middaeg | Allura - Open Log Prompts For Mareuer

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Allura - Open Log Prompts For Mareuer

Who: Allura and [OPEN]
When: Vague times around March
Where: Aefenglom and specifically Diplomatea for some options
What: Allura is getting settled into life here and also experiences her first rainy season
Warnings: None

A. Princess' First Job (At Diplomatea)
[Allura is thankful to Everett, for giving her a chance with his shop. The flowers and the scent of the tea was what drew her in in the first place – when she found herself without a coin to her name for the first time in her life, and the atmosphere had been warm and welcoming. He'd even been kind enough to give her some clothes (or, a uniform, as some put it. Allura thought it was quite cute.)

She's never had a proper job before but she's a hard worker and so far she's been met with nothing but patience. Putting together flowers is her favorite part, though the tea serving took some... learning.

Maybe she's not paying attention, or it's just a bad stroke of luck, but there's a clumsy moment where her knuckle brushes against the heated side of one of the tea kettles – just for a second but it's a second long enough for her to feel a sharp pain and she yanks her hand back with a startled yelp.]

Ah- [She winces, already hearing someone else hurrying over to her side – one of her fellow employees, or a guest perhaps.] I'm alright, just careless.

B. The vague open ended one (Diplomatea)
[It's late one evening, when the lights from the tea shop glowed warm against the cool night air, the business empty and Allura was sitting, enjoying her own cup of tea, her limbs heavy after a long, but good day of work. It was... nice. She still had thoughts of getting home that hung heavy over her, but days like this it was a little easier. To fall into a routine and feel a little more normal than she has since she arrived here.

The bells at the door pull her from her reverie and she looks up, setting the cup down,]

Can I assist you?

C. Rolling up her sleeves. (In town)
[Now that she has a little money to her name there's an item in town that she's been eying for some time – a simple, sturdy wooden trunk from a local carpenter's shop. It's nice and she's been wanting a safe place to put her belongings from her world until it's time to go home (and maybe a safe place to hide shiny valuables from her Merrow housemate.)

Coin exchanged and trunk at her feet, Allura only now realizes a big mistake: When she arrived in Aefenglom it was without any of her Altean-born powers. Which means no hoisting around heavy boxes like they weight nothing. But what to do with the trunk?

It's pure stubbornness that gets her as far as she gets, lifting and hefting and pushing until at some point down the road she has to stop, Panting as she leans to take a rest against the large trunk.]

Stars, how do humans live like this? They're made of gossamer compared to Alteans.

[Help a princess out?]

D. It's like rain
[Altea didn't have rain. Not in the same way that humans knew ~~thanks a lot Voltron canon~~ and certainly Allura has never experienced anything like the rainy season in Aefenglom. What is a normal, even annoying phenomenon for one has Allura looking up, shielding her eyes the moment rain starts to pitter-patter on the roofs of the buildings around her

It's not the first rain she's seen, and she's delighted, but delight quickly turns into distress as the gentle sprinkle turns into a real downpour. And she quickly jogs for shelter- but not before getting absolutely drenched in the meantime.]

Apologies- [Allura sputters, standing in the doorway of the first building she came upon with water absolutely coming down in rivulets from her hair and dress, in a puddle on the floor underneath her. She holds her hands out, a little at a loss of what to do with herself] That's- Is this a normal amount of rain?

E. Wildcard
[Feel free to throw anything at me, or my plotting post is over here if you'd like to talk something specific! I'll probably be adding some closed starters below as the month goes on as I make plans with people too!]

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[Unfortunately, Vanitas found one of the more easily instigated people. For all her sweet demeanor, dressed up in Diplomatea's uniform, she can be quite hot-headed.]

Because typically one comes to a business to be helped. I don't understand why you're being so difficult.

[Wait-]

Are you trying to hustle me?

[She's heard about this from Coran and his stories of bartering with Unilu pirates. The time-honored hustle for cheaper goods!]

One only needs help if they don't know what they are looking for or don't know what they want.

