"So, I have some real nice merchandise on me. This frog here? Just having it on you lets you leap up to 30ft any which way. You both look like busy people, especially if you have somewhere to be or someone to catch, wouldn't having those extra feet help? Can be real great for dramatics and going from building to building. "
Illeore mulls this over, glancing back at Andrima, who just gives her a look you can't quite decipher.
"How much?"
"You're thinking two, I'm thinking three. No cooldown, no attunement, does what's needed right out the leap." You laugh.
"Hmmm...pricey...buuuuuuut-" she pauses, before looking at Andrima again, who just cocks an eyebrow. You're not certain what that means, but it's odd. A hand goes up on the side of her face, blocking your view of her mouth.
She clearly mouths something, and it must've been convincing, because Andrima makes a pensive expression, then tilts her head in what looks like an acquiescence of sorts. She turns around, her expression a bit more pleasant. "We can go for three."
Excellent. You move on, "Next up is this nice ring I have here, why don't you give it a look for yourself?"
You take the ring out of the inventory card to deposit onto the table. Illeore stares with a curious eye before moving to pick it up to examine, turning it this way and that in her hands.
"Hm.. I'd say this is about low-grade. What does it do exactly?"
You keep your cool, "Just low-grade? I think you're underselling it a bit. It's made of some real magical material. Why don't you buy it for three and you can find out its other uses?"
She stares at you. You hold steady. "...Sooooo you don't know?"
"I didn't say that."
She fixes you with a flat look. "It would be a bit of a disadvantage for me to buy something that the seller won't explain, don'tcha think?"
You shoot back, "Then don't buy it."
Her eyes narrow. Curiosity piqued? "So it does something besides look pretty?"
"It does." You know that much.
She takes another close look at it before taking a breath. Back to the neutral face. "Moving on?"
Ah, looks like you won't be selling that ring after all. You aren't that disappointed since it was a bit of a shot in the dark. You can properly IDENTIFY it later. "Now... about that travel watch. What's it gonna take to go for a high-grade price?"
Illeore exchanges a look with Miranda before chuckling, "We're not budging on that. It's 4 stars or none."
You gesture, "It is a pretty limited use item. And you can't travel to too many places with it. Surely it can't be that valuable for you to use either."
"That is true, but I could sell it to anyone else willing to buy it. And that ain't a small number."
"Maybe we could come to a different agreement? I have some other things I could throw in?"
She shakes her head, "Not interested."
Damn... No dice on that.
In the end, you sell the MUSIC BOX (***), 2 SCROLLS (*), and CERAMIC FROG (***), exchanging them for the SPYGLASS (**), MARBLE MINE (*), HEALING POTION (*), and the info on angel activity (*). You also take the free NOVELTY T-SHIRT for the hell of it. You can dump it on someone else too if need be. And from a quick look on Illeore's face, she's relieved to be free of it too.
With the extra * earned from haggling the frog, leaving you at **'s, you exchange it for 2500C. It's a great haul. You feel your mouth about to split from how hard you find yourself grinning at the stack of cash they place in your hands.
You give it a good sniff before quickly storing it away. You can help Eiko another way, if she really wants your help or not.
Illeore happily takes the frog and other items from your hands. They keep the music box closed, instead moving to scan and store it away.
Illeore gestures, "Soooo... those angels, we've seen a few of them around. One that escorted us in after we got our business visas, though they left quickly after. Another we saw flying overhead about two cities down south-east of here." She pauses to recall, "Oh, and one more going around the city we were just in. The one with all the wolves."
"Tandem." Andrima interrupts. You both look at her, and she elaborates. "Tandem operation. Senior and junior." Her voice is deeper, curt, and precise.
Andrima speaking up does surprise you for a moment, but her info is good. Hearing that there's more than one angel though is troublesome... "The one in wolvestown, how did they look? Did they seem like they were going somewhere?"
Illeore gestures, "The usual? Businesswear, halos, wings. They were pretty far away. Seemed humanoid." She shrugs. "One flew off from this building that had a crab. Another flew up from farther out, as far as I could tell it was the same one that was scouting out the farther cities. They spoke in the sky very briefly before splitting up again. It happened sometime in the afternoon."
"The one that came from far out and left first was likely the junior reporting in. More gestures from the other one, and that's the one that stayed. No weapons visibly out." Andrima opines.
Damn, looks like you were a hair's away from getting caught. You mull. It doesn't paint a pretty picture, but at least you know how many you could be working with. With a two angel operation... They had to have been alerted to your flight signature when you landed here.. Were they already looking for you?
But hey, it looks like Eiko could get those wings after all.
"I know how it sounds, but did they seem dangerous?"
Illeore shrugs, "With how little information I have, I can't say."
That's reasonable. You give her a nod and thank her for her time and money.
She tips her hat, "Pleasure doing business."
Now that they have what they need, Illeore moves to stand, exchanging words with Andrima as they both head out. You open your mouth to ask if they'll still be around, but think better of it. Exchanges with other travelers should be brief. Professional.
You are now alone with your thoughts. While the angels being around isn't ideal, you can still work with it. Can't go in guns blazing, but you were going to take a stealthier approach anyway.
As you look around, all around you are bodies. A few of the higher ranked Bulls mill about, sitting, chatting, and watching. Relatively laid back. In their element. Your contact is also nearby, watching the fight in the ring with a drunken gaze. Potential customers lay about. There's a makeshift bar at the end of the walkway where a bartender goes between bottles and beers. They have a nice selection.
Down below, the concert rages and a bell rings. Two goons come down into the makeshift cage to drag a body out as the victor raises a fist up to the cheering crowd. Looks like they wrapped up an execution, they only introduce weapons when they're punishing someone specific. And there's plenty more rounds that will go on until well past 1AM. With each fight, you can bet, and potentially gain a lot more money than you have. Maybe even double your earnings.
It's a playground out here. Chances of having a little fun and making money hide in every corner. Yet again, you are tired.
Do you:
>Stay
>Hang Outside
>Head Back