“I feel like I would have heard of you if you and the beneficent maker were good friends!” answered the construct with implacable sense of cheeriness. Each word carried with it a sharp movement from the glowing bening, as if speaking imparted great energy. “I can’t really part with my cart; it’s how I carry around my provisions! Can’t haul provisions if I don’t have a cart.”
The construct, free of needing to man a bench on the cart, fluttered down to the Allomancer. Billowing clouds of leaves lit in vibrant greens as she rose, and the bitter, rugged pathway’s scars of travel became stark as she fell. In the bright light, Willow could make out the shape of a small person within the light. It looked like a small fae, similar to the faeries that followed around Mr. Caxton.
“Oh, but my manners!” bobbed and weaved the merchant, “I’m Curie! Victualer for the Turraing mountainhome, and soon, the Dyrnwyn mountainhome! That is… provided I perfect my bubbling serum.”
Curie’s lattice body whirred and spun, each rung turning and stopping at different rates. As one spun, another stopped, and turned more quickly with her words. “I hate that you’re stuck, but I’m already late for my arrival in Navipolis! If I’m another day, that’s a lot of pounds for me. I hope you understand.”
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Smart likes to keep a lot of her personal dealings private, not wanting to burden the smallfolk with unnecessary information. She’s efficient like that. So’s she doesn’t about her friendships, same as her infatuations,” Willow continued, her tone rising. She walked a bit faster and spun so she could face Curie as she tried to make this sale. A Clever-smallfolk would probably be more susceptible to gossip than a Smart-smallfolk, but it was still worth baiting that hook. Plus, just in case, she got close to, but not into, the stopping range of the automated beast of burden.
“Look, she personally made me these clothes! And I gifted her some silly pants,” with gesticulating hands Willow showed off her attire. “Made them for me specifically to help with a vital mission that could change the fate of the entire world. Your cart could very well help me put an end to this whole Vengeance Crisis. Heck, we don’t even need your frog. Soon as ya get to Navipolis, say Metal-Eater sent ya, and BAM, new wagon; better wagon. So wha’d’ya say? Help save the world and get a wagon upgrade in the process?”
“Look, she personally made me these clothes! And I gifted her some silly pants,” with gesticulating hands Willow showed off her attire. “Made them for me specifically to help with a vital mission that could change the fate of the entire world. Your cart could very well help me put an end to this whole Vengeance Crisis. Heck, we don’t even need your frog. Soon as ya get to Navipolis, say Metal-Eater sent ya, and BAM, new wagon; better wagon. So wha’d’ya say? Help save the world and get a wagon upgrade in the process?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Inside the ethereal glow of Curie’s lattice, the small fae shape reclined to think. Up close, it was easier to see the construct for what she was, a faerie, a wingless one. Smart had talked briefly of her own kind, and had described the constructs as more of devices of accessibility. Curie was no exception, with her ornate aperture turning and spinning as she herself turned and spun with the whimsy of a fae who was naturally winged.
“You know, I’m not normally moved by strangers claiming they know demi-gods,” answered Curie, a small metal arm rising with her own from inside, “but you’re not a smallkin, which is interesting in itself.”
The bullfrog, a strange, long-legged beast of burden, came to a slow stop, acknowledging Willow, and Curie continued, “That, and I can’t deny your clothes look like they were designed with the tastes of someone like the beneficent Smart.”
She giggled, “Metal-eater, huh? You don’t look like a quarrid. Not at all. Fascinating. No no, not in saving the world. Everyone’s trying to save the world! No; you, you’re fascinating. I have some time to spare before I need to get to the bridge. Are you thirsty? You look tired.”
The construct bounded back to her own wagon, and her lattice arms hoisted a little metal cup over to Willow. “Tell me a little more about yourself.”
“You know, I’m not normally moved by strangers claiming they know demi-gods,” answered Curie, a small metal arm rising with her own from inside, “but you’re not a smallkin, which is interesting in itself.”
