2018-09-06: Guildhall Encounters

• Log: Guildhall Encounters
• Cast:Chime Isa, Jacqueline Barber, Lydia Seren, Neriah Parringer
• Where: Adlehyde - Adventurer's Guildhall
• Date: 2018-09-06
• Summary: Chime is running shop in the Guildhall, and where Jacqueline and Lydia find her and each other while a Miss Chiffon get's her rifle examined~

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<Pose Tracker> Chime Isa has posed.

Despite coming fresh out yet another battle in down, the Adlehdye guildhall remains standings. Give or take some wall and part of the roof. A couple rooms might be closed as they're getting fixed from the latest round of damage. But the guildhall is despite it's rough and tumble appearance still open, and still bustling. While maintaining it's discounts for members, and lowering prices a touch for nonmembers local to Adlehdye.

A corner of the hall has been overtaken, not with just permission but blessings, by Chime Isa. A table and chairs for it remain but other tables nearby have been partially shoved away making room for people to come and go more easily. Half the table currently is taken up by a cloth, upon which a number of quality tools rest along with oil, pieces of metal, gunpowder, and other items. A small pouch also sits on the far side of the table next to the red-haired elf filling with gella.

Despite her four and half foot tall, child-like appearance, most of the older members of the town recogonized Chime and word spread quick enough among travelers in the area that she was likely one of the better ARMs Meister's in the area. Considering she'd run a shop of that nature with her parents as anyone can find out with a little asking.

The ARMs Meister cheerful finishes working on a gunpowder rifle, sliding it back across the table with a bright smile as she says "Make sure to clean it at least every other day, more often if you're using it more~ Next time it might explode from a powder clog instead of just misfiring." to the young man who nods gratefully, cheeks red, before he turns and leaves after thanking the short elf.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

It's been a rough time for Jacqueline, but things are finally starting to look up for her. She's up and about and she's sent off some correspondence to the Crest Sorcery Guild. There'll be a whole lot of studying in her future, but for now she decides to stop in at the Adventurer's Guild.

Now more than even it was important to see what needed to be done to help the people of Adlehyde. The folks over at the Starfall Saloon already had the wounded well taken care of, so it was time to turn her attentions to other things.

It's as she's looking up some of the more recent postings that she hears a familiar voice and turns to look in that direction.

"Miss Isa?" Jacqueline comments, then hurries over to her table. "Ah, it is you! I see you made it over just fine."

There's a relieved smile on her face. She had lost track of a lot of people in all the chaos, but she was glad some of them were here...

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

There are some people here who are unfamiliar to most of our heroines. Most of them, in RPG terms, have generic villager sprites.

And then there's the Drifter taking a meal in a corner of the hall. It's the hair one'll notice first; it's raven-black and worn in a big, cascading, layered ponytail, like a series of kitsune tails. A few long locks hang around her face to frame delicate glasses perched over pale eyes in a curious colour: Light gold. Her features are somewhat delicate, with a bit of a porcelain doll look. Her outfit is simple: A long black coat with a heavy rabbit-fur collar over a tightly-buttoned vest, a pair of shorts and heeled boots that come up to her knees.

The young woman looks up towards the ARMs Meister over there in the corner with quiet curiosity. Setting the last of her sandwich off to one side, the dark-haired Drifter pushes her chair back and begins to make her way over. Her coat ripples behind her, just a bit dramatically.

"Hello... do you repair ARMs?," she says, and then Jacqueline shows up.

The mystery woman's eyes settle on Jay for a moment, with no particular expression.

<Pose Tracker> Chime Isa has posed.

The elven ARMs Meister is all smiles it seems. She offers a wave at Jacqueline even as she looks at the mysterious young woman, saying to her "I do! Price depends on the complexity of the ARM and repair required~" with a bright, beaming smile and cheerful voice. "Do you have one that needs looking over?"

To Jacqueline she then says "Like a cork in a tub, I'll float to air~" beaming a smile at her, "Not that it was so simple, but.." a little shrug here as if any difficulty was neligible in her view. "How are you doing young lady?" her voice cheerful but showing curiousity and concern.

