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 Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2021 8:16 am
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 tables were somehow both simple and overwhelming; each table was draped with a dark purple tablecloth, all with extravagant embroidery in different designs. Scattered neatly atop the tables 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 that the barrier surrounding him rippled to allow his visitor to pass, he smiled. He did not rise to meet them nor adjust his position in the slightest. He followed them with his fierce eyes and greeted, in a silky voice, “Welcome.”
She looked around the interior, gaze passing over all the trinkets on display, before she caught sight of the odd looking stranger, decked out in his fancy garb with glistening stones. Ganymede paused and watched him carefully. The lack of any sort of aura was troubling. There was an energy signature to the place, but it did not originate with him.
“I take it by the sign out front, you’re looking for these,” Ganymede siad.
She did not offer the wisp right away, but allowed him to see the orb of light she held gently between her palms.
“Did you come here for them, or did they escape from your…” She looked around again, attempting to find a term for this place, finally settling on, “...shop?”
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2021 1:54 pm
The man’s eyes immediately went to the wisp cradled in her hands, but he forced his eyes to slide back up to meet hers. “Escaped, I’m afraid. The last time I was here, the atmosphere was much kinder to me. But, perhaps I was carrying a bit more,” he sighed, looking across his tables. There was little remorse as his eyes settled on the items though, and he smiled a bit as if being surrounded by things made him feel better. “I had a very different plan in mind, but unfortunately, fate has been unkind to me this trip. I just want what's mine back again. I lost quite a few things in my landing--a bit rough this time, but it’s always so nice to be on Earth. To be around people. Now, I’m just prioritizing bringing my little friends home. Tell me you’ve come to make a trade for that one? I suspect it very much wishes to be back in one piece. I’ll make it worth your while, of course. Like the sign says. May I?” he asked, and while he didn’t take it from her, it was clear that he was itching to have it before it found some means to escape. For emphasis, he reached beneath his table and withdrew an extremely ornate chalice that could have easily doubled as an extravagant candy dish, complete with stem and lid. The crystal bowl was cut with many facets that all perfectly seemed to capture and accentuate the light inside. Atop of the clear crystal, an ornate silver lid encrusted with what looked to be a giant diamond in the center. It had a large silver stem and a beautiful, sturdy base with a few more gemstones embedded within it. A few wisps danced around inside already, and he looked from them, to Ganymede’s, and then back up to meet her eyes. “I’m more than happy to discuss compensation first, if you prefer.” No, he wasn’t, but that perfectly sweet smile of his said he could pretend for as long as he needed to.
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2021 6:21 pm
“You can have it,” Ganymede said, offering the wisp to him. “It’s yours.”
Compensation wasn’t necessary, but she kept that to herself for now, if it meant she could linger longer and explore. This man seemed familiar with Earth, yet she was not familiar with him — a troubling turn of events, as it meant things were happening in her city, had been happening, that she was not aware of.
She made the exchange, careful not to injure the little wisp as she did so, glancing at the silver and crystal chalice that housed its brethren. When the wisp was safely with its… — Owner? Master? — ...whatever this man was, she stepped back to scrutinize him, sizing him up as best she could, letting the words he spoke curl through her brain.
He was a visitor to Earth; where was he from? He claimed to enjoy being around people. Not humans, but people in general; was that meant to imply he was frequently alone? He brought all these things with him, including the wisps; why? What were they meant for? Why come to Earth at all, if there were other places he could be?
Were there more like him?
So many questions. Ganymede took another step back and paced slowly beside one of the purple-draped tables, allowing her gaze to sweep over his wares.
Eventually, she decided to start with, “What brought you here to begin with? If you’ve been to Earth before, I’m sure you’re aware that conditions here aren’t exactly welcoming to those of us from other worlds.”
Unlike this man, Earth was her home, but after everything, with the power she held inside her, and the memories she carried, Ganymede often thought she didn’t quite belong.
