Gross of Groceries

Log Info

• Title: Gross of Groceries
• Emitter: Aryia
• Characters: Aryia, Verna, Culix
• Place: Lower Markets
• Time: November 10th, 2021
• Summary: Aryia and Verna are gathering supplies for various personal projects while Culix is getting some information nearby. The mute runs into the Mourner, with Culix coming in soon afterwards. Aryia gifts Culix a yellow scarf lined with numerous hidden pockets, a much less explosive gift than the last one the gobbo received. Verna shares some about her plan, (and her over preparation for the possibilities). Aryia offers some advice on how to narrow the possibilities down through some charades, and Verna agrees that is a good idea. Culix departs, going to deal with her carriage idea she spoke of recently and invites Aryia on a joyride later. Aryia gives Verna some advice on worries the Mourner had been having, as well as asks for a favorite color. She gets mixed results. Verna surmises the advice, and is grateful for it, and Aryia offers more aid should she need. Flustering herself with chronic foot-in-the-mouth syndrome, Aryia bids farewell and runs away.

Lower Markets, Midday.

It's a chilly day, clouds scattered about the sky. Thankfully that long running deluge seems to have passed for the time being. The lower markets, as usual, are busy. Many of the common folk always need wares of some kind, regardless of the worries of the instability of the recent ongoings. Stepping out of a shop with a bag over their shoulder is a mul'neissa woman in a green jacket, bolts of black cloth and dyed black leather sticking out behind her from the bag. Shades pushed firm against her face, she's making a lazy path towards the Fernwood.

Perhaps it is the pause in the deluge that brings all the browsers to the market. Admittedly, the lack of falling water is far easier on both shopper and wares. Verna is among the former group, though appears to be acquiring a far portion of the later. She moves away from a stall, a half-dozen bags and parcels floating as a collection behind her upon a nearly transparent discus of force. Her 'cart,' as it were, dutifully follows behind her as she walks across the market, hood panning in possible search of the next purchase.

Culix is out in the lower trades today- she often is, even when she's not shopping. Which seems to be the case today, as the gobber is having a little chat with one of the panhandlers that make the markets their place of work. Whatever they are talking about seems to be wrapping up, however, and the goblin fishes for her purse- her real one, not the fake one full of pebbles that hangs from her belt- and retrieves a few coins to toss to them, likely as not in exchange for some sort of sordid information. Maybe this is why she always seems to know everyone's business. Either way, when that is done, she offers them a languid wave and then stuffs her hands back into her pockets as she turns away from them and makes her way along into the markets proper.

Aryia is a bit lost in though as she meanders through the street, brows pinched. It's almost unlike her to nearly run into the floating supplies, but she absent-mindedly sidesteps them.

Wait. Roll that back.

Focused on the now, she briskly walks backwards until she was just in front and beside Verna. There's a faint flicker behind the shades, a blink, and she raises a hand in greeting. A brow shoots up, and she points to the floating supplies.

Verna is, perhaps to no surprise, also reading as she moves. In this instance, however, it is a parchment scroll rather than a tome, she has it in hand rather than floating, and she is adding notations. Thus it is not until Aryia is adjacent or, rather, ahead of her that she notices the mul's presence. They are allegedly stealthy like that.

Her hood pans to Aryia. "Ah, good day to you." A moment passes as she notes the brow and point, combining into the unspoken inquiry. "I am gathering supplies."

Culix continues picking her way through the market, pausing here and there to take a gander at the supplies on offer. "No... I better go to a proper alchemist." she murmurs to herself after having spent a short while browsing a goblin-gnome duo who are running a stall selling oils and tinctures. Culix has oft expressed her distrust for her own kind when it comes to these matters, and the fact that a gnome and a goblin has partnered up makes it frankly surprising that the entire district isn't on fire already.

She evntually slips out from between a pair of market stalls, having taken a shortcut, and has an apple in hand when she spies the familiar faces. She lifts her free hand to offer a wave, deigning not to call out as she's chewing on a mouthful of the possibly pilfered fruit.

