Willow’s captive seemed to consider his options, the natural hood of leaves and moss flopping to one side. He searched the rest of the room for a solution, before his glowing eyes came back to her, more determined than ever.
“Alright, let’s do it,” rattled the spriggan, his voice bouncing on each syllable, “you come back, cut me down, and we go talk to god. They will see it from my point of view and give me back the folder.”
Phyllis sighed, placing her face in her hand, “Spriggans. Stupidly brave or bravely stupid, take yer pick.”
“I’m not stupid!”
“But you are a thief,” Bjorn glowered, “you are a waldborn.”
“Waldborn only take what doesn't belong to you,” reasoned the thief, “the tallkin said as much. She stole the folder. I took it back. Gave it a better purpose. It was my offering to Vengeance. It will bring her back, it will wake her up. I know it will.”
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Woooooow, this world really does have everything. Racism and ideologues?” spoken a chuckle, Willow poked the spriggan’s head enough that the smallfolk starting swaying on the line. “Pro tip, though; don’t go putting words in my mouth, and start thinking about a new gift; cause you ain’t getting that folder. Might I suggest a nice doily, or a throw pillow with a comedic image for the sleeping bint?”
Standing.
“Come now, Phyllis. Let’s see if we can make a day of this. This spriggan is working on his personal best for Time Spent Strung Up For Being A Nut, and I’d hate to ruin his record.”
Willow turned and walked out of the room. First on the docket was to get some grub, followed up with meeting Diligence to check on the metal samples she requested; technically also chow, but a bit less nourishing. Way down the list was humoring this spriggan.
Standing.
“Come now, Phyllis. Let’s see if we can make a day of this. This spriggan is working on his personal best for Time Spent Strung Up For Being A Nut, and I’d hate to ruin his record.”
Willow turned and walked out of the room. First on the docket was to get some grub, followed up with meeting Diligence to check on the metal samples she requested; technically also chow, but a bit less nourishing. Way down the list was humoring this spriggan.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Pure scunnert with this’un,” assented Phyllis, dismissing the Spriggan, “makes it hard to sleep at night, and then has the indecency to make a fuss durin the day. Bjorn, be good and watch the laddie while I’m gone, maybe ye’ll learn to hate the wee orphans a bit less.”
The odinkine took his perch, near the captive, but watched on with a similar glower from before. Unlike with Phyllis, the Spriggan did not feel as comfortable rattling off with Bjorn watching him.
Closing the door behind them, the Allomancer and the Sergeant made their way to the main hall. Again, Willow found herself in the labyrinth tunnels of Dyrnwyn. Phyllis wasn’t quite sure where they were going, but could smell out food and spices. They got turned around a couple times, being misdirected by more private halls or homes, with most of the quarrids giving them a wide berth.
One by-way led them into a quiet passage where a few quarrids were attending a shrine. Hewn from the stone wall was a human, left handed arm, out-stretched and holding a lantern. A large arch, decorated with silver and various, crude jewels stretched over it. In front of the arm were various momentos and framed portraits, all oriented towards the lantern.
Two quarrids were carefully placing another portrait when Willow and Phyllis were coming by. The two stood up, and walked away in bitter solemnity, wiping their eyes. Another quarrid, who has been sweeping the shrine, noticed the Allomancer, and waved.
“Welcome,” she smiled under a hood of layered granite and garnets, “I haven’t ever seen you two before. Have you lost someone? The Father’s light guides lost souls so that they aren’t lost on their way back to him. If you don’t have anything, you can always say a prayer. The arm is gone from him, but is still his. The words will find their way.”
“I need t’stop trusting my nose,” frowned Phyllis, looking bacl where they came.
The odinkine took his perch, near the captive, but watched on with a similar glower from before. Unlike with Phyllis, the Spriggan did not feel as comfortable rattling off with Bjorn watching him.
