DarkheartOne/LogOneSeven
Fire! Smoke! Glitter! The crash of cymbals and the chest-shaking pounding of huge drums! Of course a bunch of performers attempting to drum up attendance would be this loud and proud about their line of work, but it's odd to see them gadding about in the central slave auction courtyard within Solace, entertaining as only they can.
Gallant's crew are a healthy bunch, and seeing that it's a Guild town, they're dressed to impress and... ah... catch eyes, both male and female. That said, it's not so hectic as to make casual conversation impossible, but it's a mildly distracting backdrop for whatever is going on in the marketplace...
While the thankfully still empty auction courtyard still makes her twich a bit, Rio certainly enjoys the spectacle. Especially of the female performers. She's currently sitting by a table in a wooden chair, watching the performance with a distracted air.
Dyna is sitting next to Rio, smiling thoughtfully at the performers as they do their thing. "You know, they've been really good to me..."
<Rio> Eh?
Another of Dyna and Rio's fellow travelers walks over to the table, watching the performance with obvious appreciation. "Ah, I do love a good fair. May I?"
<Dyna> Oh, I came here with them. I'd been travelling with them as a performer before I came here... oh, Laranth! Sure, have a seat.
Rio half nods to Larath, eyes glued on the (female) performers. "Uh-hu."
Laranth sits down. "Thank you. And... this is the company you travel with? My congratulations, then."
<Rio> ... do you have a dress like that?
<Dyna> ... What?
Dyna blushes slightly. "Oh, no! I was The Living Abacus! I solved complex math problems in my head!"
<Rio> ... too bad.
Rio keeps looking.
<Laranth> Oh, I see. Rather a different act from these, then? But probably less enticing to a Guild crowd.
Deis watches the performers with a bit of childish amusement, his head cocked in curiosity.
<Dyna> You'd really be surprised at the crowd you can hold with the right math.
Laranth nods. "I suppose so. I've got a brother who's that kind of bookish, and there must be more like him."
Gallant, perched high above the antics, whistles to Dyna for a moment, then throws her a rose with a most dramatic sweep of the arm.
Dyna catches it in one hand, smiling and waving to Gallant.
<Rio> ... you sure you don't have a dress like those?
<Dyna> Um... yes?
Dyna raises an eyebrow at Rio.
<Laranth> .. she has a point!
Rio finally tears away her eyes from the performance and takes a drink from a bottle of what is presumably liquor. "Shame. You'd do it justice."
<Deis> A point?
<Dyna> ...
Dyna blushes and shrinks a bit.
<Laranth> No offense meant, you understand.
Rio scans the crowd for a moment... and then grins a bit. "Hey! Deis! Kid! Over here!"
Dyna nods, still a bit red in the cheeks. "Thanks."
Deis walks over at Rio's beckoning, almost ready to ask if the point were the ones he saw on Dyna's chest "Huh? What is it Rio?"
<Rio> Siddown! What are you doing all the way over there?
Laranth smiles. "Right. Have a seat!"
Dyna nods, gesturing for Deis to sit.
Deis flops down next to Dyna, scratching his head. "Okay... so, what did you want me for Mr. Laranth?"
<Laranth> Nothing in particular, but there's no reason not to spend the festival with company.
Gallant preps another handful of roses... but only the stems leave his hands as the flowers themselves flutter to his feet. He pauses, glances over at the daggers sticking into a sign ('BEHOLD THE CIRQUE GALLANT!'), then rolls his eyes. "Oh, shall Gallant throw roses your way, then?" A largish fellow, inexplicably in all black (it's a tad warm) and a gleaming steel mask simply blows theatrically before returning to slicing up fruit via expert knife-juggling.
Rio looks at that display in particular and blinks. "... man, how can he stand the heat?"
<Laranth> That's a good question. Especially with the steel, in this heat...
<Dyna> I haven't seen him before... Gallant must've picked him up here in Solace.
<Laranth> Oh?
Deis nibbles an apple, still watching. "This is a bit much for a celebration, isn't it?"
<Dyna> Yeah, he's always looking for new talent.
