Fantasy Costco, Monday Afternoon

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana stared at the building that was...hers now, apparently, by whatever fell magics or plain intimidation tactics Nicol Bolas had employed. There was a small street that went past it into the woods where the feeling of mana seemed to be heaviest, which she would explore later. For now, however, she should inspect her new holdings.

Taking the keys she received from Bolas before she'd planeswalked here, she opened the door to the place and looked around. Hmm. Upon closer inspection...

...She realized she was absolutely not a merchant and so had no idea whether or not it was of a suitable size or whatnot. It seemed fine? Blind Eternities, how was she to know? There were shelves and there were windows and eventually she would have items to put on them and surely that was enough for anyone.

Though...there did seem to be other things already on the shelves. And the windows could use a good cleaning. And the whole building could use some dusting.

Seemed like a problem for somebody else to deal with. Liliana might now be a shopkeep, but she had yet to lower herself to the position of scullery maid. Clearly she needed to scare up some help immediately.

Well. 'Scare' might not be the exact verb she intended.

Comments

Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

That's certainly a choice you can make!

Re: Talk To Liliana

[existencemisspent]

Was the Magic Box closed for the day yet? Probably not. Was Eliot wandering off anyway?

. . . Look, he never claimed to be a good employee.

"Ah. Signs of life." (Pardon the expression.) "Hello? Fantasy . . . proprietor person?"

Re: Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

Hey she's alive! it had been a whole thing in Innistrad during her necromancer training...Look. The moral of the story is never let vampires and liches boss you around, okay?

Either way, Liliana was wearing a crooked smile as she turned towards the voice. "For now anyway," she agreed, her own little inside joke. Because wait was she actually supposed to, you know. Run this place? Ew. "Hello wandering villager...person?"

Re: Talk To Liliana

[existencemisspent]

"Eugh," Eliot said. "I'm definitely not a villager."

You live in what was essentially a small village, Eliot, deal with it.

"I'm Eliot. This may be the first I've ever seen anyone in this building."

Not, mind you, that he paid a whole lot of attention to bulk goods stores, or anything with the word "cost" in their name.

Re: Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

It was very demeaning, wasn't it? Liliana might have to change that name eventually, though she was fairly certain the name of the place just entertained Nicol Bolas that much more. Contemptable bastard of a dragon.

"You aren't?" Liliana asked, raising a slender brow in amused skepticism. "You don't call this quaint little hamlet your home? Or do you perhaps--" She nodded over toward where the school rose above the town. "--make your home in yon castle?"

Not that she was trying to get information about what sort of people lived there or anything. Perish the thought. She would never.

"And greetings, Eliot. I am Liliana Vess--" she held her hand out to him, offering it for a kiss, "--and I suppose I am the proprietor of the..." She glanced up at the store name and inwardly sighed, resigned. "...The Fantasy Costco, I suppose."

Re: Talk To Liliana

[existencemisspent]

Eliot knew exactly why she was preferring that hand. He lightly squeezed her fingertips in his own, but didn't kiss it. Polite, but not deferential.

"No," he said, "and no. Fandom is more of a . . . stop along the way. And the castle is a high school of all things. I take it you've just arrived?"

Re: Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

Another eyebrow flicker, this one less amused and more considering. Interesting. "Than we have much in common there," she said, reclaiming her hand gracefully. "This is also just a stop along my way. Helping out a friend with a...business enterprise."

Which was exactly how Nicol Bolas would describe it, shut up.

"And yes, I arrived last eve, on your charming beach." Again, that sense that Liliana was privately amused about something, though that faded a moment later when she had to ask, "Er...what exactly is a high school?"

Re: Talk To Liliana

[existencemisspent]

That confirmed at least some of Eliot's suspicions.

"A school for teenagers," he explained breezily. "Where anyone the right age can attend and learn skills for either college or the work force. I'm guessing you're from more of a medieval style world where only monks or royals go to school?"

Re: Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

"I'm from many worlds," she said with another small twitch of a smile. "Though I don't know what medieval means. I did have my lessons as a girl, though I am no royal."

Just, you know. The daughter of a high-ranking general. Shut up! You didn't know her! You didn't know her life!

She tilted her head, thinking. "Though, I suppose that as a member of the Forward Order, that might count towards your claim of 'monks,' though, I assure you, I didn't live as one. And my brother--" for just a moment, her arch expression flickered "--wasn't part of an order at all, but received schooling nevertheless."