Closing the door behind them, the Allomancer and the Sergeant made their way to the main hall. Again, Willow found herself in the labyrinth tunnels of Dyrnwyn. Phyllis wasn’t quite sure where they were going, but could smell out food and spices. They got turned around a couple times, being misdirected by more private halls or homes, with most of the quarrids giving them a wide berth.
One by-way led them into a quiet passage where a few quarrids were attending a shrine. Hewn from the stone wall was a human, left handed arm, out-stretched and holding a lantern. A large arch, decorated with silver and various, crude jewels stretched over it. In front of the arm were various momentos and framed portraits, all oriented towards the lantern.
Two quarrids were carefully placing another portrait when Willow and Phyllis were coming by. The two stood up, and walked away in bitter solemnity, wiping their eyes. Another quarrid, who has been sweeping the shrine, noticed the Allomancer, and waved.
“Welcome,” she smiled under a hood of layered granite and garnets, “I haven’t ever seen you two before. Have you lost someone? The Father’s light guides lost souls so that they aren’t lost on their way back to him. If you don’t have anything, you can always say a prayer. The arm is gone from him, but is still his. The words will find their way.”
“I need t’stop trusting my nose,” frowned Phyllis, looking bacl where they came.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Well, this was awkward. Leaving a cultist just to find some religious acolytes. Willow merely stood for a few brief moments as she tried desperately to stifle a laugh. Her mouth had tensed into a single pursed line as her eyes focused quite intently on the quarrid who had spoken. A light snort could be heard just before the Briton quickly looked at her feet. These people had done nothing to her personally, nor did she particularly have anything against religious types; but just the fact that she knew Percy as a simple, if not strange, faculty member of Safeholme made her view the entire observance as nothing but slightly comedic. The main thought running through her mind was that if she were in Mister Caxton’s place, she’d probably allow others to worship her as well. So, she hoped bowing her head would be seen as respectful rather than trying to hide a giggle.
“Lost our way, more, good Sister,” began the teen, her head still bowed. “Jus’ needin’ to find some chow.”
“Lost our way, more, good Sister,” began the teen, her head still bowed. “Jus’ needin’ to find some chow.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
A sad smile grew on the priestess’ face, but she was hospitable none-the-less.
“That’s usually how people find me,” she mentioned, before giving some more proper directions. Reversing course, the Allomancer and the Sergeant discovered they had taken a wrong turn Helen wouldn’t have missed with as many times she had paced through the passages. Before long, they were out in the massive center hall: part city center, part feasting house.
Since the fight between Willow and Diligence, the tables had been turned up and everything set to good order. A mix of every kind of people except canidaer were present, eating and cajoling. There were even a few she hadn’t seen before, ghostly creatures, goblinoid types of various elements and a gwyllgi, of all things. While most were content to eat at the tables, most had gathered around a far table. A performer was dancing a bouncy jig between cups and plates and singing.
A French voice rang out.
“I come from far off lands,
A place with lunar sand!
Now I’m here, my timeout’s done,
Kick back, it’s time for fun!
Drink you beer, eat your food,
Is that guy in the nude?
Nevermind, look up here,
Higher up, not my rear!”
It was Manon Laframboise, whose foot just displaced one of the patrons. He was a large ogre-looking fellow, which the clown, in her full fool regalia, came cart-wheeling down. Willow could catch the glint in Manon’s eyes before she was there, but the clown was already upon her.
“Willow! Mon cher! How I’ve missed you!” the clown seized upon the other girl and kissed her cheek before turning her head to dramatically kiss the other, “You have been gone for an age! How my heart aches. Did you bring me any souvenirs?”
“That’s usually how people find me,” she mentioned, before giving some more proper directions. Reversing course, the Allomancer and the Sergeant discovered they had taken a wrong turn Helen wouldn’t have missed with as many times she had paced through the passages. Before long, they were out in the massive center hall: part city center, part feasting house.
