MASKTOURN

The streets of Shairoun. They’re winding and coiling, and have very clearly seen better days. The pavement is cracked and well-worn; some areas closer to the outskirts of town aren’t paved at all, and instead have overgrown dirt roads. Curiously, despite the amount of trucks parked around the town, there’s never anyone driving around.

After a much needed soak, the fishman had made his way to the strange village. This is a weird afterlife in his eyes but what's he gonna do? Undie?

Asha had left Persis' house fairly early in the morning since she couldn't really sleep. She didn't feel tired, either.. so she just wandered to whatever place. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

She wasn't the only one on the streets that early. Someone had set up some kind of mini farmer's-market with only one stall, set up out of a old trailer and a truckbed. There were various items set up around the truck and trailer- intricately decorated pots, silk scarves, all sorts of luxuries that looked like they didn't quite belong in Shairoun. Nearby, two people were talking- or, it seemed, bartering. One was a lean, tall young man with dark hair, the other a middle-aged woman with graying hair in a braided bun and a basket at her side. They didn't immediately notice Asha's approaching presence. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

A car.. a car! That would make traveling so much faster! ... but she didn't know how to drive. If she ever required transportation, she'd have someone else there to do it for her.. Asha approached the makeshift shop quietly, hoping to look over what was available before striking up any conversation. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'll give you 60 for the lot. Final price." The man was saying, the conversation more audible as Asha got closer. "Sixty? That's ridiculous. I could get more if I sold my it all to my neighbors." The woman protested. "Then you're free to do just, that, Ma'am. I don't force anyone to trade with me." There were all sorts of interesting things on display- most seemed like hand-made craft pieces. There was jewelry, clothing, bags, pottery, and some non-perishable food goods, like preserved fruits and tins of spices. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Asha had no idea if sixty whatevers was a good price for.. Whatever it was that that lady was buying. And nothing there seemed especially useful to her escape attempts.. At least, nothing seemed useful to her. "Do you have anything else here?" Asha asked as she walked up to the shop, keeping a hand over her chest to hide her expensive looking necklace. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

The merchant turned around to Asha with a bright, charming smile. "Oh, hello! It's a pleasure to meet you, my name's Idaine, I'm a travelling merchant around these parts." The woman who'd he'd left in the middle of their conversation rolled her eyes, and eyed Asha suspiciously. "I keep my more valuable stock hidden away, only for the most trustworthy of my customers. Though, you're very welcome to come take a look." Idaine hummed, leading Asha closer to the trailer. "Is there anything in particular I can interest you in?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Asha was not going to walk in to some random shady dude's trailer. "Hm, I believe you were helping this woman earlier. Do finish it up with her first." Asha said. "And I usually only deal with people who seem trustworthy, so why don't you help her out a little, hmm?" Seems like 60 whatevers was too high for that woman, so it must have been a lot? It was 40.. Lyra? For the hotel room, right? But that was a deal. It was a modest inn, comparable to something she'd stay in for Eighty ninjago coin.. So the conversion was something like double, maybe a bit less than double? So 120 ninjago coin, that seemed like a decent amount for a woman who didn't look all that wealthy... @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'm as trustworthy as they come!" Idaine smiled. "But yes, Sineclaer was here first, so..." He turned back to her. "Seventy for the crops." Sineclaer's face was stoic when it returned to Idaine. "Eighty." Idaine frowned. "Hm. Seventy-five? You really aren't offering me much." "Am I supposed to feed my family of six on seventy-five lyra? I'll throw in some of our honey and preserves, too." Sineclaer took a jar full of apricot-colored preserves from her basket. "Same quality as always. You've bought from me before, Idaine." Idaine took the jar and scrutinized it. "Hmmmm.... seventy-five, and I'll let you take any tin of spice you like for free." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Ohhh, she was selling. Why come to this weirdo when there was a market that seemed less shady? Unless this guy is where Persis and Juno were going... She really didn't know how much this stuff was supposed to be worth.. But she was naturally inclined to side with the poor lady. "Eighty-five, and I'll go look at your more expensive merchandise." Asha said. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Sineclaer turned to Asha as she spoke- not quite trusting this mysterious rich woman and her mysterious claims. "Wait- no, it's my product, you can't just sell it for me and take the profits." She argued. "I don't know what it's like wherever you're from, but that's not the way we do things around here." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"What?" Asha blinked, then realized what Sineclaer had said. "Oh! No no no miss, I wasn't going to take your money. I was just trying to help you get more for your produce, it'd be yours to take home." Asha held her hands out in front of herself to show her innocence, showing off her gem-laden necklace in the process. "Sorry for the misunderstanding." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Idaine definitely noticed Asha's necklace. "Well, that's agreeable to me." He shrugged, then turn back to Sineclaer. "Have your sons bring the produce over, then I'll pay up." Sineclaer narrowed her eyes, and began to step away from the merchant stand. "You'd better." "On the Great and Holy Lifebringer, I swear." Idaine nodded, and turned back to Asha. "Now, I hear you're interested in some high value goods?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Swearing on Albanes wasn't going to get you far. She wanted to ask the woman about her family, but seems like the dealer was quick to capitalize on her offer. Hmm.. that woman did look kind of familiar.. But the only loucari people she knew were Juno and his husband, and that definitely wasn't it. Maybe she'd ask her about it later. "I said I'll look at them, yes." Asha said. "Hmm, very strange request, but how much would it be to rent your truck for.. Hm, a day or so?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Sineclaer left to go get those sons of hers. Asha's comment seemed to stall Idaine, if only for a moment. "Now, my friend- my truck here is my lifeblood. Without it, I wouldn't be much of a travelling merchant, would I? How much do you have to offer?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Don't call me friend." Asha said, looking more stern the moment Sineclaer had left. She had no fucking clue how much a car rental was! Her staff handled that.. And she rode in much nicer vehicles.. "Hm. Usually I ride in nicer vehicles, and I don't factor in sentimental value.. " Asha hummed. "How long of a drive is it out of town, Idaine?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Well, to leave town, it's only about half an hour's drive, up to the gate." Idaine pointed over to the town gate, up near the mountain pass that led out of town. "Though it's a bit of a ways to the next town over. Where are you headed?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

