The Price of Information [ooc welcome]

[Naunet]

((A little something from the day following A First Drink...))

 

***

 

“I apologize in advance if this whole business bores you, Ulanan,” Antimony was saying as she walked the dirty, cobbled streets of Pearl Lane once more. “If you've got anything else you need to do, don't feel bound to me.”

 

Ulanan shrugged. “It's alright. Ul'dah isn't the most secure city of Eorzea.”

 

Antimony gave the walls of the lane an idle look as they moved and then smiled down at the lalafel at her side. “I'm not sure what I did to deserve your presence, but I'm thankful for it!”

 

Ulanan smiled. “It's nothing.”

 

Antimony twitched her ears a bit and shrugged at the 'nothing'. "Well, I hope I have better luck this time with the merchants here. It seems this street is not very good for business..."

 

“This street isn't good for anything but torpor and getting mugged.”

 

Antimony laughed despite the morbid statement, though her ears pressed back against her skull briefly. “Anyroad... who is next on the... ah, right! This way now...”

 

Ulanan looked around boredly as they walk down the street. “Any dangerous folk we are meeting?”

 

Antimony eyed the boarded up building she had checked the other evening and paused. "Though... let me just doublecheck this one moment..." At Ulanan's words, she shook herself from the distraction. "Hm?"

 

Off to one side, ragged clothes and skin almost blending in completely with the drab walls and street of Pearl Lane, a woman sat cross legged on a spread blanket, the wares on it varying from small webbed trinkets to murky looking bottles. Her posture was not the most welcoming as her back leaned up against the dirty wall. She did make what seemed to be a vague attempt at smiles when folk passed by.

 

“I hope we aren't meeting anyone violent?” Ulanan repeated.

 

Antimony blinked at Ulanan for a second and then, "Oh! No, no. I mean... well, I hope not. It's not as though I'm going about threatening anyone, or acting threatening, or... You don't think I come off as intimidating about all this, do you? I wouldn't want to give the wrong message..."

 

“No, I don't think you do. Even if you were wearing a bone motif on your clothes, you'd look friendly.”

 

The merchant woman narrowed her eyes at the lalafel and miqo'te pair as they stood off down the road.

 

Antimony's mouth quirked at a thought and then she shook her head. Her eyes went to the boarded up door and then slid to the woman hunched against the wall, surrounded by various items “Oh! I wonder... Miss!” When she moved, Ulanan once again became Antimony's shadow. Not literally, of course. Antimony approached the hyur and offered a smile, "Excuse me, do you have a moment...?"

 

Elsa Amsel, the merchant, grinned up slightly at the approaching woman, "A moment?" She glanced around her blanket, making a show of shielding her eyes as she did so as though she were searching intently, "A moment? Surely. Though only fer business, you understand?" The woman beamed.

 

Ulanan also looked around Elsa's blanket, wondering if there was any moment actually lying around over it.

 

“Ah! Yes, business is precisely what I'd like to ask you about,” Antimony nodded. “How long have you been, ah... established on Pearl Lane here?”

 

“Hmm? Not terrible long as of right now. But I've been in and out of the area a few years now. You... looking for something? Someone?”

 

Ulanan looked around but kept quiet, as she had forgotten to ask Antimony what they were exactly looking for. Antimony, however, smiled. “Ah! Would you say you're familiar with the area, then? Which stalls are currently in business, and all that?”

 

Elsa bowed her head in the affirmative, "As much as anyone else around these parts. Unless you wanted to wander into the..." She trailed, off, now shaking her head, "No, you're better off asking me."

 

Ulanan tilted her head. "Into the...street?"

 

Antimony smiled and nodded, though she was not quite sure what Elsa had side-stepped. "Right, well, a question to start - do you know how long ago this business was shuttered?" She gestured to her left, towards the boarded up door.

 

Elsa smiled at the lalafel, "The street? Sure. That’s fine." She looked back up to the Miqo'te, "I...think it’s been at least four moons? I wandered back through here not long before then and it was a junker's trade. And they were bout in business fer a little over half a year, I believe."

 

Antimony furrowed her brow in thought for a moment and then nodded. "Alright, thank you. Now, if you don't mind... you know of the Brass Blades unit that patrols this street, yes? I'm looking into a few matters for them and could use your further help." She smiled.

 

Very suddenly, as though he had been there the entire time, a thin, rickety Duskwight crouched down beside Elsa's blanket. He pointed to one of the murky bottles and inquireds subtly, "What is this you're selling?"

 

Antimony started at Megiddo's sudden appearance and pressed her lips together at some discomfort. Ulanan was not so reticent and expressed her annoyance with a gesture. “You seem to have a client. Do not let us stop your job! We can wait.”

