The Shopkeeper's Daughter: Act 2

[desertbloomed]

Characters: Lots!
Where: The hospital; the shopkeeper's shop; just outside the Chocobo Farm; in the wilderness; on the plateau.
When: September 12-13
Summary: It's time for The Shopkeeper's Daughter to get properly underway. Here we have act 2!
Warnings: Possibly some violence...

Overture
It’s market day in Aqures Ixen. People stream out of their homes and into the common areas, carrying all kinds of items, for bartering is just as popular on these days as buying things outright. Market days always bring with them a special kind of energy. Anything is possible on these days. One never knows what treasures one might find for sale. Except, of course, for Baltoro’s Blooms.

Comments

[desertbloomed]

The shopkeeper looks startled. The Lady had mentioned some of the people brought to Aqures Ixen were children, but she seemed so angry at the time he thought it was hyperbole. He's not very pleased to be proven wrong.

"Ib? I suppose the Lady B'nargin sent you?" He steps out of Ib's way, closing the door behind her. "You don't...happen to have the seed?"

[her_rose_is_red]

She shakes her head sadly.

"No..."

But she hastily continues.

"But don't worry! Everyone is looking for it! They'll definitely find it, okay? So everything will be okay."

Ib just won't even consider the possibility of everyone failing. Not when there's so many heroes working on this. Not when there's an innocent life at stake.

[desertbloomed]

"I...see." The shopkeeper's shoulder sag and he shakes his head. Too good to be true.

He leads Ib into the back of the shop, revealing his daughter's sickbed surrounded by luscious drapery. The air is heavy with incense, but just underneath is the sickly sweet smell of illness. "You came at a good time. She's lucid."

The girl looks over at her visitor, what were once bright green eyes now cloudy and milky white. "Who is it? Is it Ashe?"

[her_rose_is_red]

The poor girl is even sicker than Ib expected. The milky eyes mean she's probably having trouble seeing, so Ib comes over to the bedside. She smiles encouragingly.

"I'm Ib. I'm friends with Ashe. I came to visit you."

[desertbloomed]

The little girl blinks several times before squinting her eyes. Something like recognition sparks in her eyes when she hears Ib's name. "Ib...Ashe told me about you. I'm Thalia. A-are you really a Hero of Light?"

[her_rose_is_red]

Ib nods with a slightly self conscious smile.

"Yeah. Well, at least that's what Rose tells me. I think a lot of the other heroes are much better at it though."

[desertbloomed]

"Who's Rose?" Thalia blinks a couple more times before settling back against her pillow. "Is she a Queen too? Are you a Princess?"

[her_rose_is_red]

She giggles.

"No, I'm nothing like that. And Rose is my friend. She's a moogle."