".. Anywhere out of here." Asha said. Did that sound too desperate? "Is Sehwohl anywhere around here?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Idaine's eyes narrowed. "Sehwolh? That's in the next province over. But, I am headed that way..." He hummed. "The nearest city is Alveta. That's about a day's trip, and it's on my route. I'm not stopping in Sewolh, though, so you'd be better off finding someone in Alveta to take you there." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

A days trip!? Gross! Even ninjago city was less than half a day.. If she was going to go this way, she'd be a days drive out of town. Yeah she wouldn't starve or thirst to death if she had to walk back, but it would be long.. But this was her most promising lead yet. Maybe if this man left, Albanes would notice that she was scheming, and not send him back again.. She had to at least try. And if she had to walk back.. So be it. It's not like she'd grown tired yet. "Alveta would be a good middle ground." Asha concluded. "I'll give you my necklace for the ride, which is very generous, you know.. Since you're already going that way anyway." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Your necklace, hmm..." Idaine eyed the jewerly more obviously than he had before. This woman seemed really desparate, and also pretty naive. Especially regarding local geography. "Hmm..." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Eugh. This was one of her favorites, too.. But she did have other ones back home. She was somewhat uncomfortable with the staring, since the main part of it rested on her chest, but she also didn't want to unclasp it yet, lest he snatch it and drive away. "Yes, they're real emeralds, with very high clarity. You won't find any better around here, I promise you. And the metal they are set in is real gold." Asha huffed. "Final offer, take it or leave it. It's way too generous for a ride in a cheap truck, I promise you." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Idaine could probably find some poor sap who would take this for far more than it was worth. And he was getting it for practically free. "Alright! I leave this evening. If you don't show up, I'm not waiting for you. I have a very strict schedule to follow." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I'm not giving you my necklace to hold on to for collateral, so you leave without me, you just wasted thousands of coin to drive a route you were already going to go." Asha rolled her eyes. "You'll wait, if I'm not back. Or you get nothing." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"My friend," Idaine smiled. "You are not the one with the truck, or the one who is driving it. You know, I can simply refuse to take you altogether. And I don't take passengers without upfront payment. Especially those I do not know. " @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I said don't call me that. I'm not your friend, you're just a truck driver and random goods dealer." Asha glared. She turned her back to him, putting her hands back over her necklace. "I don't give my valuable goods to strange men as 'upfront payment'. I'm not as dumb as you may be thinking I am." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Friend or not, I am a businessman and I do things a certain way." Idaine shrugged. "I guess you'll simply have to find some other way out of the village, if you want it so badly. Not many merchants come this way, I'll tell you that." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