The red-head looks between both ladies at her table, giving them due attention without shorting either. Clearly she's use to dealing with several people at a time, and her smile never falters as she kicks her feet back and forth under the table because she's too short for the to reach the ground.

<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.

Lydia Seren can't hear the Guardians too good anymore :(. It's really sad! But she has managed to keep pretty chill about it and in fact, while some have TOTALLY FREAKED, Lydia has managed to keep an optimistic outlook. Indeed, she seems just plain glad to be back on Filgaia. She is not sure she'd say she managed to make Lunar better than how she found it but she did her best, at least, and that's more than what a lot of folks can say she figures.

She says, Mind if I 'chime' in?" She asks as she steps into the guildhall, grinning at the two. "How have you all been holding up right now. Happy to be back home? Checked out your store, Jay?"

She rubs at her neck faintly with a hand as she looks over the stranger. "Yo. Haven't seen you before."

Pause.

"What's ya name?" She hasn't noticed anything strange yet.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline's eyes meet the mystery woman's...but if she notices anything suspiciously familiar about her, it doesn't register on her face. She just offers her a polite smile before turning her attention back to Chime.

"I'm doing alright. Better than I was, anyway. My friends help pull me back up." She replies. "I'm glad to see you're doing well, though. I imagine this isn't what you expected to come back home to..."

It's around this time that Lydia wanders in. Jacqueline smiles and offers her a friendly wave.

"Oh, hello, Lydia!" She greets. "I have. It was damaged in the attack, but...I think Heather has it taken care of."

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

It takes the dark-haired Drifter a second to realize that the redhead does, in fact, have pointy ears. She blinks behind her glasses. "Oh, well. It's a fairly simple one," she says.

She pauses for a second, then reaches into the pack over her shoulder and comes up with a relatively simple gunsmoke ARM. It's a rifle of common make, but it has a large slash through the partially-crumpled barrel, as if someone hit it with a sword or an axe. "I know these are fairly common, but I'd rather not have to buy a new one if it can be saved," she says as she rests the weapon down on the table.

When Lydia comes sauntering up, the stranger blinks and adjusts her glasses.

"Chiffon," she introduces herself. "Chiffon Corrack."

There seems to be nothing amiss about Chiffon, anyway. No traces of weird magic, symbols or anything like that. Her facial structure doesn't quite resemble anyone else with dark curls, and her eyes are the wrong colour anyway.

"It sounds like you've been through a hard time," she says to Jay a bit tentatively. "I'm sorry to hear that."

<Pose Tracker> Chime Isa has posed.

Chime hums softly as she looks at the rifle as it's brought out. her hands come up to run through her red spiral curled hair briefly revealing a second pair of earrings at the base of her pointed ears with bright blue sapphires before her hair falls back into place as she stares at the crumpled, creased section of the rifle barrel. She stops only long enough to beam a smile at Lydia, before returning to looking at the rifle as one of her cheeks puff out as she makes a little chuuuu noise.

"HEY KEV~" the elf shouts out over the noise of the guildhall, "THOSE BARRELS YOU SAID YOU ORDER EVER SHOW UP? Bring me a rifle one!" her voice dropping from a shout as the noise in the guildhall drops during her shouting and she flashes a bright, wide, amused smile at anyone looking at her.

She leans over the table, pulling Chiffon's rifle to her and begins to carefully examine the weapon in detail as she says to Jacqueline "That's good to hear, and life is never what one expects~ It's why it's exiciting, mmm." her voice cheerful as she works while speaking. "Oh right, seen your folks~ Someone told me something about a Barber's shop being wrecked again, hope it wasn't too bad."

<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.

"Sup, Chiffon. I'm Lydia." Lydia says. "Like uh... like everybody said." She looks over to Jaqueline and says, "Cool, cool...cool." There's an awkward pause. "Who's Heather again?" She tilts her head curiously. And then she grimaces as Chime seems to really be able to CHIME in herself as she SHOUTS and demands a rifle. "Hah?" But it seems that she is regular enough here to be able to call out people by name pretty easy-like.

