Log:About Dreams And Tokens

About Dreams And Tokens
Participants Vorpal, Etsy	21 December, 2017 Thurgood flees. What bores Vorpal. What Etsy is best at. Playmates and grudges. A plan of action.
Location WR01 - Lazy Otter Downs
Fact the first: Reggie has a butler. His name is Thurgood. Really. He has a butler. Fact the second: when Vorpal arrives at the house? Thurgood opens the door and then slowly edges away from it, making quiet, confused, British noises. Etsy, wearing her favorite dress (the Hedgespun one that's empire-waisted and looks like it's made of ocean waves slowly crashing over her, is resting on a divan with a large cup of broth. There's coffee on the side table. Thurgood's vague noises of distress as he disappears into another room make her lift her head from what she's looking at -- some sort of massive magazine, there are folded pages and bookmarks all through it -- and call, "Is probably you, a Vorpal, is coming in, thank! And closing door, not Thurgood faults is forgets." She is Calm's motleymate, after all. Thurgood shuffling away terrified is a fairly normal occurrence. Nor is it an odd thing for Vorpal to be avoided on sight by mortals unless he's making himself SFW- Safe For the World. Which, to be blunt, he isn't. He strides into the room, calling after Thurgood, "No offense taken, my good man! Happens to the best of us. Well," he corrects. "The best of -you-, anyhow." He sweeps a bow towards the elegantly dressed floof, in his usual worn garb beneath the newer, fancy-ish RAF-cut greatcoat. He shuts the door behind himself, flicking the lock, if there is one, out of simple habit. "You're looking lovely, Etsy. Is that Hedgespun, or just fantastically well made?" "Is made of a waves," Etsy answers, dragging her fingers through the watery dress's fabric. So: Hedgespun. She closes the thing she'd been 'reading' (a bridal magazine) and sets both it and the cup of broth aside. Leaf juice, aka tea, is gross when you're an obligate carnivore. "Am liking this dress for favorites everyday," she sighs, and doesn't rise to her feet. "Not having on shoes, please forgive not getting ups." Moving her 'feet' subtly, the fins which the pinnipedal Lost has instead of proper feet sort of flop over the edge of the divan on which she lounges. "Is a coffees here if wants. Have seats!" And then a pause. "Reggie would like the coats of newness. Is very much like his old uniforms." There is, for a brief instant, a flash of hostility. It's hard to quantify. She can't see his eyes, and his expression doesn't drop to angry so much as flatline for a short moment. It's not enough to CLEARLY insist on the sense it inflicts, but it inflicts it nonetheless. But it IS brief, and passes as he waves her off dismissively. "No. I don't do coffee." Long pause. "But thank you." The compliment rockets him right back into good humors, and he fluffs the collar, grinning. "Would he, now? I'm rather a fan. It's after my time, I'm afraid, but it DOES look nice, doesn't it? I had a lovely peacoat, but I attended a function wearing the exact one as another Harvestman. Just couldn't have that. Now." He turns fully towards the mermaid for the first time since his bow. "How can I be of service?" -> >> Etsy to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 2 Successes < 1 1 1 3 6 7 7 7 8 9 > ==================-> >> Wits + Empathy.Adroitness + 1 No Flags << <- The brief flash of hostility from Vorpal has Etsy's perfectly-formed, thin black eyebrow rising. It's a bit Vulcan-esque, but it works. She absently floofs her sea-salt-beaded black hair, a wash of pleasant lily-scent washing the room. Her Spring Mantle crawls out around where she's settled. "He would, because is RAF, yes? Reggies did a flyings for the RAF. Is afters times of mine also, but did a learnings." That thin white-gold band on her left first knuckle -- set away from her hand, due to the webbing and all -- is idly fiddled with. "As likings. Cannot drinks a coffees so much myselfs." Picking up her broth, she takes a swallow of it, making a dismissive gesture with the other hand. "No. No one wears same things as me, so is never problems." She is a tiny mermaid, who ever wears the same thing she does? "Tokens," she clarifies with a single word. "You were speakings about." "Ah! That would make sense, then. Suppose he -would- find it familiar, wouldn't he?" Vorpal nods firmly, not the least bothered to remain standing while Etsy lounges. Her display of her flippers earns a nod- he understands all too well. "Can't? Why's that?" "You understand, then," he surmises at her comment on wardrobes. "As for tokens- in which context? Do you mean at Court?" "Yes. Am trying to say, does not have to do a uniforms for a weddings, but, will want to do a uniforms, am thinks. Will need a made specials, for otterness," rambles Etsy somewhat distractedly. When he asks why she can't drink coffee so much, Etsy ... smiles. The thing about when Etsy smiles, like, actually smiles, is that her delicate little mermaid face and her perfect, sweet blue lips shift, all the better to bare her piranha-like teeth, a fearsome sight that's completely out of keeping with the rest of her appearance. "Coffee is not a meats," she answers after the smile fades, and then takes another sip of her beef broth, tiny blue tongue licking her lips. The savageness of her is never really gone, even being the tiny floof that she is. "Yes. I am understands." Her sea-change eyes flicker, then. "Yes, as said at Courts. I have not heard a thing from a Robbies in an ages, must start a works without him. Cannot waits any mores. So. To find the poisoned dreamers, is a token best. Reggies did have a sayings, of course, and others, but not enough to talks. So." "For Reggie, do you mean?" Vorpal makes the little leap, since HE certainly isn't otterish in the slightest. "Are you two to be married? That's lovely! And... explains the bridal magazine and ring, I suppose," Vorpal mutters, piecing it together at last. "Congratulations!" Her flashing teeth leave his own gleaming in a grin, less razored but no less predatorial for it. "I -see.