The Market

[travelagency]

Who: Merchants, Reporters, and You
What: Open Market
When: M9 D13
Where: The center of town, near the resort
Notes & Warnings: Here is how the market works...

The marketplace is a large open air affair in the middle of town, with a couple of dozen vendors out supplying wares. For the most part they're local crafstmen and farmers; it is post harvest time now, and the last of the fresh vegetables are being sold off before it gets really cold (various tubers, fruits, roots, wheat, etc). There are also cooks with a variety of foods, so everything smells pretty good. There are even pierogi and sausages along side more unusual fusion foods like deep fried gagh on a stick.

Unfortunately, it's raining and while it's not a drenching rain, if you're not used to the rain an umbrella probably wouldn't go amiss.

There are a few odd stands, though. External stands, brought in by merchants that don't want to permanently reside here but are happy to do some sales for the resort. Sure they have to earn in the planetary currency, but they can buy a few unique items from here to take back with them before they go. That makes the trade worth it for them, and Blackstaff needs all the external trade it can get (even if the outside vendors doing the trading are a little dubious and are probably breaking the law just by being here during the quarantine).

In the meantime, with Blackstaff's cooperation Upsher and Doff have set up a booth in the middle of the market. Imports receive additional pay for going inside and answering their questions, and Jeffers is very adamant that imports should participate. It may help out their current situation by showing the universe what widely varying worlds are represented by the resort and attaching real faces and voices to the people of Quadratus.

Comments

[vengeance_driven]

[And then, maybe gratifying, maybe saddening, the soon-to-be-mother grabs the father and pulls him down, holding onto his head and forcibly cleaning his face with a little chirrupy meow.]

[Niko's amused at first, but considering it makes him think of how Kate used to scold him, his expression falls and he occupies himself with turning to the door and getting it for Boone.] Maybe they'll have some good vodka there for once.

[theugly]

[There's a brief window of undisguised reaction: those brown eyes get big and his mouth draws high on one side as he stares down in wonder. Hell, he even briefly looks a little younger, like he hasn't had the desert and its denizens wear him down year after year.

Then comes the snort.]

Remind me to come to you next time a pack of books attacks.

[thumbsdown]

[It's Boone's turn to notice something is off with Niko, but he doesn't say anything. If Niko wants to talk about it then he will, but if not he won't make him.]

Maybe. Not counting on it, though.

[Well, they're mostly going to play pool, anyway. They can get something better to drink afterwards.]

[vengeance_driven]

[He lightly bonks Tuco on the head with the book.] Come on, man. Let me get you out of this rain. I'll ah, get you something to eat? How is that?

[vengeance_driven]

[It takes him a minute after they're already on their way out, before he says something. More of a much contemplated observation anyway.]

Your cat is an asshole, but he seems okay. He takes good care of my cat. She likes him.

[thumbsdown]

[He nods, shoving his hands in his pockets as they walk. The rain has stopped for the most part, but he's still kind of cold.]

Yeah. Guess he knows it's his kid in there.

[He can't blame him for wanting to keep his child safe. He can't help but feel sad again, though.]

He's gonna be a good father, too.

[vengeance_driven]

Yes, it looks like it. With Earth cats, usually not. But these are different. They care about their babies.

They will be the only two animals he doesn't swipe at. [He says as lightly as he can.]

[thumbsdown]

Yeah, probably.

[Poor Rex will probably always get a swipe when he tries to play with him.]

Didn't know they'd be so attached.

[Now he's wondering if it was a good idea to give the kitten away, though he knows there's no taking it back now.]

[vengeance_driven]

Yeah. It's good, though. They have each other. And even when I take her back, we can let them visit. Pretty sure she'll clean his face like that every time. Is more successful than when my hound tries to flirt with Rex- I'll just not feed him so much around him.

[At least Rex can play with the huge wolf looking thing.]

[thumbsdown]

[He smiles a little at that. Niko's poor hound, not realising that Rex isn't capable of having puppies with him.]

Must be frustrating for him. Maybe I'll just leave Rex at home if you've fed him. He might wonder where he is, but it's probably still better that way.

[vengeance_driven]

I probably feed them more than is good for them, anyway. I am not good with begging faces, you know? It will be okay.

[He realizes that they forgot the umbrella. Oh well. He can always hold his coat up over their heads if it starts up again.]