"Hm hm..." She says. "You have the passion, don'tcha?"

She returns Chime's grin and says, "Cool." And with that she seems to easy up here and adds to Jay, "I'm heading back to the colony soon. Figured I should let you know. Shouldn't be too long."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Oh, it's nice to meet you, Miss Corrack." Jacqueline greets with a smile, and then a slight nod. "Yes...Adlehyde was my home, and I arrived right in the middle of...well."

She doesn't elaborate, but she's not sure she needs to. Everyone here probably didn't need to be reminded of that.

"No, I haven't seen them yet...I'm hoping to leave to talk with them soon, but I figured I'd check in here first..." Jacqueline replies with Chime. "...It was pretty bad, but I think Heather can handle it."

With that said, she looks toward Lydia as she asks a perfectly valid question.

"Ah, sorry. Heather Éclair, she used to work for me before I started the Caravan Kinship... I actually invited her to join us, but she wanted to stay behind and carry on my old business." Jacqueline explains, and then nods.

"Ah, I see...thank you for letting me know, Lydia. I'm sure they'll be glad to see you again." She says with a smile.

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

Chiffon starts a little as Chime raises her voice with such immediacy.

She hands the riffle over to the ARMS meister nevertheless. Indeed, the weapon appears to have been hit with some kind of blade at an angle intended to smash it, as though the wielder had been caught in a melee. "I'm afraid someone hit it fairly hard. I'm not sure how to fix it myself," she admits, brushing an errant curl away from her cheek.

Tilting her head to one side, she glances between Jay and Lydia. "Hello, Lydia... nice to meet you. And you too, miss." That one's for Jay, whom she didn't seem to catch by name.

She folds her hands and bows her head, briefly watching Jay over the tops of her glasses. "...I wasn't here for the battle," she admits, her voice smaller. "But I heard what happened. I'm sorry that it went down like that. Adlehyde must mean a lot to you."

Behind Chiffon's facade, someone who shall not be named really wants to give Jay a hug. She fights the urge.

<Pose Tracker> Chime Isa has posed.

Chime offers a bright smile at Chiffon, saying "It would simply be quickest to replace the barrel completely~" as she runs a slender finger along the creased in barrel. "I could undo the damage, but I'd charge almost the same as it would cost to just pay the cost of a new barrel if Kev has one from the stock he ordered and my time and work to swap it out." her voice cheeful and polite. "Assuming of course Kev has them, since he never did tell me when he mentioned it that they actually came in since he wanted them on hand for the town's defenders so the guild Meisters could do repairs." shrugging a shoulder slightly.

She flashes a bright smile at Jacqueline and Lydia as she sets the rifle down while waiting on the massive mountain of a man known as Kev, aka the Bartender, aka the Guild Rep, aka That Guy Everyone Goes to for Everything. "You should make sure to see them~ Family is... important for better or worst." that little half shoulder shrug coming up again before she listen in to the conversation between Jacqueline and Lydia while glancing at the bar from time to time to keep track of whether Kev comes through for her or not.

<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.

Lydia says, "Ohh Heather...Eclair. What a sweet name." She manages to say this with a straight face. "I guess that's fair though. I mean, if I were her I would see it as quite the opportunity! And it is, really, an opportunity. Plus...knowing you..." She frowns thoughtfully. "She probably has a lot of fond memories of the store."

Lydia nods a few times to Jacqueline. "Yeah I need to chat up Granny Halle about what happened. She might have advice. Or not! I mean, it's only natural to ask."

She nods once to Chiffon and adds, "Heh! Well, actually, my memories of the place are pretty bad....myself. But that's okay. I can make good ones now."

She gives Chiffon a thumbs up for some reason.

