Just Browsing

Just Browsing
Date of Scene:	20 December 2012
Location:	Palumpolum - Port
Synopsis:	A giant, a frog, and a moogle walk into a market...
Cast of Characters:	Prince Naveen, Portobello, Lavi

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Lavi has posed:
The light of the midday sun stretches its presence out over the port city of Palumpolum, gentle warmth wrapping the citizens as they go about their daily business like an invisible blanket. The people that make their home in this remnant of an ancient world are mostly workers and laborers, their attire simple and practical, their expressions those of ones who are accustomed to the boredom of their chosen careers.

The marketplace is much more lively, stalls and kiosks lined up throughout the streets, surrounded by proper stores and the occasional digital stand granting access to the online retailers. Dozens of people file through the paved and elevated streets and sidewalks constantly during the day here. In a world where most shopping is done by computer, this city stands out, bearing the unofficial title of 'the Capital of Commerce'.

However, in the mix of mediocrity and activity, one person stands out from the rest of the crowd by virtue of towering over them nearly twice over. A truly gigantic woman, clad from neck to toe in amazingly elaborate armor, stands in the middle of a group of the local Guardian Corp. They appear to be chatting rather amicably at the moment, the titanic figure nodding occasionally to the uniformed officers as they try to handle her appearance in the city in a diplomatic fashion.

Lavi has taken no offense to being approached like this. It was entirely understandable that people unused to seeing someone of her stature, armed and armored like a figure straight out of old myths, might get a little uneasy. For now, nothing has gone sour and the presence of the Corp seems to have relieved much of the tension.

Prince Naveen has posed:
The people of the World Shards are forced to get used to seeing a lot of things they aren't used to now adays. One such tiny, green thing is Prince Naveen of Maldonia! This unassuming little amphibian is in fact a rampant socialite of royal lineage who is currently, unfortunately, trapped in a slimy frog body as part of a voodoo curse.

If you want something done right it's better to do let others do it for you has always been Naveen's motto but, on the insistence of a few at the Twilight Detective Agency, he's today ventured out on his own in search of groceries. Yes he's managed to travel to another world in the process, don't question it.

"Excuse me!" the tiny frog shouts up while passing from busy foot to busy foot. It's amazing how something as simple as walking down the street has become a matter of life and death when you're only a few inches tall. "I say, sir, you're stood on my -- aaa!"

Despite Naveen's problems the atmosphere on the street is very much unchanged: the little frog can go through hell without anyone actually paying attention for at least five minutes.

Portobello has posed:
Portobello had been to many port towns before, and it was not uncommon to see many of them boasting a health commerce and mercantile district, though some of the more 'rustic' settlements didn't have much need for a commercial district, setting up shops right near the port areas. This place was something else entirely, looking a lot more advanced than most of the areas he had traveled to. He imagined Archades might have some mercantile district similar to this though he's obviously never been there due to the city keeping out anyone who didn't look like they were up to the city's high standards.

The Moogle couldn't help but be entranced by how everything was designed and setup, especially the Marketplace as all the eye-catching displays and architecture this marketplace has. Of course much like Naveen he had to watch where he was going due to his small stature, maybe not in danger of being crush but he had to avoid getting knocked down by bumping into somebody's knees if they weren't noticing him. He did happen to notice Naveen's dilemma and headed closer towards him, standing close enough near him to shield him from the perils of foot traffic, "Kupo...you're rather bold traveling about while under such a burdensome curse. Unless I'm mistaken and you were born a talking frog." He states while looking down towards the small green amphibian.

Lavi has posed:
To someone of Lavi's unique circumstances, everything was small and underfoot, so she had grown accustomed to keeping track of the whereabouts of everything around her at all times. Even while standing still, humans had a tendency to find ways to damage themselves in her presence as even the slight shifting of her boot could potentially crush feet or small objects.

Currently locked in idle conversation about mundane things, like the reasons for her presence in the city, the nature of the armor and blades she carried, why she had chosen to entire the city armed in the first place... the usual gambit of queries that law keepers in any town might pose, the giantess still manages to catch sight of the two odd creatures making their way through the crowds.

A hand goes to her jaw as a bemused grin overtakes her features, rubbing thoughtfully at her chin. She leans down to address the Corp captain, cutting off one of his inane questions mid-sentence. "Forgive my rudeness but are those two beasts actually speaking?"

This is her first time seeing a moogle, and for all intents and purposes, Portobello looked like a monster to her. A very furry and cute monster but clearly not human. She knows what a frog is, or at least, she's seen something similar to Naveen in her world, only they were the size of bears with razor-edged tongues that could punch a hole through armor with ease. He appears slightly less threatening and a great deal more literate.

Prince Naveen has posed:
"Ah, thank you!" Naveen replies to Portobello. He has not had much experience with Moogles and for all he knows this person could be under a curse as well. Seeing as it's generally impolite to ask, however, and the Moogle started talking about his favorite subject (himself) anyway he decides not to follow it up.

"Good eye my friend. It's true, yes, I am laboring under a very foul curse indeed!" The Prince looks more relaxed for a moment, though his eyes are still cautious of the number of shoes parading past. "I had hoped to catch a ride on a boot, but alas." He spies the Moogle's little wings. "That's not a problem for you though I see!"

