Aldren's Entrance

[Anonymous]

"Peddler's wares! Peddler's wares! Anything your heart may fancy, I've got in me pack! C'mon and have a gander, ah? I've got the best in all the continent...!! ... What, no takers? Hah, pity on ye! Guess ye wouldn't be interested in these nice, new leather gloves? Perfect for motor, sport, and other desired actions -- all while being insulated for perfect warmth in the wintertime! ... No takers? You all suck."

Aldren fell back, allowing his many layers of robes and fineries to cushion his descent. Here was he, amidst these streets, packed chock-full of utilities and trinkets... And no one wanted 'em! Well, their loss, he reckoned with a groan, idly drifting his hand, palm down, to his side. The earth below rippled as if it were a stream of water struck by a stone, and from the very ground itself popped a flask of whiskey, which promptly found a place in Aldren's hand. Times like these, he needed a nice drink.

He drank, indeed, and indulged in a serving of apple from inside his first layer. As he sat, drinking and eating, the thought again crossed his mind. Yes, the thought. Eyes staring off into space, Aldren swigged from the flask, downing the remaining contents as it passed by his mind's eye. His senses already had dulled; it wasn't of the drink, but of his passing nightmare that facilitated his pain. "Achiko." The word came as a breathless whisper, as the flask left his lips. It was a term used both for endearment and as a representation of all that drove him, inspired him, plagued him. It was just a pity he had no more liquor to down his sorrows.

Ah, but duty called! If he couldn't sell anything, maybe he could make some cash off of a trick or two? He allowed his drinking flask to fall back to the ground it had spawned from, and it swiftly dissolved back into its pocket dimension (really just a space beneath his feet). "One, two... HOI !!" Once back on his feet, Aldren drew out his tools of the trade -- two full apples and a pear -- and threw them into the air. They fell, but not forever, as they hung suspended from the very sky itself.

"Ladies and gentlemen...!! I announce to you -- my name!!" Aldren drew up his right arm and threw it down, vaulting the three items into the air in a spiral. He performed a series of minor acrobatics using only his mind -- his "Flow" -- including a few twists, turns, and juggles of the fruits. His final position, a full minute into the bit, ended dramatically, as the three objects swirled around his outstretched hand, and landed fairly upon his forearm.

"Aldren Muzmeras, peddler and entertainer extraordinaire, at all your services...!!!" He'd leave it at that for a while, and see if anyone would respond; if not... well, that would suck, wouldn't it?

[Anonymous]

The air caught fire and seemed to tear itself open again, as Infinity and Maeve again surveyed their new surroundings.
   â€œDamn, I was sure I had it.â€?
   â€œFirst the Arctic and now a crowded marketplace! You have no idea what you’re doing, do you? And stop cursing!â€? she yelled.
   â€œThat’s not true! I do know where we’re going! Okay, fine. So this is the second time I’ve failed.â€?
   â€œYou’re not going to teleport us anymore. From now on, we either walk, or get other people to do it.â€?
   â€œWait a minute! Why won’t you help?â€? the redhead cried.

   â€œBecause your stupidity might be contagious,â€? her friend answered.
   â€œDamn it, Ty! Why do you have to act like you’re better than everyone else?!â€?
   â€œI don’t. It’s not my fault that you’re an idiot.â€?
   â€œSo, what? I planned it? Hmm, yes â€" a fire mage PLANS to go to the fucking arctic. That’s rich,â€? she shot back.
   â€œSTOP CURSING, DAMN IT!â€?

   â€œIt’s not like your mouth is growing white lilies!â€? Maeve said, her green eyes ablaze.
   â€œShut up, I hear someone’s voice rising above the rest.â€?

"Peddler's wares! Peddler's wares! Anything your heart may fancy, I've got in me pack!"

the voice cried. Infinity paused, brushing a strand of silver hair out of her face.
“That way,� she pointed. “Come on.� Before her companion could protest, they had made their way through the crowds and approached the voice.

...at all your services...!!!"

the loud voice finished. Why are we going to talk to him? Mae silently asked.
Because, Mae, we’re going to be doing a lot of traveling. To do that, one needs supplies. I know that this is complicated for you, but try to keep up, the blue-eyed girl mocked.

“Hi. We’re, uh…looking for some food and water, and maybe a place to stay. I know that’s a lot to ask for, especially since we don’t have any money…� Mae told the peddler.
   â€œWe’re not from around here. In fact, we’re not even supposed to be here,â€? Ty muttered. She frowned as she felt an elbow in her side and a look that told her not to push her luck.
   â€œPlease?â€? Mae asked the peddler. If this doesn’t work, we’re going home. Your sense of direction and long-distance teleportation skills suck, Ty told the fire mage telepathically.

