fate_has_spoken | (no subject)

[It's not the bard's fault he's kicking around the weirdest part of town. They made it weird, he swears. He's just there because it's his job.

Honest.

Don't make him roll a bluff check.

At the moment, one colorfully-dressed Oscar Adamsonson is mugging it up outside a pub. For some reason there's a hulking bouncer in the doorway eyeing him. Maybe because he just ejected Oscar from the establishment and doesn't want him to sneak back in. For his part, Oscar is making a show of addressing whoever happens to be nearby.]

I knew there was a plague, but that was a dead stiff audience.

[No need to wait for the drum rimshot. He can make his own.]

[Clapping for him. Way, way too formally overdressed with top hat and all considering the back alley nature of Eel's end. The man is amused! Highly amused. And don't be bothered by the grayish skin. It looks healthy!

He walks over and attempts to take the other's hat an ispect it.]

I see they don't appreciate your colorful nature.

[A blonde woman in a long, plain, black coat is strolling near old Korvosa's side of the bridge. She's walking slowly, one hand in her pocket, and the other holding a lit cigarette she puffs on idly as the start of the bridge comes into view for her. Not too unusual -- but this is the third time she's looped around to pass this the bridge in a short time today, and she's a little too keenly interested as her eyes rake over the details of the area.]

[This time, she stops before she reaches the bridge. Hesitates. Brushes a little dust from her pants with a gloved hand. Shakes her head. She mutters:] No use in putting it off.

[And marches right for the bridge. She puts on a bored expression and keeps her movements similarly relaxed. Of course she's supposed to cross here. Nothing to see here, folks. Definitely not someone escaping a plague, no sir.]

[Fake it until you make it, right?]

[This guy is on the bridge. Top hat. Suit. Not truly armor for this fantasy dnd day and age. He's also got a fishing line going all the way down to the river. Yeah, that river. Wouldn't eat anything out of it. Fish down there probably have three heads.

Tyki does tilt his head when he sees the woman. He looks first at her, and then her cigarette. He tilts his hat.]

Miss.

[ooc: In reply to your question, full memories, no memories, whatever! I am easy. Tyki is also dumb enough that I can do whatever XD. He'll have all his various au/dr/psl/memories. But again, dumb so he rolls with anything. Just let me know if she pings as 'akuma' still.]

Sir.

[She sounds bored and, at first, continues walking -- keeping up appearances -- but then the sight of him really registers. She stops, turns back, and looks him up and down with a strange expression. He does stand out a bit, after all.]

... Catch anything good today?

[If Tyki recognizes her, he'll see she's in the same body he put her in. Has kept her hair somewhat long, but hastily tied back. She seems in good health -- alert and aware.

She gives off the feeling of... not quite an Akuma. Something close to that, but she certainly seems to be a living, breathing human, not a machine in human skin.]

((ooc: No worries, then! It'll be fun to see how things play out. I won't rule out jostling some memories loose for TS if things roll that way, but for now, she's got nada.))

[Pulling up an empty line and hook. Looks like he didn’t even put any bait on it.]

Afraid not, Miss...

[Standing and putting his fishing rod aside. He circles her not so much a predatory way but rather somehow if he got a full 360 view it would help. Help what? Well. He hasn’t got that far yet. ]

The bridge is closed on the end to travelers. The queen’s personal guard is keeping everyone in. Wouldn’t want the sick riff raft getting the nobles a cold. Or so they say.

[She furrows her brows at the bait-less line, then tenses up a little as she's circled -- but otherwise tries to look relaxed, taking a drag off her cigarette.]

Oh? Know this from personal experience, do you?

[She looks him up and down pointedly.]

Are you certain they weren't only stopping you? One plague is bad enough. It makes sense not to let in 'patient zero' for a second plague -- or whatever it is that happened to you.

I do. I went down there earlier this morning. That's why I am here fishing instead of already eating breakfast. You might fit in though. They were a complete guard of women.