This bartering was so much beneath her! "Someone from my village will be coming eventually to get me, I would just like to help expedite the process. I don't need you, you're just convenient." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Very well." Idaine shrugged. Man, he was just repeatedly getting out-swindled here. But he wasn't the type of guy to take risks chartering random women across the Loucari. "Where do you come from, anyways?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Mlipuko, in Ninjago. I was just visiting a friend here, but I got the wrong address." Asha said, glancing over her shoulder at him again. "I am actually the Motomja there, the queen, so there may be more opportunities for you to expand your trade if you prove reliable. But if you do something to wrong me along the way.. I will be getting home one way or another, and there will be quite an army of people ready to get back at you." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

That definitely caught Idaine off guard. He had been expecting Asha to say some place in the south. "You're from Ninjago? How'd you get past the border control? And what is a queen doing all the way out here?" It didn't sound like he believed her at all. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Having a lot of money will get you past a lot of things, dear." Asha chuckled, and smiled just a bit. "And I'm allowed to have friends from out of my neck of the woods. Maybe you don't make many friends when you travel, but I do." "And take a look at me, do I look like I come from around here? I don't even worship the same God a you and I can speak a language I highly doubt any of you here can speak. Sometimes things that are hard to wrap your head around are still true." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"No amount of money will get you past the Lifebringer, darling." Idaine replied. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I never said who my friend was." Asha chuckled, and turned her head away again. Juno was.. Was he the reigning Lifebringer here now? That was important, right? Hm. Well, may as well try it. "Well, if you believe that so truly, and you see that I'm definitely from somewhere outside of the Loucari.." She let that linger for just a moment. "Who do you think I went all this way to see? Surely someone with a similar rank to myself, right? Perhaps think for a moment why I would bother to travel all the way here." "Not just to see some average townsfolk." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"This is a farming town. The only one here with any rank is the priest, and if, as you claim, you aren't from here, then you wouldn't even care about that." Idaine maintained. "You aren't a very good liar, especially because you seem to have no idea what you're even talking about." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I told you, I got the wrong address." Asha shrugged. "How do you think I got in then?" But yeah, truthfully she had absolutely no clue what she was talking about. Don't ask for any more specifics. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Yeah? And where are you trying to be? Cause unless you're really bad at spelling, it's pretty hard to mistak Sehwolh for Shairoun." Idaine asked. "Simple, you came from here. Probably not here, here, but you're from the south or something. Maybe you're a tourist or a pilgrim who got hopelessly lost. And if that's the case, lying isn't going to help you at all." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I didn't put in the navigation, that was my staff's error." Asha said. "I don't really see what you gain from interrogating me. Maybe I just don't like to tell random men what I'm up to. It shouldn't matter to you, as long as you get your payment, right?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Oh, you have a 'staff'?" Idaine quirked an eyebrow. "You aren't going to pay me, so... well, I guess it doesn't matter. You aren't a customer." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I was going to pay you when we were leaving. I have no reason to believe you wouldn't just take it and run, this necklace is worth more than all the trips you'll ever make here combined. You wouldn't even need to come back, ever. It's stupid to think you'd wait out of the goodness of your heart." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"And I told you, I'm not agreeing to that. I have a schedule, I can't wait around forever just for you to show up." Idaine maintained. "If you want to come with me to Alveta, you'll have to agree to my terms." He shrugged. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Ugh. You're irritating." Asha grumbled. "Whatever, if I get here at the time you say, is that alright to you? Will that fit in to your tight schedule? Or is the five seconds its going to take to hand over my necklace to you once we're already in the car too much?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"As long as you're here within half-an-hour, I'll be fine. I'm just not waiting around forever for you. I leave at sundown, which should be... eight-thirty pm." Idaine shrugged. "Maybe you should've actually listened to me before getting all worked up." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I'm not worked up-" Asha snapped her head back in front of her, just so she could stop looking st him. She took in one deep breath to calm herself, and adjusted her robe. "Eight thirty. Fine. What's the time now?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Idaine looked up at the sky, and then checked one of the fancy clocks he was selling. "Two in the afternoon." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Great. I'll see you in about six hours." Asha mumbled and walked off. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'll see you then." Idaine waved. He didn't seem too happy about this arrangement, either, but... at least he was the one getting paid a lot for it. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

If only this guy sold noise canceling headphones.. that might have made the trip bearable. Regardless of that, Asha headed off back in to town to hopefully find something to fill six hours.