You’re welcome to try, she retorted. She was too upset to notice that Ty’s hand hovered near the hilt of her sword, ready to unsheathe it should her best friend come into danger.

[Anonymous]

(( Sorry for not responding quicker. Truth be told, I never noticed... ))

What, o' all those people wanderin' the streets o' Arian, these two ruffle-burgs had to be the ones to come up? Aldren threw up his arm, allowing his digits to grasp the pear, while dropping the apples through the ground into his personal space-storage. To the two spectators, it would seem as if the ground opened up and swallowed whole the delectable fruit. Now with his load lightened, the peddler took a tart chomp from the fruit, and eyed the two. Sure didn' look like they 'ad much, as they said... Well, business was business; maybe they did have SOMETHING to offer... He spat out the pear's residue to the cobbled ground, and turned to face the pair.

"Ah, me good lass, me good lass," Aldren murmured, scuffling around in his multi-layered attire, searching for something. "Food and water ye say? 'Tis a simple trifle. Let... me... see... HERE!" Triumphantly, he whipped out two large flasks, both the size of hot-water bottles, and held them out to the two ladies. "Just a spot o' change for 'em, really... Say, twenty-one? Nice, even number. How 'bout some nice, somewhat-freshly-downed deer?"

Shifting his flasks to one arm, the peddler closed his eyes in firm concentration. The ground shimmered, and from it sprang a... rather raw leg of deer. It wasn't in the best of shape, having been killed, hacked off, and preserved with... oh. Right. So, basically just hacked off. "THIS baby," the peddler remarked proudly, " 'll cost 'ye thirty. I'll throw in the gloves for 'n extra 'ne. Whadda 'ye say, mm? What DO ye say?"

As an afterthought, Aldren quickly added, "Don't know much 'bout the lodgin' 'ere, but 'ye should find a nice inn if 'ye go on down that road yonda'." He pointed to the street's end, where most of the passers-by were headed to and from. "So, whadda 'ye say as to me deal, mm?"

[Anonymous]

((No worries! I'll just have to smite ye with my spork next time! XD))

What on earth is he saying? Mae asked her companion. The ground...it ATE... Ty grinned - her expression had 'IDEA!' written all over it, and truth be told, Maeve was more than just slightly nervous.
   "Like we said, we have no money. However, perhaps we could perform a trade?"

What are you planning? the half-Elf mage asked.
Dear Maeve, you think of your man, and I'll think of mine. She summoned to her hand a glittering jewel.
Oh, sure. NOW you like being queen of the Moon Elves.

It's sometimes convenient. Now, shut up unless you have an important question. It's not very polite to hold private conversations while speaking aloud, now is it? Infinity sighed at herself. Of course, since the two of them were the most polite beings on the face of the earth. Yeah right.

They certainly did a lot of arguing for best friends, and pretty words weren't always a prominent feature of their vocabulary. But Ty was trying. Actually, really Mae should have been trying harder. She made a rectangle with her fingers, and a case appeared to shelter to the precious stone. And a harmless curse, just in case.

Maeve could sense the backup plans already. The gears upstairs were turning too fast for the redhead.
"We're not familiar with currency here quite yet. Would this little emerald cover the cost?" The mental ticking never stopped. In fact, the mage could no longer sense where her friend's thoughts were headed.

She shifted as she eyed Infinity, and after a short pause, her eye twitched. Oh, of all the places! Could we speed it up? I think that a dear friend just came to visit, she mind-whispered.

 Well, gee. Things were really starting to look up for the two, weren't they?

[Anonymous]

What was that they said? No money?! As was his first instinct, Aldren propped open his mouth to protest, nearly dropping the leg of deer, only to have his gaze enraptured by that gleaming jewel. If you would, picture a man, average height, average build, weighed down with items, eyes literally bulging so hard that veins began to spring out. Yeah; THAT looked attractive. With his foot promptly being inserted into his mouth, Aldren choked back a gasp.

Holy hell ! That... looked like a nice em'rald, and the case tw'asn't bad, neither. All that for a couple water flasks and a dead-and-a-half piece of quadroped? Hah. Maybe they did 'ave somethin' to offer. Aldren regained his composure slowly, still eyeing the case, which seemed to be havin' an odd Flow 'bout it. Nope, not the right air 'tall. Still... Emerald. Woo.

"Well, ah... Yes, I see... Eh..." Though he tried to speak, the words refused to come easily. Everything traced back to that case of hunka-hunka burnin' gemstone. "... Deal," he concluded, hastily tossing the items into the air and catching them -- no mean feat considering their weight -- with his power. "You can take 'em, long as I get that... err... thing you just made, eh? Fair trade? Toss in a mite o' spice to soften that leg, 'eah? Free'n all. Whadda ye say, mm? Whadda ye say?"

(( Just out of curiosity... What is the "harmless curse" you mentioned? It sounds interesting. ))