"I'm sure it would be..." She comments...and then smiles slightly at the show of affection between the two Hyadeans.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"I'm not certain if they... expire, to be certain," Riesenlied hesitates for a moment, but nods just for a moment. "Yes, that may be very helpful. Thank you, Miss Jay."
She thinks of Elru again for a moment... and looks to Noeline with a-- quiet little huff as she expresses, "I... would rather not have to have us be involved with any kind of love potion, if I can help it."
She nods gently and smiles, reaching for her hand and leaning against her. "... I'm glad. We've been making so much progress, the two of us... walking ever forward--"
She pauses as she turns and looks at Jay, face bright red at how couple-y they're being!
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline, on the other hand, takes the opportunity to just sidle in and clasp both arms around one of Riese's, limpeted onto her side all of a sudden. "It was purely an example," she continues smoothly, snickering under her breath at Riesenlied's embarrassment. "When it comes down to it, alchemy is still a very evolving science, and it's easy for tales to get carried away with all manner of fanciful promises. The idea of the Philosopher's Stone didn't come out of nowhere."
She hesitates for a moment, enough to share a little space with Riesenlied and lean back against her. "... I realize I don't say it enough, but I am rather proud of you," she admits in what is, for her, a rather serene moment.
The spell is gone just as quickly as she chuckles, however, looking up to Jacqueline. "Well, it would be a /leap/ forward if we could find any news of the Fereshte. I am starting to think that perhaps they were left behind on Filgaia."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"I'll have some sent over to you, then." Jacqueline replies with a nod. She then chuckles slightly as Riesenlied begins to turn red, and especially when Noeline moves in closer. It's adorable, really, though she was sure if she said that out loud Riesenlied might just faint.
"That's true, yes...there are still quite a few people who think alchemy can do anything. But...it's still important to try, of course."
...She /might/ emit a little sort of 'aww' when Noeline admits how proud she is of Riese, but Jacqueline is mostly sure that she managed to keep it inside.
She regains her own composure quickly, and nods.
"There's no telling, unfortunately...but I do hope you find it before too long, if it here. I'll be sure to keep an ear out for any rumors, just in case. That's part of the reason I decided to go ahead and start up my business again...to put myself in a better position to hear about that kind of thing." She replies.
She was primarily interested in hearing of ways back to Filgaia, but if she could help her friends out as well, that was even better,
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied can't help but imagine Shalune smacking the side of her pot several times and exclaiming, 'Alchemy /CAN/ do anything!' and later getting a lecture from Jacqueline about the importance of not indulging to mad ingenuity...
The moment is rather dispelled as Noeline moves forward and they share that little perfect moment between the two of them. "I--I'm... I'm proud of you too..." Riesenlied attempts to reply, looking like she could positively just steam and overheat.
"... we've... ah, Mister Leon has helped us set up something of a crude radio tower that broadcasts a message to the Fereshte," Riesenlied tries changing the topic. "It might not help, but if the Fereshte ever flew overhead, it might help signal them where we are..."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
With a hum, Noeline begins to look terribly proud of herself, clinging to Riesenlied's arm as she is; it's a lighter moment, one she's happy to grasp even after their convalescence (of sorts) here in Vane. "If you could, that would be welcome. I am not really used to having a whole planet to cover, even one that's rather smaller than Filgaia," she admits as she lightly bows her head.
Her chuckle continues as she lightly pats one of Riesenlied's horns. "Ah, yes-- for the time being, we have thrown in our lot with the Black Wolves to some extent. Should you need to contact them in future, we can offer assistance in doing that much - though, I will admit, it mostly just involves going to the correct bar and waiting for Miss Kiel to stumble downstairs," she adds, her expression falling a little out of mild concern before she shakes it away.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"Oh, did he? I see...well, that's better than nothing. At the very least, if you do find them you'll be able to let them know it's you." Jacqueline replies with a nod, then glances toward Noeline as she provides a bit more information.
"Oh, have you? They're a good bunch, so..." She trails off a bit when she mentions Lily.
"...Oh dear..." She murmurs, just a little concerned as well.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied's horns wilt again at that mention, in a flagrant display of that's not how horns work, Riesenlied. She stammers, "Ah... yes, it is rather more convenient for both of us to pool our efforts together. A lot of what happened in Wayside was possible thanks to Mister Leon and Miss Lily, after all..."
A puff of breath as she says, "I should have a talk with Miss Lily about drinking... but I may not survive that if I do."
A pause.
"I wonder if Janey would be more effective..." as she imagines Janey hollering, 'I think you've had one too many, Miss Lily!'
Well, they wanted to be Drifters.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
The twintailed demon flicks out one of her lengths of hair, offering an amused eyebrow in Riesenlied's direction. "... you know, I think I would pay to see her go up against one of Mikaia's 'this is what's best for you' lectures," sounds the voice of experience, a hand lightly planted on her hip as she grumps over it.
There's a light pause, and then Noeline follows up Riesenlied's statement with a nod of her own. "We-- owe them significantly," she admits just like that with a tilt of her head and a huff of air. "I do not think we're in any sort of position to lightly forget those kinds of debts. That goes for the Carakin too, of course, not to mention quite a few others."
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline nods in understanding. It made sense - they were all in a new world, it was better for them to stick together. That was how the Caravan Kinship had been able to hold together so well, after all.
"I-I'm sure you'd be fine... P-probably..." She says. She's...not one-hundred percent certain about that, but...
"Janey? ...Hm..." She considers that. Maybe it could work...and Mikaia, too. Maybe if both of them worked together...
Jacqueline smiles, though, and shakes her head slightly.
"You've done so much for us, as well...I think any debts there might be have been long since settled. ...And besides, we're all in this together - it's only natural that we work together, too." She says.