Aryia must have been an expert in walking backwards, needing to sign and move to with people so often. "For... the thing?" she vaguely inquires, shifting her bag on her shoulder.

The movement from between the stalls makes her glance over, her expression lifting to a light smile. She waves back, then an 'oh!' flashes across her face. "Hey! Come over here, I got something for you!" <Handspeech>

Verna realizes that first, she is requiring Aryia to walk awkwardly while signing and second, that her attention is also caught by another, whom she seeks to summon. To expedite and ease matters, Verna comes to a halt. Her pace suggested that she was not in any great hurry beforehand.

Her hood pan in the direction of the other wave and then dips to Culix before she turns back to Aryia to answer. "If you refer to the planned gathering and meal, yes. I am gathering supplies and ingredients." She looks down her checklist briefly. "Some are not available in single-use quantities, nor do I know which will be required and which will not, so there will be enough for future use." Likely a significant number of future uses, if the quantity on the disc are any indication.

Culix tilts her head curiously as Aryia calls her over, and she picks up the pace a bit taking another munch on her apple while she draws nearer. With her mouth still full, she signs with her spare hand- "Heyo. Something for me? Aint gonna explode is it?" with a toothy grin (resplendant with a couple of bits of apple skin stuck between her pointy gnashers) as she gets closer.

Switching back to speaking outloud after she has swallowed the most recent bite of apple, she peers at the floating supplies. "Look like you're bout ready to feed a nation there. Or at least a moderately sized country manor." she muses.

Aryia slows to a stop as Verna does. "I see. I'm glad your plan is underway. Like I said before, don't overthink it. You'll do fine," she warmly smiles as Culix steps up.

The mute shakes her head, and kneels down to place her shopping bag on the ground. Hands move to a small bag that's always on her hip, she rummages a bit, then carefully pulls out something and holds it over to the gobbo.

It's a well made cotton scarf that's dyed a yellow hue. Not too vivid to be neon, but enough to match a field of dandelions. It appears simple at first, but messing with it shows it's a bit thicker than normal. And then it becomes clear as to why.

There's a *ton* of hidden pockets on this thing.

The elf gives a small smile. <Handspeech>

Verna looks from Aryia's comment to Culix's and back. "Some excess is unavoidable, but I do not believe that I have applied excessive thought..." Now that she looks back over her list (once more) and re-considers the effort already applied, perhaps the new thinking could be excessive?

"I do not know which dish or dishes she might wish to prepare, so I simply attempt to be thorough."

"Good, cause you know I don't have a great track record with gifts..." Culix says a mite dubiously, but she accepts the scarf when it's offered, spending a moment examining it. Her brows raise, and she tilts her head, "You work pretty quick, huh?" she wonders of the Mul then. She drapes the scarf over her shoulders, and then flicks one end over the other, adjusting it a bit. "This what you was measuring me up for the other day?" she says then with a grin. "I was wondering what you could make without taking my three sizes. It's about the right season for it, an all." she muses.

"So who's your Mrs. anyhow? Anyone I might know?" Culix asks Verna then, her attention over to the mage.

Aryia smiles more as the gift is accepted. She double nods along with a thumbs up. "Much can get done when you don't need to sleep as long as others," she explains before getting back to her feet and picking up her bag filled with black cloth and leather.

The elf tilts her her head to the side. "You could, you know, just ask them what sort of dish they like. Or what dish reminds them of home." A glance is stolen towards Culix, but she doesn't offer any more information about whoever this person is.<Handspeech>

Verna makes a brief detour to note the gifted scarf. "That seems it will be useful against the cold and it is colorful. Aryia has proved to be rather talented in ever more fields." She is not avoiding the inquiries, of course, and only being polite.

"She implied previously that she had some foods in mind that she wished to prepare," she explains to Aryia, "but had no access to stoves or other implements to properly prepare them. I do not know which specific dishes these were, and to inquire would preclude the intended surprise."