[Chuckling as he rubs a thumb across his face. The action shows a smear of paint showing tannish skin underneath.]

Carnival makeup.

[Another brush to smooth it back over to gray. Somewhat. It really isn't paint, but cheating, and makeup probably doesn't work like that. But look, Tyki made an effort. An effort!]

And no need for such a face, lass. But I have to ask, have we met before?

[She relaxes, seeing the gray wiped away briefly. It's strange in her book, sure. But not plague-y.]

I doubt we've met before. You strike me as the kind of person someone doesn't forget. If I'm familiar to you... [She shrugs.] Well, perhaps have one of those faces. The kind you half-remember so you think you see all over.

Were you trying to escape the plague as well, earlier? Couldn't charm your way through with some carnival tricks?

I have met a few faces. Perhaps... Hmmm.

[He sits back on the edge of the bridge and motions for her to join.]

As lively as this part of town is, I'd like to have access to the entire city. The old part of town has it's charm.

Or perhaps I simply don't enjoy being trapped here. And I can assure you, I am plague free. If I'm lying, well, I suppose that won't be your problem come seven days or so. Unless I'm cured before then.

Escaping the plague yourself? Or off to get help for someone who has it?

[She looks down toward the guarded end of the bridge for a long moment, then shrugs and sits next to him. The situation will be the same whether or not she takes a few minutes to chat.]

[She gives him a wry smile.] You'll have to forgive me if I'm less concerned about you possibly having the plague and more concerned about me catching it. I don't know all the symptoms; perhaps the first sign is being a poor fisherman.

As for what I was doing -- well, it's not so different from you, it seems. I'm more inclined to stay somewhere if I'm not told I must.

If they have a cure, too... Better to have it on hand and not need it than the other way around, don't you think?

[Smiling that she is actually accepting his proposal for a nice view of this really, really not clean water. Romantic!]

Ah, that is the thing about plauges, hm. They love to share, but no one likes them. Must be a lonely life.

[Putting his line back into the water.]

I've heard a few churches are boasting a cure. A few shops here and there.

[A fat pause.]

You aren't sick, are you?

[Possibly a little more romantic than going for a boat ride right on the water. Well, perhaps growing a third arm or second head would be nice anyway, right?]

No, I'm not sick. I'm just not waiting until I am sick to do anything about it, and I'd rather not go begging at the feet of priests for a first step.

But really, I'm surprised. You're turned away from leaving this part of town, and that's that? No looking for another way out? Don't tell me you're the type to give up so easily.

[Spare parts!]

Come now, you have a whole wide variety of priests to choose from. Capitalists. Gravediggers. Justice warriors. Demon worshipers. I'm sure you can find one you like.

[Surprise. Surprise. Nothing is biting.]

My, my, I was. Just at my own pace, but if I have a partner in jail break, well, that would me more fun, wouldn't it?

Perhaps I'm not so eager to risk putting my fate in the hands of false gods. At least, can you imagine asking demon worshipers to cure you out of the goodness of their hearts?

Oh? At your pace, were you hoping to wait out the plague? [She leans back, cocking her head a little and smiling.] I had my own plans to pass the guards, but you might be able to convince me to join you.

If you're a better planner than you are a fisherman.

Of course not. The donation is a pint of blood if I recall. Maybe they drink it.

[He laughs at her jibe not offended at all.]. Hoh? Care on sharing with the rest of us? Going to charm the ladies with your good looks. Pretend to be one of them. Wait until nightfall.

As for my own plan, well, it is still in the works. Somehow I imagine you aren’t surprised.

Well, well, they sound like even less of an option than before. I doubt these demon worshipers will last long, themselves, if they happen to handle infected blood.

More or less, [she says lightly.] My chances might be worse -- I'd expected the guards to be men -- but who knows? I might still turn a head or two if I try. I wasn't planning to stick around longer than it takes to get through, regardless.