[ He puts his hands on his hips, watching her demeanor change somewhat. ]

I come here every month. What would I need to hustle you for? Frankly speaking I'm difficult because such is my nature. And it's fun.

Hustle for better prices, of course.

[She lifts her chin, mirroring him by placing her hands on her hips,] Coran has told me about this- customers come in and cause a ruckus or act generally unpleasant so that they get cheaper goods to make them leave.

[She’s on to you, Vanitas.] I don’t believe anyone likes making people mad just for the fun of it.

Why would I need to do that? If I'm able to pay what difference does it make?

[ Vanitas still doesn't understand currency and economics, actually. Being "raised" in a barren wasteland means that he has no concept of how these things would even work. He's only now getting used to the idea of paying for things rather than just taking them okay? ]

Whatever that nonsense you just spewed is about... That's not what I'm doing. I am generally unpleasant to be around. And I do enjoy making people upset just for the fun of it as it used to empower me.

I don't know. I just know that is what my adviser has told me about pirates at the dirty swap meets.

[Which isn't this situation at all, but she's suspicious of you now Vanitas. Even if he's not a pirate. She frowns deeply at his explanation.]

You sound proud of it but it sounds like a terrible way to live.

Do I look like a pirate to you? This isn't a dirty swap meet either. It's a shop. Prices are set.

[ He's not about to haggle anything. She can think as poorly of him as she wants. Be as suspicious as she wants. Vanitas doesn't much care about the opinions of others. ]

You say that but it was the only way to live and I refuse to be ashamed of it.

[She just shrugs noncommittally to his questions. She's never been to a swap meet before so she can't say. And it's not as if pirates are limited to traipsing around the underbelly of cities.]

Well, you won't find very many friends that way. [She doesn't understand what he means by the only way to live but he's already stoked her bull-headishness, so getting her to listen now is easier said than done.]

I think it's for the best if you find what you came here for, so we can complete this transaction.

Too late. Apparently I do have friends or something like them despite the way I am.

[ And despite the fact he had adamantly denied needing them. Oops? ]

At least you're finally getting the point. Your best option from the start would have been to just let me come in here and leave me be to get what I needed.

[ Which means he is wandering to the exact counter that he had been heading towards in the first place. ]

So you brought this on yourself.

[After that she just huffs, apparently reaching the point in the argument for sullen silence. In the meantime she makes herself very busy rearranging some other part of the store. Surely there's some flowers that need arranged right now?

And so when Vanitas is ready to pay he might just have to wait for awhile before she's ready to help him.]

[ Of course he watches her go with a scoff. Can't even have the decency to admit that he is right! ...Then again he had anticipated the reaction. People usually don't like to admit that they are wrong in the end. Wounded pride and all that.

But it's fine. She can do what she wants. Vanitas is in no rush. He can lean against the counter, creating illusionary targets in the air and zapping them with magic.

Who cares if he actually marks up the ceiling a little. Perhaps she shouldn't make people wait too long. ]

[And she does make him wait, stubborn enough to make it a good long wait until she notices his little fireworks display.]

Hey! [She comes rushing back, hands full of some fresh cut flowers,] What do you think you're doing now? Stop that!

Alleviating boredom brought on by someone's petty need for minor payback.

[ Vanitas gives her a pointed look. ]

Now I could have just walked out of here with this and then who would have been in trouble? If this is how you treat people on the regular, then this business is certainly going to suffer.

[With a severe look, she stalks over toward him.]

Where I come from that is called stealing. So it is you that would be in trouble.

Now if you're ready to apologize for your behavior we can be through with this.

Where would your proof be? It would be your word against mine and at least I have the established habit of coming in here and paying. I wonder whose word would have more merit. Mine or a co-worker who purposefully ignores customers just because she is irritated?

[ Vanitas clicks his tongue. ]

Maybe I'll just make a complaint instead.

[His threat doesn't seem to phase her at all. Instead, she reaches out and takes him by the ear, starting to drag him towards the door.]

In the meantime, you're free to return when you learn how to behave like an adult. Maybe my companions are willing to put up with you but I will not.

[Living the customer service dream.]

