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 Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 7:15 am
Tuppenny — and its owner — were well known for dealing roughly with thieves. Earnest John had, in his youth, dabbled in more than just buying and selling, he'd spent a little time trying out some acquisitions. It hadn't gone over well. Not that he'd been bad at it, precisely, no; it was more than others were just so much better at it. The world was shifting and changing and, as a result, it was harder to pick pockets, harder to creep in through a window and make off with the fine silver. It took nimbler fingers than his, and when he shot up that last foot or so, he had given up the ghost entirely and taken over the family business instead.
His dalliance had been helpful, though. Helpful in leaving Earnest John more than able to spot sly eyes and wandering fingers, helpful in recognizing the strangeness in a way a stuffed jacket lay. Helpful in introducing him to his gang of enforcers, an ever-changing crew of kids and teenagers who knew very well that Tuppenny paid out rewards to any who brought back stolen goods.
So anyone who knew the shop would recognize that something was off today. Three men in the shop, all at the same time, and no sign of Earnest John behind the bars, his beady eyes tracking their every movement and long fingers tapping out a nervous pattern on the counter. No. They were alone, and that simply wasn't right. He never left the shop. He certainly never left the shop with people waiting.
He'd come back in grumbling and tense, with dark bags under his eyes, and when he saw the crew waiting, he froze — scowling and staring at them and trying to decide if he should just pack up for the day.
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Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 9:59 pm
This part of the city was all too familiar to the man, the clean parks and roads of Palisade turning into an area of dirt, rustic buildings and characters on the street who wouldn't hesitate to start a fight for a mere reward of coin. Sige had grown up in such conditions thus being forced into a life of dishonest work to support he and his ailing mother. Yet even as a boy, the man was smart. He did not merely follow orders from merchants who asked for him to deliver goods--he listened and learned. And that is why he was here--at the mere age of 24, trading, finding, sometimes swindling precious goods from traders just to gain coin. Because to him, gold was the ticket to survival in this harsh reality.
It used to be that it was easy for him to move along the streets with little attention yet at the moment that was impossible, for a tall elegant buck walked beside him closely, returning the looks of the young and old alike who stole glances.
He took a hand out to soothe the uncertain buck, stroking the rich fur on his back and Arden replied with nuzzling his mouth against Sige's side. The merchant smiled yet--he still was very nervous especially since his other hand held a small pouch of precious stones-- that he needed to pawn off immediately. And he knew just the man to take them off his hands.
Sige was always unsure of what to think of Earnest John. His first meeting with him was a couple of years back when he was merely starting to dabble in his own little 'business' and he could not forget his surprise when the older man paid him on the spot and with no trouble at all. It wasn't Sige's nature to judge nor trust so easily especially in the type of work he was in. Yet to him it did not even matter if he didn't like Earnest or couldn't trust him completely. The man was dependable and direct with his transactions, never any questions and never any doubts. And he greatly respected the other man's resilience in the business and sense with money. Hence that was why Sige kept coming back to him, yet of course exerting every bit of caution especially since Arden was with him on this trip for the first time.
So it was understandable that Sige stopped in place when he found himself finally inside the Tuppenny shop, that strange feeling that something was off immediately making him worried, anxious and more protective of the belongings that he carried with him. Disliking the feeling of unexpected events. Of the years he had visited the shop, he had never really seen the place with more than two people other than he--and more importantly he never saw Earnest not behind those bars. He cleared his throat and knitted his brows at the absent owner, gripping at the jewels against his palm as he observed the other three men. Hopefully there wouldn't be trouble because of this unexpected snag in his plans.
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Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 9:17 am
No one in the shop would know it, but out back, there was a deer: a weak-kneed fawn with big eyes and a penchant for trouble. In the two days since That Cursed Totem had hatched, Horus had managed to break a half-dozen piece of porcelain, and knock over Earnest John's garbage even more times than that. He had been in and out of the shop constantly, and hadn't even had time to sort through inventory and make sure everything was there.
His boys were likely working overtime. And it was going to cost him.
He stepped back up to his cage and scowled at the men in his shop, eyes flicking from one to the next, before settling on Sige. The sight of him relaxed Earnest John, oddly; the one person in the shop that he could probably count on not to try and rob him.
"You'll be the start of the line, and you two can get in behind him or get out. I don't care." It was sharp, straightforward -- it was how he always was. He beckoned Sige in to the counter, ignoring the scowls from the other two. One of them, apparently incensed that they hadn't been taken in the order they arrived, stomped immediately out the door. And no loss there; Earnest John watched him go with flat eyes. "...tries to trick me every time anyway. What you got today?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 3:59 pm
The call earned a small smile on Sige's face, nodding at Earnest in quiet greeting. Seeing the other man's face eased his worries, as strange as that was. Before heading towards the trader he turned to the buck, already sitting down in place as his guardian has taught him yet the creature still looking around curiously with bright golden eyes. He did not need any words to communicate with the buck, trusting him to behave. Sige gave Arden a brief small smile before he moved through the other two men, first in line.
