Dec 18 15:25:15 105 PA
From Chronicles
The current game time is: Fri Dec 18 15:25:15 105 PA. Weather at Fri Dec 18 15:26:00 105 PA (-11.27C, 11.72F): A frenzy of clouds are wisked through the sky by fast breezes that extend to the ground. Snow is sustained in the air by the directionless wind, constantly in motion, yet still from a distance.Kingsdale - Yakov's
Rasputin's Deli is a lively place, normally a short man is behind the counter serving up orders of beef, brisket, chicken, pork, sausage, fish and just about every other type of meat product you can imagine. Rasputin's is a well known secret to low, medium and high class people of all type. Rasputin has all sorts of customer's coming and going at all times of day or night. He isn't open 24-hrs, but he might as well be. As you walk into the Deli, next to the door is a small lunch counter which faces out into the street. Opposite to the deli counter are four small booths. Both of these locations serve as eating space for those that choose to grab a quick bite of food or one of Yakov's and Rasputin's famous five meat monster deli sandwiches. Most people don't use these booths, but the lunch counter is constantly being used, as it provides a great people watching vantage.
Valerie is standing behind the counter, dressed in white. She's STILL wearing a coat, but it happens to be white as well. What? It's cold. So very cold. She likes not being cold. She's currently cutting up some prime boar butt chops for a customer, and while she isn't en expert unlike the owner, she's not doing that bad either. She wraps the chops into a piece of waxy paper, and then hands them over. Money changes hands.
Yelub comes into the deli from the cold, and gets a good few seconds of 'my, isn't it nice and toasty in here' before he starts thinking about how uncomfortably warm it is now. In the meantime, he walks up to the counter, standing far enough back from it that he can actually see Valerie. "...good afternoon," he says, briefly mesmerized by the shiny hair. "I'll have a five meat with mustard."
It is so shiny. "What?" Valerie demands sharply. It's possible she wasn't hired due to her smarts. She looks down at Yelub. Way down. So tiny. Cautious optimism lingers just behind her facade for several seconds, but then it vanishes, like a kitten before a flamethrower.
"A five-meat," Yelub repeats, lifting his eyebrows at her. "A five-meat with mustard." He points at the picture up on the wall, spelling out the contents with images (and, it being Kingsdale, subscript text as well). "Please."
Valerie looks in the indicated direction, then frowns faintly. She watches the image for several seconds. It's a new, experimental direction for the deli, and she isn't familiar with that one, so she only reluctantly walks over and begins preparing a sandwich. She pauses several times to look at the picture... which is what she's going after, not the listed contents.
Yelub watches the frowning woman go about assembling the requested sandwich. "That's quite some hair you have there, if I can say so," he remarks, as he unwraps his maroon scarf from his neck.
Vyvian has arrived.
"You clearly can," Valerie comments dryly without looking up from her task. She glares up at the picture of the sandwich, then down at the one she's making. Impossible! She does her best to make it look like a smaller version of it, but it's just not the same. Then she wraps it up and offers it to Yelub.
Yelub steps up to the counter, which is taller than he is, and reaches up to receive the sandwich from on high. He steps back so he can see her properly. "Well, thank you." He pauses. "I haven't seen you here before. Are you, well, are you a new hire?" He holds his sandwich.
The door is shoved open and from the snowy exterior comes a tall, robust form clad in a heavy furred cloak and hood. Snow has collected on the garment, but a shake of shoulders dislodges some of it to fall to the floor. Only when the door closes moments later does Vyvian lift her arms from within, drawing back her hood. Almost at once her head lifts and she scents the air. Pleasing, it seems, as an indrawn breath is released with a soft, contented hissing sound.
"Yes, I am," Valerie admits in a carefully neutral tone. "Are you an associate of Rasputin's?" she asks in a more casual voice. Of course, then the door opens and some kind of snake monster with a real nice, if scaly, body enters. She blinks as she hears the deadly hiss from the shapely miss, and then glances casually towards one of the deli's cleavers. She doesn't grab it or do anything particularly dramatic just yet. For all she knows, it might be Rasputin's sister. It's a crazy city after all. "Yes, he's an old friend of mine," Yelub replies, sparing a glance of his own at the snake-lady. "Well, the best of luck to you in your newfound employment," he comments with a little sandwich-tipping salute. "It's a fine establishment of the highest gastronomical caliber. A proud culinary tradition is carried forth to the hungry future from within these walls!" He chuckles at his own joking.
After a general survey of the wares on display, Vyvian notices Yelub and displays her toothy approximation of a grin. "I remember you. How goes it, short stuff?" Her husky voice marked with a soft elongation of each 's', the lizard woman strides towards where he and Valerie stand. She seems to catch on to the last bit of his talk and whilst looking around again will state agreeably, "Yes, everything here looks so very delicious." Everything?
Valerie slowly turns her eyes down to the dwarf again, and when she speaks it's in perfect Russian. "I would think that isn't sarcasm, so I thank you." The thing is, she doesn't sound remotely convinced, and the look she's sending Yelub is of the watch-your-step type. However, as Vyvian speaks Val finds her attention drawn to her. It's hard to avoid that, after all. She regards her uncertainly, a tad on edge.