"...Well," Lydia asides to Chime. "You make your own family. Sometimes you have to make the 'family' you start with 'unimportant."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Ah, I'm sorry! Jacqueline Barber." Jacqueline says, when she realizes...she completely forgot to introduce herself. She's looking a little red, but it's excusable that she wouldn't quite have her head entirely in the game. "...Thank you. And...yes, it does. Though I may have left here, a part of my heart will always remain with Adlehyde."

Chime suggests she visit her family, and Jacqueline nods.

"Yes, I fully intend to..." She agrees, then glances toward Lydia with a nod.

"...Yeah. She's a sweet girl, really. A little shy, but I think working at the store helped." She says, and then Lydia gives her what Jacqueline views as a very nice compliment. "A-aww...yeah, I hope so."

She nods, then.

"Yes, if anyone knows anything, I think it would be her...do let us know if she says anything we should hear!" She replies.

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

"Oh, huh. Well, you're the ARMs Meister, not me," Chiffon says, folding her arms loosely under the substantial curve of her chest. "If you can do it better that way, then by all means, go ahead and do it however you feel is best." Presumably she'll just buy another one if this one turns out to be irreparable; ARMs like the ones she has are a dime a dozen.

Blinking at Lydia from behind her round glasses, Chiffon doesn't answer her immediately, just parting her lips a couple of millimetres as though she'd swallowed and reconsidered her first thought. She hesitates a moment before pursing her lips again and giving Lydia a quick thumbs-up in return.

When Jay introduces herself, Chiffon lowers her hands and clasps them at waist level, dipping her head politely to the bespectacled merchant. "I think it's good that you've found people who care about you, even as you travel away from home. It's nice to feel loved wherever you go, isn't it?"

<Pose Tracker> Chime Isa has posed.

Chime nods politely to Jacqueline, saying "Good~ A family you love is important to cherish." with a bright smile. "And quite correct," she says to Lydia, "After all, the future isn't set in stone. Every step forward is a step that can made to change it, and that means changing the present around you overcome or continue to hold what's precious to one." in her cheerful voice.

Then a deep bassy shout from the bar, "Sorry lass, ain't got them in it looks." which provokes Chime to jump up on her seat and stick her tongue out at Kev across the guildhall. Just as quickly, she sitting back in her chair smiling as if it never happened. "Well, unfortunate~" as she taps the barrel of the rifle with a nail.

"As I said, I can undo the damage, but it'll take me the better part of a day. And I'll need to go hassle the blacksmith," puffing her cheek out slightly as if the thought of having to rely on someone else for her work wasn't fun.

"Since I can't heat the barrel on my own." or just because she lacks the proper tools. Furance's are heavy after all. "You can most likely just get a new one for a little more through than what it would cost for me to fix it~".

<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.

Lydia can't read minds and isn't especially empathic. This isn't to say she doesn't have empathy, but she is not good at reading the subtle movements of the body that indicate whether someone is upset or chill or something. She often has to guess! She does her best!

In any event, Chiffon makes her tilt her head faintly to the right but she ultimately doesn't bother her any more than she already has. "What about you?" She asks. "Have you found people like that?"

She doesn't mind being personal but it always weirds her out when it feels a little one way. Nevertheless, she ends up murmuring, somewhat under her breath, "I hope she's okay. You don't think they might've done something to the village while we were gone, yeah?"

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"I-It is nice, but..." Jacqueline says, chuckling nervously. "I wouldn't say 'wherever'...unfortunately, it's impossible to go about things without making...a few enemies."

Or more than a few enemies, as the case may be.

She looks back to Chime with a nod of agreement, though.

"...Yes, that's the same conclusion I came to." She says, with a smile. "We can still improve things."

And then there's Lydia. Jacqueline looks to her with a hint of concern. She doesn't blame her for worrying. She hasn't /heard/ anything about the Colony being attack...but she and Lydia both know that doesn't mean much.

"I'm...I'm sure everyone's fine. I'm sure some of them most be worried, but...I trust that they'll endure." She replies.

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

Adjusting her glasses, Chiffon considers Chime's recommendations for a moment. Finally, she nods, holding her hands out to take the weapon back. "Then I'll just replace it. Thanks for your advice," she says with a polite smile. "I wouldn't want you to waste your time if just finding another ARM would be simpler, quicker and competitive on price."