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2021 9:14 pm
The man took the wisp quickly, before she could decide to change her mind; he opened the lid and carefully deposited the wisp before sealing it shut and hiding the whole thing back beneath his table. “Oh, on the contrary. I’ve had a very pleasant reception here on Earth. Everyone loves me, I bring wonderful treasures and ask for very little in return,” he said, flashing a sharp-toothed grin. “Earth is alive, how could I not want to visit? It’s so hard to find anywhere with something going on. And you’re not just scraping by either, you’re really living. I’ve been coming to Earth for ages. But last--was it a year ago? I’m not sure. But the last time I was here was the first time in quite a while that I brought any wares with me. Usually I come for the gelato. It’s hard to beat the culinary anomalies you’ve got going on here. Soda pop, deep fried butter. Phenomenal, really. I always stop when I’m passing by.” His fingers steepled and he looked her over, taking in every little detail that he could about her uniform. “You seem like the type of girl who has everything she needs. So maybe something decorative? Glamorous?” He hummed and fished around on his tables before he leaned over to dig around at a box at his feet. The table made it hard to see what he was doing, but there were a few metallic clangs before he resurfaced, dusting off a golden chalice adorned with gems. He brushed his fingers over the rubies and diamond, as if that would help restore their luster, and then scrutinized the decorative engravings that had been etched into it. “I don’t know, do you drink? This one still smells of wine.” It was clearly a well maintained peace--ornate and distinguished. And clearly had at least one symbol of Ganymede carved into it.
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Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:13 am
As a much younger Senshi, new to the war and all the strange occurrences suffered by Destiny City, Ganymede would have been startled by an apparent alien in their midst. If she felt any sense of wonder now, it was because she hadn’t thought there was anywhere left among the stars that was habitable. Yet this man came from somewhere and seemed to travel. He even implied that there might be others out there, scraping by. It was hard to locate places with something going on, he said; hard did not mean impossible.
She would have asked, would have gladly sat with this man for a conversation about Earth and its culinary marvels so that she might hear about his experiences beyond this little blue orb with its singular moon, had he not pulled out the golden chalice.
It was smaller than the one that housed the wisps, clearly meant for drinking. Finely wrought and embellished with needless jewels, it was familiar to her even before her symbol was visible.
Quiet with shock, she asked, “Where did you get that?”
She remembered parties from long ago, countless gatherings of royalty and dignitaries, a ballroom decked out in finery. If she cast back far enough into the memories kept buried in the back of her mind, she could almost hear the music, taste the food, feel a hand on hers, asking for a dance she shouldn’t grant.
“Where did you get that?” she asked again, voice rising, tone firm and accusatory.
Ganymede drew closer and ripped the chalice away from him, turning it over in her hands for a closer look, but she was not mistaken. This was from Ganymede, which meant it was hers.
“Have you been to Ganymede?” she challenged him. “Pilfered my things?”
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Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2021 2:28 pm
He snorted, a soft, indignant noise. “Have I been to Ganymede? Probably. But ‘pilfered’ implies I took it from someone. My dear, I think you mean ‘excavated’. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Ganymede isn’t exactly ‘thriving’ like it used to be. Besides,” he shrugged innocently. “I’ve been to many worlds. You’d be surprised what turns up where. I’m not asking for gratitude, but you’re welcome for keeping it safe. I can see that it’s clearly important to you. I’m glad it’s been reunited with someone who will appreciate it.” He didn’t seem offended, not really. Not afraid, at least, or uncomfortable. He was professional. Mostly.
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 8:51 am
“You took it from me!” Ganymede argued. “Everything on Ganymede is mine! It might not’ve fully recovered, but it’s thriving a helluva lot more than it was a decade ago!”
Because of her. Because she cared for it, tended to it, put blood and sweat and tears into making something of the rubble. Magic returned there because she opened her heart to it, because she gave a piece of herself to a lonely moon, devoid of life.