"Earnest," he frowned slightly, still rather concerned with the unusual wait. "Trouble?" Yet he left if at that if the older man didn't want to answer, he wasn't one to butt into anyone's private business especially--when he had this type of business, there was always bound to be trouble. "" he said, quickly taking them out of his front pocket and onto the table, opening the pouch up for the man to see. "They're real, but of course as usual you are always free to confirm that." He was straight to the point, showing him the uncut stones of some turquoise, opal and a small stone of emerald. He glanced to his back, not merely because he did not trust anyone who walked into that shop but because of his fully grown buck sitting down in a small corner of the shop.
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Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 1:39 pm
((Little note -- He'd call him Earnest John, not Earnest. XD Definitely never goes by just 'Earnest'.))
"No trouble." It was a sign of just how distracted Earnest John was that he hadn't even noticed the buck, and wouldn't now, either; his focus, tired eyes, were turned immediately to the gems, shuffling them over to the other side of the counter and digging out tools to examine them. The other man, however, was an entirely different story. Already grumpy from the new order of the line, the deer would make him grumble all the further, pacing. Annoyed.
"None I can't handle, at least." Examining the stones was less about checking that they were real [though, that was important as well] as it was checking their quality. Looking for flaws. With a glass over his eye, swelling his pupil to ridiculous scale, he tipped his head down to almost touch each of the stones, turning it carefully between gloved fingers.
"These are acceptable. But since they're likely, mmm, difficult to sell..." He'd come up after long enough to leave the both of them tapping their toes, and tug the looking glass away from his eye. Only then would his attention settle on Arden, whatever he'd been about to say lost, not even quite registering his size and his coloring before he barked, "You! In the alley! I told -- "
And then it clicked. He was left blinking, mouth still open, a bit frozen.
That wasn't Horus.
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Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2012 11:19 am
((sorry about that >U<))
He watched the older man take out his equipment, watching eyes observing his method. Nodding his head he took the mans word, probably Earnest John was merely having a rough day--which he, himself had been having these couple of days. "Thank you." He waited for the other to finish, shifting his eyes often towards the buck who seemed to be comfortable in place for once.
His attention jumped once again to the shopkeeper, ocean-green eyes looking to the gems and waiting for the verdict on the gems. But then he jumped slightly at the sudden shout---he probably should have left the buck out or even ask permission.
Arden heard the sudden raise of voice, lifting his head from his arms and making a low sound. He immediately stood in place and moved beside his guardian and all the more ready to take action if needed. This sent Sige very much in a brief panic, taking the earthen buck's face in his gloved hands, sending motions that it was okay--that there needn't be any trouble. He turned to the owner with a bowed head. "Forgive me, I just couldn't----" Yet the words the man growled out weren't what he expected. It was as if he knew the creature? That was impossible! Yet the next expression the man made Sige all the more confused, tilting his head to the side.
"Ah?" was his stunned reply, his fingers still rubbing the chosen's neck at an attempt to calm the deer's golden eyes still fixated on Earnest John. The brown buck settled down with this, and also partly for the fact that he finally sensed something awfully familiar nearby.
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 7:36 am
Oh, yes, Earnest John's reaction was more than the norm, most certainly -- because as the deer approached, some of the color drained from his face, and the stone he was holding slipped out of long fingers to clatter on the counter and across, tumbling to the floor. It would be a nightmare, finding it under the counter, among his piles of books, the scattering of 'protected' goods he kept back there. At the moment, he wasn't even thinking about that.
For a very long moment, he was tongue tied. He had to struggle to swallow, then pointed at the other onlookers, gesturing them forcibly toward the door. "Out! Go now! I'm done! Open tomorrow afternoon!"
When they didn't go immediately, he fumblingly reached for a poker iron and brandished it in their direction until they ran off. Then, slowly, the point turned toward Sige. "But not you. You're staying for a chat. Go lock the door behind them."
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 12:17 pm
He mostly got Arden in control, the buck's bright eyes eyeing them both in caution but giving in to move back slightly, his guardian giving him a pleading look. Finally Sige regained some of his composure yet still deeply troubled and had more queries pop into his head than he expected.
The man said nothing as Earnest John was staring at the deer though, lifting a brow in quiet question. And before he could fully open his mouth to speak up and ask if the man was alright, the shopkeeper shouted at the customers to leave. Sige would have laughed at the spectacle of the owner threatening the others with a poker if he didn't feel that sense of agitation to Earnest John's disposition.
Again he lifted a brow to the older man yet he did what he was told. "It's alright, Arden." he said calmly to the guardian yet Arden could feel Sige's worries easily. He locked the door swiftly, ignoring the looks from the former customers and returning back to the man, arms crossed. "What's wrong? Do you have something against animals?" Sige did not ask this in an accusing way at all but more of a concerned inquiry, touching Arden's neck as he closely bumped against him.