Having caught that, the man stops slicing and bows yet again. Gallant laughs, kicking his feet. "His pen is the dagger, and his paper the world! Ask, and Gallant is certain he can make most unusual, glorious poetry! He's a tad quiet, though... Gallant imagines it's some mysterious act." Gallant wiggles his fingers.
Laranth turns to Deis and shrugs. "It's the opening of a new Guild outpost. They want to make quite a to-do and seem very wealthy and impressive. It's as good a way to do it as any."
<Deis> But... wouldn't that make them... rather foppish and not as serious as they might want to come off as?
<Dyna> So, Gallant! What does the newcomer call himself?
<Laranth> A bit foppish, maybe, but there's no harm in that. Everyone's got to have fun sometime.
Gallant grins. "Dyna, darling! This new fellow is The Steel Tempest, whirlwind of blades! He wowed Gallant the moment Gallant saw him... and his price was just right."
<Dyna> He's pretty impressive.
Rio nods in agreement, taking another drink.
The Tempest occupies himself by juggling six knives.. or maybe seven, it's hard to tell. He's not even looking at them, though, that expressionless helmet's visor levelled on the small group expectantly.
Laranth turns to watch the Tempest, nodding. "Impressive skill."
<Rio> ... I once saw a pirate do that, but with less knives.
Deis sits, entranced by the dancing blades.
<Dyna> It's pretty nice to have a diversion like this. I've had a lot on my mind, lately.
<Dyna> ... well, we all have. It's pretty heavy stuff.
<Laranth> These have been interesting times.
Rio takes another drink, looking at the juggler. "... hey! Can you handle more of those?"
The Tempest seems to consider for a moment, hands falling away from the circle of flashing steel to pat his pockets theatrically. Coming up with nothing, his helmet slowly swivels downward to three more knives on the ground. His boots move down, impaling the knife tips in the leather and flicking the toe upward. He works all three into his routine like that, still effortlessly juggling.
Rio ... whistles a bit.
<Laranth> ... oh, nicely done!
<Rio> Yeah, see, the pirate? He intimidated the crew to hell until Cook threw his knife at him. Fingers flew then.
<Dyna> ... while he was juggling?
<Rio> I said "pirate", didn't I?
<Dyna> It strikes me as a really bad idea to do that around people who don't like you.
<Laranth> If he's done this for a while, I'm sure he's had to fend of his share of attacks.
<Rio> Well, the pirate was nasty with those juggling daggers. I suspect he might be the same... that's a lot of daggers.
<Dyna> I think that guy still has all his fingers.
As if on cue, the black-clad man starts tossing the daggers high into the air. They fly artfully, blades pointing straight upward until they've reached their zenith, when they make a 180-degree turn and start dropping. All ten are in the air by the time the first nears him once more.
Rio ... whistles again.
Laranth's eyes widen, and he nods appreciatively. "A risky trick."
The Tempest flows into motion with liquid grace, snatching each knife out of the air and resting the blades between two fingers. Soon, his hands are full, and there's still two plummeting downward..
Rio blinks. "... whoa... hey..."
Dyna watches intently... she's seen a lot of dangerous tricks, but it never quite loses its impact...
Laranth inhales and... doesn't exhale.
He leans forward, catching the ninth blade on the raised crest of his mask, the thin blade quivering. Twirling on his heel, black garments flowing around him, he steps backwards, left leg moving forward as his body forms an almost T. The knife falls and hits.. the pommel of the other blade on his mask, balanced perfectly. <Rio> ... o_o
Laranth exhales and then begins to applaud.
<Dyna> Well that's a new one on me... I've seen knife jugglers, sword jugglers... but never that.
Dyna claps as well, her eyes widened a bit with surprise.
Rio finally stops staring, setting the bottle on the table, and claps as well. "That was... damn impressive, really."
The man slides effortlessly into a bow, catching the knives as they fall from his mask and sliding all ten into his belt.
<Rio> ... aren't you hot in that thing?
<Laranth> Your company's lucky to have picked him up, Dyna. He's a marvel.
