A day in the Lights

[der_umgekehrte]

Who: Stildyne and YOU
What: A Day-in-the-life in Paris
When: The first day (and night) of port
Where: All over! Churches, cafes, clothiers and cruise joints.
Warnings: Not expecting any

Comments

Morning - first, caffeine

[der_umgekehrte]

They called it espresso. Stildyne called it the finest bean tea you could get-- brewed properly, hot and at high pressures. This was his drink of choice, and he sat in a small cafe, sampling every variant of it they'd give him.

The city was as crowded as the one he'd grown up in-- it didn't wake at dawn, it just went on at dawn. He watched the people. There was poverty here, too, there was grime, but it was a louder, livelier place than his home ever had been.

Midmorning - then, clothes

[der_umgekehrte]

They'd run a credit check on him at the first clothing store. Then they'd started suddenly treating him a good deal better.

He hadn't had new clothes since Azanry, when they'd spirited away the Fleet issue uniform and supplied those sinfully fine handmade replacements. The idea of getting that kind of quality in civillian gear seemed almost taboo. He wasn't a man who quailed at much, but the idea that he could afford the ruinous prices they were asking was almost the equal of him.

Almost. He left with a bag over one shoulder, a peacoat out of finespun wool, fitted around his shoulders like it loved him. Next, new boots?

Midafternoon - then religion (Notre Dame)

[der_umgekehrte]

He bought handfood for a late lunch and braved public transport, wandering until he found a large building looming up on him. A church of some variety, swarming with interested parties, and he shouldered into the crowd to see what the fuss was about.

He wasn't a religious man but he liked the shape of the place, big and soaring and solid. The gargoyles and grotesques and carvings lurked around in odd corners like a petrified security detail. And just about as ugly.

Midafternoon - then religion (Notre Dame)

[uberwaldian]

Angua was at something of a loss. She'd managed to find some reasonable clothes, but she must have still looked awfully lost, because eventually someone had taken pity on her and her stammering Genuan (which was just enough unlike French to make people stare at her like she was crazy) and pointed her in the direction of this place. She had no idea why, but suspected it had something to do with the swarms of people with cameras.

Now, she was staring up at the building with an expression of scrutiny. When she spotted Stildyne next to her, she vaguely recognized him from the Barge, and muttered out of the corner of her mouth: "Is it true the gargoyles here aren't alive?"

[der_umgekehrte]

"..hmm?" Stildyne looked at her, then squinted up a bit harder at the decorations, with sudden suspicion.

After serious surveillance, he whispered back: "Pretty sure they're just stone. Are they supposed to be alive?" He'd never seen them before, himself.

[uberwaldian]

Angua wasn't particularly close with any gargoyles, or even any regular trolls other than maybe Detritus, but there was something really disturbing about the way people kept casually asking that question. "Are you?" she muttered, before she could stop herself, then shook her head and sighed. "They are where I'm from. Living stone."

Evening - booze and cruise (La Marais)

[der_umgekehrte]

Stildyne had found a young man-- rather, the young man had found him-- who wasn't exactly a professional but wasn't a rank amateur either. The little blond had seen the color of his money from half a block away. Despite Stildyne's ignorance of the local tongue and the young man's only dubious standard they had reached a perfect understanding. Stildyne would go where he was told and pay what he was told to and the little blond would give him a fair chance at seducing him back to his hotel room.

--which is how Stildyne found himself dragged to what might have been every bar and club in La Marais, enjoying himself thoroughly, flirting badly and baldly, drinking, and meeting fascinating new people.

Evening - booze and cruise (La Marais)

[majorum_pride]

And Rhade was doing his thing that first evening, dressed in a pale suit he'd gotten specifically for these sorts of ports and resisting the urge to rub his once again irritatingly naked forearms. Two lovely ladies were on either side of him as they had, much as Stildyne's companion, noticed that Rhade seemed to have no issue acquiring funds. There seemed to be less gratification in it than when he'd went out of his way to earn (through illegal means) the money that he used to keep the interest of his company as he'd done on the space station, but right now he was of the mind that this was an investment in acquiring information

[der_umgekehrte]

Stildyne lifted his glass back with a very muted smile, and turned back to see his own companion ogling Rhade openly. The young man paused immediately, scanning Stildyne's face to see if his meal ticket was the jealous type. Stildyne managed, through an eloquent shrug and a pidgin conversation, to reassure the blond that he was ugly, not blind, and that over there was a very pretty piece of something, much worth looking at.

He tried a few words the French the young man had been schooling him, got a laugh at his accent and a bit of half-understood gossip about the pair of young ladies, and good naturedly paid for the young man to send a round of drinks over to the party. Apparently, Stildyne's arm-warmer ran in some of the same circles as the red-headed one.

[majorum_pride]

For a moment Rhade returned to talking to the ladies, but he seemed to happen across a crucial piece of information that he wanted. And then the red-head turned and pointed at the young fellow beside of Stildyne.

He left money for the tab (and them looking disappointed) before he went by Stildyne and his companion, stopping and putting his hands in his pockets. He gave Stildyne and nod, and was hesitant to ask with another warden there. But still, if he was going to do what he need to do... "I'm looking for Bernard Cowl. Can you tell me where to find him?"

Leave it to Rhade to be seeking out a notable criminal. But at least one that seemed to control the money, and not the goods.

Anywhen - anywhere

[der_umgekehrte]

Wherever you like! He's a military man on leave and he's up for anything.