[ The thing is, Vanitas had been doing pretty well when it comes to, uh, physical contact. He had finally stopped flinching every time contact had been made. Every now and then he may tense up still, but that tends to happen when any time someone in the past put a hand on you, it was because it was a fight or a painful lesson to be taught.

So the moment that his ear is grabbed and tugged? It's like being right back in the Badlands and Vanitas immediately reacts. ]

DON'T TOUCH ME!

[ His magic activates in that moment, Vanitast sparking right before instinctively casting a Lightning spell. It won't just be Allura that will be hit by the Lightning magic now bouncing off of Vanitas erratically, but probably numerous objects in the store itself will be destroyed. Van's fists are clenched tightly, ready to launch another attack. He's still sparking, hunched up and ready to go despite his rather small stature. ]

[His outburst takes her by surprise, and all of the boiled up anger instantaneously turns to shock and then- literally, she's shocked as a bolt of lightning magic explodes from the boy. The smell of ozone and burnt wood immediately filling the room.

Unfortunately. Allura has a normal, mostly human-level body now, and none of her extra Altean strength - and even her magical skills are in their infancy so she takes a lightning spell like a normal, fleshy human and is flung back, colliding with one of the damaged tables and doesn't come back up, knocked out cold. ]

[ Vanitas is amped and ready for another attack. Then time passes... Nothing happens. There's just nothing and when it registers that no one is going to lash out at him, everything dies down. His breathing returns to normal and the magic that had been swelling recedes. Vanitas takes a few, deep breathes and that's when he notices that Allura as been knocked out cold.

Great. ]

I should leave you like this so you can actually learn something from being stupid.

[ To him, she really had brought this on herself because she hadn't left him alone. But whatever. Truthfully if he left things like this then it would just be a pain. He has been studying Transfiguration as of late, so small fixes like cracks and scorch marks he can actually take care of.

Vanitas is so going to stress the fact that he's not helping out of guilt, because he doesn't really feel any. This is because if someone were to walk in and see this then it would just be a hassle. That's why he drags Allura to set her against the counter and that's the only reason that he's searching for the spot where she had been struck.

He'll heal the damage he caused, but really Vanitas should just leave her with a reminder. Unfortunately, Van is also pretty sure that it would upset the people he does care about so what do... ]

[It's not until he's leaning over her that she starts to stir - just a few seconds after she'd gone down. With a groan, she slowly comes to, which is a blessing because when she spots him in her vision, it's not so much a sudden, fearful reaction, as it is one of confusion.]

What... [She starts to sit up, wincing at the ache in her head where she'd been struck. She remembered grabbing his ear, and then a shock and then-] What did you do?

You're going to have to clarify what you mean by that. I've already done a fair amount.

[ As in where to start? The repairs? The fact that the place Allura got zapped has been healed up?

Please. Please tell him where to begin. ]

[She sits up fully now, frowning. The response I would say that you have is bitter on her tongue and she manages to bite it back. But she's still not looking at him with gratitude, that's for certain.]

You attacked me.

You were aggressive with me first.

[ Don't start this, Allura. Just be satisfied he thought to fix his mess. He doesn't have to and he can definitely unfix it all too. ]

I- [She opens her mouth but the argument dies on her lips. Her gaze darts from him to the relatively spotless shop behind him. Not altogether sure if her confusion is leftover from being knocked out or from the apparent shift in mood. He'd been angry - or threatened - enough to attack her, but healed her all the same?

Her gaze drops down, not meeting his eyes.]

I think you should leave. [Not said with hostility, but all the same,] Just... take your tea and go.

[ He scoffs. Figures. Not even an apology or a thank you or even a "why." It's times like this that he is reminded why people truly do disgust him on so many levels. ]

Suit yourself. That was my intention regardless.

[ Just to add insult to injury, Vanitas rather calmly lays the money owed on the counter. Takes his tea. Then saunters out without another word. ]

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Allura - Open Log Prompts For Mareuer

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they're such good friends already

oh of course

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rip

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hrg sorry for how late this tag is

yer fine

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