Ampere

"I'm not much of a storyteller, though I always enjoyed reading them in books." Ampere said in response to Lazulle's suggestion as he and the Miqo'te sat back down. "In fact, I'm sure during lessons we can use novels to help your literacy, Elle, and then we can both benefit. It has been...a long time since I've read something for the sake of enjoyment." Maybe it was the alcohol that had found its way into his blood, or the melodic lull of the singing tavern dwellers, or the flickering flame of the dim lantern at the center of their table, but the lancer suddenly felt a nostalgic image emerge to his mind. "What is this?" A tall, raven-haired woman asked in an even, but edged voice. "Give it back." A small boy hissed back, trying his best to look defiant through red-rimmed eyes. "This is how you'd spend your time, rather than training? Fairy tales. Frivolous stories." She grimaced as she flung a leather-bound book into the flames of a nearby fireplace. "You hide away in these little fantasies because you are weak. You've always been weak." "That wasn't mine! I borrowed it from the library, it can't be replaced!" The child shouted in rage and horror as tears ran hot against his face. "Good." The woman murmured as her cold eyes reflected the rising embers of the fire. "They likely won't lend you anymore after this, then." Ampere's left eye twitched as he tried to shake away the scene from his mind. Tilting his head back and pressing his mug to his lips, the Duskwight then took several healthy gulps. He silently hoped that the alcohol could help subdue his thoughts, but it seemed to have the rather undesirable side-effect of making him far more talkative. "A story...I have one." The Elezen spoke gradually as his large hat dipped further down over his face. "...There was once a thaumaturge who was trying to further hone his craft in the city of Ul'dah. He wasn't particularly good at magic or casting spells, but he seemed to be against utilizing other methods of combat." The lancer paused to take another swig of his drink, no longer aware of how much it was loosening his lips. "He met a group of orphans who helped him despite his own ineptitude. Why the children took pity on an adult stranger, he would never understand. And even though he was greater in years, they were far smarter and taught him much about how to survive in the cruel streets of the city." Ampere's eyes seemed to fade in color as he continued his tale. "The thaumaturge promised to repay the children, to help them find a real home and make honest livings. But soon he had to leave to take part in a great battle between two warring armies, to protect the future home the orphans had not yet found." The male Duskwight recalled as he watched a waitress give both Lazulle and himself fresh mugs to drink from. "He did eventually manage to return. But by then, most of the children had already died. Only one remained, but she did not recognize the thaumaturge at all." Ampere stopped his story to take a long sip from his newly obtained beverage. As he gulped the brew down, the lancer made a surprising movement and actually took off his hat, turning it over in his hands as his eyes roamed over its surface. "...Of course she didn't, how could she? After all, she was a grown woman by then...while he had not aged a single day." His last few words were barely above a whisper, and the pale Elezen's eyes were downcast as he placed the hat back above his head. It appeared his story was complete. "That was...just a tale I heard, once. My apologies if it went on a bit long." Ampere said quickly as he took another drink from his mug before setting it on the table with a hollow thud. "Anyone else feel like sharing?"

Ampere nodded as he listened to Lazulle's introductions, then tilted his head slightly as he considered her question. "Nice to meet you. My name is Ampere, and this is..." The Elezen stopped short of saying the Miqo'te's name, as he caught sight of what she was doing with the quill and pen he had given her. It was a rather accurate drawing of a Coeurl, and Ampere silently pondered whether Elle was trying to convey a message through pictures or if these were simply fanciful doodles. Did the animal perhaps have something to do with the scars on her neck? Whatever the reason, she seemed to have decided that the current environment was not to her liking, and was preparing to make a hasty exit. The lancer glanced at the bag of gil that still sat untouched at the center of the table, then looked back at the bartender, who was narrowing a glare in his direction while shaking his head threateningly. Before Elle could fully depart from the table, Ampere moved to his feet and clutched the Miqo'te's wrist for the second time that day. "Wait." He said quickly, while retrieving the small pouch from the table's surface. "Whatever your misgivings, you still did something very important for me. If you won't accept this gil, I'll have to devise another way of paying you back." Thinking for a moment, Ampere recalled the Coeurl drawing she had made earlier. "If you have some trouble with writing, I can coach you. I think both of us can afford to learn more about the other." He suggested before giving a small shrug. "Besides, I don't think we're really free to leave until the unconscious man wakes up, and we're able to safely determine that he hasn't suffered any permanent brain damage." Hoping he had done enough to convince her, the lancer then turned to the female Duskwight at their table, straightening his back as he nodded towards the Miqo'te. "...And this is my friend, Elle. We're here because we're being detained under...somewhat unfortunate circumstances. And being encouraged to drink all the while." Ampere explained as he shot the one-eyed bartender another look. "However, we're both rather shy, so if there's anything you want to ask us about, you may have to be a bit direct."