The bullfrog, a strange, long-legged beast of burden, came to a slow stop, acknowledging Willow, and Curie continued, “That, and I can’t deny your clothes look like they were designed with the tastes of someone like the beneficent Smart.”
She giggled, “Metal-eater, huh? You don’t look like a quarrid. Not at all. Fascinating. No no, not in saving the world. Everyone’s trying to save the world! No; you, you’re fascinating. I have some time to spare before I need to get to the bridge. Are you thirsty? You look tired.”
The construct bounded back to her own wagon, and her lattice arms hoisted a little metal cup over to Willow. “Tell me a little more about yourself.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Spinning on her heel, Willow did a small flourish and fanned her coattails before striking a pose reminiscent of Michael Jackson; or at least reminiscent to any who would be able to be familiar with Michael Jackson, which Willow figured Curie would not be among. Taking off her hat in a friendly gesture, the Brit spun it between her fingers before setting back atop her head. When the faerie offered her a drink however Willow immediately became a little suspicious as some fleeting remnant of the Strangers talk her parents gave her surfaced in her mind. Chatting up golem smugglers and strong-arming rocky berserkers? Sure, can do. Accepting beverages from strange faeries? Now that was a line she reckoned she should toe carefully.
What had Curie called herself? A victualer? Was that some manner of alchemist? It involved serums, so she felt it was a safe guess. With a moment of hesitation, Willow accepted the cup before inspecting both the vessel and the liquid within as she tried to discern what it could be. Worst case; Curie just handed her something that would make her pass out, and bam, kidnapped allomancer. Luckily, Bjorn knew where she had gone, and she imagined the odinkine would come look for her. Best case; this was literally just water, or maybe even a ye olde energy drink and Willow was just being paranoid and mildly racist.
“Can confirm, not a quarried. Get that a lot. Nah, I’m a mage from a far off land, who eats metal and gains power,” spoke the British ranch hand, still feeling a little odd calling herself a mage. “I’m helping the Sage, Creator, Chief Balcony Brooder, whatever term you prefer to use. By extension I’m working with the Artisans. Hence my current project of heading up this here mountain to speak with Diligence as an envoy.”
What had Curie called herself? A victualer? Was that some manner of alchemist? It involved serums, so she felt it was a safe guess. With a moment of hesitation, Willow accepted the cup before inspecting both the vessel and the liquid within as she tried to discern what it could be. Worst case; Curie just handed her something that would make her pass out, and bam, kidnapped allomancer. Luckily, Bjorn knew where she had gone, and she imagined the odinkine would come look for her. Best case; this was literally just water, or maybe even a ye olde energy drink and Willow was just being paranoid and mildly racist.
“Can confirm, not a quarried. Get that a lot. Nah, I’m a mage from a far off land, who eats metal and gains power,” spoke the British ranch hand, still feeling a little odd calling herself a mage. “I’m helping the Sage, Creator, Chief Balcony Brooder, whatever term you prefer to use. By extension I’m working with the Artisans. Hence my current project of heading up this here mountain to speak with Diligence as an envoy.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
At Willow’s flourish, Curie clapped, bouncing excitedly at Willow’s showmanship.
“The Father,” corrected Curie, raising a stubby, metal arm, “It sounds as though you’re saying you were sent by him, the most exalted! He has many names depending on how you worship his work, rather, your sect. Thespians, those that admire the beauty of the world, call him the Patron. Philosophers, those that value physics and the rules of reality, call him the Father. Idolaters are adherents that worship him directly and call him Caxton, claiming it to be his real name.”
Willow's giggly host bobbed, “But they’re silly, our god has no name! Oh. But you probably don’t care about theism! You did call my god some odd names. But you claim to know the Father’s children! Wait, I almost forgot…”
Curie leaned over Willow’s cup and a part of her frame split and extended. A small pip flipped out, and the construct leaned forward.