If that doesn't work, and your own plans never materialize... [She plucks at the fishing line, trying to pull the bait-less hook up from the water to make a point.] You're welcome to join me for plan B. Unless you'd like to try that first. I'm afraid your carnival makeup might get in the way of plan A.

Why are you in this city anyway?

[The line is easily pulled up and as expected empty.]

I'd be delighted to help a lovely, young lady with her plan B. I can even remove thi makeup if you would prefer. Unless plan B needs me to the play the actor of a disease victim. I might have some greener shades of makeup somewhere.

Why shouldn't I be here? I like to travel. Unfortunately, the brochures were a little out of date. Nothing about a plague or a quarantine. Your turn: what are you doing here?

If you remove the makeup, you might even be able to help with plan A. Between the two of us, I'm sure we could charm at least one guard into letting someone though.

Plan B is a little simpler, but we might both get through at once. [She gestures with her cigarette to the shore on the quarantined side.] Find a boat. [Gestures to the opposite side.] Spot a place to land it. [Waves the cigarette in a small circle between the two.] Don't fall in the water.

[He laughs.]

I can agree with the love of travel as well as the outdated brochure. I came because I heard of a rumor of the curse of the crimson throne. Came to see the throne for myself. Afraid the old man died before I got here and his trophy wife took over. Things were quite a mess. Are still a mess. Hellish knights trying to keep order. Everything in disarray. No one expects the young queen to keep the peace though she is trying. I approve of her all female guard anyway.

My, my, was that a compliment on my good looks?

[Attempting to take her hand and kiss her knuckle.]

Brains and beauty. I suppose then all we need is a boat or raft and the cover of night. Wouldn’t want to be speared with arrows as we make our way.

"Curse of the crimson throne"? Hellish knights? And a new queen, to boot. They really do need to update those brochures. Tell me, what was so intriguing about a cursed throne that you had to see it?

Don't let it go to your head. Maybe I just think you'll clean up well enough for someone else. [Her tone is teasing.]

[She lets him kiss her knuckle, but she will pull her hand away after.]

Oh? I'm not so concerned. I'm sure a gentleman such as yourself wouldn't let a lady come to harm, if it came down to it. [Her tone is clear that's she's just kidding again.] I suppose we can wait until dark if you'd rather not be a human shield. The hardest part will be getting a boat or raft at all.

They say whomever sits on the throne is cursed to not produce any heirs. The last few rulers they had to find distant relatives from a few countries away. Hence, the very young and now very inexperienced queen as choice in partner. As for the Hell Knights, well, perhaps we'll run into them. Religious order. Don't take no for an answer. That sort of thing.

[He seems both intrigued and amused by her response.]

The raft I can acquire. It might not be the most sturdy or useful for a return trip, but it will get us across. And yes, I rather like this suit. I'd rather not put holes in it.

I see... That's almost disappointing, about the throne. It isn't much of a spectacle. What good is a curse when you can hardly tell the difference between it and poor luck? As for these Hell Knights -- did they simply decide on their own that they were best-equipped should keep things under control, or do they have some understanding with this new queen?

Well, if we want to cross back to the quarantined side later, I don't imagine we'd need a raft. Just walking up to the guards and identifying ourselves as the sort of riffraff they wanted to keep out might work. How do you expect to get the raft, though?

I still am curious to see it. You can't say you've seen cursed items everyday, can you? As for the Hell Knights. I have no idea. Maybe we should ask around for them.

I know someone who knows someone. Isn't how these things normally work? Or at least I think I know someone. We will find out.

[Standing and just leaving his fishing rod here.]

That's true enough. Do you think it's the physical throne that's cursed? Ah... from what you've told me, perhaps we should lay low near these Hell Knights. I assume, by the name, I'll know them when I see them.

Ah, you're better-connected than I am. Better-informed, as well. How long have you been in the city?

[She stands up and walks in stride next to him.]