2020-02-27: A Name Recalled
- Log: A Name Recalled
- Cast: Xantia, Lily Keil, Fei Fong Wong
- Where: Apple Market
- Date: February 27, 2020
- Summary: On what was supposed to be fun-filled day out with Fei and Lily, Xantia is mistaken for a person she doesn't know, but whose name is somehow very familiar to her...
==============================<* Apple Market *>============================== Situated advantageously near the entranceway to the Underground Ruins, the Apple Market has long served the Drifter and Digger communities with its myriad shops dedicated to salvage and junk, in particular the Lightning Parts Center, owned by a couple of former Drifters. But that isn't all that this arcade has to offer -- the nearby Jetlag Bakery keeps everyone fuelled with delicious pastries and sandwiches, and Akbar's Toystore and the Books Folio keeps the youthful and studious entertained as well. There's much to see here at a reasonable price point, no matter what you're looking for. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrCnzkAGRsY
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
When members of the Black Wolves gather, there's usually a reason for it. Whether it's discussing plans, investigating, doing a supply run, or engaging in one of a wild variety of operations.
There's no such reason this time. Xantia's simply decided that she wanted to hang out with the people she cares about, so she convinced Fei and Lily to join her on a little day trip to Kattelox. She's made no secret about having zero plans other than that. She just wanted to go because it's an island she's somehow managed to not visit at all yet during all this time in the area. It's always more fun to go out and discover things when you're with friends, isn't it?
Xantia's been in a glowing mood the entire time. While this isn't particularly rare for her, both of her companions know well that she does have her worries. As of late, these have involved a certain Other Guy That Shall Not Be Named. At least, Xantia hasn't been mentioning him.
If Fei knows for what reason, then it's from knowing what Xantia is like. She hasn't actually talked to him about what happened that day in the Damzena Desert at all. It would be more than a little awkward. And she didn't try to keep the whole thing a secret from him for no reason - she's still under the impression the scheme she tried to pull to keep it from him worked. Lily of course does know exactly why, being the one that Xantia talked to instead. This is how she's decided to handle the matter for now, giving it some time, and the Other Guy some space.
It wasn't exactly an easy thing for her to commit to. But as is so often the case, Xantia is making it look easy to appear like she doesn't have a care in the world when she entered the Apple Market with her companions moments earlier. Naturally, when something is literally called Apple Market, Xantia was expecting there would be apples. She wasn't disappointed. First thing she did was head straight for the fruit stall to get herself a couple of apples. It didn't take her very long to eat one - all of it, she wastes nothing - and has been happily munching on the second while hopping from storefront to storefront, curious about everything she sees.
To Fei and Lily, having known Xantia for a long time, this probably feels like Classic Xantia. She used to be like this all the time, back when she actually didn't have a care in the world. Fortunately, there are still times when she can feel free of concerns enough that this simple, child-like wonder can take over.
Eventually, she comes to a stop gazing through the window of the Lightning Parts Center, blinking blankly at the odds and ends inside. Looking up at the store sign should have clarified things, but doing this only confuses Xantia more, and she scratches her head.
"...Is this shop seriously calling itself a Junk Shop? How do they get any customers that way?"
She's mostly thinking out loud, not asking that question of anyone in particular. But it's a serious question nonetheless. Taking everything literally as she does, 'junk' seems to imply 'useless things that aren't worth anything'. So who would buy any of that?
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily can be persuaded to spend time without specific purpose. She also has been to Kattlelox more than once at this point, though not... just to be there.
She's content to hang back a little while Xantia Xantias, more restrained as is her usual way. She picks up a few apples herself, though two are put away for the moment. But as they come towards the shop and the sign...
"Junk can be useful," Lily answers. "Remember the odds and ends I was working with the other day? A lot of those I got from shops like this one. ...In fact, some of them specifically from this shop. What someone else thinks has no use anymore can be turned into something new, or at least contribute to that."
"Kind of poetic, really."
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
The Other Guy has quieted down again. Fei is starting to be of the opinion that maybe this is manageable. What Id shares with him continues to be a huge unknown which also lends risk to every manifestation that Fei may just not ever hear of the ultimate situation, or never come back from it.
He seems happy Xantia is in a 'glowing' mood though and he's kind of smiling quietly and hanging back a bit, letting her lead the way. Since Lily is also hanging back, this means he is essentially walking alongside her. He hasn't told her what he 'saw' at the ship just yet though that's less due to wanting to keep a secret and more general confusion about what it even means, if anything. It seemed so random.