- Do you forgo herbs in your cooking as well? Suppose salt isn't an issue, so things would at least still taste -good-... hrm. Never considered that aspect of a carnivore diet." He shrugs, though, curiosity sated. "Poisoned dreams. I'm sorry, is that what they meant when they referred to dreams? When Lulu spoke to me of it, she was... less than specific, I'm afraid. And dreams aren't my forte- though helping to retrieve them, or gather trade to barter for them, certainly are. Do you have a lead on an unclaimed token? Or will we be braving the Market?" Laughter slowly peals out of Etsy, then: some people use the phrase 'musical laughter', but they've never heard a siren laugh, so they don't know that 'laughing in arpeggios' is totally a thing. "Yes, for a Reggies. Can you imagines in a uniforms, a mermaids?" She shakes her head a little, setting her black curls to bouncing, as if this is the most ridiculous thing she's ever heard. "Thankings! Am so much a happies. He did for me building an airplanes, and then we did an engage. Is not a proper rings, but did not do a choosings yet." She shrugs vaguely at that. "Mostly, do a hedgefruit seasons. Salt not a problems, is a salt water mermaids. Reginas makes such good foods. Is a Knight of Tongue Knowledges." Etsy, that makes it sound obscene. Which, well. Regina's cooking is very sexy. So maybe it is. "She is usings a hedgefruits, which is differents and does not upset a mermaid stomachs even one little bits." "Yes. Is a dream poisons. Is hurting the humans, and is spreads. Poisons is a usual words, but this is like... maybe best word is like... dream diseases? Or dream... funguses. Is spreads by contacts of dreams, and is doing from a Gentry." She shakes her head, then. "I do not have any of those things. Tokens is not what I am goodness at. Dreams is what I am goodness at. Just looking fors... " A pause. "A detector for the dreaming funguses. Dreaming poisons, yes? So we can finds the peoples who needs us easiers." -> >> Vorpal to Here << <-============================================ Rolled 3 Successes < 1 3 4 5 5 6 8 8 10 > ===================-> >> Manipulation + Subterfuge + 1 8-Again << <- -> >> Etsy to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 5 Successes for an exceptional success. < 2 3 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 10 10 10 > ==================-> >> Wits + Empathy.Adroitness + 1 No Flags << <- It's not terribly difficult for the clever mermaid to pick up that, no matter how polite he's trying to be? Vorpal is, to be blunt, bored. Every moment spent talking about something as mundane as getting married is like a ticking clock chattering in his ear, and- though he IS good at hiding it- it's just not enough to escape her notice. The token talk? That's interesting enough to hold his focus. But talk of wardrobes and diets and everything else? There's a very well crafted smile intended to shield Etsy from the core thought of "GET ON WITH IT." "An -airplane.- He built you one? That must have taken ages." Vorpal responds politely. "And, as for seasonings, if you have any need of specific ones, do let me know- it's always a lark to go fruit hunting." "Dreams, walking through walls, swimming, and singing are what you are goodness at, if I recollect properly. Very well. You'll be needing protection, whether we hunt one in the Hedge or find one for sale. Do you have a preference as for which mortal danger you'd rather subject yourself to?" -> >> Etsy to Here << <-============================================== Rolled 7 Successes for an exceptional success. < 1 1 1 2 2 5 5 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 10 > -> >> Manipulation + Persuasion.Big_Eyes + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 9-Again << ==== The thing is that Etsy is like, really used to people being bored when she talks to them, unless she like, makes them interested. She's a floof, and that is what it is. She's also a Playmate, and they tend to be rather spiteful, sometimes. This is someone who could start talking like a normal person but has doubled-down on her particular speech patterns since being made fun of about them, after all. Love the merms, love how she talks, or miss out on the fabulous. "Yes, it did take an ages, and was so much happiness about that. Not as interesting as the Dragonflies that does the Hedge flyings, but ... maybe will get my owns sometimes." Cheerful, polite, and perfectly content to bore the fuck out of Vorpal if that's what it takes. Or maybe she just finds it funny. "Yes, is a shortness list, there are hidden talents of a mermaids but that is the best-knowings list. I can get from anywheres outness, if needing an escapes. Though am only doing thats for people who are appreciates a mermaids doing that, anymores." A tiny huff, and she shifts her weight. "Well, was thinkings, also, talk to Librarians Aaron Fletchers, is a goodness of tokens. And maybe markets... am not knowings. Billy Ray can make a tokens also. But probably will need severals. Am seeking advice of persons who knows the ways of getting, so: what is way bestness, do you thinking?" "Happiness? About how long