To Culix, she corrects, "I believe that 'Miss' would be more correct. I am not married, neither is she." A pause. "To my knowledge." This creates an entire new thread of thought on unconfirmed possibilities, presumptions, and the potentially egregrious impacts they could have on her current endeavor.

No, no overthinking here. Not at all.

Culix grins a bit, and then pops the remainder of her apple- core, stem and all- into her mouth which she munches away on. She pulls up the scarf then, so that it covers her nose. "Good for keeping my nose warm, too. Or hiding my face." she offers, the scarf moving a bit as she grins beneath it.

She looks over towards Verna then, and puts her hands on her hips. "Now you're just dodging the question. Miss, then. But I s'pose it's none of my business." sh admits.

She looks back over to Aryia after a moment, as she mentions food that reminds folks of home. "Speaking of, haven't had my ma's fish head pie in way too long."

Aryia's brows pinch, and she crosses her arms some. "Not if you just talk about food. Think like, well, you two are sitting there. And there's some silence while you're reading or doing whatever, and then you say-"

Aryia steps to the side, her lips pretending to move, but nothing comes out, but her hands supply "Verna's" words: "You mentioned not being able to cook a bit ago. What would you make anyways?"

The elf steps to the other side, facing where she was to address the theoretical "Verna". "Huh? Why do you ask?"

Shift again to be Verna. "I was merely curious about what sorts of dishes would be lacking without proper equipment. The food at these establishments tends to be just fine. What would you make instead?"

Step to be Verna's interest. "Oh! Well, I was thinking of making a...."

The mute trails that off, then addresses the two. "Something like that."

She looks to Culix, then snerks. "I could make that if you want it turned to charcoal. When's the last time you had it?" <Handspeech>

Verna's attention is brought back to the present conversation by Culix's comment. "My apologies. I was not avoiding the inquiry." She was simply distracted, as now becomes once more as Aryia offers a scenario. With panache, in fact. Verna is silent a moment, perhaps staring at the full-blood, if the aim of her hood is any indication.

"That is... a cunning method of inquiry and convenient, pleasant conversation, as well. Thank you. I regret that I did not seek your cousel further, before." She does not look back to her collection of groceries, instead venting an exhaled sigh from her hood.

As proof that she is not dodging Culix's curiosity, her hood pans to explains. "Her name is Auranar. She is a sildanyari acquaintance, originally from Llyranost, who, I recently discovered, wished to prepare some dishes from her homeland."

Culix watches the 'exchange' with another grin, if her scarf's movement is any indication, but then she's addressed and asked a question. "Oh, few months now. When I got out of the clink." she tells Aryia. "Drop by homw now and then, but I'm busy with adventurin' and Ma is busy with barmaidin' so we never find the time to have a proper sit down meal." she says and then gives a shrug and a sigh.

She looks back to Verna, and taps her cheek a few times as she thinks on that name, before shaking her head. "Nope, don't know 'er." she admits eventually. "What's elf food even like?" she wonders. "Truth be told I don' know much about the world outside of Alexandria. 'side from what I read in books, and what I've seen during work for the guild. So far as I can tell it's mostly full of stuff what wants to eat you." she adds.

Someone making their way down the road raises a hand to Hail the goblin. Culix lifts her own hand to greet them back, "That's me. Going to see a man about a carriage." she says, and then winks at Aryia, "Catch you two later. Maybe we can go for a joyride, eh?" she wonders, and then offers the pair a wave before she takes off in a light jog to go meet up with the person calling for her attention.

Aryia smiles, her putting her hands on her hips for a moment before snapping a finger at Verna, pointing at her. "You're welcome! I'm pretty shit at talking with people usually, but I make up for it with reading others decently well."

The elf looks down to Culix, her bobbing her head. "I don't know what elf food is like," she shrugs. It was true, she didn't know. At least, what wasn't a blurred mess. Her brows raise behind the shades, glancing off to the hailing soul towards Culix. She grins. "Sounds like fun, let me in on that. Later!"