Since the fight between Willow and Diligence, the tables had been turned up and everything set to good order. A mix of every kind of people except canidaer were present, eating and cajoling. There were even a few she hadn’t seen before, ghostly creatures, goblinoid types of various elements and a gwyllgi, of all things. While most were content to eat at the tables, most had gathered around a far table. A performer was dancing a bouncy jig between cups and plates and singing.
A French voice rang out.
“I come from far off lands,
A place with lunar sand!
Now I’m here, my timeout’s done,
Kick back, it’s time for fun!
Drink you beer, eat your food,
Is that guy in the nude?
Nevermind, look up here,
Higher up, not my rear!”
It was Manon Laframboise, whose foot just displaced one of the patrons. He was a large ogre-looking fellow, which the clown, in her full fool regalia, came cart-wheeling down. Willow could catch the glint in Manon’s eyes before she was there, but the clown was already upon her.
“Willow! Mon cher! How I’ve missed you!” the clown seized upon the other girl and kissed her cheek before turning her head to dramatically kiss the other, “You have been gone for an age! How my heart aches. Did you bring me any souvenirs?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Yeah yeah, been busy doing what I do best; not getting hurt and making great impressions,” Willow pulled away from the French girl and made a shooing motion with her hand; despite this she was trying to hide a smile while laughing ever so slightly. Then the look dropped as she looked down and to the side as she had been hoping to not need to break the news to Manon about her folder. It was going to need to be said eventually, and generally she’d give it the band-aid treatment of yanking it and getting it done with. Amid this strange adventure of hers however she’d actually started to like the clown, or at least not actively feel animosity towards the girl. This was to also say nothing about a tightness in her chest that she felt comfortable identifying as fear; a fear she’d addressed the day prior. She was going t need to say something that would upset someone, and while it wasn’t her saying something malicious it was still likely to be hurtful. What she wouldn’t give to be the happy-go-lucky person that many seemed to see her as, rather than the emotional churn kept canned away.
“Food first. I’m properly starved. Ain’t eaten a thing save for some scavenged pastries after beating up Diligence a few days back. That and some life lessons sandwiched between getting slaughtered by our RA,” was the deflection Willow offered as she looked around while wondering how to actually get food without raiding someone else’s abandoned goodies.
“Food first. I’m properly starved. Ain’t eaten a thing save for some scavenged pastries after beating up Diligence a few days back. That and some life lessons sandwiched between getting slaughtered by our RA,” was the deflection Willow offered as she looked around while wondering how to actually get food without raiding someone else’s abandoned goodies.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Manon’s widening smile belied the eagerness that was apparent beneath, even she wasn’t professional enough to hide that most earnest desire. Willow’s space was respected, but there was a leadened weight to the clown’s movements as she dramatically considered the next step.
“It sounds like you’ve ‘ad it tough,” surmised Manon, before grabbing Willow’s hand and dragging her on with a leap, “You should try ze stalls then!”
They came to a wooden enclosure with a quarrid heaping a gout of fire onto a set of stones.
“Fire-roasted rocks?”
Next was a tent with several pots with jewel studded stones in them.
“Boiled rocks?”
Then, there was a wide, granite slab, where a quarrid pounded stone into bowls of pebbles, and heaped a green liquid in. Several bowls sat at the ready.
“Royalty-free pebbles cereal?”
Finally, purposefully, they arrived at an alley of stalls almost exclusively by Spriggans. A few had quarrids helping them warm stoves and stones that fried various seared meats, sausages, fried foods, and a selection of meat filled pastries that had a German flair to them. Mostly the non-quarrid visitors sampled here, but everyone mingled around a manned beverage dispensary at the back of the alley, focusing on beer and distilled water.
“You can never go wrong with Food Classic™, though all ze fried food could be hard on ze tummy.”
“It sounds like you’ve ‘ad it tough,” surmised Manon, before grabbing Willow’s hand and dragging her on with a leap, “You should try ze stalls then!”