Lydia asks her a question, then. Behind the mask, a person who shall not be named has to resist the urge to beak down into gross sobbing.

"No, I suppose I've always been more of a solo traveler," she admits a bit awkwardly, glancing away with a little blush. "I don't really have much by way of, uh. True friends or caring family. So I just kind of live with what people are willing to share with me, I guess maybe that sounds sadder than I meant it to, but it's the truth."

Chiffon blinks back at Jacqueline, clearing her throat a little. "...Well. So long as you're going to be safe."

<Pose Tracker> Chime Isa has posed.

Chime listens to the conversation, as she waits on Chiffon's response. Her smile hasn't faltered or faded at all. "It's not a problem~ If anyone's time would be wasted it be your time if I insisted that I repair it. But," and she shrugs fully with a smile.

"It is what it is, and replacing a gunpowder rifle is easy enough. Expensive maybe, but no more so that the repair that would be needed." waving a few fingers back and forth. If she notices anything unusual, or has questions to ask Chime is keeping it to herself as she watches all three of the young women.

"Traveling solo isn't bad~ I've almost a decade of doing that myself. But with friends is really best, mmmm. Those were super fun times." she says cheerfully, the last bit more to herself than anyone in particular. "But life is what you make of it, so just keep going for whatever your goal is~" she remarks in an almost casual cheerful voice before she stretches herself out on her chair, and begins to organize some the scattered tools on the cloth closer to her toolbox.

<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.

Lydia is reassured by Jay and she manages a small smile at her. She's trying to be strong for others, but it's nice to have this reassurance all the same. "Thanks." She says. "Another reason to check."

She looks back to Chime, nodding to her. She doesn't disagree at all but she supposes she's had her own period of solo travel. That was the initial plan after all, for the most part. But plans change, lives change, that sort of thing.

Lydia frowns, ympathetic to Chiffon's situation. "That's rough." She says. "I know it's not something anyone can say 'hey we'll be your true friends' about but you're always willing to hang out and maybe it'll happen." She shrugs faintly at that.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"...Sometimes that's how it happens. But I'm sure you'll find people who truly care about you someday, Miss Corrack." Jacqueline says. "Just keep searching!"

"I used to travel on my own, myself, before I found my current group of companions. I don't know if I'd be able to go back to those days now, though..." She chuckles nervously. She was too used to being able to have people around to support her when she needed it...

Though she didn't think that was a bad thing.

Lydia gets a nod, too.

"Yes. I'm sure seeing you safe and sound would be a great relief." She replied. "And then you could tell them about all the good you've done!"

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

"Yeah. I'll see what I can get on sale," Chiffon says with a mellow smile and a nod back at Chime. "Thank you for your help, miss. I appreciate it a lot, really."

When Lydia reassures her, Chiffon closes her eyes for a moment and lowers her head, a spark of colour rising to her cheeks.

/I wish it were that simple,/ she reflects internally. /Merciful hells do I wish it./

"Maybe it will," she says aloud as she opens her eyes once more, flashing Lydia a small smile. "We'll see. But I think it just might be my fate to travel alone."

When Jacqueline begins to explain, Chiffon clears her throat softly, but otherwise doesn't say anything, just listening respectfully. She finally smiles and flicks her hair back with a toss of her head. "...I envy you, having a group of companions and friends to be with you. Maybe someday I'll be that lucky. But who knows." She touches one hand to her cheek, then lets it fall away.

"I should go," she says, then, voice quieter. "It was nice to meet you all."

<Pose Tracker> Chime Isa has posed.

Watches Chiffon more than the other two for a few moments, but says nothing other to smile at her as she says her farewall. "It was lovely to meet you also~ Good luck with the rifle! Oh and please for the sake of cuccos and horses, don't try and use the rifle, it'll probably explode in your face." her bright and cheerful tone at odds with the warning.