As Asha began walking away from the marker stalled someone else was approaching it. It was Sineclaer, returning with two teenage boys carrying large barrels. Both boys resembled her- they must be the sons she had mentioned. Sineclaer gave Asha a curt nod as they passed each other. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Asha still seemed a bit ticked off, but her sour expression faded as she saw Sineclaer's family. Aw.. Is this about how old her boy would have been..? "Oh, are these your boys?" Asha asked, smiling weakly at the group. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Sineclaer nodded, her expression softening a bit. "Yes, these are my oldest two. Sieandes and Pietre." Sieandes and Pietre both greeted Asha with polite 'hello ma'am's, Sieandes with more friendliness than his brother. Sineclaer turned back to Asha. "I don't believe I actually got your name, Mrs. ...?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Sieandes and Pietre.. Can't say I've heard those names beofore." Asha chuckled. "And oh! How rude of me, my name's Asha. Asha Issa." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Good to meet you, Asha Issa. I'm Sineclaer Adalphyouri." Sineclaer's face morphed into a slight smile, and she held out a hand for a handshake. "You from around here?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Another name I've never heard." Asha smiled back and shook her hand. Her hand was a bit calloused, but definitely well moisturized cared for. Some of her green nail polish was starting to chip off, though. "And no, actually, I'm from a village in Ninjago if you can believe that." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Sineclaer's hand was one of a working woman- calloused and scarred from years of labor. "Oh, wow- I don't even think I could point to Ninjago on a map." She laughed, and instructed her sons, "Go get the tomatoes to the merchant before he decides he's paying less for them." Turning back to Asha, she asked, "So what brings you all the way out here?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I think it's out to the south east, like waaaay south east." Asha said and returned her hand to her side. She watched the two boys run off before looking back to Sineclaer. "I'm visiting a friend, but I think there was a mistake. I guess I was supposed to be in Sehwohl.. I'm headed back with that shady guy to get to Alveta tonight, where I can hopefully find a way to get the rest of the way.." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Sineclaer nodded. "I see... yeah, you're definitely a bit far out. Sehwolh's to the east of here." Her brow furrowed as Asha described her plan. "Now- I don't mean to impose, but are you sure you want to travel with Idaine? I trade with him, but I can't make any judgements of his character." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Oh, I'm aware. He's not my favorite either, buuuuut he has the only vehicle I've seen, and I need to get going." Asha said. "I can handle myself. And I always pack a weapon." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"My husband has a truck we use out on the fields, and we're hardly the only people in town who ever need to go places." Sineclaer frowned. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