They came to a wooden enclosure with a quarrid heaping a gout of fire onto a set of stones.
“Fire-roasted rocks?”
Next was a tent with several pots with jewel studded stones in them.
“Boiled rocks?”
Then, there was a wide, granite slab, where a quarrid pounded stone into bowls of pebbles, and heaped a green liquid in. Several bowls sat at the ready.
“Royalty-free pebbles cereal?”
Finally, purposefully, they arrived at an alley of stalls almost exclusively by Spriggans. A few had quarrids helping them warm stoves and stones that fried various seared meats, sausages, fried foods, and a selection of meat filled pastries that had a German flair to them. Mostly the non-quarrid visitors sampled here, but everyone mingled around a manned beverage dispensary at the back of the alley, focusing on beer and distilled water.
“You can never go wrong with Food Classic™, though all ze fried food could be hard on ze tummy.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
At this point Willow was so enamored with just the thought of eating that she would probably have gone for the roasted rocks if it was the only option. At the mention of fried food however her stomach did a flip of joy, and the Briton found herself hoping that maybe, just maybe she could get some fish and chips. It had been the better part of a year since she last had some, and it was remarkable how much she missed the iconic food. With even more luck the quarrids would have a functioning newspaper herein the mountain that the fish and chip vendor would disregard and serve said fried delicacies on old sheets of print; allowing Willow to idly read the smudgy headlines through the slowly spreading grease.
Preemptively wiping her chin in the off chance she had started drooling, Willow quickly reached into her pocket to grab at the money she in no way had brought with her when pursuing the spriggan through her dorm window. For that matter, why in the world would this fantasy world use Japanese yen as currency. Perhaps the pound given Mister Caxton being Welsh, but even that felt like a stretch. All of this meant that Willow was without funds, and she somewhat doubted she could just meander up to a stall and yoink some chow free of charge. Her face set into a strained smile as she turned towards Manon.
“Oi, Manon…” began the teen, but almost right away stopped. Was she seriously about to try and mooch lunch money from the other girl; the same other girl that Willow had felt a fair amount of animosity towards until recently; the same same girl who Willow was avoiding telling potentially friendship ruining news to? That was like breaking up with someone after they had cleared the tab.
“I gave the folder to Mister Caxton,” Willow stated plainly. Her eyes had locked onto a faraway point, and her face had gone rigid. She couldn’t lie to the girl, just as she could lead the girl on. Manon was clearly excited about getting her hands on the file again and letting that persist would only make the eventual reveal that much more painful. Truthfully, she had planned on waiting, but something about the situation in tandem with her breakdown yesterday had left a fracture that let the words slip passed her lips; and now they were out in the world. Just as she had been starting to appreciate the French clown, she may have driven her away. A haunting shade of her past crept up her spine, taunting her.
”This is the proper thing, not malicious,” reasoned Willow’s mind. ”But what difference does it make if it still drives people away from me?”
Preemptively wiping her chin in the off chance she had started drooling, Willow quickly reached into her pocket to grab at the money she in no way had brought with her when pursuing the spriggan through her dorm window. For that matter, why in the world would this fantasy world use Japanese yen as currency. Perhaps the pound given Mister Caxton being Welsh, but even that felt like a stretch. All of this meant that Willow was without funds, and she somewhat doubted she could just meander up to a stall and yoink some chow free of charge. Her face set into a strained smile as she turned towards Manon.
“Oi, Manon…” began the teen, but almost right away stopped. Was she seriously about to try and mooch lunch money from the other girl; the same other girl that Willow had felt a fair amount of animosity towards until recently; the same same girl who Willow was avoiding telling potentially friendship ruining news to? That was like breaking up with someone after they had cleared the tab.