Ampere pulled his hat slightly lower over his face as he observed the other Duskwight's approach. Despite their similar physical characteristics, the presence of other Elezens actually made the lancer somewhat uncomfortable. Especially when he was meeting them for the first time. After all, while their Wildwood counterparts were a more common presence in cities, there was still a small chance this Duskwight woman was a native of Ishgard. Ampere himself had been born and raised in that wintry kingdom, but the less he thought about his homeland, the better his mood tended to be. A fellow Ishgardian recognizing him and asking about his heritage was one of the least desirable conversations he could possibly think of. When it was no longer a question that the newcomer was walking up to their table directly, the lancer had to ponder what had drawn her over. Perhaps it was the sight of someone from her own race, or maybe it was the fact that they seemed to be the only table not breaking out into drunken fist fights every ten seconds. Whatever the reason, the woman seemed pleasant enough as she asked for a spot in one of the empty chairs, and Elle appeared to defer the decision onto him with the shrug of her shoulders. Ampere glanced at the woman again, allowing the brim of his hat to lift over his eyes ever-so-slightly. People usually only entered the tavern for two reasons. To hire others for somewhat more underhanded dealings, or to get severely inebriated and fight equally inebriated opponents. And though the female Duskwight certainly seemed dressed for combat, she didn't strike the lancer as the aggressive sort, which was fortunate because the sword that hung at her side did not look like it was only for show. So either she had come to strike a deal, in which case Ampere could use the opportunity to make up the gil he had lost from the missed Peiste hunts, or she was seeking shelter from the rest of the havoc currently being wreaked inside the tavern. And if it was the latter reason, the hat-wearing Elezen simply couldn't find it in his conscience to turn her away. "Well, if you're looking to sit at one of the few non-violent tables, you've probably found the right place." Ampere eventually responded to the woman in an attempt to sound welcoming, while taking a backwards glance at the unconscious body that still adorned the floor. "...With minor exceptions, of course. And you should still keep an eye out for a projectile beer mug or two." Waiting for their new companion to get seated and possibly even introduce herself, Ampere glanced back at the Miqo'te across from him, who seemed to be clutching his quill pen with a lack of certainty. "Also, you weren't interrupting anything in particular. She and I were simply working out a..." The lancer paused as he took a sip from his mug. "...communication issue."

Ampere bent his tall frame forward as he looked with concern at the Miqo'te's choking. Seeing that she had more or less recovered from her drinking mishap, the lancer then blinked in surprise as Elle seemingly refused his reward money, sliding the bag of gil back across the table with the shake of her head. Was the amount not sufficient? Had she been unable to uphold her end of the bargain after all? Or did this sort of business arrangement simply not sit right with her? As he searched his own mind for a possible answer to her actions, he felt a damp and cold sloshing sensation seep out into his lower half. Staring down at the beer that has spilled onto his pants, Ampere tilted his head briefly before shrugging and reaching into his satchel for a cloth to wipe his lap with, but in an instant the Miqo'te woman was upon him, desperately dabbing at whatever wet spots she could find with her scarf. "It's alright, really--" He began to reassure her, when he suddenly caught sight of the large scars that marred her now visible neck. It was apparent he wasn't the only one to hide fragments of the past through bits of clothing. "Old wounds...but bad ones." Ampere murmured quietly, as if he were speaking to himself. Although the Elezen dwarfed the Miqo'te in height, with him sitting down and her standing up to dry him, it was almost as if she were the taller one. This in turn gave him a rather clear view of her neck. "So you really cannot speak, at all?" He asked in order to confirm his suspicions, while his hand slowly reached out and grasped Elle's wrists, willing for her to stop her actions. The lancer didn't want the scarf to get any more dirty, as he did not doubt that the Miqo'te would be eager to mask her neck again in the same way he had been eager to mask his bracelet before. As he held her hand in his own, he was reminded of how she had given him her name before. "...But you can write. Have you ever thought about carrying a quill and parchment around with you? I have some in my satchel, if you'd like." Ampere suggested as his hand reached into his bag. "If you had any questions for me, this could help get the message across better." And considering how she had refused his gil before the drink spilling incident, and the grievous scars he had just witnessed, the lancer had quite a few questions of his own.