[thumbsdown]

Yeah, I get it.

[They just look so sad, it's hard not to cave.]

Rex can't even swallow what I give him, but he still begs for food. Leaves a chewed up mess all over the floor.

[vengeance_driven]

He is a very tough animal for living like that. I don't think I could. I like eating and drinking and- [Don't say fucking. There's something about Boone, even though he knows the word, that makes it seem extra rude. Maybe because he actually did more than fuck once. He had someone to love and to be with.]

[Oh. That thought hurts. Back to Rex.]

But he seems happy enough. And very old besides.

[Rex certainly seems to deal with his state of being better than Charon.]

[thumbsdown]

You can say it, you know.

[Boone doesn't want Niko to think he has to censor himself in front of him, or anything.]

So long as he's happy, that's what matters. You never saw him before he got his new brain. Made me sad to look at him, sometimes.

[vengeance_driven]

That still confuses me.

[He sighs, though, about the first part, and scruffs his head where his buzz cut is growing out.] I know.

It sounds stupid. I feel like you deserve better than to hear shit like that out of me. Besides, it's a little embarrassing, anyway. Roman talked about his sex life all the time, but much of it didn't feel much to brag about. Me... I guess... I don't know. Is just embarrassing because it doesn't mean anything. It just feels good.

[thumbsdown]

Been around people who talk about worse things than you do. I don't mind. Just don't talk about it much myself, that's all.

[He just wants Niko to feel comfortable around him. They're friends, after all.]

So... don't worry about sounding stupid. Okay?

[vengeance_driven]

Well, you were military. Of course you did.

But it's embarrassing. [He fusses with his fingerless gloves.] For a man that has wanted what I've wanted, anyway. Is probably okay for others. And like I say, it doesn't seem like anything you'd be interested in.

[thumbsdown]

[He just shrugs.]

Not gonna make you talk about anything you don't wanna. Just saying I don't mind.

[He doesn't want Niko to feel awkward around him, either. He's the only real friend he has around here.]

[vengeance_driven]

[After a moment, he puts his arm around his shoulders (knowing Boone would tense), gives him a quick hug to his side, and drops it away.]

Well. I knew some ladies that were good in bed, but also terrible people.

[theugly]

[He doesn't reply immediately. Instead, he actually frowns, eyes narrowing like the offer of a free meal is worthy of all the suspicion in the world. Of course, what Niko can't know is that the last time someone reached out to him like that, it ended with a Union corporal's meaty fingers digging into his eye-sockets like the man was a damn prospector.]

I, uh...

[He glances away for a moment, rocking on his heels—the back and forth motion acting like a kind of metronome of indecision.]

Yeah. [Then, more confidently:] Yeah! Why not? It's better to eat than drown, hm? [He manages another lopsided grin.] After you!

[thumbsdown]

[The hug is unexpected, and for a moment he's not sure what to say. He blinks, then looks up at Niko.]

Terrible how?

[vengeance_driven]

Ah... one idealized assholes. Kept saying that they were "misunderstood", no matter how terrible the things they did. You really have to stand up to that sort of thing, you know? Even if you like them, tell them that they screwed up. You can love someone even if they screwed up, but you shouldn't think it's totally okay. She'd defend people for it, and make her own excuses for them.

Then this other one. She just called me names and hit me when she got drunk. Bragged about how pretty she was. The worst was this heiress. She just talked about herself and how I was a low class forgettable guy. Maybe sex with her was so good just because I knew I could do anything and not only would she like it because she needed something to brag about, but she wouldn't even remember which one I was.

The good ones... Much quieter. But I liked being around the ladies a lot more.

[vengeance_driven]

[He notes that uncertain look.] We don't have to.

But there's a good pizza place. Is right over there. [And he starts going in that direction, figuring Tuco could follow if he wants. He does wonder what that was about, though. At least it ended in another smile.]

[thumbsdown]

[Boone doesn't think he'd have liked to even talk to any of those women, let alone sleep with them. He frowns to himself as they walk.]

Why'd you stick around if they talked to you like that?

[Just for the sex? Or did he not think he could do better?]

[vengeance_driven]

They were the ones that were interested.

And that is the embarrassing part- that I want the affection more than I care about how they treat me the rest of the time. [Or at least he can pretend it's affection, anyway.]