A few more things I wanted to say to you

[Call me J]

There were so many things that a person could say before they took what little dignity they had left, wrapped it up with the rest of their belongings, and just moved away. That was what Ashley had done recently, and while Jame knew she had been upset, he truly didn't comprehend the number of times that she had struggled to make their relationship work only to find him uncoperative. So far, Jame had spent the most of his semi-adult life buried in some addiction or the other, be it the book or the bottle.

All that Jame could think about was just how much he had been hurt by Ashley leaving, and how much she would regret her decision once Jame became famous. The young half-dragon was certain of that fact. And this trip to the bazaar would only be the begining of his revenge.

The fact was that the boy had no idea as to what he would purchase. He had acquired three hundred gold peices worth of store credit, the source of which was a mysterious benfactor. Jame could only assume that was his father. The boy had recieved enough mysterious gifts in six years that he no longer questioned the things he recieved.

However, now that Jame was standing in front of the shopkeeper with a dumb expression on his face. He scanned the rows of weapons and armory, almost with the impression that none of it was worth his time. "Barbarians weapons..." he muttered, completely unaware that he was attracting the ire both of the shopkeeper, and others standing in line behind him.

It was only after a thirty minute inspection that Jame decided he didn't want anything the store had to offer. Oblivious of the shopkeeper's glare, the young half-dragon made his way out, muttering about how rude everyone had been. A few minutes later, Jame was in another shop.

Fortunately, this time there were no other consumers around but Jame. Thus, it was likely that this shopkeeper would be much more tolerant. However, it was questionable whether anyone really could tolerate the eccentric half-dragon, even when he brought 300 gold peices of store credit with him.

"What do you have that's interesting?" he asked, with a clueless expression that was sure to elicit a groan.

[Karuka]

The shop was empty, and somewhat decrepit, covered with little odds and ends, but very few big things, and the store owner was no place in sight.

Interesting?

The word seemed to wind out from the very air of the room itself, and an ethereal figure with glowing red eyes slowly congealed in front of Jame.

What do you think is interesting? A little globe that lets you see your heart's desires? A dust bunny? A little candy? I've known enough people to know that what one person finds interesting...another does not.

The wispy voice fell silent, and the eyes looked down at Jame, waiting for his response.

[Call me J]

The response was both wise and intelligent. It was the kind of statement that any remotely introspective person would have at least considered for a few moments before responding. However, among all the colorful adjectives that have been used to describe Jame, introspective had never been among them. Ashley had used a number of colorful phrases: self centered, arrogant, ignorant, uncaring and rude were some of the most popular, but nothing she had ever said of Jame really smacked of compliment or critical thinking. Thus, Jame's reply was particularly unimpressive.

"What do you have for 300 that will impress a girl. Something shiny and a weapon... like a battle-axe maybe..." Jame said. He had no idea why he'd brought up the possibility of a battle axe. He barely knew how to use the sword that his parents had bequeathed to him. However, minutes ago, Jame had seen two relatively comely women fawning over a dwarf's axe. Subconsciously, he figured Ashley would be similarly impressed.

"Just make sure it looks really good..." he concluded.

[Karuka]

Girls are fools who impressed by weapons are, said the poltergeist, drifting over to a curtain and yanking it down, revealing a mace with a spherical top studded with long spikes. It gleamed as the dust settled around it, and with an effort, the shopkeep lifted it from its resting place.

But if such a girl you want, try a morning star.

He held it out for Jame's inspection.

[Call me J]

Jame inspected the morning star as if he was able to critique such weapons. In truth, Jame had never seen a morning star before, so he would have had no idea as to whether the one he held in his hands was a formidable weapon or a mere child's toy. Regardless, Jame hoped that it would be enough to impress Ashley.

"What kind of metals can you make this in?" Jame asked, hoping that would be the kind of serious question that the poltergeist would understand.

[Karuka]

Ghostly hands make not weapons, said the poltergeist firmly, not bothering to make up a whimsical rhyme.

This shop has odds and ends for the stout of heart. This thing is steel. Some girls will be impressed with it, others will not be. You have a sword, and some girls will be impressed with it, others will not be. What will impress people, and what will earn you respect, is not whether or not you OWN a weapon, but whether or not you possess skill with it. And that is something that cannot be bought, but must be learned through hard work and sacrifice.




