[action]

[faterecanted]

[It's been a few days since Van arrived, under less than ideal circumstances. During that time, he felt it was probably wisest to remain incommunicado. The easiest way to assure the others from Auldrant that he was doing nothing threatening was to appear to be doing nothing threatening; and he wasn't... strictly speaking. For the most part, all he'

Comments

[oda_hates_me]

[faterecanted]

[Van is always paying attention. He gives Sanji a polite nod, not ruffled in the least by the attention.]

Excuse me? [It's far from rebuking in tone. It's as genial as if he's apologizing for bumping into him, in fact; although there is that certain inflection that marks a person who is important, and knows it well.]

[oda_hates_me]

[Sanji responds frankly and with only minimal interest, though at least he's polite in his delivery and nods back. There's no reason to be an ass.]

You're new, I take it?

[faterecanted]

Is it that obvious? [Of course it was. He certainly wasn't trying to hide it.]

[fallenambitions]

[Van won't be alone in the clinic today. Alexei was here, but not particular to be tended to. He was tending to his own personal things today when Van arrives.

He takes a moment to look him over. New feather no doubt, but he looked like he seem to know what he was doing. He didn't look seriously injured either soo...]

Are you looking for something?

[faterecanted]

Yes. [After some thought, he'd already decided it would be to his advantage to not hide his condition. Some people were so unwilling to think poorly of an ill man...] Do you work here?

[fallenambitions]

[He used to know someone here...]

No, but there is no one here at the moment if you need assistance. You'll have to wait or you can try the clinic down near the plaza.

[faterecanted]

Not immediate assistance. All I need is a particular medication. I thought it might turn up here. [He takes a brief glance around, looking for a likely storage cabinet, and then shrugs.] I'll wait if I must.

[falenandawn]

[The battledome? Freyjadour was there, too, having just left the simulation room, staff still in hand. He's considering if he should go another hour or not when he spots Van.

Huh, he hasn't seen him around before.] Hello.

[faterecanted]

[Van gives him a brief glance-over, sizing him up. Staff; possibly a caster? Those are decent support in a fight. It would be a mutually beneficial acquaintanceship.

And so he smiles.] These are training rooms, yes?

[falenandawn]

[Not quite, though he's close enough to one by other world standards. But Freyjadour looks a bit surprised at the question, realizing he has to be new for him to not be certain. He returns the smile as he answers.] Yes, they are. They are able to simulate monsters, opponents, and environments for training.

You are new to Luceti, then? [Giving the staff a twist, it collapses into four pieces connected by lengths of chain, almost similar to a giant nunchaku, which he folds up and stores in a black holster at his back.]

[faterecanted]

[Van follows that weapon with a keen eye, although it looks for all the world like polite curiosity about an unusual bit of equipment.]

Yes. I wouldn't have thought it possible. [In more ways than one...]

[ever_deceptive]

[Yeager happens to be browsing in one of the clothing shops, going through suits and shirts. He's not all that fond of buying things off the rack--all of his outfits back home were custom-tailored--but he really needs some other stuff to change into and having it all made would take some time. When Van sees him and evidently nods to him, Yeager offers him a smile in return.

Hmm, interesting. Yeager's met a lot of friendly people in Luceti already, but this man has a certain air of authority about him as well. He decides to venture a greeting.]

Good afternoon, sir.

hey. they're crazy neighbors.

[faterecanted]

[Friendly is hardly an accurate assessment of Van Grants, but he is certainly doing his best to look it. He sizes Yeager up: polite, looking at suits, with that certain something Van associates with the ruthless and wealthy. Those are the kind that respect power. He can certainly provide.]

And to you. [And the shirt in his hand is returned with all the disdain a person used to expecting better can summon. Or at least expecting a proper fit.] It's ironic. The one time I don't need to be in uniform, there's nothing else.

Lol they are XD HOWDY NEIGHBOR~

[ever_deceptive]

What do you expect? The whole town is supplied by a single enterprise. There's no competition to promote quality wares.

[Ah, yes, that unfortunate lack of capitalism that had Yeager mortified when he first arrived. He keeps his smile on and his manner casual, though he was certainly aware of that sizing-up--hence his offering of that not-so-subtle indication of his business sense to Van.]

I see this is the start of a beautiful mutual userdom

[faterecanted]

I've always thought of competition as best when it happens to someone else. ['I don't deal kindly with challengers.']

placeholder, sorry ;;

[poppetry]

[ Xion is curled up at a table not far from the library entrance when Van enters. There are quite a lot of books scattered on the table's surface; if Van comes close enough to look, he'll see they're mostly medical texts, ranging from the scientific to the holistic to the magic.

Reflexively, she looks up at the sound of someone entering ... then stares for a moment, curious and unable to help herself. ]

placeholder for as long as you need

[faterecanted]

[...Is that girl staring at him?

No, that really shouldn't surprise Van. Even without being known as a leader in the Order, he's still a man with natural presence. Natural presence that he intentionally adds to with his hair, his grooming, his clothing choices... He spent a lot of time and effort making Van Grants a man that people paid attention to.

So that was still working. Good.

Among the books he's looking for in this pokey little excuse for a library are anything with information on miasma toxicosis. Which means he'll end up at her table sooner or later, as she's clearly pulled most of the medical texts off the shelves.

He glances at a chair across from her, and then back at her face.] May I?

THANK YOU. ;;

[poppetry]

[ There really was something about him ... a certain presence she wouldn't have been able to put a finger on if asked. But then he'd walked away, and she'd let the thought slip away, returning her attention to her books.

It's only when she hears his voice that she actually startled out of her thoughts -- and her book -- to look up at him. ] Oh -- sure! Sorry it's kind of messy... [ She smiles apologetically and sets down the book she was reading to clean up a few of the notes she'd taken and the still-open books here and there. ]

np, bb

[faterecanted]

If you don't mind, I may need those -- if you're finished with them.

[Although the chances of a book specific to Auldrant ending up on her table are slim, it's not unthinkable. There was probably some information in them that would be useful to anyone.]