[OPEN] An easy quest...

[her_rose_is_red]

Characters: Ib and open
Where: The history museum
When: April 11th
Summary: Ib has been given a quest to get a new job. It's a simple one, but...
Warnings: None


[Ib is sitting on the steps in front of the history museum, a letter in her hand and a covered painting next to her. She's eying it somewhat warily. Rose is nowhere to be seen. Ib had wanted to do this quest all on her own, but now she's wishing that her moogle had come along.

It should be easy. Just deliver this painting to Jessie. It is easy. It's such a silly thing to be nervous about. The gallery... that was a long time ago. And it wasn't even in this world. Except... this world has a lot more magic and monsters than hers ever did.

She wonders if she should peek. Maybe if she saw the painting she'd feel better. Or maybe worse. Maybe she should ask someone for help? No, they'd only laugh. They'd think she was just a scared little kid. And she's worked hard to seem more grown up. So here she is, uncertainly glancing at the painting next to her.]

Comments

[umslay]

"Now what have we here?" Ib was greeted by a voice coming from this tiny creature, curious about what's hidden beneath the tarp. "Is this a new artifact for the museum?"

While history was not his preferred subject of higher learning, Ales spent much of his free time away from home in the 3rd district, typically in the library. Today, braving the cool weather, he ran to the city's museums, hoping to better gauge the scientific advancements of Crystallis.

His attention returned to the girl. Without her Moogle, he couldn't tell if she was one of the Heroes of Light or a resident of Aqures Ixen. "Are you safeguarding this for one of the workers?"

[her_rose_is_red]

Ib manages not to lead off by asking him what he is. That would be rude. But she is pretty curious. Is there a polite way to ask that? Hmm, probably not.

And actually, she should probably answer his question instead of just gawking at him. She shakes her head and points back at the museum.

"I got it from them. I'm supposed to take it to Jessie."

[umslay]

If he could read the girl's mind, he would thank her for being considerate and not joining the tens of others that asked him what he was.

He diverts his attention from the painting to Ib. "Jessie?" There was only one way a little girl like Ib could possibly be involved with her. "Are you a Hero of Light or something?"

[her_rose_is_red]

Oh, she wants to ask. She would if she could think of a way to make it sound any less rude. Ib nods in response to his question, brightening up slightly.

"I am. I've been here since August."

[umslay]

He perks up for a moment, surprised. "That long? I'm sorry I never got a chance to greet you since I came here in September." It was all very disorienting to him, especially since he was convinced for a long time that he was dead.

The Teensie steps back from the painting and gives Ib a little bow. "The name is Ales, engineer back home and an airship pilot in this world! May I ask what your name is?"

[her_rose_is_red]

She stifles a small giggle at the bow. Ib doesn't know anyone quite that formal.

"I'm Ib! It's nice to meet you."

His job sounds awfully impressive though.

"Do you really fly the airships? That must be really exciting."

[umslay]

He's smart enough to know that being polite with strangers is the way you're supposed to behave. It takes a lot for him to be publicly irritated at them.

Not that he didn't like Ib. She made for nice conversation, so he sat down on a step higher than her so that his head was at level with hers.

"I fly them around once a month, depending on when the other pilots are available. It's a decent job; I get to travel and keep my piloting skills sharp."

[her_rose_is_red]

"Do you get to spend a lot of time in the cities you go to? Or do you just fly from one to the next?"

She really can't stifle the childish curiosity. Ib has ridden the airships before, but never gave much thought to the people flying them. It sounds like a tough job.

"Do the airships have captains? Like ocean ships?"

[umslay]

"Not really. Once I land, I just have a few hours to rest before we head onto the next city. But that's enough for me to do some shopping here and there."

He wasn't much of an explorer, much like most regular people in any world, and what he most loved about his jobs was being able to get his hands and such wonderful technology.

"Well, as the pilot, I sort of function as a captain in regards to keeping the ship running. But then there's the guy in charge things like taking are of the passengers and cargo and such."

[her_rose_is_red]

"Oh. But it must be fun to go to different cities all in the same day."

She'd almost spend more time in each place though.

"How did you get a job like that? Did you fly airships before?"

Do engineers do that sort of thing? Ib honestly has no idea what that job actually entails.

[umslay]

He shrugs. "I guess it is." It gives him something to do, at least.

"You take some lessons at the airlines, and after a few months, you get a license. But for me, it only took a month. Now, I've already had experience building and flying my own machines, but never airships. I learned the technical side of flying pretty quickly, if I'd say so myself."

[her_rose_is_red]

Well she's impressed. Not only piloting, but he can build flying machines too?

