Fire Emblem on Forums: Annaquest: Thirteen Merchants in Search of a Payday (IC)

[Aurorix]

"I'm looking for my sister. We got... separated in the Great Ruins to the north." The lad seems hesitant about talking any further. He stretches his left arm across his chest and grips his right shoulder,  "While I may not be a good talker, listening I can do. I can overhear her actions and movements through taverns and the such. She tends to leave... 'signs' of where she has been before and I must find her as soon as possible!"

[RedMageCole]

"Glad to see you're so reassuring, then! Enjoy, enjoy!"

 

Anne let her enjoy the sandwiches, hoping to himself that this would be a bonus worth it... maybe he ought to ask how much he was getting paid; gotta read the fine print after all, make sure he's not getting just a penny out of the deal. At that moment it would have been inappropriate, just after getting chewed out, but... perhaps soon enough. Maybe if it didn't come by payday, or if payday took a little while.

 

To be honest, Anne wasn't 100% sure what was in those sandwiches, just that it was turkey and... you know, something else. They seemed to be good for both him and whatever customers so, really, who cares? He certainly doesn't. "Of course; you've got to be prepared in my line of work! You never know when supply and demand is going to fluctuate like the weather!"

 

Anne certainly hoped they would be fine. As for Chance's question... He was about to answer, trying to simply keep up a smile as she sinisterly looked through him, then gave a quiet yet fun smile as she laughed through her talk. He... Was probably going to keep the whole 'keeping watch' part a secret, last thing he wanted to do was blow his cover and job. It's probably what his sister would have wanted, right? Hopefully. "Of course, of course! You clearly are fully capable of taking care of yourself! I'm Anne; Anne Helianthus. I'm Anna's brother, pretty sure the only brother she has at this point, but I'm really bad at keeping track of family members. See, I mostly worked solo and freelance up until this point, mostly living off the land and sheltering in mountains and the like while setting up shop in the villages as a travelling merchant. However, as of late I decided I wanted to try to catch up a little bit with family, and I saw this job opportunity, so I took it, yep! I gotta tell you, it'll be nice. Mountains are really hard to scale, you know? You get a path, then they just start getting stupidly steep... but!"

 

Anne gently rolled up a sleeve and flexed a bicep of his. Clearly very firm and tough, almost as if he could beat quite a few people in arm wrestling. "It's good for the body! I'm in great physical shape, I use axes and they don't even take much out of me at all! But a break is nice, you know?"

[rokubiraijuu]

She seems to think about this for a moment. That someone like Kyou, who had grown up in the same place and in the same environment as she... would have decided to do things so differently. Prior to... that woman's interruption, she had never once thought to leave the comfortable world of her parents and siblings. Traveling with the rotation of the seasons provided enough adventure in her life.

 

Was it simply a difference in personality?

 

"Aren that how you learned talken so naturally?" she asks. "Never would tellen your'n of the ruins; you talken just like cityfolk."

[Chevaleresse]

Kyou nodded at the question, but briefly interrupted the conversation to stick a flyer to the side of a nearby building - and roll her eyes at Beverly's antics. She really needed to learn to take criticism better. Still, it wasn't her problem at the moment.

"I and family traveled since I was very small. Learned to speaken many ways, since meeten many different kinds people." She briefly thought to ask if this was the first time Ke had been out of the ruins, but judging by how they'd both reacted when the topic of why they were here came up, Kyou elected to pass over the question for the moment. "Do missen snow, though. Weather here getten too hot, much too hot." Kyou pulled at her hat as if for emphasis, the furred garment looking rather out of place in the press of a crowd.

[rustytengo]

"That's more then my brother would ever do for me." Beverly said under her breath. "I'm surprised that you where up at the Great Ruins. You don't seem like researcher or anything from what you said.." Beverly looked over at the others in the group and smiled remembering that Janus came along because of Ke "Ah I see you went up there to get yourself a cutie. Not that I can blame you I would grab a cutie like Ke up in a heartbeat if i could."  She said in a teasing voice.

[Aurorix]

"W-what!? N-no it's nothing like that! S-she's just helping me learn how to use light magic is all!" Janus said in a panic, vigorously waving his hands back and forth and his cheeks growing a few shades pinker.  "Besides, I'm probably the last person she'd ever wanna get with... Not that I can blame her though. I assure you however, that I indeed a researcher. Well, an ex-researcher now but a researcher all the same!"

[rokubiraijuu]

"Agreen."