“BLEGGGGH,” heaved the little fae inside, as the pip dispensed a dark, bubbly liquid. It filled Willow’s cup and frothed over with a chilly hiss, “He he he, I made it sound like I was barfing in your cup. But really, you didn’t really tell me about you. You are on a mission from the Father through his children to cure the world of Vengeance, I know that already. Who are you?”
“The Father,” corrected Curie, raising a stubby, metal arm, “It sounds as though you’re saying you were sent by him, the most exalted! He has many names depending on how you worship his work, rather, your sect. Thespians, those that admire the beauty of the world, call him the Patron. Philosophers, those that value physics and the rules of reality, call him the Father. Idolaters are adherents that worship him directly and call him Caxton, claiming it to be his real name.”
Willow's giggly host bobbed, “But they’re silly, our god has no name! Oh. But you probably don’t care about theism! You did call my god some odd names. But you claim to know the Father’s children! Wait, I almost forgot…”
Curie leaned over Willow’s cup and a part of her frame split and extended. A small pip flipped out, and the construct leaned forward.
“BLEGGGGH,” heaved the little fae inside, as the pip dispensed a dark, bubbly liquid. It filled Willow’s cup and frothed over with a chilly hiss, “He he he, I made it sound like I was barfing in your cup. But really, you didn’t really tell me about you. You are on a mission from the Father through his children to cure the world of Vengeance, I know that already. Who are you?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Thinking back on her past experience dealing with other faeries, Willow supposed they to had behaved somewhat like a child. Where Zippo had been bashful and shy, Curie here reminded her of having a tea party with a five-year-old; as far as mannerisms went, as far as vocabulary went this was still an improvement. Opting not to dwell on the matter, she returned to inspecting the now full cup and the unceremoniously dispensed liquid.
In the back of her mind she considered the extra information she’d been told about the Percy Worship her in the Elementia, and wondered how disruptive she could be to the local religion given what she knew about the Professor back home. Now, she mostly just knew his name, relationships, and tea preferences, but even that could probably cause a bit of a stir. Looking up from the cup as she was directly addressed again, the Brit gave an odd look as she thought back on the conversation. She’d not really been asked about herself before, not here at least. Closest had been Clever trying to figure out what she was and where she had come from. This could prove to be a good opportunity however, perhaps if she sold herself and appealed directly to Curie one on one, it would help convince the faerie to part with the cart.
“Well, without honorifics and titles, m’real name’s Willow Fairburne. Budding adventurer, folk hero, and all around humble champion of the people,” joked Willow with an exaggerated grin. “Apprenticed to a gunslinging rancher, I’m a Druidic drop-out who just sort-of woke up a couple weeks ago to a spriggan rummaging through stuff that didn’t belong to it. Damn thing scarpered out a window, and that got me traveling and running into Artisans and all manner of curious smallfolk.”
Willow almost tipped the cup back reflexively before catching herself.
“What is this drink by the way?”
In the back of her mind she considered the extra information she’d been told about the Percy Worship her in the Elementia, and wondered how disruptive she could be to the local religion given what she knew about the Professor back home. Now, she mostly just knew his name, relationships, and tea preferences, but even that could probably cause a bit of a stir. Looking up from the cup as she was directly addressed again, the Brit gave an odd look as she thought back on the conversation. She’d not really been asked about herself before, not here at least. Closest had been Clever trying to figure out what she was and where she had come from. This could prove to be a good opportunity however, perhaps if she sold herself and appealed directly to Curie one on one, it would help convince the faerie to part with the cart.
“Well, without honorifics and titles, m’real name’s Willow Fairburne. Budding adventurer, folk hero, and all around humble champion of the people,” joked Willow with an exaggerated grin. “Apprenticed to a gunslinging rancher, I’m a Druidic drop-out who just sort-of woke up a couple weeks ago to a spriggan rummaging through stuff that didn’t belong to it. Damn thing scarpered out a window, and that got me traveling and running into Artisans and all manner of curious smallfolk.”
