middaeg | Closed

Who: Niles and Near
When: Dec 10th
Where: Near's Toyshop
What: Just trading a butchered deer to the bond of your ex arch nemesis in exchange for enchanted jewelry.
Warnings: None.

[Since L had requested a 'sizeable' portion, Niles had gone all out. The buck he took down had an impressive rack, and plenty of meat. Some of it had been traded to the butcher in exchange for processing the carcass for him, but the majority of it he's now hauling in a large insulated pack. The box itself is fitted with a minor levitation spell, enough for it to glide comfortably on an inch of air over the paving stones as he approaches Near's shop.

He eyes over the wares as he enters. He'd seen the place from the outside a few times back when he was stalking L, but there'd never been a particularly subtle way to follow in after him, so the interior is a new sight. His eye wanders over a marionette, a rocking horse, dolls lined up next to an impressively detailed dollhouse, a handsome carved chess set, a bright candy display, and finally the boy behind the counter.

Or, man? Niles blinks in confusion for a moment. This was undeniably the same naga he'd seen L have tense conversations with back in the spring, but a full decade older. His tail flicks low to the ground, making a quiet thump against the freezer box. For all his curiosity, as he and this man have never actually met there's no way he can just ask about his sudden growth spurt, no matter how much he wants to.]

Ah, you are the owner, correct?

[Just on the miniscule off chance that this man just has an incredibly, twin-like resemblance to a younger brother.]

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[He ignored the personal question in favor of the pedantic one. Figures. But Niles nods, mulling over what he'd been told. He holds up his watch.]

So, [He holds up his watch.] computer, [Then he plucks a little wooden figure from a nearby dollhouse and makes it walk along the counter.] robot. Provided it was moving on its own anyway.

More or less. As long as the doll was mechanical and not moved by magic. The form need not be human-shaped either.

[It has to be infuriating at times, being from such an earlier point in history or a world separated from this one. Near is not envious of anyone in that position.]

There must be many things even in this world that you find baffling. Not your fault, of course. It's a good learning experience.

[A forced learning experience, but one nonetheless.]

[Ah yes, Entrapta had all sorts. He remembers the furby heist with a mix of fondness and exasperation. He puts the doll back in its place.]

I've always been adaptable. The difference between living in the gutter and lodgings as a royal retainer was greater than the difference between home and here. Whether my room is heated by fireplace or by [He gestures towards the wall and ceiling idly.] pipes and air or whatever makes little difference to me so long as my bed is warm.

Adaptability is good. This place requires it.

[Especially given that it literally changed people into something they hadn't been before - both individuals here being prime examples.]

Where I come from they're designing systems for homes where you can simply tell a computer how bright or warm you want your rooms to be and it will oblige. Very convenient.

[And very pricey, but money had never been a concern for Near in his world.]

[That pulls a little laugh from Niles.]

We've had that in my time for years. It's called servants. [But he nods, he knows what he means.] I'm sure those computers are talking to something more like the heating we have here, but I bet a self-tending fireplace would be quite a lovely sight.

[Since the man weathered his teasing with no complaint, and even showed no urgency to hustle him out of the shop he decides to put prying into L's background on a shelf, and actually talk to...

He offers his hand to shake.]

I'm Niles, by the way.

[Near isn't a fan of shaking hands, but this is an acquaintance of L's and he had brought him food so he'll make an exception.

He takes the hand in his own scaled one.]

Eli.

[He doesn't draw out the contact. It's a social gesture he was never fond of either, but it's one of the few he knows to be shared across people of most times he's met. A sliver of something familiar and universal when so many of the rules and customs he's used to are gone.]

Cold hands. I suppose you're less than comfortable this time of year. [His ears give a sympathetic sort of droop, remembering the unbearable heat of the summer. He'd never done work in the Wyvern's Stable, but he knows that in winter drills and training hours had to be cut back due to the reptiles being so sluggish. All the talk about indoor heat aside, surely the man sometimes had to slink across town for one reason or another.]

It's not favorable weather, but I have ways of controlling my body temperature.

[It's one of the first things he'd looked into, as he'd gone cold-blooded before he'd even gained scales. He'd tried multiple methods and still and still had a couple on hand. The tattoos had ended up being one of the ones he hadn't returned to as shedding removed them.]

Another benefit of the magic in this place.

[And he sleeps with a hyena dog for warmth, but he tends to leave that part out.]

[Niles nods.] For the summer I took refuge at the Northern Outpost. [For...more than one reason but no need to go into that.] The inverted seasons gave me an easy out. Although for you skipping town for months at a time probably isn't too good for business. But for a change of pace, a visit might suit you well. Do you plan to join the scavenger hunt?

... I had not planned on it, no. The store is short-staffed right now.

[A scavenger hunt could be interesting, but if just any citizen can solve it it's not interesting enough for him. Aside from that, he's used to directing. When he has to move about on his own he falls short on account of his lack of physical prowess.

His shop ends up being a good excuse for most things.]

Do you participate in many of the "quests" here?

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