Just By Chance... (DragonSong)

[Wrathwyrm]

That comment wouldn't have been unwarranted, and in fact...Sano would have laughed and agreed.  Still, there was a sound from the back now, of rummaging and rifling and possibly tripping, followed by Akbar's return with several items.

"Phoenix Feather is not being found, not even within the graces of Akbar's expertise."

Which is to say that his talent for pulling out random items had failed to produce the goods.  He put up the Silver Essence and the Blessed Flasks, then clapped his hands together.

"Forgiving Akbar for mishearing about Belladonna.  A small error, yes, made up for by this!"

He pulled the small chunk of metal from his pocket and placed it delicately upon the table, between the other items.

"The star metal..."

He then clapped his hands together.

"So!  What will you give Akbar for payment today?"

[DragonSong]

"Oh!" Ally started and whirled to face the counter. "Well, uh, I have some coin-" She fished around in the pouch at her hip again, eventually emerging with a coin purse. "But I also have these."

She removed her hand from the purse, fingers curled toward her palm. She slid a handful of what appeared to be shimmering, convex pieces of a deep purple gemstone, the edges sharp enough to cut but the flat sides smooth as silk to the touch.

Dragon scales were pricey at best. Whole, unblemished, as these were- nearly priceless.

"They're real, but you can test them if you like," she told Akbar. "And I have more, though I believe this should be sufficient."

She wasn't an idiot. She knew the worth of the scales; but it never hurt to get in good with a shopkeeper who could procure rarer goods.

[Wrathwyrm]

For a moment, both Akbar's and Sano's eyes were on the unexpected item that she had pulled out.  Dragon scales...  Good ones, too.  Sano only managed to take his eyes off of their gleam to get a look at the star metal, the first example of such that he'd ever seen.  It was important in his area of magical expertise.  Akbar, meanwhile, was delighted.

"Testing is unnecessary.  Akbar knows the value of such things.  It is his stock-in-trade."

And his special power.  He knew them to be genuine, because his senses pricked him so, stating that they were indeed as valuable as stated..

"Akbar is guessing the last item was to be a dragon-related thing, something which you had access to as is.  Yes...  This is most sufficient to pay with."

He carefully placed the items in question into a sack and would hand it over once the scales were his.  At this point, Sano had no trouble believing that Ally was an alchemist, so...whatever troubled her must have been less about the country and its laws and more...personal.

[DragonSong]

Ally smiled. "Wonderful, thank you." She slid the scales further across the counter. Her cheeks flushed a bit at Akbar's guess as to the last item on her list and she offered a weak sort of chuckle.

Not correct, but there was no need for him to know that. It was hardly anyone's business but her own.

[Wrathwyrm]

Ah, very good!  Akbar accepted the scales with an empathic nod and handed over the goods.

"A fine pleasure to be doing business with you."

Sano was, meanwhile, pulling out a few coins for the water and for a further amount for his own supply.  He was, after all, a traveler, of sorts.  Travelers need water far more than anything else.  The truth was...he wanted to know just what a troubled alchemist was going to make with all those items, though some of the ones on her list were not crossed off.

[DragonSong]

"I, um..." Ally bit her lip a little sheepishly. "I don't suppose either of you could point me in the direction I might need to go for the other supplies?"

[Wrathwyrm]

As Akbar was putting away the dragon scales, he heard Ally's question and accidentally thumped his head against the counter from below.  He then came back into sight, looking a bit confused.

"But this is Akbar's shop of many things!  Having water and food, ropes and bear traps, aromatic perfumes and comfortable hats!"

You may notice that Akbar did not like to give up a sale if it was possible for one to be had.  Sano tried to calm him down.  This turned out to be a mistake.

"Hey, hold on, Akbar.  I know you're a professional, if passionate, shopkeeper...but think of the economy.  You have to let people breathe life into other businesses and help it all stand together like one big circle of life thingy."

"Bah!  Know-nothing!  This is Essyrn, the city where fortunes are made and lost!  One cannnot live on bread and circuses alone!  First, run a little shop, then talk to Akbar of fair economy!"

Okay...Sano was backing away now, and he was picking up his mantle and putting his armor in his pocket as a small dagger, for safe keeping.  He glanced over at Ally, then.

"I'm sorry.  I think I pissed him off, a little.  I'll help you, if you like."

[DragonSong]

Ally, wide-eyed, mouthed a quick "Thank you" at Sano.

She nodded to Akbar and offered a smile. "Really, thank you for everything, but I should probably go."

[Wrathwyrm]

We can't really blame Akbar for wanting to make all the sales.  It wasn't about greed, so much as professional pride.  He enjoyed his work, and he didn't like to give up good business.  So, for the time being, Sano and Allaeya would be bidding a fond farewell to Akbar's Emporium.  Once outside, Sano had on his mantle, but his armor remained off and, apparently, contained in his pocket.