Yelub just chuckles some more. "Oh, no, it's sincere, I assure you. I'm here quite often. Best sandwiches in the city," he declares, extra-loud on the last part, as though as an advertisement to passerby. Yesiree! He looks over at snake-lady. "Doing well, after the morning's excitement. ... and a good afternoon to you, madam."
Vyvian looks back to the two as Valerie says something in a language unknown to her. Of course, the moment after the girl speaks, she looks towards Yelub for his response. Of course, getting only half of the conversation serves to pique her curiosity. Regardless, she seems amused enough and replies to the dwarf, "Good enough so far. Just watch your step out there. Not that you'd have too far to fall." Her tone light on that, even though she lifts a hand to casually give him two pats atop his head and displays a renewed toothy grin.
Yelub appears rather startled at the ... head-patting. Flustered, he steps back. "Well, ah, no, I suppose not as far as you, no," he jokes awkwardly. "If you'll excuse me, I'll let you place your order." He nods his head with a polite smile and walks aside to take a seat at a booth. "Afternoon, gentlemen," he says to the booth's other occupants, by way of apologizing for intruding on their lunch, and begins to unwrap his meal.
Valerie reacts almost in the same manner as Yelub when the snake lady pats him on the head. Almost. Rather than getting flustered herself, her lips part in a bright grin. If nothing else, she appears a little more at ease when she looks at Vyvian again. A peculiar thing that, too, because although she remains a bit at edge, she does seek eye contact.
Vyvian chuckles huskily as Yelub retreats and offers a, "Later, short stuff," before turning her attention to Valerie once more. A moment passing in which she considers the girl before asking, "What've you got for someone without much to spend, Goldy?" She places one hand against the counter, leaning in against it just a bit. "Normally I'd be hunting my own, but when the snows come it gets harder. Good idea to have some stores, you know?"
Goldy? Valerie narrows her eyes just a little bit, but more in response to the question than the nickname. "Poultry, bacon, or entrails." Yes, she doesn't make it sound very appetizing. "Liver is cheap."
Vyvian appears to give the options some serious thought, though while considering she gives Valerie another toothy grin. "Don't like Goldy? That's too bad, your hair is nice." Her other hand lifted in a casual gesture toward said hair. "How many of the.. credits, what it? Yes, credits. How many for a pound of bacon?"
Valerie looks uncertainly at that grin, but her voice is firm as she states, "I don't mind the pet name." She lists a fairly low figure. Bacon has always been a bit of a ghetto meat, after all. "There are also ribs. They're more expensive, but contain marrow as well. You could also buy a soup bone."
"No no.. a growing girl needs real meat," Vyvian states to the last. "Meat water would be like a cruel tease." She quiets for a moment to consider, then states, "Two pounds of bacon will do for emergencies, I think." Decision made she straightens and shifts her cloak aside, plucking a pouch from her belt near to her blowgun. A little shake and it emits the sound of small stones rattling together. "I think I have just the one to pay for that," she muses to herself as she empties the contents into her open palm. A variety of small, uncut gemstones will spill into a neat pile on her palm. All of them look real enough, though are too small and raw to be worth a great deal. With the touch laid on the counter, she pokes through the stones, seeking that certain one.
Growing? Valerie arches a brow at that, but it passes without comment. She glances curiously at all the little gem stones, but she doesn't seem to have any objections, however, nor does she seem particularly surprised. Why wouldn't someone pay with gem stones? Meanwhile, she finds a nice slab of bacon, weighs it, and then cuts a hefty chunk off, which she then goes about wrapping up nicely.
"Ahh, this is the little pretty," Vyvian breathes, drawing out a rough, reddish stone. She carefully offers it up on the tip of her finger, stating, "That should cover it well. If there's any left afterward, tell your bossman to let you have it." She displays her teeth again in that 'grin' and, once the gem is taken, will take up her small pouch and carefully funnel the rest of her stones back in before securing it at her side again.
Valerie accepts the stone, but she's reluctant in taking it, regarding Vyvian as if the woman might suddenly bite. She examines the gem briefly, and must be satisfied because she slips into the register, and then offers Vyvian the bacon, all nicely wrapped up. There's almost three pounds, though, possibly just out of a lack of desire to see a hungry snake lady eat people. Or maybe she can't figure out the scales. Hard to say.
If Vyvian notices the extra, she doesn't show it. Though she does notice Valerie's reactions to her. After she takes the wrapped meat, settled into the crook of one curled arm, she focuses on the girl. "Enough of that fearfulness, Goldy dear. I don't go eating what thinks. That would includes you. So you're safe around me." Of course, she does follow that up with her grin.
Valerie tenses visibly in response. "I'm not afraid," she states firmly. Nuh-huh! Not her! Never! Right? "I hope you enjoy the meat," she offers, her voice and overall posture turning calmer once more. "And I bid you a good day."
"So right you are," Vyvian replies, though there is a soft edge of amusement in her husky voice. "Be good now and watch the ice out there." Said as she pulls down her deep hood with one hand. Turning then, casually reasserting her cloak to closely wrap herself up before pushing her way outside the brave the cold once more. Her tail tip peeking out from under, the last swaying portion of her to exit, just shy of the door's closing.
Vyvian has left. Tags: valerie, vyvian, yelub
