psychoshenanigans | GRATIA // PSL

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GRATIA // PSL

The first thing he feels is the cold.

It permeates everything down here on the lower levels. What little warmth humans have made for themselves is greedily gobbled up by the stone walls that surround them on all sides. Despite the stirring of people in the streets, in their homes, and around corners, this place feels like a grave. A similar sense seems to loom over the heads of most who make their way through this deep, dark part of the world, hovering around them like a cloud of inevitability. No one has been outright sentenced to death, but they may as well be.

Upon waking, Tek will have found himself in a dark, wet alleyway. Attempts to orient himself reveal that he has been brought, somehow, to an impressively large network of tunnels that all lead, more or less, to three or four larger chambers. There is far more vibrant life above him somewhere, far, far above the layer of caves he's in now, and there is also a very deep, sluggish form of life somewhere far below his feet.

No one is coming to get him. No one follows him in his immediate vicinity--the few stragglers hanging around doorsteps and windows don't give him a second glance, or even a first one. The place is crowded, but not busy. Everyone keeps their heads down. The people are all dressed poorly, in rags and robes and bundles that suggest a certain level of consistent poverty all throughout the level. The buildings in these tunnels look man-made, either built from scrap or carved straight out of the rock of the cave, but the majority of the actual roads and cave walls seem to have been formed with very little help from human hands.

The place is lit with lanterns and dirty-looking florescents suspended high above in the cave ceiling. The air is thick and stuffy, the smell of mold and mud prevalent over even the smell of human stagnation. It would not be hard to drag someone off, and he gets the immediate feeling that if he did, it's unlikely that anyone would come looking for them.

What does he do?

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[for as long as Tek watches her, the girl seems entirely fixated on drumming, almost as if in some kind of trance. it isn't until he passes by her that she glances up--but the look is very brief, and it does nothing to disrupt the constant rhythm of her drumming, and as far as Tek can tell, absolutely nothing about that changes when he enters the tent, either.

the inside of the tent is lit mostly through an open ventilation hole at the highest point of the construction--through a few piles of lit candles and spools of small lights are placed here and there where they seem the most helpful. because at first glance, the whole thing seems like a mess and it's hard to tell where one should be looking first--is it the chest full of scraps near the door, the drawers overflowing with belts, the sets of strange half-armors hung up against the wall? perhaps the shelves stocked with folded-up clothing, or the literal piles of things--not all of which seem completely like clothing--vaguely sorted into barrels and crates and mounds around the perimeter of the shop? but Tek, having an eye for hoards, will appreciate the aesthetic in place here. it seems disorganized, but cozy. shiny things peek out and sparkle from hidden corners and high shelves. bits of color spring out from otherwise dark outfits. it invites the viewer to explore, the kind of arrangement that makes one's fingers itch with a desire to sort and discover.

also of note are a couple of pieces of furniture--a half-covered, low table in the middle, and a couple of chairs that look like they're more for displaying clothing than actually being sat in. at the far right side of the tent, there's a mattress with some pillows and blankets mingling with piles of unfinished projects, making it hard to tell if that's actually for sleeping or if that, too, is somehow part of the shop display.

but really, the immediate thing of interest is probably Tonic--who is on the left side of the room, crouched on one knee, pinning the hem of a shirt on a woman who is half-hidden behind a folding divider. today, he's dressed in a long, black dress, made from some soft-looking fabric that ripples and drapes like water whenever he moves. the sleeves are long, but the collar is nearly off his shoulders, revealing that mangle of strange scars that would otherwise be covered. the dress is cinched at the waist with a corset that's been heavily embroidered, and the earrings he's picked out are these impressively large, twisting things that resemble loose, thorny brambles in a way that is both beautiful and a little dangerous-looking.

his hair is combed all to one side, draping towards the good side of his face. his makeup is heavy, as usual, but also artistically done. he took some liberties with his lips today, painting the good side solid black, and the bad side with mocking, vertical stripes that taper off to a thin point.

the girl squeaks and ducks back behind the divider as soon as she catches someone entering... but when Tonic looks over, expecting another customer, his intent expression is quickly replaced by surprise, which is overtaken by a wide, half-grin in seconds.]