"So, what're you looking for, besides all that alchemy material?"

The good news was that he'd been in Essyrn long enough to get a feel for the city, and that his presence could actually help navigate it.  The bad news was that he didn't really know anybody, so there was no reputation he could use or anything.  He was just 'a visitor from the north'.

[DragonSong]

"Well...just those, really. And...a place to stay the night," she murmured with a small smile.

[Wrathwyrm]

"Ah.  Well, I don't think Akbar could provide that, anyway.  And if he can...I don't think we'd want it."

To this, he added a short laugh.  How was it that he could laugh while still trying to gather what might have to be a small army for a battle?  Maybe he was just crazy.  Well, why not?  Akbar's crazy.  His own father was crazy.  Connlaoth is crazy.  He could be onto something here.

"At any rate, I could take you to the inn where I'm staying.  It's nothing glamorous and you will have to pay the first night up-front, but you'll get your night's sleep well enough."

[DragonSong]

"Oh, I really just need a bed, I'm not particular about where it is." She smiled again. "Thank you, that's very kind of you."

[Wrathwyrm]

"No problem, but uhh..."

He started off, heading in the direction of the inn via the route he remembered.  His demeanor had kind of sobered up to something a bit more serious.

"There's some things I want to ask, and maybe you can help me with, since you're an alchemist and...since you looked about as troubled as I was when I was a kid.  Is that alright?"

He had some things on his mind apart from her appearing to have problems to deal with.

"If it's not, I still want to ask about some alchemy things.  Kind of important."

[DragonSong]

Ally blinked. "W-Well, um...sure, I suppose. If it's alchemy, I can probably help."

She wasn't quite sure what other questions he might have for her, so she decided not to comment on that.

[Wrathwyrm]

"Alright, so...it's like this.  I never liked home, and I don't give a damn about the country I was born to or even my family, who disowned me, but the last time my teacher was in Connlaoth, she was nearly killed by a vampire."

He let that set in, for all it implicated.  A dangerous vampire in 'We hate magic' country was like a tiger prowling in a neighborhood full of people alergic to cats.  You just don't see that, in most cases.  For it to be possible, that vampire would have to be...

"A strong one, maybe enough to not care about the presence of Mordecai, because he'd beat them to death or something.  I don't know.  All I know is that I need to kill it, and I'm looking for all that I can to do it with.  So, if you know anything - if you have anything - I could use on a vampire, something to blow it's mind, weaken it greatly, make it somehow manageable enough to be destroyed...I'd really appreciate it."

[DragonSong]

Ally stared at him. Slowly, she shook her head. "Well...to begin with, vampires won't be affected by mordecai. They are creatures of blood- whatever power they have, it isn't magic."

Another head shake. "And to be honest, I don't think I know of anything that could help. I could tell you every natural weakness I know vampires to possess, but I'm afraid I don't have some sort of cure-all potion that would help you."

[Wrathwyrm]

Now, it was Sano's turn to stare.  Not affected?  Not even a little?  Now, it made so much sense.  Dear gods...  He was putting a stop to Keefe assassinating people in Connlaoth because they effectively protected him from everybody else.  If a Mordecai had been present during her last visit, she would have been completely at his mercy.  Sano let out a sigh of exasperation, eyes on the ground for a second.

"This guy is really smart, probably thought of all the ways he could be attacked."

He glanced back at Ally, then.

"I didn't expect a cure-all, more of something that would react poorly to vampires because of how different they are to humans.  I've heard of some of the basic weaknesses, but I'm no expert.  I was hoping you had something in a book somewhere that could turn his skin to bronze or something like that.  I really would appreciate whatever help you can give me, Ally."

She was the expert on these matters, but he was hoping that an alchemist knew alot more than he did and that he could use such skill against the thing as much as power.

[DragonSong]

"Skin to bronze?" She quirked an eyebrow with a bit of a smile. "I'm flattered you must think I'm so skilled."

Sobering, she added, "I don't know. I might be able to come up with something, but I'd need supplies, research materials..."

[Wrathwyrm]

"You know alot more than I do, so I was kinda' hoping.  At any rate, I shouldn't pressure you over something like this right now, not when you probably have your own problems."

This was where he thought he might try to find out...what it was that made her seem so forlorn and defeated, as a person.  They were nearly at the inn by now, so if he was going to learn anything, it may as well be broached sooner than later.

[DragonSong]

"I don't mind helping, if I can," she assured him with a smile. "It may just take some time... Is there a way I could contact you, while you're staying in Essyrn?"