Re: Talk To Liliana

[existencemisspent]

"How lovely," Eliot said a bit absently. (He was regretting bringing up schooling, yeah.) "The Forward Order, hmm? I'm not familiar with that one."

Re: Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

"You wouldn't be," she said, with a dismissive wave of her hand. "You're not from Dominaria."

Re: Talk To Liliana

[existencemisspent]

"True," Eliot said with a shrug. "And you're not from Earth. Or Fillory."

Re: Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

"Also true," she agreed with an incline of her head. "Are you a Planeswalker then?"

Re: Talk To Liliana

[hasaknightjob]

Contrary to what some people believed, Steven didn't mind getting a bit of exercise. If "bit of exercise" could be used to describe a leisurely walk around Serendipity Place after grabbing a spot of lunch.

Which was why, after a brief moment of anxiety as he passed the Museum (Monday, today was Monday, he was working tomorrow, which was Tuesday), he noticed the building seemed to be open, which he couldn't recall it having been before. (Granted with his memory that might not mean a bloody thing.)

Regardless, he figured no harm going in and seeing what was what. If nothing else it'd be a respite from the humidity, right?

"Hello?"

Re: Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

Black mana was useful for a great many things, but do you know what it was not good for? Cleaning.

Or maybe it could be and Liliana was just frustrated at the very idea of it. Who's to say?

"Hello," she called back, a thread of annoyance in her voice. "Mind the gap."

By which she meant, 'the new yawning hole in the floor, big enough for a man to fall into.'

Re: Talk To Liliana

[hasaknightjob]

Steven was British so, after a brief moment of looking to see if a train was coming - it was Fandom, these things couldn't be ruled out - he made his way gingerly around the hole not dirty and then tried to see if he could spot where the voice was coming from. "Right. Cheers. Hello. Do you mind company? Don't mean to be a bother, only saw it looked like someone was in."

Re: Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana's head poked out from behind the shelves. "I don't suppose you know how to--" She waved a vague hand around, encompassing...well all of this.

Re: Talk To Liliana

[hasaknightjob]

Steven smiled at the new face. At least new face to him, which didn't necessarily mean new face to the island. Regardless, he was happy to lend a hand to someone in need. Especially since she seemed nice. "Depends on what you mean, really. If you're here to shop I don't know if it's open? If you're trying to find something I could help you take a look about."

Whoever she was, she looked far too posh to be working here.

Re: Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

Thank you, Steve. You were her new favorite.

"Oh it's definitely not open yet," Liliana said, stepping out from behind the shelves and looking for some place to wipe her hands. Currently the only option she had was her gown and absolutely not. "The stock and all of my belongings won't arrive until tomorrow at the earliest. Bloody Consortium fees."

She made a moue of distaste at the whole thing really, from dust to delivery. "Greetings. I am Liliana Vess, owner of the..." You know, she was just not going to dignify this place with its current name. "...here."

Re: Talk To Liliana

[hasaknightjob]

"Oh!" Steven brightened. "Steven, with a V. Steven Grant. I work the museum just down the street."

Steven turned around to orient himself and then pointed in the proper direction before continuing. "Don't think I've heard your name before. New to town?"

Re: Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

"Arrived last night," she said, the corner of her mouth crooking up on one side. "What does your museum collect?"

Re: Talk To Liliana

[hasaknightjob]

Steven looked pleased to have been asked. "Things about the island. Literally. There's fish, bugs, artwork, history. I know the bug part doesn't sound nice. My boss doesn't even care for them. But there's a butterfly room that's absolutely lovely. You should stop by when you've a chance. I'll be there tomorrow, if wanting a friendly face is a requirement. But it's free and open any day, really."

Re: Talk To Liliana

[deathsmajesty]

"Are they all dead bugs?" Liliana asked for absolutely no reason, honest.

Re: Talk To Liliana

[hasaknightjob]

"No, no, very much alive," Steven said, misunderstanding why she would ask by a wide mile. "I know, for some it's creepy. If it bothers you there's the other exhibits. The fish are alive but in tanks. Very pretty. And the art and history pieces are not alive, that I can assure you."

Because it was Fandom and you did have to specify those sorts of things.

OOC

[deathsmajesty]

No "Mod Your Store" yet, since it's not really ready for that, but hey, OCD is OCD