Ampere arched a brow as the Mi'qote across from him began to trace her name into the palm of his hand with her finger. He felt that he often understood the inclinations of quiet people, having been one himself for most of his life, but this was taking things to an entirely different level. Was she perhaps completely incapable of speaking at all? The Elezen internally shook away his musings, it wasn't really his business either way. As long as he could understand what she was trying to convey, her method of communication was a non-issue. "Nice to meet you Elle. I...trust I'm pronouncing that right." He said quietly as he reached into his satchel and withdrew a smaller pouch of gil than the one he had presented to the Miqo'te before. It was still a visibly significant amount nonetheless. "So, I trust you were able to deliver the donation without too much trouble? I'm aware that the proprietor of the Blue Bangle Bakery can be a bit..." Ampere paused as he looked to the side. "...Insistent. If it's alright with you, I'd like for us to continue this kind of business arrangement for future deliveries." He then hoisted up his mug and clinked it gently against Elle's own, taking great care not to spill any of the liquid that sloshed around inside. Turning his gaze to the ground behind him, Ampere nudged the still unconscious drunkard on the ground with his boot, eliciting an incomprehensible groan from the sleeping man. The lancer turned back to the Miqo'te and shrugged simply. "...As odd as the arrangement is."

Ampere's eyebrows raised as the Miqo'te he had assisted seemed to continue attempting to communicate with him purely through gestures and body language. He really had found a person who talked even less than he did, which was a rather extraordinary feat, at least according to most of the people he had met in the past. However, despite her lack of words, the Elezen still picked up on her communication easily enough. Upon seeing her point to her wrist and the movements of her lips, he found himself looking to the side, as if distracted. "Ah...that? It's just a keepsake, of sorts. I suppose you saw something similar on the woman I asked you to give the gil to." Ampere murmured as his eyes turned back to the Miqo'te. "But...they're not related. At least, not anymore." Whether or not the lancer was going to say more on the subject would remain undiscovered, as the two of them were interrupted when the eyepatched barkeep walked over to their table and set a tray of ale down on its surface. "Alright, drink up, you two." The man muttered in a gruff voice. "But...I didn't order anything." Ampere replied in confusion, eyeing the drinks warily. "You did when you decided that you'd rather not get hauled off for questioning by the city guards. Or at least I decided that for ya. In this place, drunken brawls are commonplace and no one bats an eye, but a fully sober Elezen doing a fancy pirouette in mid air and then kicking some poor sod's face in is quite a bit different. So hurry up and get some accountability into yer belly, and I'll be able to say that it was just the same old song and dance for anyone who comes askin'." The barkeep commanded before sauntering off. "But...but I still have hunts to complete, I can't stay in this tavern and--" The lancer continued to protest when suddenly the doors swung open and a female Roegadyn stepped through with a hefty bag of gil and a beaming grin. "Whoo! I killed them Peistes deader than dead! Every single one of 'em, and got me the reward money and some disembodied lizard heads to prove it! Time to pay back my tab!" The Roegadyn cheered. The bartender rolled his single eye as he wiped out the inside of a mug with a washcloth. "Finally." It did not take long for the pale Elezen to put two and two together. "Wait...those Peistes...that was the hunt order I was--" Ampere began to say, but stopped and sighed, seating himself at the table. Picking up one of the mugs of ale, he leaned over to sniff it cautiously, before his face contorted into a grimace at the smell. Nevertheless, he raised the glass up towards the Miqo'te. "...Cheers to a fruitful day. My name is Ampere, by the way." The Elezen introduced himself before giving the ale a tentative sip. "...And it seems I will be here for a while."

"You seem like the popular type." Ampere murmured as the Miqo'te raced towards him. The Duskwight wasn't usually one to interfere in other people's altercations, but the dark-skinned girl had apparently completed his task for him, and had also saved him from a flying mug earlier. At the very least he could try and return the favor. Reaching out and gently touching rampaging drunk's broad shoulder, Ampere attempted to put on his most soothing voice. "...Maybe we should just sit down and talk about this." He suggested quietly. It didn't work. The drunken man growled and grabbed at the lancer's gauntlet, hunching himself forward and exerting a tremendous force that threw the Elezen up over his shoulder. Rather than slamming into the floor or a nearby wall, however, Ampere simply twisted his body in mid-air and landed cleanly on top of a nearby table. "Sorry, but I actually have more of an advantage off the ground than on it." Ampere said simply, before suddenly noticing that his right hand was now completely bare. The large man who had just thrown him seemed equally perplexed, holding the stripped away gauntlet in one hand...and a shining blue bangle in the other. The pale Elezen's eyes narrowed and darkened, as he flipped high off the table, barely avoiding a collision with the ceiling, then deftly planted both his feet into the drunken man's face upon landing. As the man's burly frame crashed and shook the ground, Ampere calmly stepped off his head and caught the bracelet as it descended from the air, placing it securely back over his wrist. "...Case in point." He muttered. Leaning forward so he could also retrieve his gauntlet from the floor, the lancer placed it back over his hand in order to once again hide his accessory, before turning to face the Miqo'te. "Are you alright?"

