open;

[trifurcate]

Characters: Bryn Zethir and your character /o/
Date: April 7th to 13th
Location: Atam!
Situation: Bryn in various places on the mainland, see thread starters for details!
Warnings/Rating: None expected, will warn in subject lines if that changes...


[Having finished her mandatory quarantine, Bryn ventures into the city of Atam. Well, one of Bryn does anyway, having left a second version of herself behind in Keeliai to continue working both in the fields and for Wayne Enterprises as she has been for some weeks now.

Intending to both explore the city as well as shop for a variety of necessities, she pays for a week in advance at the communal housing establishment and heads into the city...]

Comments

[epigrammatical]

[He sets the gun down, considering his funds. Not an activity he enjoys very much, having never had to do it before.]

I hope there is no difficulty in bringing items such as these back to the city.

[trifurcate]

[She hadn't considered that.]

If there is, surely they wouldn't sell to us. There would be laws against them doing so in the first place, wouldn't there?

[epigrammatical]

Oh, anything may be bought or sold for a price, but people are so often bound to be troublesome about what one does with what is bought. [A pause, then in a lower voice:] Of course, objects are not all that may be bought. Silence and discretion have a price as well.

[trifurcate]

[Bryn doesn't move, doesn't act as if their conversation has taken another turn, but rather smiles lightly and responds at the same volume.]

I've never had cause to buy someone's silence...and I don't think I've ever done anything that requires discretion really.

[epigrammatical]

[Henry picks up a small folding clasp-knife, examining it thoughtfully.]

It is never too late to start.

[trifurcate]

[Oh Henry, these things you say.]

Of course not, but then I'm not sure that any amount of money can truly buy the silence of another. There's always some duress or another they'd cave to, I'd imagine.

[Lessons learned in a military-family. Money just can't buy trust or peace of mind. Not reliably.]

[epigrammatical]

True. But this is for the work of a moment; when we have gone, it matters little what has been said or done here.

[He puts down the knife.]

But perhaps you are right. There may be risks here of which we are entirely unaware.

[trifurcate]

That's my concern, unfortunately. Better to get what we can by playing by the rules before worrying about what has to be acquired by going against them.

[Bryn picks up a smaller gun then, examining it. It's a bit large for her...]

Besides I wouldn't like to end up in their Central Stockade, would you?

[epigrammatical]

Indeed, I should not. Nor should I wish to be subjected to the tender mercies of the Emperor on our return.

[trifurcate]

Neither would I.

[She offers the gun over to Henry after a moment with a smile that is not condescendingly encouraging, but perhaps a little hopeful.]

We ought to get you something while you're here. Just in case. The quality is much better than anything they have in Keeliai.

[epigrammatical]

[Henry picks up the gun and examines it; more than the other he handled, it puts him in mind of the Holland & Holland hunting rifles his father kept at Tavistock.]

This one is rather fine indeed. Again—like something we would use for pheasant, but much more similar to the sort to which I'm accustomed.

[trifurcate]

[Nodding, Bryn picks up a handgun then, wondering if perhaps Henry might do well with something smaller. Yes, she's shopping for you now whether or not you asked for it.]

What do you think of something like this? Do you have experience with this style as well?

[epigrammatical]

[He sets down the rifle and examines the handgun; he smiles, amused.]

It reminds me of a pepper-box pistol—what they call an "Apache revolver" in France. I believe it's quite popular among the street-toughs of Paris. It is certainly more discreet than that pheasant-gun.

[trifurcate]

Discreet might do us all well with what's been happening, but perhaps we can find you something that suits you better.

[Oh right, yes, she really is shopping for you, Henry. Especially as she begins to focus on the assortment of handguns available. All shapes, styles, and sizes.]

[epigrammatical]

[He is incredibly amused, to have a lady picking out firearms for him. There's definitely an extent to which he feels he is indulging her, as if he were at Victoria's side while she picked out flowers for a dinner-party.

He indicates a thing like a pearl-handled Derringer, its barrel decorated with arabesque patterns.]

A lovely thing, but perhaps more suited to a lady's hand.

[trifurcate]

[Bryn can't help but smile a bit at that decorative little gun. No, grin outright, because it's lovely looking and she can perfectly imagine it being the sort of gun some Kidiar's wife picks out for herself on appearance rather than function.]

It's beautiful, but I'd wonder if it shoots as well as it looks. Thankfully I'm set with my own already.

[She pulls her own gun out to compare. It's a bit large in her hands, the style a somewhat confusing mix of old and new by an modern American's standards. Bryn however looks quite pleased by it.]

Designed and constructed by Aspurrans and enchanted by Asarians. There simply isn't anything better out of my country.

[epigrammatical]

[Henry definitely did not anticipate Bryn having a piece of machinery like that on her, and once again, it shows on his face.]

Extraordinary. [He leans forward to examine it.] I must remember that I underestimate you at my peril, my dear.

[trifurcate]

[Bryn so enjoys those moments when she can surprise Henry, if only for the fact that he seems completely and utterly unflappable.]

Not at your peril, Henry. I assure you even when I lose my temper I'm not so trigger-happy.

[She offers it to him, handle first, if he'd like to look it over more closely.]

[epigrammatical]

[He laughs, and takes the gun to examine it.]

A remarkable piece of workmanship. The gunsmiths of my world would be verdant with envy. Though if I am to find something for my own purposes, some instrument between this and the lady's derringer would suit best.

[trifurcate]

[She takes the gun back, looking just a little bit pleased by the praise as if she'd made the gun herself, and slides it into its holster.]

I hope you don't mind shopping around a bit for something for yourself. Considering the unrest of the natives I can't help but feel a bit protective of the people I care about. I'd hate for something to happen simply because someone wasn't armed enough to defend themselves.

[epigrammatical]

[He smiles.]

I hope you do not mind me saying that it is a welcome novelty to be guided by a lady in the purchase of firearms. And your concern is a credit to your character, my dear—though I hope sincerely that matters do not get so dreadful as that. Nevertheless I suppose one cannot be too cautious.

[trifurcate]

In my family we were taught early to be careful and think ahead whenever it seemed as if things might get dicey. And it's something of a cultural quirk to be so protective of others.

[She smiles and shrugs lightly.]

But hopefully I'm just worrying for nothing.

[epigrammatical]

What a remarkable world you come from!

[He pauses, picks up a revolver-like gun—small enough to be carried discreetly, but not so small as to be useless after a single shot.]

What, then, do you make of this, dear Athena?

[trifurcate]

[In an attempt to not get distracted from the purpose at hand, Bryn looks over the gun in his hands and smiles widely.]

It looks perfect. Large enough, but not too much. Advanced in mechanisms it seems, but not overly complicated either. I think you'd do well with it.

[epigrammatical]

Capital. Excuse me—

[Henry summons the merchant, and after some haggling, bargains the price down to something he finds acceptable. Armaments having been obtained—not something he had planned for, but he concedes Bryn's caution—he offers Bryn his arm to escort her further through the marketplace.]