She turns to Verna, adjusting the bag of tailoring supplies on her shoulder. "... I'm going to hazard a guess and say your favorite color is grey." <Handspeech>

Verna bids Culix farewell. Whether the fact that the gobber unfamiliar with Auranar is boon or bane, she is undecided or gives no indication. Then it is back to Aryia.

"Vardama's favorite color is gray," she notes correctively. "Not that I am not accustomed to it." She looks to the shifted bag and back. "If you are inquiring for the purpose of garments or accessories, it would be appropriate. I have not given much thought to a personal preferance of color. My outerwear is in simple shades for ease of washing. My undergarments are white for similar reasons."

Aryia blinks at that. "...o... kay..." She rubs at her face for a spell before shaking her head. "Think about it then. I need something to work on after this." She lifts her bag of various tailoring supplies, mostly black cloths and leathers. <Handspeech>

Verna nods. "I will do so. There are many, many topics in need of consideration and study as of late, but I will make the time." Now her hood turns to glance back to the groceries briefly. "While this is an endeavor I wish to complete, I wonder if it is ...impertinent or selfish when there are several other dire events unfolding..."

Aryia gives a small huff and steps closer to the Mourner. "Verna," she starts, looking a bit more serious. Hopefully this advice wouldn't get yet another person snatched away from her. "Look. Everyone has a candle. You can spend your time making sure the flame doesn't go out, preparing, doing everything you can to keep it safe. But in the end, what it illuminates is sparse. A candle is meant to give light. And it's meant to burn. There are times to guard it, to prepare. But there are times to let it be as bright as day."

She rolls her shoulders, dipping her head so that a singular torch-bright eye could peer over the magical shades. "So. Take time for yourself. Enjoy these little things. If it wasn't for those little things, I wouldn't be standing here." <Handspeech>

Verna takes in the words and considers them, though it is the peering and synopsis that perhaps make the point most succinctly and pointedly. "I believe that I understand. Do not overthink matters." She pauses a moment before uttering a summarization of other recent words. "Accept and enjoy the 'what' rather then invest all time discovering the 'how' or 'why?'"

At that, Aryia cracks a grin. She claps the Mourner on the shoulder. "Exactly!" She pulls off, and leans on her back foot. "So, enjoy yourself with this personal endeavor. Can't save the world if you don't remind yourself of the world you're saving. Your world: the things that matter to you." <Handspeech>

Verna was not expecting to get the clap and startles somewhat. That or it is enough to put her off-balance for a moment. After steadying herself, she adjusts her robes. "One can still save the world," she notes... though her lips then curl upwards some, "but it is easiest when there are pleasant motivations."

Aryia cringes a bit at startling Verna. Perhaps Thurid was rubbing off on her with such things. All was well. And... she even got a proper smile out of the Mourner. The mute giggles- a strange, breathy sound- "Ha... h.. ha..."

"Right!" she clacks a fist against the other. Peering up at the sky for a beat, then back to Verna's wares, she shifts on her feet and adjusts her bag. "Probably should get those things on ice soon. Don't want to get yourself or your friend sick." <Handspeech>

"Ah, yes, of course," Verna's bit of smile promptly inverts as concurs and (possibly with some effort) restrains her thoughts from drifting down that vortex of a tangent. All is well. It is fine. "Thank you, again, for your aid and knowledge. I expect that I shall seek it again in the future."

"Anytime, Verna." Another pat on the shoulder, this time less forceful. "Let me know how it goes. Or if you need someone to practice talking with. Well, talking as in... conversing, not like... speaking. Because I can't... talk. You know what I mean-"

The mute colors crimson a touch. "... have a nice day."

With celerity honed through introspection, yet fueled by utter embarrassment, Aryia is there one moment. Then her standing there fades away in an after image. Another fading one could be found another dozen feet away. Then another one. Then another one.... then...

The last one could be seen vanishing into the Fernwood. <Handspeech>

-End Scene-