Tek! Darling, it's good to see you.

[he spares Tonic a greeting smile, but then his eyes immediately return to picking over his surroundings.

he's keenly interested in everything around him, but his body language could unfortunately be mistaken for extreme hesitance. the empty, reptilian calculating looks an awful lot like caution, and the way he idly fidgets his fingertips over the cloth of his shirt, scratching just below his throat, looks like someone caught in discomfort they hadn't been expecting. in reality, his fingers are just itching to go exploring through the clutter and look for treasures. shiny things keep catching his eye. he's quite happy to see Tonic again, but this place is turning out to be far more distracting than he'd expected a "clothing shop" to be.]

Yes, well. I wouldn't want to intrude if you're busy.

[if it had just been some average stranger coming in off the street, Tonic would have read this as apprehension, even nerves... but his memories of Tek are still fresh and vivid against the usual backdrop of banality, so he assumes there's more to what he's doing than meets the eye.

with an easy nod, Tonic goes back to looking at his work, pulling several small pins from a small cushion to the side.]

Not at all, come in. Have a seat. Look around. Make yourself at home.

[the girl (round-faced, curly red hair), dares to glance around the corner of her cover just to see... but disappears again when she does not recognize the man at all. Tonic continues to talk, despite his client squirming.]

I'll be with you once I've finished up here. Just a few minutes.

Certainly. There's no hurry.

[the poor girl would rather have someone looking distinctly elsewhere than sitting around and waiting while she's essentially shirtless, right? Tek will gladly take the cue to begin a casual exploration of the room.

he'd been bookmarking things in his mind while standing near the doorway, so he has immediate places to check out once given permission to wander. he pretends to be looking at everything as he strolls along, but he's most interested in the little sparkling treasures tucked amongst the rest.

he can't help it. even in a clothing shop, he's drawn toward toward the shiny things.]

[the other two seem preoccupied with their business anyway. Tonic politely asks her a question or two about her social life to keep her mind off of any discomfort she may feel. and she seems relieved to go back to talking about this party that she's going to, which leaves Tek entirely free to navigate the shop uninterrupted.

the sparkling things vary from place to place. upon approaching, some of them are just bright buttons, or reflective bits of metal, or rows of sequins... but there are also pieces of jewelry strung about the room. one vanity against the wall is strung up with dozens of them, an eclectic mix of necklaces and earrings, bracelets and pins, in all kinds of shapes and sizes. a few themes emerge, looking through them; sharp, newly-shined metals mixed with old, traditional materials, shapes that imitate organic twisting rather than calculated geometry, and more than a few things that are covered in either thorns or teeth.]

[of course his wandering eventually settles at the dresser. he really had meant to continue exploring the space, but he gets trapped there by all the treasures calling to him.

he hopes that he's allowed to touch everything, because he absolutely does. textures need to be felt, jewelry needs to be draped lovingly across the back of his hand and held up to the light. he appreciates the themes (organic shapes that aren't necessarily the overgrown images of vines and leaves, and he always enjoys anything with teeth on it) but, more than that, he loves the fact that can he tell the collection was put together by a single person. he can see that Tonic has chosen these things because he himself likes them. Tek is still learning little things about his friend, even through this.]

[everything is nice to touch, smooth and well-weighted except for when it is very intentionally crafted otherwise. the minutes pass quickly, nestled up in this surprisingly quiet, comfortably warm interior. in the calm, Tek can start to pick up other things with more than just seeing and touching... like the small trace of magic in a mirror shard that's been set in a coiling, metal bracelet.

it's nothing substantial, probably. but it's there. in fact, there are some other things, hidden in shelves or mixed in with other piles, that also give off faint traces of magic. the largest concentration of it, some kind of natural magic, is coming from somewhere beyond a tarp wall that Tonic is currently crouched in front of.]

