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 Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 9:00 pm
The voyage between Oba and Yael was no smooth hike. Storms were prevalent, the sea deep and filled with creatures the size of the ships that sailed it, and all in all the strategy of the traders Ozzrick had thus far worked with was that they liked to get as much as could be managed in a single trip done. Risks added to the expense of each trip. And so forth. Fortunately, he had been blessed with surprisingly little hassle on his own maiden voyage across.
Now, securely on Yael, came the time for business.
Ozzrick had met on his first day with another local tradesman, but today, he was in the tailor’s shop. Yael did not export many finished goods, but the elite among them were fond of the rich dyes from beyond the shore, and clothiers and tailors often exchanged silks or embroidered fabrics for valuable exchange. For the moment, however, he was waiting. His ship was safely docked, his crew not with him, and he had time while he waited on his meet-up to survey the shop itself and its customers.
Yael was a peculiar little place with peculiar little people, its jungle smelled strange and there was no shortage of things to be said about a population whose eyes radiated with their island’s eerie power.
But, beyond that, the more opportunity he had to see it, the less it seemed ‘unsettling’ in the way many from Tendaji saw it and more just—quaint, odd, and almost endearing its own, strange way. And it was certainly full of trinkets and entertaining folk lore.
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Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 9:21 pm
Only necessities sent Tacrith anyplace other than home or work. Lately, he discovered that he was wearing through his current pants. That meant needing the pants mended. That meant going to town... Blech. Well, at least he could make the most of his time there. Stock up on a few things so that he wouldn't have to treck through town again. With his cane hooked to his belt for when it got late, Tac entered the tailor's shop without paying attention to anyone else within. Once the previous customer had moved, he dropped his pants onto the counter and earned a sigh from the tailor. "Tacrith, I cannot count how many times I have repaired these," the man said with amused frustration. "Just get yourself a new pair, would you?" Tac just tapped the counter. "You do a fine job repairing what is there, and it's cheaper than what they expect these days for a whole new pair. Please, if you would~" The tailor gave Tac a pointed look before picking the pants up and sticking his fingers through a couple seams. "Doctor.. You spend so little as it is. You deserve a good pair of pants, at the least. I'll mend these, but only to last you until a couple fresh pairs come in." Staring at the expanded holes, Tac sighed heavily. "I suppose I don't have much choice when you're sticking it with holes," he grumped. The tailor looked quite satisfied though and guided Tac toward the sample rack. "I'll have you try on a few, and you can tell me which you would like made for you." Tac blinked a couple times before pointing to a simple brown pair, much like those he currently wore. "Just make a pair like those," he huffed, earning a pout from the tailor.
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Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 9:50 pm
Tacrith, I cannot count how many times I have repaired these…
Ozzrick glanced, long ears all but twitching at the name, but surely he was just imagining and it couldn’t be—? That doctor. That particular one, of all those that might have seen him on his first trip to a clinic in Yael. How long ago had that been now? He hadn’t had his ship yet then, but…
Oz found himself leaning back against the counter as he watched, far enough from them that the young doctor apparently hadn’t recognized him — unsurprising, since he wasn’t expected and didn’t seem to be looking around besides — and making for a perfect opportunity just to observe. As the tailor fiddled a finger through the man’s pants, Oz stifled a soft snort of amusement against his fist. One of those takes care of everyone but himself types, perhaps, or especially miserly—or maybe he simply didn’t know how to indulge on anything.
Given what very little time he’d had to interact with him, that already seemed the likeliest.
When he returned from a broad selection with the plainest of all brown pairs of pants available and the tailor looked visibly unimpressed with his fashion choices, Ozzrick tisked. “The man’s trying to help you out, doctor. A little fabric variety won’t be your final undoing into lavish hedonism and self-indulgence.”
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Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 10:08 pm
Brow cocking slightly, Tac looked around a little before his gaze rested on the foreigner. After a moment, surprise registered on his face. "Well, this is certainly unexpected," was all he could manage for the moment. The tailor looked over with a grateful smile until he noticed who was actually talking. Immediately, he stiffened up and took a step away. "Yes.. I.. what this.. gentleman.. said... It.. it will do you no harm..." Tac aimed a flat look back at the tailor. "For goodness sake, the man isn't going to give you boils just by being here. Calm yourself." Ignoring the tailor's embarrassment-heated cheeks, Tac turned back to the surprise encounter. "It was.. Ozzer... correct? I have no fears of turning to hedonism. I simply do not require anything more than what I currently use. They are practical and easy to clean, which is important in the field of healing. I have no use for anything more than that."