It was alive now, in a manner of speaking.
That Knights of Ganymede could visit their wonders without her, explore a place that was once all her own without any input from her, without her even knowing they were there — that was bad enough. It rankled, touched a nerve and prodded her defensive nature.
That this thief had probably been there…
She didn’t buy that bullshit about things turning about elsewhere. It could be true, but his smarmy attitude wouldn’t let her believe it.
“Where do you come from?” she asked him, seething. “And I don’t want an evasive answer. Where were you born? Where do you live when you’re not excavating other worlds? How many people like you are there?”
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Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2021 7:00 pm
The man watched her and said, quite tamely “My dear, there’s no one out there like me.” He was mindful of her temper and continued, “I wasn’t born in any one place, and I don’t live at any one place. I move, constantly. And when I’m not traveling, I’m never anywhere for long. Why are you so mad at something I’ve had since before you were born? I didn’t cause the fall of Ganymede. I didn’t take any thing from any one. I’ve been across this universe so many times I’ve lost count. It’s nothing personal. And you’ve been reunited with something of yours, just as I have been with something of mine. I don’t accuse you of stealing my wisp. You didn’t take it from me. It was lost. And then it was found. And then it was returned.” He gestured to the chalice. “The same can be said for yours.”
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Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2021 2:17 pm
My dear.
Of all the ways to belittle someone, Ganymede thought faux terms of endearment must be the absolute worst. (She would know. She used them frequently.)
She clutched the chalice close, protective. There was no way to tell if she might have used it in the past. It didn’t sport any telltale nicks or blemishes to prod at her memories; rather, it belonged to a larger set of dinnerware and could have been used by any number of people on any number of occasions.
But a part of her thought, surely, it must have crossed her path before. (Liesel’s path, she corrected herself, though she didn’t put much effort into arguing the difference these days.) That this man should even have it seemed almost too convenient. Ganymede had been at this long enough to know that when something seemed too convenient, there usually was some cosmic meaning to it.
“You don’t make any sense,” she said.
Though a shred of her hostility had dissipated as she listened to him, she stubbornly held on to her anger.
“Do you have more things of mine? Or things that belong to others like me? What do you do, go around space, taking things from other people’s homeworlds, then come here and sit in your bubble, offering us things that’re already ours so you can, what? What’s the point of all this?” she asked, making a sweeping gesture with her arm to encompass the entirety of the shop.
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 8:47 pm
The merchant seemed thoughtful for a few moment, as he looked from his tables and then back to her. “What’s the point of anything?” he countered, but it wasn’t a belligerent question, and it seemed completely relevant to hers. “I don’t look it, but I am very old. And I’ve seen much of this universe. But it’s always changing. There’s no security in finances, the only person you can rely on is yourself, and you have to be tactful about who you interact with, and how. If it doesn’t make sense to you, it’s because you’re very young, and surrounded by people in this world. Earth hasn’t decayed into nothingness. All of my things used to belong to someone.” He still didn’t seem offended, just contemplative. “There are worlds out there with Senshi who will never awaken again. There are worlds who never had a senshi. There are more worlds forgotten than you will ever know. Should they all be abandoned forever? Or is it not impressive that something--sometimes even just a single thing, could have survived, and lived on to be passed to someone else? I think it’s fascinating.” But then, he shrugged. “I don’t have a world of my own, so I can’t know what it’s like for someone to pick through the scraps until they find something that can pass as treasure. But I’ve been doing this my whole life. And I’ve gotten very good at it. But for a long time, I had to do it to survive. It wasn’t just luxury, it was necessity. I can’t stay still. It’s not safe, not even on Earth. There are dark things out there in the universe, and we don’t all have a planet of senshi to hide out on. Some of us are on our own, and have to pick through the scraps and hope we find something to get us through to tomorrow.” He tapped his finger on the table as he watched her, and there was something dangerous in his expression, distant, but there. He smiled again. “But if I find anything from Ganymede, lost on some faraway world you’ve never heard of and can’t even dream to reach, I’ll bring it to you first. Does that ease your worries at all?”