Then there's a woman's voice, make no mistake, loud enough to carry over all the voices in the market. Naveen is drawn to it, naturally, and peeks past the Moogle's poof to take a glance. "My, my!" he says, impressed. "That's one /big/ woman," Naveen leans in to Portobello. "Friend of yours?"

Portobello has posed:
Portobello nods slowly, leaning down a bit to offer him a hand up onto the top of his backpack, "Yes, the wings are helpful but while I'm carrying this heavy bit around." He points to his backpack, "They're non-operative. This is my first time to this place and I don't think I've seen anywhere quite this flashy, Kupo." When the Moogle is alerted towards the person the prince refers to he turns around to face her, having not spotted her among the sea of legs he had been trying to navigate around, "Wow...that is tall. And no, I've never seen her before. Kupo, she's looking at us though, perhaps we should introduce ourselves?" He says while waiting til Naveen accepts or declines the offer for a ride before approaching her.

Lavi has posed:
Lavi's enhanced hearing easily picks out the snippet of conversation that passes between the two little monsters and she smirks as they ponder the nature of her presence. Rather than wait for them to approach, the titan strides over towards them, ignoring the meak protests put up by the officers she leaves behind.

Unlike the moogle and the frog, the giant makes her presence known merely by existing and the milling throng of shoppers and gawkers are quick to part away from her path, providing the two diminutive creatures a wide clearing in the process.

Upon drawing within a few feet of them, she kneels down gracefully, bringing herself closer to the height of a normal human. "Allow me," she offers to them, touching a hand to her chestplate. "I am Lavi, a warrior and a refugee from a dead world, like so many others. I did not mean to insult either of you with my curiosity but you are the first talking non-humans that I have encountered. Are your kind common?"

Prince Naveen has posed:
Prince Naveen doesn't reply to Portobello instantly but, well, when somebody of Lavi's stature wanders up you can't exactly ignore them. He offers a deep bow, and a respectful not to Lavi too. "As for myself," he says, smoothly slicking back his... head. "I am Prince Naveen of Maldonia. It too has fallen into darkness."

"I cannot speak for my friend here but as far as I know I am unique," he continues, after giving Portobello pause to allow the Moogle to add an introduction. "And with that comes a unique perspective on things... I can't say I've managed to see much of these World Shards so far. Plenty of gutters, yes, but little architecture or history."

Portobello has posed:
Portobello nods politely towards Lavi once she addresses them, "Kupo, I've heard many tales about worlds that were entirely consumed, while others had fragments that had afixed themselves to this patchwork place. You need not worry too much, I am a rare sight in some worlds, sometimes not...there are variations of my kind who are throwbacks, less defined and more squat-bodied in shape who look less humanoid than I. My specific breed was fairly common back in my own homeworld, Kupo."

He pauses a bit before realizing he had not even given his name, "Oh how rude of me for not introducing myself in return. I am Portobello Kupoliov, Engineer and traveler of sorts. This is my first time in this rather impressive looking port city." He says while having to crane his neck up to meet Lavi's face.

Lavi has posed:
A respectful nod is given in return to each of their names and a warm grin to the Prince at his attempt to make light of the curse that had afflicted him. The sight of a bowing frog was rather comical as well. "A pleasure to make your acquaintances. It seems that each day I find myself in the presence of new experiences that I could never have imagined in my own land."

At the mention of architecture, she tilts her head back to take in a wide view of the cityscape. It was that very thing that had drawn her to this place, the towering buildings and manufactured roadways the closest thing to home that she had encountered thus far. Of course, there were many differences.

The artificers behind Palumpolum seemed to prefer structures composed of bulbous layered curves while her own home was a collection of sharp angles and crystalline geometric perfection. The neon lights and holographic advert boards were far more flamboyant and gaudy than the polished metals and phosphorous stones worked into the face of buildings in Astoria but their purpose was similar and anything that reminded her of home right now was both comforting and melancholic.

After a few moments Lavi turns her gaze back down to them and extends her wide hands, palms upwards before each of them. "Perhaps I could assist you with that? I happen to have a wonderful viewpoint completely free of gutters," she grins.

Prince Naveen has posed:
Well, that answers Prince Naveen's question of whether or not Portobello was cursed I suppose. He briefly wonders what other Moogles may look like, smiles to himself but continues to listen with royal politeness. The tiny frog sighs. "I was something of a traveler too in my time... women, music, dancing... near impossible in my current state though."

"Thrilling, is it not?" Naveen answers to Lavi. It is indeed hard to imagine meeting stranger people now adays or seeing more interesting things... at least for most people. Naveen had managed to land himself a cushy deal instantly by living in a terrarium with cable courtesy of Mercade Alexander, so has swapped his wanderlust for free room and board for time being.

"Ah miss you are as beautiful as the stars!" says Naveen sweetly, hopping onto Lavi's palm almost before she's finished offering it. Comfort is a hard to come by virtue now adays, after all. "That would be lovely. Come, Portobello! Let us see what there is to see in the finest of styles!"