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Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 10:20 pm
Ozzrick grunted. Admittedly, he was at least getting used to the concept of being a walking plague in the eyes of a number of Yaeli—especially the more skittish ones, but then they were all skittish. But for a very select few, anyway. His eyes scanned Tacrith. It still left him a bit miffed in the instances where he might specifically rather have not made anyone uncomfortable.
The doctor’s support was surprisingly reassuring, though he didn’t make comment, and instead—because he had nothing better to do, he decided—he took a step over, surveying the rack as he approached.
“Ozzrick,” he corrected with a shrug. “And you won’t snag yourself any girlfriends with that attitude. But, if that isn’t the sort of perspective you buy into…” He reached, thumbing the fabric on a set of pants between two fingers assessingly. “You could just reason that it’s healthy to treat yourself from time to time…”
Then again, Oz couldn’t claim to be exactly a fashion expert himself. If there was little room for it at a physician's table, there was likely even less on a ship’s deck.
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Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 10:38 pm
Looking between the pair, the tailor swallowed thickly. "Yes, well, if you have found someone to assist you, doctor.. there are other customers here... You and your.. friend?.. are free to take your time." Without waiting for an answer, the tailor scuttled off to find someone else to keep him busy. "Ozzrick." Well, he'd been close. Surprisingly close, really. The man was was forward as before... Glancing at the fleeing tailor, Tac snorted and turned back to the pants. Now he was really going to be here for a while... "Well, since you seem to have scared away my chance at getting out of here with a fresh pair of pants any time soon, do feel free to enlighten me. Why should I waste my money on clothing that has no place in a clinic?" he asked irritably, though the way he stood and the slightest lilt to his tone showed a curious interest as well. There was no need for anything aside from his usual, but surely Ozzrick would have some colorful reasoning.
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Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 10:48 pm
As the tailor scurried, Oz gave a slight shake of his head. Perhaps one day. In the meantime, it left him with the bolder company of Yael. As his eyes landed again on Tacrith, he couldn’t help the faintest glint of amusement in his eye that this was what the island had to offer in terms of tenacity and courage—modest, keep-to-themselves little physicians. Maybe it was to be expected, given comparison to the rest of the residents. It didn’t quite seem logical, though. Why, though, with regard to pants and expenditures, was a very good question. Since Ozzrick himself didn’t spend a great amount on clothing. “Well, it…” He frowned thoughtfully. “Professionalism looks good. It boosts moral, improves the image of whatever…” A hand gestured vaguely, “…organization it is that you work for. Higher quality and better suited pants would have you coming back less often than you do now and you’d be more comfortable in the time between while looking better besides.” He strummed his fingers to the rack, and then offered a bit of a grin. “You know, when you think about it, we spend more time in our clothes than anything else we purchase for ourselves. It really should be a good investment.” Perhaps he should have been a salesman.
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Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 11:11 pm
Watching Oz think it over, Tac waited with well-learned patience. Not his normal reason for waiting, but still~ Unexpectedly, just like Ozzrick's appearance in the shop, some of the points given actually made a little sense. Mostly though, it was the idea that getting better quality now meant a longer stretch before having to return for more later... and that alone was quite appealing. "I will give you this much," he said, holding up the fabric he usually got, "find me a fabric that will last better than this that also, maybe just a little, looks more appealing.. I might be willing to agree with you."
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Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 11:36 pm
It wasn’t so much that he expected rudeness—the doctor never had been—but given his general strictly straight-laced demeanor, Ozzrick hadn’t actually been anticipating much give. A little scoff and an eye roll to humor him perhaps. Instead, it looked as though the man was actually considering it, and then—and then it was Oz’s job to be a fitter.
He really ought to have been a salesman.
But, far be it from him to back down from a challenged. With a thoughtful look, he took a step back, scritching at the scruff of his chin and making mental tallied guesses of the doctor’s height and measurements. He looked to the rack, thumbing through and rubbing the cloth. Eventually, after concluding what he’d known to begin with—he knew nothing of the finer intricacies of fabric—he picked what he thought might look good (presented with the opportunity to dress a man, why not?), and plucked those from the rack.
“Try these.”
Perhaps the tailor could give advice on durability in the aftermath, and if a fashion show in the meantime helped a good doctor expand his wardrobe and helped Ozzrick pass the time until his appointment, then he got his good Samaritan points for the day and free entertainment.