 

She tugs at the furred collar of her tunic, suddenly reminded of the sun beating down on her. Temperatures had never risen as high in the Ruins as they had here, and it seemed that what most people considered a lovely day outside was as warm as her home ever got.

 

To see the ground unearthed as only happened during the peak of Ruins summer is still strange. There's no need for snow shoes here, and she had learned the other week that most people didn't know how to forward crawl through snow banks as high as one's chest.

 

"Often thinken not am made for this," she says, leaving it unclear as to whether she still means the weather or something broader. "But will keepen onwards."

[rustytengo]

"Hmm..." Beverly studied Janus for bit. "but you thinks shes cute don't you?" Beverly said grinning. "How can you be a researcher when yourself said you could only swing a sword? Where you researching some long lost sword thingy or something?" 

[Aurorix]

"I-I mean, I won't deny she is cute b-but..." It seems there's really no way to continue talking about this without digging himself into one hole or another, so lets not! "A-anyways, you can say researching is a hobby of mine, I am no where near adept enough to do it as a profession. Well... more like I can't take it up a profession." He head lowers with that last sentence,  "It's not so much I can only swing a sword, its more like I am forced to only swing a sword. Any other occupation is... forbidden, full stop. As for what I was researching... I'd, heh heh... I'd rather not say." He then realized that the orange-haired girl had been the only one asking questions. That's not good for conversation at all! He has to think of something to ask right? That's how this works right? But what is he to ask? Uhhhhhhhhh.... think of something, think of something!  "Soooooo, uhhhhhh, why are you here? Just in it for the money or is there something else?"

[rustytengo]

"Ah, I see." Beverly said grinning she had own thoughts on what his research. "Well I can guess what you are researching. So if you need help with it I'll help you out just as long as mine aren't part of your research." at his next question her grin dropped ."Yeah here for money and finding things that got sold off by scum." she said with a bit of venom in her voice.

[Aurorix]

Wait, what exactly would he research of hers? A confused look is plastered from the viewable part of his face.  "Sold off? Did someone steal something important to you and then sell it for quick cash? Would it be alright to ask about what it was? Y-you don't have to if you don't want to." Can't say Janus really has had anything stolen from him so he can't really relate, but he'd imagine if someone stole his hood he'd be quite angry.

 

[rustytengo]

A small smile shows on Beverly's face at Janus' reaction before dropping again. "Not stolen just idiot scum who makes bad choices." She said sharply."Their just family heirlooms." She paused thinking for a moment."Well that not exactly true some where stolen but I doubt I could get those ones back. If their even intact anymore." She said as her hand went up and started to tug on her hair a bit. 

[Aurorix]

"Still intact? Do your heirlooms have a tendency to break or something?" The boy said rubbing his his chin in thought, 

 

"Well, if you could give me some basic descriptions of the heirlooms I could keep an eye out for them. I'll be glad to help in anyway I can." Janus say with a slightly cheerful tone. However, it was ten quickly drowned back down due the noise of the crowds.

[rustytengo]

"They do when your home gets over ran with angry peasants." She said sharply before shoving the last of her fliers into the hands of a passerbyer. 'Most of them you can identify by this crest." She said holding up a dagger that had a rather ornate and distinctive C set into its hilt. "Anything with that on it is mine." She said as she put it away. She turned her head to the rest of the group "Hey you all done with your fliers? If so lets go get a drink." She yelled at the others so they could hear her over the crowd.

[Pyon Pyon Kyuu!~]

"Thank you dear, this is actually from my own personal garden. If you ever decide you want one, just ask me. I grow all kinds of beautiful flowers. And we could cover both Mary and Gwyn in flowers, so when they fly they cover the world in flower petals. Isn't that a wonderful thought?" 

[GodofGamingRWBY]

"Yeah, it is, though I think we'll have to make due with covering the world in flyers for now" Anna replied, "speaking of which, I think the stables are right around this corner. Maybe, I'm... Not the best with directions" she added, the final part barely coming out as a mumble. Anna would have to think about Hibiscus's offer more when she had free time, sine she was on the clock, as it were. 

[Twinwolf]

Satomi continued to strategically place some posters in areas of high traffic - seemed more efficient than pushing them into people's hands. Eventually, she pulled back a bit towards the group. 

 

"How're you guys doing on the posters? Nearly out?" she asked. "Oh, are you a bit hot? Do you need some water?" she asked, noticing Ke seeming a bit uncomfortable, although not having been there for the conversation assuming it was overheating.

[rokubiraijuu]

"Aren all right for now, thanken you."