 

Elsa laughed, "The Brass Blades? What ya have interest in them fer?" She glanced towards the sudden voice coming from next to her, "Trinkets from travels. Got a few good ones from Ishgard if'n you have interest?" She glanced down at what he was actually looking at, the bottle, "That sir, is to help virility. Brewed it myself."

 

Megiddo chuckled, "Not something I've use for, unfortunately. Ah well."

 

Antimony sighed slightly and did her best to clear the vague frown from her features, looking to Megiddo, then Elsa, then back at Megiddo, and finally forcing herself to settle on Elsa. “You are an alchemist?”

 

Elsa nodded her head, "Yes, ma'am. Among other things."

 

Ulanan looked lost for a moment, as if she had phased out of existence. She shook her head and focuses on frowning at Megiddo. Antimony smiled at the woman’s admission, "How nice." She paused, glanced at Megiddo, looked conflicted for a moment, and finally back to Elsa, "Yes, the Blades. Do you participate in their, ah, additional security program?"

 

Megiddo idly perused the items, ignoring Ulanan's glare and acting for all purposes as if he didn’t know the people next to him.

 

Elsa grinned at that, "Nah, I'm too smart fer that. Don't let them hear me say that though."

 

“That's good to hear!” Ulanan declared.

 

Antimony's ears flicked a bit and she started bemusedly, "Why wouldn't you..." before shaking her head.

 

“Because they might "convince" her to "join" their "additional security program",” Ulanan added air quotes to all those.

 

Megiddo hummed to himself, and asked Elsa, "Too smart? Doesn't that just mean looking like you've got nothing worth taking?"

 

“It’s a racket, if you ask me,” the woman said. “Worth it, maybe for those looking to stick around. Keeps them from hassling you a little less. And keeps your head from getting knocked in on occasion."

 

“Oh, it's no matter! I'll just... ah, what was your name, dear? I know this is all coming off as rather informal, but I am here on business. Trying to straighten a few records up, you understand."

 

Elsa nodded her head, "As I am here on business. I've got plenty of good collectables one like you might enjoy setting on display."

 

“Have you been approached by any Brass Blades about their "Funnily Named Program of Security"?” Ulanan enjoyed air quoting too much.

 

Antimony quirked her ears at Elsa's comment, then at Ulanan. The merchant woman lifted her winged brows at Antimony, who blinked back curiously. Ulanan eyed Elsa's wares.

 

“Should there not be an exchange for the sake of business propriety?” Elsa finally said.

 

“Right,” Ulanan pointed. “How much for that bottle of perfectly healthy and medically approved medicine this old man had no use for?”

 

Antimony's ears flattened out in opposite directions in confusion. "Hm? Oh, I'm not here to shop, I apologize. I don't exactly carry much spending coins on me, you understand." Her ears bobbed as she chuckled faintly. "No, just a few questions and then I'll be on my way."

 

Elsa looked towards Ulanan, glancing over her person, "For you two, 50 gil." She paused, "You're not here to shop? Then why are you taking up around my business?"

 

“Fifty gil?” Ulanan sounded dubious. “That's what I'd pay to a proper apothecary. If the bottle was made of silver. And it was the last bottle of that stuff in the world. I'll give you twenty.”

 

Elsa gestured about her blanket, about which there are strange and rather kitschy looking trinkets. Promienent among them were some cloth dolls, as well as beaded and webbed circles. There was also a lot of bottles of varying sizes, some of them looking a tad murky, while others still shone with bright clarity. The woman shook her head, "Everything for you two is 50, that is the price for what you're asking. And if you want to continue this business, you must buy something."

 

Megiddo took one of the dolls, "How much is this one, for me?"

 

Elsa smilesd up at the man, "That? Came from a little village in the Highlands. Don't see them around here. I would take... 5 gil."

 

Ulanan rummaged through her bag, counting coins.

 

Megiddo drew coins from his glove, counting them, "I'm afraid I have four."

 

Elsa squinted her eyes somewhat at the man, taking in his ragged appearance. She then took the doll in hand, passing it to him, smiling, "Four would be fine."

 

Ulanan muttered. "Information's kind of expensive around these parts."

 

Megiddo nodded his thanks, "I think I'll give it to my granddaughter. You're very kind."

 

Antimony had been caught in confusion for several long moments, and then slow realization, until she finally opened her eyes wide behind her glasses. "Ah, I understand," she said and then smiled apologetically, gave a polite bow. "I was honest when I said I don't carry much on me. I'll be on my way then, and perhaps we can speak later when I am more prepared." She took a few steps back from the mat, eyed Megiddo with some concern, and then just kind of wandered off without another word, her steps distracted.

 

Elsa nodded her head, "Of course. I'll be around for a little while at least."

 

“Ah...wait!” Ulanan hastily stopped her rummaging and followed Antimony.

 

Megiddo stood and looked over at Antimony and Ulanan, watching them leave. He exhaled a thoughtful, "Hm," and then, to Elsa, "Thank you again for the doll."