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 Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 6:51 pm
Quote: It was already late in the evening but the merchant seemed unfazed by the passing of time. He sat, poised and elegant, watching the world around him. He didn’t seem bored but he sat, fingers laced atop the table; below it, he kept his toe tapping to some silent tune in his head. He was tall, by human standards, though while sitting down he didn’t seem particularly threatening. If you didn’t look at his face. He had graceful features--sharp and refined. His chin and nose tapered to a point, giving him an air of sophistication, but that, combined with his slitted eyes and pointed teeth, there was something undeniably predatory about him. He watched with a hungry gaze and a mischievous, nearly sinister smile. His ears were pointed and were prominent despite being tucked behind his vibrant, multi-colored hair. The most intrusive feature that indicated there was something not human about him were the curling horns protruding from his temples and the oil-slick black scales that brushed his cheeks and forehead. He was well dressed, in a fashion obviously otherworldly, and seemed to enjoy dressing himself up in glistening gemstones. His stall was somehow both simple and overwhelming; it was only a table with a deep purple cloth over it, but scattered neatly atop it were an array of items that seemed to carry some magical weight to them. He did not seem intimidated in the slightest and, upon noticing a customer approaching, he smiled. He did not rise to meet them nor adjust his position in the slightest. He followed them with his fierce eyes. In a silky voice, he greeted, “Welcome.”
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Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 7:28 pm
Tochi had been intending to head to the craft store to buy some more wire and other assorted craft supplies, still intent on trying to figure out something to do with her spoils from the star festival so far (now including a new star charm- this time in fuchsia). Of course, intending wasn't really the same as actually doing it, and it was as such that the teen found herself oddly drawn to a stall she hadn't visited before. There was something strange about the person running the stall... though perhaps it was the fact that he looked like he was cosplaying some kind of Vocaloid (though she didn't know which one), or someone's vtuber avatar. Perhaps, as always, if Tochi thought about it, she should have been maybe a little less eager to move in for a closer look at the items on display, especially with the expression the merchant was making. Then again, perhaps he was just really, really good at getting into character? She still didn't know what character he was cosplaying, though. "Um, hello!" she greeted in return, "I really like your costume! What's it from?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 6:05 pm
The man smiled politely, as if he weren’t in the slightest bit offended that his wardrobe was being questioned. “My closet. Though I didn’t quite consider it a costume. I suppose it is a bit extravagant for Earth standards. You all seem to dress differently than the last time I was here. Still, I don’t think I mind.” He ran a hand lightly over the front of his coat. “I’m rather fond of this outfit. I think it brings out my eyes.” Perhaps it was a bit of a joke; his golden eyes glinted just fine on their own. “Do you like interesting outfits? I have a few things here. Though, I’m afraid I’m only willing to part with them if you have something to trade. Have you brought me anything?”
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 4:11 am
The talk about 'Earth standards' and 'last time' somewhat flew over Tochi's head, or at least any deeper meaning behind those words did. If she was paying more attention, she might have caught on to the fact that he was possibly otherworldly, and maybe questioned it some more, hounding him about what he'd seen out there. Instead, she perked up at the mention of outfits, because she loved costumes, but when asked if she had anything to trade, Tochi couldn't help but be a little confused. Trade? So he wasn't actually selling anything, then? What did she have to trade, anyway? The gem she had found before didn’t immediately come to mind, but instead… “I could um… offer a song?”
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Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2020 2:27 pm
“A charming offer,” he assured, “But I’m afraid I need something tangible. Something shiny, radiant. Something worth my time. Not that your songs aren’t enchanting--I’m sure they are,” he insisted. “...But, see. I’m not in the market for anything of the sort, yet. I’m actually looking for something very specific.” He held up a hand and curled his fingers as if around some invisible object roughly the size of a golf ball. “Should be about this size, maybe. A pretty little rock. They’ve been popping up all over the city. If you haven’t got one of those, I’m willing to consider something else. But that’s what I want.”