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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 1:28 pm
Perhaps he really did need to get out a little more, if this was really amusing enough to keep his attention. Tac sighed to himself while watching the decisions being made. Reaching out for the fabric, Tac's eyes narrowed slightly. Fine, this did look a little bit nicer than his usual pants, but was the durability really the same or better? Try these.... Seeing as how the pants were clearly made for a model with a larger build than his own, he shrugged and pulled the new pants up right over what he was currently wearing. Pinching the fabric to make it fit, he glanced back over to Oz. "I don't believe these would stand up to a scrubbing if blood ended up on them," he said, picking at the excess hanging from his hips. "I would prefer something thicker."
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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 4:37 pm
Ozzrick expected — oh, he didn’t know, perhaps a changing room? — a little decorum, maybe, from a doctor at the very least. Instead, right there in the midst of the shop, the man took one of what was offered and began putting it on there directly in front of him. He touched a hand to the corner of his mouth, making to ‘scratch’ at something but in truth only half masking what could only have been the most amused of smiles as he watched the display.
“I…” He shook his head. “You know, you’re right. I don’t think those are quite the right…” He made a vague gesture, “…vibe. I seem to have misjudged your size. The idea, of course, would be to find some that would fit properly. Which I think might mean you’d have to actually find a pair you’d need to try on…naturally.”
How this had become the task of the day was still beyond him, but it wasn’t the worst of experiences—and certainly not without benefits. They had managed to earn the attention of near every eye in the shop, though each shop goer that dared coexist in his proximity did seem especially intent on looking as though they were not looking.
It was entirely possible all the attention was due to him.
But from his perspective, the small, primly presented purple-haired doctor decked in two layers of cloth like a child trying on their parent’s clothing was a far richer sight to behold than anything he had to offer. Boys like him were a dime a dozen back in Tale. This, though—this was priceless.
“Thicker and shorter?” Ozzrick asked, because under the circumstances, it seemed an impossible opportunity to waste.
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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 5:08 pm
"Vibe?" Tac gave Oz a flat look, oblivious to the amusement he was providing. "Now you are just being silly. Pants do not vibe." Whatever the heck that meant.. Slipping the over-sized pants off, his brow couldn't help knitting contemplatively. He had been trying to get stronger to work around his leg.. and still he swam in this pair? ...Or did Oz just have really bad estimating abilities? He was fine pinning it on Oz. Naturally? Tac wrinkled his nose. "I have no desire to put on something that has been 'tried on' by others. I simply need to find a proper pair, and the tailor will use my measurements to fit it."
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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 5:36 pm
Ozzrick’s eyebrows rose. He wouldn’t wear anything others had worn?
“You’re a doctor,” he scoffed, incredulous. “You can’t tell me you’re comfortable with the idea of adjusting around open innards, cleaning puss, drool, snot, blood, piss—everything else involved in what I know is the messier side of medicine, bone fragments, magic, and all…but you find something uncleanly about trying on pieces of cloth that might have touched someone else’s skin?”
‘Tailored measurements’ indeed. He shook his head, finding it difficult to imagine. If anything surely that was more a waste of coin and time than a new pair that could be found, experimented with and put on. Not that all tailors had appropriate sizes available—it was not as though such things could be mass produced, but if the option were there, it had to have been preferable regardless of a few stray skin fibers.
Perhaps he was overthinking it.
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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 6:05 pm
Tac pursed his lips as he hung the previous pants back up. "There is a stark difference in the two," he said simply, deferring to letting the comment hang there without explanation. "As it is, the deal was not about how well it fit. The item simply needs to be sturdy and appealing." He looked back at Oz with his arms crossed, challenge reissued. For him, it was quite easy to ignore those staring, for he was certain the focus was on the foreigner. The tailor was probably going to scrub everything in here once Oz left..
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Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 6:48 pm
“But appearance is directly related to fit,” Ozzrick insisted, “and besides-”
If they were the center of anyone’s attention at that point, Oz no longer noticed. He thought he didn’t understand clothes, but doctor clearly hadn’t yet grasped the full picture—at least so far as he saw it—and it seemed he could at least try to help.
Until a low grunt sounded from behind him. “Oi. You, little red…where’s your captain?”
Ozzrick blinked, and surely no one would address him as—
But then, there was a heavy hand on his shoulder, and he glanced. “Ey- Aye, aye, aye, you got my attention, what?” The man was the first Yaelian Ozzrick had seen thus far who was taller than him. Not that Ozzrick himself was especially tall, but the locals here seemed often to be smaller.
“We’re looking for a foreigner. Mister Ozzrick Brisbane. Your captain?”
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