Okay, that's it. Let's get you out of this...

[Tonic stands again, also disappearing behind the divider to help his client get out of her shirt without getting stabbed by pins in the process.]

[oh, he likes what he's found. he always enjoys stumbling across magical items when he's not expecting to, even if the traces are small. the mirror bracelet especially intrigues him, even if it's not a perfect match with his style. he doesn't put that one back onto the shelf, and also picks up a few smaller (bite-sized) magical items from elsewhere nearby while he's at it.

these, he keeps collected in his hands while he patiently waits for Tonic to finish up with his customer.]

[the other items make it a little hard to tell whether or not their placement was intentional... there's a small crystal mounted on a ring that fits the bill, but the other items are a bead (from a container of other, similar beads), a small scrap of red fabric near the top of a chest of other fabric scraps, and a button that is sewn onto the cuff of a shirt that has several other identical, non-magical buttons running up the front.

the woman emerges fully, wearing something less-exciting than the shirt she'd put on earlier. she waves a little before suddenly asking if she'd given him the box--but Tonic helpfully lifts up a palm-sized tin that had been sitting on the edge of a table and gives it a cheery little shake. their transaction complete, she smiles, says her thank-yous, and heads back out into the market.

for a moment, it seems like Tonic means to follow her... but he only reaches up with a half-smirk, flicking a small latch above the entrance, which drops a heavy flap down over the entrance of the tent. the two of them now have something resembling privacy.]

What did you find, dear?

Many things... [he answers, appreciatively, over his shoulder.] I've hardly begun to scratch the surface and I'm already in love with everything here.

[he lifts the mirror bracelet in particular, much like Tonic had lifted the jingling tin to show the woman.]

I'm curious about this one. What can you tell me about it?

Oh...?

[while he's pleased to hear that Tek likes what he's seen of his establishment, he tilts his head curiously at the bracelet. maybe he's trying to remember, or maybe he isn't sure why Tek is so interested in it to begin with. the metal is copper-colored, and the size of the shard makes it quite the statement piece.

he comes closer, bringing one of his good fingers up to his mouth to fidget thoughtfully.]

It's designed to be worn against the underside of the wrist. The thought was to make it look like a tear in the skin that's showing what's underneath. Light, or the dark, or just a reflection of the outside world.

[there's a beat, then:] That was the story, until I learned that the shard came from a haunted mirror.

Edited 2018-12-02 05:27 (UTC)

[Tek seems just as thoughtful as Tonic had as he explains, looking like he may also be curious as to why he'd picked out this piece in particular.

the explanation is a fascinating one... until the last bit of it falls into place, and Tek gives a startled laugh. in the wake of it, he holds the piece just a little farther from himself.]

Oh. That would change things, wouldn't it?

[Tonic laughs too, because that is a common reaction, even among those who have no attachments or sensitivities to the supernatural.]

A bit! I'm sure someone out there has the bravado to buy it... I just haven't met them yet.

[which is all right with him. the piece has bothered him a little since he learned that it was connected to a ghost, but still... he's never been able to part with it himself, either. something about this particular shard has always been very beautiful to him, even before he knew its story.]

If it had been anything but a haunting...

[this is a topic that he hasn't decided his official Opinion on, and that fact would just end up bothering him to no end. for all he knows, the hauntings of this world could essentially be the necromancy of his world. so, it's not the same issue that the usual person would have with the bracelet, but his reservations over it are just as strong.

which makes him wonder about the other magical things he'd detected. he gestures over at the enchanted ring that he'd noticed earlier, resting innocently on a surface nearby.]

And what about that one? Does it have a similar story?

[now, Tonic looks openly confused when Tek refers to the ring on the table. while they both have magical properties, the two items are aesthetically very different. this ring is melted iron with a soft-pink hunk of crystal sticking out of it. one of the less artistic (but still very well-made) items in his collection.]