it took, Etsy, or about its completion? Have you been flying in it yet? Can you fly it yourself?" Points of curiosity surface through the swamp of the tedious, and are met with a flurry of questions, much as he'd meet a group of intriguing foes with a flurry of lancing strikes. "Are there those unappreciative of your talents? Do they not like mirrors?" "Yes, I'm familiar with Fletcher. Didn't know he was here. Do now, though. And from what I hear, making tokens is a process of weeks, if not months. If it's a current problem? We'd probably be best served checking the market, and trying to find some tokens we can afford the cost of." "About the having of the planes," explains Etsy, absently flipping one of her fins as she shifts her weight, rolling to lounge on her side, as a mermaid should. She sets aside the mug, broth almost gone. "Because is a walkings so much annoyance and painfuls. Can do a drivings, all Couriers must know a drives, but long drivings means so much pushing on a pedals with a foots, and takes so longs. Is a gift for me very specials." She curls one of her locks around a forefinger. "Been once for an instructions, can do a flyings on my own a little bits. Still learnings. Oh! And has a controls for hands, so not needing pedals. Built for a mermaids specials. All hand controllings." A small, savage smile. "Not reading many newspapers old, am guessings. I did help a persons once, and still having marks on my back from bus tires where was throwed unders." Her tiny nose wrinkles up. "No, just an asshole." What a word from that delicate little creature. "Yes, is my thinkings also, should go to a Markets, just -- being sures. Not bad to know for the futures, to have this kind of tokens. I think is a goodness for a Watchers to have a thing to go -- boop -- oh you are a poisoneds or you are a not poisoneds in your dreams. But for now... " Her voice trails off. Vorpal nods as his wonder is answered. He blinks at her comment about newspapers, and murmurs, "Nooo, I can't say I do follow the papers. Why, what should I have read? Who threw you under the bus? Be nice to know who to expect that from." He tips his head, surprised at her nasty comment. "Yes, I'd say that's wise. Though my concern is that we may be going without much to trade that won't cost us dearly. We'd do better to pay the cost up front in blood and sweat, finding things worth trading, rather than -finding- something in ourselves they'll trade for. If you follow my drift." She sniffs slightly, and pushes her hair from her shoulder with one webbed hand. "Reggies says I should not be pettiness and should rise aboves," the mermaid sniffs again, before covering half of her mouth with that webbed hand and whispering, 'C.B. Alexander.' Because who knows if Reggie is here or if Thurgood is listening and reporting to him on whether or not Etsy is really letting grudges go. (Playmates never let grudges go.) Sniff! "I do understandings. I am not so much for a Markets, myself, but we can do a finding. What are thinkings? Like... things for makings? Can go and bring back a things... to do a trades?" Vorpal barks laughter, short and vicious, at the name shared. "You are -not- the only one with a hate-on for that man. I gotcha. He does seem about the only person who'd find a way to seem ungrateful in the wake of an escape plan." "Things for makings, other tokens, rare fruits or oddments- things that would require danger to find, almost guaranteed. I'm not sure how powerful a token you'd need to diagnose dream infection, but better we come with more than we need than too little- though one rarely arrives with more than they turn out needing. Barter With Blood. It's the only real tender, I suspect." Those webbed hands are spread, and she shrugs theatrically. "'Mermaids' ending up in newspapers, was so much a crossness. Of course he is a crazies so no one cared, but I was a crossness," Etsy sighs, and then she absently arranges the waves crashing over her legs, that pretty, elaborate dress. "I am not knowings. Maybe Aaron Fletchers can tell us how powerfuls? And then we can go get the things... and try to find a trades. So you are thinkings... we go to do a trades and say 'is what we haves'? I am not to trading parts of a mermaids, or memories. Doing that once, never doing agains." Etsy's little nose wrinkles up. Vorpal says, “Ah. Yes, I can- imagine that being frustrating. How did he get you in the paper, I wonder." Vorpal shrugs. It's only so important, after all. "That's a good start. Inquire with him. It'll give us an idea what we'll need. It can't hurt to check the market first to see if anyone has something they'd part with, and then perhaps offer to hunt something out of their reach- but those should be our first steps, if you ask me."” The mermaid's hands flip dismissively. Not worth talking about anymore. "We can go and do the searchings at the Markets anytimes. Maybe to get a prices there alsos. Possibles if ask at a markets can get like... " Etsy looks thoughtful. "Sometimes when people are knowings there is a thing you wants, sometimes the price is highers, but sometimes it becomes lowers, because are knowings they can do a sellings. Usually if I make it knowings I am wanting a things... it becomes mines." Which is what happens when you are a persuasive little floof? "Then playing escort rather than bargainer will serve me well in that case. We'll do just that, then, when you've time. Aside from working on the Arena, I've little else occupying my time these days. Inform me, and I'll make time." Vorpal doesn't think twice about sliding off the subject. It feels natural to him.