“You must be really smart! I haven't even tried to get a job.”

It honestly never occurred to her. She'd been thinking of 'hero of light' as everyone's jobs.

“I have been going to school though...”

[umslay]

He grins, now more energetic as he ego is stroked.

"Of course! I've been working on my mechas for years, using a mostly unthinkable way of powering them. I can only imagine how much progress I could have made if I wasn't dragged here!"

And if his life work was completely trashed, but there was no point in disappointing the kid.

"I understand. School's not always a great place to be, but I don't know anyone who'd hire someone as young as you."

[her_rose_is_red]

“An unthinkable way...?”

She echoes his words in a hushed whisper, imagining things are completely wrong. Everything from improbably harnessing starlight to mythical creature running on treadmills. It certainly looks impressive in her head. It really is sad that he got dragged here before he could do more of that. She shakes her head sympathetically.

“That is too bad..... But you could still build robots here, couldn't you?”

Crystallis has metal and gears and stuff. Ib doesn't really know what else might go into a robot, but that's a start.

[umslay]

Oh, yes. He has her interested.

"Right. In my world, there are small beings made of pure energy called Lums. They're practically everywhere! Some form the heart of the world. Some reside in oceans and lakes. But most people only take a few and use them to temporarily become stronger, or they trade it to someone else for goods.

"Now, I thought: why not find a way to harness their energy to power machines? They're practically limitless, and it would usher in a new era of mechas! No more on relying on Polokus to run the Glade of Dreams!"

[her_rose_is_red]

“Wow...”

Lums! So she hadn't been that far off when she'd thought of mythical creatures. She's imagining the lums as very small and cute. Sort of like pixies. Which does make her slightly concerned about them being used as power.

“It doesn't hurt them does it? Being used to power things?”

[umslay]

"Hurt them?" His smile drops, genuinely taken aback by Ib's questions. A moment later, his cheeriness return.

"Of course not!" He waves a hand dismissively. "They're always emitting energy, so it's not like I'm killing them. That would be pretty inconvenient."

And it would be a bit pointless to torture such harmless little things.

[her_rose_is_red]

She smiles in relief.

"Oh, good. They sound really cute."

Or at least the picture in her head is cute. Which is enough for her.

"It's too bad we don't have them here."

So they could use them for power. Or maybe just so she could have one as a pet.

[umslay]

"Eh. I guess you might say they're cute, if that's what you call anything small." Himself included. Being seen as an adorable species had its benefits, but at the same time, a lot of bigger races didn't view Teensies seriously enough.

"Shame, really, but I'm thinking of looking into these crystals as an alternate source." He crossed his arms. "Hopefully I'll find someone willing to teach me the basics."

[her_rose_is_red]

Smaller things do tend to be cuter. It's one of the unspoken rules of the universe. Ib tilts her head curiously.

"Well, what do they look like?"

As for learning about crystals, she shrugs.

"Maybe Jessie could teach you. She knows a lot about crystals and stuff."

[umslay]

"Like-" he raised his hands, then paused. "Actually, drawing a picture would be better." He reached into on of his overall pockets and retrieved a small notebook. Equations, notes, and rough sketches of machinery whipped by as Ales flipped through the pages until he found one only partially filled with notes.

"Here." He took out a pen. "These lazy creatures look like these little orbs of light, usually yellow, but they also got wings for flying around. If you look up close, you can sometimes see faces on them."

Finished with his drawing, he held it out for Ib to see. A sleeping round creature took up a corner of the page (minus the crown), with little lines emitting from it, showing that it was supposed to be glowing.

"There you go."

[her_rose_is_red]

“Aw~ it is cute!”

The picture is cute enough to make her smile, anyway. It really is too bad they don't have lums around here. They look like they would make great pets.

“Are they friendly?”

[umslay]

"I guess." He smiled and shrugged. It's not like he had deep conversations with them. "They usually just hang around in the air until something moves them, so it's not like they're going to hurt you."

He offered the book for Ib to take and have a better look. His art talents lied more in machinery and diagrams, leaving his portraits in a sorry quality, but he was proud of that Lum drawing. Probably because it was so simple to draw.

[her_rose_is_red]

It may not be his strong suit, but the drawing is still super cute. And not of a scary lady or strange body parts or any number of other creepy things, so it's A+ artwork as far as she's concerned. She takes it carefully and studies it for a moment.

“I think if I were in your world, I'd want to get one as a pet.”

[umslay]

He gave her a look that easily could be translated as "really?"

"Why could you even get one as a pet? They don't do anything other than hang around in one spot. And you can see that do that anywhere." A pause. "They only sing when in groups."