Though the nimble Miqo'te made a speedy retreat into the nearby crowds of the city, she would perhaps catch sight of a darting shadow racing across nearby rooftops out of the corner of her eye. An instant later, the same blonde haired woman from earlier would seemingly fall from the sky and land deftly in front of the Miqo'te, casually dusting off the long apron she was still wearing. "Ha! Don't underestimate a former Ul'dahn street-rat! No one knows this city's inner workings better than the owner of the Blue Bangle Bakery!" The woman claimed proudly as she hefted up the gil pouch the Miqo'te had given her. "I need to ask you about this. Were you...told to give it to me, by someone?" The bakery owner then motioned upwards with her hands, outlining a wide shape at the sides of her head. "...Wears a big, grey hat, like this? White hair, kind of frowns a lot, tries to be serious and aloof but really just ends up acting kind of awkward most of the time?" The blonde woman smiled softly, not waiting for a response to her question as she looked at the bag of gil wistfully. "He tried dropping off something like this before on his own. Placed it quietly on the counter all secretively, but I saw it and so he ended up running. I was tending to another customer at the time so I couldn't chase after him like I did you. That hat he wears...seems familiar somehow. I think me and the rest of my gang sewed up something similar many years ago...for a person that we knew." The woman murmured softly as she fingered a light blue bracelet that hung from her wrist. "We all had an accessory like this. Called ourselves the Blue Bangle Bandits. We..didn't make the most reputable living, but a group of orphan kids on the streets had few other ways of getting by. Every one of them is...gone now, but the bakery belongs as much to them as it does to me. That's why I gave it such a weird name, heh." Her eyes then fell down to the pouch in her hands, as her fingers began to clutch it tightly. "...Can I be honest with you? Every fiber of my being is yelling at me to give you this pouch back. To tell the Elezen that his kindness is appreciated, but not necessary. To show that I can stand on my own, as I've always had in the past." The blonde woman chewed her bottom lip as she looked into the Miqo'te's eyes. "...But business isn't the best, and I have people working under me now. Good people. People with families. I can't force them and their children to suffer because of my own foolish sense of pride. So...just tell him I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I wasn't a strong enough to refuse his charity." She then held out one of her hands for the Miqo'te to shake. "And tell him that both of you are welcome at the bakery anytime. You can order anything you like, even things that aren't on the menu. I'll cook it up in a jiffy. The name's Ophidia, by the way." Upon introducing herself, the bakery owner then looked off behind her. "Well, I'm sure he's still waiting for your report, so I shan't keep you any longer. And, uh...I know it's incredibly selfish to make a request, especially after what you've just given me..." Ophidia trailed off as she looked to the side. "...But...see if you can be a good friend to him, okay? He seems..." She paused for a moment as she looked back at the Miqo'te, her blue eyes clouded as if they were reflecting a memory she couldn't quite recall. "...Lonely." With that, she smiled brightly and bowed respectfully, before racing back to her shop. Meanwhile, back in the Drunken Dune, Ampere continued to sit patiently at the corner table, when suddenly the doors of the tavern's entrance flung open with a heavy force. A disoriented, seemingly intoxicated man stumbled in, passing through a slightly calmer crowd of patrons as he made his way to the Elezen. "Youuu..." The odorous man drawled as he raised an unsteady finger towards the table Ampere sat at. "...That bow...loooksh...familiar..." The hat-wearing lancer looked at the bow that he had been guarding rather protectively, then glanced back at the man with an arched eyebrow. "...It does?"