"Yeah places like this can be useful on an adventurer's budget." Fei admits. He wonders briefly if Xantia ate the core of the apple too because he doesn't remember seeing it after she was done...
"Mm," He adds to Lily's last comment.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
It's not hard to imagine that Xantia might claim that the apple's core is the best part. It's something that no one's ever said, so it's likely to be what she would say.
"Huuuuh." Xantia looks from Fei to Lily after they weigh in on the subject of 'junk'. She takes a moment to consider Lily's words, then she smiles brightly and nods. "That's really nice actually! Then, maybe we should go in and get some stuff from this shop! I want to see what we could do with it!" She means, what Lily could do with it.
"Now hang on jus' a doggone minute!"
The objection comes from an unexpected source: an unfamiliar man dressed in a ripped poncho and with a face that screams 'shady' has come up behind Xantia. She turns around and regards the man, blinking in confusion. She doesn't get around to saying anything before the man continues, coughing as he recomposes.
"What I means to say is... You can't be meanin' to be goin' over to the competition? I tells ya, them folks don't got the kinda quality I'm offerin'. Wha's happenin' here, I thought we had a deal!"
Xantia glances around, trying to make sure that yes, it's her that this guy is talking to. Then she turns to look at Fei and Lily. That look in her eyes says it all. It's saying, 'I have no idea who this is, what do I do?'
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
On an adventurer's budget in particular. That much is true. But while she tosses out a glowing recommendation of the concept, she laughs faintly to Xantia's suggestion. "Sure," she says, "We can go in for a few. Maybe they have something new."
Except that they're interrupted. Lily pauses, and turns towards the man in the poncho, lifting an eyebrow at him. She glances to Xantia, then glances to Fei.
"You seem to have made a mistake," Lily answers him calmly. She doesn't even pull a knife or anything. Instead, she stays relatively open. "Where's your shop?" she asks instead.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei looks over to Shady Poncho for a long moment. His initial instinct is to just assume the guy is a FRAUDSTER or SCAM ARTIST but then he remembers, well, Xantia does have memory problems. Maybe SHADY PONCHO is her brother! Or father! Or son?? Sure Xantia looks young but maybe she's like a super old vampire or something, he can't be sure! Apparently vampires exist after all!! But no, maybe it's just someone she bumped into before? Regardless, he looks over to Lily and shrugs a bit before stepping forward.
"'Fraid you'll have to start from the beginning. Who are you? How do you know Xan?"
Of course if this is some sort of LINK TO THE PAST he might not know her by Xantia in the first place but that's a future fei problem.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
The man grits his teeth, clearly annoyed when Xantia isn't answering him right away. When Lily and Fei answer instead, he barks a laugh.
"Excuse you. A mistake? Me? Impossible. I never forget a voice, or a face, even if I never seen all of it. This lady here's a client o' mine, ain't no mistake. Or my name ain't Graham Ritz."
That takes care of the introductions, at least. But Xantia doesn't look any less confused, the name clearly isn't ringing any bells.
There might be a moment of tension when the man reaches into his poncho, but there's no tell-tale signs of hostility. All he's retrieving from there is a card, which he hands to Lily. It further introduces the man as Graham Ritz of the Ritz Brothers, advertised as 'dealers in exotic salvage'. Shady scrap dealers, in other words. Especially since there isn't a shop listed on the card, just a means of contact through Memory Cube. That, and the card is even more unpleasantly greasy than Graham himself, who makes finger guns to Lily after handing it over. "Drop us a line sometime, we'll talk shop."
Talking business only distracted the man for a short moment. He turns back to Xantia, chuckling. "'Xan', huh? You jus' go by any dang name y'feel like, dontcha? But enough o' this nonsense, you know we can get anythin' you need. These folks won't beat my selection or my prices, I guarantee."
Xantia is now looking very uncomfortable, unsure where to look. "Um... my friends are right, I don't..." Something changes in her expression. She's starting to consider a possibility. "...are you sure you've seen me here? When was that?"
Graham rubs his forehead with two fingers. "Seriously, we playin' games now? You testin' me?" With an exaggerated sigh, he responds, "Last time musta been, what. Six months ago, thereabouts?"
Xantia frowns. That's not possible. She was still in Spira. She looks over to Lily and Fei again, this time wordlessly conveying 'what does this mean?'
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"Is that so?" Lily answers. It is not really a question. They have a name, at least, but as Xantia shows no sign of recognition, Lily keeps listening. She takes the card, too, looking it over for information, seemingly heedless of its grease... though she slips it into a pocket instead of into her bag like she might most things, when she's done. "Sure," she replies. It's... definitely a verbal response.