“I gave the folder to Mister Caxton,” Willow stated plainly. Her eyes had locked onto a faraway point, and her face had gone rigid. She couldn’t lie to the girl, just as she could lead the girl on. Manon was clearly excited about getting her hands on the file again and letting that persist would only make the eventual reveal that much more painful. Truthfully, she had planned on waiting, but something about the situation in tandem with her breakdown yesterday had left a fracture that let the words slip passed her lips; and now they were out in the world. Just as she had been starting to appreciate the French clown, she may have driven her away. A haunting shade of her past crept up her spine, taunting her.
”This is the proper thing, not malicious,” reasoned Willow’s mind. ”But what difference does it make if it still drives people away from me?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Some people prepare for disappointment in different ways, Manon was no different. It was clear she was prepared to hear some bad news, perhaps that the folder had gone away again. Though, as Manon coped with this potentiality, joking and bouncing around, it became clear she wasn’t prepared for the truth.
Willow saw her words deflate the clown, with the spring in her step and the air in her lungs vanishing.
“Hey, the wurst wraps are a quarter ounce for two,” pointed out Phyllis, snapping a silver coin in half, and then half again. She broke off from the two and trotted over to the sausage stand, exchanging a pizza slice shaped piece of silver for a meaty treat.
“Really,” Manon spoke finally, staring off in a similar manner as Willow, “I guess you had your reasons.”
She took a long, deep breath. Then bounced back into all smiles, “But these are my problems. You have your own problems.”
The clown spun about, and rubbed Willow’s stomach.
“Like, being hungry!” Manon laughed, before bounding to another stall further down. This particular street food vendor would have been something more akin to Willow’s taste. An old quarrid sat, dumping breaded filets of a large fish into a vat of oil, and setting them out in little conch shells accented with salted, fried potatoes. Manon’s clownish demeanor shifted to that of the uniform and poise of a waiter, “Madame, consider dinner on me! For all you have done and have to go through!”
With a white gloved hand, Manon flitted out a few tabs and coins, representing the currency in the Elementalia. She showed it with friendly glee, before closing it in a tight fist.
“But first, where did Mr. Caxton store ze folder?”
Willow saw her words deflate the clown, with the spring in her step and the air in her lungs vanishing.
“Hey, the wurst wraps are a quarter ounce for two,” pointed out Phyllis, snapping a silver coin in half, and then half again. She broke off from the two and trotted over to the sausage stand, exchanging a pizza slice shaped piece of silver for a meaty treat.
“Really,” Manon spoke finally, staring off in a similar manner as Willow, “I guess you had your reasons.”
She took a long, deep breath. Then bounced back into all smiles, “But these are my problems. You have your own problems.”
The clown spun about, and rubbed Willow’s stomach.
“Like, being hungry!” Manon laughed, before bounding to another stall further down. This particular street food vendor would have been something more akin to Willow’s taste. An old quarrid sat, dumping breaded filets of a large fish into a vat of oil, and setting them out in little conch shells accented with salted, fried potatoes. Manon’s clownish demeanor shifted to that of the uniform and poise of a waiter, “Madame, consider dinner on me! For all you have done and have to go through!”
With a white gloved hand, Manon flitted out a few tabs and coins, representing the currency in the Elementalia. She showed it with friendly glee, before closing it in a tight fist.
“But first, where did Mr. Caxton store ze folder?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Couldn’t say. Shortly after handing it over I got stabbed in the chest,” Willow answered, truthfully if somewhat obfuscated as she followed the clown. Manon wanting to snag the folder again made sense, after all the girl had done it once before. That said, it was a matter she herself would rather stay out of. If the lifting the folder was self-destructive for Manon then the best Willow could do was urge against it, but she wasn’t going to encourage it; even if it upset the Frenchie. She raised a hand and put it on Manon’s shoulder. “But… I think this is a matter ya should trust Mister Caxton on. God that feels weird to say. I still don’t know much at all about your whole business, but it seems like one that is worth trustin’ an expert on. And… it’s okay to be mad at me, ‘kay?”