Willow almost tipped the cup back reflexively before catching herself.
“What is this drink by the way?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“My bubbling serum,” answered Curie with a snap and a spin, “it’s a secret passed down from the Father to his favorite child, Smart. When his children were young, they lived in a village at the base of the Father’s mountain, the Fertile Vale. Every day his children would make the world, and every day he would bring them stuff to eat. My bubbling serum is a faithful recreation of a drink the favorite child had one day. Sweet, syrupy, bubbly, cold and tangy! It’s literally out of this world, and a little holy if you think about it.”
Checking herself, Curie shook from side to side, “Augh, but I can only proselytize my good good drinks so much! Not to mention…”
She dropped to the ground and rose back up, holding her hands over her face, “Rude! I got so carried away. Willofairebern, it’s so nice to meet you, even though it sounds like you’re not having much fun. You know, I happened to see a couple of spriggans and a gordalisk traveling to Dyrnwyn the other day with a pile of things. Not to profile, but wild spriggans tend to have sticky fingers when it comes to votive offerings. That said, if you’re being woken by spriggans, you can’t be that far out of the way.”
Checking herself, Curie shook from side to side, “Augh, but I can only proselytize my good good drinks so much! Not to mention…”
She dropped to the ground and rose back up, holding her hands over her face, “Rude! I got so carried away. Willofairebern, it’s so nice to meet you, even though it sounds like you’re not having much fun. You know, I happened to see a couple of spriggans and a gordalisk traveling to Dyrnwyn the other day with a pile of things. Not to profile, but wild spriggans tend to have sticky fingers when it comes to votive offerings. That said, if you’re being woken by spriggans, you can’t be that far out of the way.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“It’s just fine, Curie, no need to fret. I’m not one to stand on formalities anyway,” Willow placated the small smallfolk. The British tallfolk did however squint as she looked on up the road towards the mountain, given that the description Curie had provided sounded spot on for the spriggan she had been chasing. The hunt had been postponed, considering she’d found Manon, but to vagrants were still wanted as far as she was concerned; having still managed to knick something important to the French clown. “And I don’t know about close, spiggans or no. Perhaps the Floating Isles just happened to float close enough for weird things to start happening.”
Turning to a different matter at hand, or rather in hand, she looked down at the now filled cup that she held. Sure enough, it was bubbling, and reminded her distinctly of a soda. Which, to be fair, did make her feel better about imbibing it.
“I swear if this is just Dr. Pepper, I’m suing the professor myself,” came a mumbling from Willow as she tipped the cup back.
Turning to a different matter at hand, or rather in hand, she looked down at the now filled cup that she held. Sure enough, it was bubbling, and reminded her distinctly of a soda. Which, to be fair, did make her feel better about imbibing it.
“I swear if this is just Dr. Pepper, I’m suing the professor myself,” came a mumbling from Willow as she tipped the cup back.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
A town square of only a handful of people unfolded before Willow at the first sip. There she saw the artisans she knew, but smaller, more children than young adults. They gathered around a familiar man, shaded under a rowan tree.
“Ugh, it’s burning my nose,” hissed Smart, putting a hand to her scrunched up face.
“Don’t drink it so quickly,” came the correction from Mr. Caxton, standing over the even younger artisan. She held a can of soda in all four of her hands, spending a long time looking down at it and then up at the one-armed man. There was a distinct lack of trust in her eyes, unmarred by cracks or discernment.
“I don’t like it,” grumbled Smart, scrunching up her porcelain face more.
“Then give it here,” answered Mr. Caxton, holding out his hand. Smart quickly withdrew, protective of the can in her hands, “come now, let me have it.”
“It’s mine,” she retorted, looking up at him, “you gave it to me.”
“But,” consoled the Alchemist, trying to be gentle, “you don’t like it.”