He talks about testing, and Lily casually steps to the side with a glance at Fei, just another step around. "Six months ago," Lily answers. "Sure, consider it a test. You can tell us about what she bought back then." 'Never seen all of it...' "And whatever else stood out to you about the encounter."
She looks to Xantia like she knows what she's talking about, at least.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Beat the shit out of him, then he'll come clean 'bout everything.
"What? No." Fei glances to the side, speaking quietly but still quite audibly. "He hasn't done anything wrong."
...
"That we know of." Fei admits before looking back to Graham. "What did she call herself when she met with you?" Fei asks. "I'd be happy to look at your stuff in the meanwhile..." He glances to Xantia for a moment but doesn't comment vocally to her. "You see uh... we've been looking for her 'twin', you know?" He has no idea if this is actually the case but it might help loosen lips. "But just to be sure, we--need to know what she's been calling herself, just in case it's just someone who looks like her? And isn't...family?"
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Graham isn't daunted by Lily's limited verbal response to his limited sales pitch. But when she starts asking questions, his eyes narrow in suspicion. "Hol' on there now, that's, how you say, confidential info? I don't discuss my client's dealins with nobody 'cept my client, that ain't how you stay in business."
Then Fei chimes in, and Graham pffts, shaking his head. "That's a load o' hooey. You 'spect me to believe that? Who put you up to this? Someone rat us out, or what? So help me, I'll--"
He's silenced by Xantia suddenly stepping forward, emphatically insisting, "He's telling the truth!" Or, close enough to the truth that it feels like it to her, anyway. If there is someone who looks like her, she absolutely has to know more. She's downright desperate, pleading to the man, "Please. I've... I've lost my memory. That was much longer ago than when you saw this person, so whoever it is, it's not me. But... I've been looking for so long. For information, any information, on who I am. Trying to find anyone who might know about me. So, if there's someone who looks like me, then..." She doesn't finish the sentence, her head drooping a bit.
Now it's Graham's turn to look uncomfortable. Shady though he may look, the man is not devoid of feelings. Adjusting his collar, he coughs, before speaking in a lower tone than before. "Now, I sympathize, but... 's true what I said jus' now. It gets out I'm squealin' on my business partners, I ain't gonna have any business partners 'fore long. That kinda risk... I'd need to get me some solid insurance to guard 'gainst possible losses. Y'get me?"
Not devoid of feelings, and not devoid of greed.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily does not appear to be surprised or bothered by Fei 'talking to himself', for reasons that may be obvious. She doesn't even glance his way about it.
Instead, Graham's eyes narrow, and Lily's do, too.
Lily can appreciate the direct approach. ...And while part of her can appreciate wanting to make money...
"Insurance," Lily repeats, and steps around further. "I'm sure we can come to a reasonable arrangement," Lily answers him. "I'm not without a sense of business. So long as it's actually reasonable." Lily pulls a small package from her pocket, pulls out one of the cigarettes within it, and puts it to her lips. A lick of flame appears at her fingertip to light it. She draws, and exhales slowly.
The fire hops from finger to finger before Lily extinguishes it.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei doesn't have a pack of cigarettes to intimidatingly light up but he is a muscular guy with the kind of fists that have clearly slammed themselves into objects and people before. His heart aches at Xantia's heartfelt plea and he steps forward until he is pretty close to Graham, arms crossing.
"......." He looks down upon Graham.
And then he admits, "In this economy you have to make money where you can," He agrees. "How about I paint your picture that you can hang up in your...home? It might be worth something someday, maybe not, but I'm actually a pretty good artist." He pauses for a moment since he's used to being a self-effacing artist like literally every artist that has ever drawn a thing but he sets aside that instinct...FOR XANTIA.
"While I'm workin' on it, you can tell us everything you know, yeah? And 'sides...nobody needs to know you told us anything."
He reaches into his kit and draws out a paintbrush with a pretty unnerving tight grip.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Graham, who must be either very brave or very foolish, doesn't appear to be exceptionally intimidated. He very much exudes the air of a man who feels like he's holding all the cards, smiling an unpleasant smile. "Well now, I think you'll find I'm quite the reasonable man," he assures Lily, chuckling - though his chuckle does die off halfway when he sees Lily literally playing with fire. He tries to salvage the momentary loss of composure with the remark, "Nice trick."