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:53 pm
So maybe a song wasn't exactly a tangible thing, but Tochi felt slightly hurt at the idea that they weren't worth someone's time... or that they weren't shiny and radiant. After all, radiance was a big part of being an idol, along with the concept of shining brightly, and idols were a tangible thing! She may have pouted a little at the merchant's words, just a little. Still... Tochi listened as the merchant described the Very Specific Object he was looking for, trying to think of if she had seen what he was talking about. So no songs (she was still upset about that), but a stone, instead.... Hmm, she had an idea, maybe, of what he was talking about, based on recent events, but at the same time, she kind of wished she didn't. (It was a pretty stone, after all.) "Um... was it kinda star-shaped?" she asked, just to confirm her thoughts.
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 10:13 am
“Yes, that would be ideal,” the man replied, another little smile on his face--as if he were trying to be reassuring, trying to coax it out of her. He had watched her carefully during her contemplation and, perhaps feeling bad that he had hurt her--or just knowing he needed to placate the customer, he said, “If you want to give me a song, though, I suppose I can make time. If you make a good trade with me, how about that? ...I’ll be a good audience and watch you perform. If you like.”
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 6:52 pm
Somewhere off in the distance, Tochi's older sister, Morie, surely was sighing, because the last thing she really would need was for someone to enable the aspiring idol's behavior. Certainly, once Tochi had a chance to later relate her story to her elder sibling, Morie would have a headache, to say the least. As it was, the merchant's attempt at appeasing her worked well enough, gullible and naive as Tochi tended to be, and everything was right as rain. Kind of, anyway? Well, she was a little sad, truth be told, at the idea of letting the gem she had found go, but she wouldn't let it show. Even if she wanted to keep it, it would be best to return it to its rightful owner- and she still had all those star keychains to do things with, at least. "Well, in that case... I think I have what you're talking about?" she replied, producing the stone from her bag, "It's star-shaped, at least."
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Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 7:49 am
His eyes flashed almost excitedly when he noticed the gem she held. "Oh, yes, that's absolutely what I'm looking for." Despite how badly he seemed to want it, his fingers only twitched; he did not reach to claim it and would not do so until they had agreed to the exchange. No, they had presented what he wanted. Now it was his turn to do the same. The merchant twisted in his chair to open a box and expertly plucked his way through a few different things. He lay each of them out delicately on the table and, true to his word, he did have several striking outfits. A few of them seemed like full costume pieces--elaborately designed dresses that looked stunning even despite the creases from being folded for so long. Some were only parts of a uniform--a skirt with easily fifteen layers of ruffles, a pair of boots that looked like they matched the completed outfit. "There used to be more, but I'm afraid I don't do much peddling in clothes. Do you see something you like? I'd be willing to part with the boots and dress," he said, of the colorful, fun, star themed dress. "If you're interested, of course. I can keep digging to find something more to your taste?"
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 8:35 pm
Any lingering sadness Tochi may have had about handing over the gem was immediately gone once the merchant set out the clothing on display. So many outfits, not that she even knew if any of them were in her size or not, but… outfits! They looked so nicely made, too, better than what her own designs looked at her current skill level of sewing… and he was willing to give some of this to her in exchange for the gem she had found? It really must have meant a lot to him, then. “Oh, no, I’d love the dress and boots!” Tochi responded, though she wished she knew what she could do to possibly get some of the other pieces of clothing, too. If only he took cash… or traded for a song, though the fact that the merchant was offering up even just what he did must have taken an awful lot of consideration. Wishing the stone a silent farewell, Tochi offered it for the merchant to take, in exchange for the pieces of costume. “A song, though… hm… a song…” the deal had also been for him to listen to her if she offered up a good trade, right? Tochi hadn’t thought far enough as to what kind of song she wanted to sing, other than she had wanted to sing something, because, well, that was her nature. She had a pretty extensive enough playlist on her phone at least, so it wouldn't be too hard to think of something... "Oh! I've got it!" It wasn't exactly wholly idol-related, but who couldn't resist the Madoka op song? Maybe she shouldn't tell the merchant what the show was about, though... " I won't forget the promise we made
I'll close my eyes and ascertain it
Shaking off the darkness that closed in on me, I advance on..." Tochi sang her heart out, getting very into the song. When it was all said and done with, she gave a little bow, hoping for applause, but not expecting it. "Um... thanks for the trade! I should go now, before the store closes, but I hope we can meet again! I'll sing for you again, too~" And with that, she was off.
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