“You gave it to me,” repeated Smart, a warm glimmer in her glass eyes.
Willow came back to the moment after finishing her first sip of the dark, bubbling serum. The taste was not unlike a mild root-beer, but the flavor was not sassafrass. There was a certain herbiness that rode under currents of honey-like sweetness and an almost over-carbonated texture. Besides the vision, there was nothing mind-altering about the serum, but it was crisp, cold and bracing.
“Dr. Pepper? Are you suing him?” Curie asked, evidently confused, “Did it taste that bad? Some people say the flavor is almost psychedelic, but I think that’s the bugwood. The journals of the Favorite Child are sparse, but exacting; Oh, this batch might have too much bugwood.”
The glow in the construct, which had been to this point, greatly luminescent, was much reduced. “I’m sorry; if it’s not that good… Um… You said you needed help getting north? To Dyrnwyn?”
“Ugh, it’s burning my nose,” hissed Smart, putting a hand to her scrunched up face.
“Don’t drink it so quickly,” came the correction from Mr. Caxton, standing over the even younger artisan. She held a can of soda in all four of her hands, spending a long time looking down at it and then up at the one-armed man. There was a distinct lack of trust in her eyes, unmarred by cracks or discernment.
“I don’t like it,” grumbled Smart, scrunching up her porcelain face more.
“Then give it here,” answered Mr. Caxton, holding out his hand. Smart quickly withdrew, protective of the can in her hands, “come now, let me have it.”
“It’s mine,” she retorted, looking up at him, “you gave it to me.”
“But,” consoled the Alchemist, trying to be gentle, “you don’t like it.”
“You gave it to me,” repeated Smart, a warm glimmer in her glass eyes.
Willow came back to the moment after finishing her first sip of the dark, bubbling serum. The taste was not unlike a mild root-beer, but the flavor was not sassafrass. There was a certain herbiness that rode under currents of honey-like sweetness and an almost over-carbonated texture. Besides the vision, there was nothing mind-altering about the serum, but it was crisp, cold and bracing.
“Dr. Pepper? Are you suing him?” Curie asked, evidently confused, “Did it taste that bad? Some people say the flavor is almost psychedelic, but I think that’s the bugwood. The journals of the Favorite Child are sparse, but exacting; Oh, this batch might have too much bugwood.”
The glow in the construct, which had been to this point, greatly luminescent, was much reduced. “I’m sorry; if it’s not that good… Um… You said you needed help getting north? To Dyrnwyn?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Heh, tastes nostalgic.” Willow said as she lifted her hat and rubbed her head with her wrist following the vision. “And nah, D. P. is jus’ an overrated arsehat, not ta worry ‘bout.”
Replacing the hat atop her head, Willow refocused on Curie. Hands free, she looked at her palms and seemed contemplative for a moment.
“Ahem. Sarsaparilla-esque. Could do without the visions though. Get ‘nough o’ those goin’ toe-t’-toe wit’ the wraiths.”
She tipped back the rest of the cup; in part wondering if the visions were a one time thing, in part wondering what else she might see. Drink done and refocusing on Curie, Willow offered back the cup.
“Eeyup, of t’ see the Mountain King. Got some metallurgic inquiries for ‘im. Might beat ‘im up iffen he’s not in the mood f’r talking. Who’s t’ say?”
Replacing the hat atop her head, Willow refocused on Curie. Hands free, she looked at her palms and seemed contemplative for a moment.
“Ahem. Sarsaparilla-esque. Could do without the visions though. Get ‘nough o’ those goin’ toe-t’-toe wit’ the wraiths.”
She tipped back the rest of the cup; in part wondering if the visions were a one time thing, in part wondering what else she might see. Drink done and refocusing on Curie, Willow offered back the cup.
“Eeyup, of t’ see the Mountain King. Got some metallurgic inquiries for ‘im. Might beat ‘im up iffen he’s not in the mood f’r talking. Who’s t’ say?”