 

She looks down at the leaf of flyers in her arms, much thinner than before ( and she hadn't even had to approach anyone for it! ), then back to Satomi, glad that it seemed like so many of the people in this company were friendly. Already she had found someone from her homeland, and this woman was so kind as well.

 

"Need changen with the weather here... be not used to this heat, no snow. Was telling Kyou the same."

[Chevaleresse]

Kyou nodded before sliding her hat off and stuffing the fuzzy garment away in her bag. It wouldn't do much for the heat considering the rest of her outfit, really, but at least her head would sweat a bit less.

"Getting there. Probably running slower for not pushing fistfuls of them into people's hands, but I think this way makes it less likely for them to start throwing things back."

[Pyon Pyon Kyuu!~]

"No I think you're quite right, the stables are here." Hibiscus points as they turn the corner. "I'll go saddle up Gwyn, and we'll meet out here alright?"

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

"A rugged mountain man, living off the land traveling town to town selling the gifts of nature he learned to harvest with his own too hands. Aaah, so romantic~" Anne was starting to get the feeling what that word meant to Chance might be different then your average maid... it seemed to come up frequently at the least whenever she was speaking, and more than another other person he'd ever spoken to before. She was certainly a strange individual, and it was impossible to read her at all. Anne knew if this was a business deal or he had to sell something to her it'd probably have been an impossible task, but luckily he'd only need to watch her. 

It'd only be a moment before Anne realized she was suddenly quiet as could be. Given she never seemed to be unable to find words before the silence had a bit of eeriness to it. Her singular eye seemed to be fixated towards a certain point, but he couldn't catch what it was before the maid suddenly closed it as she went into another beaming smile. "l suppose that' why I've never meet you before~ I've met my share of Miss Carnation's siblings before and l'd certainly have remembered one like you. I knew she was hiding the best ones from me hmmm... l knew l'd called it." she seemed ever so proud of herself yet again. "I'm sure you know by now but I'm Chance~ A pleasure to meet you Anne." She reached out her hand in the start of a handshake, though her still closed and her smile still beaming ear to ear. lt'd almost seem sinister if she wasn't about the most adorable maid Anne had met.

[RedMageCole]

While Anne was definitely wondering what the heck kind of maid his sister hired, he certainly wasn't opposed to talking with her. It provided something interesting in his life, and it was certainly a more interesting flirt than a couple of the lady customers he'd get. He had mostly overcome most of his initial embarrassment, so he merely continued to smile and nod throughout the rest of her somewhat strange comments, though enjoying the description of a 'rugged mountain man' she put on him. He particularly enjoyed being called one of the best Annas.

 

"Haha, yeah I had a bit of a tendency to hide! But hey, it'll be a nice experience. And it's nice to be able to meet you too, Chance! I'm sure we're gonna get along juuust fine, especially if my sister trusts you!" 

 

He didn't really mind the strange, large smile that Chance gave to him, thinking it was somewhat cute if anything. Even if there was some sort of trap to be held within it somehow, buttering him up with compliments than having the handshake go elsewhere, he totally fell for it and happily shook her hand quite firmly.

[GodofGamingRWBY]

"Oh, nice. Yeah, I'll go get Mary. See you in a bit Hibiscus" Anna replied, rather proud that she actually did remember where the stables were before splitting off from the other woman to get her mount.

 

Thankfully, she managed to find her rather quickly. Unfortunately, her pegasus did not seem to be in the best of mood, merely giving Anna an unimpressed stare as she approached, unlocking the gate to let herself in, "Hey Mary, looks like we're being able to do a bit more flying right now. Isn't that exciting?" she asked, causing Mary to simply let out a huff in response, turning her head away like a spoiled princess.

 

"Okay look, I know you don't like flying around cities, or standing in one to start with, but this is part of our job Mary. It won't take long, and afterwards I'll get you some treats, best ones I can get my hands on. How does that sound?" Anna continued, picking up Mary's saddle... Only to see that Mary was still turned away from her, not budging an inch, which caused Anna herself to sigh in response,

 

"Fine, I'm sorry for locking you up in a stable. But I'm going to have to do so again. Now can you please stop being so stubborn and acknowledge me, so I can get this job done for the both of us?" Anna, mostly sarcastically, responded, which apparently was good enough for the pegasus,  who let out another huff and stomp of her feet before letting Anna approach and put her saddle back on, and all the other necessities for which to let Anna properly ride her.

 

Surprisingly not as problematic as Mary normally was, which was a blessing for Anna. Maybe she could get out and be the one to wait for Hibiscus, rather than it being the other way around.