Fei... Fei gets an incredulous look for his trouble. Obviously, a portrait wasn't at all what this guy had in mind. Though after considering it, he does nod a bit, musing, "Well now, 's true that a self-portrait's a sure sign of a man of culture 'n' refinement." Or so he believes, anyway.
Rubbing the stubble on his chin, and exchanging glances between the hopeful Xantia and the stoic Lily, he finally nods to Fei, suggesting, "Tell ya what. You go 'n' get started, and I'll tell you how much your art is worth." For surely, this man is an expert connaisseur, emphasis on the 'con'.
"An' as a gesture o' good faith, I'll give ya one for free. The name. Not that it'll help ya any - I'm sure it's a fake, jus' how it is in this business. But, for what it's worth. The name she used was Xenia."
Upon hearing that name, Xantia reels back, as if she was just struck in the face.
A freeze-frame, of an unrecognizable silhouette standing in front of her. A vision she's seen many times before. Even if the figure's features only appear as a mostly featureless blob of white and grey, she's always instinctively known this person's identity.
'Father'.
That's as far as it goes. She can't picture a personality any better than she can picture his features. How did she feel about her father? She can't say for certain. But whenever she thinks about it, it feels... warm. There is no doubt in her mind that he cared for her a great deal. And that he entrusted her with something very important...
But those particular thoughts are far from her mind right now. Because something is different about the vision she sees, this time. She can see her father's hand. Sharp, and in focus, close to her face, frozen in a position that seems to imply a gentle touch had just happened, or was about to happen. But the detail that catches her attention... is on his ring finger.
As the image she sees is in black and white, she can't make out its color. Only its wide round shape, simple and devoid of any features... save for an inscription. Though written in a fancy cursive, each letter is clear as day.
They spell out XENIA.
To those observing Xantia, the moment lasted but an instant. From their perspective, what happened immediately after reeling back was Xantia's right hand coming up to grasp at her head, as if she suddenly developed a massive headache. Which isn't inaccurate, but that's hardly Xantia's main concern right now. Slowly, she lowers her hand, briefly looking stunned, her eyes wide. Then she speaks, softly, uncertain about how to process this new information. But quite certain about how to interpret it.
"I... I think, Xenia is... my mother's name..."
Without warning, Xantia suddenly moves. Before anyone can react, Xantia has grabbed Graham by the collar, and lifted him off the ground. "What do you know?! Tell me everything! Now!!"
Now it's Graham's turn to be momentarily stunned by these developments. But the greater concern at this time is Xantia. That look in her eyes, it's... dangerous. Lily has the added benefit of sensing the strong emotions to go with it. Xantia has lost perspective entirely. In this moment, she could be capable of absolutely anything.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily is trying to do this in a more... upright fashion. She's making the effort, at least. Her response to his brief lack of composure and answer is a simple, "I'm a hit at parties."
She hadn't considered the idea of a portrait. She glances between Fei and Graham briefly. His approach seems to be more promising for the moment. She starts to frown when he says his gesture of good faith won't do them any good--
The moment passes, and Lily looks sharply to Xantia in concern. "Xantia?" she begins to ask, and then abrubtly there's her with the merchant lifted. His stunned response may be for the best, as Lily steps up immediately--
"Xantia!" she calls out sharply. "Kill him and you get no more information out of him!"
Nevertheless, her own fingers on her free hand curl into a fist as she tries to put down the sudden surge of feeling. Doing this right here in public...
Lily scans the area for potential trouble, instinctively, but can't draw her attention far from Xantia given the moment--but she's tensed to move if necessary.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
"Yeah that's true." Fei points out despite the fact that he was giving his doodles back in Adlehyde a pretty cheap rate. Regardless, his art HAS improved--well he was always pretty good at art he only just recently got good at PEOPLE though. "Alright then." He fishes through his kit and gets to work setting up an easel and canvas. He carries all that stuff in his packs as if expecting to be stopped by commission requests at any time. Sometimes they even agree to pay him for it!
He absently considers the unlikelihood of Xenia being Xantia's mother if they can be MISTAKEN for one another, but perhaps they are both long lived, or it's a metaphorical mom. Or some other nonsense. Fei tries not to reflect too much on that and, indeed, he isn't given much time to reflect because he has JUST gotten set up when Xantia lifts the dude off the ground.
Fei approaches Xantia quietly and places a hand on her arm, above the elbow.
"Kiddo," Fei says. "He already agreed to talk. Your mom's still around, that's something to be happy about. She might even still be nearby, so... let's not mar your eventual reunion like this, yeah?"