OOC: sorry, I didn't know this old ghost was so...acerbic.

[Call me J]

Initially, Jame wanted to know if he could purchase hard work and sacrifice at the bazaar, though the limited sense of propriety he possessed prevented against it. Instead, he looked at the steel weapon one last time, tried to determine for his own if Ashley was the kind of person who would be impressed by it. “She doesn’t find the sword that impressive,” Jame thought. “So maybe she’s the kind of person that’d be impressed with the spiky ball stuck on the end of a stick... ”

He took a few more seconds to examine the weapon, and concluded that while swords were common among Althanians, morning stars were not. The thought made Jame smile a bit, swords, axes, bows, those were the kinds of weapons everyone could have. A morning star made him a serious warrior, Jame concluded. The kind of serious warrior a girl like Ashley would find impressive.

Clearing his throat in an attempt to wash the bitterness from their conversation, Jame responded with only a simple answer. “How much?” he asked.

Ooc: By morning star, I had a mace in mind without the chain, like this ( http://www.fisk-knives.com/Mace.jpg). If you meant the latter, would you mind pricing me for the former? Jame would just poke his eye out with anything more complicated.

[Karuka]

If he breathed, old Polty would have sighed. Was this what young boys were becoming?

He'll learn, figured the old ghost before naming the price.

That is one hundred twenty-five gold.


OOC: Nope, that's the morning star I meant. If I'd meant with a chain, I'd probably have said 'flail.'

[Call me J]

With three hundred gold peices in store credit, it seemed a waste to only spend one hundred odd gold peices of it. However, because Jame didn't know much about weapons, he knew of no particular way to upgrade it. Cognizant enough of the ways of the world to know that merely asking for something more expensive would just lead to him being overcharged, Jame nodded over towards a similar made made of a more attractive blue metal. "How much for that one?” he asked. He then pointed to a glassy black blade. “And that?”

Ooc: he is asking about Prevalida and Delyn.

[Karuka]

The Prevalida mace...Prevalida...is more gold than most people see in an entire lifetime. The mace is worth at least three thousand. Delyn might perhaps be better for one so young. The short sword that caught your eye is four hundred. And what such blades are doing in a nick-nack shop, I know not.

It was true, most often he preferred to buy from vendors things that were interesting or strange.

[Call me J]

Jame was a bit surprised that someone would spend 4000 peices of gold on something they were justt going to use to attack others, but he held his tongue. "To spend that much money on something that could get dirty when you could buy a trip on that airship in Alerar..." he thought. "If I had the kind of money to buy the blue thing, then I would have taken Ashley on a trip, not a weapon that'll just start gathering dust soon..."

However, since the delyn weapon seemed the proper choice for the serious young warrior, Jame felt it would be the best. "I believe I have three hundred peices of credit here," he said. That was the message he had recieved. "I can give you one hundred coins also."

He placed them down.

"There, 400 for the black shiny one..."

[Karuka]

Then take the black shiny one. No special properties, as far as I know, other than that it imbues with and defends against magic fairly well. It's called 'Delyn.'

The poltergiest's eyes took on a red glow as he grinned viciously.

And beware the dangers of running with knives...

The credit voucher and the coins were swept back behind the counter, falling with metallic clings onto other coins and such.

[Call me J]

The shiny black metal had no magical properties and was called delyn. None of that was of particular importance to Jame. All he knew was he finally had something that would impress Ashley.

"I wonder if I run with knives, if that will show her I am dedicated," he mused. "I imagine it wouldn't be too hard to figure that out... I'll take this around and run with it, and we'll see what everyone thinks about it..."

Jame smiled. "Thanks," he said. "Good doing buisness with you."

And thus, as oblivious as he was when he had first entered the shop, Jame departed, though now with an inexplicable sense of unentitled accomplishment.

[Karuka]

The old poltergeist sighed, shaking his head.

Kids these days...


OOC: Transaction complete. Call me J loses 400 GP, and gains a Delyn short sword and 100 EXP, for good IC interactions and making me laugh. Running with knives...oh dear...