Portobello has posed:
Portobello nods slowly towards the frog, "While there is a lot to take from traveling in the form of experiences, I had grown to learn a lot more about machinery and technology during the times I spent wandering from city to town and back." While Naveen did seem to like to embellish things, he certainly couldn't help but notice how impressive she seemed.

When she lowered her palms down to both of them and Naveen didn't even give a split second hesitation to accepting the offer for a ride from her he figured it would be rude to turn down her generous offer to carry them. Besides if he continued to stay on the ground while speaking to her the two of them would more than likely be suffering from neck cramps in the hours to come, so he climbed up and sat down, settling within her wide palm.

Lavi has posed:
Waiting until her two passengers make themselves comfortable, Lavi pushes back to her feet with a soft mechanical hiss, thin bursts of steam venting from tiny ports in the knee of her armor. She tucks her elbows into her sides and locks the joints in place, providing a stable platform upon which they may enjoy the ride.

Now much closer to her face, the subtle hints of age and strife are visible in the giant's features, though her inherent natural beauty still manages to outshine such imperfections as a few wrinkles and gray hairs.

Gazing off into the city marketplace, Lavi gives a thoughtful hum, sending a faint but tangible tremor through her body that the two might feel. "Well then. What would you like to see? The market of this settlement is quite expansive and I have yet to explore its depths myself. However, if you are in the mood for a more panoramic view, the upper city has many such points."

Prince Naveen has posed:
Prince Naveen tries to ignore the strange noise but is already instantly settled, it's just his personality to get the most out of what you can when you can. "Interesting," he intones, watching her move carefully. "You know what? I was just here to get a few things but, seeing as I am so high, I may find a fly or two in any case -- no offense intended of course. I am happy to simply sit as you go about your business my lady, that is if you could stand it?"

Yes, staying high and comfortable in the company of a giantess is DEFINITELY the right way to go!

Portobello has posed:
Portobello was a little surprised himself to hear the release of steam pressure, which made him all the more interested in the workings of Lavi's armor, which is only natural since he is an Engineer, "Kupo...is it difficult to find means to be able maintain such advanced equipment?" He idly asks, his curiosity gets the best of him as he couldn't help but inquire.

As to her question Naveen seemed content to enjoy a safe vantage point, to which the Moogle couldn't blame him at all, "Kupo, wherever you had intended on going is fine with me as well. I only stopped by here to browse the sights myself with no particular direction."

Lavi has posed:
The titan nods at this, glancing back over her shoulder at the Guardian Corp still assembled in the distance, the lot of them distracted in a quiet but clearly heated debate about how to deal with the unprecedented situation.

"Perhaps a stroll through the market is in order to get this city accustomed to my... unique stature."

The crowd parts before them again as Lavi moves at a steady but careful gait, doing her best to give off a non-threatening appearance to the passersby as they travel up the wide concrete street. It would have been a challenge to look menacing with a frog and moogle in hand anyways.

To Portobello's curiosity she gives another deep hum. "That is a question that I have yet to find an answer to. This world is one of the first that I have encountered with technology approaching that of my home, a fact partially responsible for my interest in it. I had hoped to find an adept of mechanical engineering so that I might discover if there is compatibility to be found."

Prince Naveen has posed:
"A fine idea," answers Naveen, already just short of reclining. He enjoys seeing the crowd part as they pass. Take that! He doesn't quite get to the point of taking out his ukulele and strumming a few verses, but it's clear he's just enjoying chilling out.

Portobello has posed:
Portobello nods towards Lavi, "That would definitely be a good start, Kupo." The little Moogle says towards the towering lady before starting to take in the view of the market and the different stands and shops from a perspective that allows him and the Prince to appreciate it better.

When she speaks about her equipment he gives a bit of a nod, "I see...I do hope you are successful. I have seen many diverse types of technology in this world, yours seems close to some of the more advanced devices the Archadian Military had used." He takes another sweeping glance over her armor, "Not that it would be entirely out of my expertise, but it would take a lot of time and comparing all the information I've compiled to get a workable understanding of how your suit functioned, Kupo."

Lavi has posed:
Lavi grins as she thunders down the sidewalk, her steps punctuated with heavy thuds. The sheer weight of armor that size must be staggering, speaking volumes of the woman's strength or the effectiveness of the technology that allows it to respond so gracefully to her movements.

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, little one, but this armor represents the culminated effort of an entire world dedicated to war and survival. I would be quite surprised if there were anything truly its equal and I am hesitant to allow any other than myself to know of its inner workings, lest that knowledge fall into the wrong hands."

There is a pause and her expression shifts, the slight hint of tension in the corners of her eyes hinting at some unpleasant thought running through her mind. "I am not sure I could bear to be responsible for allowing history to repeat itself."

They pass with relative ease, Lavi's hands steady despite her massive gait, so there is a minimal amount of jostling and bouncing. Dozens of shops pass them by on each side, massive neon signs advertising local clothing fashions, various foodstuffs, and entertainment. Some of these things she recognizes, their form or function similar to those from home. Others are completely foreign to her, especially the cuisine.

"Interesting," seems to be her current favorite word and she unleashes it without impunity as they take in the sights.