Looking between Lydia and Jacqueline, she settles on Lydia, and askes her with a smile, "So this colony~ That wouldn't happen to be the colony that's more or less the only real permanment place the wandering tribes live?" her curiousity completely and totally evident in her voice and eyes as she beams a smile at Lydia. "I've been told about it, but I've never been myself~"

<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.

Lydia is still completely oblivious to Chiffon's true identity. WHAT IRONY. "Dark, dude." She tells Chiffon because, well, she seems pretty confident in that and Lydia thinks trying to force your idea of friendship on others or your lifestyle for that matter is a bit perverse so she lets it be.

She glances to Chime. "Uh." She says. "Oh. I mean, it isn't the only permanent place. Baskar live all over, but it's definitely the biggest colony. That's why we call it The Baskar Colony." She smirks faintly, but only for half a moment. "It's where I happen to be from. They're not too big into ARMs there, though, so it doesn't surprise me you haven't visited much." She tilts her head. "Though it's not like they'd chase you out or anything. Drop by if you want. Not everyone there is a luddite, anyway."

She grimaces faintly at Jay's suggestion. "I bet if I brag she'd chide me for my arrogance. I'm proud of what I was able to do, but Granny...really is something else."

She smiles, looking down. "...I really want to see her again. I took he for granted for a while, but now..."

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Good luck, Miss Corrack." Jacqueline replies with a bow of her head, then glances toward Chime as she asks her question. She lets Lydia answer that question - she's the one who knows the most about it, after all.

"Yes, I'm certain you'd be welcome." Jacqueline adds with a nod to Chime, and then considers Lydia's response.

"Hmm, I suppose you're right." She decides, and smiles. "I'm sure she wants to see you, too. I'm still getting things set up now that we're back, so...take all the time you need, okay? Don't feel like you have to rush getting back."

<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.

To be fair, Chiffon's trying /not/ to be found out. She doesn't even /look/ like Neriah beyond the hair colour and general build. Glamour spells: Hell of a drug.

"...I will do my best not to infuriate the cuccos," Chiffon assures with a mellow smile, her cheeks once more taking on a hint of rosy colour. "But thank you for the kind advice."

Then Lydia calls her a dude. It seems to throw her a little, and she blinks, cupping her hand to her cheek. "...Maybe a little," she finally says with a lopsided smile. "Good luck, all of you... please take care."

Chiffon slips off at that point, heading back to the village. But once she's well out of sight, she'll divert through a back alley.

Later that night, a literal satanspawn probably won't engage in any gross sobbing. Honest.

<Pose Tracker> Lydia Seren has posed.

Lydia wasn't calling Neriah 'a' dude so much as using a causal term for a casual pal. She seems perplexed by the reaction. "Okay." She says.

Her confusion only mounts as Chiffon departs but she nods once to Jay and adds, "Probably later this month. I need to, like, start from scratch after all. most of my dough is either on Lunar or lost."

<Pose Tracker> Chime Isa has posed.

Chime chuckles, smiling as she says "I'm sure I would be~ I know a thing or of the culture. But life is baout learning, and living to the fullest~ So why not see and meet everything one can. If my father is anything to go by, I've only lived maybe a quarter to a third of my potential lifespan after-all." with a bright smile.

"I'm sure I'll get a chance sometime~ It seems from the rumors and information the guild has been getting since the attack that north or south are the more interesting choices at the moment through." with a little hum. "So who knows where I'll end up going next~ But I'm sure it'll be fun." with a sagely like nod as she settles back into her chair to watch the rest of the guildhall and the two young women still at her table.

<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

"Let me know if you need any help. We're a Kinship, after all. We exist to support each other!" Jacqueline replies with a smile to Lydia.

With that, Jacqueline takes a step back, offering Chime a nod.

"Yes...I'm sure there's a lot left to see. Maybe we'll cross paths again before too long, Miss Isa." Jacqueline says with a smile. "For now, though...I should probably get going before it gets too late. It's been nice talking with you both."

With a polite bow, Jacqueline starts to head out.