.. Maybe she should have looked around a bit more before deciding on him. ".. Would other people really be willing to drive me out all that way? I mean- I figured he only offered because he's already heading out that way anyway.." Asha frowned right back. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I can ask around- friends, neighbors. If you need medical care, or something like that, someone here will be willing to help. At least, I'd hope so." Sineclaer hummed. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I'm not injured or anything- I just can't stay away from home for too long. I want to go by tonight." Asha insisted. ".. I have a baby back home. I need to get there. As soon as possible." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Sineclaer nodded. "I understand. I'll tell you what- once I'm done with Idaine here, I'll start asking everyone I know if they'd be willing to take you out to Sehwolh, or at least to Alveta or something." She glanced back to where her sons were still talking with the merchant. "If you don't mind me asking, how old is your little one?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"You don't know how much I would appreciate that-" Asha really doubted this place reached all the way out to Sehwolh, but.. Yknow, maybe it did. "My first is six, my middle is four.. And my youngest is about two months. This was supposed to be a short trip..." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Sineclaer nodded. "Oh, wow. It's been quite some time since my boys have been that little... we'll get you back home to them, somehow." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Thank you, I really appreciate it. I don't have any of the money from this region, but tell whoever offers that they can have some of my jewelry, I have plenty back home. I offered the merchant my necklace, which is way overpaying, and he was still rude about it." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"He's a rude one. Most city folk like him are." Sineclaer glanced towards Idaine's stall. "You're very kind to offer. I'll tell that to the people I meet." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Mhm, I get that sister. Every time I went to Ninjago City, people were ten times ruder than even my most annoying neighbors.. I don't know what it is about it, must be the noise or something." Asha hummed. "And it's the least I could offer for a trip that might take over a day.. If Idaine wasn't lying." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Mhmm... I've never been to Sewolh, but every time I've been to Alveta it's been about a seven hour drive. Idaine might take longer because of his trailer and everything, and the roads aren't great out here." Sineclaer thought out loud. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Mm, that is about how long he said it would take, so at least he wasn't lying about that." Asha said. "What's Alveta like?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"It's... nice. It's on a big lake, and there's some tourism there. Back when Sieandes and Pietre were really little, my husband's sister lived up in Alveta, and we'd take the family up on holiday there." Sineclaer hummed. "Much more lively than here, though I think it's rather small compared to a place like Telvrei or Tolvek or Ilsaati." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Those other place names meant nothing to her. "Mm, that does sound nice. I don't know how to swim though, if that's the main draw." Asha said. "I didn't usually get much time for vacations.. But when my kids are old enough there's an amusement park not too far from the city I'd like to take them to." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"There's swimming, there's fishing, people take their boats out onto the water. Probably gonna be real busy, since it's the middle of summer." Sineclaer hummed. "Aw, that sounds fun. Best to wait for something like that, though. Faires and the like are usually too intense for little babies." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I think I'll avoid the lake." Asha said, like she thought she'd actually get there. "I was going to take my first two once the older one was eight, so two years more, but this last one has kind of uprooted everything." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Fair enough." Sineclaer nodded."Mhm... it can be difficult, having those sorts of large age gaps between your kids. My youngest is only nine, and Sieandes is ten years older than him." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Wow, that's an even bigger gap.. How old were you when you had your first kid?" Asha asked. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Ah, I think I was around twenty five? Something like that." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Hah, mine was thirty." Asha said. "How many do you have? More than two..?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Four. All boys." Sineclaer gave a dry laugh. "They're a handful. You?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Three, all girls." Asha smiled. She was fine with just that- and she was getting too old to have any more anyway. "My first was going to be a boy back when I was just eighteen- but he didn't make it. I kinda hoped my third would be a boy but.. Nope, another girl." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Mhm. Suppose we're opposited, then." Sineclaer hummed. "I'm very sorry about your loss- I can't imagine how hard it must've been to go through that. I was going to have a daughter after my first two, Pietre and Sieandes, but... she never came to term." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Mm.. It was hard to conceive again after that- but clearly I figured it out." Asha said, slightly humorously. "My third was the real surprise, the other two were very planned.. But me and my husband are managing, we have a great support system." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Mhm." Sineclaer nodded, her gaze softening a bit as they moved on. "That's good. I hope you can get home to your family soon, but it's good to know you have a strong community. I definitely wouldn't have been able to handle all my boys if I hadn't had the community here." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"My friends and family, and my whole village are great. I'm.. Sure my kids are doing alright without me there." Asha sighed. "Well, if we want to find someone else before nightfall, we should probably get going.. How much longer do you think the boys will be?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"'Mhm. And I've got some work to do back home, too..." Sineclaer hummed. "Oh, here they come now." Sieandes and Pietre were returning, Sieandes with a small brown envelope. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Did he give you all eighty five?" Asha asked as she turned to face them with a small smile. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Yep!" Sieandes nodded, and handed the envelope over to his mother. "We had to argue with him a bit, but we got it." "Mhm. Good." Sineclaer took the envelope and began counting through all the money inside. "Sieandes, Pietre- while you're out today, could you check and see if anyone in town would take Mrs. Issa here out to Alveta?" "Ma..." Pietre began to complain. "Oh, hush. I know you're going to see that Ailandesyouri girl. The least you can do is speak to her grandmother for a few moments." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Awwwwee, do you have a little cruuuuush?" Asha chuckled with a warm grin. Had she found the one straight family in town? "What's her name?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I do not!" Pietre protested in the manner of a teenage boy who definitely had a crush. "Oh, Lyesandria?" Sieandes asked, and gave his brother a teasing clap on the shoulder before turning back to Asha. "He's crazy about her. Has been since they were ten." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Everyone here had such weird names. Long. "Lyesandria and Pietre.." Asha hummed. "But since you were ten? How grown are you now? Ask her out already, you're only getting older every day!" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"He asked her to a dance when they were, like, fourteen." Sieandes explained, clearly happy to be sharing his brother's drama with a stranger who didn't yet know it. "But she rejected him- and now he's been scared to ask her out again! Even though it's been three years and her feelings might've changed." 'Stop telling everyone my business!" Pietre protested. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Three years? So you're seventeen! I was engaged then, shoot your shot again!" Asha said. "You seem like such a lovely handsome boy, I'm sure she wouldn't reject you again." "But invite her out somewhere real romantic first!" Asha said, not really knowing where those places would be in this town. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"... was gonna take her out and look at the stars..." Pietre muttered, but seemed too embarrassed to elaborate much. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"That's cute and all, but she can see the stars any night! You have to make it special." Asha said. "But I feel like if she accepts a date late at night alone with you in the first place, she probably already likes you." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Pietre's face was buring up in embarrassment. "Oh! Maybe you could bring her some of that goat cheese you made." Sieandes suggested. "A token of your affections." "Not all of it. I was going to use some of that cheese for supper tonight." Sineclaer hummed. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Ooooohh, a cheese maker! That's unique!" Maybe not here.. "Maybe you can make a charcuterie board in the shape of a big heart! That would be sooooooo cute." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"What's a... shar-cutery board...?" Pietre asked. "It's a fancy people thing." Sineclaer explained. "You just be your honest, and Lyesandria will appreciate that. But do some work first." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"A charcuterie board is just a board that has little snacky foods on it, like sausage, cheese, crackers, fruit.. Stuff like that. It can be really fancy, but it doesn't have to be." Asha felt the need to educate them on that anyway. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Sineclaer, at the very least, didn't care enough to respond. "Well, before either of you go off chasing girls, your father needs you out in the field." "Alright!" Sieandes practically dragged his brother out towards the fields. "Come on, lover boy!" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Bye!" Asha said as they left, and turned back to Sineclaer. "They're precious, I can't wait until my kids get to that age." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"They're a handful." Sineclaer said, but there was affection in her voice. "I should probably get back to work, too, and I'm sure you have some place to be..." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Not fair actually- but I won't hang around you. I don't have any plans until leaving later.." Asha sighed. "Is there a certain spot I should go to later?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"You could stop by our house, do you know where it is?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I.. no, I don't. Is it around Persis' house..? Or the ruins? That's basically the only places I know.. Oh, and Juno's house." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Follow the main road south from here, and we're the furthest one out. Ours is the house with the blue fence, you can't miss it." Sineclaer said, and pointed southwards. "Juno? Who's that?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Asha followed where she was pointing. "The blind guy who lives by himself. His name is Juno." Asha said. "It's a funny story, ah, I was supposed to go to a different Juno's house, that's why I ended up here. Way out of the way." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"You know who he is? But-" Sineclaer's brow furrowed. "He doesn't even know who he is. How do you know who he is if he's not the right Juno?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Asha stared for a moment. ".. The address in the address book said Juno, but it could have been the previous resident or something... I felt weird calling him the hermit, so I just called him Juno." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"No one's lived- at least legally- in that old house for years. It was empty when I was a girl." Sineclaer hummed, doubt in her voice and confusion on her face. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Well, I did get the book in Ninjago, so maybe it was misprinted." Asha shrugged. She hated doing this. She was so honest with her townsfolk, because she was never doing anything shady! Wellllll, besides partying a bit.. but she hadn't been able to do that since before she was pregnant with Kaisa! @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Huh. I guess so." Sineclaer glanced in the direction the hermit lived. "I worry for him..." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Yeah I.. I do too." Asha said. She felt a little bad about leaving him at that hotel, but.. This wasn't real. And that wasn't her Juno.. right? She'd get out of here, and none of this would matter.. "But he was very helpful, he helped me get to the inn. But his house is just.. so empty." Asha said. "Do you know when he got here?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"He just... showed up a few years ago. I think about five years. One summer he just... showed up." Sineclaer shrugged. "I provide for him when I can- give him food, blankets in the winter. I think some others do too... he's clearly not well, but... there's only so much I can do for him." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"I guess this place is too small for a group home.. I think that might be the only thing that could help him if he's stayed isolated after all this time." Asha sighed. "Has anyone offered to let him move in with them? Having a blind guy live all alone at the edge of town with no money is kinda.. um.. scary." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"They might have one in Alveta, but I don't know what that would cost..." Sineclaer sighed. "I know I can't take him in, at least not while my kids are still growing up. I... think most of the rest of the town is the same. I wish I knew if he had some family, somewhere..." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"What? It costs money to put someone in a group home??" Asha's eyebrows furrowed. "But they're like.. for poor poor people, how would they afford to get in? That's kind of backwards.." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Well- he'd have to go somewhere for, you know, mentally unwell people, don't you think? An institution." Sineclaer frowned. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"He's not mentally unwell-" She sounded a bit to aggressive on that, so she had to pause for a moment. "He just has amnesia and a physical disability. He just needs a safe place to go to to help him get his memory back and care for him, temporarily." ".. But even if he did need to go to an 'institution', that should also be free, in my opinion.." which didn't really matter a single cent here. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"He very much is." Sineclaer said, not even arguing the fact. "And I think he needs to go somewhere, where there are professionals equipped to take care of him. Because God knows the people in this town can't." "I think it should be free, too. But that doesn't mean it is." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"What do you think is wrong with him? He probably just hit his head or something, he's not crazy." Asha sure cared a lot about this random stranger, huh? "How about this. Juno- or whoever he is- can come with me to Alveta and I'll work on finding him a home there." Asha said. But from what she knew about him, and how she left him, he'd probably never agree.. "Maybe I can pawn off some of my jewelry there, for a fairer price than what the merchant here would give. And that's how I'll pay for it." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"He hallucinates things and people who aren't there- he keeps talking about this girl, Albanes, who he just insists is here, he's delusional, he thinks he's a god or something, he gets into these angry, upset fits..." She shook her head. "I don't know the medical terms for what's wrong with him, but something clearly is." "... are you sure?" It would probably be easier to convince her neighbors to take one normal woman to Alveta, not that normal woman and the local crazy man. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Albanes? Well.. That did make sense. Wait- speaking of Albanes... Asha squinted at the other woman. She did look an awful lot like Albanes, didn't she? That was weird. "It sounds like he's just getting some of his memories back, he's not crazy." Asha huffed. "I'm still offering to pay, and he's so small and doesn't really have anything to bring.. It shouldn't make much of a difference if he's in the car. And I'm sure the people here would be thankful that he's in more capable hands." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I don't think so. Why would he be remembering someone who doesn't exist. He isn't even from here." Sineclaer sighed. "I'll ask around for him, too. You should go... tell him to maybe pack his things, I don't know." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