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Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2021 8:23 am
Ganymede listened. She had no choice but to listen, not because he left her no opening to interrupt (he did), and not because she was physically incapable of doing so (she certainly was), but because the topic (space and far off worlds and dark things throughout the great expanse of the universe) was compelling in a way it might not have been when she was a new Senshi.
But then she hadn’t been new for quite a long time. A decade, now. Ten long years that felt even longer with the addition of old memories.
As much as she might want to discard everything this man said, she had a responsibility to her homeworld, and to Earth — to listen and learn and use what she knew to help those who could not defend themselves.
With some effort, Ganymede swallowed her pride, and her accusations. She kept the chalice close, but the tension in her eased by a fraction.
“I don’t know that my worries are eased, no,” she said, “but your offer is… acceptable.”
She didn’t like it, any of it, not when there wasn’t any guarantee that he would keep his word, but there were more important things to consider than random objects scattered among the stars, no matter how important they might seem to the memories lurking beneath her own.
“As for the rest…” Ganymede looked him over, sized him up, scrutinized him from head to toe, then stared into his eyes and asked, “Those dark things you mentioned out in the universe… Is any of it relevant to what’s happening on Earth? We’ve been focused on our own war for so long, I don’t know how many of us have considered what else might be lurking out there.”
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2021 6:02 pm
“I thought as much,” the man said; there was no insult in his voice, but he saw a much bigger picture than just what was going on here. Earth was one planet to him, and it might have been just as forgettable as all the others if it wasn’t still teeming with life. He was not brought low by Ganymede’s scrutiny, and he seemed to have something similar to respect for her, given the way she carried herself still. “Hard to say if what’s going on out there is relevant to what’s going on here. I try not to get close enough to ask. But I can’t say with any certainty that it’s not. And I can’t say that Earth is safe from any of the great shadows of the universe. They stretch closer every day. Your Surrounding is broken in many pieces. It did nothing to keep me out, but then--I’m not something you have to worry about. There are bigger things, much bigger things, out there. I don’t know the extent of what you deal with here on Earth. But I know you are very much not alone. And if I were you, I’d keep my eyes to the stars, just in case.”
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Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2021 8:22 am
Your Surrounding...
She almost flinched. It wasn’t an accusation; even if it had been, the Surrounding had nothing to do with her, wasn’t her responsibility, or her domain. That the Surrounding was not the well fortified defense it used to be was a simply stated fact.
Memory had a way of assailing her at inconvenient times. At least on this occasion, the memory was her own.
How long had it been since she last saw the Surrounding with her own eyes? How long had it been since she encountered any of its Senshi or Knights? Its Princess? Where was Chronos? Where was Virgo? For all their differences of opinion, Ganymede would never wish for their absence. If there were larger threats out there, they should all prepare themselves as much as they could.
So many of her allies had not been heard from in so long. If they were dead, she had no way of verifying it. If they were corrupted, she’d not seen any of them since, other than Cybele. If they were gone by their own choice, away from Destiny City and its troubles…
A part of Ganymede couldn’t blame them, but in moments like this, with the weight of the universe bearing down on her, their loss had a way of making her feel very alone.
She swallowed to ease her tightening throat, and gripped her chalice like its presence could keep her grounded.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said. “Thank you for the warning, and for—…”
If she held the chalice any closer, she might have tried to absorb it into her own body. She might still accuse him of theft if she weren’t overwhelmed by whatever ominous things lurked out in the cold darkness of space.
Ganymede frowned, forced her anxieties and her fears as far down within herself as she could, and with one final glance into the Merchant’s eyes, made her way to the exit.
Outside the bubble, when she looked to the stars, Ganymede could not quell a rising sense of foreboding.The Space Cauldron One more off your list with this Fin! emotion_bigheart
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