<Dyna> I'll say... he'll be a much better draw than I ever was.
The Tempest spins on his heel, glancing up at Gallant.
Dyna narrows her eyes, adjusting her glasses a bit as she looks at the Tempest.
Gallant simply smiles, although he's probably trying to gauge more than talent. He looks impressed, at least.
<Dyna> ... a little too good, really.
<Rio> Who cares? ^_^
Rio takes the bottle again, tips it back, and... pulls it away, shaking it down. "... crap. I'm out."
Dyna taps Rio on the shoulder and motions for her to lean over towards her.
Laranth glances towards Dyna and Rio, vaguely curious expression on his face. "Hm?"
Rio ... leans over, curious.
The man nods once and moves off to the side, pulling out a cloth and a small flat stone. He's clearly working on his knives, allowing a burly fire-breather to take the spotlight.
Dyna motions for Deis and Laranth to come closer as well.
Laranth scoots his chair over to listen closer.
Dyna whispers, just loud enough for the others to hear. "... I'm pretty sure he's like us."
Rio ... actually giggles, and pulls away. "Not necesarily."
<Laranth> .. I suppose it's possible. What makes you think that?
Dyna taps her glasses. "I've got an eye for it."
<Laranth> Ah, I see.
<Rio> Could just be a dragon blood or a godblood...
<Dyna> We should still check it out.
<Rio> Oh sure.
<Laranth> How would you suggest we do so? Ask him?
<Rio> Do you go to strangers and say "Hello, I notice you use essence. Are you an Anathema?"
<Dyna> For now, just ask him what brings him here. Make note of his skill with those knives... see where that goes.
<Laranth> Generally not. That's why I asked. And... hm, yes, that seems the best way to handle it.
<Dyna> I think I can handle it, unless one of you wants to do it.
Rio shrugs.
<Laranth> I'll keep an eye out, but you can get closest to him.
Dyna nods. "I'll be careful." *And with that, she stands and starts making her way over to the man who calls himself The Tempest."
Laranth raises his voice again. "... so! Solace. A delightful city."
The Tempest is working on his seventh knife and leaning against a wooden post, apparently oblivious to Dyna's approach.
<Rio> Yyyyyep... nice little place. Good booze too.
Dyna smiles warmly at the large man. "Hi there!"
He glances up, nods, and returns his attention to sharpening the knife.
<Dyna> My name's Dyna, I do the Living Abacus act. You were really something out there. I've seen people juggle knives before, but never like that.
The mask cants a bit to the left, curious. The stone slides over the flat of the blade, shaving off almost microscopic flakes of steel.
<Dyna> You must've been a part of some really big shows with skill like that. Anybody I might recognize?
He pauses, shakes his head once, and continues.
Dyna seats herself on a post near the Tempest, hands folded in her lap.
<Dyna> Well, this place is full of opportunities for talented people.
The Tempest... nods.
<Dyna> I know a few people you might want to talk to, if you're looking to be somethign besides a circus knife thrower.
He considers for a moment, and then nods once.
<Dyna> My friends and I could introduce you, but we'd probably need to arrange an appointment. However, with talent like that I really doubt they're going to turn you down.
<Dyna> Until we get a chance to talk to someone, would you like to join us?
Another pause, and then a firm shake of the head.
Dyna jabs a thumb back toward Deis, Rio, and Laranth. "Everybody's right over there, save one."
<Dyna> I think people of our talent should stick together.
He nods once.. and then glances significantly over her other shoulder, tensing slightly, one hand slipping down to his knife-belt.
Dyna raises an eyebrow curiously, and turns to see what he's looking at.
There is, surprisingly, nothing of interest there. Or in front of her, as the Tempest seems to have made his escape while she was distracted.
Dyna looks at the now unoccupied post and shrugs. She lets herself down and makes her way back towards the others.
Rio appears to have distracted herself getting another bottle of booze and offering Laranth some.
Laranth is drinking! Well, drinking a little, anyway. He looks up at Dyna. "... I take it it didn't go well."
- back to Rising Force