".. Maybe he's just not able to understand his memories coming back because he's blind and lost." Asha continued to defend the 'stranger'. She'd have a lot to tell Yeonaixho when she saw him, the real one, with the gay marriage and no kids. He'd probably feel bad about all this Lifebringer drama she got sucked in to, and then cry for a while... "I'll go find him, and I'll meet you at your house later." Asha nodded. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Sineclaer started back to her house, where her sons had gone. "Alright. I'll see you both then. Good luck." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Thank you, I really appreciate this." Asha said, and headed off toward Juno's house.. hopefully he had gotten home.. A small apology may be in order for how she left him back at that inn.. ...

It's...quiet here in the streets, but it's not a bad quiet, either. It feels a bit like the place called home as a child, with it's winding streets and quiet...quietness. It was nothing at all like New Ninjago City, and- well. It was nothing at all like that maze of a place. Gods. Shit. Was he starting to like this place? Ace continues wandering about, not entirely sure of where to go. Places to stay, maybe? Food- food? Did he need to eat? (Did ghosts need to eat?) At least he doesn't feel cold anymore. At least he doesn't feel all skin-crawly and...gross. He hopes Ellie and Nathan are doing...well, wherever they are. They don't exactly have high hopes for Nathan getting along with the others, though. He continues on, unsure and quiet.

fishman in town

asha almost gets scammed and meets albanes's family

ace is enjoying his afterlife vacation