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Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 11:34 am
"In the shop? Of course. I have fine china in the shop." As he moved, taking several steps toward the back door, toward escape into the closed alley behind the shop, Earnest John pointed to said 'fine china'. In fact, it was probably painted clay, something made in an hour in someone's back yard, a cheap knockoff of something not terribly expensive to start with -- but, despite all this, it did remain fragile.
He held the door for Sige, pointing both of them out with the poker still clutched decisively in one hand. The intent was obvious: for the pair of them to exit, to leave his more fragile belongings be. However, the moment they stepped out into the alleyway, they'd be greeted with an unexpected sight:
Horus, still a fawn, wobbling on unsteady legs and flicking his ears in an uncertain sort of way. Horus who had already broken one similar set of china, and more besides...
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:16 pm
"Arden is careful, he wouldn't..." he trailed off and left it at that, after all though much more disciplined now, he could never really predict the buck's actions.
Again he lifter a curious brow to Earnest John yet not saying a word for now, simply letting the other man lead him to wherever he wanted. It seemed he had something heavy on his mind. And as soon as they stepped outside and the chosen and guardian followed the shop owner, Arden's bright golden eyesl it up. He sent waves of energy to his guardian, and Sige knew this was a sign that the lively buck was about to do sprint.
"Ar---" before the name could leave his lips, the rich brown buck had sprinted off and turned the corner, locking eyes with a young little fawn. And of course upon seeing another of his kind, his spirits was lifted, forgetting the intimidating aura he had felt with Earnest John earlier. The much larger buck began to bow his head down and touch his muzzle repeatedly on the light brown pelt of the fawn's neck in lively greeting.
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:36 am
Horus snorted at Arden approached and danced several steps out of the way -- and then again as he leaned his nose down, eyes narrowed and attitude as crotchety as Earnest John, himself. Perhaps it was feeding through the bond, one of them influencing the other. Or, perhaps, it was merely a meeting of similar minds, a sign that the right totem had gone to the right Chosen...
"Yes. Exactly." Earnest John stood with arms folded over his chest, stiff, in the doorway. It kept Sige from going back in the shop, kept them all out in that narrow alley behind the shop. He scowled at the deer, who looked back at them in a less-than-amused manner himself. Why were they watching him, his look seemed to say. Why weren't they feeding him, and letting him back into that game room full of amazing toys?
"What am I supposed to do with this?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:54 am
"I'm not one for the Old Ways," his eyes were fixated on the two deer, still in quiet surprise as he realized that Earnest John was in the same situation as he. "But it sure looks like we have something big on our hands." He would have scoffed at his own words before yet having the buck for some time now, knowing how he tried to 'communicate' with him, he knew there was something beyond all this apparent trouble.
Arden was persistent, his wide golden eyes never failing to brighten up when he saw another of his own kind, taking a step towards Horus even as the other stepped out of the way. The older buck merely wanted to make friends but had probably sensed the other's plea, the brown animal turning to his guardian briefly in question.
"To answer your question, well perhaps you should feed him first." Sige sincerely understood Earnest John's worries since he had felt that same way about Arden at the start. But that didn't mean he had any good answers for the shopkeeper. "Goodness knows I had no idea---I still don't have any idea what I'm doing with Arden." He offered the man a sympathetic smile.
"He's yours to take care of." He said simply, yet everything was so very far from being simple.
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 12:48 pm
"It's been a week and a half." It came out sharp, snappish, waspish, his eyes narrowed as he watched Arden lean toward Horus -- and Horus, in turn, snapped at him, teeth seeking flank. Each feeding on the others' emotions, frustrations...or maybe Horus was just sort of like that. Hard to tell, while he was still a foal.
Earnest John shifted his shoulder against the doorframe, fingers clenching into fists against his sides. Out of view. It hid his own tension fairly well. "I've obviously been feeding him. That's not my point."
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:46 pm
The other buck was obviously much more --temperamental (at least for the moment) than Arden who was already fully grown yet the one to wince slightly at the aggressive action of the other. He wanted to be friends despite the ongoing tension between the other chosen and his guardian, trying to catch Horus' attention by standing next to him and slowly closing the gap little by little.
"Then continue that, take care of him," Was the merchant's reply, crossing his arms and looking towards Horus again. "I suppose he's your responsibility now, Earnest John." Just as he knew Arden was his--yet he did understand the shop owners uncertainties which he had felt beforehand as well. "Who knows, perhaps you two may grow to like each other."
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:44 am
The look Earnest John turned on Sige was less than amused, still held a dose of that sarcasm, that displeasure. His responsibility indeed. A great cosmic joke on someone who just worked to have enough money to be comfortable, to get by, even if it was using some questionable methods...
"How long does he stay like this." It was barely a question, still came with a scowl, expecting a response, certainly. "A week? Two weeks? How long before he can take care of himself?"
A pause.
"And not destroy my shop?"
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