Ampere pulled out a chair and sat down across from the Miqo'te, all the while staring at her contemplatively. So far she had only communicated to him through nods and hand gestures, which was actually sort of encouraging. He had definitely been looking for someone with a similarly taciturn nature. "As I've said before, the task I request from you is not particularly complex, but it does require a certain amount of...discreetness. I ask that you not tell anyone else about what you have done after its completion." The Elezen continued to explain as he folded his hands on top of the table. Taking some nearby spice shakers and arranging them in different positions, Ampere then began indicating to them as if they represented certain landmarks. "Along the Sapphire Avenue Exchange, not too far from here, you'll find a small bakery shop at this nearby corridor." He said quickly as he traced his finger alongside one of the salt shakers. "I want you to deliver this bag of gil to a blonde haired woman that works there. Just say it's a random donation if she asks...but make sure she accepts it. I'll also pay you a hefty amount when you're done." Ampere's lips creased slightly as he began adjusting his large hat again. "Of course, I'm aware there's nothing really stopping you from taking the gil you're supposed to deliver and running away it, but know that I'll be watching, and if you do..." The Elezen paused, realizing only now that he was not particularly good at making threats. "...I will be really, really...disappointed. And sad. And I will probably give you a very pointed look if I see you again." The lancer paused to glance at the Miqo'te after he finished listing out his vast number of severe consequences. "...Please don't leave with the money." He whispered.

Ampere noted the rushed entrance of a seemingly panicked Miqo'te, vaguely wondering what her hurry was for. His lips turned into a frown as he began to chastise himself for his musings. What use was there to ponder the circumstances of a stranger, when he himself was also so desperately pressed for time? After all, the pale Elezen needed to get started quickly on his beast hunt if he wanted a decent shot at the reward, but he also needed to find someone to complete a certain separate task for him, all before sundown. It's why he had entered such a little-known establishment in the first place. What he desired was an air of confidentiality and subtlety. Suddenly a sharp, aggravated growl was heard, followed by the jarring thud of a knocked over wooden table. Ampere lifted up his hat so he could stare in confusion as multiple brawls seemed to spontaneously erupt within the tavern's interior. The lancer tried to search for a reason for the sudden commotion, but judging by how other patrons laughed and cheered the combatants, and the barkeep simply gripped the handle of his machinist gun with a relatively calm demeanor, Ampere could only assume that this was a rather common occurrence. Groaning as he dragged his wide-brimmed hat further down his face, the Elezen decided that he should have seen this coming. In Ul'dah, a less reputable tavern didn't mean that the people inside more calm and cautious, it simply meant that there were less people who cared about stopping bar fights when they inevitably broke out. Concluding that this was far from the most appropriate place to seek out a discreet individual, Ampere was about to turn to leave when he caught sight of the Miqo'te he had seen before, who had now blended herself into a shadowy corner. In contrast to the rest of the Drunken Dune's rowdy residents, she seemed much more quiet and reserved, pulling her scarf to hide a portion of her face...much like what Ampere himself frequently did with his hat. They were simply covering up the opposite hemispheres of their heads, as it were. Shrugging and decided he had nothing in particular to lose, the grey clothed lancer made his way across the room towards the Miqo'te, deftly dodging haphazardly thrown punches and flying drinks along the way. "Excuse me. I have a proposition for you. I offer a relatively high amount of pay for a relatively simple task." Ampere spoke quietly as he finally reached the scarfed woman's corner. Saying little else in the way of explanation, the Elezen reached into his satchel and pulled out a hefty pouch of gil, setting it gently on the surface of the table between him and the Miqo'te. "The reason I'm asking you is because everyone else seems...well..." Ampere paused as he turned around, his eyes squinting at the various cacophonous altercations still taking place. "...Somewhat preoccupied. May I sit down?"

((OOC: This takes place in an establishment within Ul'dah, but is meant to be quite a bit more low-key, and perhaps more seedy, than the Quicksand. Please PM any of the current active participants if you feel like it'd be a cool place to join and contribute and/or do your own thing.)) Ampere Greystorm entered the dimly-lit interior of a rather ramshackle tavern, making a somewhat obvious attempt to pull his wide-brimmed hat further down over his face while still maintaining vision over the rest of the patrons in the room. Judging by how he had shakily positioned it far past his eyes, and then subsequently had to lift the hat up again in order to make a few twitchy adjustments, the Duskwight Elezen had been less than successful. The bartender eyed him oddly, but said nothing, gruffly turning his weathered face away and waiting for Ampere to be the one to make the approach. While some would consider the treatment rude, this was actually the kind of behavior the oddly dressed lancer had preferred. For he was in fact looking for someone quiet, who did not talk much. In fact, Ampere would even dare to say that he was searching for a person that was even more silent than himself. Wouldn't that be a sight to see.