Not even a little. [he chuckles briefly, still unsure as to why Tek is asking about it.] I just thought it was pretty.

Really? [Tek also sounds a little confused by the whole thing... though, by the way he glances back at Tonic after stepping over and plucking the ring up from the table, it may actually be something more like skepticism.

he almost looks as if he doesn't believe the other man. like he's trying to see through a ruse.] There's nothing else?

[this interaction is going in a very strange direction--he'd begun so openly, off the heels of their last conversation, but he feels a little like he is being accused of something, and it bothers him that he isn't following why.]

I think it's pretty. [he crosses his arms, not cutting himself off completely--but showing that he is now on the defensive.] Why, what else did you find?

[at the very least, Tek is quick to react to the shift in posture. he doesn't often put on a look of apology, but he does so now as he's beginning to catch on to some of the misstep he's making. gesturing out a little with open hands (mostly, anyway, with the few articles he's still holding) to show his lack of ill intentions, his demeanor softens as he backs off of the topic. he shifts a step closer to the other man instead.]

Forgive me. This is a terrible reintroduction.

[he appreciates the apology--he really does--but his eyes dart over the things in Tek's hands before he can really bring his attention back to the moment, sorting out something within himself, weighing the risks, before he very intentionally lowers his shoulders and drops his arms to the sides again.]

No, I apologize. I'm just not following.

[or maybe he is following, but didn't like that Tek is asking him about it.]

I know. And, I'm sorry--it's nothing, really.

[he can only be so reassuring before it circles around to become even more suspicious, so he turns to set the objects aside on the vanity. it really doesn't matter to him in the grand scheme of things, especially as he is realizing more of the possible implications here.

whether Tonic does realize what he's talking about or not, he wouldn't want him to feel accused of anything. Tek would love to distance himself as far from the people who make a fuss about these sorts of things as possible.

magic or not, there are things that he would much rather spend his attention on--in this case, the person who he would most like to be friends with in the entire city.]

Well... I don't believe you.

[but he drops his shoulders, sighing his way into a quiet laugh. at least his smile returns now, as he waves his nice-looking hand to clear the metaphorical air.]

But I will pretend it didn't happen. May I offer you some tea, sweetheart?

[and something about that makes his smile even wider and more genuine than before. maybe he finds it funny.]

That's fair. [after all, they've both established their mutual, mostly-benign dishonesty already.] And tea sounds lovely.

[and if the topic comes up again later, so be it. they'll both be more prepared for it, anyway. the games they've already played have established a tolerance for unexpected conversational turns.]

Perfect. [with a sweeping gesture of his hand and a small bow, he puts on a much more dramatic presentation.] Then I'd like to welcome you properly to the Argent Stone, the finest provider of wearable oddities and things that make proper folk very uncomfortable at parties. Kettle's in the back.

[which is the only explanation he gives for why he starts heading for the back of the tent, only to duck under that flap he'd been standing in front of earlier. perhaps there's a kitchen back there? Tek can hear clanking past the tarp.]

[the introduction gets a good giggle out of him, especially in light of the possibly-haunted articles he'd been plying with earlier. the whole thing makes him feel a little more at home, really.

when Tonic disappears behind the tarp, Tek steps up to it but doesn't intrude beyond it--yet.]

I guess this means I need to start going to more parties.

[Tonic will not leave him alone out there for long, emerging moments later with a small stack of cups, a heavy-looking metal kettle, and a cumbersome (but technically portable) gas stove. he balances it all with the same skill he'd used to balance a half-dozen plates when they'd eaten dinner a week before, carrying them over to the middle of the room.]

Ah, I was about to ask... Is our mutual acquaintance still keeping you cooped up somewhere?

[with surprising dexterity, he lifts what Tek now knows is his false leg so that he can shove everything off of the low table with a sweep of his foot. that pile of clothing instantly becomes part of the landscape of the floor, but now there's a nice open surface for him to set down his things.]

Edited 2018-12-02 19:11 (UTC)

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