melodiesoflife | [OPEN] An easy quest...

Entry tags:

[OPEN] An easy quest...

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.]

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[Sparks is out on patrol when he spots Ib, and he raises an eyebrow. What was this even about?]

Uh. You uh, makin' a delivery or somethin'?

[She nods.]

It's for Jessie. I asked her for a new job.

I see. So what's up? Why ya sittin' outside here with it? They're open, y'should be able to take it in.

[He noticed how she had been eying up the painting like it might suddenly bite her. But for the life of him, he can't surmise why.]

Is it... heavy? [He asks this very uncertainly.]

[She hesitates, chewing her lower lip nervously as she tries to think of a way to answer him without admitting the problem. There... really isn't.]

No, it's not heavy. It's just....

[One hand idly smooths out her skirt. Then she glances back up at him.]

Promise you won't laugh.

I will no-- [Like a reflex that almost comes out, but then Sparks remembers he's talking to a kid, and cuts himself off with an exaggerated clearing of the throat.]

I mean, of course not. What is it?

.............

[After a long moment of silence, she sighs.]

I... the painting..... makes me nervous....

Whaaaat. Really? Why, what is it of?

[He can't help but sound just a little amused. Sparks attempts to peek around the cloth covering it, and even pulls up the side of it a little to see if he can get a look.]

[At least he didn't laugh, so she feels slightly better about continuing.]

I haven't looked. I didn't wan to see it. In case....

[In case it was something scary.]

I just.... don't really like paintings...

What, like, all paintings? How do you not like any paintings. 'S like sayin' ya don't like, uh, all flowers or something.

[Okay, the curiosity is too much. He's sneaking a peek at this thing, but he looks to make sure Ib won't see whatever it is.]

I know, but.... I can't stop thinking about..... the gallery...

[OOC- For the record, I don't know what it's a painting of, but I assume it's fairly innocuous.]

[Sparks frowns in disappointment at the painting. It's pretty boring. He looks back at Ib, eyebrow raised again.]

The gallery? Why, what's in there? I mean, besides more paintings. I haven't been inside yet. Reckon I should fix that one of these days.

N-no, not this gallery....

[Well, she's come this far. Maybe she'll feel better if she tells someone.]

Back home. My parents took me to an art gallery. It was... fun.

[At first. She stares pointedly at the ground as she continues. Ib isn't sure if he'll even believe her.]

I was looking around at the paintings and sculptures but then... the lights went out. Everyone... disappeared. And the paintings started... moving....

A haunted art gallery? Whaaaat. [He's not quite sure he believes her, but then again, he's seen a lot in his time. Who knows, maybe there are ghosts out there somewhere.]

Don't think anyone's disappeared in this museum. Reckon if they did, I'd have heard about it it by now. Pretty sure yer good to go.

[She stares pointedly at the ground, one hand clenching her skirt.]

I know. I know most of them aren't.... like that. But I still... have nightmares. And when I'm alone with paintings and things I get.... scared.

You probably think... it's pretty silly...

A little, yeah. [SORRY. That's just Sparks for you.] Buuut it sounds like it was pretty freaky, so I guess I can't hold it against ya.

Still, you got a job to do, right? Y'can't just sit here all day with this thing. C'mon. Let's get it inside. [He tosses a nod at the entrance.] And if any ghosts try any funny stuff? I'll take care of it. [He confidently pats his gunsword. Not that he believes this place would be haunted, not that a sword would be any good against it if it was.]

[Ib smiles gratefully, pleased that he didn't make fun of her or call her a coward. And he's even offering to help. She nods.]

Right. But... I'm actually taking it to Jessie.

[Although, now that she thinks about it...]

I don't know what she wants it for...

So ya already got it outta there? What's the problem, then? C'mon, ya might as well take it to her at this point. And who knows what she wants it for. Just cuz she could make ya do it, I reckon.

I know. But when I was carrying it, I kept thinking about the ladies in red and I...got nervous.

[Oh, maybe she should explain that.]

Those were paintings of these ladies who would jump off the walls and chase me a lot.

[Sparks gave Ib a sideways look, then shot the same look to the painting and then back to the Ib again. And then attempted to lie. Poorly.]

Reckon yer in luck, because there's totally no lady in a red dress on that thing. At all. Nope. It's like, uh, a lady in a blue dress. Yep.

I- it is?

[She pales slightly. The ladies in red were bad enough, but getting Garry's rose back from the Lady in Blue had been terrifying. She can still remember those grasping hand crashing through the window of the tiny room she'd been hiding in.]

[Well that was appaently the complete wrong thing to say.]

I... Did I say blue? Cuz that-- [He takes a peek under the cloth again, and nods very sagely at the painting.] Thaaaat is totally purple. Yep. Just a. Just a bluey-purple. But definitely purple.

[There were no Ladies in Purple in the gallery. But she looks at him uncertainly. Ib is staaarting to get the impression that maybe he's not being completely honest with her. But if that's true, then.... was it a painting of a lady in red? That's... Jessie wouldn't do that right? Not on purpose. Maybe she should look at the painting....

No. She really would rather not know.]

Can we...stop talking about the painting?

[That's probably the easiest solution right now.]

Yep. Sure can. [He answers that probably a little too fast, but he picks up the painting and holds it out to her. It's still Ib's job, after all.]

C'mon, y'got this far so ya can't give up now. If you can manage to hold onto it, I'll get Mercury to take us over to Jessie's in a flash.