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia's eyes are virtually on fire. Lily's warning is very warranted - that's the look of someone who will kill if they don't get what they want. Hearing her friend's voice calling out to her, her eyes widen as she takes a sharp breath. There's enough of a hesitation for Fei to approach, and rest a hand on her arm. She's sufficiently calmed herself to see the sense in his words. She turns her head to the side. "Lily, Fei, I..."
That's all the distraction Graham needs. He swings forward, and Xantia turns back to him just in time to take a boot to the chin, causing her to release him and stumble back. He wastes no time in making a beeline for the exit - making sure to duck behind some innocent shoppers at the earliest convenience. Clearly not his first time fleeing a problematic situation.
"Wait! St--" Xantia makes to run after the man, but she immediately drops down to her hands and knees, dazed and completely unsteady. The kick probably isn't entirely to blame for that. She took a pretty solid mental punch a moment earlier.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
When Graham takes his boot to Xantia's face, Lily's eyes snap onto Graham--he is treated to the image of her studying his form for an instant with cold rationality before doing... nothing, about it. She snaps off and instead kneels down beside Xantia.
"He's right," Lily says, and doesn't use a name. "But you held back. It's all right." Lily looks to where he disappeared, and shakes her head. "Are you all right?"
"--Don't worry. You got the most important thing out of him already."
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei snarls and takes off after Graham, but only for a few yards before Graham ducks behind some other shoppers and Fei grits his teeth and just lets him go. Sure, he COULD catch this guy, but he doesn't really want to cause a bigger scene than they already have.
He is also a little sore because he got out all his paints for NOTHING. GEEZE!
He turns around and makes his way back to Lily and Xantia. "Are you alright, kiddo?" He offers a hand to her to help her up should she'd like to take it. He doesn't comment on the proceedings just yet, it'd feel a bit dismissive to go into what just happened before making sure Xantia's okay but he does add quietly, in an attempt to calm her, "Least we know how to lure her out now, yeah?"
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia remains on her hands and knees for a time, breathing shallowly, trying to sort things out in her head. It always seems to be this way - every thing she remembers just leads to a more questions. The only thing she feels certain about is what she's already said. Xenia is her mother's name. And apparently a person who uses that name looks and sounds enough like her to be mistaken for her. She doesn't know in how far that makes sense, but it's too much coincidence to not be true. The question she ultimately arrives at is the same as always when she learns something new. Now that she knows, what can she do with that information?
"I'm... alright," she finally responds to Lily, taking long enough to also serve as a reply to Fei when he returns as well. She takes the offered hand to get back to her feet, still a bit unsteady. "...I saw it," she says, without getting into more detail. "I know this is right. But... why here? Why now?" She tilts her head at Fei's suggestion of luring her out. "Can we? Should we?" Xantia isn't sure of anything right now.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Once they're all standing, Lily looks over Xantia again to be sure she's steady now. Everything that was said there...
"It might be luck," Lily admits. "What he said--remembering even 'part' of a face--she might've been concealing her identity. ...Not unreasonable to do, dealing with a man like that," Lily says. "But if you saw it, then whatever the 'why', you have a lead."
"...We likely could," Lily says. "Whether we should isn't important, remember? You want to know, even if it's a bad idea." She doesn't smile, but her expression softens slightly. "But you can think about it for a while. We're not getting anyone out tonight."
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei looks Xantia over for a bit. This is a pretty big revelation all told! He wasn't even sure she HAD a mom! In this world of crazy backstories, you never know what you're gonna get!
After making sure Xantia is steady on her feet, only then will Fei let go of her hand. He looks over to Lily. He does give her a small smile, but then he looks back to Xantia.
"That's up to you. If you don't want to know, we can move on. If you do, we'll help you find the truth no matter what it means."
His smile returns. "That's what we do for each other, y'know?"
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia is probably still a little shell-shocked after what happened, taking longer to respond than is usual for her. But, in the end, she smiles faintly at Lily and Fei in turn. "...You're right. Both of you are right. I do want to know. It's just... to find family, after so long, I... just kind of assumed it would never happen. I figured that, if I had family that was still around, we would've found each other by now, one way or another."
With her expression sobering, it's not hard to imagine what she's thinking. Maybe they didn't want to find her. There could be any number of reasons for that, but either way, it's not a nice thought.
Still, it doesn't take long before she brightens again, if only slightly. "Well. I'm sure we'll find out. Won't we?" She gives Fei's hand a squeeze before letting go, then turns her head to the side. "If there's somebody out there who can tell me more about who I was, no matter who it is... I'll find them. No matter what."